Handling Setbacks (Laurie)

I received a(nother) rejection last week for a novella I'm trying to find a publishing home for. Even though we were on vacation with limited internet access, my immediate reaction was to figure out where I should submit it next. The moment I had an opportunity, I went ahead and completed the submission.

As I reflected on that gut reaction to send the story out again right away, I realized that's pretty much how I always have handled setbacks. Depending on the circumstances and level of disappointment, I might take a little time to grieve, but my preference is to jump ahead and try to move on before I can even really process the sting of failure. I think it tends in part from my impatience, in part from my tendency to way over-think things if I give myself too much time.

Anyway, this is a Your Turn! post, so enough about me :) Now I want to hear from YOU! How do you handle failures or setbacks in your life, writing-related or otherwise? Do you take time to regroup? Do you change your plan? What are your strategies for recovering and moving on?


See you next time!
Laurie

Intentional Rest (Lizzie)

The spring semester was a very stressful one for me for many reasons, including several sick family members and a time-consuming and mentally exhausting job of teaching a new class (anatomy and physiology I). During this time, I had two "eye-pisodes" (possibly ocular migraines) where my vision was distorted for about twenty minutes. It's scary not being able to read anything. And, while shopping at the grocery store, I noticed one of my fingers had turned a ghastly white (pallor), and it was some time before its color returned to normal, despite me trying to rub the circulation back into it.

Then, one Saturday, the power went out in the house, which, however, led to one of the best days of the semester. I was the only one home, the power was out inside, I couldn't focus to do my work (class prep) outside in the glaring sun, and I felt like God wanted me to take a much-needed break anyway, so I went for a walk. I roamed the woods noting all the beautiful details it's so easy to miss on a quick walk, like the supplejack vines that seem to climb the air or the mud dabber nests lined up on a rock like colorful houses on a Portuguese coast. When I returned to the house, I played the piano and sang. I did no homework, just enjoyed a Sabbath rest. And guess what? All my work got done on time anyway. No trouble came of me taking a day off. 

Do these remind anyone else of the tall, narrow houses of coastal villages?
Don't you love the different colors?

That day drove home a very important lesson: Rest and recreation time isn't something I use my leftover time for (just like I don't wait until the end of the month to put money in savings). I have to be intentional about them. One of the hardest things to do for me, but something I am working on now, is to stop worrying about getting everything done, and actually take those breaks. But it's worth it. I haven't had any more "eye-pisodes" or attacks of pallor; I feel better, and I am more creative. So take a day off every week and an evening off here and there. The world won't end, and you'll be able to enjoy it much more. 

Do you find taking breaks difficult? How do you keep from worrying about getting everything done?

P.S. Happy Flag Day!

Conquering the TBR Mountain (Laurie)

I always have to laugh whenever someone makes a reference to their TBR pile. Because if the books accumulating on my Kindle, plus the books I want to read but haven't acquired yet, all materialized in my house, I'm positive a simple pile wouldn't suffice. More like a mountain. And it grows every day! Just this past Tuesday, five of my author friends / acquaintances released new books. FIVE! I really wish the mountain visual were an exaggeration...

Most of my reading these days has some kind of deadline attached. The author is expecting feedback, I'm writing an endorsement, I'm supposed to review by a certain date, or I want to be able to participate in a book club discussion or other event. But once in a while, I catch up on my "scheduled" reading and take a peek down at the precarious book mountain I'm perched on. Where do I even start??

Which leads to my question for YOU for today! If you have a towering TBR pile (or a mountain like me!), how do you decide which book to read next? Is it based on a library due date, what a friend is reading, or is there something about the book itself that causes it to rise to the top? And if you have any other strategies for conquering your TBR mountain, please share!


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Lizzie, a.k.a Rapunzel: Which fairy tale character do you relate to most? (Lizzie)

When I am staring out my window in my tower, I feel very much like Rapunzel. You would too if you worked in my tower, I mean, office.

My tower view. Nice, isn't it?

It is on the third floor of a large, brick building, which, is sorta like a tower since it's tall and sturdily built. I (and a co-worker not so fortunate as to have a window) often enjoy the view, wishing to be free to leave the tower, but since leaving it too often would, rightfully, mean no job, I stay inside, feeling like Rapunzel.

What about you? Do you relate to any fairy tale character in particular?

Your Turn: How Do You Like Your Endings?

Recently, I've come across several articles and discussions on story endings. Topics ranging from the most common ending (happily ever after) to the effect a particular type of ending has on the reading experience. After all, the ending is the last emotional memory we, as readers, have of a book. So even if the story is fantastic, if we don't like the ending it downgrades the entire book.

