Thinking, a Winner, and Good News

Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Indeed, there is life happening in our heads, isn't there? The mind is where we process everything, battle challenging thoughts, and formulate any number of things. As writers, we might also say, "Writing consists in what a man is thinking of all day."

While all this thinking is a good thing, a break is nice too. Especially when the brain is on overload or you hit a wall with a project. Pen and Prosper's Jennifer Brown Banks offers help in this post, How to Reboot and Rebound. While Jennifer actually references bad computer days, her tips provide therapeutic refreshment for the intense writing life.


A Winner

Congratulations to Bethany, the winner of Ann Gabhart's book, Scent of Lilacs! Thanks to all who stopped by to see Ann in last week's post.


Good News

I signed a contract with Helping Hands Press! They will be publishing my book for homeschoolers later this year. I'm still numb, the entire process happened in a flash - but I am excited! Will keep you posted. :)


What things will you be thinking on today? What do you do to refresh and reboot?

Have a great week!

Happy writing,


Karen


Photo credit: Stock Exchange

Spring, Lilacs, and Ann Gabhart

Spring has arrived here in Kentucky, just in time for Ann Gabhart's visit. Ann's here today to share the story behind the story in her book, The Scent of Lilacs.  She's also giving away a copy to one of my readers. Be sure and check out the details below.

Welcome, Ann! It's great to have you back.

Thank you, Karen!

Here is the Book Description:

Life changing events rarely happen in Hollyhill, Kentucky, and when they do, they are few and far between. But for young Jocie Brooke and her family, they happen all at once during the summer of 1964. Though on the surface things are just fine, it seems everyone in Jocie's life has something they're not saying, something they're hiding from her - and from themselves. As Jocie digs into her family's past, she stirs a whirlwind of discoveries. Will she find the answers everyone so desperately needs? Or will her questions lead to truths better left hidden?

Here is the Story Behind the Story, in Ann's Words:

Several years ago I’d hit a wall. Yes, I was writing, but I tried several different genres, and nothing was working. So I decided to take that age old advice to “write what you know.” What I knew were small towns, country living, and country churches. I set the book in the 1960s and cranked my memory into full gear to come up with the background of my story.

The little town of Lawrenceburg where I grew up became my fictional town of Hollyhill. I took what I remembered about Main Street in the Sixties and set my characters right down in the middle of it in the newspaper office. Town was two blocks with the courthouse on one end and the post office on the other. The library was up the street on one end of town. We had two grills, two banks, two hardware stores, two dress shops, two laundromats, two furniture stores, two doctors, and two stoplights. (Everything must have come in twos.) Saturday afternoons all the farmers came to town and you could walk down the street and meet friend after friend. You knew everybody in the county and not only knew them, you knew who their family was. You knew what their houses looked like and whether they kept the weeds out of their garden or not.

So that's the kind of town I wrote about in my Heart of Hollyhill books, starting with Scent of Lilacs.  I came up with a girl whose father is the editor of a small town weekly newspaper, and on the weekends pastors a little country church. I stirred in a few eccentric characters. Don’t all small towns have their share of those? I didn't exactly model any of them after people in my town (with the exception of Old Sally and even with him I made changes), but I did take a smidgen of this person and smidgen of that person and come up with some people who felt right at home in a small town and a country church.

That didn't mean I didn't change what needed changing to make the story better. I wanted Hollyhill to be Small Town, America. A place readers could recognize and maybe say "I grew up in a place like that." The books are all being re-released. Scent of Lilacs was first in March 2013. Orchard of Hope will be out in October 2013. Summer of Joy will be re-released in February or March 2014.

In order to celebrate these books back in print, Jocie, the young heroine in the book, is reporting from Hollyhill once a week on her own blog, the Hollyhill Book of the Strange. No spoilers or excerpts from the book. All new small town adventures. Hope you'll stop by on Monday nights or Tuesdays to see what Jocie and her Hollyhill friends are up to.

You can check out Jocie's thoughts here, on Hollyhill's blog. 

Thanks Ann, for stopping by. It's always a pleasure. Wish you all the best with your books! 

Thanks so much, Karen, for inviting me over again. I always love visiting your place.

For more info on Ann, visit:

Ann's website

Ann's blog

Buy Scent of Lilacs here

Find Ann on Facebook and Twitter 

Here is My Review of Scent of Lilacs:

One thing I like about Ann Gabhart’s books is that they have personality. It’s present not just in the characters, but in the story. Ann has a gift for creating characters that most anyone can relate to, a setting you can see, and a plot that tugs at your heartstrings. Then she wraps it into a neat and touching package. 

Scent of Lilacs is no exception. Jocie’s summer contains pleasant surprises and answers to several prayers. Sadly though, she encounters hard lessons as well. But they are inevitable, considering that Jocie’s mother ran off some years before with Jocie’s older sister Tabitha.

Originally published in 2005, the Scent of Lilacs was released again this spring. I’m thankful for the chance to read it now, as the combination of surprises and humor provides a heartwarming and inspirational read. Will look forward to checking out the rest of the Hollyhill series soon.


Here are the Giveaway Details: 

• You must be a Google Friend Connect follower and leave your email address with your comment. 

• Gain bonus entries (+1 each) by posting this on Facebook, your blog, and/or Twitter. Please total your entries and include links with your comment.

• Open to residents of the United States.

• Deadline to enter is noon EST Friday, May 17, 2013. Winner will be chosen by random.org, notified via email, and will have 36 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Winner will be announced Monday, May 20, 2013.

So tell us, what was it like where you grew up? Big city or small town? What are you reading this spring?

Happy reading and writing,
Karen

Write in Your Head

How do you write?

