Whaddaya Luv?

Love the middle ages? The Cymry (Welsh) people? Battle? Reluctant heroes? Spunky heroines? Dastardly Vikings? Twuue Luurve?

If you love any of these things, you may want to check out a book...

PEACEWEAVER releases this Friday (yes! this Friday!) from Desert Breeze Publishing (www.desertbreezepublishing.com). Get ye there and check out the cover awesomeness.

Seriously, I love this story as it came together. It was a joy to write. I hope my readers will enjoy it, too.

New Weekend -- Another Guest!

Hi, peeps. Today we take a peek into the writerly heart of author Fay Lamb. Isn't that a cool cover, by the way?

DK: When you’re not writing, what do you like most to read?
FL: I love to read romantic suspense, but any story with quirky characters is an invitation to get away. The novel BLISS, by Tracy Bowden and Jenness Walker, has been an absolutely favorite. I love to laugh, and I laughed from page one until the very last well-placed line of that book.

DK: I'll have to get that one! I love to laugh. And you--if you didn’t write in your chosen genre, which would you write? Why?
FL: I'd write contemporary romance, not necessarily formulaic. While I have written formula romance, I like to tell a story that goes so much deeper than the love of two people. I like to show relationships with issues, lots and lots of issues and conflicts to overcome.

DK: That’s the best kind of romance of all! Where do you see the fiction market going in the near-term?
FL: Since God spoke His creation into being, storytelling has been a part of mankind. God's Word is full of true-life stories. Jesus used fiction to speak into the needs of those who sought Him. While I believe the fiction market is going through some pains caused by fast-growing technology, I don't believe the desire for a good story will ever fade.

I'm going to get in trouble with my next statement, but here goes: I believe Christian fiction will suffer if the publishers do not begin to understand their market. I was appalled when I sat across from an editor from one of the larger Christian publishing houses, and I was told that my writing was too complex for Christian readers. I decided at that moment to seek a Christian publisher that had a better opinion of their readers and who realizes that secular publishers reach across the aisle to attract Christian readers. In the same way, with stories that do not compromise God's truths, Christian publishers need to reach across those aisles and touch secular readers with stories of light and life—stories with meaning, stories that have the Only Answer to every dilemma.

DK: There isn’t one little bit of your statement with which I disagree! C-fic has many different subsets of readers, and so must become more inclusive. What has been your biggest challenge since you decided to seek publication?
FL: As mentioned above, my biggest challenge was finding a publisher that looked beyond formula and taboo subjects and realized that BECAUSE OF ME is a book that speaks of God's love, and shows the truth behind Romans 8:28: No matter what we face, what we've gotten ourselves into, God proclaims, "…all things work together for good" to those who love Him. That's a hard Scripture to embrace when we're walking through the fire, but when we're on the other side, and refined through our heartache and pain, it's one of the most wonderful verses to cling to.

DK: True, and precious beyond words. What about your favorite authors? Care to give us a few names?.
FL: My all time favorite author is James A. Michener, but I add to that list: Margaret Daley, Karen Ball, Francine Rivers, Rachel Hauck, John Grisham and Sharyn McCrumb.

DK: Sharyn McCrumb is one of my all time faves. Those books are hoots! About you, now--care to share a writing habit you cannot do without?
FL: One of my habits is what I call "free writing." It's allowing myself time to play with story and character. If I'm working on a novel, inevitably, another story will call out to me. The characters want me to come and play. You never know when a character is going to step on stage and give you the story of a lifetime. So what I do is promise myself that if I get a certain amount of writing done on the current work in progress, I can go and play with characters from another neighborhood.

Fay, thanks for being on JTTS, and thanks for your candor.

New Weekend -- New Author!

Hi, all of you. Today we get acquainted with June Foster, whose book GIVE US THIS DAY just came out.

DK: When you’re not writing, what do you like most to read? Genre, favorites, etc.
JF: Before I started writing two years ago, I read end time prophecy fiction such as the “Left Behind” series. Since I've begun writing, I love to read in my genre - romance. I want to read the books my fellow authors at Desert Breeze write. I download mostly the inspirational romances. I've probably read six or seven of the authors now. I love Shawna Williams' writing because her characters must overcome their flaws to become more Christ like.

DK: Shawna is one terrific writer. And if you didn’t write in your chosen genre, which would you write? Why?
JF: I'd like to write romantic suspense one of these days. I'd love to allow my imagination to go wild and think of the twists and turns that keep readers turning the pages. And when there's a romance involved, it's all the more fun.

