Author Spotlight: Jill Kemerer

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Jill Kemerer. Everyone, say hello to Jill!

 

 

Author Bio:
Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of inspirational romance novels for Harlequin Love Inspired. Her essentials include coffee, M&Ms, a stack of books, her mini-dachshund, and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children.

The Cowboy's Christmas Blessings Blurb

Will welcoming them for Christmas have him wishing for more?

Judd Wilson lives a solitary life…until he learns Nicole Taylor and her infant triplets need somewhere to stay. The cabin on his ranch is the perfect solution, but now his quiet Christmas alone feels a lot more crowded. Recently widowed, Nicole questions her swiftly developing feelings for Judd, even if the older man is wonderful with her babies. Is she ready to take that leap again?

Interesting Tidbit Blurb

The Cowboy’s Christmas Blessings features a widow, Nicole, with triplet babies. When I was coming up with the concept, I couldn’t figure out how to make it believable that a young woman could have triplet babies since multiples are usually a result of fertility treatments.

Well, my mom and sister and I were watching a Hallmark Christmas movie over Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago, and I was throwing ideas out to them. They, naturally, were horrified at every suggestion I made to get rid of her husband. It does sound bad! But they helped me settle on the fact he had a disease. It really set the framework for the entire story. How Nicole had loved him even as a child, gotten married right out of high school, and they’d gone through fertility treatments due to his disease.

But over time, they both changed, and their marriage—like anyone’s—wasn’t perfect. And it made me see how a quiet cowboy, Judd, could give her the strength she needed to be independent.

I hope you enjoy this sweet story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
 

 

 
Purchase Link:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Christmas-Blessings-Wyoming-Sweethearts/dp/133548843X/

Contact Link:
Website: https://jillkemerer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJillKemerer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillkemerer/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jill-Kemerer/e/B00OYSXSE4
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jill-kemerer
Newsletter: https://jillkemerer.com/newsletter/

Wyoming Sweethearts 3: The Cowboys Christmas Blessings https://jillkemerer.com/books/the-cowboys-christmas-blessings/ October 2020
Wyoming Sweethearts 2: The Cowboy’s Secret https://jillkemerer.com/books/the-cowboys-secret/ April 2020
Wyoming Sweethearts 1: Her Cowboy Till Christmas https://jillkemerer.com/books/her-cowboy-till-christmas/ December 2019


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Jill Kemerer and The Cowboy's Christmas Blessings.



Thank you so much for joining us, Jill!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Dawn Kinzer: How Does an Author Decide What to Write

Hi friends! Today, Dawn Kinser is our guest, talking about how an author decides what to write. Everyone, say hello to Dawn!

 

 

Author Bio:
Dawn Kinzer is a freelance editor, and her own work has been published in various devotionals and magazines. She co-hosts and writes for the Seriously Write blog. Sarah’s Smile is the first book in her historical romance series, The Daughters of Riverton. Hope’s Design is the second, and Rebecca’s Song completes the trilogy. Her first contemporary romance, By All Appearances, is set in the Seattle area. The sequel to that story, A Night Divine, will initially release in the boxed set of contemporary romances, Melodies of Christmas Love, in October 2020.

A mother and grandmother, Dawn lives with her husband in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Favorite things include dark chocolate, good wine, strong coffee, the mountains, family time, and Masterpiece Theatre.

Here's Dawn!

How does an author decide what to write?

I never set out to pen romances. I believed my path was leading me to women’s fiction—stories that focused on friendships and various issues that women face. But one day my critique partners told me to stop fooling myself. I was a romance writer. Once I accepted their wisdom, my stories flowed easier.

Contemporary romances came naturally, but even though I received interest from agents and publishers, none of my stories got picked up. So I set aside my most promising manuscript, Through a Mirror Dimly.

Although I loved reading historical romances, the thought of writing one felt intimidating. But when I got an idea to write a story set in my Wisconsin hometown that had experienced some glory days back in the early 1900s, I dug in. I discovered that I enjoyed immersing myself in research. Thus, The Daughters of Riverton series was developed with Riverton being a fictional place but inspired by my hometown and the people who once lived there.

The three-book series was received well, and I planned on writing a historical novella. But Through a Mirror Dimly kept coming to mind. When I mentioned that I was thinking about reviving that story, both critique partners confessed they’d been thinking about that manuscript too! Six years had passed since we’d discussed that book! It felt like God had given me a sign.