That puts a lot of weight on the last 5-10% of the story. Everybody seems to love happy endings, so why even consider another type of ending with so much at stake?

• Reading experience.
• Challenge the common perspective.
• Reveal a deeper truth.

If all books had a happy ending, Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespear's most famous tragedies, would be a romance story like any other and the powerful insight revealed at the end of The Fault in Our Stars would have been overshadowed by joy.

Of course, there are also stories like Poe's The Black Cat where a happy ending by definition would mean the main character achieved their goal and thus killed their cat.

The best ending truly depends upon the story itself. 

Which endings do you prefer? What reading experience do you look for in a book without a happily ever after?

Your Turn: Reading Speed (Laurie)

My book release went really well - thank you so much to everyone who joined us for the blog tour! But now I'm in full-on catch up mode! I promised a friend I'd beta read her amazing book, but the timing worked out really tough in relation to Common's release date. So although I usually take a week or two to finish a book, in this case I'm opting for speed-reading!

But it got me thinking...what kind of pace do you read at? Are you someone who flies through a book in one day, or does it takes you weeks or even months to get through a book? If it depends, then what factors affect how quickly you read?


See you next time!
Laurie

Going Deep (Julie)

I'm a sucker for stories with happy endings and don't particularly dig books with deep, thought-provoking themes. I'd rather read to escape reality. However, recently I found myself reading Neal Shusterman's Scythe, because it received high praise from several friends. Writers are supposed to branch out after all. Well, I am now reading book two in the series.

If you want the synopsis, check out Jill's post here.

What fascinates me about this book is actually the deep, thought-provoking message (shocking!). In a world where humans are now immortal with no more diseases or pain, there's also a stagnation. Everything has been achieved so there's nothing left to work toward. No goals, no aspirations, no discoveries. Since humans can't die, except by fire, they have employed Scythes to keep the world's population from becoming too excessive. Yet, in such a perfect world, is it perfect after all?

I started reading the series right after I joined a book discussion at my school on helping students understand the process of thinking. While reading the book, it got me to thinking, among other teacherish things, just how powerful a book can be. Shusterman's book has you wondering about what life would look like if we did actually conquer our "problems". Could pain and hardship be a good thing after all? If we had no problems, we'd never grow and learn and so forth.

As Sean Connery said in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Books, if done right, can be amazing tools for helping us think and understand the world around us. Writers have the power to change lives!

Those are my deep thoughts for today. Are you reading any books currently or in the past that got you to think beyond the surface into the profound mysteries of life?

There's Nothing So Refreshing As ... (Lizzie)

For today's Your Turn post, I want to share a few things that refresh me and restore my good mood and creativity. Please share what refreshes you in the comments.

A walk on a beautiful day (or through a
beautiful landscape) is wonderfully
refreshing.

There's nothing so refreshing as

... a funny book

... a new favorite song

... a clean house

... emptying that overstuffed closet

... a long hike on a cool day

... chatting with an old friend

... a glass of ginger-ale


What are some of the things that make you feel refreshed?

Your Turn: Your Favorite Social Media Site (Jill)

Recently, I asked my author group a question: which do you like better, Instagram or Twitter? Instagram was the winner, although someone went rogue and voted for Facebook. I started thinking about all the different social media sites I was encouraged to be on, to build my platform. And unfortunately, that never stops. I’m assuming my gravestone’s epitaph will be “Follow me at “https://www.facebook.com/jmhackman/!”

I’ve made an account on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Twitter, Google+, as well as my own personal author website. That’s a lot to keep track of, but since my favorite is Facebook, that’s where I usually am.

My question for you? What is your favorite social media site? Do you manage to stay active on several at a time? Maybe you have a social media tip or technique that’s worked really well for you? 

Please share below in the comments!

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash

Under the Mistletoe... (A Bookish Christmas Blog Hop!)

I got to participate in another blog hop this week - this time, holiday themed! See below for a list of all the stops for A Bookish Christmas Blog Hop.

But first...today's question: What fictional character would you like to kiss under the mistletoe?





Laurie Lucking (me!) www.laurielucking.com

You guys know how much I love romance and there are so many great leading guys out there, so this is a really tough question! I'm going to have to go with Jet from The Sentinel Trilogy by Jamie Foley, because he's witty and tough but also has this sweet vulnerability that shows through every once in a while. But of course I'm answering as my twenty-something self, since now I'm happily married and he'd be a bit young for me at this point... :)






Belinda Bekkers www.BelindaBekkers.com


Mark Watney from The Martian. He’s nerdy and funny. Doesn’t help that I picture him as Matt Damon either.










