Writer ...Interrupted has Moved!

We've Moved

2007-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

Help spread the word that we've moved to Writer...Interrupted, "Your One Stop for the Busy Writer"

Visit Gina at Defying Gravity, "Encouraging others to take that leap of faith toward their dreams!"

Carnival Of Christian Writers # 4 -- January 2007

2007-01-29T23:51:00.000-08:00

This months carnival is full of wonderful posts from Editors, Authors, and readers for your intellectual and recreational reading pleasure. Special thanks to Michelle Pendergrass for putting together the last severeal carnival. We bid her farewell from the fairgrounds as she pursues other writing opportunies. But I've been assured, she'll still be a regular contributor.

Her vacancy means we're looking for a new coordinator. So don't hestiate to step up and join the Carnival of Christian Writers.

Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times and buckle up for your safety. Enjoy the ride...

Literary Agent Terry Whalin discusses Making Your Books Stand Out. I'm thrilled to annouce Terry has just launched his own agency, you can view the details at his site: Whalin Literary Agency.

Jennifer Tiszai at Sonoran Saga offers a wonderful post on Writing From The Senses.

Jennifer at Snapshot tackles The Great American Novel.

Lillie Amman at A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye looks at Writing About Tragedy.

Mark Goodyear at Good Word Editing washes away writer's block with S.O.A.P

Michelle Gregory at Life In The Midst Of Writing is Dancing With God.

Gina Conroy at Portrait Of A Writer...Interrupted tells us What She Learned While Not Writing.

Heather Goodman at L'Chaim tries to figure out the whole pomolit thing.

Michelle Pendergrass at Just A Minute tells a trucking story while exploring how to listen to the story everyone wants to tell in Cursed Or Blessed?

To participate in next month's carnival, send submissions to portraitwriter@gmail.com And if you'd like to host the carnival at your blog next month, let me know!

Prodigal Love

2007-01-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

The suddenly there dawns upon us the vast, entire endowment of God's free love and forgiveness...It is this which bowls us over...frees us...transforms us.

Paul Tournier

Saved by Grace.

Christians throw that phrase around to express their faith, but do they really know what Grace is? I've come to a deeper appreciation and revelation about God's Grace. It's so amazing, even my six-year-old is still too young to understand it's power and meaning.

I've come to understand through my own Christian walk the difference between Grace and Mercy in these simple terms:

Grace is getting some reward I don't deserve. Mercy is being forgiven or pardoned from a wrong I did and a punishment I deserve.

The most remarkable thing about the God I serve is that He offers these to us generously, every day. Other religions of the world can't boast this about their gods. They promote religions where man gets exactly what he deserves or that he'll have to pay, or make atonement for their sins in another life or another time. They also promote works, and striving to gain the approval of their God and to enter into their idea of heaven everlasting life.I'm so glad I'm not a slave to their religions, but found the power of Grace through the gift God gave the world in his Son Jesus Christ.

Dwight Edwaerds uses the example of the story of the Prodigal Son to illustrate God's grace and mercy. When I had read the story in the past, my focus was always on the two sons, the wayward one and the one who stayed by the father's side. But let's take a look at the father.

Edwards pointed out that most of us think of prodigal as meaning wayward. I have to confess that's what I thought. But prodigal means "excessive or overflowing" as in the word prodigy, a person who is overflowing or gifted with exceptional abilities. In light of this revelation, let's look at the story a new. The story about the Prodigal Father. You may want to take a moment to read the story for yourself found in Luke 15.

Grace is the theme of the Prodigal Son, and it's demonstrated in the father's response to his son. In the story we read that "while the son was still a great way off, his father saw him." This can imply that though the son had done a terrible thing by taking his inheritance and running away, the father was still looking for him. Amidst his daily chores, the father was watching the road, hoping to see his son.

And when the father finally saw his son returning home, instead of saying "I told you so" or "I knew you'd be back", he had "compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." Edwards points out that in that culture, an older man running toward someone was considered undignified and wouldn't normally happen. Now consider how this culture felt about pigs. They were unclean, defiled animals and his son smelled like a pig, covered in sweat and grime as he traveled in the hot son down dusty roads.

Now imagine the scene again. An old man running toward this filthy, defiled broken vessel of a man. How great the father's joy had to be to do this in front of all his servants and family. What a prodigal love the father had for his son!

Then the father restored his son to his rightful position as a son. What better picture of Grace is that? Being accepted back in the family though he didn't deserve it. Do you think the son was surprised? Of course, the best he had expected was to be a servant in his father's house. And the Grace didn't end there. "Bring out the best robe...a ring...sandals...kill the fatted calf..." The older brother say by and witness his father's grace and didn't get it. That's becasue "Grace is unimaginable in generosity. It gives beyond all reasonable expectation."

It's the same with God and us. He sees our sin, our waywardness, and yet waits, scanning the horizon for us to return, never giving up hope that we will someday be reconciled with Him.

Edwards says "God's Grace is the most unreasonable thing in the world. It's also the most powerful. Nothing is more effective for transforming lives, risky though it is."

I have to agree as I marvel at God's prodigal love for me.

Gina Conroy , is founder of Writer...Interrupted and a homeschooling mom to four. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms is available now!

We're Making a Switch...

2007-01-28T06:15:00.000-08:00

to a new site and it seems blogger is forcing me to switch to New Blogger, but then I won't be able to transfer the content of this blog over to the new site. This may be the last time I get to log on to old blogger.

Hopefully the new site will be up and running by the end of the week, but if it's not check out www.ginaconroy.com for more information and updates, but please excuse the mess, that site isn't finished either!!

Other contributors of this blog may still be able to log on, but I'm not sure. If Writer...Interrupted is down this week, please take the time to browse blogs on the Writer...Interrupted webring. With over 70 members, you're bound to find some new favorites!

Want Character Material?

2007-01-27T05:51:00.000-08:00

Get to your closest large city and buy some public transit tickets. Take a notepad with you and ride.

I promise, you won't be disappointed!

My son and I just spent three fabulous days in Chicago and we did quite a bit of public transit riding. My mind is overflowing with the possibilities.

So how many of you actually take time to study people like this? I know that people go on trips to the location of their books for accuracy, so surely other writers must study people?

How do you study people?

~michelle
My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words
Psalm 39:3

Michelle Pendergrass is a coffee-lover who lives in Knox, Indiana where she homeschools her son, Zane. She blogs at Just A Minute. When you visit, please note that her son is most definitely weaned and has been for some time now. Some names just stick.

Simple Science and Snow Ice Cream

2007-01-25T17:55:00.000-08:00

Snow ice cream--one of the most fun of winter treats to make and enjoy as a family. My mom used to make it for us, sending me out to collect a big bowl of fresh white snow. And it couldn't be the first snow of the year...subsequent snows were cleaner. It helped that we lived in the country away from big city smog. Or, so we thought...

We'd take that huge bowl of snow and slowly add a premixed blend of three cups heavy whipping cream, a half cup sugar and one teaspoon vanilla. Mmm!

Last year prior to making our own batch, we decided to do a little experiment. I sent the girls outside to fill my biggest kettle with the cleanest snow they could find. They were super picky. We then took the large kettle, and placed it on the stovetop on low heat till it was completely melted. We observed two things...first, a lot of snow amounts to very little water! The second was that the supposedly "clean" snow was filthy! It was brown with little flecks of ? in it! Ugh, disgusting.

Ruined my day, let me tell ya!

So we had to come up with a workable alternative, something the girls could still make on their own with things we had on hand...that could turn into ice cream. Hmm.

I turned to the internet and found this very handy recipe, I hope you let your children give it a shake.

Ice Cream in a Baggie

Into a good quality sandwich size ziplock bag put:

1 TB sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Zip the bag and put it inside a larger heavy-duty freezer bag. Surround the small bag with ice till the larger bag is half full. Now put 6 TB of salt on the ice and close the bag. Have the kids shake their bags for 5-10 minutes and ta-da...they've made their own ice cream. I assure you, it's delicious!

Mary is an old-fashioned thirty-something wife, homeschooler, and aspiring writer. Her blog, Home-steeped Hope, feeds her love/pursuit of the written non-fiction word while her women's fiction "dreams" are being revised...

Mid-Week Motivation

2007-01-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

Starting Your Day Out Right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
~ Psalm 27:14

Have you been guilty (like I have) of pushing to get your way? Making things happen? Forcing that square peg into a round hole? As I wait to join my husband at his current contract location, I found myself growing impatient. Part of me wanted to settle for any rental we could get just so the waiting would end. When I finally resolved to the fact that I would just have to wait, God provided much more than I would have settled for and it appears He’s not going to make me wait as long as I thought.

I laugh as I think on this, recounting in my mind all the times “He’s told me to wait”. I would typically take the news with a mini temper tantrum but I’ve often found that if I’ll give in to the wait, accept it as His will, things go so much smoother. Often times I end up with far better than I would have settled for. On the flipside, when I stay impatient, I typically do something stupid and end up with a mess that is much more painful than merely waiting.

Is God telling you to wait on something? If He is, trust that He has your best interest at heart. Wait for Him.

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

Alright, our sinks show our reflections and we’re feeling more organized by practicing our Morning and Evening Routines. So, what’s next? Remember, we’re taking this really slow because I don’t want to become overwhelmed any more than you do. FlyLady has what she calls “zones”. Basically, you divide your home into five segments (zones) and then you work in one zone each week of the month. Your task this week is to develop your zone lists. For some examples, you can visit the Flylady link above or I have some lists on my site you are more than welcome to check out. While you’re making out your lists, be sure to keep that sink shined and your routines…routine.

Afternoon Pick Me Up

Writing inspiration

Do you remember that one paragraph summary you wrote two weeks ago? It’s time to pull that out and make it grow. Ingermanson tells us to “take several hours and expand each sentence of your summary paragraph into a full paragraph.” That’s it – seems rather simple after last week’s character building doesn’t it?

Source: The Snowflake Method

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

I’ve decided to change up the steps a bit from what is laid out at the 30DayGourmet site. I do agree there are five steps, I would just classify them a tad differently is all. So, let’s take a peek at step four shall we?

Step Four: We Cook!
You’ve shopped, you’ve chopped and now it’s time to put it all together. This is typically called “assembly day” as you now follow the recipes and assemble your entrees. If you take a look at their recipe for Grilled Chicken Parmesan, you can see that all of the assembly and freezing instructions are included. I’ve prepared this at every session. It comes together very easily (even the kids can help with it) and while these are flash freezing, you move on to your next recipe. By having all of your prep-work done, it should just be a matter of combining ingredients and placing them into your freezer containers.

Some recipes do recommend pre-cooking before you freeze them so you’ll want to pay close attention to the directions. Even with the prep-work completed, you will likely be looking at a full assembly day to put 30 entrees in your freezer. As you get more efficient at it, you’ll be able to complete it faster.

If you use freezer bags – be sure to get as much air out as you can and then freeze them flat. They take up a lot less room this way.

Well, you’ve been on your feet all day cooking but there is one last step and we’ll cover it next week.

Source: 30DayGourmet

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

“Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation…”~ 2 Peter 3:15a

This morning we pondered waiting on the Lord. Tonight, before we sleep, let us consider the patience of our Lord with us. All those times I’ve pushed ahead with my own plan, He still welcomes me back when I realize my error. His time here on earth, knowing what was to come and then the three days that followed must have felt like an eternity to the Father. And even now, He tarries His coming so that more will have the opportunity to choose Him. Yes, His patience means salvation; and tonight we should praise Him and thank Him because He waited…for us.

J. Blair Lane, founder of the child-loss support site, A Treasure In Heaven, is passionate about faith, family and writing. A resident of Texas, she travels with her husband of eleven years, Erik and homeschools their four living children. You can visit her blog at Scribblings by Blair.

It Works for Me

2007-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

As I wait for the impending release of Ruby Among Us (Jan 2008), I work furiously on my second novel. One thing I have learned about the second one is that I am pretty much writing it using the same process I used for the first one.

At first, I tried to be very organized. I fought it and thought about trying things like outlines and index cards. After wasting a few months where I didn't write anything that I felt was decent, I tossed the index card idea out with the outline that never really materialized anyway.

I just don't write that way. Here is my way, and to some of you it might sound crazy, but it works for me. I write a few pages, I go back and re-read them and self-edit. I write a few more pages, I go back and read them, then edit them. I do this all the way until the end.

Call me strange if you want to, but it really does works for me. By the time I'm finished, I've read the manuscript from beginning to end repeatedly. And the really funny thing is that my agent says I'm fast!

I have a friend who loves to outline. And I've heard others who say they lay their note cards out in line and rearrange them in the scenes they want before they even write a chapter. Those people must rock. That is exactly how my husband would do it if he were a writer.

But he's not. I am the writer in the house. I'm also the one who doesn't see the point of straightening up my sock drawer or color coding my shirts in the closet. But like my mom says, it takes all kinds. If my husband was a less organized person, I'd really be in trouble. If I was like him, I wouldn't write the types of stories I write.

I'm sorry to draw wisdom from such a loose comparison, but the writing world is sort of the same. It takes all kinds of writers and thank the Lord we don't all work the same.

I think I'll keep writing as I always have. Write it, read it, edit it, and start over. I guess I spent too much time in the south last month because the best way I can say it is, if it isn't broken, don't fix it (that's a variation of If it Ain't broke, don't fix it, but as a writer I can't write it that way!).

The point is to be yourself. If writing is a new adventure for you, then by all means take a look at the rules and get ogranized. Terry Whalen at The Writing Life is a great resource and there are others.

We all have to follow some rules and be organized, but for me I've also learned not to fight my voice. It works best for me to write like me and comparing myself to others simply stifles that voice.

Tina Ann Forkner has recently contracted with Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House, to publish two novels. The title of her first book is Ruby Among Us. To learn more, visit her website at http://www.tinaannforkner.org/ or her blog, She Plants a Vineyard, at http://www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com/

In Due Time

2007-01-22T09:39:00.000-08:00

I received this devotional in my inbox from the daily Tozer devotionals from Literature Ministries International. It came at just the right time for me. Maybe it's also a good time for you!

Trials and Pain: Not Yet "Due Time"

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come
forth as gold. --Job 23:10

God has said He will exalt you in due time, but remember, He is
referring to His time and not yours!

Some of you are actually in a fiery furnace right now. You are in a
special kind of spiritual testing. The pastor may not know it and
others may not know it, but you have been praying and asking the
Lord: "Why don't you get me out of this?"

In God's plan it is not yet "due time." When you have come through
the fire, God will get you out and there will not be any smell of
smoke on your garment and you will not have been harmed.

The only harm that can come will be from your insistence that God
must get you out sooner than He plans.

The Lord has promised to exalt you in due time and He has always
kept His promises to His people.

As children, we can always afford to wait. A saint of God does not
have to be concerned about time when he is in the will of God.

"Lord, I pray this morning for anyone who is 'actually in a fiery
furnace right now.' Give great grace to endure until the 'due time'
when You bring release and exaltation. Amen."

For more information about LMI: http://lmi.gospelcom.net/

Risk In the Real World

2007-01-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2002

And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon Peter answered, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to break... --Luke 5:4-7

'Put out into the deep water.' How many of us never take the time to really understand the significance of these words? We are too busy floating along and trying to stay in control on the shallow water to even think of putting out to the deep water. But why did Jesus tell the apostles to put out to the deep water?

Simple. That's where the fish were. To understand why, you must understand the principles and the assumptions that the apostles were making. First, at this time, there were no motors. When you were on the water, you were at the mercy of the wind and the elements, and the further out you went, the more this was true and the less the chances that you were going to make it back to the shore. In fact, it was the fishermen who were the real risk-takers in Jesus' time. These were men who finessed the boundaries of safety just to do their jobs on an everyday basis.

So, when Jesus told Peter to put out into the deep water, Peter knew well what the deep water represented-risk. Ultimate risk. Death if the winds caught the boat and they couldn't get back to the shore. The very act of obeying the command shows Peter's faith. What he couldn't know was what the Lord already did. Every other fisherman in the region had already fished in the shallow water, it was out in the deep that the overwhelming quantities could be found.

This lesson is no less true today and was recently brought into focus for me in a very modern-day way. As a webmaster, one of my tasks is to get people to know my site exists. In doing this, I have taken several avenues-one of which is having an on-going link campaign. In layman's terms, this means going out surfing for hours, searching for sites to approach to ask if they would be willing to link to my site, and thus give surfers one more way to find me. It is a time-consuming and very often frustrating undertaking.

Because I write Inspirational Romance, I try to contact sites that fit into one of the following categories: Christian, women, writing, and romance. Now, let's talk risk. On one side, I have people who are adamant about traditional values, family-friendly messages, and staunch, unbending Christianity. On the other side I have romance sites which often bend toward decidedly un-Christian values. I find myself on the tightrope in between, wishing that both could understand how close they really are. In our society we have unfortunately gotten the message that romance and God are mutually exclusive. The reason of course is that romance is equated with sex (generally outside of marriage) and God condemns these kinds of practices. The very fact that I choose to write Inspirational Romance should tell you that I don't buy into this myth. To me, there is nothing more holy than a man and woman who have committed themselves to each other through God's love.
For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.
--Ephesians 5: 31

The problem is too many equate romance with prurient sex, base the opening days of a relationship on sex, and believe that they have to because "everybody else does." Thus, no one puts God into the relationship until they are ready to get married. Then they want the big church wedding, and the soul-fulfilling notion of standing before God and man and commit themselves to each other-although they haven't bothered to acknowledge God's presence in the relationship until that moment. And we wonder why the divorce rate is high. Wouldn't it be far better to promote a message that encourages couples to invite God into the relationship from the very beginning, trusting in Him to guide both partners, and believing that if it is meant to work in His great plan, it will? This is the message that I'm trying to get out.

However, this is not a message that is even an option on many sites labeled "romance." Nonetheless, because I believe this is an option that no one should go into a relationship without being exposed to, I try to put my site link on pages that promote romance, which means they are listed on pages with the romance equals sex idea. This upsets some of the Christian sites that I approach. Now I'm not saying this message is on my site, it is in linking to sites that have this on their sites that I get into trouble.

Of course, my other option is to absolutely not allow any site with anything resembling this message linking with mine (knowing that my link won't be on their site because of this policy and thus will not be on many if any romance sites). Thus, when someone searches for romance, their options will be only those sites which relate to pleasure at its basest-with no mention of God or how truly beautiful real romance with God in the center can be. Maybe it's me, but I think this is sad.

And so, I am left with the choice of preaching only to the choir or going out in the deep, knowing the risks I'm taking but feeling that Christ is in fact in my boat and will get me safely back to shore. It's a risk I'm willing to take for all those poor souls out there who see no connection between God and romance. To me, that would be a terrible place to live.

~*~*
Read the first three chapters of each of Staci's newest books FREE! http://www.stacistallings.com/Previews.htm You'll feel better for the experience!

Fiction Fridays Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren

2007-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep’s Clothing, a thriller set in Russia , was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. A former missionary to Russia , Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota.

Reclaiming Nick
Back Cover Copy

Nick Noble hadn’t planned on being the prodigal son.

But when his father dies and leaves half of Silver Buckle—the Noble family ranch—to Nick’s former best friend, he must return home to face those he left behind. And to make sure that the Silver Buckle stays in the Noble family.

Award-winning journalist Piper Sullivan believes Nick framed her brother for murder, and she’s determined to find justice. But following Nick to the Silver Buckle and posing as a ranch cook proves more challenging than she first anticipated. So does resisting his charming smile.

As Nick seeks to overturn his father’s will—and Piper digs for answers—family secrets surface that send Nick’s life into a tailspin. But there’s someone who wants to see the Silver Buckle leave Noble hands, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen, even if it means taking a life.

Review

I guess I should start off by saying I'm not a very good reviewer and don't really read romance, or cowboy novels for that matter, but stay with me because Reclaiming Nick definitely kept my interest until the end. Susan's modern tale of the Prodigal son took me back to cowboy country, and I didn't mind a bit. Nick is every cowboy lovers dream, though he carries guilt from his jaded past. The characters were engaging and the plot moved along at a good pace. I thoroughly enjoyed the subplot, I think even more than the main plot (translation: too much romance for this suspense lover).

The icing on the cake of this sweet tale of mistakes, regret, forgiveness and love hit the spot, was the message that God offers love and forgiveness to all people.

So bottom line, if you love cowboys and romance, go out and grab yourself a copy of Reclaiming Nick! And even if you're not a cowboy lover, after Reclaiming Nick, you just might become one!

Interview with Susan

Tell me a little about your family and what a typical day at the Warren house looks like.

A typical day! These days, the only thing typical is that I’ll open the fridge about 6:00 pm every night and say, Hmm, food…wonder what I should serve for supper.*grin* But, if I were put it all together and shake it all about, the “average” would look something like:

Get up at 6am, have my QT while I intermittently harass my daughter to get out of bed and into the shower. She’s out the door with my husband by 7:30, and then I throw in some laundry and hop on the treadmill, reading a good book while I walk 1-3 miles depending on how much I have to get done. (Or how good the book is.) Then I wake my boys (ages 10-12-15) and roust them out of bed while I hit the showers. We spend the rest of the morning working on home-school assignments (in-between me doing email and other writing-biz stuff).

Then, after a lunch break where I either answer more email or maybe watch a TiVoed episode of Prison Break/Gilmore Girls/NCIS/Men in Trees, or Heroes, I go up to my room, hang a sign on the door that says, “Cry me a River,” which translates to “You’d better be bleeding from the ears or have a really technical math problem before you THINK of knocking on this door.” And then I write like crazy, or sometimes just WISH I were writing like crazy and not surfing the net reading my friends’ blogs. But no one knows, because, well, the door is CLOSED. I do try to write 3000-5000 words a day.

I take a break around 4pm to greet my daughter, and hear the latest Jr. High gossip, and check in on the home-schoolers, maybe do some threatening of missed Play Station games if they don’t knuckle down to work, and then retreat to the office for more writing/procrastination. Which brings us to the moment, when my husband is puling into the driveway and I’m looking at the fridge wishing I had a cook. The rest of the evening is spent with the fam…

Every time I turn around, it seems like you have another novel coming out. How do you balance your writing career with the responsibilities of everyday responsibilities of raising children and caring for a home?

Balance? Oh, you said the B-word! I once lamented that I go in cycles – sometimes my house is immaculate, but I haven’t written a word in weeks. Then I’m a writing maniac but no one has any clean clothes. My girlfriend, who also happens to be a life-coach said balance isn’t when everything is perfect all the time – balance is an average, say a month, where if you put it all together, you managed to accomplish it all, just not all in one day. I really liked that definition. Mostly, I prioritize my family and my time with the Lord, and if the house gets cleaned, if I have balanced meals, if we have clean clothes and if I get my allotted writing done, well then life is very good. I do have to interject that 1. I ask for help from the kids. 2. On my gravestone, I am okay if it never reads, “And she had a really clean house.” (Although I have to say, my house is pretty clean…*g*)

Do you ever feel your priorities slipping and if so what do you do to get back on track?

Sometimes, if I am up against a deadline, and I’m spending a lot of time writing and haven’t seen another living soul for a few days, well, I might feel as if my mothering priorities have slipped. But even if I am swamped with work, I make sure I take time out to tuck the kids in bed. If they don’t have a story read, they’ll live through the night, but they have to have those few minutes with me. Or rather, it’s me who needs those few minutes with them. And, if I am going through a couple weeks when writing takes a higher priority, I talk to them about it before hand, and I find they are surprisingly supportive. If I involve them in my dreams, I believe they will involve me in theirs. I also brainstorm with my kids, and ask them to go on “brain-cleansing” walks with me, and talk out plots with them. They are involved in my stories and as excited as I am, and very proud of their mom when I have a new book come out. And I in turn tell them how proud I am of them, for being such great kids as to give me the time and support to write.

At one point you were a missionary in Russia, writing as well as homeschooling. When did you find time to write and did you ever feel like you’re neglecting your children when you did write?