But what about switching genres? What would my readers think?

I realized that whether I write historical or contemporary novels, they all contain romance. And although told differently, each story includes the following themes: forgiveness; using our God-given gifts; finding purpose; and believing God has a plan for us, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

I reworked Through a Mirror Dimly and the title became By All Appearances.

Regardless of whether we write historicals or contemporaries, research is important.

By All Appearances is a romance set in Seattle about an attractive special events planner from a wealthy family and a disfigured musician whose lives have not gone according to plan.

Because Seattle is multi-cultural, I felt it was important to include a character with a different ethnic background from Liana, the heroine. Dalisay Ouano is Filipino, and she’s Liana’s best friend. I brought in a little bit of the Filipino culture through Dalisay’s family. To feel confident about what I portrayed, I asked a friend who is half Filipino to read specific scenes to make sure they were not offensive in any way.

Sometimes authors use fictional settings, sometimes real locations, and other times—a mix. In By All Appearances a combination of real and fictional was used. For instance, Issaquah is an existing town outside of Seattle, not far from where I live. The Filipino restaurant that Dalisay’s family owns is fictional.

Although not in the heart of Seattle, Village Theatre has been a popular venue for professional stage productions for many years. In this story, Dalisay is a set designer there with aspirations to design for the larger theaters in Seattle. Village Theatre has also been a part of my life as a mom of a performer and as a volunteer. No longer volunteering, my husband and I still enjoy attending shows there.

In By All Appearances, Bryan was scarred after being caught in a fire. Tough subject, right? Here’s how a real burn survivor helped me write this story ...

Through the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, I connected with a young Christian man. Robert was burned on 67 percent of his body—second and third degrees—and was in the hospital for ten and a half months. He and I began emailing back and forth, and his attitude was humbling as he willingly answered my questions and shared his experiences. Today, Robert is married and working in LA, helping the homeless. That’s a victory story!

When I wrote A Night Divine as a sequel, I already had the main setting and characters in place. But how could I write another story of hope and make it different from the first? Once again, I drew on my own experiences.

Seattle has a huge homeless population, and over the years, I’ve had opportunities to serve and see simple ways we can help and bless these people who struggle every day.

For several years, my husband and I helped serve meals at a location run by the Salvation Army. Our friends are on staff at the Union Gospel Mission, and we’ve walked the streets with teams, handing out food in doorways and under bridges. I’ve visited shelters for women run by UGM, and I’ve participated in providing special events for women who are working so hard to stay off drugs, educate themselves, and create a new life for themselves and their children.

Because I have a heart for the homeless, writing this novella felt like a great opportunity to share God’s love to anyone who might need a little hope.

So how to authors decide what to write? Ideas come from experiences, research, sparks from the imagination, and God-given nudges.

By All Appearances

 

Liana Tate, a special events planner grew up in a high-profile family. No matter what she does, Liana feels she never measures up.

Bryan Langley, a talented musician, was close to signing a recording contract when a barn fire left part of his face severely burned. He survived, but his career did not.

When Liana’s father hires Bryan as a caretaker on the family estate outside of Seattle, Liana’s and Bryan’s lives become entangled. He risks public humiliation for Liana’s success, and she encourages him to use his musical gifts, despite his reluctance. Thrown together, will they achieve their elusive dreams? And will the two find the love and acceptance they yearn for, or will their actions only drive each other away?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/All-Appearances-Dawn-Kinzer/dp/0997815477/
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2R5n5SK
Books-A-Million: https://bit.ly/3m2iKhE

A Night Divine
Sequel to By All Appearances

 

 
One chilly December night, a tragedy connects successful model Camryn Tate and outreach minister Trace Gardner. As they share a common mission serving the homeless on the streets of Seattle, they provide more than food—they offer hope. But as Christmas Eve approaches, secrets have the potential to break Camryn’s heart. Although a sequel, this story can be read as a standalone.

A Night Divine is one of 7 new Christmas romances by 7 different authors that will be published in the digital boxed set, Melodies of Christmas Love. This set will release on Amazon on October 20, 2020.
Other authors included: Annette Irby, Lynnette Bonner, JoAnn Durgin, Chautona Havig, Lesley McDaniel, and Sylvia Stewart.

Here are Dawn's contact links

Contact Links::
Author Website: https://www.dawnkinzer.com/
Faithfully Write Editing: https://www.faithfullywriteediting.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawn.kinzer.9
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dkinzer9/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawnkinzer/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Kinzer/e/B01M04SD8U?
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/dawn-kinzer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15811132.Dawn_Kinzer


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed Dawn's post on how an author decides what to write.

