Meet Author Robin Bayne!

Robin is here to chat with us today! First, here’s a bit about Robin!

Robin Bayne is the award-winning author of six novels and five novellas, along with a variety of short stories. She has contributed to collections including God’s Way for Teens, God’s Way for Fathers and Cup of Comfort Devotionals; and published articles in Writer’s Journal and Christian Communicator. She has given workshops at regional and online romance writing conferences and the Writer’s Digest World’s Largest Writing Workshop. She lives in Maryland with her husband of twenty one years. Robin recently compiled a book of devotionals for writers titled “Words to Write By.”

1. What inspires you mentally?

Describing what inspires me is as difficult as describing where I get story ideas— all different things. Anything and everything. Reading something wonderful, meeting someone new, a cool breeze or the scent of flowers. Oh, and the purchase of a new pen or pretty notebook.

2. What are a few things readers may not know about you?

I once won a trip to Hawaii and a PT Cruiser from Freddie Mac in relation to my day job. Unfortunately, this actually cost me $ 8000 in taxes!

I love to visit Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I love that time period in history, but can’t imagine living then without running water or air conditioning!

3. What inspires you physically?

I love to burn scented candles and sip a blend of green tea and lemon ginger. If I have the energy, a walk outdoors or on the treadmill is helpful.

4. What do you read for fun?

I read romance of all types (except vampire) and devotionals, Christian non-fiction.

5. What is your greatest asset in regards to your writing?

My greatest asset would have to be my faith– it’s the only thing that will always hold its value.

6. What are you working on now?

I just started a new story, a reunion story. I love the boy-meets-girl-again type of romance, I think because there is so much emotion already between them.

7. What advice would you give new writers?

I would advise them to read all they can in their genre, and once they start writing, find a good critique partner or group before ever submitting anything.

Robin’s Book – Samaritan

Tim Gardner has worked hard to rebuild the family business after his older brother nearly destroyed it. He’s restored the clientele base and the restaurant’s reputation. But if Rachel Martin can’t get her act together, she won’t fulfill his orders for the Gardner’s Gazebo signature dessert, a gold-leaf cheese cake, which also happens to be Rachel’s secret recipe. When Rachel Martin’s partner abandons their bakery and catering business to study with the master chefs in Paris, she’s left with nothing but bills and obligations-and no one in Portlandville seems able or willing to help her. No one except for Timothy Gardner, and she knows the handsome young man is only after one thing—her cheese cake. But as she gets to know him, during her time of need, she wonders if maybe there’s a little bit more in the mix. And as Tim gets to know Rachel, he finds himself wanting to be her Good Samaritan–permanently.

Order link:  http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/samaritan

Connect with Robin! 

www.robinbayne.com

http://wwwwritingbetweensundays.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/rlbayneauthor

And Just For Fun! 

Recipe for “All That Glitters” Cheesecake  (from “Samaritan”

Purchase:

– edible gold leaf, edible glitter or “Luster Dust” (from cake store or online)

– pre-made graham cracker crust (freeze while mixing other ingredients)

You will also need:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/8 cups granulated sugar or Splenda
Dash salt
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla and beat just until mixed. Pour into crust and bake at 350º 20-25 minutes, until filling is set.

Cool, apply gold leaf (easiest to tear or cut into flakes as garnish) gold dust or glitter, then chill well before serving.

Makes 8-12 servings
Do not freeze.

 

 

Robin

 

Where Are You Going?

And how are you going to get there?

It’s so easy to get frustrated with the writing life. Some days it feels like this picture. A long, dusty road, no end in sight. You get thirsty. Lonely. And oh, so tired. The great misconception among unpublished authors is that publication is The Promised Land. You live for that day. All the waiting is over. You’ve finally made it. You’ve achieved your dream…cue sappy music and children dancing through corn fields…oh, wait. Yeah. Never mind.

Cue sappy music and Julie Andrews running up a mountain wearing an apron. There. Much better.

The truth is, as sad as it may be, publication is NOT the end. As wonderful as it is, my experience has been that it’s just the beginning. And being a published author is far more stressful than not being published.

What’s that?  Nope, that wasn’t a typo. But that’s another post. Today I want to talk about The Road. (And not the awful movie).