Angela Guidolin www.angelaguidolinauthor.co.uk


I’m going to be naughty and name two: Neo from The Matrix Trilogy and Ross Poldark from the TV series Poldark.








Jo Lindsell www.JoLindsell.com


I’m going to go with Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. He’d be a real gentleman, but also super sexy, and well… he’s Mr Darcy!








Skye Hegyes www.skyehegyes.com


Oh! This is a good one, and at the moment my brain is fried with all my options. Hmm… I’d have to go with Jesse Gallaghar from Beasts of Babylon by E.A. Copen. He’s an outlaw, but he sticks to his own moral compass, and I can get behind that. I wouldn’t mind one kiss under the mistletoe with him… or a few, if I’m honest...







Now it's your turn!! I mean, come on, we all have at least one fictional crush, right? Which fictional character would YOU want to kiss under the mistletoe?



See you next time!
Laurie



P.S. As promised, here's the posting schedule for the rest of the blog hop:

10th December – What is a book you think everyone should find under their Christmas tree? Hosted by Belinda Bekkers.

11th December – What is a book cover which has a wonderfully Christmas feel to it? Hosted by Jo Linsdell.

12th December – What is a book you’d like to find in your Christmas stocking this year? Hosted by Leslie Conzatti.

13th December – Which fictional character would you’d like to spend Christmas with? Hosted by Casia Schreyer.

14th December – Which fictional character would you like to kiss under the mistletoe? Hosted by Laurie Lucking.

15th December – Which fictional creature would you replace Rudolph with so you could meet them on the roof? Hosted by Angela Guidolin.

16th December – Which 5 fictional character would you invite to your New Year’s Eve party? Hosted by Skye Hegyes.

When You're Not Reading Fantasy (Lizzie)

A quick note before we get started with today's Your Turn post: Thanks to everyone who participated in the re-release giveaway for The Rose and the Wand. I had a blast and am eager to announce the winners: third prize goes to April from Texas, second to Lucy from West Virginia, and first to Shirley from Arkansas! Congrats, ladies, and I hope you enjoy the book and the prizes. Now, on to our regularly scheduled blog post. :)

Your Turn: When You're Not Reading Fantasy

I have a confession to make. Though I write fairy tale-like fantasy, I mostly read inspirational historical romance. But that really shouldn't be too shocking because fantasy novels, at least the fairy tale-like and Tolkienesque stories I read, are essentially historical fiction with a bit of magic or magical creatures thrown in.

A delightful inspirational historical
 romance about Lady Eliza, an heiress
whose fortune and family's reputation
have been stolen. She goes undercover
as a governess in 1880s New York to track
down the thief. Mischief, mayhem,
and romance follow.

The first of a captivating medieval
murder mystery series following
endearing surgeon Hugh de Singleton.
Lots of historical detail and insight
into medieval beliefs (it includes
 appearances by John
Wycliffe) add to its interest.

My question for you today is what genre or genres do you read when you're not reading fantasy?

For me, it's historical romance, classics (especially novels by Jane Austen or Charles Dickens), or mystery.

Most recently, I read Jen Turano's A Change of Fortune (historical romance) and Mel Starr's The Unquiet Bones (mystery and historical fiction).

Your Turn: Edgy Vs. Squeaky Clean Fiction

Lately, I have been reading a lot about where to draw lines in Christian fiction. Should Christian fiction deal with controversial topics? Can characters use offensive language? Most importantly, how do we, as authors, portray Christ's message and still engage with the world around us?



In Zachary Totah's article "On Behalf of Young Christian Readers Who Don't Want Clean, Unrealistic Stories," posted on the August 8, 2017 edition of Speculative Faith, he says,

"Don’t give us stories filled with characters peering down from their ivory towers, removed from the struggle and mess and brokenness of living in a fallen world.

Rather, give us stories with real, raw, vulnerable people. Who deal with hard situations. Who live in realities where life beats them down and doesn’t always work out as planned. Stories that aren’t afraid to use fantastical elements."

Totah continues,

"And that’s exactly where stories by Christians enter the picture. If they can stop the obsession with making sure nothing offensive, scandalous, or challenging gets within 100 feet of the storyline, they can offer hope.

They don’t live in a timid, perfect world that can’t emphasize the brilliant light of Truth because it refuses to acknowledge the darkness plaguing the world and the characters themselves. They live in stories where rough things happen. Where characters make big mistakes and there isn’t always a clear right answer."