Thank you so much for joining us, Dawn!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. You can submit a devotion, a writing-related post, or an author spotlight post. I also post book reviews on Fridays. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Zoe McCarthy: How to Edit Awkward and Wordy Sentences

Hi friends! Today, my good friend Zoe McCarthy is our guest talking about how to improve our sentences in writing. Everyone, say hello to Zoe!

Author Bio:
Zoe M. McCarthy was pegged an expressive analytic in a personality test. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But it’s true. Zoe couldn’t survive without expressing her creative imaginings. Yet, this retired actuary* and introvert receives her energy from being alone in her home office overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Believing opposites distract, Zoe has seven published Christian contemporary romances. Her stories involve tenderness and humor and heroes and heroines who learn to embrace their differences. She also has a book out on writing, Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days. Zoe and her husband enjoy canoeing and spending time at their lake cabin, where she writes during month-long sabbaticals—alone.
*Actuaries perform all the mathematical analysis for insurance companies, pricing products and estimating reserves to pay claims.

Here's Zoe!

11 Fixes to Edit Awkward and Wordy Sentences

“Telling me to ‘Be clear’ is like telling me to ‘Hit the ball squarely.’ I know that. What I don’t know is how to do it.” —Joseph M. Williams

First, let’s look at an awkward, wordy passage in Ella’s point of view.
Grayson had said he’d made a decision not to return to their relationship due to the fact that Ella was unable to change.1 But hadn’t he seen her establishment of a different approach to her behavior over the last year? 2 She’d made great improvement in the area of dealing with life’s problems. 3

Under the circumstance in which Dr. Peters came to town, Ella’s hope to become a better person had been ignited by him. 4 It was her belief that Grayson wasn’t aware of the root of her poor attitude, but Dr. Peters was. 5 Through the patient inquiry method therapy, he showed her how her upbringing had an impact on the way she perceived and reacted to her environment. 6 He really helped her rise above her past injuries and learn new ways of how to respond to her fears.7

Second, let’s consider fixes for clearness and conciseness – sentence by sentence.
(All 11 fixes are mentioned – a few, multiple times. Fixes are in parentheses.)

Sentence 1.
• Watch for the verb make: make a decision (decided); made use of (used); made a correction (corrected).
• Avoid wordy phrases: Due to the fact that. (because) Was unable to. (could)
• (Or rewrite the sentence.)

Sentence 2.
• Avoid changing verbs into nouns, especially adding –tion. For example, rewrite, was in need of an estimation, as “needed to estimate.” For Sentence 2’s establishment of a different approach, (she’d established. But better to rewrite the sentence using simpler strong verbs).

Sentence 3.
• Watch for the word make: made great improvement (improved).
• Avoid vague noun phrases: in the area of dealing with (remove the unnecessary phrase the area of.)
• (Or rewrite the sentence.)

Sentence 4.
• Avoid wordy phrases: Under the circumstance in which (when)
• Use active voice. Watch for the word by: Her hope to be a better person was ignited by him (he ignited her hope)

Sentence 5.
• Limit it is, there is, and there are: It was her belief that (she believed, but the entire phrase is unnecessary)
• Avoid negative forms of phrases: Wasn’t aware of (was unaware of; was oblivious to; was clueless)

Sentence 6.
• Avoid strings of nouns: patient inquiry method therapy (asked probing questions)
• Avoid inflated words: had an impact on (had affected) (more examples: facilitate (help); cognizant of (know))

Sentence 7.
• Delete weasel words: really helped (helped) (more examples: very unique; quite nice)
• Avoid unnecessary prepositional phrases: of how to respond to her fears (to face her fears)

Finally, let’s look at a possible rewrite in Ella’s point of view. Grayson claimed Ella could never change and refused to reconcile their relationship. What did he think she’d been tackling this past year? She’d turned her life around.

When Dr. Peters came to town, he’d ignited Ella’s hope to become a better person. While Grayson was clueless to what caused her poor attitude, Dr. Peters had uncovered the source. He’d asked probing questions, then explained her upbringing had affected how she viewed and reacted to others. Over time, he’d helped her forgive her abusers and learn healthier ways to face her fears.

The edited version is 91 words compared to the original’s 143.

Which of the eleven fixes will improve your sentences?