If you’re reading this blog, I’m assuming you have some interest in writing. You’re a published author, a soon to be published author or a reader who loves connecting with authors. Because I want this to be an interactive blog and not just me blathering nonsense at you, I’m going to ask some questions so we can get to know each other. If you’d be so kind as to answer them for me, I’ll know where you are on your journey and create future posts that you’ll find helpful.

1. Who Are You? (Yes, if you read my Friday Featured Author posts, these questions will be familiar. ).

2. Where Are You Now?

3. Where Are You Going?

It’s only fair that I go first, right?

Well, you know the answer to #1. If you don’t, check out the About Cathy section at the top of the page.

#2. This one cracks me up. I love the answers that go something like this: I’m sitting at my kitchen table, enjoying my second cup of Emiril’s Big Bold, staring out at the choppy ocean, coming up with a blog post that will blow your socks off…

Yeah. That may be exactly where I am at this minute, but who cares? I love it when authors think outside the box on this one. Where are you now? Are you in a good place with your writing? A hard place? Are you in the prime of your life or facing some dark days? We can go anywhere with this question. Hint: It’s also a great one to ask your characters.

#3. I think the third question is the toughest for any author or hopeful author to answer. We don’t know where we’re going because we’re really not sure where the publishing business is going. Editors come and go. Agents switch agencies or stop taking new clients. Publishing houses are being bought and sold like Whitney albums. Everything seems to be in a constant state of change. And it is. For me, it’s pretty stupid to dig my heels in and refuse to change along with the business. I may as well pack it in right now. I think we’ll all have a different answer to this question, but mine is this:

“I don’t know. And I’m okay with that.”

So what about you? Will you play my game? And here’s a final question for you:

What writing related topics would you like to chat about on Wednesdays? 

 

Meet Dianne Christner!

Today’s featured author is Dianne Christner!

Dianne is going to answer my very inquisitive questions, so let’s get started!

Who Are You?

Thanks for asking, Cathy. I’m a vain-plain gal who colors her gray hair brown and usually dresses in jeans. I might add that I earned my not-so-gray hair from forty years of marriage and thirty plus years of motherhood. I love my family, which is why my smile wrinkles are deeply entrenched. And I’m blessed with five fabulous grandchildren.

I’m also an introvert, which means I thrive and recharge (get my energy) from the solitude that goes along with writing. However, I love people and in the past month have joined a church neighborhood group and also organized a couples’ Bunco group.

I start out each day sipping two cups of coffee with some heavenly version of creamer, sitting in my favorite chair to read scripture and pray. I’m using a Chronological Bible and after 14 months am nearing the New Testament. Whew! But who says you have to make it through in a year? Why not a year and a half? I’d rather go at my own pace so I can savor the scripture along with the coffee.

The adjective vain-plain stems from my Mennonite background and my spiritual journey away from the plain. In Something New, Lil Landis also struggles with this issue.

Where Are You Now?

I just arrived upstairs in my office, with my old dog gimping behind me. I was going to take a photo of the desert mountainous view for you, but the window was too dirty. I’m still coughing from the dust that got stirred up raising the blinds. Sorry about that, Fritz . . . to my dog who just left the room.

My desk is a custom, room-wrapping feature, designed by my woodworking husband (we share an office). It holds my laptop, my portable keyboard, a mishmash of working files, and . . . am counting . . . twenty reference books. My grandchildren’s photos are mixed in with those of movie stars (who represent my book characters). I have various charts with blogging, marketing, and writing deadlines.

Where Are You Going?

This month and next, I’ll be writing and blogging. I just received the galleys for Something Blue. In April, I’m traveling to Plain City, Ohio, for a book tour where I anticipate meeting readers from the area. After that I’m going to Sweet Home, Oregon, to do research for a new novel.

Cathy here again – it’s been great to meet you, Dianne, (and Fritz!) and your books sound wonderful! Here’s the scoop on Dianne’s book, guys. I’m going to go check it out right now!