Here’s the thing about home-schooling – when you are with your kids for six, seven hours a day, they WANT you to go to your room and leave them alone! By 3pm my kids were all but pushing me into my room with promises of heavenly behavior, housecleaning and cooking. At that time, when they were little, I had an absolute OPEN DOOR policy, where they could come in anytime, for any reason. (And I wrote more than one book with a child on my lap!) But I did ask them to respect my time, and if they could solve the problem themselves, I asked them to do it. I think it taught them not only responsibility, but an understanding that Mommy was a person with dreams, too. Also, I made them a part of the celebration process. When I finished a chapter, we all got ice-cream. When I finished a book, we went out for dinner. They practically begged me to write! *g*

The one year that they were all in public school, I only wrote when they were gone. Now, I have to say that although I started writing when my youngest was two, I didn’t commit any significant time to writing until he was about five or six. One of my tricks was to let him watch a movie (or a learning-channel show) while I sat in the room with my laptop and earphones on. I was there for him to see when he needed me, and yet able to focus on my work. I think the essential component here is, my children always knew that they were numero uno in my life, even if I wasn’t spending every moment with them.

Has there ever been a time God told you to set aside your writing to focus on other areas of your life? If so, how did you handle that?

God has asked me to wait upon Him for writing projects, or asked me to use my writing time for other purposes than writing books, but so far, He hasn’t asked me to stop writing novels. I don’t know that God would ever ask me to stop writing in general – perhaps He’d ask me to stop writing for publication during a time -- but writing is part of my devotional life, so even if it is just God and I, on a desert island, there I am, writing in the sand. Like a singer must sing. But as for novels, my entire purpose for writing is to glorify God in the process, and in the end product. If I am not doing that, then I shouldn’t be writing, and if God asked me to stop writing for publication, I would have to look at why He might be doing that. And, yes, I would be obedient.

Has the time you were able to commit to writing for publication been different in various seasons of my life?

Yes. When my children were very small, I only wrote on Saturdays, when they were spending time with Daddy. I have been blessed with a very supportive spouse, and there was never any conflict with him feeling neglected, so I very much felt God’s blessing on my writing time. Also, during the season where I only had Saturday, and then later 1-3 hours a day, I prayed that God would redeem my writing time, and make it productive. He really answered my prayers and I was able to crank out books surprisingly fast. I think, as a writing mom, that’s the best way to keep it all in focus – prioritizing the kids, and trusting God to give you the words to write for Him. I always try and remember that God has my writing journey planned out – one that is tailored to my personality and dreams and designed to speak softly to me just how much He loves me.

Thank you for sharing your experience with other writing moms here at Portrait of a Writer…Interrupted.

Thank you for letting me share a bit about myself and my writing journey – God bless you as you write!

Monthly Columnists Needed

2007-01-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

We have several spots open in our monthly blogging calendar. If you would like to blog for Writer...Interrupted and are a member of the webring, please read the submission guidelines.

Needed:

Published Author/Editor/Agent to blog about the craft on the first Tuesday of Every Month.

Several published Authors/Editors/Agents needed for Ficiton Friday column. We can take stand alone posts or series, no longer than four posts per series.

Someone to blog about family/homeschool/children on the Third Thrusday of the Month.

Mid-Week Motivation writers. We're already full through March, but would like to fill spots for the rest of the year.

Fillers for the off weeks: If you have a topic you feel would benefit Writer...Interrupted, then send it in a word document, and we'll let you know if we can use it.

Always needed are co-ordinators for various departments.

If one of these spots interest you, please email along with a sample post in a Word document.

Carnival of Christian Writers Need Submissions

2007-01-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

The Carnival is just around the corner and we need YOUR WRITING Submissions. Go here for the guidelines and submission forms. The submission deadline is Saturday the 27th.

Special Kids, Special Needs -- Back In the Saddle...Structure

2007-01-18T02:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! I'm back. :-D Thank you to Gina for allowing me a break as I finished my Psychology degree. We've just finished Christmas break, and are heading into another full semester. I must tell you, that for my twins, the last week of Christmas break was as close to horrendous as we've come in a very long time. With the somewhat lack of structure, not being in school, and the constant here-and-there of the holidays, not to mention the never-ending energy that built toward Christmas day, they were worse for the wear. Meltdowns. Screaming at each other. Bedwetting. You name, chaos ruled--for a while. LOL

Things are settling back down...but only to discover that we are going to be moving in a month's time. This means that the boys will have to change schools--and I'm quite unnerved about that. Their special education teacher is a miracle in the flesh. This woman has more patience than it should be legal for anyone to have. LOL I've already cried over having to take them out of her class and their school.

My point to all this, again, is structure. The more I study and research and live/breathe special needs, the more aware I am of how CRUCIAL stucture is to these precious children. The simplest little upset in that structure or routine can be devastating to the little ones whose minds demand it. Already, I'm mentally preparing for the summer, when they'll be out of school. As any mother knows, summers might mean vacation (from school) for the kids, but more often than not, there's little to no vacation for the moms (or care providers). I hope to get some simple workbooks (like from Wal-Mart) and plot out their mornings. This will take a lot of energy on my part, but without it, life will be disastrous.

Also, regardless if your child is clinically diagnosed with special needs, it may behoove you to arrange a schedule for the summer. My family will have afternoons free to themselves, but they will have a series of events/things that must be accomplished in the mornings before playtime can occur. I'd rather surrender my mornings than the entire day.

Have you had experience with this? Please, share your thoughts.

Mid-Week Motivation

2007-01-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

Starting Your Day Out Right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” ~ Colossians 1:9

Part of growing in our relationship with Christ is all about other believers. Here we find one believer praying for a group of other believers. What was he asking God for? He was asking God to help them get to know HIM. Those of us who are veteran believers should have at least one person on our list that we pray for in this manner. New believers need to know that their fellow brothers and sisters are there to uplift them in prayer. At the same time, if you are brand new in the family of God, you really need to let some people know so they may surround you with their prayers.

I believe we should be looking for ways to uplift, support, encourage and appreciate one another. Instead we tend to do a lot of backbiting and bickering over petty differences of opinion. What if, this week, we took some time to pray specifically for some of our brothers and sisters to be drawn closer to the Lord? Maybe, just maybe, by spending more time asking God to work something big in their lives…according to His will, we might find that we aren’t all that different at all. Every one of us needs direction in God’s specific purpose for our lives. My direction may not be remotely the same as the direction He sends you in…but that’s alright, He sees the big picture, we're just instructed to follow Him.

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

Ok, we’ve shined our sink and we’ve worked our morning routines. And yes, we are going a bit slower than even the FlyLady. So, this week, another simple task is to develop an “evening” or “before bed” routine. This is something that you will accomplish most evenings. Try not to make it too complicated…remember this is supposed to simplify your life, not take years from it. Here’s an example of an evening routine:

Evening
Shine Sink
Write Tomorrow’s To Do List
Prepare Lunches
Personal Hygiene (teeth, face, hair)
Journal

That’s not so bad is it? I typically do my Bible study in the evenings. Feel free to add yours to whichever routine works best for you.

So, this week we are going to add our evening routines. Put these two lists on a piece of paper and stick them somewhere you will see them several times a day. They may seem like insignificant exercises but by taking care of these basic tasks, you are centering your world and preparing yourself to totally reorganize your home.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

If you’ve checked out the Snowflake link included in the last two weeks, you know what’s coming…Character building! I think this is probably my favorite part of this process so far. The task is simple in form, but could be a bit time consuming. Here is what Ingermanson suggests as our third layer of the snowflake:

For each of your major characters, take an hour and write a one-page summary sheet that tells:
• The character's name
• A one-sentence summary of the character's storyline
• The character's motivation (what does he/she want abstractly?)
• The character's goal (what does he/she want concretely?)
• The character's conflict (what prevents him/her from reaching this goal?)
• The character's epiphany (what will he/she learn, how will he/she change?)
• A one-paragraph summary of the character's storyline

You can see how this could take up a chunk of time. I assure you it is fun though. I did this for every major character in a recent project and it changed my overall plot multiple times. They were good changes, necessary changes, but changes nonetheless. I also enjoyed “getting to know” my characters better. If you’re thinking, “hello crazy lady, I’m not writing fiction here”, I assure you that you can most definitely apply this to whatever project you’re working on. Even a poem about a tree has a “character”…it might be an “hundred year old, silver-leafed maple”, but it still works. You may have to think outside the box a bit in some cases but figure out who your “characters” are and get to know them this week.

Source: The Snowflake Method

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

We’re still “baby-stepping” through the process of freezer cooking so let’s take a look at the third step this week:

Step Three: We Prep!
Preparing for assembly day is a huge step. When you get to this point, you are half-way through the entire process. When you finish this step, you have made a giant leap toward the finish line. So, put on your apron and let’s get to choppin’!

Prep Day is just like what it sounds. On this day you will want to do all of the tasks that can be done in advance. Per 30 Day Gourmet, some of those might include:

• skin chicken parts • cook and drain pasta • make coatings for chicken parts • start slow cooker meal • brown ground meats • dice or grind ham • make sauces • cook and dice poultry •

I would like to add chopping, peeling, dicing and slicing vegetables. That alone is a huge time saver on assembly day. Do you see why fridge space is a premium?

Source: 30DayGourmet

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

"When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly."
~ Acts 21:17

This morning we talked about supporting other believers. I wonder now, as we close our eyes in sleep, if we might consider those wonderful believers who have “received us warmly” into the family of God. Who encouraged you in your faith? Who prayed for you? Who challenged you to grow and learn? Take a moment and give thanks to God for placing these people in your life.

How to pitch

2007-01-16T06:55:00.000-08:00

Before I talk about how to pitch (and I don't mean a baseball), I would like to invite people to visit my blog and sign up for an opportunity to win a free book by Susan May Warren called Reclaiming Nick. I will be posting an interview by her on Wednesday. Margaret's blog link

One of the most important reasons to go to a conference is to pitch to an editor and/or agent. Many CBA publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. This is a good way to get yourself before an editor you have targeted. In the spring conferences you can attend really start popping up. The big one will be in September (ACFW) in Dallas. So start practicing now.

1.Know who you are pitching to-You do not want to waste your time nor the editor or agent. If they don't publish what you are trying to pitch, then it is wasting everyone's time.

2.Prepare the pitch and practice-You can in front of a mirror or with another friend (preferably a writer).

3.Be professional in dress and manner-No slipping an editor your manuscript under the bathroom stall door (you laugh, but that has actually happened).

4.Prepare questions you may have for the editor or agent (this is especially true for a meeting with an agent).

5.Anticipate questions and practice answers-Examples of questions might be: how is your book different; what is the protagonist's motivation, goal and conflict; who is your target audience; how are you going to promote this book?

6.Get a business card if possible from the editor/agent.

7.Make notes after meeting-You can write the note in a notebook or on the back of the editor's business card that she gives you (look at number 6). We tend to forget the details of these meetings sometimes and this is a way to keep it fresh in our minds.

8.Breathe, smile and have fun!-Also you can write a thank you note to the editor or agent. This is another way to get your name in front of them. Do not go over your time and take up someone's else appointment.

Margaret Daley
HEART OF THE AMAZON, Love Inspired Suspense, January 2007 (read first chapter on my website)
Margaret's website

Five Tips for the Writing Dad (or Mom)

2007-01-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

My alarm goes off at five. I get up. Flip on the coffee, stumble to the computer, and blink myself awake while the computer hums through its startup. I read a little of my work from the previous day and begin to fall into the clicking rhythm of creation.

When the coffee burbles, I go fill a mug and find my daughter standing in the hallway.

“Daddy, I’m scared,” she says. “Can you lay with me?”

There are two kinds of writer’s block. Internal blocks and external.

Those writers with internal writer’s block are their own worst enemy. They block themselves. They run out of ideas. Or they get anxiety. Or they self-edit so much they can never write more than a paragraph or two. The solution to internal writer’s block is simple. Start writing. Shake it off, and get back to work.

I have external writer’s blocks. One of my blocks is two years old and the other is five. And I love them even more than my writing.

Which is the problem. If I have to choose between being a writer and being a dad, I’m going to choose dad every time.

But that isn’t healthy for me. I need to write. In a certain sense, God has called me to write. I don’t want to bury the talent he’s given me--like the man in the parable did. It would be irresponsible and short-sighted of me to think the best way to be a dad is to stop writing. Even temporarily.

I’ll say it again: writers need to write. I even think our kids need to see us writing. I explain to my kids that I have two jobs. This is true in a sense. My employer pays me to research and edit. And in my spare time (ha!), I have a second job as a freelance editor and writer.

It sounds good when I’m talking to my daughter about why she needs to play quietly for an hour while I write an article for Gina Conroy. But in my heart, I know there’s a big hole in this argument. Second jobs are supposed to make money. This job makes very little money. In fact, I’d make more money flipping burgers.

Oh, sure. Writing could pay off big someday. For now, though, I’m just happy to have readers. And I'm ecstatic if my writing finds print in a magazine that pays with contributor’s copies.

Of course, I can’t eat contributor’s copies. Neither can my family.

And now I’m getting around to the real problem. Sometimes I feel like writing takes me away from my family.

If you feel that way, these five tips are for you:

1. Stop expecting words to make money. Writing is a gift. The process of writing is a gift to the writer, and the product of writing is a gift to the reader. Even if there are only one or two readers.

2. Let your family be your readers. Tolkein developed much of his middle earth mythology while telling stories to his children. C. S. Lewis began Narnia as a gift to a particular young girl. If I treat my writing as a gift, I can give it away to my children.

3. Be disciplined about your gift. Schedule time to write and enjoy being a cocreator with God. It is an act of worship, and it deserves a time slot in your daily calendar.

4. Talk to your kids about your writing time. Explain what you are doing. Talk about the parable of the talents. Be transparent about your process and share your work. Obviously, this works better with a five-year-old than with a two-year-old. But two-year-olds take naps. Two-year-olds go to bed early. Heh heh heh.

5. Don’t make an idol of your writing . . . or your children. I try to make my writing time sacred, but sometimes my daughter gets scared early in the morning. When that happens, I need to stop writing and take care of her. On the other hand, the universe doesn’t revolve around my children. It is okay to tell them that I’m choosing to write rather than play another game of go fish.

Marcus Goodyear is the editor for The High Calling and Faith in the Workplace. His blog can be found at http://www.goodwordediting.com/

Who is Jesus?

2007-01-14T05:49:00.000-08:00

If you spend anytime reading my blog, I hope you know this question is not referring to my fundamental belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

So who is Jesus, to you?

Is He still a tiny baby in a manger who you think about once or twice a year? Someone you pray to only when you want something, and when your life isn't going as planned?

Is He a friend in time of need, someone who sticks closer than a brother? Someone who's there for you when everyone else seems not to care?

Is He your Savior? Someone who knows the ugliness of your sin, and loves you enough to take on your sin so you could be reconciled with God?

Is He your Lord? Someone you've surrendered your life to? Someone you not only love, but strive to be like and serve?

Jesus has been all these to me at different stages in my life, but right now I need Him to be Lord over my life.

I'm hoping to re-establish Jesus' lordship over my life this next year. I've fallen into some laziness and bad habits in certain areas of my life which have kept me from experiencing the fullness that God has for me. I believe if Jesus regains control of these areas in my life than I will be back on the path He has for me.

So who is Jesus?

If you don't know, now might be a good time to figure it out.

Gina Conroy , is founder of Writer...Interrupted and a homeschooling mom to four. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms is available now!

Whatever You Do...

2007-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

“…whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God.”
I Corinthians 10:31

This Scripture was a convicting one for me because I am so guilty of not doing all things to the glory of God. Though I am learning about how to invite God's glory into my daily life, I usually grumble (outloud and under my breath) about having to do the laundry, fix dinner, clean up spills, etc, when I'd rahter be writing, blogging or reading.

I'm also learning (though slowly) to be content in all things. That God hasn't called me to juggle a bunch of hats at once, instead He's called me to wear one at a time..

It's so much easier that way! When I'm homeschooling, I wear the homeschooling hat, when I'm cooking the domestic hat, but only if it were that simple because while wearing one of the not so pretty hats, the dazzling writer's hat always catches my eye. It is then I need to remind myself to be content in all things and the time will come when I get to put on my writer's hat.

Sure sometimes I take off my other hats and place the more desireable ones on my head, but then God calls me back to my purpose. To be content in wearing one hat at a time.

Gina Conroy , is founder of Writer...Interrupted and a homeschooling mom to four. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms is available now!

Ficiton FridayCharacter Goals and Motivation

2007-01-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

A goal is like an agenda. Something the character wants. It has to be hard to get. Readers like to see the character struggle. They like to know what the character wants, but they have absolutely no idea how she'll get it. Your audience wants to live moment-by-moment through your character's life, feeling all the setbacks. For the reader to immerse herself in the character's struggles, first the reader must understand your character's goal. It's your job as a writer to clearly identify the goal then point your character toward getting that goal.

A good goal is something that the character wants but they don't have. It sounds simple and obvious, doesn't it? But this is something that beginning writers sometimes do. Don't have characters want more of what they already have. This creates weak characters. Characters should desperately need what they don't have yet. Dangle an apple in front of a character who hasn't eaten a bite in weeks. This will make that apple dire. That apple becomes something your character desperately needs to survive.

What makes life so unpredictable is that we all want something, we all have agendas, and when those agendas collide, well, something's gotta give. Make your character actively go after that goal. Make another character go after something else . . . or the same thing. You see a collision coming? Oops, I'm getting ahead of myself by talking about conflict, which will be in another article. Anyway, you can keep that idea in mind as you think up a goal for your main character, (also called the protagonist).

But remember, when you think up a goal, that character has to take action. Action makes plot. And in order to write a book, you need plot, and plot moves the story forward. (Webster defines plot as a plan for designing a building or novel). Why not let the characters create plot for you? Let them struggle throughout the book toward their goals. The havoc they wreak will make an excellent story!

Okay we know the goal must be something important, something the character doesn't have. We must also must make the goal urgent. Failure to get this goal will create dire consequences for the character. An example of this would be something like this: A mother needs to find a kidney for her child. Let's make it urgent -- A mother needs to find a kidney for her child who is dying. Let's add a ticking bomb to that goal by placing a time limit -- A mother needs to find a kidney for her child who has two weeks to live.

The above example is an external goal. It's something tangible, that we can feel, touch, hear or smell. Getting a kidney is something physical, so it's external. If the character has to feel it(experience emotion) in order to achieve it, that is something inside the character and is an internal goal. If you want multi-dimensional characters, (and you do!), you've got to have an internal goal. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker wants to defeat the Death Star. That's a tangible goal, something physical. What is his internal goal? He wants to live in a safe world where his loved ones are not endangered. That's something emotional.

In the example with the mother who wants a kidney for her son who has two weeks to live, what could be her internal goal? She wants her child to have a healthy, long life. This makes her multi-layered, makes her have an emotional component working hand-in-hand with the external goal or plot.

In KISSED BY MAGIC, Kain is the protagonist. His external goal is to own the Nottingham Blue dye. His internal goal is to hold himself aloof from others. Why? you ask. The why is very important. It's what makes the goal believable.

He doesn't understand exactly why, but later he will. His external goal of wanting the dye is because the color reminds him of his brother's eyes. He is driven to own the dye becaue of his love for his deceased brother. The hero believes he's responsible for his death. He was always the dark brother, the evil one -- and his brother was always good and kind. The hero is so full of remorse over the events that led to his brother's death that he doesn't feel as if he deserves love or happiness. So he ostracizes himself from society.

See how closely the internal and external goals and motivations are woven together? If you can hit upon closely related internal/external goals and motivations, your story will be all that more stronger.

Gloria Harchar
email me@gloriaharchar.com or visit Gloria at

Introducing: Gloria Harchar

2007-01-11T20:14:00.000-08:00

Author of the romances with the fantasy land of Quelgheny, Gloria Harchar received an education degree from Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio and a business degree from Oklahoma State University. It was during those blessed years shortly after love and marriage, when her children –fifteen months apart – were young that she began writing fiction. Since then, she has been one of the top three finalists in the Dell Diamond Debut contest, finalist in Central Florida Romance Writers Touch of Magic contest, first runner up in the Daphne du Maurier and Indiana's Golden
Opportunity contests, first place winner in Where The Magic Begins and the More Than Magic contests. She lives with her husband and children in Oklahoma. Now she is working on an exciting new venue, spreading the news about Christ with her inspirational romances. Gloria loves to hear from her readers. You may email her at me@gloriaharchar.com or visit Gloria at http://gloriaharchar.com.

I want to join Portrait of a Writer . . . Interrupted because this blog really speaks to my heart. I can feel the Lord moving through everyone's hearts in this community and I would love to be a part of this movement!

Copy Cat

2007-01-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

(c)Tricia Goyer 9/2006

More than anything, kids are copy cats. They see how their parents relate to the world, and they follow.

I had a humorous example of this over the weekend.

Saturday I threw a baby shower for one of the moms I mentor. She also has four-year-old and two-year-old daughters. Her two year old is an adorable kid who's finally getting some words. (Mama, Dada, Nana--that's me!)

We were in the middle of cleaning up from the shower when suddenly we realized we didn't know where the two-year-old, Audrey, was.

"Where's Audrey?" I asked, then we went scouring the house.

When I came to the bathroom door I expected a mess awaited me inside. The light and fan were on and the door was locked closed. I knocked, "Audrey?"

As clear as could be she responded. "I going pee-pee."

Now, she's not potty trained, and the door was still locked, and I imagined all the things that could be floating in the toilet at this moment. Her pee-pee in the toilet wasn't one of them.

We got the door open, and there she was. Light on. Fan on. Diaper off. Audrey sat on the toilet and declared again, "I going pee-pee." Okay, the truth was, she was sitting backward on the toilet, but I give the kid an "A" for effort.

Later, when I was thinking about it, I realized how much Audrey had picked up even though her mom hadn't been actively teaching her. She even flipped on the fan for goodness sake!

I see the same things in my own kids. Often, I even hear my words in their mouths when they're talking to others--such as my son's words to his sister about her new job at a soda fountain.

"You know Leslie, it only makes sense the place actively seeks out homeschoolers to hire. It makes sense that if their parents are going to dedicate all that time to their child's education, they'll also spend time on their child's moral character, which makes a great employee."

(Wow, they do listen!)

Audrey's incident also got me thinking about who we, as parents model ourselves after. After all, we may have grown up (a little) but we're still copy cats too.

So, my friend, who do you follow?

It's okay to shout out the Sunday School answer, "Jesus!" It's a good answer after all. But I don't know about you, sometimes I just need flesh to watch for a while--like a friend or an acquaintance who models how I want to be.

During my life, my eyes have scoped out different people at different times. In fact, the reason I started homeschooling is because I saw a homeschooling family who had a great relationship between the parents and teens. Even though my kids were toddlers, I thought, I want that.

But I didn't stop there, in all areas of my life, I'm continually on the look for others who are a little bit ahead of me, succeeding in the areas I desire to excel in.

I'd love to hear about some of your life-models. Who do you choose to watch and follow? Why? Also, what is one thing you've learned?

Mid-Week Motivation

2007-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

Starting Your Day Out Right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” ~2 Peter 3:18

Last week we talked about the Spiritual milk we all need at the beginning of our faith walk; that simple, child-like faith that allows us to place our trust for eternity in the capable hands of God, our Creator. This week, I’d like for us to consider our rate of growth. Not each of our growth rates will be equal. After all, the Bible does indicate that more will be required of some than others. What we should all be striving for is true growth though. I believe just as this verse indicates, it begins with getting to know our Savior. How do we do that? We can start by reading about His life on earth. Back in 2005 I wrote how “Jesus was a radical” and challenged that:

“If we’re going to carry out the great commission, we’ve got to get in touch with this radical, born of a virgin, healing, truth speaking, loving, sacrificing, Son of God Almighty…If we don’t get to know our Savior, how can we be called His followers much less believers in His Name?”

I’d like to challenge all of us as believers to start this year with a fresh reading of the life of Christ. Pick any of the gospels and begin today.