Zoe has written a book Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript. Below is more information about this book.

Information on Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days

Zoe McCarthy’s book, Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days, is a fresh and innovative refocusing of your novel or novella. Through a few simple—and fun—steps, Zoe helps writers take their not-ready-for-publication and/or rejected manuscripts to a spit-polish finish. Writing is hard work, yes, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. ~Eva Marie Everson, best-selling and award-winning author, conference director, president of Word Weavers International, Inc.

If you want to increase your chance of hearing yes instead of sorry or not a fit for our list at this time, this book is for you. If you want to develop stronger story plots with characters that are hard to put down, this book is for you. Through McCarthy’s checklists and helpful exercises and corresponding examples, you will learn how to raise the tension, hone your voice, and polish your manuscript. I need this book for my clients and the many conferees I meet at writer’s conferences around the country. Thank you, Zoe. A huge, #thumbsup, for Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days. ~Diana L. Flegal, literary agent, and freelance editor

Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript is a self-editing encyclopedia! Each chapter sets up the targeted technique, examples show what to look for in your manuscript, then proven actions are provided to take your writing to the next level. Whether you are a seasoned writer or a newbie, you need this book! ~Sally Shupe, freelance editor, aspiring author

Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days is chock-full of practical techniques. Numerous examples clarify problem areas and provide workable solutions. The action steps and blah busters McCarthy suggests will help you improve every sentence, every paragraph of your novel. If you follow her advice and implement her strategies, a publisher will be much more likely to issue you a contract. ~Denise K. Loock, freelance editor, http://www.lightningeditingservices.com/

Tidbit about the book: For over seven years, I’ve devoted my blog to mostly writing topics. In 2016, an editor and an agent, separately, told me I needed to turn my writing blog into a book. I didn’t want to throw blog posts into a manuscript. I wanted to help authors write their novels or get their manuscripts in shape so they could avoid the rejections I experienced in the early years of my writing journey. So, I attended a workshop on turning a blog into a book and began putting the book together. The publishing company of the editor who suggested I write a book published Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days in 2019.

Here is Zoe's contact link and a buy link for Tailor Your Manuscript in 30 Days

Contact Link:
https://zoemmccarthy.com

Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Your-Fiction-Manuscript-Days-ebook/dp/B07PF7RBQZ



Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed Zoe's post helping us with our writing! Check out Tailor Your Manuscript in 30 Days and her other books. 

Thank you so much for joining us, Zoe!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. You can submit a devotion, a writing-related post, or an author spotlight post. I also post book reviews on Fridays. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Jill Weatherholt

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Jill Weatherholt! Everyone, say hello to Jill! Without further ado, let's get to know Jill and her book A Home for Her Daughter.

 

 

  Author Bio:
By day, Jill Weatherholt works for the City of Charlotte. At night, and on the weekend, she writes contemporary stories about love, faith and forgiveness for Harlequin Love Inspired.

Raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., she now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her heart belongs to Virginia.

She holds a degree in Psychology from George Mason University and Paralegal Studies Certification from Duke University.

She shares her life with her real-life hero and number one supporter. Their relationship grew on the golf course, and now they have one in their backyard.

Jill believes in enjoying every moment of this journey because God has everything under control.


Here's Jill!

Thanks so much for inviting me to share my latest release A Home for Her Daughter, Sally! It’s available in stores during the month of September and online always at my website, along with my other books.

Getting prepared for a release is never easy, especially with a full-time day job. This time around was more challenging as my fifth Love Inspired book was due on August 31st. To throw another ball into the mix, my next proposal, which includes a five page summary of the book along with the first three chapters, is due October 1st. This book was sold as part of a three book contract with only a one paragraph blurb, so I really don’t have a solid foundation at this point. Eek!

Since August of 2015, after winning a contract in a contest, I’ve been writing under contract for Harlequin Love Inspired. It’s been a whirlwind experience and an entirely different animal than writing for my eyes only.

Juggling story ideas in my 55-year-old brain is challenging. I’m not a writer who can write or work on two books at the same time, but sometimes I have no choice. I can be in the middle of writing a new book when SURPRISE, an email pops into my box with line or copy edits from my editor for the previous manuscript I’d submitted. Working on one project at a time isn’t an option when you’ve signed your life away on a multi-book contract, but it’s a blessing I never imagined and one I’m truly grateful for.

Another blessing is having met so many wonderful and supportive writers and readers during this journey. Thanks so much for hosting me today, Sally!