About Something New:

Something New, book two of the Plain City Bridesmaids series

Reluctant to give up her hard-won independence, Lil Landis must leave her friends at the doddy house and return to the family farm to care for her depressed mother. Lil is ashamed of her humble farm roots and plain clothes. She wishes her family attended a more progressive Mennonite church. But one thing that is not plain is Lil’s flair for cooking. She dreams of becoming head chef and hopes this talent will get her far away from the farm that is sinking into debt and keeping her from following her lifelong goals. When her dad’s livestock gets sick, the new veterinary student catches her eye. Fletch Stauffer attends a liberal Mennonite church. He has dreams of his own, which take him undercover at the Landis farm. As Fletch is drawn deeper into deceptive ambitions, he finds himself falling for spunky Lil and at odds with his dream. Will determination and mistrust keep them apart?

About Dianne

Dianne Christner is an author of several novellas, anthologies and four Christian fiction novels. Currently, she’s bringing the romantic comedy genre to the plain people. Raised Mennonite, she does this with warmth and sensitivity. She resides with her husband in Phoenix, Arizona, where they enjoy the desert sunshine and attend a mega community church. Christner writes full time and keeps a blog on writing and the Mennonite lifestyle.

Member RWA, ACFW, CWOW (Christian Writers of the West), NAPW (National Association of Professional Women)

Places to Connect with Dianne:

Author Website

Blog – plain girl romanticizing

Facebook

Just A Note: I’m presently traveling, so I won’t be blogging Monday. Hope to catch up with you all next week! 

I Love You

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, (cough), I thought we could talk about love.

Confession: I write romance, but I am probably the least romantic person in real-life.

I have no idea why that is. Perhaps it’s because in my family growing up, we never said it. I mean, we knew we loved each other, me, my mom and my dad. But we didn’t toss around those words lightly. We didn’t toss them around hardly at all. Yet I never doubted for a moment that my parents loved me.

Having spent a few of my formative teen years at an all-girls boarding school in England, I certainly wasn’t exposed to declarations of undying affection from anyone. That was the time in my life when I began to read romance, however, starting with Gone With The Wind. I suppose that explains it. While Scarlett throws those three little words around with fervor, Rhett plays his cards close to his chest. When he finally tells Scarlett he loves her, he means it. And it’s forever. At least until he chucks her down the stairs.

But you know what I mean, right? Most of you reading this are probably American. Incase you’re not aware, the British are very different when it comes to declarations of love. They are quite reserved for the most part, and just don’t talk about such things. As you may know, I’m a huge Downton Abbey fan, and I think the Dowager Countess is simply wonderful. And while I can’t find the exact quote, in one episode she says something like, “I suppose you’ll want us to talk about our feelings, like the Americans.” (paraphrasing).

I always thought it was rather strange, hearing my American friends tell each other, “I love you.”  I once had a best friend who left Bermuda to go and live in America. When she came back for a visit the following year, we hugged goodbye when it was time for her to go (I was about 11 or 12 I suppose) and she said those horrifying words. I didn’t know what to do with that. Years later, when my then boyfriend who turned out to be my forever after Prince Charming, told me he loved me, I wanted to know why. I needed to understand the meaning behind the words. Over at his house they threw those words around like a baseball. Somebody was always telling somebody that they loved them. It was such a foreign concept to me that I almost questioned the sincerity of it all.

Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in saying I love you. I just don’t do it often. My children know I love them. My husband knows I love him. And sometimes they will force it out of me for the fun of it in the most awkward of moments.

But you know, for me, those are sacred words. Words I don’t believe should be tossed around lightly. Words that once spoken, shouldn’t be taken back. Ever. I think this comes across in my writing. When my characters finally get to the moment of truth, when they know without doubt that this is it, this is that now or never moment when you’re going to lay it all on the line or forever hold your peace, you feel it. You feel it so deeply that it makes you want to cry. And sometimes you do.

For me, it’s a balance of the right words at just the right time. If I hear I love you, too often, my eyes tend to glaze over. The magic is somehow lost on me. Some people tell everyone they know, including the postman, that they love them. That’s definitely not me. If I’m going to speak those words aloud to anyone, it’s going to be for good reason. And I’ll mean it.

The funny thing is, I’m a sucker for a great romance novel or movie. I just love that moment where the two characters you’ve been rooting for get together at long last and just go ahead and say it! And then of course there’s the wonderful moment where the guy sweeps the girl up in his arms and kisses her like they’re never going to see each other again. Ahh, that’s what I’m talking about. Add a very satisfying ending to all that, and you’ve got yourself a fan.

So you tell me – how do you feel about saying I love you? 