(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

Did you keep your sink shiny all week? What about most of the week? If you’ve got this habit under your belt, it’s time to take the next step to re-claiming your home. According to the FlyLady, we now need to come up with our “morning routines”. So, take a moment and brainstorm about some things you can do each morning after you wake. Here’s an example of a morning routine:

Morning
Make Bed
ExerciseShower
Prayer/Bible Study
Review Goals
Prepare Breakfast

Get your routine on paper and begin doing it tomorrow morning. This week, your only focus toward re-ordering your home is keeping that sink shiny (that's tough to say) and working your morning routine. You can do this!

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

How is your one sentence summary from last week coming along? Did you get it all fleshed out and on paper? If you did, I’ve got your next assignment. This week, turn that sentence into a five sentence paragraph. The first sentence should give an introduction to the piece. The next three should tell about three distinct areas of the piece (acts, major disasters/conflict, and points). The final sentence is how it will all wrap up.

You’ve got all week, but you may find yourself writing and re-writing not just your paragraph but your sentence summary also. That’s ok because things tend to change as the piece goes from merely an idea to a living, breathing work of art.

Source: The Snowflake Method

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

This week I’d like to go a little more into detail about the first two steps to freezer cooking. It is a several day process, but since we’re still “baby-stepping” through this thing, let’s begin with “planning”.

Step One: We Plan!
“Set Dates for Planning, Shopping and Cooking” – My first session took me days to complete. Most of that was due to inexperience. It took me about six days altogether to get from zero to 17 entrees in my freezer. I’ll tell you that it does get faster as my last session producing 83 entrees took me less than 4 days. At first, expect it to go slow and if it goes faster you can be pleasantly surprised rather than frustrated.

“Take Inventory” – This is time consuming but I really think it is necessary (especially the first time) to take a FULL inventory of what you already have on hand. This will be helpful knowledge when you’re choosing your recipes. Now that I know what I’m doing, I typically only check the items I’ll use in my recipes.

“Choose Your Recipes” – I purchased the 30 Day Gourmet book but you can convert most recipes to a freezable version with a little knowledge. I wanted to go easier my first time out so I used their book. Try to only pick about 3-5 recipes your first time and do several of each. Look for simple and know that as you get better at it, you can get more and more adventurous later on.

“Plan Your Containers” – This is important actually. When you’re deciding what to store your food in you need to consider space and safety. I personally use a lot of one gallon freezer bags. I used the kind with the zippers because they were easier but I’ve also found that they tend to leak (not safe) more often than the double seal ones. If you use rigid containers (like I do for the lasagna & meatloaf recipes) you’ll need to factor in space as well. Be sure to realistically consider the amount of room you have in your freezer. After my second session my husband surprised me with a chest freezer for the garage. Before you make huge investments in rigid containers and freezers though, give it a try with freezer bags and what you already have to see if this is something you really want to keep doing. Another tip, ALWAYS buy more freezer bags than you think you’ll need. Inevitably I usually end up with something I need to store in the freezer (like extra cheese or sauces).

Step Two: We Shop!
You’ve got your lists and you’re ready to go. To save more money, you can clip coupons for items on your lists and check store ads for bargains on bulk items. You can also do some “bulk” shopping at places like Costco. Plan a day for this. When you go, be sure to take a cooler with you if you’re hitting several stores and the weather is warm. Do not do your shopping any more than one day prior to preparation day. Here's a great tip from the 30 Day Gourmet site:

"Before you go, clean out your refrigerator and freezer. You will need as much room as possible for all of those groceries and you won’t feel like doing it after you drag all of that food into the kitchen!"

So, that’s the first two steps in the process of freezer cooking. It may seem overwhelming but once you get them down, it really does go fast.

Source: 30DayGourmet

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
~ Matthew 11:28-30

This is the beckoning of our precious Savior. He wants to know us. Invest some time in Him and you’ll find that He longs to give you rest. Just last night, I couldn’t sleep so I lay prostrate on the floor and told God all that worried me. He traded yokes with me as I prayed and read scripture about His strength and help. Tonight, when you crawl into your warm bed, tell Him what you are wearied and burdened about. His yoke is indeed easy…it is light. Don’t forget the importance of “learning from Him” though. I trust you already have plans to continue reading one of the gospels tomorrow, but for now, “find rest for your soul” in Him.

How to Improve on a Blank Page

2007-01-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

One of the most common questions I get from aspiring writers is “How do I start?” The ideas are in their heads, but the problem is getting them on paper.

Whether you are writing magazine articles, story stories, novels, or even homework assignments—here are some tips for improving on the blank page.

1) Sift Through Your Ideas. Realize some ideas will remain just that . . . ideas. When I first began writing in 1994 I wanted to use everything—every cute thing my children did, every Scripture verse that stirred my heart, and every flash of inspiration. I soon realized that although my ideas were good ones, I didn’t have enough time in the day to use them all. So what did I do instead? I began keeping a journal. It’s just for me, and I don’t worry how it looks. I use regular, spiral-bound notebooks, and I have them on hand to write down my prayers, favorite Scripture verse, to-do lists (I always start these on a clean page in case I need to tear them out), and writing ideas. Sometimes the words stay in there as just ideas. Other times I’ll go back to them, ponder them, and jot down more notes. Then, if I can’t shake it, I know it’s time to take a closer look, and I ask these questions:

Ø Is this something God wants me to write?

Ø Who is my target audience?

Ø What are the needs of this audience?

Ø What would be the best format for my message?

As much as we don’t like to think of “publication” in these early stages, this is an important step. To be effective as writers, we need to mold our message into a medium that will reach people. Many times I think of two or three different venues such as how-two articles, personal experience articles, or books.

The next step is to prayerfully consider where God wants me to share my message. And when. I still have ideas that God gave me years ago that I hope to use some day. Some, perhaps will “come to life” after a long hibernation. Others may not, and instead they may just be message that God speaks to my own heart.

2) Open the Page and Start Writing. Once you know that you want to write—or have to write—the next step is to begin. Yes, that means opening a blank page and just starting. Once I start typing I’m often surprised how much is already in my head. I refer to this first step as “cleaning the pipes,” and I pour everything in my head and heart onto the page. For articles or non-fiction these might be paragraphs of writing mixed in with various ideas. For fiction, it may be character description, story ideas, research notes, or any combination of the above.

Most people want “perfect writing” from the moment they start typing. This just doesn’t happen. Instead of striving for perfection, give yourself the freedom to “play around with the words.” Your first draft will NOT make it to publication. You don’t need it perfect when you begin. Don’t think about grammar, about your theme, about crafting perfect sentences. Instead, just let the ideas take you where they will.

3) Write Fast. Once you allow yourself to start writing, keeping going and don’t stop! I find my best writing comes when I let the ideas flow. I don’t stop to read what I’ve just written. I don’t pause to think. I don’t worry what an editor would think about my grammar. I just let the thoughts continue on uninterrupted. The funny thing is . . . this fast writing usually ends up as my best stuff!

After you get all your thoughts on paper. Close your document and give yourself a break. Refuse to go back and read what you just read . . . instead carry around your notebook or journal and write down any ideas that you can add to your work-in-progress. Think of this as a pot of soup simmering on the stove and add in whatever ideas come to you during the day.

I get ideas when I’m in the shower, while I’m driving, or when I’m cooking dinner. The ideas will do their own work in your head. Just make sure you’re ready to jot down further thoughts. (This also means keeping a notebook and pencil beside your bed!)

www.triciagoyer.com
www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com

All Work, No Play

2007-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sound familiar? We’ve all heard the expression, maybe even joked about it. But do our lives reflect our commitments? Have we allowed work, responsibility and obligation steal the joy and inspiration from our lives?

For many, the answer is a resounding yes. But it’s not too late to turn it around. In fact, now is the ideal time to schedule in something new: time for you.

Schedule Time for YOU!
Whether it's exercising, writing, scrapbooking, Bunco, or golfing, put it in your calendar and keep the appointment. Even if it's just once a week or even once a month, having something that you know you can count on to rejuvenate and inspire you is vital. You will not be able to think or live creatively if you do not make time to do those things that inspire, encourage and uplift you. You will in fact allow yourself to become drained to the point that you are no longer able to give or create because of the lack of creative energy coming in.

Here are a few simple suggestions:

If you crave girl time, set a standing coffee date with a girlfriend. You probably both could use the time together and keep each other accountable.
If you really want to get your pictures in photo albums, call your local scrapbook store and find out when they’re open. Most stores have a weekly or bi-weekly crop that you can join. I go to my local scrapbook store every two weeks for Midnight Madness on a Friday night. I get scrapbooks complete, spend time with girlfriends, and get a break from the daily routine of my life.
If you’re a runner or love to workout, do it. Don’t break the date or miss your appointment unless it’s an emergency. You deserve the time. Even if it's just a quiet walk outside in the morning before things get crazy.

Whatever it is that you crave and know you need to keep yourself sane, please do it. Make it happen. While others in your life may complain or resist at first, do it anyway. As moms, we must begin to take care of ourselves at least as well as we take care of everyone else. They'll begin to see a happier and more inspired woman, wife and mom when you start to nurture yourself!

Tasra Dawson is an award-winning scrapbooker, author and international speaker. She has appeared on NBC11 and taught writing workshops at Barnes and Noble. As an entrepreneur, wife, and mother, Tasra understands the demands on time and energy faced by career women and busy moms. In Fall 2006, Dare Dreamer Press released her book, Real Women Scrap: Create the Life and Layouts You’ve Always Wanted.

Chasing Rainbows

2007-01-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2005

I've always loved rainbows, so this lesson was a little hard for me to learn. A few friends and I got together to sing-one of my favorite things to do. One of the songs we pulled out was about chasing rainbows. It said in effect that we're all just chasing pretty rainbows, but as pretty as they are, when we get there, they aren't what we thought they would be. Of course in the literal world, this is true. If you've ever tried to capture a rainbow, you know you can drive forever and never catch it. It changes, it moves, and then it disappears.

The concept of chasing pretty rainbows stayed with me as we continued to practice this song over the next several weeks, and I began to see how many rainbows I had been chasing. There was the rainbow of publication. The rainbow of success. The rainbow of achievement. The rainbow of others' approval and acceptance. Sometimes I got close. Sometimes I actually swiped my hand right through one. But always they would change, move, and then disappear.

Nearly instantly a new rainbow would appear on the vast plain of my life, and I would think, "Oh, I get it. It wasn't THIS rainbow that I really wanted at all. It was THAT one. Now if I can just figure out a way to get over there, then I'll be happy."

We all know about these rainbows. One is called education. If I just get through high school, then I'll be happy. If I just go to college, if I just get my masters, if I just, if I just... Then those rainbows start looking pale, and new rainbows appear. If I could just meet the man of my dreams, then life would be fabulous forever. Then it moves. If we could just get married... Again it moves. If we could just have kids... If he would just get this job, if I could just stay home, if we could just make enough to afford, if things weren't so busy, if we can just get through Christmas, if I just had enough work, if I didn't have so much work... Always those rainbows move.

First they are to the right and then to the left, backward, forward. But somehow those rainbows are never right here. Father Robert Barron calls it being scattered, and that's a very good word for it. Wherever you are, over there always looks better. Most frustratingly, sometimes over there is in several different places at once. You scramble, and you scrape to reach that other rainbow so life will get better. Then you will be happy.

The truth is all of those rainbows are illusions. Getting a rainbow will never make life better. The only way life gets better is to have the Maker of the Rainbows with you right now. When you have Him, chasing rainbows that the world says are important becomes far less important to the point of non-existent. You realize that the rainbows will not make you happy. In fact they keep you frustrated and scattered as long as you believe they are the treasure you are searching for. Only He can bring you the peace you are so desperate to find.

The Bible tells the story of the man who found a great treasure in a field. He went and sold all he owned so he could buy that field. The truth is the great treasure is Christ, and giving up all you own involves giving up striving for all those things the world says you have to have, all those pretty rainbows. The only true rainbow is the Rainbow Maker. So seek Him first, and all the other rainbows you most need will be added unto you. The best part is they will not require vast amounts of effort to reach. They will be "added" to your life.

It will be as if your whole life is filled with rainbows you never stopped long enough to really notice. The rainbows of the world are smoke-inconsequential and hollow. The rainbows of God are real and eternal.

So which kind of rainbow do you have right now? Which one do you want?

~*~*~
Want to know more about Him? Check out Staci's blog at: http://stacistallings.blogspot.com You'll feel better for the experience!

Meet and Greet You Know the Drill

2007-01-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today is "Meet and Greet" day, so be sure to check out the new members of the webring and visit some of the old members. And as always, don't forget to leave a comment!

Here are some random picks:

http://lonestarlattenlibre.blogspot.com/

http://thursdaypanda.blogspot.com/

http://mipasmonologue.blogspot.com/

http://www.crossandquill.com/journey/

http://victoriagaines.com/

http://www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com/

http://www.mom2momconnection.com/

That should keep you busy on a Saturday! Join me in encouraging them this day by leaving some comments!

Contest Alert

2007-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know how I missed posting about this contest. But Asian Chick Lit Writer, Camy Tang, and Writer...Interrupted member is giving away some great stuff.

I am giving away a huge basket of books AND an 8 GB iPod Nano!

This contest is exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers. If you're not a subscriber, join today!

1st place winner will receive a copy of my book when it comes out (September 2007), a basket of books by other Christian authors, and one of the brand new 8 GB iPod Nanos. (The winner can also elect to receive a 4 GB colored Nano instead of the 8 GB Nano, which is only available in black.)

2nd place winner will receive a copy of my book when it comes out, books by other Christian authors, and one of the new, extra-small 1 GB iPod Shuffles

3rd place winner will receive a copy of my book when it comes out and one of the new, extra-small 1GB iPod Shuffles

20 Honorable Mentions will receive a copy of my book when it comes out.

You read that right! 23 winners in all!

Camy's definitely legit. I've won a couple of her books before so check out the official rules for more detail.

And if you sign up for her newsletter tell her portraitwriter@gmail.com sent you, and I get 3 extra entries. Have I ever mentioned I love a good contest?

And if you're a member of our webring and have a conest to share with readers, just email me and we'll fit it in. Of course, it should be writing or book related!

Listen

2007-01-06T03:03:00.000-08:00

God makes me uncomfortable.

He does it in a variety of ways. Sometimes it's my son saying, "Mommy, are you on the computer, again?" Could be that my husband says, "Did you get any writing done?" and when I start to list off what I did instead of writing, I realize where those words are really coming from.

And y'wanna know the ironic thing? God made me uncomfortable when I didn't believe in him and I thought that was bad. Now I believe not only in Him, but I believe Him. I have never been more uncomfortable. Honestly.

In the years that I've been believing God, I've been pushed and stretched and shoved and ripped apart. Everything I knew ceased to exist and a new world was created. And just when I think I'm settling in for the evening, there's a knock at my door.

"Wake up. Follow me."

"For what?"

"Would you just hurry? When will you just come?"

"Alright. I'm coming."

It's dark, kinda cold and really spooky. But I go. And then I look around and it seems He's gone. Went to take care of something else, maybe. I'm left out by the light of the new moon--get it? There is no light of the new moon. Yes, laugh here. All alone to fend for myself. Again.

While I'm busy having a pity party for myself, things are going on around me that I really should be taking notes on. It'd make perfect fodder for the next story, but I'm too busy telling myself I don't need help. I don't need Him to hold my hand. I can make it out of the dark myself. That if he really loved me, I wouldn't be going through this because He'd make it all better.

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

"Who told you that?"

"Somebody."

"I'm not sure you heard the truth. Maybe you should work on your listening skills."

In the dark. Scared out of my wits. All sounds are amplified in the dark. I don't know where I am or where I'm supposed to go. I can't see a thing. All I know is that He told me to be in this place and I am.

He's a cunning one, that God is--putting me in the dark to heighten my sense of hearing.

~michelle
My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words
Psalm 39:3

Guest Blogger Mary DeMuth on Writing Resolutions

2007-01-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

Will this be the year of your dreams come true? Or just another ho-hum year
where you plug away (or not) and end up in the same place you were when you
started?

How do writers break in? Or better yet, break through? If you'd like to head
toward that slippery nirvana called publication, read on.

10 Resolutions that will help you go further than you've gone before (cue
Star Trek music here):

1. I will sell all my extra clutter around my house in order to attend a
writer's conference. I will do this because I am tired of dusting my
clutter, and I know that this business is very much about who you know. I
can't meet people I've never met if I don't meet them! So, I will sell my
wooden owl collection, my thirty-five yankee candles never burned, and my
exercise machine, just so I can meet industry professionals.

2. I will join an online or in-person critique group and smile nicely when
criticism is sent my way. I will learn to say, "Thank you for that very mean
critique," even without grinding my teeth, because I understand that I will
NEVER grow as a writer if I don't learn to accept both the good and the bad
from other writers.

3. I will seek seven new publications this year in order to publish at least
seven new articles. I understand that once I'm at a conference (goodbye owl
statues), I will be asked the dreaded question, "So what have you
published?" In order to have something to say, I will be sure to not despise
small beginnings and work hard at getting published in smaller magazines.
With this, I will perfect my query writing prowess.

4. I will place my hiney on my writerly chair and write for a set period of
time per day. I will set weekly word count goals and not get up until I meet
them. I will set artificial deadlines for myself and not only meet them, but
meet them early.

5. I will contact folks who love to pray and ask them to pray for me weekly.
I understand that anything of eternal significance in my writing career
comes through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit.

6. I will practice receiving rejection with joy. I understand that rejection
comes throughout any writer's career, not merely at the beginning of it.

7. I will remember and preach the sovereignty of God to myself.

8. I will write a thank you note to every single person I've met in the
industry, not to be a brown-noser, but because I genuinely love people.

9. I will take risks. If I'm scared out of my gourd about querying Chip
MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, I'll do it anyway. If an editor asks for a
piece, I will send it to him/her within the week.

10. I will finish and polish a full-length novel (if I'm a novelist) or
write the perfect proposal (if I write nonfiction).
So there you go! Ten resolutions to change the direction and success of your
writing career this year.

For more from this author visit
www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
www.pioneerparenting.blogspot.com

Spam, A Lot

2007-01-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

No, not Spamalot, the musical rendition of Monty Python's Holy Grail movie (which I'll be seeing in July thanks to hubby's gift of season tickets), but a lot of Spam applications for my Webring. I'm talking over 260 spam applications that need to be deleted one by one, which means I have to open each one, delete it and then go and find the next one. Very time consuming, so I've decided to let it grow.

Hey, it's gotta look good to see 260 plus people waiting in the queue line to be a member of Writer...Interrupted. The only down side is that I have to weed through the spams to get to the REAL applications. So if you've applied and haven't heard from me, please send me an email with your blog title, and I'll try and fish you out of lake spamalot!

Mid-Week Motivation

2007-01-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Starting Your Day Out Right!

Scripture, Short Devotion

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." ~ 1 Peter 2:2-3

As believers, our beginnings are often very much like our human beginnings. We are young, curious, immature and eager to learn. As we grow into adults, we not only get bigger, we typically become more and more intelligent about the world around us. When we grow in Christ, the same occurs but the pace, well, that is entirely up to us. Every believer begins in much the same way…simple, child-life faith. We digest spiritual milk because the “meat” is just more than we can understand at first.

This first baby-stepping stage is so important and if this is where you are as a new believer, halleluiah! By all means, drink up that spiritual milk! However, for those “not-so-new” believers, what does your spiritual diet look like? Are you still on milk or have you moved on to solids? Are you barely crawling or have you begun to run?

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

Don’t let the New Year hype trick you into believing that you’ll have your house back in order from the holidays by February. If you’re like me, you may be one who bursts out of the gate on January first, only to find yourself losing steam before spring cleaning even arrives.

I thought we’d stick with the “baby-step” theme and consider starting small before building our way up. Order, like Spiritual maturity, doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that often starts with something simple. For the FlyLady, it starts with shining your sink. That’s it, just shine your sink…and well, keep it that way. If you can master this one, simple task in the next week, consider your efforts a success!

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

Want to continue baby-stepping with me this afternoon as we focus on our writing? Of course you do. Now, I know you have an idea floating around in your head for a book, a poem, a screenplay or an article. This is an idea that you have yet to write down. Think about it for a moment. Now, I want you to write a one sentence synopsis of it. Don’t include character names, just a broad summary…in one sentence.

If you take the time to do this, you will baby-step your way into your next writing project – Congratulations!

Source: The Snowflake Method

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

I will be completely honest and tell you that I would rather fold laundry than prepare dinner. It’s not my gift and certainly not my passion. Of course, my family needs to eat and “meal preparation” is one of the duties listed in the description of my “day job”.

Fortunately for my family, I discovered freezer cooking last January. We’ve eaten dinner from the freezer most nights since. Now, when I first started freezer cooking…yes, you guessed it…baby-steps were so important! I began with two weeks worth of entrees and stuck to recipes that I knew I could follow (seriously, not a cook here). I used very basic tools and simple ingredients. When I finished that first freezer cooking session, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to do it again. I was tired and felt completely inadequate in the kitchen. Of course, going several weeks without any major cooking, fewer dishes to wash and an answer to “what’s for dinner”, was enough to convince me to get better at it.

Every session I add to my kitchen tools to make things easier. I also try new things and obviously learn new things. Last January I froze 17 dinners and last October I froze 83. Had I not started with smaller steps, I would have quit before I saw any benefit. I actually enjoy cooking more today than I did a year ago. If you would like to give freezer cooking a try, check out 30DayGourmet.

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

“Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” ~ Ps 116:7

The LORD has been good to us indeed. Before you fall to sleep tonight, let this verse permeate your soul. He has been good to you hasn’t He? As you’re drifting off, focus on thanking God. Maybe you had a particularly bad day or perhaps your heart is grieved in some way, those are the times we need to thank Him most. Curl up in the arms of your Heavenly Father and tell Him how great He is. You see, some “baby-steps” we will never outgrow.

J. Blair Lane, founder of the child-loss support site, A Treasure in Heaven, is passionate about faith, family and writing. A resident of Texas, she travels with her husband of eleven years, Erik, and homeschools their four living children. You can visit her blog at Scribblings by Blair.

Getting Organized

2007-01-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

by Dena Dyer
www.denadyer.com

If you have a resolution to "get organized" with your writing, here are a few tips that have worked for me:

1. First, know your organizing personality. For example, don’t try to use notebooks if you’re not a notebook person. If you love doing everything paperless, go paperless. Don’t try and fit yourself into someone else’s mode.

2. Keeping number one in mind, set up a system which you’ll want to work with. If you love bright colors, use them in your file folders. Why spend so much time on something if you’re going to dread it? Play your favorite CD’s when you’re going through receipts—or watch a funny movie while you’re organizing your calendar and notebook.

3. “Backwards plan.” My hubby learned this tip in a Church Administration class at seminary, and he passed it on to me. It’s simple but VERY effective. You take a deadline (or set one for yourself) and put that on your calendar. Then you take all the tasks you’ll need to complete in order to meet the deadline—interviews, outlining, writing a rough draft, revising—and decide how much time you’ll likely need to complete them. Then you plan backwards, and set yourself mini-deadlines to meet. This tip has saved my sanity—and my family life—on several occasions. I used to wait until the last minute to write, but things came up, and I ended up missing several deadlines and having to get extensions. It wasn’t professional—and it stressed me out. I now swear by backwards planning!

4. Set aside a few minutes of each writing session to delete old material, backup files, tame paper piles, and throw out trash. You’ll be glad you did!

If you'd like more info on becoming organized this year, check out my “Organized Writer” online class at www.WritersHelper.org.

Happy 2007!!!

Flash Fiction Guest Blogger

2007-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

The First Second
(c)by Mick Silva

Busy today. A bit crazed, in fact. I'd like to say I'm good on days like these, but I'm not. In truth, they make me retreat into fantasy. Anything to escape...

"Do you have the time," the clock asks, no doubt amused by the irony in his statement, I'm sure. Cheeky clocks are forever messing with me for no apparent reason.