A Home for Her Daughter Blurb

One little girl could change her mom’s mind about love…

To give her daughter a brighter future…

she must leave the past behind.

Inheriting a house, money and a camp is the fresh start Janie Edmiston has been praying for. But the will stipulates Janie must work with her childhood friend—and crush—Drew Brenner, to get the camp running…or lose it all. The newly divorced mother and the widower aren’t looking for love, but sometimes it takes a child to show two broken hearts the way forward…together.

Purchase Link and to Contact Jill:

Website: https://jillweatherholt.com/

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Jill Weatherholt and A Home for Her Daughter.



Thank you so much for joining us, Jill!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Sharing God's Love Through my Novels by Carole Brown

Hi friends! Say hello to Carole Brown! She is sharing her thoughts today. Without further ado, here's Carole.

 

For God so Loved the World... John 3:16 Once upon a time, there was a child—an expressive child who used her hands to convey her emotions and her imagination to talk with others, older people, and neighbors who found her amusing and relatives who loved her and encouraged her to develop her creativeness.

That child's elementary fellow-students clapped when she gave childish presentations. She received good grades on her first written works of imagination in school. In high school, she and her best friend spent hours creating pensive and lovesick poems that they thought expressed their feelings.

Years later, that child/teen grew up. She married, birthed two sons, traveled and ministered alongside her husband and family then finally realized it was time to use her imagination and creative talents seriously. Although she was good at English, she soon learned she still had much to re-learn about writing novels. She joined critique groups, went to conferences and soaked in every bit of advice that came her way.

Today, she's celebrating the release of her 10th full length novel, a new adventure because she ventured into writing an Historical Western Romantic Suspense.

Caleb's Destiny. She began this novel several years ago, thinking she might enter it into a contest, but didn't finish it then. Last year was a tough year of little writing, but once 2020 hit, inspiration sprang into renewal, and she determined this would be the year to finish it. Finish it she did in two and half months.

Since I'm that little girl, all grown up, I'll confess that I love using my God-given talent for Him. Developing stories that encourage, gently show God's love and power and wisdom for his children is the best thing in the world.

In Caleb's Destiny, I needed to show that we can't hang onto the past wrongs in our lives, that forgiveness is the way to go, if not for the other person who won't accept it, but for ourselves. Mr. Michael didn't want the fight brought to him, he tried to steer away from it, but when pushed, he stood his ground and did what had to be done. The forgiveness in this instance came from God specifically for him. Writing the scenes in this book was me writing about God's love in a gentle, unobtrusive way.

I love being an author. I love sharing with others the stories God places on my heart showing that faith and goodness will always prevail. I love knowing I'm using the talent God gave me.

May all those who read Caleb's Destiny be blest.

Author Bio:
Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?


Caleb's Destiny Blurb

Mr. Michael, Destiny Rose McCulloch, and Hunter have a mysterious history. Why were three fathers, all business partners, murdered under suspicious circumstances while on their quest to find gold? Hunter, who is Mr. Michael's ranch manager, is determined to find the answers and protect the precocious young lady who he suspects holds a key answer to his questions. Mr. Michael wants only to be left alone to attend to his property, but what can he do when Destiny refuses to leave and captures the heart of everyone of his employees? Destiny almost forgets her quest when she falls in love with Mr. Michael's ranch and all the people there. And then Mr. Michael is much too alluring to ignore. The preacher man back east where she took her schooling tried to claim her heart, but the longer she stays the less she can remember him. She only came west to find a little boy she knew years ago. A little boy all grown up by now...unless, of course, he's dead.

Caleb's Destiny
Book Excerpt from Chapter Six

After he settled into a seat across from her, he picked up his fork and looked at her. “Dig in.”

She hated it, but her cheeks were heating up again. “Do you mind...?”

“Mind?” His first bite headed toward his mouth. “If you eat?”

Why hadn’t she just said a silent, quick prayer? “Uh, I’d like to say a prayer. I've grown used to doing it at sch—uh, home.” And Richard had always insisted on it.

He dropped his fork. “Of course. Go ahead.”

Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands together. “Heavenly Father, we ask for your beautiful—I mean, bountiful blessings on our snack—breakfast, uh, tonight.” Destiny wanted to sink through the floor. She, who was the epitome of gracefulness at school; she who wanted to impress this confident man, was stumbling like a drunken cowboy. Whispering a “Father, forgive me” for butchering what should have been a simple prayer, she hastened to finish it. “Thank you for Mr. Michael’s hospitality, and help us to further our friendship.”