AND THE WINNER OF SUSAN MEISSNER’S A SOUND AMONG THE TREES IS: LINDSAY HARREL! CONGRATS LINDSAY! I’LL BE IN TOUCH.

Susan Meissner Is Here!

Okay, I’m seriously excited about today’s guest! I’ve been a big Susan Meissner fan ever since I read White Picket Fences, so I’m thrilled that she’s agreed to share some thoughts with us here on the blog! Her books are amazingly realistic and speak to the soul, with characters you feel could just step off the page, pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee with you. I loved The Shape of Mercy, and Lady in Waiting is on my TBR pile, and now I have to add A Sound Among the Trees to that as well! If you haven’t read any of Susan’s books yet, I hope this post will inspire you to do so!

Here’s Susan:

If you’ve spent any time around four-year-olds you know that they have just one thing on their minds. They want to know why. It is their favorite question to ask, and they can be relentless— sometimes embarrassingly so— about it. A four-year-old might see a young woman at the mall with an unconventional shade of hair color and the tyke will turn to his parents and ask rather loudly, “Why is her hair purple?” The child is making sense of his world. He needs to know the why of everything to do that. When you’re four, that’s all that matters – knowing why. Thanks goodness social graces usually follow and the kid will in time learn to ask why in a way that won’t embarrass mom or dad. But when you’re four, the why of things is how you grasp your universe.

So what can a writer learn from four-year-olds?

Every good novel presents the reader with a character who wants something and must overcome barriers to have it. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading Seuss or Steinbeck, the emotional glue of a story is that the reader indentifies with what the character wants and why.

The why is everything. It’s what bonds us to the main character and entices us to keep turning pages. If we don’t know why the main character wants something, then it doesn’t really matter whether or not she gets it. And if we don’t care whether or not she gets what she wants, we’re going to put the book down.

Bye-bye reader.

If you’re writing fiction, you need to know that your reader is going to be a bit of a four-year-old when it comes to your book. They probably won’t even realize it, but while they are reading your novel, in their minds they are asking “why “ all the time. Which means you have to ask why as you are writing. You need to be your own four-year-old. And you need to be relentless about it.

Why does your main character want what she wants?

Answer that question and then ask why again.

Answer that question and ask why again.

And again.

And again.

Keep asking until you’ve reduced the question to the very essence of your story.

Let’s take a look at a classic to see how this might play out.

In Gone With the Wind what did Scarlett O’Hara? Ashley Wilkes.

Why? She thought he was in love with her.

Why did she think he was in love with her? Because she thought everyone was in love with her.

Why did she think everyone in love with her? Because she was pretty and smart and always got what she wanted.

Why did she always get what she wanted? Because she lived a life of privilege.

Why did she live a life of privilege? Because her father was wealthy and she never had to want for anything. She didn’t know what it was like to suffer. She didn’t know what she was really made of.

Why didn’t she know what she was made of? Because she had never been tested.

Ask enough why questions and we find out the heart of the plot of Gone With the Wind isn’t so much that Scarlett wanted Ashley, it’s that Scarlett had no idea what she was capable of before war took her to the crucible of suffering and showed her.

Suddenly the book becomes bigger because none of us readers want Ashley Wilkes (what did she see in the guy?) but we all wonder what would we learn about ourselves in the crucible of suffering. That’s something we might want to know. And when you dovetail what your character wants with something your reader wants, you’ve bonded them to your story. And that is your number one goal.

Try it with your novel.

Be your own four-year-old.

Relentlessly ask yourself why your character wants what she wants. And keep asking until you can’t ask anymore. Do it right now.

What did you learn about your character? What did you learn about the takeaway of your novel?

And what did you learn about you?

Share away.

About Susan:

Susan Meissner is a multi-published author, speaker and writing workshop leader with a background in community journalism. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, named by Publishers Weekly as one of the 100 Best Novels of 2008. She is a pastor’s wife and a mother of four young adults. When she’s not writing, Susan directs the Small Groups and Connection Ministries program at her San Diego church.