"No, not really. But thank you for pointing that out." I won't be cowed by this. He knows I won't. He's so smart, after all.

"Then why are you still here?"

I wait, consider his reason for asking this of me, watching the little black line pass the 6, the 7, the 8, jerking the seconds away.

"Because I have work to do."

"Do you?"

"What do you mean 'do I?'" getting agitated now. "You know I do."

And then, he's silent. The merciful quiet startles me for a moment, and I look up. The tick-tick-taunting of the second hand has stopped.

"This is it. You'll never have this moment again. How you'll spend it is up to you. No one has to do anything they don't have time for. Each moment is a gift."

Wow. Well, I guess I know who's been reading Ecclesiastes while I'm gone. But he's right. Whether or not he sounds like a PBS motivational speaker. I know he's right.

I could swear his placid, circular face is glaring. "Stop trying to be so smart all the time. Stop convincing yourself of what you have to do. Just stop. All of it."

I stare at him, this ordinary desktop clock that's able to convict me with aphorisms and stop time. The moment endless. What will I do when time stops forever, as it certainly will eventually? What will be my excuse then?

"Okay," I say. "I don't have to work." I look down at my fingers. Empty, calloused hands. "But then what do I do?"

The ticking resumes.

"Just enjoy."

I blink, adjusting to this new reality. Time and time to enjoy it. How novel. I suppose it could be an answer. Of sorts.

I stand and turn from the desk, the clock, the keyboard, the screen, the scales falling off.

Maybe it's a new world. It could be.

Mick Silva is the youngest acquisitions editor at WaterBrook Press, specializing in narrative nonfiction and select fiction. He wears square-frame glasses to look older and likes to be seen holding meetings at Starbucks at least a couple times a week. You can visit him at http://www.yourwritersgroup.com/

Who Has He Helped Through You Today?

2006-12-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2004

As I write this, it is December 5th. I mention that because with Christmas coming up, it is the season of giving. Along with the normal gifts, this is also the season when our thoughts turn to those less fortunate.

The paper angel trees go up in the malls. The kettles and bells come out. The requests from organizations that help the needy - from food banks to Toys-for-Tots - rise exponentially.

This is also the time our thoughts take in all the things we are grateful for and all the things that we wish for in the coming year. In short, this is a very special time of the year.

As January approaches, my thoughts have been on the New Years Resolution I made last year. The resolution itself was simple - to be an angel to as many people as possible. At the time I couldn't have foreseen many of the opportunities that came my way. In fact, maybe I thought of it more as a wish than a real resolution.

However, God used that desire to show me things about life I had never seen before, like how little it takes to make a difference, how a simple heartfelt note can change someone forever, how easy it is to love when you put fear out of the equation.

As the year progressed, I learned what it means to let Him help others through me. I learned that I don't have to do it. All I have to do is let Him guide my heart and my hands. All I have to do is let Him do it through me.

God has helped countless people through me this year - the homeless lady who desperately needed work and who now cleans my house (praise God for her!), the homeless people three states away who are wearing something I no longer needed, the young mother struggling through a heartbreaking betrayal who received a book and a CD filled with Christ's love for her and her family and knew someone cared.

The opportunities were boundless-as they always are. The biggest problem is we find so many ways to talk ourselves out of helping. We're too busy. It takes too long. It costs too much. We have our own problems.

The real problem is that the focus of all of those excuses is in the wrong direction - on "I" instead of on "Him".

St. Theresa once said that we are the only hands that Jesus has on this earth, the only feet Jesus has on this earth now. He wants to use our lives, to work through us in the world. Not because He has to, but because He wants us to share in what He is doing.

As the words of a song that's just come into my life says: "Days go by. . . it's all we've been given, so we better start living right now, 'cause days go by."

I don't think I'm going to set any goals this coming year as I have in the past. I think this year my resolution will be simply to let Him work through me every single day. And my question at the end of each day will be simply, "Who has He helped through me today?"

If you are thinking of trying my "angel resolution" out in your life - even if it is April or August or October when you read this - I know for a fact that you are one more person I can say "This is someone He helped through me today," and who knows the ripple effect that will spread from you to the world?

Peace and joy in your new life as it starts today, because if you take this challenge, today really is the first day of a brand new life.

*~*~*
Want more inspiration? Check out Staci's blog, "Homeward Bound" at: http://stacistallings.blogspot.com You'll feel better for the experience!

A Writer Going Home

2006-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Celebrating my savior's birth notwithstanding, at this point I feel loaded down with the holiday season's commercialism and busyness.

Don't misunderstand. Christmas was great, but how do I come down from it, so I can get back to writing?

Sugar plum fairies still dance in my head uninvited.

Really, you too? So then, what do we do now? How do we focus on writing?

Personally, I need some distance.

I'm not going to stop writing, although that might be a part of it for a few days. What I mean by gaining distance is that I'll be looking for inspiration in a different direction.

It just so happens that I head to Oklahoma to visit some family this week, so I have a perfect opportunity to pick up the pieces of my brain, put them in a suitcase, and spend time in a different environment.

I'm looking forward to this not only to escape the after holiday shock, but to refresh myself for a new year of writing. At home, I'm going to let a different setting pour over me. New place, new people, a change in conversation; sounds an awful lot like new setting, new characters, and new dialog don't you think?

What are some other ways we writers can gain distance and clear our minds at this time of year? Maybe a brisk, cool walk at the community gardens? A two hour coffee chat with a literary pal? A list of writing goals for the new year?

There are so many different ways we can reconnect our writing thoughts, clear our minds, and get back to work. We can Go Home in different ways.

Personally, while I'm home I'm going to walk in the woods with my dad, breathe in the clean country air, and visit some old friends and family.

When I come back, my writer's head may or may not be clear, but I'm certain the sugar plum fairies will have flown away. Except for one.

I'll let her stay, just to chase away the writing scrooge.

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary women’s fiction and has recently contracted with Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House, to publish two novels. The title of her first book is Ruby Among Us (Jan. 2008, Waterbrook Press, a Div. of Random House). Visit her at http://www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com/, a blog based on a First Time Novelist's Journey.

A few last tips for cutting a synopsis

2006-12-29T00:18:00.000-08:00

Tip#8 to cut a synopsis—cut modifiers

Adjectives and adverbs are usually the easiest to cull from a synopsis. Sometimes you don't even need to change the noun or verb. Other times, a stronger noun or verb is needed.

She determines to win without interference from her meddling friends.
vs.
She determines to win without interference from her friends.

He is physically attracted to her.
vs.
He is attracted to her.
or
He lusts after her.

Tip#9 to cut a synopsis—change nouns and verbs

This is similar to tip #8. Sometimes you can substitute a different noun or verb that's a little shorter than what you have. Because the format is typically left justified, even one less letter in the sentence can be enough to eliminate a line (see tip #7 about getting rid of short lines).

He sneaks up to the house.
vs.
He creeps to the house.

He needs to stay out of her way.
vs.
He needs to avoid her.

She leaves her job.
vs.
She quits.

Tip#10 to cut a synopsis—eliminate extraneous nouns and verbs

There are some places where certain types of nouns and verbs can be eliminated entirely. Things like "He realizes", "She understands that," "He hears her say," "She sees him."

He follows her. He sees her enter the hotel.
vs.
He follows her. She enters the hotel.

He reads the family Bible. He discovers that Sally is his cousin.
vs.
He reads the family Bible. Sally is his cousin.

His reaction opens her eyes. She realizes she's always been in love with him.
vs.
His reaction opens her eyes. She's always been in love with him.

However, be aware that sometimes, these verbs can't be eliminated, so don't beat yourself up if you can't do it:

They fight. She realizes she's always been in love with him.
vs.
They fight. She's always been in love with him. (doesn't make sense)

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

Writing and Kids

2006-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have here before me a squarish red book titled, Games for Writing by Peggy Kaye. I’m so excited about the games in this book that I had to plug it.

Here’s a novel idea. Writing is about writing, not spelling. (I’ll admit, I blinked when I read that. I had my schoolmarm hat on.)

If you read my blog, you know I homeschool. You'd also know my mantra: Learning needs to be fun whenever possible! Handwriting for the K-3rd graders isn’t exactly a love affair. Why else would there be options out there such as Handwriting Without Tears?

This book is full of fun/easy ways to make the hesitant bold, to fan the flame of imagination gone shy, to reinstate the FUN of wribbling. (Read the book to find out what wribbling is, or use your imagination)

The book is divided into five parts. Below I’ll share one idea from each part to whet your curiosity. Keep in mind that some of her game ideas sound even better than the ones I’m sharing…they’d just take too much explanation on my part! The writing games are all aimed at grades K-3.

Part one is titled: Just For Starters:

Play obstacle course: Take a blank piece of typing paper and at the top write HOME. At the bottom write ZOO. In between the two fill the paper with short 1.5 inch lines slanted every which way. Your beginning writer gets to practice controlling their pencil as they weave in between lines to get from home to zoo. (Easiest of all home drawn mazes!)

Part two is called: Stress Busters:

15 minutes of silent written conversation. Teacher and child may not talk, but instead write questions and answers back and forth. If anyone talks during the 15 minutes, they get points against them for each spoken word. Words do not need to be neat or spelled correctly. (We’re trying to instill a love of creative writing here, no corrections!)

Part three in the book deals with Spelling, Handwriting and Grammar:

Speed contest–give them a page with a challenging spelling word written at the top. Have them study it a couple minutes, then write it as many times as they can in 45 seconds. If they are able to write it (correctly and legibly) enough times, they’ve won the contest.

Part four–Writing With Style:

“She is so silly”…have your child write a story about the silliest woman on earth…three or four sentences. She is so silly she wears slippers for mittens. Or “He is so hungry” etc.

Part five ends the book–Made With Pride:

Make your own board game. Disclaimer: the author makes a game board based on witchcraft (I know…) my girls and I made a board game based on the Spanish facts we were learning last year. We had as much fun making it as we had playing it.

This book is 225 pages chock full of ideas. It's been a must have for this homeschool mom. My once inhibited third grader is writing and enjoying it. Her writing speed increased dramatically after playing "speed contest" with each week's spelling list.

We that write know what a boon it is. Tis the best game of all, right? So go play it with your kids!

Introducing: Lisa Biggs Crum

2006-12-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Lisa Biggs Crum is gifted in leadership and encouragement. She shares that gift through writing, speaking, and ministry consulting. (Well, actually that’s more like a dream at this point.) Her greatest pleasure in life is laughing with her two elementary age children and her husband of nearly 16 years. Read her blog at http://SproutofaMustardSeed.blogspot.com.

I joined Writer…Interrupted to connect with Christian writers and to introduce my blog to others. I’ve been blogging since January 2005 and I’m excited to be very close to 100 posts. Primarily, I blog about God in my life and the mystery of his presence in this world. I’ve contributed devotionals and leadership articles to newsletters. My first (and only so far) paid writing assignment was for Group Publishing this summer. My most recent project was writing an Advent devotional book for our church.

It is fun to participate in what God is doing. Second Peter 1:3-4 inspires me to always seek those opportunities regardless of how small or how intimidating they are.

Mid-Week Motivation

2006-12-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

Start your day out right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. 1 Peter 3:13-15a

Whom are we working to please, the best thinkers of our time or the Thinker of eternity? What is the crucial end game for us, recognition on this culture's glittering red carpet, or recognition in the form of these words, "Well done, good and faithful servant?"

Often, it seems, Christian media is critiqued in such a cynical way that it's hard for those who create it to continue to be motivated. It almost seems that when a truly "good" piece is produced by a believer, the world assumes the position of unabashed amazement.

In the face of opposition and discouragement, let us not forget for Whose glory we are working toward. We must acknowlege our greater purpose, and agree to no compromise, regardless of the criticism or rejection we may face. We must resolve to put truth at the helm, and never turn back to another muse. We should be the model of working with all our ability, as scripture exults us to do the same.

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it. --C. S. Lewis

Writer, keep your heart in attention before Christ alone! And know that as you do, in the coming year He will give you the passion and the privilege to write your heart and soul for Him.

Happy New Year!!!

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc

While your children are small, introduce them to the rewards of a clean living space. Whether it's their own room or a family room, show them the proper way to "pick up" after a playing session. Even a toddler can learn to put everything back into a toy box, though as she grows older, she will find more satisfaction in choosing a more particular spot for each toy. Children are overwhelmed in chaos just like adults. Organization will encourage their developing skills and your present enthusiasm!

Afternoon Pick Me Up

Writing inspiration
Write about the process in which you set a goal and achieved it. What inspired you to set the goal? Who or what encouraged you to continue the pursuit of it? What are the rewards you enjoy now as a result of your determination? What do you think you may have inspired in others as a result of your achievement? Think of the time and effort you placed in seeing the goal through to success? What made it worth it all?

What's For Dinner?

Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

Pork Roast with Apricot-Dijon sauce

You'll need:

1 medium sized Boston Butt pork roast

garlic salt

4 Tbsp Apricot preserves

1 Tbsp Dijon or spicy mustard

Preheat oven to 375. Heat a heavy frying pan on medium-high heat and place roast in it. Sear the roast on all sides, turning it over and alternating sides until they are slightly browned. Set out and sprinkle garlic salt generously over entire roast. Set the roast in a roasting pan and fill the pan with about 2 inches of water. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the outside has browned well and the inside is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, mix the preserves and the mustard for the sauce. Refrigerate until the roast is ready, and serve alongside, along with your favorite sides.

Serves 8-10

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a restful sleep

Now that He (Christ) has gone into heaven, He is at God's right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers subjected to Him. 1 Peter 3:22

No matter what you are facing, know that your Deliverer is sitting in supreme authority over it. The One who was willing to give His life for your reconciliation is dominant over anything that seemingly seeks your demise. And not only that, but He is seeking your complete and perfect benefit in His divine plan and purpose for you. What a friend we have in Jesus! Surely we can trust Him in our difficulties, and trust him for our betterment!

Chanda Canup is wife to Scott, a gifted worship leader, and mother to four children, ages 5 and younger. Come visit her at her blogspot: Thursday's Child--it will make her day!

Webring Spammed!

2006-12-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

I've had to temporarily close the webring to new members due to the fact that I must have gotten AT LEAST 50 spam applications this weekend, and I have to go and delete them all one by one.

If you would like to join the ring, please email me, and I'll be happy to add you!

UPDATED!

I've reopended the ring because I'm still getting spammed. If anyone works with ringsurf and knows how to get rid of the spam please let me know. It's filling up my inbox and taking too much time to delete!

My 2007 "Writerly" Resolutions

2006-12-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

We writers need rejuvenation every now and then . . . especially when the rejection slips start to pile up, the endless “waiting game” becomes maddening and the mailman looks on us with pity as he hands us (yet another) fat envelope.
Since the start of a new year is a perfect time to begin again, and it's just around the corner, I thought I'd blog today about my writerly resolutions. Maybe they will spur you to make a few goals for yourself.

First, I will write regularly (even--no ESPECIALLY--if I don't have a deadline). There are a million other things that pull me away from the computer. I can justify them all, but those actions at times keep me from doing what I get paid to do--and what I love to do.
Second, I will take a break. I know this resolution sounds contradictory to the previous one. Often, however, I‘ve done my best writing after doing something else, such as reading or taking a walk. One good way to take a break without guilt is to set up a reward system. (one page completed=a soda, two=call to a friend, three=watching a favorite television show, etc.)
Third, I resolve to not let rejection slips and the word “no” crush me. Did you know that Richard Bach had his book, Johnathon Livingston Seagull, rejected 16 times before a publisher picked it up? It’s now a classic. Ironically, the company that finally accepted the book had turned the manuscript down one year earlier.

To increase my acceptances, I resolve to attend to a writer’s conference. As a creative person, I often find myself eager to shut the world out and “do my own thing.” And that’s fine at times. However, there are instances when a freelance writer MUST network and expand his or her contact base. What if the magazines and businesses an author regularly submits to began to close up shop? We must continually broaden our horizons and look for new magazines, editors and clients to work for. And that’s what a writer’s conference is all about.
Next, I resolve to branch out into new territory. I have never written a novel or screenplay. Those are just some of the arenas I want to learn more about—and play with-in 2007.
And finally, I will realize that I have a great job. Writing is full of frustrations, and it’s easy to get stuck in the mire of hopelessness and self-doubt by concentrating on the negatives: editors who won’t return phone calls, magazines who send back form rejection letters, computer problems, low pay, etc. But what about the perks? Setting our own schedule, meeting (and writing about) fascinating people, seeing our names in print and receiving a paycheck for doing what we love are all wonderful reasons to keep our fingers on the keyboard.
If we don’t feel that way as writers, even the most lucrative writing contract won’t bring us happiness. So I resolve to be grateful to the Lord for the gift of writing, use that gift faithfully, and smile back at the mailman. After all, he’s become one of my dearest friends!

www.denadyer.com
www.denadyer.typepad.com

Carnival Of Christian Writers #3 December 2006

2006-12-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!

We're pleased to offer you a variety of posts from Editors, Authors, and readers for your intellectual and recreational reading pleasure. We're also including something new that we hope to continue: One flash fiction piece featured for your reading pleasure. This month's very fitting piece is written by Chris Mikesell. The flash fiction piece will not replace our normal entries and we'll be posting submission instructions soon. Please do not submit flash fiction to the carnival right now, they will be ignored.

As you journey the writing grounds, be sure to leave comments and tell them the Carnival of Christian Writer's sent you. Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times and buckle up for your safety. Enjoy the ride...

Our first featured flash fiction was written by Chris Mikesell "By Any Other Name" This story went straight to my heart, it is about Joseph making the first Nativity for Jesus to play with. Thank you Chris! As an added Christmas present, check out the prequel: A Need For Magi (Chris sent the first story via email and he's out of town, so I posted the story at my blog until he gets back and can post it on his ~michelle)

J.Blair Lane presents My First "Rejection Letter" posted at Scribblings by Blair.

Aquisitions editor for Waterbrook, Mick Silva discusses symbolism in "What's A Meta-For?" at Your Writer's Group.

Literary Agent Chip MacGregor answers the burning question "What's My Voice?"

Author and editor, Terry Whalin speaks to the stubborn ones in his post, "If It Were Easy..."

Author Cara Putman gives excellent Research Tips (especially handy for those of us who aren't research fanatics!)

Michelle Pendergrass tells how God called her to Write.

Gina Conroy finally realizes she's a writer who blogs, not a blogger who writes.

A Gift from Above

2006-12-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

(c) Gina Conroy
October 25, 1990

While asking the Lord what I should write for this Sunday, He reminded me of a Chritmas song I wrote over 15 years ago. Though you won't be able to hear the tune over the internet, may the words reach down deep into your soul!

A Gift From Above

Little eyes full of compassion
Little hands that would grow strong
Little heart full of love and tenderness
that would right all of man's wrong.

Who would have guessed such a little baby
could be a great gift from above.
How generous was the giver?
How great was His love?

What was it like to leave your mighty throne?
To come down to a desolate land and walk alone?
What were you thinking, how great was your love?
To leave your Heavenly home above?

Eyes full of forgiveness.
Hands stretched upon the cross.
A heart carrying all our sin
and paying the final cost.

Who would have guessed that the Lord
would give his life for me.
And what greater gift was there to give
then his blood upon that tree.

What was it like to leave your mighty throne?
To come down to a desolate land and walk alone?
What were you thinking, how great was your love?
I'm glad you left your home above!

May the true spirit of Christmas reign in your heart today and always!
Gina, at Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted, is founder of Writer...Interrupted and homeschooling mom to four high-spirited children. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms was just leased and is available now for Christmas!

How Powerful Is Fiction?

2006-12-23T23:54:00.000-08:00

So.

Just how powerful is fiction?

Is it powerful enough to change generations?

Have you heard of Washington Irving? Of course you have, he gave us The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. He also gave us The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, maybe you haven't heard of this series written about the celebration of Christmas.

Here's a couple of free e-books for you:

The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon

Old Christmas by Washington Irving

Then of course, we have Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol (free e-book)

This one really gets to me. We all know the story, right? Sure. What genre would this fit in today? It is a ghost story. A story about ghosts that ends with the infamous line of Tiny Tim, "God bless Us, Every One!" Oh could it be--a Christian ghost story? This "Christian horror" that so many balk at? You know I'm giggling as I type this, right? This story is so ingrained in our culture that I'm not even sure people realize how hypocritical they are of the genre that is who I am.

Both of these novelists wrote about Christmas when Christmas wasn't even celebrated. Now, almost two hundred years later we cling to these traditions as if they were always real.

Yet, they were invented by novelists.

Powerful?

I'd say.

Merry Christmas and "God bless us, every one."

~michelle
My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words
Psalm 39:3

Fiction Friday: More tips for cutting a synopsis

2006-12-22T00:15:00.000-08:00

Tip#4 to cut a synopsis—relevance

Cut absolutely anything that does not have direct impact on the main storyline. Be ruthless.

Don’t leave things in because they pertain to a subplot.

Don’t go off for too long (more than a few sentences) on a red herring.

Don’t include character backstory that doesn’t absolutely need to be there in order to explain the main plot.

Don’t describe characters’ physical features unless it’s a vital element to the story (such as the hero mistakes a red-head for the heroine).

Tip#5 to cut a synopsis—action

Don’t describe the characters’ every action unless that action directly influences the main plot:

She kicks the villain’s kneecap and runs outside. She tries to start the car, but it won’t turn over. The villain comes closer. Finally the car starts and she guns out of the driveway.

Versus

She escapes.

Tip#6 to cut a synopsis—character names

Don’t mention a character by name unless they appear more than twice in the synopsis AND each appearance is vital to the plot. Mentioning too many names can be not only confusing, it can lengthen your story. Refer to the minor character as “her neighbor” or “his old flame.”

Tip#7 to cut a synopsis—get rid of a short line

When you're down to only a few lines to go until your target page number, look for any paragraphs that end with a partial line, such as the example below:

Sports-crazy Lex Sakai isn’t too worried about
shouldering the unofficial family title “Oldest Single
Female Cousin” when her cousin Mariko marries in
a few months. Her control-freak grandma nags her
about her lack of man, but it’s easy to ignore—until
Grandma bellows at her in the middle of a
restaurant that Lex can’t get a guy because she
needs breast implants. Bristling at the challenge,
Lex insists there’s nothing wrong with
her—Grandma says to prove it. If Lex can’t find a
boyfriend by Mariko’s wedding in June, her ruthless
Grandma will cut off funding to the girls’ volleyball
team that Lex coaches. And pay for breast
implants. (14 lines)

Cut words here and there in the paragraph until that last line disappears.

Sports-crazy Lex Sakai isn’t worried about
shouldering the unofficial family title “Oldest Single
Female Cousin” when her cousin Mariko marries in
four months. Her control-freak grandma nags her
about her lack of man, but it’s easy to ignore—until
Grandma bellows in the middle of a restaurant that
Lex can’t get a guy because she needs breast
implants. Bristling at the challenge, Lex insists
there’s nothing wrong with her—Grandma says to
prove it. If Lex can’t find a boyfriend by Mariko’s
wedding, her ruthless Grandma will cut off funding
to the girls’ volleyball team that Lex coaches. And
pay for breast implants. (13 lines)

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

We're Getting a Make Over and We Need Your Help!

2006-12-21T19:48:00.000-08:00

I started Writer...Interrupted out of my own need to connect with other writing moms interrupted by raising kids and taking care of homes. Little did I know that my desire for community would turn into an opportunity to give other interrupted writers a chance to use their gifts.

With over 50 members on our webring and over a dozen contributors I think it's time we celebrate! So for our 6th month anniversary, I thought it'd be a great idea to give Writer...Interrupted a make-over.

But honestly, I have not solid idea of what the new site should look like! That's where you come in. In the comment section, leave your ideas on color scheme, layout design, photo or logos, one column or two columns, and anything you'd like to see in the sidebar that currently isn't there.

I'm hoping to make this work by the new year and with your help, I just might do it!