Ugh. He’d think she wanted something more than friendship. Destiny cringed and refused to glance at him. “Amen.”

Had that been a snicker? Surely not. She picked up her fork and shoved a tiny bite of egg in her dry mouth. She chewed and swallowed, but the former delicious-looking omelet refused to go down. She reached for her coffee and felt the food slide down with the coffee.

Ah, reprieved.

“Tell me, Miss McCulloch—it is Miss?”

He was laughing. She could hear it in his voice without even seeing his face. Her appetite vanished just as her temper kicked in. “It is Miss McCulloch to you, Mr. Michael, and I’ll thank you not to laugh at me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” And this time his voice was serious.

Purchase Link:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3egdd2q

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/calebs-destiny-carole-brown/1137072312?ean=9781941622636

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Carole Brown and Caleb's Destiny.


Below are links to connect with Carole Brown:

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183457429657732/
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/38Ukljnhttps://amzn.to/38Ukljn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carole-brown
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/browncarole212/?hl=en
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-brown-79b6951a/


Thank you so much for joining us, Carole!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Method Acting for Writers by Preslaysa Williams

Hi friends! Today, Preslaysa Williams is talking to us about Method Acting in our writing. Here's Preslaysa!

Author Bio:
Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author who writes contemporary romance and women's fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Proud of her heritage, she loves sharing her culture with her readers. She has a MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University and an undergraduate degree in Spanish Language & Literature from Columbia University. Preslaysa is also a professional actress, a planner nerd, an avid bookworm, and a homeschool mom who often wears mismatched socks. Her contemporary romance entitled A Lowcountry Bride releases on June 1, 2021 with Avon Books/HarperCollins.

To follow along with her busy life, visit her at http://www.preslaysa.com/ where you can sign up for her newsletter community.


Method Acting for Writers

Before I started writing, I was an actor. I’d started acting at the age of nine. From the start, I worked on TV commercials and Off Broadway work and print ads. When I was fourteen, I landed my first television role on Nickelodeon’s “The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo”. Acting came naturally to me, and I had fun working on Nickelodeon set with the likes of the late Pat Morita and then television writer Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games series).

My acting “training” was through watching TV. I have vivid memories of watching my favorite weeknight sitcoms and mimicking the characters on television. I’d also read a lot of books on acting technique, but I didn’t work with an acting coach until I was a college student. It was during this time, that I learned the actual method behind what I’d been doing instinctively: accessing the character’s emotions. Learning acting technique enabled me to prepare for auditions on a moment’s notice. It also helped me when I worked with Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright, the late Horton Foote, in his production of “The Death of Papa.” That was a challenging role and the techniques I learned helped me bring my best to each performance.

When I started writing in 2008, it felt like pulling teeth. Translating a character’s feeling onto pages while also juggling the thousand other Do’s and Don’ts of writing made me freeze and either: 1) not write at all at worst; or 2) write cardboard scenes.

Unfortunately, I carried all those paralyzing writing rules in my head for a long time until I finally learned to trust that I knew what I was doing. That freed me to let loose on the page. Still, writing dramatic scenes wasn’t so simple. So later on in my writing journey, I recalled all the acting techniques I’d learned. One of them that stood out for me is a technique called sense memory.

Sense memory is an acting technique where an actor takes one simple image or memory—like the feeling of standing outside in the snow waiting for a school bus (one of my memories)—and applying it to the scene in order to connect with the fictional character.

Disclaimer: NEVER use actual traumatic memories for writing or acting scenes. Please consult with a medical professional or counselor to help you with processing painful life events.

Prior to sense memory work, it’s best to relax so you can fully focus on the memory and the scene you’re about to write. I once had to write a scene where a secondary character felt like they were being slighted by the school principal. For this, I asked myself: What in my past best serves this text? I used a memory of being picked last for a dodgeball team in gym class, and I relived it. The key is to relive and not just remember the memory since you’re pulling from your physical experience.

Strong acting and strong writing is both imaginative and deeply personalized. Yes, those two dynamics—imagination and personalization—seem at odds with one another, but they aren’t. You can build entire fictional lives and stories from the seed of one real life experience.