How to reach her:

Website: http://www.susanmeissner.com

Twitter: @SusanMeissner

Susan’s latest book, A Sound Among The Trees:

For 150 years, Holly Oak has stood the test of time and wills in historic Fredericksburg with Civil War scars to prove it. Marielle Bishop marries into Holly Oak’s family, leaving behind Arizona’s deserts to become a wife and stepmother. But it isn’t long before Marielle is led to believe that the house brings misfortune to the women who live there. Local folklore has it that Susannah Page, a Yankee spy haunts Holly Oak because she’s longing for pardon. When Susannah’s great-granddaughter Adelaide McClane tells her that the house is “stuck” because of it’s tumultuous past, Marielle is determined to get past the rumors and uncover the secrets that are buried within its walls. 

Read An Excerpt

View The Trailer

Susan has graciously offered to give away a copy of A Sound Among The Trees! Leave us a comment and I’ll announce the winner on Monday – please include your email – North American residents only, please! 

Deadline!

Hey All! Well, I’m going to keep this short and sweet today as I’m making a final pass-through on my latest novel, Hidden in the Heart, before it gets sent off to my wonderful editor at OakTara. This is both exciting and terrifying. Putting a second book ‘out there’ is kind of freaking me out. I think I’m just settling into the whole being published idea, and fortunately my first book has been well-received. Part of me thinks, why don’t we just leave it at that? But of course the other more rational side of me says that this is really want I want to do with my life – be a writer. So I need to keep writing. And if publishers are gracious enough to want to publish my stories, I definitely need to go for it. Yet, it’s almost like dating all over again – putting myself out there once more and hoping that somebody thinks I’m pretty enough to ask me out. I have NO IDEA where that analogy came from, that was way weird.

But anyway, do you know what I mean? If you’re not published yet, maybe you’re still caught up in the excitement of wanting it so badly that you just can’t wait until somebody says YES! It’s a thrill for sure, but there’s a lot of excess baggage that comes along with that brand new Louis Vuitton suitcase. You can stuff all the old ratty t-shirts and ripped jeans in there, zip it up and hope they stay buried way down deep underneath all the new designer label clothes you’re now able to buy, but you know they’re in there. Those insecurities. Fear of failure and a million other things that you try to talk yourself out of on a daily basis. For me, they’re still there. Once in a while they make their way to the top of the case and stare at me, accusing, daring me to put them on again. And some days I do. But they don’t fit quite as well as they used to and I don’t like the way I look in them.

I am changing. Praying daily for more confidence. More conviction that I really am meant to do this, that I really am good at this. It’s hard not to give in to fear, isn’t it? But I’m trying. I’m going to get to work now, do a final spell check and then hit send. Pray for me if you think of it.

Published or not, what’s the most terrifying aspect of the writing journey for you? How do you cope with it? 

Winging It

I’ve never been great at blogging, even though I’ve been doing it for years. Even before I was published or knew I was going to be or that I even wanted to be. I just love to write. These days, it’s all about platform, tribes, Twitter… The ways we can connect with one another are staggering. But I think the Blog is perhaps one of the best. It allows for a bit of transparency you might not get over Twitter or Facebook. Reading blogs is often like stopping by for a cup of coffee. Those are the kinds of blogs I enjoy. That’s the kind of blog I’d like to have.

So, in the spirit of adventure, I’m going for it.

I’ve decided to quit worrying about how many ‘followers’ I have. Who’s reading, who’s not. I don’t want to lay awake thinking about how I can attract more people to my blog because the more people that read my blog, the more people that might be interested in my book, and the more people that buy it….you get the idea. It’s exhausting.

Not having a thousand followers on my blog or twitter feed does not make me any less of a writer.

It doesn’t mean I’m not likeable.

It doesn’t mean anything. 

Not really. Not in a big picture world.

Would I like to be a best-selling author and see my book on some list someplace and have people clamoring to get to the front of the line at a book signing? I don’t know. That’s my honest answer. Maybe. Maybe not. I’m such an introvert that part of me wants to hide under the table at the very idea. But the truth is, I do have a book out there. Another on the way. I have achieved my dream of becoming a published author, but now I have to adjust that dream, that reality, take it in at the seams a bit and make sure it’s a good fit. For me. I want to be good at what I do. I want to create meaningful stories that touch readers and leave them wanting more. But I don’t need to kill myself trying to get on the ‘A’ list. Although the world tells me otherwise, it’s not all about the numbers.

It’s about being me. About being transparent. About reaching out when everyone around me is reaching for – trying to lay their hands on some prize they think might make all the difference in the world.