Mid-Week Motivation

2006-12-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

Start your day out right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. --Mt. 5:16

I was shopping at my favorite store the other day for stocking stuffers, and I happened to have all four kids with me. I know this sounds like lunacy, but I ~~had little choice in the matter~~ ~~wanted their help~~ wanted to feel like I was spending some quality holiday time with them like the mothers with cute Christmas vests who stitch their children's name by hand on the stockings and put lit up reindeer in the yard. If you are that mother, I applaud you. You are an inspiration to the rest of us slackers.

Anyway, I was making my way down the very narrow aisle, all four children in tow (and on their best behavior, I might add), when one of my daughters accidentally bumped into another customer. Being that it is the Christmas season, I put on my best "mother" face and said,"Sweetheart, you bumped in to her. Say excuse me." At which point the lady, who happened to be ~~a child hater~~ ~~old scrooge~~ annoyed with said daughter replied in a very Christmasy way, "yes, in fact we have bumped into one another several times, haven't we?" before turning and stalking out the door of the shop.

Now, had I not been in the motherly mindset, and in particularly the Christmasy motherly mindset, I may have not been nearly as steamed about this. However, the case was as stated, and in response to the unsportsmanlike attitude of the ~~mean~~ lady, I'll have to tell you I thought a whole string of un Christmasy thoughts about her as she turned her back on my daughter's apology. Of course, the Lord didn't ignore my fleshly upheaval and as I drove home, and pervaded my thoughts with the following:

This time of year, it is easy to hand out smiles to carolers, little old ladies, and salvation army santas. We pat ourselves on the back for letting perfect strangers out onto the road in front of us, even when they have a Darwin fish on the back of their car, because it's Christmas, right? 'Tis the season to be kind to others and point them to Christ; besides, we feel this is our duty as good Christian people. But when someone takes the gas pump we have been waiting for, or the register that the checker motioned to us for at the grocery store, or that last Christmas Barbie that we were reaching for, it is just so easy to behave in like manner, pushing and shoving, giving dirty looks, or just simply thinking dirty thoughts.

My point is, perhaps we should take a look at our habits this Christmas season--not our Christmasy habits that we don like gay apparel for 30 days, as long as we are not offended, and then take off on New Year's--but the ones we revert to when we are angry at someone who cut us off, or snubbed us at the restaurant, or even disregarded our well-meaning and sensitive child. The year is too short to hide our light under a bushel of selfishness; there are too many lost to pay them heed only once a year. So friends, let's let our lights shine, no matter what! And let it shine all year long!

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

As my pastor turned our attention to the accounts of Mary and Joseph concerning the Christmas Story (Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25), I noticed a certain missing "something" in the passage describing Mary's experience. There was the part about the angel giving her the great news, the part about her finding favor with God, and even the part about her being afraid yet obedient to God's will. What I didn't find, however, is the part about how she tried to convince Joseph of what the Lord had told her, and how she had persuaded him to follow God's direction. That part wasn't there because that's not how it happened. The Lord gave Joseph a word completely independent of Mary, based on Joseph's relationship with Him and personal in that way.

I think sometimes we strive to express what God has spoken to us in the deepest places of our heart with the one dearer to us than anyone else in this world, and we are often frustrated when he doesn't understand what we are trying to say. There's nothing wrong with sharing what the Lord has laid on our hearts with our spouse, but maybe we shouldn't place so much importance on whether or not they comprehend fully what we have caught a glimpse of. The Lord will speak to him at the right time, and based on his relationship with the Savior. If we are unwilling to be patient in waiting for the Father, perhaps we should contemplate whether or not in a small way we are seeking to take His place in our spouse's life. However, if we will trust the Lord in speaking His plan in His time and in His way, we can be sure that He will be effective in a complete way, and our spouse will be drawn into a more loving relationship with our Savior.

Afternoon Pick Me Up

Writing inspiration
Take a piece of fiction that you are familiar with, and find a particular reference in it that you can expound on. For example, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I could choose the sentence, "When I had attained the age of seventeen, my parents resolved that I should become a student at the university of Ingolstadt (first sentence in chapter 3). Research the statement in some aspect, such as "university of Ingolstadt," and write about why this author may have chosen to include this reference. Think about plot and character development, historical setting, and thematic element that are linked to the reference. Is it used as an allusion to draw the reader farther into the piece, or is it part of a broader idea that the author is trying to communicate?

What's For Dinner?

Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

Enchiladas

Feliz Navidad! A break before or after the traditional Christmas feast.

You'll need:

2 lbs. ground beef or chicken breast

1 large can (28 oz) enchilada sauce ( I like Old El Paso's green chile sauce)

20 small flour tortillas or white corn tortillas (I use the corn ones)

3 cups cheddar-jack shredded cheese

sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray

Cook meat just until pinkness is gone over medium heat, but do not overcook. Drain groundbeef or cube the chicken, whichever you are using.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups cheese, meat, and 2 cups of the sauce.

Place about 2 spoonfuls into each tortilla and roll up, placing fold-down in baking dish.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake about 25 minutes.

serves 8-10

Muy delicioso!

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a restful sleep

O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
Psalm 131:1-2

A wise soul once said, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." That person surely understood that our God is a God of order, and that He establishes everything for a time and a season. The key to peace within is to trust Him to reveal to us whatever He wills today, for His will is perfect in benefit. Our opportunity lies in grasping with our whole being that which He has laid before us in this moment, for this season. Put aside your worries about what you do not know and do not understand; He will give you that key when it is time for you to open that door. Find joy in the door you have before you and thank Him for giving you all that you need to enter in.

Chanda Canup is wife to Scott, a gifted worship leader, and mother to four children, ages 5 and younger. Come visit her at her blogspot: Thursday's Child--it will make her day!

Nuts and bolts on writing

2006-12-19T04:37:00.000-08:00

I wanted to discuss some of the “nuts and bolts” of this writing business. Some of my observations and lessons I’ve learned over the twenty-six years I have been writing.

1. Talent is important but equally or more important is perseverance with some luck thrown in.
2. Rejection is part of writing and sending your work out. We have to learn to move on and not let it stop us from writing. I have seen some very talented writers give up because of rejection (refer back to number one). Have a support group to help you through the rejections. We all need it from time to time. You should see my file of rejections!
3. Set a schedule to write. If not, it is easy to get sidetracked. Life happens.
4. The second sale is often harder than the first. It doesn’t get any easier after you sell the first book. The good part of this is that it keeps you on your toes and hopefully makes you a better writer. Don’t stop trying to improve your craft.
5. Deadlines are important to make. I can’t stress that enough. We are professionals and want to be treated as professionals.
6. Networking is important and can open doors for you whether it is through a conference, chapter meeting or online groups.
7. Critique groups can be good but remember the book is yours ultimately and you have to decide what advice to take or not take.
8. No agent is better than a bad agent.
9. Learn when to give up on a project and move on to a new one. I have heard of some writers working on the same book for years--polishing and polishing it. Learn to let go.
10. This business is subjective. One editor may not like your writing while another may. So don’t give up on a project because of one rejection (refer back to number one).
11. This business is cyclical. What is popular today, may not be tomorrow.
12. Take time for yourself and be aware of the signs of burnout. Stress will take its toll on you and your family.
13. Think twice before quitting your day job. This business is so unpredictable. I realize a day job can get in the way of writing sometimes (I have one) but there is value in having a job outside the home. I have gained a lot from working that I use in my writing. I interact with students and people which have enriched my writing and observations.
14. When something is bothering you about your book, listen to that inner voice. I have found it is usually right whether it is a plot element, the structure of a sentence, or a piece of dialogue.
15. Have fun with your writing. It will show in your work.
16. Research. It shows if you don't. But don't feel you have to put everything in the book that you discover when you research. That shows, too.

Margaret Daley
HEART OF THE AMAZON, Love Inspired Suspense, January 2007
Margaret's website
Margaret's blog

To All a Good Night--

2006-12-18T01:12:00.000-08:00

Blame it on the holiday rush and stress, or perhaps it's sensory overload. With all the gorgeous things to see in our neighborhoods and towns, all the wonderful smells coming from our kitchens, all the sounds of carols and bell-ringers and jingle bells, it's no wonder when it comes to writing, the spirit is oh-so-willing, but the flesh is doubly weak.

I find myself thinking, oh, I'm going to write about that. I should do it right now. And then what happens? My Google calendar is beckoning me back to plans and parties and purchases yet to make. Somewhere between the Live Nativity and Food for the Hungry drive, I feel the emotion welling up in me that signals it's time to write. I want to write about family and home and peace and joy. I want to write about festive landscapes and the hanging of green--the pungent odor of cedar on a mantle and midnight-blue glass ornaments exactly like the ones my mother had her first year of marriage and how much I miss her still whenever I read the Christmas story to my son.

I want to write about how you can't go home again and how new traditions are born with each new generation--how precious time becomes as you realize that you only pass this way but once. The words are bumping around in my brain, trying to find an outlet, an escape. But finding none, they race and blink in flourescent spasms that allow me only to stop for a moment to reflect upon them briefly before reaching for the plug to let them go for the night.

And in the darkness I lie and wonder what the New Year will hold and what new inspiration I will find in the days to come to fill my pages and mold my dreams and render me useless for anything but the splendor that I find in the written word. Oh there's no denying it, no pushing it to the back of my mind, no ignoring the impulse. I switch the lamp beside my bed back on and reach for my laptop--my modern quill. Shall I stay and ruminate a while? After all, the children are nestled all snug in their beds--and you know what that means for me--the best kind of night for a writer to have--a blissfully silent night.

Merry Christmas to all my friends. May you find joy in the Season as you worship the Reason.

Ever Faithful

2006-12-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2006

For many years of my life, I wanted to be successful. I put a lot of effort into that endeavor. I worked and worked and worked. If I joined an organization, I had to be president because I wanted the organization to be successful and I wanted to be seen as a success in the organization. Success was always my goal.

After I started writing, I turned my success-orientation toward God. I wanted to be a success for Him. Somehow I thought that would prove to Him I was worthy of His love and gain me a place in His kingdom. I wanted Him to love me, and I thought the only way He would love me was if I was a success. Sad how some of us get so mixed up like that.

It took seven years of writing, three years of publishing, and a gentle re-direct from God for me to see how wrong I had been the whole time. As always, I had been working and working and working, trying to get the publishing and marketing to work out. I put an enormous amount of time and effort into that endeavor. Still, things were not pointing toward me being a success. Even when I had successes, they were too small for me to acknowledge, and so I called them failures and resolved to do better.

When I finally woke up to see that what I was doing was not what God required of me-that He didn't require me to be a success for Him to love me-that was truly a revelation. In a very real way He saved me from me!

Since then, lesson-by-lesson, I have learned to let go of doing it myself and to let Him take over the controls of my life. Not always easy for a control-freak, but by far the easier way to live once you get the hang of it.

The other night in a sermon, God spoke to me in a way that made me smile. The priest said, "God doesn't require you to be a success. He only requires that you be faithful." Well, that's about as direct a message as you could get.

However, would I have heard those words ten years ago? Probably not, but they sure resonated with me the other night.

The amazing thing is that a friend of mine and I have been talking about this very thing-being faithful. She said, "What I am learning is that God doesn't even require us to be faithful because our faithfulness is imperfect. God simply wants to show us His faithfulness."

Wow! Not only do I not have to be a success to gain God's approval, I don't even have to be perfectly faithful to gain God's approval! The more I thought about this, the clearer it became. Over and over and over again, God has shown me, "Staci, even when you fall, even when you're discouraged, even when you feel like a failure, even when you're scared, I am here-loving you, cheering you on, giving you Me."

With that understanding, how then, I ask you, could I ever feel like a failure? How could I ever think I was anything less than a success? And it has nothing at all to do with me. It has nothing to do with my performance, my plans, my control, my abilities, my knowledge, my understanding. It's all about Him.
His performance, His plans, His control, His abilities. His knowledge, His understanding, His wisdom, His love, His mercy. His faithfulness.

In a very real way, all He asks of me is that I take a step back from me, look to Him, and marvel at His faithfulness. He is ever faithful to me. Not sometimes faithful. Not faithful when it's easy or convenient. He is EVER faithful!

Just as He is ever loving. He is. And if I let my worth be based not on me but on Him, then I'm already a success.

Isn't He the coolest?

*~*~*
For much more inspiration, check out Staci's blog "Homeward Bound" at: http://stacistallings.blogspot.com You'll feel better for the experience!

Michelle Sutton's review of @ Home for the Holidays by Meredith Efken

2006-12-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

From the Publisher:

Sitting by the fireside, humming carols and knitting mittens...not! For these stay-at-home moms, the weeks before Christmas are anything but mellow. How can you balance housework, home crises and the husband without losing your mind? Plug in your laptop! Meet Dulcie, Zelia, Jocelyn, Rosalyn, Veronica and the rest of the women of SAHM I Am. An e-mail loop of stay-at-home moms, they've seen each other through months of domestic drama: babies who won't come, bills that won't leave, kids who won't listen and spouses who won't talk. Now, as the yuletide approaches, the SAHMs are on hand once again, bearing gifts of sisterhood, sanity and the real Christmas spirit.

My review:

This is my all-time favorite Christmas novel EVER. I usually think holiday stories are sappy and never watch them on television, let alone read them. I'm not sure why. I used to like The Grinch That Stole Christmas. Hmmm... Anyway, I'm thoroughly impressed with how Meredith has taken an e-mail loop and made the characters so vivid and real that I want to join the loop myself. Though the story ends with Christmas, it covers over half the year so you can read it at any time and still enjoy it. Honestly!

I SO love the classic Christian snobbery exhibited by Rosalyn, the loop moderator and topic of the week coordinator. We all know someone like Ros, don't we? And the struggles with parenting and job-related issues were so realistic and well-portrayed that I was sucked right in. I've had many infertile friends and the pain is so real. These gals on the SAHM I Am loop are the real deal. Even their e-mail names made me snicker. That Veronica, she just tells it like it is. Sometimes we need that. And her metaphor about the cake...I almost wet my pants over that one. You have to read it to know what I mean!

I just can't say enough about how hilarious, yet deeply spiritual this book was. Some of the scenes with the kiddos just made me want to cackle like a nut case. And how many of us take on so many projects and causes that we neglect our first love? Enough said. I think even my son would love this story. The lessons within its pages shoot straight to the heart. Fabulous book. Now go out and get one before they are all gone!

@ Home for the Holidays was published by Steeple Hill and released on November 1, 2006

Tips for cutting a synopsis

2006-12-15T00:13:00.000-08:00

Tip#1 to cut a synopsis—formatting

Check your formatting. Make sure all your margins are 1 inch. Make your header ½ inch from the top.

Make your header only one line with the manuscript title, the word “synopsis,” and your last name (e-mail address optional) on the left side, and then the page number (optional) on the right side. It’ll look something like this:

BRILLIANT NOVEL/Synopsis/Tang 1

You don’t have to put the word “Synopsis” at the top of the actual text. Just start the synopsis text.

Tip#2 to cut a synopsis—repetition

Eliminate any repetition. If you mention something once—say the hero left the heroine five years ago—don’t mention it again. For example:

After a five year absence, Ronald McDonald returns to Birdy’s life . . .

A paragraph later:

A different man than he was five years ago, Ronald is still in love with Birdy . . .

Don’t mention the five years again. Cut it: Now more spiritually mature, Ronald is still in love with Birdy . . .

(Thanks to Dineen Miller for the idea of this example)

Tip#3 to cut a synopsis—eliminate subplots

Cut out any mention of the subplot. Be ruthless. Even if the subplot gives a bit of depth to the hero because it tells the reader about his life as a drug runner in Brazil, if it doesn’t directly impact the main plotline of saving the heroine’s ranch, don’t include it.

This is especially true if you’re trying to cut your synopsis down to a page (as per some agent/editor’s submission guidelines). You don’t have to include all those subplots. The editor/agent will realize you needed to eliminate some things in order to fit it into one page.

Some subplots do influence the main plot near the end of the book. Here you have a couple choices:

1) Pare down the mention of the subplot to the absolute minimum needed for the ending to make sense. Maybe a sentence in the beginning of the synopsis, and then a sentence at the end when it impacts the main plot.

2) Eliminate mention of the subplot completely and insert something near the end to make the ending make sense.

Don’t do more than that for subplots if you can absolutely help it.

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

2006-12-14T05:23:00.000-08:00

(c)Tricia Goyer, 9/2006

I have three kids ages 12, 14, and 17. If you have teenagers, then you know they know everything. This is especially true for homeschooled teenagers. Every time I try to teach them something I get this look that says, "Yah, I already knew that."

So, if you're like me. Then next time you get "that look" here is something that could help SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right. (Bet you tried this out mentally, didn't you?)

Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet. (Now, you KNOW you're going to try this out for accuracy, right?)

The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. (All you typists are going to test this out.)

All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. (Some days that's about what my memory span is.)

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years. (I know some people that could do this too.)

Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

Babies are born without kneecaps they don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.

In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

If you are an average American, in your whole life, you will spend an average of 6 months waiting at red lights.

Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.

On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.

Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!

Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

The cruise liner, QE2, moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket. (Good thing he did that.)

The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.

There are more chickens than people in the world.

Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

So for all you smart kids out there .................. Now you know everything!

Tricia Goyer has written hundreds of articles, Bible Study notes, and both fiction and non-fiction books.

Mid-Week Motivation

2006-12-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

Start your day out right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

"Who is wise and understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom's gentleness. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't brag and lie in defiance of the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:13-18

Who of us isn't ambitious? I would say that anyone with a goal is, and without goals, where would we be? But this verse brings to our attention the motive behind our ambition. Are we fueled by dreams of furthering self, or furthering our God? Is the root of our enthusiasm fed by the bitter envy of what others have or have accomplished, or is it nutured by the purity of the Father?

A good indicator is of course, our fruits. Does our success tend to yield pride and self-centered hypocrisy? If it does, our seed needs to be examined. The Bible says, "the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace." Our hearts should be in the pursuit of peace in the midst of our ambitions: peace with others, with ourselves, with our Lord. We must be at peace in whatever He determines and at peace with whatever the outcome may be. When we focus so much on self, the result can only be disorder. When we make Him our focus, He will bring order to our deepest dreams and desires.

Pray for the Lord's peace in directing you in achieving your goals today. There's wisdom in laying something down that he never planned for you, and there's success in gaining His perspective on your ambitions. Ask yourself, "am I a sower of peace?" 'Tis the season for "peace on earth." Let it begin in me.

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

How do the people you love most receive love from you? In this season of giving, it's easy to be focused on packages and parcels and Christmas festivities. Sometimes we expect others to consider these things we do as love exhibited to them, but many people receive love in a completely different way. We can knock ourselves out trying to buy them the "X-box" they mentioned in a tally of their interests, and that person may experience Christmas not feeling loved by us at all.

Gary Chapman wrote a phenomenal book, "The 5 Love Languages." If you are already familiar with this work, I'm sure you're a fan. In it, he describes the different love languages that we communicate and receive love in. So many times, these "languages" do not line up congruently with those closest to us, and familiarizing ourselves with another "language" can help in our relationships immensely.

Just to pique your interest, the five languages he includes are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Why not take a quiz to find out your personal style and then think seriously about those that surround you? I know that this time of year, especially, I want those nearest and dearest to me to receive an extra dose of appreciation. What better way to communicate my love effectively than to speak the language of love that they can easily interpret?

Afternoon Pick Me Up

Writing inspiration

Many times an interior designer will focus the room around one particular piece. It is her inspiration and everything else is spawned from it. Nothing draws the eye away from it without another piece drawing the eye back. I think it's a trick the designer uses to introduce many other elements without overwhelming the individual. There's always something to bring us home.

Think of an idea or observation that is particularly interesting or meaningful to you. Write your best sentence about it, being as effective in your communication to the reader as possible. Try to make the reader feel what you feel regarding this particular subject. Then, build a poem or short story around your sentence. It can come at the beginning, the middle, or the end of your piece, positioning really doesn't matter here. However, your theme should be obvious by the end of the work; the reader should see exactly how you came to your conclusion or perspective on the subject.

Writing comes more easily if you have something to say. Sholem Asch

What's For Dinner?

Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
this is one of our family favorites...hope you enjoy it too!

You'll need:

One jar of Alfredo sauce (doesn't matter what kind)

One bag of frozen broccoli florets

One box of Angel Hair pasta

Garlic powder

3 tbsp olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a deep skillet or wok. Add chicken, sprinkle with garlic. Brown the chicken and lower heat. Add Alfredo sauce. Simmer on low.

Meanwhile, steam or boil broccoli, cooking thoroughly. Drain and add to chicken/alfredo mixture.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Serve with alfredo mixture.

Serves 4

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a restful sleep

"Lord, now You are letting Your servant
depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of
all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.

These words were uttered by an an often unsung hero named Simeon. Simeon had waited patiently for the Lord to fulfill His promise to him to reveal the Messiah before his death. Despite the delay of this fulfillment, he lived his life in commitment to the Lord, and as the Lord promised, he was shown the face of the tiny Savior. What a wonderful moment for this faithful servant! A moment of epiphany he had spent his life dreaming about. A moment he had looked forward to for so many years. I'm sure the moment was sweeter for the waiting.

As you spend your last moments awake in this day, thank the Lord for His faithfulness to you. He does not work on our timetable, none can refute this. But He is faithful to do what He promises, and there is a purpose in our waiting. Trust Him in His plan, and praise Him for the blessing He has in store.

Come visit Chanda at her blogspot:Thursday's Child

The Gift of Time

2006-12-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

Over the last few months I've given myself a special treat. (No, I did not wait for Christmas!) I signed up to have once a month sessions with a life coach for writers. Yes, it's pricey, but the few hours I've spent on the phone with her have been life-changing.

In one of our exercises, I was given a gift. Okay, it wasn't something I could touch, but I could see it when I closed my eyes. In my mind there was no fancy wrapping paper or exquisite bow, but with my life coaches' permission, I mental opened something my heart longed for. Was it a new house? A vacation in Maui? A trip to the New York Times Bestseller list? No, what I gave myself (once I was given permission) was a blank calendar. BLANK.

Currently, my calendar is anything but blank. I have written down the days I'm blogging where (I like to get around on the web). My kids' sport practices and times. My church classes and radio interviews. Christmas parties and book deadlines. (The last one is the most time-consuming and overwhelming.) Whew.

The idea of a blank calendar was so . . . well, so . . . so exactly what I needed.

Then, the life coach gave me an assignment--to buy a new calendar for the new year. She also gave me permission . . . to fill it up as I pleased (and as it pleased God), giving myself permission to schedule in quiet time, coffee time with friends, and even reading time as I need them. (Isn't that how it always is, these needs get pushed to the side for the "greater good" of family life?!)

So right now, my new calendar sits on my desk. Yes, it's under a pile of to-do items, but it's a good start.

How about you? Does a blank calendar sound like a wonderful gift?

I hope so, because I'm passing on the request to you: buy one. Now, fill it as you desire and God leads. It's in your hands.

Really, I give you permission.

Fill Your Creative Tank

2006-12-11T12:35:00.000-08:00

Running on empty? Out of steam? Well run dry? Experiencing creative blocks? Gina shared with us her experience of feeling like she's running on empty through the busy holiday season.

We've all been there...drawing a blank, nothing left to give. The best way to prevent these types of situations is to make sure we're nurturing our creative selves with a little daily rest and rejuvenation. But for the average woman, taking time for you doesn't always happen.

For those times when you need a little extra fuel, there are practical solutions for filling the tank. Here is today’s creativity-inspiring, tank-filling, unblocking suggestion: manage distractions.

Oftentimes we're too distracted to create. Those distractions, or the tyranny of the mundane, prevent creative thoughts and habits from finding their home in our lives. The best way to eliminate this problem is to go to the source.

Find out what's distracting you: a messy house, long to-do list, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, etc. Take thirty minutes to manage that distraction to the point that it no longer consumes your thoughts, i.e. clean the room or get someone to do it for you, make an appointment in your schedule for when you'll tackle that to-do list, take a nap, eat a healthy snack. You may not completely eliminate or remove the distraction, but you can manage it long enough to allow creativity to take hold.