So, what do you think? Is there a place for edgy fiction dealing with tough topics that uses realistic language (read: swearing) in Christian books? Or do you think Christian authors should steer clear of controversy and language? Let us know both what your opinion is and why you hold it.

Thanks!

Erin

Attributions:
https://pixabay.com/en/dog-wolf-yelp-moon-tree-night-647528/
 

Your Turn: Reading Distractions (Laurie)

It's football season! Something I've never cared too much about, but many of the people around me do :) Growing up, I did a lot of reading this time of year, because my family would put every Packers and Badgers game on TV (can you tell I'm from Wisconsin?) and I could only feign interest for so long before I'd escape to my room with my book. But I was just talking to someone the other day who said she takes a similar approach except she just stays in the room and reads while the game plays in the background.

So I'm curious - can you read with distractions like the TV on in the same room, or do you tend to escape to solitude like me? Does it depend on the type of book?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Your Turn: The Gravity of Books. (Julie)

I’m such a snob when it comes to books. For example, the other day a fellow teacher came to chat after school, and she began telling me about a book she was reading. I couldn’t tell you the name because my brain didn’t feel it worth storing away. She described the book as a deeply sad, yet beautiful, emotional book. As she went on about how depressing-yet-great the book is, I kept thinking, “why would you want to waste valuable time reading something dreary when you could delve into an epic fantasy of high adventure and fun characters?”

I read to escape reality. If a book requires a box of tissues to be handy at all times, it’s not for me. Give me a rip-roaring adventure any time! But that's me. What about you? What type of books draw you in? Are you a happy-ender type of person like me? Or maybe you can’t resist a good emotional foray into the character’s troubled life? Perhaps you prefer books that educate? Whichever way you gravitate, share it with us. I'd love to hear from you!

Sea Clocks and Reading Non-Fiction (Lizzie)

Lately, I've been enjoying listening to audio books on my commute to work. I've listened to Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, and, most recently, Dava Sobel's Longitude. I'd heard enough about Covey's book to know it would be fantastic and helpful for personal growth, and I knew Dickens's would be entertaining, albeit a bit slow in places from excessive conversation between unlikable characters showcasing flaws in society needing addressing (mistreatment of the poor, for instance). But I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable Dava Sobel's Longitude was, despite being non-fiction. I write the last semi-jokingly. Growing up, I didn't care to read non-fiction beyond my school textbooks, but now I find it not only beneficial for personal and spiritual growth, but often fascinating and entertaining.

John Harrison's first sea clock, known as H1.

Before listening to Longitude (read by a marvelous Bristish actress), for instance, I had no idea the accurate determination of longitude (a seemingly dry measurement learned about in school days) had such history and consequences. Countless sailors died in wrecks when ships unable to accurately determine their position (latitude and longitude) ran into reefs or into enemy territory, or died from scurvy because they couldn't find an island to gather fresh supplies soon enough. The struggle to accurately determine longitude resulted in many advances in astronomy and clock making, and, ultimately, lead to technologies we take for granted today. A few hundred years ago, even the best clocks could lose several minutes each day.

So what?, you may say. It's still facts and facts are boring. Only when told merely as facts. Any discovery or seemingly dry fact came about through the adventures of people. All people have stories, so all discoveries, technologies, and bland lines in textbooks, have stories. And those stories can be as entertaining as fiction, and more remarkable, if well told. Who would have guessed today that an accurate way to tell your position (best found either by using the heavens or by an accurate clock [not a common thing at the time]) would be rewarded by a king's ransom? But several kingdoms offered large prizes to anyone who could solve the "longitude problem." John Harrison, a self-taught carpenter and clock-maker, is a part of the story of longitude, and such famous people as Sir Issac Newton, Edward Haley, and Captain James Cook are intertwined in it.

Harrison's marine chronometer H5

So in addition to being entertained and informed on history and science through Sobel's Longitude, I came to a greater appreciation of today's technology, of our seemingly simple ability to tell accurate time and know exactly where we are and how to get where we're going. Hopefully, you're not like I was, disregarding non-fiction in favor of fiction. If you are, however, I encourage you to give non-fiction a try.

What non-fiction have you read lately? Or what would you like to read?

The Waiting Game (Jill)

Near the end of school last year, my daughter told me her friend wasn't going to read my book Spark until the whole series was finished. I was a little disheartened, to say the least. But I couldn't be annoyed with her, because I understood where her friend was coming from.