I left my old blog and started this ‘new’ blog – about books – because I thought something different might be nice. Truthfully, it’s fun. I love books. I love writing them. I love reading them. And I love the people that write them too – having all these cool authors stop by on Fridays is super amazing! But if it’s just all about books, you won’t really get to know me.

So here’s what I’m going to do. On Mondays, I’ll get a little personal. Maybe not each week.  You’ll never know until you check. It’ll be like that prize in the cereal box. I may blather on about things that bore you to death, I might annoy you, I might even scare you off from coming back to this blog ever again. On the other hand, you might find out I’m a little more like you than you thought. You might make I friend. I might make one too.

I hope so.

So here’s the skinny on me:

I call myself a Christian but I don’t always act like one. Or like I think a Christian is supposed to act. I’m still trying to figure out what that’s supposed to look like. This art of loving God, loving Jesus. Being Jesus with skin on. It’s sometimes too wonderful and terrible and confusing and awesome to wrap my brain around. So I guess you could say I’m on a faith journey. I know where I’m going, I’m just not familiar with the road map and sometimes my GPS goes on the fritz.

I am a wife and a mother, but not a terribly good one. I mess up a lot. Say stupid things and I can be incredibly selfish. I have an amazing husband who puts up with all my crap and I put up with his, and we’re good like that. I love hanging out with him. After twenty-five years, I find this fact amazing. I am Mom to a photographer daughter and a guitar playing, soul-singing son, and they are walking testimonies to the fact that God is in control of all things. I raised them, and they’re not mentally insane, in jail or heading toward a career in politics. They’re actually productive members of society, love Jesus, and both of them have a butt load of talent that just blows me away. I am also a doggie mom to Noah, my three year-old border collie – my third child.

I am a published author. This kind of freaks me out. Sometimes I’ll pick up my book and just stare at it. Sometimes I wonder if I’m going to wake up one day and find out I dreamed it all. I’m scared that I’ll never have another one published or if I do, it’ll bomb and everyone will laugh at me. I get freaked out when I don’t hear from my agent or editor and I’m pretty OCD about checking email every five seconds. And I hate that I have to live with myself. I’m a little kooky sometimes.

I’m insecure. I can be shy and at times you might think I’m rude, but I’m really not trying to be. If I was trying to be, you’d know it. I have quite a sarcastic sense of humor and some people just don’t ‘get me’. (I actually DO have friends, I promise). So you know, if you’re reading this and thinking I’m just really weird, well, yeah. I was adopted at birth and searched for my birth mother and found out she was Maxine. Okay, kidding. But I really was adopted and I really did find my birth mother. She wasn’t Maxine. Maybe we’ll talk about that someday.

I live on a tiny island called Bermuda. It’s beautiful. It’s a little whacked. I’m not sure I want to live anywhere else, but some days I do.

I love the life I have and I’m trying to do good things with it, love God, love people and have a whole lot of fun along the way.

What do you think? Do you like impersonal, informative blogs or do you prefer getting to know a person?

Speak if you’ve got something to say, I’m listening.

Meet Julie Cantrell – Author of Into The Free!

It’s a pleasure to have Julie here today! Her debut novel, Into The Free, has just released, and it is already a smashing success! I haven’t read it yet, but I can’t wait! Here’s what you have to look forward to:

Into the Free     

Debut Novel of Love and Forgiveness from Southern Author Julie Cantrell

“Gritty, compelling, and beautifully told, Into the Free will take you into a coming-of-age story filled with heartrending hardship and luminous hope. Julie Cantrell is a writer to watch!”

—Lisa Wingate, bestselling, award-winning author of Dandelion Summer

 COLORADO SPRINGS—Debut author and editor of Southern Literary Review, Julie Cantrell, writes an extraordinary story of love, survival, and forgiveness in the new David C Cook release, Into the Free. Readers will be awed by Millie Reynolds, a young girl from Mississippi who has packed a lot of life into her seventeen years.

With an abusive father and a “nothing mama,” it seems that young Millie has no hope. She longs to flee Depression-era Mississippi and the madness that marks her world. Then a sweet gum tree she calls Sweetie, her beloved neighbor Sloth, and a band of gypsies that caravans through town all combine in a life-changing way. Her traveling friends lead Millie to a box filled with family secrets, and Millie wonders what its contents mean for her future. Will it give her the means to break her family’s cycle of abuse? Will she find a way to be safe and loved?