Once you've got that distraction controlled, try your hand at creating again. You should notice a clearing, or space, for creative thought and energy that wasn’t there before and it only took you thirty minutes or less.

Next time we'll talk about refilling stations that I've found most effective in my own creative life. Until then, keep it simple and live what you love.

Tasra Dawson is an award-winning scrapbooker, personal discovery coach, and author. As an entrepreneur, wife, and mother, Tasra understands the demands on time and energy faced by career women and busy moms. In Fall 2006, Dare Dreamer Press released her book, Real Women Scrap: Create the Life and Layouts You’ve Always Wanted.

Introducing Ania Björk

2006-12-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

Ever since I could read, and that was when I was 4 years old, I loved books and consumed them with greediness. I am not ashamed of this :)I have lived long enough to understand certain things, to be able to read people's intentions, but not long enough to stop feeling young and curious of life itself.

I spent the first 32 years of my life in Poland, growing up, achieving education, making some major personal mistakes and learning from them. I have an M.A. in English and am a high school teacher of the language.

The next part of my life, up until today (and hopefully the rest of it) is bound to Sweden, because of love and marriage. There were huge changes involved with this move, all of them wonderful and providing me with the sense of development and meaning. My two sons were born here, the older one of them is 9 today, the younger will be 4 in two weeks' time.

I am a new-born Christian, more about it in my blog, and this new condition of my soul has inspired me to expressing myself in writing. I am experimenting only, trying to find a comfortable means of creativity, and the proper language - being fluent in three languages is a blessing in disguise :)

Mostly I need to learn from others.

http://sveana.blogspot.com/
http://sveana.wordpress.com/

Running on Empty

2006-12-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

I feel like the last couple of weeks I've been coasting down hill, running on empty. Like many people, my life has become insanely busy and the more important things have been pushed to the curb or all together forgotten.

Often times I've thought of pulling off the interstate to refuel, but obstacles in the road of life keep me missing the nearest exit. So I chug along, hoping to make it through the chaos of the holiday season, my final destination.

Even today is filled with the business of church, my son's matinee performance and a party afterwards.

Lord prepare my heart to hear from you today, to refuel during the next week when I'm running low, and to slow down, especially around the curves.

Gina Conroy , is founder of Writer...Interrupted and a homeschooling mom to four. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms was just released and is available now for Christmas!

Introducing Amy Quinn

2006-12-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

Amy O'Quinn is a pastor's wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six wonderful blessings! She and her family live in rural south Georgia in her late grandparent's 1930's remodeled farmhouse...complete with window boxes, arbor, and picket fence! She also tries to fit in a little bit of freelance writing around the fringes of family life--something that takes quite a bit of juggling at times! Her other interests include reading, baking, learning about whole foods nutrition, classical/easy listening music, gardening, and cottage style decorating.

She has publishing credits in several publications, including Jack and Jill, International Gymnast, Guideposts for Kids, US Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Homeschooling Today, GEORGIA Magazine, and Rocking Chair Reader: Family Gatherings (anthology). She has several web writing credits as well, and she recently sold a rebus story to Highlights for Children. She also does curriculum reviews for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and is the president/newsletter editor for her local homeschool group. Come visit her at her blog at ~Ponderings At Picket Fence Cottage~ .

Rules

2006-12-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

My son Zane does not follow certain rules well. I know all too well he comes by it naturally. His mama doesn't like a lot of rules either.

At the dining room table yesterday (our school room), he was working on some grammar worksheets. He would not read the instructions. He'd glance over the worksheet and read the questions and go at it. Ok. No big deal, he got them all right. Then he started on some reading comprehension and deduction worksheets. He glanced over the story and started answering questions and got them wrong.

I asked him if he read the instructions. He was honest, said he didn't. The teacher in me explained that the directions are important, those are how we know what to do. If the directions tell us to circle something and we cross it out, it might not be a big deal on a worksheet like this, but what would happen if we were cooking and the recipe told us to add sugar and we added salt?

He seemed to understand that, so I added: "I understand you don't want to follow all the rules, there are times you can be creative like when you're drawing or painting or writing a story, but there are even rules to creativity."

"When mommy writes a story, she can make up any story she wants, but when she writes it down she must spell the words right, make correct sentences, use the correct punctuation, all sorts of things. It cannot be sloppy, but the story, it is whatever story God puts in mommy's brain."

He said, "OH! So you mean that if you spell bad and are sloppy you won't get a book like this?"

The book he held up was my copy of Self-Editing For Fiction Writer's.

That's right son.

Then it hit me. I can write down whatever story God puts in my little brain. I can follow His directions or I can follow man's. It is my choice. I can do research and write a story for a particular publisher, following all of their rules, or I can write a story following God's rules.

That's where my natural rebellion lies. Typically dormant, sometimes I don't even know it's still there. But tell me to do something like write for a publisher that expects (add in your list) and I'm like a caged animal, pacing and growling. I'm ok with God's rules, though, most of the time. I guess the difference is that I know God has my best interest in mind and I'm safe and comfortable with Him being in charge. I am not comfortable with another human being in charge of my writing.

While there's no big epiphany here, no big lesson, I understand my rebellion a bit more as I watch my son's grow and become more like me.

I have no desire to write what the market demands or to write for the readers. My only desire is to write for Christ. So for me that means continuing on with my ghost story about three generations of bastard sons even though some influential people have told me it's a bad idea. I imagine some of those Hebrews marching around Jericho thought God had a bad idea there, eh?

~michelle
My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words
Psalm 39:3

Fiction Friday: The role of the synopsis when submitting

2006-12-08T00:47:00.000-08:00

Why do I need to cut a synopsis?

While I haven’t talked to every editor and agent on the planet, the majority of the ones I’ve spoken to prefer a 2-3 page synopsis.

However, every editor is different. One editor will want a one-page synopsis, another will want an extensive chapter-by-chapter synopsis.

In my experience, it’s usually better to opt for the shorter synopsis when submitting a proposal. If they want a longer one, they usually specifically mention that they do.

Another reason to have a short synopsis handy: Writing contests often have you submit a short, 1-2 page synopsis with your entry.

Here’s a little tip: when querying a novel, it doesn’t hurt to slip a one-page synopsis in with your one-page query letter. And it doesn’t cost any more in postage.

Also, when submitting a partial manuscript or a proposal (only at the editor’s request, of course), most standard proposals consist of a 2-3 page synopsis, not a chapter-by-chapter. Sometimes you can include BOTH a 2-page synopsis and a chapter-by-chapter synopsis in with the proposal, to give the editor his/her pick of whichever length they prefer.

Are editors/agents even reading my synopsis?

Some editors and agents have admitted they don't read the synopsis when your proposal or manuscript hits their desk. So if that's the case, why even bother to invest so much time into it?

The truth is that some editors and agents do read your synopsis. And if it gets taken to editorial committee, it's likely that the VP of Sales or the VP of Marketing will read your synopsis, not your manuscript. They're looking at the marketability of the book.

The synopsis is important to let them know several things:

1) The characters are likable, with faults and flaws
2) The characters learn something on a spiritual level by the end of the book, with a solid spiritual takeaway for the reader.
3) There is definite rising tension and various obstacles in the middle of the book
4) There is an exciting climax where the reader roots for the character
5) There is a satisfying ending.
6) There is an issue or theme that would appeal to readers and which can be marketed, but which isn't preachy.
7) There is something unique and different about this book that would make it stand out from the other books in its genre on the shelves.

They also don't want a hugely long synopsis--they just don't have the time to read it. 1-2 pages, single-spaced, is a good range to aim for.

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

Scripture Memory--Kid Style

2006-12-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

Scripture Memory--Kid Style
(c)Tricia Goyer, 9/2006

This morning, I read a great blog on Home-steeped Hope about teaching Scripture memory to kids. You can read it here.

Anyway, it got me thinking about our family's efforts of memorizing Scripture verses through the years.

I will be starting my 13th year of homeschooling this year, and I can saw without a doubt one of my FAVORITE memories is learning Scripture verses as a famiy. We've tried many systems, and to me it doesn't matter how we get the words to stick, just as long as they do.

Even now, I still study Scripture with my 12-year-old. In fact, he created his own "list" of things that help him.

1. Write it. Nathan writes the verse out.

2. Say it. He says it to himself ten times. (He usually has it memorized by this time.)

3. Share it. He comes to me and shares it. (Then we go over his previous verses too.)

4. Discuss it. I have to come up with three questions to ask him about the meaning of the verse and how it works in life.

5. Hunt for it. I time Nathan as he finds it in the Bible. (Usually under 20 seconds.)

Nathan learned all these study tools through church and home, and now uses them.

Also, my older two kids have devised their own systems. Like me, my daughter (14) has a journal of her favorite Scripture verses. She took it upon herself to read the Bible through and then she comes to John or I to discuss what she's reading or it pops up as we go through daily life. (We've had some VERY interesting discussions as she went through Leviticus and Judges.)

My oldest son, 17, writes his favorite verses and sticks them around his computer monitor on Post-It notes. (Touch the cards and die!) Then Cory works on them throughout the day. He's memorized long passages this way.

Also, he works as a checker at Target part of the day. An older Christian who also works there taught Cory how to keep Scripture memory cards in his pocket and work at memorizing them when it's slow in the store. Cory's been doing this too. As he stands at the end of the checkstand, waiting for customers, I've seen him slip the card out, read it, then slip it inside, the whole time smiling at the old lady taking ten minutes to make it to the checkstand.

In fact, my kids are encouraging me to "get with the system." In addition to my journal, I've taken 3x5 cards (spiral bound) and wrote some of my favorite verses. Then, I read them and study them as I blow dry my hair and get ready in the morning.

Hiding God's word in our hearts, yeah baby!

www.triciagoyer.com
www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com

Introducing Cheryl L. Stansberry

2006-12-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

I'm a stay-at-home-mom of three small children and have only recently come out of the procrastination cave to begin writing again. I have a lot of interest in Christian apologetics and theology, history, literature, and politics and I hope to incorporate some of them into my writing. I also enjoy writing inspirational pieces and poetry. I joined Writer Interrupted to meet other writers and exchange ideas (and to keep myself from retreating back into the cave!)

http://www.crossandquill.com/journey

Mid-Week Motivations STILL Needed

2006-12-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

Is anyone missing the mid-week pick me up? I am! And going into the holiday season I could sure use some motivation right now!

I know we have a bunch of talented, Jesus loving writers on our webring, and I bet amongst the 50 plus members, there's got to be a few of you that God's been tugging on your heart, nudging you to step out in faith and participate in this Wednesday ministry.

You don't have to have a degree in theology, or have even attended a Christian college. The only requirements to writing this column is that you have a heart for the Lord, are willing to share what He's been speaking to you, and that you're a member of the webring. (If you're not a member, but you're a reader, then why not consider joining!)

If you'd like a better idea of what we're wanting in the menu, check out the Wednesdays in November and then leave a comment or email. We're looking for Mid-Week Motivators starting NOW!

Maybe your strength is in the devotional area and not the cooking segment. That's okay! We could pair you up with someone to compliment your strengths! So think about, pray about it! Then do something about it! Take a step of faith in the right direction to advancing your writing career! Plus, it'll look great on your writing resume!

Mid-Week Motivation Menu

Starting Your Day Out Right!
Scripture, Short Devotion

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

Querying With an Unfinished Manuscript

2006-12-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

AS A FIRST TIME AUTHOR, should you finish your manuscript before you query an editor? I have been asked this question by all kinds of hopeful writers, and the answer is, sorry Kids, but yes. I know, I know. I’m not exactly the most experienced “published” novelist on the block. After all, my book isn’t out on the shelf yet (patience in publishing is a future post), but I am walking the road with both my editor and agent holding each hand. So far I have heard from both of them that it made a huge difference knowing I could deliver the manuscript before querying.

My manuscript landed in the hands of my agent at the right time, but if I hadn’t written all but a few chapters of the book, he wouldn’t have given me the time of day. When I heard he had the manuscript and wanted the rest, you wouldn’t believe how quickly I finished that book. By the time I spoke to him about actually representing him, I’d written the ending.

The way I found my agent was no less than extraordinary, but I believe that in any other situation, I wouldn’t have been considered if I hadn’t been able to say, “The manuscript is finished.” My agent tells me that for a first-time novelist, having a completed manuscript is paramount.

Personally, I think that a whole lot of the time that first-time authors put into marketing and pitching before they have even completed their book could so easily be put into finishing their WIP (Work In Progress) instead. Focus on finishing your story, so you can show an agent or publisher you are capable of finishing a book.

So, that is my two cents. There are writers out there who have had a different experience. And that’s great, but for the vast majority of us, agents and editors just don’t have time to take a chance on a new writer they can’t be sure will produce the product. And let’s face it. It’s our masterpiece. If we are fortunate, our agents and editors are passionate about the work, but this is business for them too. They need to know the product will be available before they buy it from a first time novelist. So let's write! Show them you can do it!

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary women’s fiction and has recently contracted with Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House, to publish two novels. The title of her first book will be Ruby Among Us. Visit her at www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com

Top Ten List for Writers

2006-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Patience. In abundance. Pressed down and overflowing. Everything takes time. And lots more time than you could imagine. So if you write, you'll shake the doors of heaven begging for patience.
What ifs. A writer takes a "what if" and crafts a story around it. Without a "what if" question, there would be no books, no inspiration.
Creativity. Must have the ability to take the germ of an idea and flesh it out into a 300 page book. Or a 1000 word article. Or a short blog post. But without creativity, most "what ifs" would die a quick death.
Support. If you're surrounded by people who don't accept or support your dream, it can be death to the dream. So find people who will encourage your writing dream -- even if they don't understand how certifiably crazy you must be to pursue it.
Fellowship. Find other writers. Only writers can fully understand the zaniness incumbent with writers. We just see everything a bit ... differently. So run to the American Christian Fiction Writers, and join. Then get invovled with the local group of writers.
Love for Written Words. You have to love to read well-written words and hunger to develop those skills yourself.
Disipline. To cut the things from your life to make room for writing.
BOC. A corollary is to ensure you have Bottom on Chair time. Yep. Sitting in your chair in front of your computer, fingers poised over the keyboard and hopefully clicking rhythmically. That's the only way anything is written. One word at a time. One second at a time.
Research Skills. You have to love tracking down the right answers. Research is equally important in contemporary books as it is in historicals. Nothing will pull a reader out of the story faster than knowing you missed a key fact or detail. So develop a love of new knowledge.
Ability to Let Go. Finally, you have to be able to release your baby to a cold, cruel world. Otherwise, it will languish in your desk drawer or computer drive. The answer may be no, but you will never get to a yes until you send the manuscript into the world.

Cara's first book Canteen Dreams releases from Heartsong Presents in October 2007. Her other babies are in various stages of completion and release to the world at large. She is the President of the Indiana chapter of ACFW, the ACFW national publicity officer, an attorney, mother, wife, ministry leader, and very tired! You cna check out her blog: The Law, Life & Books.

Volunteer Positions at Writer...Interrupted

2006-12-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

Have you been blessed by this ministry? Are you a member of the webring and want to get involved but can't commit to writing a regular column? Why not consider the following volunteer positions. I'm realizing as Writer...Interrupted is growing, I can no longer do it all by myself and so many of you have been a huge help already. Prayerfully consider ways in which you can help Writer...Interrupted grow and reach other writers like ourselves.

Mid-Week Motivation Coordinator: Will organize participates and make sure the Mid-week Motivations are posted every Wednesday.

Carnival of Christian Writer's Coordinators: Michelle Pendergrass has been doing an EXCELLENT job of organizing and recruiting for the carnival, but I anticipate that soon we will be going weekly and would like to lighten her load. Job description includes organizing submissions, making sure the submissions are appropriate for the carnival, and posting on the given day.

New Member Coordinator: This person would email new members of the webring, and then post their bios, links and photos.

Calendar Coordinator: This person will check the schedule, and make sure there are posts in drafts for each day. If a draft is missing, the coordinator will email the person scheduled a reminder to post.

Introducing Kevin Lucia

2006-12-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

My name is Kevin Lucia, I hail from Castle Creek, NY. I'm a 32-year old husband, father of one, soon to be father of two! I teach middle school English at St. John the Evangelist School in Binghamton, NY. I'm a graduate student at Binghamton University, seeking an MAT in teaching and MA in English, and I write book reviews for The Baptist Voice, The Country Courier,
www.infuzemag.com and www.titletrakk.com. My book reviews are posted at: www.kevinlucia.net/bookreviews. I'm a member of the ACFW, and I do - likeevery other holder of an English BA - have a work in progress. The site chronicling the progress of that work is at: www.kevinlucia.net.

One thing I would like to do - as time permits - is start networking with other writers, ESPECIALLY those who understand the juggling that comes with trying to raise a family, work a job that pays the bills, be involved with your children, keep your marriage healthy - and STILL try to write something worth reading (I'm typing this email, as my daughter is tugging on my leg to read her a book!). I think we encounter obstacles that are unique to our place in life, especially when I think of my care-free college days, or pre-child days, when I could blow off a whole day reading and writing!

Creation or Competition?

2006-12-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2005

This is a concept I've known intuitively for a long, long time. I grew up in a very competitive family that lived in a very competitive town that resided in a very competitive state, which was a part of a very competitive country, which was a small part of a very competitive world. In one way I was not a competitive child because I was not good at sports-any sports in any way. However, I see now how competitive I was in other areas like academics and band. Mostly I didn't compete with others; mostly I competed with myself, and often I lost.

One such competition I remember in the depths of who I am. I was in the fifth grade, and up until that year I had literally made A's in everything. Every subject. Every six weeks since I'd been in the first grade. And then I got that report card with a-gasp-B! I was crushed, devastated, destroyed.

We found out that the B represented the underlying score of 89. 89. One point from an A, and in all likelihood only 10ths of a point away, and yet those 10ths represented a chasm between who I thought I had to be in order to be worth something and who I felt like I now was.

It sounds so silly. How many people get devastated over a B? In fact, I'm sure if you didn't get straight A's all through school, you are probably saying, "Ah, poor baby. You got a B. It's tragic." But understand, to me, it was tragic. It was as if who I thought I was had died. Tears couldn't bring her back. Sorrow and guilt over what I could have or should have done to gain those coveted 10ths of a point couldn't bring the opportunity back. Nothing could.

As this period of my life progressed, my family over and over explained that it was all right. They still loved me. I came to accept that I wasn't perfect and that my worth wasn't my grades, but it was immensely difficult, and in truth it took until I was in college to really believe them.

So I know what havoc living with a competition-mind set can wreak in a life.

Competition has several underpinnings that are present when it is. The first is a belief in separateness. I am separate from those I am competing with, and thus, one of us can be better, smarter, more worthy of praise than the other. Another underpinning belief is that the good things in this life are inherently limited; therefore, if you want some of the good stuff, you must necessarily beat out someone else to get it.

These two lead to the dominant underpinning which is fear. For if I am separate, I am alone, and if I must necessarily fight for the limited resources, my ability must be greater than that of everyone else who is competing, or I will suffer. These equal one thing: Fear.

If I am in competition with you, and you get something I wanted, it follows that I will separate myself further from you, fall into greater fear, and believe more deeply that I must get better to get more. We see the attempt to subvert the naturalness of this progression played out at the end of a game (whatever the game). It's called "sportsmanship." Win or lose, you should shake the opposing squads hands as a sign of respect. But the truth is win or lose, you don't want to shake their hand. Why? Because if you've won, this show of respect necessarily brings the loser back up if not up to your level than closer. If you've lost, shaking the winner's hand affirms they are better than you and something you valued has been lost.

The world's dominant teaching is competition. We are taught from early on:

You must "learn to play the game."
You must maximize your ability to win (or get run over if you don't).
You have to do your best.
Study hard.
Work hard.
Play fair.
Make success your goal.
Accomplish. Triumph. Win.

All of these are the aims of a competitive world.

God is not competitive.

Let me repeat that: God is not competitive. God does not have to compete because in the simplest terms, who would He compete against? He who made the universe by saying, "Let there be..." could beat everyone at everything without so much as trying. God's power does not come from being competitive. No. God's power comes from being creative.

God creates. That's what He does. If He wants a mountain, He creates a mountain. He doesn't go out and try to talk someone else out of their mountain, nor does He work to gain a piece of a mountain. He doesn't have to. He can simply create a mountain, and so in a sense can we.

I have a young friend who wanted a laptop computer. She pined for one, begged for one, was desperate to get one. At the time she was learning to play the piano, and was early enough in her piano experience that competition hadn't entered the scene yet. One evening I told her mother to tell her that instead of "competing" for the laptop, she should concentrate on creating with her music. The more you create, the more "things" will flow to you. As of this writing, she has not gotten her laptop, but I have no doubt if she keeps creating, it is on its way.

My daughter loves rocks. She has from a very early age. Yesterday we took our first trip to a rock shop, and it was love beyond all telling. The man at the shop showed us how he cuts stone and can cut crosses and other shapes out of the stone. My daughter was fascinated. As we left, we talked about her getting a stone cutting saw so she can make her own creations out of stone.

She has recently gotten into creating things out of wood, and I know the two fit together. Learning one will advance her capacity to learn the other. In her eyes, I see the God of creation. Maybe that's why I like to write. I love the feeling of creating meaning by the patterned arrangement of 26 letters and 10 numbers. The greatest works of the world like the Bible were created using just these 36 characters. Think about that for a moment. It's astonishing, is it not?

What makes them masterpieces is the sheer ability to create, and someone else can create something equally amazing with the same 36 characters. You don't have to compete to use them. They are yours, and they are limitless.

The more I concentrate on creating, the happier I become. There was a time in my writing career when I would read of the achievements of others and become annoyed. Why did they get the book contract and I didn't? I see now how entrenched in the worldly philosophy of competition I was. In this philosophy when someone else wins, I lose because if the contracts are limited, them getting a contract means there are fewer for me.

And the tragedy of this mentality goes way beyond this example.

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day about our girls' night out getting together night coming up. She said, "Okay, but this time I am paying because I need to pay you guys back." (She's new to our little group, so I understood where she was coming from.) I told her that among Holy Spirit friends paying is relative. We aren't keeping score-at all. I couldn't tell you who's ahead, who's not, who owes whom what, and it literally doesn't matter.

When I first started this little group, I intuitively "knew" it would be different than the way I had always done things. It started with another friend of mine. I began giving her gifts-books and other uplifting things. After about the fifth thing that I'd brought over for no reason other than I wanted to (it wasn't her birthday or even a special day on the calendar), she protested, "Staci!" To which, I said, "No. It's not about you having to pay me back. It's only about... I want to share with you what I have. I want to share the blessings in my life."

As I told our new Holy Spirit friend, I have so many blessings flowing through my life, it is natural to me to share what I have with others. She said something that sounds very good, "Yea, but I just want to pay my fair share." Ah. That's the way the world thinks. "I must pay. I must pull my own weight. I must give my fair share, or you will not want to be around me."

In worldly terms this makes sense. If I pay for your meal and my resources are limited, then you'd better pay me back or I now have less because of you. In other words, you owe me to bring me back to even. But that's not how it works in a creation-based paradigm. From a creation-based perspective, I have what I need because if the resource is not here, it can be created or obtained through my creation of something else in order to trade for the resource. Think of the resources now using a different term-blessings. The unlimited blessings in my life flow through me onto you when I pay for your meal. That doesn't mean I now have less because I gave you some. In fact, and you know this in relation to love, the more love I give away the more I have.

That's how it is with God. The more you give away, the more you have. In a creation-based reality, the resources are not limited-they are limitless. If you need more, you simply ask for more or better yet create more. More and more and more is available if you focus on God's resources and learn to create just as God does. As you do this, you will let go of fear-filled, limited, competition thinking and being, and more will be added to you.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God (create and creation), and all these things shall be added unto you." Learn to create. Let go of having to compete. It will change everything.

*~*~*
Looking for awesome inspiration? Head over to Staci's website where you can gleen insights galore! http://www.stacistallings.com You'll feel better for the experience!