On paper and computer screen, on salvaged envelopes, and post it notes - anything that provides a flat surface long enough to record a thought, right?

Have you ever considered how much writing happens in your head?

Yes, I know; it all starts there.

A deadline's looming. An ongoing project needs tweaking. A great idea blossoms. And the wheels are turning. This is a good thing, but...

You're doing the laundry. Or at a baseball game. And you cannot immediately record your thoughts. This is when you write in your head.

But what do you do? Hope you remember? 

I don't know about you, but there is no off switch for my brain. It doesn't care what I'm doing, it just cranks out ideas. And before I know it, I have a paragraph written in my head. So I've learned to keep pen and paper handy everywhere, from in my purse to the nightstand. The recording features on my cell phone and MP3 player come in handy too.

Noting thoughts must wait, of course, when we're driving or white water rafting. So we trust that we'll retain those ideas for later, yes? And so it goes in the writer's life. :)

How do you handle this kind of head writing? What's the most unusual place a great idea has hit you?

Happy writing,

Karen

P.S. Hope you can join me next Monday when author Ann Gabhart stops by. Have a great week!



Image Credit: Stock Exchange

Call It Done

Every writer faces it. "The End." Whether a novel, article, blog post, or other project, there's that time when we call it done and publish or submit to an editor.

This came to mind when I saw an amusing cartoon on Facebook. I can't remember who posted it or I would share it. (If it's you, let me know. I'd be happy to give due credit!)

Picture it: An editor stood to the left side. Writer #1 stood to the middle right, and had just handed the editor a submission. Writer #2, at far right, clutched writer #1 around the waist in an effort to keep writer #1 from grabbing the submission back from the editor. Writer #1 said, "But wait, I want to look at it one more time!" (My paraphrase.)

I had to laugh. Been there. Done that. Okay, maybe without the drama, but I know the feeling. Must tweak things. One. More. Time.

Is there a solution? If so, what is it?  Here are my thoughts:

Tools to Help "Call it Done"

• Let it rest. Time is an asset. Even a short break helps us return with fresh eyes before hitting the send button.
• Get outside input. Whether from writing friends or a paid editor, another perspective offers insight for optimum polish.
• Deadlines. There's nothing that motivates like a good old fashioned deadline. I often impose my own to stay on track. 
• Practice. As skills improve, so does our confidence. Moving on gets easier.
• Acknowledge that enough is enough. Insecurities and perfectionism may urge us to adjust the words forever. But forever is a long time. Give it your best and move forward.
• We are not alone. All writers have this or similar challenges.

This of course, is not to say that we shouldn't strive for excellence. Of course we should. But the time comes when we must "call it done".


Do you fight the temptation to endlessly tweak or second guess submissions? What steps do you take to work through it?


Special Note: My Dad is visiting from NJ, so I am taking a break until Monday, May 6.

Enjoy your week! :)

Happy writing,

Karen 

Top Image Credit: Stock Exchange/Billy Frank Alexander

A Book Review and a Quiz

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund      

Bethany House Publishers


The Description

Michigan, 1880 - Annalisa Werner's hope for a fairy tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That’ll be enough. A marriage for love...that's something she's given up on.

So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany and a former schoolteacher--or so he says. He's looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.

With time running out, she accepts his help, but there's more to this man than he's admitting. He's also gentle, kind, charming--unlike any man she's ever known. But even as Carl is shining light into the darkness of her heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.

---

My Review 
 
I have yet to read a book by Jody Hedlund that I did not like. Her latest, A Noble Groom, is no exception. Set in her home state of Michigan, this book tells an engaging story of perseverance and trust. The main characters, the recently widowed Annalisa Werner and new immigrant Carl Richards, are the kind of characters that Hedlund has a knack for creating - memorable ones. 

Annalisa and Carl watch their worlds shift and collide through circumstances beyond their control. To survive, they must adjust accordingly. Despite the fact that they are drawn to each other, their relationship is hindered by well-kept secrets. 

This book’s main characters are deep but likeable. Their lives intertwine, and the reader watches as they learn hard lessons, yet maintain an admirable resilience. I enjoyed all of this, along with a seamless plot filled with great action, and yes, even a bit of intrigue and suspense. Ms. Hedlund delivers a wonderful tale that surrounds and entertains the reader. In addition, she provides a story that speaks perspective regarding all things important – faith and family. 


Memorable Characters Quiz

Can you name the memorable characters from these books and/or films? You get bonus brownie points if you can name both! (Sorry, no real brownies are involved.) Answers below. :)

1. Scout called her father, a lawyer in the Deep South, by his first name. Who is he?
2. Name Heathcliff's love in the dark but classic Emily Bronte tale.
3. Prince Humperdinck and Princess Buttercup are characters in this 1987 film. What is the name of the Spanish swordsman?
4. What is the name of the photographer portrayed by Jimmy Stewart in the 1954 Hitchcock thriller?
5. L.M. Montgomery wrote a few adult fiction stories (still G rated, btw). One featured a timid female character who finally got the nerve to stand up to overbearing relatives after a startling diagnosis from her doctor. What is her name?

Need advice on creating memorable characters? Check out Jody's post entitled 3 Tips for Creating Enthralling Characters.

If you'd like more info on Jody and her books, visit her website at jodyhedlund.com.

Purchase A Noble Groom at Amazon.

Congratulations Jody, on another great book! Wishing you all the best!





What elements make a character memorable? What are you reading this week?

Happy reading and writing,
Karen


Kindly note: As an influencer for author Jody Hedlund, I received this book free of charge from Bethany House.

Answer key:

1. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights
3. Inigo Montoya played by Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride
4. L.B "Jeff" Jefferies in Rear Window 
5. Valancy Stirling in The Blue Castle