In Into the Free, Cantrell tells a story so compelling that people will scarcely believe it is a debut novel. Set in Cantrell’s home state of Mississippi, Into the Free has a full cast of genuine characters and a heart-touching story that readers will never forget. The book also includes an AfterWord section with book club-style discussion questions and other behind-the-scenes information. Readers will long remember Into the Free, finding the ordinary yet remarkable Millie to be one of their most beloved characters.

 About Julie:

A speech language pathologist and literacy advocate, Julie Cantrell is the editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review. She has served as a freelance writer for ten years and published two children’s books. Julie and her family live in Mississippi, where they operate Valley House Farm. Visit her online at www.juliecantrell.com

Let’s find out a bit more:

Who Are You?

I’m a sleep-deprived, sugar-addicted mom of two spunky, strong-willed souls; a worn-out worrier of a wife with way too much guilt; a frazzled friend who wishes I had more time to meet for coffee and walks; a first-generation organic farmer with dirt on my jeans and hay in my hair; a pal to all things furry, feathery, and fun;  a teacher of students learning English as their second language, a certified speech-language pathologist who contracts to conduct school evaluations, a frenzied freelance writer who loves the challenge of a crazy deadline; a voracious volunteer who is finally learning how to say “no thanks,” and – as of February 1 – a newbie novelist. Whew. I’m tired.

Where Are You Now?

Physically: Exhausted

Spiritually: Sound

Emotionally: Stable. No. Unstable. Wait. Stable. Yep. Let’s go with stable.

Mentally: Debatable

Where Are You Going?

Crazy. Any day now. Watch me.

 Well, don’t go too crazy, Julie, I think you have great things ahead of you!

Readers, do you have any questions for Julie?

When Your Agent/Editor Says The “R” Word, (And They Don’t Mean “Ready!”)

Before I was published, before I had an agent, I really didn’t know what to expect once I passed the first level of ‘wannabe writer’, and actually had someone far more knowledgeable than I was about all things publishing, looking at my work. I was more concerned about actually getting past that level. Didn’t much care what happened afterward! Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Having somebody who works in publishing (freelance editor, editor, agent) and knows their stuff rip your book apart go over your manuscript and kindly suggest ways to improve it, is an experience to look forward to. No. Really. Sure, I’d had numerous critique partners go over my manuscript, but only a few of them had gone on to be published and they were still getting their feet wet too. They lacked experience.

I’m very fortunate to have an agent that is more often than not, willing and able to invest a significant amount of time reading her clients manuscripts, making notes, looking for ways to improve the book in hand, and, in some cases, suggesting revisions. Before the manuscript even hits the desk of an editor.

Pretty special, I think. But okay. Let’s be honest. You’ve just spent the last ten years several long and painful months of your life writing this book. It’s pretty awesome if you do say so yourself. This is the one. You just know it.

And you never want to see it again until you’re holding it in your hands and it has a bright, shiny cover holding all those pages together.

Revisions.

Seriously? Dude.

The first time this happened to me, (yes, there have been other times. Several.), I kind of freaked out a little. Oh, fine, I freaked out a lot. I wasn’t quite sure what it meant. I knew it meant my agent didn’t hate the story or she wouldn’t bother trying to help me make it better. But what had I done wrong? I thought I was getting there, really. Thought this one was pretty good. I immediately ran to my library of all the how-to writing books in the world, read them over again, ordered more books, and a year later I was ready to tackle those revisions.

I’m kidding.

I do own how-to writing books, but honestly, I’m still trying to figure out the whole concept. No, what I really did was take my agent’s advice and breathe. I took a day or two, or however long I needed, to read her notes. Think. Ponder. Percolate. I kept telling myself that this was not, was not, was not, a rejection of the manuscript. My story was still alive, still breathing, it just needed a little CPR. In some cases we had to get out the paddles, but I digress.

Repeat after me:

Revisions are a good thing. (I have brown sandwich bags in the back if anybody needs one). And let’s face it, once your manuscript eventually catches the eye of an editor who likes it enough to take it to committee and they like it enough to take a chance on you, guess what? Yes, you’re right. They’re [more than likely] going to present you with a few pages of revision notes. Back to square one.