Meet and Greet: 50 and Counting

2006-12-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

Today is "Meet and Greet" day, so be sure to check out the new members of the webring and visit some of the old members. And as always, don't forget to leave a comment!

And you can also use the time to catch up on the great posts on this site! We've got an awesome group of bloggers who write their hearts out! Join me in encouraging them this day by leaving some comments!

Introducing Rachelle Arlin Credo

2006-12-02T06:35:00.000-08:00

I'm Rachelle Arlin Credo from the Philippines. I work as an entrepreneur and a part-time writer. I have had my work published in Arabesques Review, The Front Porch, Static Movement, Women's Journal, Events Quarterly, Lily Literary Review, Poetic Hours, Health and Home and Zygote in My Coffee among others. My website can be found at http://www.rachelle.co.nr and I also keep a blog at http://zyphe.blogspot.com

I wanna join your group to gain more exposure and to meet writers I may able to share my literary works with. I also hope to meet new friends I can discuss things with and exchange conversations with a good laugh :) I would love to share ways to keep in touch over the miles.

Introducing Michelle Gregory

2006-12-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

I am an Arizona native, living in the city but wishing I lived in the country. I have been a Christian since I was 7. I attended a Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK with a major in Elementary Education but only taught for 3 years. I have been married to my true love for 20 years. We have lived in Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas and are now happily living in Mesa, AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). I homeschool my three children. I rediscovered my passion for writing last year when I participated in NanoWrimo. I reached 53,000 words and discovered that I could write, that I enjoyed it and that I hadn't written the story that I wanted to tell. So I started over and am in the middle of the revision process.

I don't remember how I found Writer...Interrupted, but I felt an instant connection. It seems that as I try to juggle writing and life I am often interrupted by one thing or another. I enjoy all of the posts and hope to receive the encouragement we all need as writers and moms. I also hope to contribute encouraging words when I can.

My blog is www.michellegregory.blogspot.com

The picture is of me and my husband Joe, taken at the north rim of the Grand Canyon Sept. 2006

Introducing Marcus Goodyear

2006-12-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Howdy, from the Texas hill country and my blog, HillCountryWriter. That's where God sent my family two years ago. And let me tell you, we love it.

My wife and I are the volunteer drama ministers for our church. That means she acts and I write. Though more and more she and the music minister are suckering me into the acting part, too.

I love to write. I can't stop really. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama. Poetry and fiction are my great loves. I'm in the process of posting an entire novel on my blog, but don't tell my agent. I also post lots of poetry about Jesus and love and barbies and anglo-saxon monsters.

I'm an avid reader (currently reading Susanna Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Martin Espada's The Republic of Poetry). I also read to my kids obsessively. We're currently keeping the Christmas Peef vigil, and I never get tired of Peef. And my wife and I read aloud to each other. We've read a slew of books from Narnia and The Lord of the Rings to the Bible. (We're in Romans).

Professionally, I'm a research and content editor for the H. E. Butt Foundation. That means I lead workshops at our retreat center Laity Lodge from time to time and get to work with some of the best writers in the country. (For example, Eugene Peterson wrote the majority of the message while in residence there. I've actually met him!) I also get to edit work by many of these writers for TheHighCalling.org and Christianity Today's FaithInTheWorkplace.com.

I joined Writer . . . Interrupted for business and personal reasons.

In business language, Gina seems to have a good instinct for marketing and mobilizing writers. She started this blog in 2006 and already has over 200 links!

In personal language, she knows how to build community. She knows how to share community. And she knows how to encourage people in the community to support each other.

Why wouldn't I want to be a part of that?

Synopsis Series by Camy Tang

2006-12-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Quick Tips for How to Write a Synopsis

What's a Chapter by Chapter Synopsis?

Synopsis Writing: A Few Tips

Spiritual Arc/Internal Conflict

Fiction Friday: Synopsis writing – spiritual arc/internal conflict

2006-12-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

An editor will want to know how your character changes over the course of the book. These days, even characters who remain relatively static—like Stephanie Plum or Hercule Poirot—show some sort of change by the end of the book, maybe in new information or a changed relationship with another character.

It’s important to include the character’s spiritual arc or arc of internal conflict. This will show the editor that there is a deeper message behind the action or romance. The spiritual/emotional arc also gives added dimension to the character, and makes the character more realistic and likable.

It’s pretty simple to include the spiritual/emotional arc. In the first paragraph or two of a 1-3 page synopsis, mention the character’s flaw, or spiritual struggle, or internal conflict in one sentence. If your synopsis is longer, feel free to elaborate a bit, maybe as much as a paragraph.

Mary has given up on God and blames Him for her parents’ death.

Josh has always felt a need to control the people in his life, influencing their decisions. After all, it’s for their own good.

In the middle, show how the characters are coming to realize that their spiritual/internal state is wrong, or show the internal dissonance that arises as a result of the external conflict of the story.

Mary is intrigued by Alice’s strong faith despite the horrible things that have happened to her. Mary rethinks her lost faith in the face of Alice’s unwavering trust in God and assertion that she has no business questioning what God has allowed.

Josh is shocked at his brother’s outburst, and wonders if it’s true that he’s trying to control his family like a set of tin soldiers.

In the climax, show how the character comes to an epiphany or realization about their spiritual/internal state. Show what they learn about themselves.

It should also be a strong inciting incident that brings them to this point—something powerful makes them turn their thoughts inward. It can’t be something small or insignificant. They can’t suddenly decide one day to do some introspection.

Mary cries at Alice’s graveside, holding her friend’s letter. Her heart crumbles before God as she realizes the larger picture God has of her world, and how He does indeed work everything for good for those who love Him.

Josh grabs the crumpled tricycle, realizing how his controlling ways have caused his family so much grief and pain. He realizes that if he does not change, he won’t have a family at all.

You should include the spiritual/emotional arcs of each major protagonist. If you’re writing a romance, you should include both the hero and heroine’s spiritual/emotional arcs.

And that’s it!

Run your synopsis by your critique partners to make sure you’ve shown the characters’ spiritual/emotional arcs adequately. There may be areas you need to explain more, or other areas you need to add more of how their internal conflict is changing them.

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

Introducing Chanda Canup

2006-11-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

My name is Chanda Canup and my husband and I have been serving in ministry together for 6 years. He began as a youth pastor, and we just finished serving at a church where he had youth and music responsibilities. We are no longer pursuing full-time ministry; we have had enough of "church politics" and want to serve at a church we belong in, not a church with a job opening for Scott.

I am a stay-at-home mother of 4, ages 5-1 year old, and my children are a bright light in my life. My husband is a brighter light, and Jesus Christ is the brightest Light of all. I know this from "experimenting" earlier in my life, and even in recent days. We all experiment to see what will work, what will make us happy. I am fully convinced that Christ is the only solution to that. This is what I write about. My blog is called Thursday's Child because I was born on a Thursday, but moreover, I truly have "far to go." All believers must recognize their sojourner status in this world and I think that when we reach out to help each other along the way, we taste heaven. That is what writing is for me.

I wanted to join the blog ring because I am interested in what other Christians are writing about. I am curious about the publishing process. I am wondering what we have in common. Besides Jesus. This should be a given.

Thank you for your vision to create this ring. I know the Lord will use it.

By His hand,

Chanda Canup

The Red Ribbon

2006-11-30T05:10:00.000-08:00

© Staci Stallings

Everyone wants a blue ribbon. Blue. First place. The best. Even kindergarteners want that blue ribbon. In sports, I was never a blue-ribbon person. In a race I was always last. In baseball I was as likely to get hit on the head as to drop the ball. In basketball I was fine as long as there weren't nine other players on the court with me. Where I got my horrible sports ability, I don't know, but I got it. And I got it early.

During the spring of my kindergarten year, our class had a fieldtrip to a park in a town about 20 miles away. Making that drive now is no big deal, but when you're six and you've lived in a town of 300 all your life, going to a town of a couple thousand is a very big deal. Nonetheless, looking back now, I don't remember much of that day. I'm sure we ate our little sack lunches, played on the swings, slid down the slide-typical six-year-old stuff. Then it was time for the races.

However, these were no ordinary races. Some parent had come up with the idea to have the picnic kind of races, like pass the potato under your neck and hold an egg on a spoon while you run to the other side. I don't remember too much about these, but there was one race that will forever be lodged in my memory-the three-legged race.

The parents decided not to use potato sacks for this particular race. Instead, they tied our feet together. One lucky little boy got me for a partner. Now what you have to know about this little boy is that he was the second most athletic boy in our class. I'm sure he knew he was in trouble the second they laced his foot to mine. As for me, I was mortified. This guy was a winner. He almost always won, and I knew that, with me, he didn't have a chance.

However, apparently he didn't realize that as deeply as I did at the time. He laced his arm with mine, the gun sounded, and we were off to the other side. Couples were falling and stumbling all around us, but we stayed on our feet and made it to the other side. Unbelievably when we turned around and headed back for home, we were in the lead! Only one other couple even had a chance, and they were a good several yards behind us.
Then only feet from the finish line, disaster struck. I tripped and fell. We were close enough that my partner could have easily dragged me across the finish line and won. He could have, but he didn't. Instead, he stopped, reached down, and helped me up-just as the other couple crossed the finish line.

I still remember that moment, and I still have that little red ribbon. When we graduated 13 years later, I stood on that stage and gave the Valedictory address to that same group of students, none of whom even remembered that moment anymore. So, I told them about that little boy who had made a split-second decision that helping a friend up was more important than winning a blue ribbon. In my speech I told them that I wouldn't tell which of the guys sitting there on that stage was the little boy although he was up there with me. I wouldn't tell because in truth at one time or another all of them had been that little boy-helping me up when I fell, taking time out from their pursuit of their own goals to help a fellow person in need.

And I told them why I've kept that ribbon. You see to me, that ribbon is a reminder that you don't have to be a winner in the eyes of the world to be a winner to those closest to you. The world may judge you a failure or a success, but those closest to you will know the truth. That's important to remember as we travel through this life.

You may not have a red ribbon to prove it, but I sincerely hope you have at least a few friends who remember you for taking time out from your pursuit of that blue ribbon to help them. I'm thinking those will be the ones that really count-I know it's the one that counted the most to me.

*~*~
Don't miss out! Read the first three chapters of "Cowboy" free! http://www.stacistallings.com/CowboyPreview.htm You'll feel better for the experience!

Real Women Scrap Sale and Contest

2006-11-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

Real Women Scrap is having a BIG sale all day on Thursday, November 30!

Starting at 12:01 a.m. (PST) we'll begin the festivities. Be sure to check in frequently for prize give-aways, sales and more.

Things you can do to prepare ...

A. Take a self-portrait. We aren't looking for the perfect, posed image. We are looking for the self-portrait that you took using one hand!

B. We want to see what's in a real women's refrigerator. Open the door and take a photo...no cleaning, rearranging, or organizing beforehand.

C. Spell out the words "Real Women Scrap" using whatever materials you want. It could be chocolate, crayons, lipstick, legos, Fruit Loops, ribbon, or anything else. Creativity counts! Don't forget to take a photo!

D. Complete your contest entry for the Real Women Scrap Contest ending at midnight tonight.

E. We will be looking for the "Real Woman" of the YEAR. They will be officially titled and treated like royalty all year long. VIP treatment, layout reviews, personal consultations. So you must prepare a picture of yourself holding a sign that reads "Real Women Scrap 2007 Woman of the Year."

Spread the Word. Bookmark the blog and reload frequently all day long!

Technorati technorati tags: Contest, Giveaways, Sale, Real_Women_Scrap, Scrapbooking, Photography

website: http://www.realwomenscrap.com
blog: http://realwomenscrap.typepad.com
Order books: http://www.daredreamerpress.com

Mid-Week Motivators Needed

2006-11-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've really been enjoying these Mid-Week Motivations by Jennifer this month. How about you?

We're looking for more Mid-Week Motivators to join our ministry team here at Writer...Interrupted. If you're a member of the webring and want to dabble in writing, but don't want a big commitment, then think of contributing to the column. We'll also be looking for a menu coordinator.

And if someone would like to create a great graphic for the Mid-Week Motivation Menu then send them on. If we get more than one, we'll have an old fashion vote for the winner!

If you'd like a better idea of what we're wanting in the menu check out the Wednesdays in November and then leave a comment or email. We're looking for Mid-Week Motivators starting in December!

Mid-Week Motivation Menu

Starting Your Day Out Right!
Short Devotion

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage tips, etc.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

What's For Dinner?
Quick dinners, crock pots, etc.

A Restful Night's Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

After the Call

2006-11-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

I recently told you about

The Really Long First Call.

And then what happens after the first contract has been signed? In a word,

Wait.

But eventually, after we come back down to earth, we get back to work. Every writer is different, but here are a few things I’ve been working on while I wait for things to start moving on my first novel’s release.

Crying
I don’t want to wait! It’s so haaarrrrddd!!

Getting Real
I turn on the computer every day, except most Sundays, and open the writing file.

Editing
My editor has given me some ideas she wants me to work on. Specifically if you want to know, she asked me to make my setting even more powerful than it already is. Okay, so some of that is my own wording, but I love the setting of my novel and I agree it has the potential to be better. I need to get it out of my head and even more into the story. So, I’m working on that.

Writing My Second Novel
We are not one-book authors, right? After you send the first book or article out for consideration, start writing the next one.

Writing My Third Novel
When I am overwhelmed by what I’m currently working on, I take a break and do some free writing in another file.

Guest Blogging
What I’m doing with this post. You can apply to the Writer…Interrupted blog carnival of Christian writers if you are interested in breaking into guest blogging. Guest blogging keeps me on my toes.

Magazine Articles and Book Reviews
I write non-fiction pieces aimed at women’s publications and for respected sites that provide book reviews.

Writing Community
Besides serving on my library’s foundation board of directors, I am trying to get to know other local authors and be more involved in organizations like ACFW and my other regional writing organizations like RMFW.

Reading
I am reading books by those who have gone before me. Especially books in my own genre like Lisa Samson, Mary DeMuth, Elizabeth Berg, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Sue Monk Kidd.

Living
The writing life is wonderful, but I don’t want to lose site of the real people in my world. If I don’t live a full life, I won’t be able to offer any perspective in my writing. Most importantly, being a wife, mom, and a good friend will probably make the biggest impact on my writing in the long run. Family and friends come first - even over writing.

So, there you have it. There’s nothing to do after the contract has been signed except for be patient, get to work, and live large.

Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary women’s fiction and has recently contracted with Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House, to publish two novels. The title of her first book will be Ruby Among Us. Visit her at http://www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com/, her blog based on a First Time Novelist's Journey.

Carnival of Christian Writers #2 November 2006

2006-11-27T08:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the second carnival! We're pleased to offer you a variety of posts from Editors, Authors, and readers for your intellectual and recreational reading pleasure. As you journey the writing grounds, be sure to leave comments and tell them the Carnival of Christian Writer's sent you. Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times and buckle up for your safety. Enjoy the ride...

Acquistions editor, Terry Whalin gives us Straight Talk For Less Than Fifty Cents with 18 Keys to a Rejection Proof-Submission.

At Forensics and Faith, Seatbelt Suspense™ author Brandilyn Collins tells us her new fave compliment from a fan. (Knowing Brandilyn, it's bound to be twisted.)

Ane Mulligan knows submitting your manuscript to publishers and agents - and surviving the process - is a rollercoaster ride. How can you endure and live to submit again?

Michelle Pendergrass at Just A Minute explores how Much Study Wearies The Body.

Author Margaret Daley shares how she weaves her faith in books.

Gina Conroy at Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted is tired of trying to drive her writing career and is asking Jesus to take the wheel.

Mary E. Demuth's tongue in cheek look at the publishing industry is entirely fictional, though the name Jeanne Damoff is real.

Cara Putman's recent viewing of Dreamer was actually a lesson in plotting in two hours.

Linda Gilmore confesses she's Addicted to love or something like it.

Patrick Borders presents Muse? I don't think so-- posted at Emdashery.

Kaye Dacus presents Subplots posted at Ramblin' Writer.

Dianne encourages us to encourage others with A Word Fitly Spoken posted at Unfinished Work.

Robin Bayne reminds us of The Silent Fellowship with a devotional from Streams in the Desert at Between Sundays.

Jeremiah McNabb joins us with his entry Discernment or Christian Cop-Out.

Jenny Cary meets author Jack Gantos and shares Reading and Reaching One Another.

Nicole Petrino-Salter at Into the Fire ruminates after three editor interviews atReflections, Part Two.

Heidi Shelton-Jenck asks what was your defining moment? posted at HJS Writer.

Mike Duran explores unfashionable reading and the lack of literary depth.

Jennifer Tiszai at Sonoran Saga mixes Motherhood, Writing and Cupcakes.

Heather Goodman at L'Chaim gives you a bit of flash fiction.

Missed submitting this month? Have a perfect post for next month? Don't put it off! Submit now for December's Carnival!

Special thanks to Michelle Pendergrass and Gina Conroy for putting together this month's carnival.

Just Go with the Flow

2006-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

(c)Gina Conroy

I'm not an early riser. I covet a good night's sleep, and I've been known to hit the snooze for an hour before feeling awake enough to get out of bed. So when I woke at 4:30 a.m. this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, I wondered what was up?

I often told God if he wanted to meet with me, He'd have to wake me up. I mean in a wide awake, after some caffeine, I'm ready to take on the world awake. Ten minutes later my four year old daughter climbed in bed with me. After an hour and a half of willing myself back to sleep, I was still wide awake.

6am.

Okay, God!

I can probably count on one hand how often I've gotten up before my four kids in the last five years. Though I long for time alone, to read my Bible and rest in the stillness of a quiet home, sleep has always been a priority. But this morning I wasn't sleepy, and it was easy to get out of bed.

I crept down the stairs, started some coffee and a load of laundry. I even had the time to mix up a breakfast omelet and feed the pup. Proverbs 31 woman move on over! Then I got my Bible and went out on the patio to spend some long awaited quiet time, just me, God and the puppy.

I opened to a devotional entitled, Learning to Wait on God: Trust. The passage that went with the devotional was about Daniel and how he trusted God to save him from the lion's den. I can't fathom what went through Daniel's mind as he sat all night surrounded by a bunch of hungry lions. Did he sleep soundly or was he too afraid to sleep? Was he restless or did the peace of God overshadow him? One thing is certain, Daniel had to be patient. He had to wait on God and trust Him for deliverance.

I've been learning to wait on God as well.

My writing career isn't where I want it to be and homeschooling my four children is a huge challenge. (To put it nicely) One I question on a weekly basis. I have reallyDanieldays, like Daniel's in the lion's den, where it seems I'm surrounded by others pulling and tearing at me from every side. I'm restless at times, and anxious to get out of my den, but my night is not over, yet. Just like Daniel had to be patient, so I too wait it out, not knowing when daylight will come or what it will bring.

The winds of change have been blowing through my home the last couple of years. I've caught the current, not knowing which way God would send me and most times not understanding where He's taken me. I am not a patient person. I don't like to wait. Maybe it's my New York Italian upbringing, maybe it's the society we live in when waiting for more than five minutes in a drive through becomes unacceptable.

Waiting is hard. So is trusting God. But Daniel survived the night and so will those who wait on the Lord. After 37 years, I'm beginning to understand that the waiting is all apart of the journey and without the journey, there can't be a final destination. Though I stumble along the way and have many scrapes and bruises to attest to my shortcomings, God is always there, picking me up, and guiding me back down the right path.

Maybe trusting isn't so hard after all. All I have to do is follow God's lead. How hard could that be? :)

It's got to be easier than fighting the wind current or waiting all night in a den of hungry lions.

Gina, at Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted, is founder of Writer...Interrupted and homeschooling mom to four high-spirited children. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms was just leased and is available now for Christmas!

Fly Lady I'm Not...But

2006-11-25T05:49:00.000-08:00

I don't dare dream of making a business out of my organizational skills as the Fly Lady has, but I have done a bit of personal organizing on the side. So today, I'll give you a few tips--free. Gotta love that!

1. Monthly Bills--Label thirty-one Manila folders 1-31. Place them all in a hanging file folder. When your bills come in, decide the date they need to be paid on and place it in the corresponding folder. This doesn't have to be just for bills. This can be a catch all of sorts. You can put permission slips, birthday cards or other dated materials in these folders. I also kept a single sheet of lined paper in each folder to make reminder notes. I'd put a simple check mark next to the completed task.

2. Binders are beautiful and have so many uses. Schoolwork is one use. I homeschool, so we have papers galore. I use one binder per year and purchase pocket folders to put inside. All of our papers from the year go in there.

3. Kitchen drawers. I use those little baskets that are about three for a dollar and the plastic school boxes you can get on clearance for around ten cents each. I have one drawer for cup lids and straws and little containers and their lids. The lids all go in the little basket. Things like--oh what are they called!? Those little things you put on the ends of your corn on the cob--those things go in the plastic school box. I have one for gadget plug-ins and they stack so nice and neat in the drawer.

4. Freezer inventory. We have a deep freeze and I keep an inventory of it so that I can plan my meals.

5. Being a Writer...Organized. I found Julie Hood's Organized Writer. About halfway down the page you'll see a link for a free downloadable 2007 Writer's calendar. I printed her stuff off in 2006 and I have found it to be a blessing. If you sign up for her newsletter, you can download her writer's planner free. I recommend you do this if you want to become more organized. (And put it all in a binder!)

Hope some of this helps. If you like the tips, let me know...I've got plenty more!

~michelle
My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words
Psalm 39:3

Fiction Friday: Synopsis writing - a few tips

2006-11-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

First or third person?

Synopses are traditionally in third person, but these days, there are a few in first person. It’s a matter of risk. Some editors or agents would be intrigued by a well-written synopsis in first person. Others would be turned off by it, and there’s no way of knowing what type of person will read your proposal.

I personally believe in the safer route and would suggest that unpublished writers write their synopses in third person. However, there are success stories of some writers who landed a book contract with a synopsis in first person, so it’s not unheard of.

The choice—and the risk—is yours as the writer. In this, get the opinions of your friends and other experienced and published writers. Have them look at your synopses to tell you which is better written, catchier, tighter. Ultimately, however, you will have to decide if you’d like to risk a first person synopsis or not.

Voice

While a synopsis is usually not your best writing, and a synopsis is all telling and no showing, you should nevertheless try to make the synopsis sound like your writer's voice.

If your story is poignant, try to make the synopsis sound that way. If your writer's voice is uniquely quirky, try to get that into the synopsis.

Risa Takayama has no social life because she's thrown all her energies into her wedding accessories shop in the mall. Unconventional, rebellious Risa hates the numerous family gatherings because her aunts tweak her about her weight and lack of a Significant Other.

vs.

Risa Takayama would rather eat rotten tofu than listen to her aunts’ tweaking her about her weight. She’s the Elephant Man next to her Barbie-doll cousins with their Ken sidekicks, so she throws herself into her wedding accessories shop in the mall, All the Trimmings. She’s becoming so savvy and self-sufficient, she hasn’t needed to bother God for any help in a while.

This usually adds words to a synopsis, and if you're trying to cut words, you might be tempted to cut out your voice. The choice is yours, but if you can, try to cut other words and keep your writer's voice.

How do you recognize your writer’s voice? It’s the words, phrases, and rhythms that resonate to you as you read.

Tightening a sentence is not the same as writing out your voice. However, if the act of tightening a sentence significantly dims the sparkle of your writer’s voice, you might want to think twice about rewriting it. Find other sentences you can slice or tighten instead.

By keeping your voice in the synopsis, it will make the synopsis stand out and give a taste of what your story is like, the atmosphere of the novel.

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

Thanksgiving Ties

2006-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Whether you’re heading over to the relatives, or hosting a get-together from home-sweet-home, I have some ideas to keep the under-ten crowd productive and the whole gang happy.