When I find a new book that looks amazing, I'll run through my mental checklist. I'll check the author, because I'll go through fire for a few of my favorites. I'll also peek at the ending--I require my books to have a HEA (Happily Ever After), no matter the genre.  I'll read the blurb to see if it interests me. And lastly, I'll check to see if the book is the first in a series. If it's a stand-alone, and most of the other criteria are met, it's going home with me. But if it's a Book One of Three or Five or however-many-books-the-author-has-up-her-sleeve, it requires more thought. I hate waiting and if I read Book One, I'll have to wait a whole year for the next one. Plus, I read a lot and it's hard for me to remember what has happened in the year I've been away from these characters.

I waited with the Harry Potter series, although I did have to wait a year for the last one. I've also played The Waiting Game with other series. Although it requires delayed gratification, I prefer to wait. My memory just isn't what it used to be.

What about you? Do you prefer to read books as they are released? Or do you like to wait so you can savor the series all at once?
Let us know in the comments below!

Your Turn!: Marvel vs. DC (Erin)

One of my more frivolous summer pastimes this year has been getting caught up on DC's TV series, The Flash, so I can actually watch episodes as they come out and not just drool over the trailers I see on Twitter. I also have been known to watch SuperGirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, on occasion. And, with the release of WonderWoman this summer, DC is definitely making an impression.

However, my school staff did a CA Avengers (Marvel) skit for the final chapel of the year, and of course, SpiderMan: Homecoming also came out this summer.






So my question is: Which do you like better?  DC or Marvel? If only one of the franchises could exist, which would you choose?


Leave a response and let us know! 

Your Turn: Overused Actions (Laurie)

Being a writer has definitely given me a new perspective when I'm reading. I never edit as I read on purpose (unless I'm supposed to!), but I still end up picking up on things I probably wouldn't have before. Things like repeated words, or unnecessary dialogue tags.

But today, I wanted to get your thoughts on overused actions in literature. In one book I read lately, I noticed the characters often placed a finger or two under each others' chins to raise that person's head. It got me wondering, has anyone ever done that to me, in my entire life? Not that I can think of.

Another one that came to mind is someone dragging a hand down their face. I never do that. I know, because it would leave me with badly smeared makeup or off-kilter glasses :)

But all authors are guilty of it, and I'm no exception! For example, my characters chew on their lips / cheeks all the time - another action I basically never do. Oops!


So now it's your turn! Can you think of any actions you notice showing up frequently in books that you rarely see in real life? Does that kind of disconnect bother you, or is it easy to overlook? If you're a writer, are there any actions you're guilty of overusing?


See you next time!
Laurie

Bad First Lines (Laura)

I was recently introduced to a humorous exercise that involves writing bad scenes. It can keep you mindful of habits to avoid in your writing, and it might also help you remember not to take things too seriously at times.

For the sake of brevity, instead of scenes let's have fun with some bad first lines. Here are a few examples:


     The night was as dark as a pool of spilled black ink and also as dark as
     charcoal. Darker actually. She couldn't see anything. Then the light was like
     the sun coming out on a clear day. One with no clouds at all. It was then
     that Herbertina realized the sun was out.


     The fourteen-year-old boy had almost reached the house that stood just past the town center. He could see it now, and it
     was close. It was on the corner, next to the coffee shop, the bakery, the grocery store, the library, the pet hotel, and the
     restaurant. The only restaurant in town actually.


     Inside the three-pound beige, tattered wicker basket full of eggs were a dozen orange and yellow, oval-shaped, speckled
     eggs with blue and turquoise spots and maroon stripes. The basket was awkward, cumbersome, and hard to carry along
     with the trombone and waffle iron, but the brunette, freckled teenager didn't mind.


     "FORE!" I exclaimed very loudly into the strong breeze that carried the shout even farther across the lake, where I had
     knocked the ball into a patch of trees that were as tall as mountains. Everyone wondered what team I was on.


What are some lines you can come up with? You could start by rewriting a sentence from your own work. It can be challenging at first to give yourself permission to write it badly, but it's fun once you get going. The more you overdo it, the more amusing it becomes.


Tip: Try doing this with a writing group and then have everyone read their bad lines or scenes out loud. It will make for a giggle fest.


Enjoy!


Laura


Attribution
Dark and Stormy Night: http://psychopass.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dsn_snoopy.jpg

Zombie Nouns and Word Nerds (Lizzie)

Are you a word nerd? If you are, what are your favorite jokes, pet peeves, mistakes, learning tools, and so on?

One of my favorite word-nerd things is this video from Ted-Ed and Helen Sword on buried verbs, also known as nominalizations. Enjoy!

P.S. For more information on nominalizations, check out this article from OWL (Purdue's Online Writing Lab) .