Remember how, when you first started out, first declared your burning passion to the world and hollered from the highest mountain top (or closest ant hill) “I am Writer, hear me roar!”, and a couple of your wiser writer friends took you aside, (after they finished laughing), patted you on the head and told you the first thing you needed to do was take one little orange pill a day and start growing that rhinoceros skin?

They weren’t joking.

As a writer, you will be faced with a myriad of disappointments. Rejections. Bad reviews. More rejections. Bankruptcy and eventual homelessness. This is not an easy road. Even though the thought of delving into your story again, looking at it with new eyes and a fresh perspective kind of makes you want to vomit, don’t. Celebrate. Go shopping. Have a glass of champagne or your beverage of choice and let yourself breathe.

Revisions are a good thing, remember? You can do this.

And so can I.

I asked several of my writer buddies at various stages in their careers to tell me how they feel when faced with  the “R” word:

“Bring it!” – Katie Ganshert - author of WIldflowers From Winter, Waterbrook Multnomah, May 2012.

“Hooray, she likes it! (I’ve had the R word – Rejection – more than the R word – Revision)” Sue Harrison – author of The Ivory Carver Trilogy and The StoryTeller Trilogy.

“I’m odd, but I tackle them right away, because I cannot bear to let them be!” Mavis Duke Hinton – author of I Am Dachshund, OakTara Publishing, June 2011.

“I always panic at the sight of them. Always. I wonder how on earth I’ll ever get them done. Usually I let them sit for a few days and then I take a breath and dive in. One change at a time…! Always, the story is better for it!” - Courtney Walsh – author of Scrapbooking Your Faith.

“Revisions are emotional. It’s not easy to take pieces of your writing apart. But once you realize you’ve pieced them back together, better than before, it’s delightful.” - Joanne Bischof – author.

“Yay! I’ve got a shot at this. Now to get busy and revise!” - Keli Gywn – author of A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, Barbour Publishing, July 2012.

“It does get easier with each book. I used to dread them, but now that I’ve just finished edits for my third book, I’ve had a change in outlook and attitude. I’m learning to embrace edits and revisions because, after all, they only make the book stronger.” – JoAnne Durgin – author of Awakening and Second Time Around.

So what about you? Wherever you are in your publishing journey, how do you feel about REVISIONS?

Buzz – Say What??

I’ve ‘labeled’ Mondays on the blog as “Book Buzz.” It’s an interesting thing, this concept of ‘buzz’. I’m not sure when the word as it is most often used today, entered our vocabularies. I certainly don’t remember using it as a child. Here’s what I found in an online dictionary:

buzz

¹    [buhz]

noun

1. a low, vibrating, humming sound, as of bees,machinery, or people talking.

2. a rumor or report.

3. Informal . a phone call: When I find out, I’ll give youa buzz.

4. Slang .

a. a feeling of intense enthusiasm, excitement,or exhilaration: I got a terrific buzz from thosePacific sunsets.

b. a feeling of slight intoxication.

Like I said, interesting. I think when we use the word buzz in the world of publishing, we mean that a lot of people are talking about a particular thing – and this is good. Would you agree? For instance, if I said my debut novel had a lot of good buzz, you’d know what I meant, right?

SO, how do we generate this ‘buzz’? Why do some books get a ton of it and some books get very little?
How long does the buzz last? How long is it supposed to last? What indeed, is the lifespan of your average buzz?

As a new author, I worried a lot about the kind of buzz my novel would get. I wanted it to be good of course, and I wanted it to continue for a long time. I think a few months is probably the average for a debut novel. In my case, I’d say the buzz surrounding Yesterday’s Tomorrow has probably waned. I’m not sure there is much I can do now, after almost a year since the book’s release, to help it reach a wider audience. (Well, a movie deal would be sweet, but I don’t see that happening).

Is buzz the result of the author or publisher’s hard work in promoting a book? Or does it just happen?

I’m asking a lot of questions this morning, aren’t I? Oh, there’s another one!

But I am truly curious about this. Tell me what you think about this concept of ‘buzz’ – have you experienced it personally either with a book you’ve written or read? Does buzz ‘go viral’ so to speak? When I say that, I think of a series like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games. All of a sudden everyone’s talking about the books, and reading them.

What do you make of the buzz concept, and what are you buzzing about today?