For a pre-dinner activity, gather the cousins around and tell them to go outside and find a decent sized tree branch with plenty of small limbs. It needs to fit in a medium-sized flower pot that you’ve pre-filled with dirt. Next, hand out several sheets of fall colored construction paper and have participants cut leaves. Lots of leaves. Make sure they have a list of the attending guests so no one is left out, and tell them to come up with several adjectives or nice things for which they’re thankful about each guest. If they prefer, they can cut small rectangles instead of leaves, roll them into small scrolls and tie them to the branches with yarn. If you go the leaf route, be sure to have a full roll of tape handy to use in attaching the leaves to the “tree”. Now you have a “thankful tree” to place on the buffet, or wherever you so desire a centerpiece. Later on, after dessert, take turns choosing a leaf from the tree and sharing its contents.

So, for the above activity, you’ll need:

Plenty of scissors
Plenty of pens
Fall colored construction paper
Yarn, string, and/or tape
A flowerpot pre-filled with dirt
A tree limb, no taller than 2 feet

An easier version of the above activity is to have the children make place cards for everyone. Each place card would have the name facing out, and on the inside all the goodies about that person could be hiding for later revelation.

Now, for the adults. Yes, playtime is just as essential in maintaining adult relationships, and getting together for the holidays is the perfect excuse for fun. Whether it’s puzzles, board games, or a rousing outdoor game of kickball, the family that plays together…stays together!

Here are a few ideas guaranteed to knock the “turkey daze” in the teeth:

My favorite new group board game: Apples to Apples. Tons of fun. Enough said.
Is there snow on the ground? Go sledding! Have a snowball fight or a snowman making contest. Warm up indoors with hot chocolate or better yet, a bonfire!
Go ice skating (again, if weather/location permits)…up in the North they flood parking lots and make their own ice rinks…here in the mid-west, we use rivers and ponds…
If ice isn’t an option, go roller skating on the sidewalks, or a large empty parking lot.
Fishing anyone?
Get the sidewalk chalk out and have an outdoor “art contest”…be sure to have an unbiased judge handy…
It’s getting dark earlier and earlier, perfect for an outdoor game of hide-and-seek. Or, as we used to call it: There’s no bears out tonight, my daddy shot them all last night…

Whatever you do, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Mid-Week Motivational Menu

2006-11-22T06:23:00.000-08:00

Starting Your Day Out Right!

Devotional Thought

A couple of weeks ago, I addressed planning out your day, recalling that God is a God of order, as revealed through his detail of creation. However, this week, I wanted to highlight another seemingly contrasting characteristic of God. What about being spontaneous? I don't know that the omniscient God of the universe can be spontaneous Himself, but He certainly urges us to listen to his promptings and follow his leadings.

Dictionary.com defines spontaneous as "coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned." It's hard to follow God's leading and ignore our own natural impulses or thoughts.

Psalm 25: 4-5

Show me your ways, O Lord,
Teach me your paths;
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
For you are God my Savior,
And my hope is in you all day long.

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage tips, etc.

Instead of doing what you think needs to be done, really pray at the beginning of this spontaneous day about that which God would have you to do. It could be a big housekeeping project, or extra time with the kids, hard work on a writing project, or time spent with a friend.

Ask Him. Listen to Him. Then act on it and trust that He will take care of all the things that you think you have to be doing.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing Inspiration

Sometimes we have that urge to write, but we don't know what to write. Or we sort of have an idea what we want to write, but we lack the inspiration to give the idea the oopmh that it needs to be fleshed out on paper.

This is when a good book comes in handy--one that is full of writing prompts and ideas for when the ideas aren't coming, and/or one that inspires us to wear that Writer namebadge proudly, and do it justice.

Page after Page is both. I recommend it highly.

What's For Dinner?
Quick Dinners

Being responsive to what God is impressing upon me to do right then that day is a good thing, but then it leaves me in a frantic rush by the end of the day. That's when pantry dinners come in handy. I like to have at least one or two standbys that I can prepare without having thought ahead, and with no thawing required. I keep these ingredients on hand at all times. I recently posted my two favorite recipes here.

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a good night

Wouldn't our lives be so much easier and more fulfilling if we just drifted around from one patch of grass to the next, following our Good Shepherd? Free from worrying about our next meal, our next novel, or our next activity?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love with follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jennifer Donovan, who blogs at Snapshot, lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children. She has gotten her feet wet with concentrated blogging over these last six months and now has her sights set on publication.

Brainstorming

2006-11-21T06:49:00.000-08:00

So you’ve got that idea that sparks your interest and you need to take that seed and make it into a story that will hold a reader’s interest for hundreds of pages. EEK! That is plain scary. You might think: What if I get halfway through and I find out I don’t have a story? I’ve wasted my time. I will say here that isn’t true even if that happens to you because every book we write (or even part of one) we learn from it. I have several books that I wrote when I began over twenty-six years ago that will never come out from under my bed (okay, the floor of my closet). But I learned a lot while writing them.

What we want to try to prevent, however, is that happening with the idea you are starting next. That’s where planning and brainstorming comes in. We will first start with brainstorming. I love to brainstorm. It’s fun and it gives you a chance to think outside the box. I’m fortunate to have two critique groups who are a wonderful bunch of writers whom I’ve known for a long time. When I start a book, I sometimes run what I have by them to get their input. We start throwing out ideas that come from my original one. Some of them are farfetched and wouldn’t work. Others plant a seed in my mind that I take and begin to develop into a plot.

Brainstorming can be done at any time in your story--not just at the beginning. Say you have run into a problem with a scene or a part of your plot. If you have someone to bounce ideas around with, that is great. What brainstorming gets me to do is to think about my story in different ways. I love the what if part of brainstorming. What if your hero does this instead of that? What if you turn your scene around and show it from the heroine’s point of view?

There are some ground rules you should establish when brainstorming with others. No idea thrown out isn’t worth considering. People who are brainstorming shouldn’t be made to feel what they say won’t be taken seriously. You should never laugh at what someone has genuinely offered as an idea. For this to really work you need to trust each other.

Some of you might say I don’t know a writer to brainstorm with. Brainstorming doesn’t have to be with another writer. I’ve gotten some suggestions from my husband and friends before. I even interviewed a captain of homicide for one of my books, and she began throwing out ideas of how I could work a certain scene. Talk about exciting! I was thrilled to get her input.

I brainstorm face to face most of the time, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you are a member of a writer’s group, you might find someone in that group who will be willing to brainstorm with you. It is a two way street and you can end up helping her, too. You can brainstorm with someone you’ve gotten to know online. It’s not as easy as face to face but it still can be effective. I’ve known writers to create a chat room to do some brainstorming or to have a yahoo group and decide a certain time to be online. If there’s a will, there’s a way.

One last comment about brainstorming, you can always brainstorm with yourself. I often do that. I like playing the what if game with myself, changing things around in my mind and seeing where they lead me. To me brainstorming is vital to my story. It is my thinking stage, and I often do it for weeks before I start writing. Does anyone have comments on brainstorming? Have you done it? Any problems?

Music To A Writer's Soul

2006-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

Like all you other writers out there, I get antsy when I can't work on my novel. But lately, I've had to be creative to find ways to sneak in writing here and there during my day. Many afternoons I purposely leave the house a half hour before school's out. Then I sit in the car with my notebook while I wait in line to pick my son up. I get peace and quiet by getting away from the telephone and T.V., and I get the added benefit of being the first in line. Sometimes I take the laptop out to the patio when the weather's nice and brainstorm while watching the squirrels play. Even if it's 20 to 30 minutes, it's a great break, and the change of scenery is refreshing. And I've been known to drive down to the lake 10 miles away and park in the marina to watch the barges and write. This is perhaps my favorite setting. Something about the soothing small waves rippling by just lends itself to deep thought.

Still, there are times when I work 12 and 14 hours a day and just barely have the energy to change into my jammies and pass out. Even then, my work in progress is bugging me to get back to it. Many nights I will flip on the television for something funny or mind numbing to relieve the tension of the day, and I end up finding just the information I needed for a certain setting or scene.

The other night it was a program on Viet Nam. When I was working on From Pharaoh's Hand, it was a documentary on anthropology and the excavation of the ancient tombs of Egypt. Sometimes I take notes. Most often I just drink in the information and make a mental note to research the most needed facts in the morning. It works for me. And I think it's amazing and a wonderful confirmation that God lines up research opportunities for a working mom. And before you make fun of chat rooms, I have found infinite material for dialogue and characters there. It's a wealth of diversity. You get a different perspective than the one from your own narrow existence.

In short, almost any circumstance, no matter how mundane it may seem at the time, can produce fodder for the writer's soul. The key is to keep your writing radio on and that work in progress playing softly in the background night and day. That way, when that great source or great burst of inspiration begins, you can turn up the volume and rock on!

Cynthia Green is working on her second novel, From the Dust of Rose Hill. She does legal transcription from home by day and writes from the heart at night after her family is in bed. You can read about her novel journey and everyday joys and trials at her inspirational blog, Beneath the Ivy Wreath. Cynthia lives in beautiful Paris, Tennessee with her husband Charles and 7-year-old son, Chase.

Both

2006-11-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

(c) Staci Stallings, 2005

Blessings. We talk about them, pray about them, give thanks for them, and sometimes we even feel very guilty about getting them. Although the Bible says God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us," we worry and doubt about how serious He really was when He made that promise.

The cycle goes something like this. We hit rock bottom and remember God might be able to help, so we start praying. We ask, and as He promised, things start looking up. We keep praying because by now it has become a habit. Slowly then more quickly more blessings show up-some that we prayed for, some we never saw coming. Then the guilt slides through us. "Look at all He's given me. How could I even think of asking for more? I mean, isn't that greedy?" So we quit asking until we're in trouble again.

In truth, the paradox is we can never ask God for too much. Why? Because God is limitless, boundless, infinite. There is literally no limit to God's love or to His desire to pour that love into and through our lives onto others. Satan knows this, so he uses our best instincts against us. "Don't be greedy. You have enough. Don't ask for more." "Think about those who don't have as much as you have. Take your fair share, and be satisfied with that." "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for even asking God about something like that? He doesn't have time to listen to such petty concerns." And on and on.

Unfortunately, he's good at it. He has us convinced that there are things too small for God to worry about in our lives. He has us convinced that if things are good, asking for more is asking too much of God. Worst of all, he has us convinced that God has set some sort of invisible limit on what He will give us, and if we cross that line, God will be so angry He will take all the blessings we now have away.

Lies. It's all lies, and yet we buy into it, and we live our lives afraid to ask for the blessings God wants to give us.

Take my friend for example. She was recently lamenting because God in His goodness had provided the perfect apartment for her (after she specifically asked for it). Then He provided the perfect car for her (after she asked for it). Then she stumbled into asking for the thing she most wants-a God-centered man who would come into her life and love her the way she is now loving everyone else. That seemed just too much to ask for, especially after she'd already gotten the other blessings.

She said, "I just feel so greedy wanting it all." As if the Holy Spirit opened a lesson book, she went on, "It's like the other day. I was at the store, and there was this little girl in front of me in line. She walked up with two pieces of candy. The cashier rang it up and said, 'That'll be $1.93.' Unfortunately all this little girl had was $1.

"The cashier said, 'Look. You've got two pieces of candy, but you don't have enough money to buy both, so you're going to have to put one of them back. Which one do you want, and which one will you put back?'"

My friend said, "She was a little girl, and it was candy. Of course she wanted both of them!" The situation became more tense as the cashier began demanding that the little girl make a choice. Then my friend reached into her own purse, pulled out a dollar, slid it to the cashier, and said, "Let her have both of them." She said, "I was just so grateful for all the blessings He's given me, I wanted to share those blessings with someone else."

At the end of her story, I said, "You know what He's trying to tell you through that, right?" She just looked at me as if she hadn't realized there was a message. So, I continued.

Look at it this way: You were the little girl. You wanted both things. Satan was the cashier, looking at you with a sneer saying, "No. You don't have enough to pay for both. You can only have one, so which one will it be? Make a choice already. I've got other people waiting."

And then God who was standing at your side the whole time, without being asked, slipped the full payment to Satan and said, "Let her have both of them. It's on Me."

The truth is, He wants to do that for you. The only stipulation is you must be open to receiving His blessings in your life. By now, He and I have a standing agreement. I'm open. Whatever He wants to send my way is fine by me. In fact, I often simply pray, "All Your best in my life today, God."

Over and over, He has sent blessings I never even saw coming. Friends to support me in times of need, others who He could love through me, moments of such awe-inspiring closeness with Him I have either laughed out loud or cried. I call that exceedingly abundant beyond all that we could ask or think. Wouldn't you?

*~*~*
Visit Staci's blog "Homeward Bound" at http://stacistallings.blogspot.com You'll feel better for the experience!

Review of Scoop by Michelle Sutton edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

2006-11-18T15:59:00.000-08:00

Scoop was written by Rene Gutteridge

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Occupational Hazards Books are a series of books about seven homeschooled siblings whose last name is Hazard. The parents died in a freak accident leaving the kids ages 16-26 with a lucrative clown business but the kids realize that God has other plans which doesn't include being a family of clowns for the rest of their lives.

My review:

Scoop is a creative novel with a well-done plot, fantastic dialogue, and great characterization. The setting is superb and I truly felt like I worked in a television news station throughout the story. Scoop is highly entertaining with a strong theme tucked within it's pages regarding the power of a true Christian witness to nonbelievers we work with.

Scoop also contained several points of view. On the one hand, I enjoyed getting to know the cast, but as a result, I didn't feel like I had much time to get to know Hayden Hazard--the main character. I think that was the downside to this otherwise riveting novel. I suppose seeing Hayden through others' eyes did work for the book, but by story's end I wished I'd had a chance to know Hayden more, to discover the way her mind worked. I really enjoyed her philosophy of life and how well the author portrayed it through her actions. Sometimes her naive perspective was downright funny. I also thought the author did an amazing job showing the various character arcs. Well done!

Overall I'd say I enjoyed Scoop enough to recommend it. Though not "hilarious", in my opinion, it did bring me indescribable satisfaction as I perused its pages. Most importantly, I didn't experience a dull moment in this novel. Not once did Scoop feel like a chore to read. I'm looking forward to reading more about the Hazard family though future books in the Occupational Hazards series.

Fiction FridayWhat’s a chapter-by-chapter synopsis?

2006-11-17T00:43:00.000-08:00

Some editors or agents ask for a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. Not all of them do, so don’t automatically assume you need one.

However, it’s the easiest type of synopsis to write, in my opinion. It’s simply a list of each chapter number, and then a couple sentences describing what happens in the chapter.

Any significant spiritual or internal conflicts should be included, as well as major plot points, red herrings, symbolism, etc. The chapter-by-chapter synopsis will take the reader on a shortened version of the same ride you’ll give your novel reader, so include the dead ends and frustrations and obstacles that beset your characters.

Each major character should be named, and minor characters can also be named if they have a significant impact on the storyline. However, peripheral characters shouldn’t be named in a chapter-by-chapter synopsis.

I usually write a chapter-by-chapter synopsis first, then cut that down to a 1-2 page synopsis which I use for my proposals. Most proposals call for a short synopsis, 1-3 pages single-spaced.

I will sometimes include the chapter-by-chapter synopsis in my proposal in addition to the 1-2 page synopsis. I’ll usually stick the chapter-by-chapter synopsis at the end of the proposal, so that the editor/agent doesn’t have to read it if they don’t care to.

At the beginning, you can also give your short 1-2 sentences blurb about the book.

Here’s an example from my suspense manuscript (unpublished):

Chapter-by-chapter synopsis BITTER DRAGON

Erika, trained in Chinese martial arts, inherits a huge sum of money that her late aunt had promised to a shady biotech company. But can she expose the illegal cloning operation before they kill her?

Chapter One

Physical Therapist Erika Fong is driven to a bruising kickboxing bout when she feels relief rather than guilt at the news her hated Aunt Alice is dead. Arriving late for the funeral, she feels uncomfortable in the gold-encrusted Buddhist sanctuary, not because she is a Christian but because of the numerous symbols of death. At the funeral reception, she spies a handsome man she’s never seen before. Then her aunt’s lawyer floors her with the news that Alice left her one hundred million dollars.

Chapter Two

Erika experiences shock-induced abdomen cramps and avoids questions from her sisters: police officer Lena with her tendency to “clean up” after everyone, and biologist Miriya, at odds with Erika over embryonic stem cell research. Erika struggles over the issue when faced with their uncle, suffering from Alzheimer’s. Erika discovers that her aunt’s business papers and an heirloom Bible are missing. Then she finds evidence in the bedroom that Alice was murdered.

Camy here: The nice thing about a chapter-by-chapter synopsis is that you can still include snippets of your writer’s voice in certain phrases or word choices or sentence rhythms.

Cutting down a chapter-by-chapter synopsis is relatively easy if you can dissociate yourself from your story enough. I’ll be going into how to cut down a synopsis in the next few weeks.

Camy Tang lives in San Jose, California. She previously worked in biology research, and she is a staff worker for her church youth group. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, and her Asian chick-lit novel will be released in September 2007.

Everyone who leaves a comment receives a 10% off coupon for Camy's Story Sensei critique service (coupons cannot be combined)! Please leave an e-mail address so she can send you your coupon (use this format: you [at] yourmail.com)

Thinking outside the BoxShort Bible studies may be your answer.

2006-11-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

As parents of small children we learn to adapt and cope with situations previously never imagined. Sleepless nights, prams you need a college
degree to put up and down and daily routines around nap times become a way
of life. Over time as our children grow up, different milestones are
achieved and new challenges present themselves.

One new challenge faced by myself and others in my church mothers group
was how to run a Bible study and look after our children at the same time.
No volunteers came forward to run a crèche so we prayed for a solution.

We had a two hour window of opportunity and a group large enough to split
in half. We decided to break up into two groups; one group did a Bible
study whilst the other group looked after the children and then we
swapped. After allowing time for prayer we found ourselves with thirty
minutes per group at the most for Bible study.

After a fruitless search for short studies that would be suitable for our
group made up of both seekers and mature Christians, we started writing
our own studies based on the Gospel of Mark. The 30minutebiblestudies.com
website contains these studies and others that we have written for our
group. They are available at no cost in pdf format.

The circumstances of our lives can make it difficult to become involved in
a Bible study group. Pray for a solution, think outside the square and
like us God may surprise you with the creativity of His answers to prayer.

Narelle Atkins is a Christian fiction writer and is working towards her goal of publication. She lives in Canberra, Australia and is a co-founder of www.30minutebiblestudies.com

Mid-Week Motivation

2006-11-15T09:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the mid-week motivational menu. Are you feeling a little sluggish, unmotivated and down right lazy? Well, what you need is a good does of nutrition for your heart, soul and mind. Hope you're hungry because there's plenty for all. . .

Starting Your Day Out Right!

Devotional Thought

Matthew 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Not being a morning person, I still struggle with getting up early to pray or have a quiet time before the chaos of the day begins. Now that I'm homeschooling my kids, I see the need for this more in my life.

It never fails! When I wake up late and start the day already behind schedule, I always feel like I'm playing catch up. But when I wake up just a little bit early to have a real quiet time before the kids get up, my day just goes smoother. I have more patience with my kids and things seem to fall in place. Then why don't I get up earlier more?

Here's some quick tips to help you rise and shine before the rest of the world wakes. Schedule several days this week when you will wake up early and when you will sleep in. I usually sleep in on Mondays and Wednesdays. Then set your alarm clock for 30 to 60 minutes early and hit that snooze or do whatever it takes to get you up on time.

I'll give it a try if you will and let me know how it works for you!

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage tips, etc.

My laundry always seems to pile up and when I do manage to get it washed, it stays too long in the dryer. Today's tip is to throw a load in the washer BEFORE breakfast! Then set the timer and make sure you take the clothes out when they're warm. Have the kids help with the folding and play the matching game with those pesky socks. We keep all the matchless socks in a basket for weeks (or until they run out of socks to wear) then we play match-etball. When you get a match then throw it in the basket and score!

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing Inspiration

Nothing distracts me more than email, and with DSL it's on ALL THE TIME! So why don't I just unplug it? Good question! I think because I crave "outside" feedback and approval. I desire communication and comments. To help combat this plan on checking your email twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night and set a timer. (I really need to follow my own advice!)

This week in the afternoon hours, after kids' homework and before the rush of dinner begins, I'm going to unplug the DSL. Turn off the email and communicate first with God, and then with my characters.

First with God, for guidance on what he wants me to say through my characters and then with my character to hear how they want to say it.

Email and friends are wonderful things, but they can distract what little precious time we have to create. So I challenge you to unplug the email and get quiet before the Lord.

What's For Dinner?
Quick Dinners

Pasta Fajioli Soup

First of all if my mom knew I was using canned goods in this quick and easy recipe, she'd have a fit. But it tastes too good and so easy to make, I'll take the risk.

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 cup chopped Onion
* 2 cloves of garlic (minced is fine also)

Cook these first and add them to a crockpot

* 1 can of beef broth
* 1 jar of Chunky Garden Tomato Sauce (I know it's best to make your own sauce, ma. But this is supposed to be a quick and easy recipe!)
* 2 cups of water
* 1 cup sliced celery (I usually leave this out)
* 1 tsp sugar (optional as well )
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp pepper (to spice it up use Italian hot pepper)
* 1 can rotel or diced tomatoes

Simmer in crockpot or on stove for 20 minutes

Add last:

* 2 cups of elbow macaroni ( or add it dried earlier if you're using a crockpot, but then you'll have to watch it to make sure it doesn't get mushy!)
* 1 can White Northern beans
* 1 shredded carrot (I leave out, too much work)

Simmer ten minutes more on stove or in crockpot. Serve, eat and enjoy.

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a good night

Luke 19:17 "'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'

At the end of the day, look back on all you've done! Did you become distracted by things like the computer or email? If so, confess and determine to do better tomorrow!

Did you stay ahead of your day? Wonderful... Before you turn out the lights, set your clock to rise early and make a "to do list" before you go to bed. Plan out what you will wear in the morning so you can start your day off right!

Gina, at Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted, is founder of Writer...Interrupted and homeschooling mom to four high-spirited children. She writes about her experiences trying to balance it all. Her co-authored book , Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms was just leased and is available now for Christmas!

It's Real Life

2006-11-14T05:21:00.000-08:00

When you think of “the life of a writer,” what do you think of? I imagine an older lady who lives near the ocean, alone with her cat. She walks the beach and collects shells, then later she works with words the same way: Searching for them, studying them, gathering them, and displaying them.

My writing life couldn’t be more different. I’ve written since my children were babies, so they’ve always known mom’s face in the computer.

Seven years ago, I was writing notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. I wrote the notes for 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Mark, James, and all books of the minor prophets such as Malachi and Habakkuk. (The ones everyone knows are there, but no one actually reads.)

One day, I was working in an intense passage in Micah when suddenly I stopped and looked around. In the same room, Barney blared from the television, a bucket of toys was being dumped on the floor. My two-year-old tugged on my arm. “I hung-gee, Mama. I hung-gee.”

"Just a minute, I have to finish this study note on the decay of the nation of Israel and God’s promised punishment for those who refuse to repent and submit and turn back to him.”

“Okay, Mama,” my son respond, racing back to the video on TV.

If they only knew, I thought, hearing another bucket of toys being dumped out. If they only knew.

Jesus shared the parable of the talents. All the servants were given talents. All the servants knew how demanding the master was. The Master didn’t ask about their circumstances, he asked about their success. The same is true with us.

Faithfulness, in order to multiply talents, means working in the midst of life. Whether it’s Barney blaring happy tunes, a neighbor needing advice, or a dog that needs to go to the vet, my writing somehow fits into the day's schedule. Life doesn't stop in order for me to write. (Oh, sometimes how I wish it did!)

C.S. Lewis sums it up better than I ever could:

The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s “own,” or “real” life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life--the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls one’s “real life” is a phantom of one’s own imagination. This at least is what I see at moments of insight: but it’s hard to remember it all the time.
--C. S. Lewis, The Letters of C. S. Lewis to Arthur Greeves

This, of course, is where I got the title for my blog, It's Real Life.

Because, friends, it all is.