DK: Where do you see the fiction market going in the near-term?
JF: There will always be an interest in fiction. I think the e-book market is going to explode even more than it has in the last five years or so.

DK: You’re right! Its sure going to change things all around. What has been your biggest challenge since you decided to seek publication?
JF: The waiting game is difficult - to see if a publisher will like my work or send me a rejection letter. That's one thing I like about Gail Delaney of Desert Breeze Publishing. She's respectful of authors and answers promptly to proposals she receives.

DK: She is that, to be sure. Name a few of your favorite authors.
JF: Well, I know Deb Kinnard is one of them. Others are Latayne Scott, Mildred Colvin, Allison Pittman, Jerry Jenkins, and Gail Gaymer Martin.

DK: Hey, thanks! That sure is nice to know. Care to share a writing habit you cannot do without?
JF: Praying and asking the Lord to help me every step of the way. I rely on Him for ideas, words, and inspiration for my plots.

Thanks for guesting on the blog, June.

A New Week, Another Terrific Author!

Minions, today please welcome Dina Sleiman. Dina is a writer by choice, a dancer by nature, and someone who's very special to me. Today we find out what makes her writing life tick:

DK: When you’re not writing, what do you like most to read? Tell us what are your reading genres of choice. What are some of your favorites?

DS: When I am writing, I try to read great books in the genre I’m working on. Right now that’s historical romance, which is probably my very favorite. But when I’m not writing my reading is much more diverse. I actually enjoy all sorts of genres. Literary fiction is high on the list, but I also adore sci-fi, fantasy, and spec fiction. Cozy mystery is fun. I even read some thriller novels. My least favorite is suspense, but I still end with some of those too.

DK: You’re smart to “stretch” by reading outside your chosen writing zone. If you didn’t write in your chosen genre, which would you write, and why?

DS: In addition to romantic historicals, I’ve also tried my hand at contemporary women’s fiction and creative nonfiction. I actually have smaller publishing companies interested in both of those books right now. I’m a very organic sort of writer, and for the first few years of my career, I wrote rather impulsively. The contemporary women’s fiction came from my experiences teaching college and traveling in the Middle East. I’m glad I wrote it, because I think it meant a lot to my Lebanese husband. The nonfiction sort of exploded out of a collection of poems I’d worked on years ago when I discovered that format.

At this point I’m growing more focused and intentional about my career. I do think my niche will end up being in the historical/historical romance area.

DK: Where do you think the Christian fiction market might head in the near-term?

DS: I’m really in no position to predict, but I have noticed that Christian fiction is growing more realistic. A lot of topics that were taboo even a few years ago have become more common. Tattoos, Christians who drink in moderation, etc. This is huge for me, because I personally have no desire to be a religious, outwardly focused Christian. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that my dance emphasis (found in all of my books) has been so readily embraced, even by older readers. Not long ago, a number of Christian publishers didn’t allow dance to be mentioned. I’ve noticed recently that several Bethany books have depicted dance in a very positive light. And Zondervan has a novel featuring a ballerina and the whole dance world.

DK: What has been your biggest challenge since you decided to seek publication?

DS: My first few books were not very marketable. I was turned down by a number of agents and editors who loved my work but didn’t think they could sell it. My personal interests didn’t match well with the current state of Christian fiction, and I didn’t do enough research on the subject in advance. I’ve managed okay considering. And DANDELION has received wonderful reviews.

Right now, I’m focusing on correcting the marketability factor. I feel God has put a new desire on my heart to be more of a career writer and to help my children through college. It took some time and prayer to come up with an idea that I loved and that would fit the market, but I think the book I wrote this fall fits the bill. I hope it will be the start of something new and exciting for me.

DK: We'll await good news, then! Who are a few of your favorite authors?

DS: Francine Rivers (of course), Lisa Samson, Julie Klassen, Siri Mitchell, and Roseanna White are at the top of my list. Three out of five are now personal friends, which is pretty cool. In some other genres, I also really admire Tosca Lee, James Rubart, Steven James, Karen Hancock, and Kathy Tyers.

DK: Care to share a writing habit you cannot do without?

DS: Not exactly a habit, but I didn’t start writing seriously until I got my first laptop. In college I wrote a lot, but I hated all the time spent tied to a desk. For years I didn’t write anything longer than a skit or a poem. But once I had a laptop, I could curl up on a couch or a bed. That’s how I do all my writing.


Dina, thanks for sharing what makes your writing Dandelion dance!

Guest Arrives!