(Back to my dodgeball team example!) I spend a few moments reliving the feelings of being picked last: the self-doubt, the insecurity, the speculation, and worry. I try to feel those emotions all over again. Sometimes a relived experience will be easy to relive and other times, I’ll have to dig and ask: how did it feel physically when that happened? However, if I have to dig too deep, I’ll simply search for another memory.

Then, I move from that emotional experience directly into either writing the scene or asking my character a few pre-writing questions about the scene.

In Uta Hagen’s book, “The Challenge for the Actor”, she created “Six Steps” for creating a character. The Six Steps hold a lot of similarities to writing techniques. Writing and Acting are first cousins! So, after re-imagining my past experience, I’ll use these questions for my scene.

They are:

1. Who am I? (What is my present state of being? How to I perceive myself?)

2. What are the circumstances? (What time is it? Where am I? What surrounds me? What are my immediate circumstances?)

3. What are my relationships that I’ll encounter in this scene? (I also like to add ‘How do I feel about the relationships in my last scene and how do my feelings affect this one?’)

4. What do I want? (Character Goal)

5. What is my obstacle? (Character conflict)

6. What do I do to get what I want? (What is my behavior? What are my actions?)

Then I write! After doing a sense memory exercise, the first draft usually provides me with a lot of fodder to re-work and polish at a later point. After I write one scene, then it’s back to the drawing board with pulling a memory for my next scene and reliving it through my senses.

The famous writer-actor Sam Shepard said this about writing and acting: “There are places where writing is acting, and acting is writing. I’m not interested in the divisions. I’m interested in the way things cross over.”

I’m also interested in the way writing and acting cross over, and my interest helped me stave off writer’s block and keep writing forward.

Question for You: How do you, as a writer, get into character prior to writing or revising a scene?

To connect with Preslaysa or check out her books, go to her website:

http://www.preslaysa.com/

Thank you so much for joining us, Preslaysa!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: LoRee Peery

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on LoRee Peery! Everyone, say hello to LoRee! She is a special friend of mine. Without further ado, let's get to know LoRee and her book Future of my Heart. 

 
Author Bio:
Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. Her Frivolities Series and the book based on her father’s unsolved homicide, Touches of Time, are available on Amazon. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. Connect with LoRee: www.loreepeery.com


Future of my Heart Blurb

I have no way of knowing if any of your readers ever dreamt of time travel, going forward or back. Some things in our world remain close to the same as 150 years ago. As in the buildings on the acreage/ranch where Phoebe and Mandy took their leaps through time. Another is the grandiose Orpheum Theater in Omaha. In 1895 the Creighton Theater stood on the site, which became the first Orpheum. The current building was constructed, in all of its opulence, in 1927.

Nolan Riley can’t believe his eyes when woman in historical dress lands on top of his lighting van while they’re filming a Western. She claims she’s from 1891. He knows he shouldn't believe her. He’s stayed away from women after a disastrous relationship, but something about the lost look in Phoebe’s eyes makes him feel protective, despite his distrust of women and Phoebe's unbelievable claim. Against his better judgment, he takes Phoebe home and gets her a job on the movie set.

As they explore their relationship, they discover that old wrongs need to be righted before they can move on. Phoebe’s fledgling faith demands she go back to 1891 Nebraska to ask forgiveness from her family and obligations she left behind. Nolan has to deal with his inability to trust a woman. Separated by time, both are uncertain of their lives, but they throw themselves upon God’s mercy.

But love transcends time. Is their love strong enough to secure a future together?


Interesting Tidbits

For our 30th anniversary, I surprised my husband with tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum. I could only afford “nosebleed seats.” He excused himself a few minutes before the play was to begin. Bill returned with moments to spare for the opening curtain, with fourth row seats right off the center aisle! I was in make believe, musical heaven, able to see all expressions, even sprays of spit in the lights! Enthralled, I caught every word and will never in my life forget that experience as my whole being thrummed with the musical drama.

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know LoRee Peery and Future of my Heart.

Below are links to buy Future of my Heart and to connect with LoRee Peery:

AMZ https://www.amazon.com/Future-Heart-Hearts-Across-Time-ebook/dp/B08CMN28MX/ref

Pelican: https://tinyurl.com/y548jsks

B & N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/future-of-my-heart-loree-peery/1137309112?ean=9781522303039

Amazon author page https://www.amazon.com/LoRee-Peery/e/B004UAGL2W/ref

LoRee Redeeming Grace with a Sense of Place

Website: www.loreepeery.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoreePeery

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery

Pelican: http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk

Thank you so much for joining us, LoRee!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/