...and is interviewed. The charming and talented Cindy Hickey dropped by to answer a few of my little questions regarding how/why she writes such fun, suspenseful books. Here's her take on it all:

Cindy, when you’re not writing, what do you like most to read?

Wow, I love reading romantic suspense. Something to keep me turning the pages and holding my breath. Something that makes me want to keep the light on.

If you didn’t write in your chosen genre, which would you write, and why?

My agent has decided I have a historical voice. This still makes me smile, as I never thought I’d write in that genre. So, I’ve several Historical Romance proposals out there. Of course, they all have a mystery or a touch of suspense in them.

Where do you see the Christian fiction market going in the near-term?

I see it expanding by leaps and bounds, even more so in the ebook market.

What has been your biggest challenge since you decided to seek publication?

Getting that foot in the door the first time. Persistence pays off. You must keep moving forward, day by day, inch by inch. Never give up.

Name a few of your favorite authors.

Brandilyn Collins, Dorothy Gabaldon, Dean Koontz, Julie Lessman.

Care to share a writing habit you cannot do without?

Have some chocolate with you! I tend to zone out into plotting land with some dark chocolate M&Ms at hand.

Thanks, Cindy, for giving us your insights. Of course, she forgot to name Kinnard, but I don't write suspense, so maybe that's the reason.

Here's a thumbnail of her recent book cover. Isn't it a honey?

Get Cindy's books at www.amazon.com or at www.smashwords.com.

Self-Publishing

In brief, this isn't the dirty word it was even a few years ago. It's gaining credibility, slowly for certain, but steadily. I'll admit to being a tad bit bemused by the whole model -- and even more so by the dialogue swirling around it. Should an author ever consider putting his/her work "out there" for the world to see, sans agent, acquisitions editor, publishing house, marketing department, sales force, distributor, bookstore? Or should we in Christian fiction still consider this business model as little better than anathema?

If you're looking for solid answers, I haven't any. I may come to some, in time. Certainly I'm reading the recent posts on the ACFW loop with great interest. Authors I respect are turning to self-pubbing for: out of print books to which the rights have reverted; works for which there's a limited audience and a platform to give them presence; books that cannot and will not fit into mainstream Christian publishing no matter how excellent their content.

I have several books in the bottom drawer, which fall into this last category. One that I truly love has as its central theme domestic violence. Don't worry--it all happens off-screen, since it's told from the point of view of the man who tries to help an old female friend who's the survivor of this violence. An edgy story, probably, though I've tried to handle everything with grace, nothing gratuitously, and adhere to Christian morals. However, though I've run it by my agent, I've never tried to pitch it.

Will this ever be number one on a publisher's wish-to-acquire list? Probably not. I've mulled self-pubbing this one primarily, plus one or two others that are finished and ready, over time. They definitely won't fit in any Christian publisher with whom I'm connected or would like to be connected. I trust my agent when she says, "No sale," on these. But could they find their feet in a market without the traditional gatekeepers who protect us from the unusual, the edgy, the out-of-the-box?

No answer yet. I'm still mulling. If I decide one of these can fly, you'll be among the first to know. Sure wish I knew!

Stolen Goods, Part II

Why is this important, you ask? After all, doesn't "every generation/blame the one before"? Isn't it just human nature to get revisionist about history and claim that THEIR age is the one that has sole possession of The Light?

Human nature, maybe. Resistible, definitely. If we counter, at every possible opportunity, the human tendency to dismiss an entire millenium as unenlightened, backward, all those terrible adjectives...I think there is hope to redeem the middle ages as fiction-fodder.

The marketing wunderkinder claim if we want to tell historical tales, they must not be set in the medieval era. Why is this? Because "it doesn't sell." Are they really saying, "we can't feel the love for this era because the characters, no matter how fervently Christian, must be Catholic"?

Horrors! We cannot honor THAT! Didn't we spend decades and buckets of martyrs' blood to get away from all that? Yes, the Reformation was necessary, though I think in places, particularly England, it went way out of hand. It also got out of control because of the aforementioned human nature. "What!" says sin-prone humanity. "Some children are bad? Throw them ALL away!" And from this mindset we get excesses of all horrific kinds.

We who read and write in the Christian market can reject this "throw it all out" mindset. We can refuse to accept the "no medievals" position on the part of the publishers, and write (and request, as readers) books that will be Entirely Unrejectable.

Recent events have shown that some publishers are ready to consider medieval-set fiction. Witness Michelle Griep's superb GALLIMORE and several other titles I have not yet read. I have hope.