6 Tips to being Genuine Online by Becky Wade | Guest Post

Striving to be genuine online? Here are 6 tips from author Becky Wade!

It's challenging to be genuine online, isn't it? When we interact via cyberspace, we're robbed of several aspects of face-to-face communication. We can't read the other person's body language and they can't read ours. We can't hear their tone and they can't hear ours. Often, we're not communicating in real time.

We can respond to the strangeness of online communication by saying nothing because we're too shy to put ourselves out there. We can post about the mundane because we have no idea what else to say. We can beautify our lives so much that the things we present via our feeds don't resemble our reality at all. Or we can make an effort to communicate our genuine selves and begin to establish real connections as a result.

I entered the world of social media in 2011. Since then I've observed (because I follow numerous people) and experienced firsthand (through my own posts) a few things that seem to lead to greater authenticity....

10 Myths about Marketing Your Book by DiAnn Mills | Guest Post

Excited to have the lovely DiAnn Mills on the blog today! I've met DiAnn in person a few times at conferences and she's been a frequent guest on my blog. I love when she shares about her books here, but she's got something different for us today. This month we'll be taking a closer look at book marketing and this post is perfect for this. Join in as DiAnn shares about 10 myths we commonly hear about marketing your book. 

Love The Novel Worlds You Create by Edie Melson | Guest Post

I write weird stuff.

In addition to writing nonfiction, I’m a speculative fiction novelist. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, speculative fiction is the umbrella that fits over the genres of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, etc.

I was destined for this world of weirdness. I grew up in the sixties, and one of my fondest memories is of sitting on my father’s lap, watching the original Star Trek series. For me, writing science fiction is like coming back home.

So what does this all have to do with world building? I’m giving you a little context before I take you on an extra-terrestrial ride.

Being a scifi writer means I create worlds . . . from scratch. I invent the science, determine the natural laws, populate them with strange creatures, and even stranger flora. Effective world building is foundational for the kind of books I write. It’s important in every novel, but it takes on added importance when the reader is dealing with a setting made up entirely from the author’s imagination.

For example, it’s not possible for me to mention my heroine is climbing through an abandoned spaceship hatch embedding in the talarium-coated rock face to get outdoors where the Laisa trees are in bloom and expect my readers to visualize what I’m describing.

I spend a lot of time creating the worlds in my novels. For me, this is a labor of love.

As a matter of fact, I love it so much, that I now find myself doing it without thinking. Imagining worlds that don’t yet exist are an integral part of the daydreams that come upon me unaware.

I do have a system to take these worlds from daydream to digital, and today I’ll share it with you.

My World Building Checklist:

1. Believability:
It doesn’t matter if my story takes place in small town USA or on board a spaceship. I must infuse the place with believability.

2. Terminology:
The world I build must have the flavor of the environment I’m trying to convey. That means made-up words, different plant and animal life, and even a different way of measuring time and distance.

3. Flora, Fauna and Physical Locale:
My job is to make sure the topography makes sense. A big part of the imagery comes in description. I have to provide just enough of a snap-shot to anchor my reader, without overwhelming them with pointless details. I also want to leave room for them to have fun filling out the scene themselves. Speculative audiences are an imaginative lot. Once they have a good grasp of where they are, they can fill in some of the details—and they enjoy doing that.

4. Dialect and Language:
Obviously a novel that takes place on another planet or in another dimension doesn’t have English as the foundational language. So how do we convey a touch foreignness without leaving the reader grasping a possible meanings?

• Sprinkle in some made-up words with plenty of context to make the meaning clear. For example: Even as the voice in the earpiece sounded, Josiah smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Bezek bellows like a bovine, but is gentle as a hesit.”
• Utilize a different sentence structure. For example, in a normal conversation we’d say: She turned her head slowly, afraid of the pain, but only felt a slight echo of the injury. In a spec fiction book I’d change it to: She slowly turned her head, afraid of the pain, but only felt a slight echo of the injury. It’s a small change, but that kind of misplaced modifier will give the story a hint of foreignness.
• Give them a different way to measure time and distance. As I mentioned before, using different terms for these things can add a great deal of depth—as long as we don’t overdo it. In Anne McCaffrey’s dragon novels she refers to a week as a sevenday. It’s different, but still recognizable to readers. But it’s important to strike a balance between new terms and readability.

5. Keep Your Setting Uncomfortable:
Settings can be a great way to bring in or escalate conflict. We want to build a world we love, but we don’t want it to be a world where everything is just right. A true utopian setting—without undercurrents of nastiness—is boring. A perfect setting can suck the life out of your story faster than almost anything.

Bottom Line:
World building may be something we love, but it still takes work. (tweet this) We have to be willing to go deep and wide to make our settings believable and vibrant. It’s up to us to plant the reader in a place that allows their imagination to roam free while keeping their attention firmly focused on story that’s unfolding.

_______

Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, no matter if she’s writing for fiction readers, parents, military families, or writers. Her passion to help those who are struggling find the strength they need to triumph is reflected in the characters she creates and the insight she shares. As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Connect with Edie further on her website, through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Alone

After her family is killed in the cleansing, Bethany’s purpose in life has changed. No longer will she be allowed to work to save her dying planet. As a slave, endurance is her goal as she marks each day as one moment closer to an eternity spent reunited with those she loved. But when her planet is invaded, everything changes. Now she must decide either to align herself with those from her planet who condemned her faith and killed her family, or with the warriors who have conquered her world. Ultimately her choice will mean life or death for more than just her planet’s ecosystem. She alone holds the key to a powerful secret, and the fate of the entire galaxy depends on her decision.

Purchase: Alone



Edie has graciously offered a digital and paperback copy of her book, Alone! Enter below:

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Romance in Fantasy by Laurie Lucking | Guest Post

Emilie here: I'm so excited to feature this lovely post by Laurie Lucking to "kick off" this month's focus of Science Fiction and Fantasy! I know you'll enjoy this - I know I have.

 ***

I know this will prompt some eye rolls, but I’m going to admit it anyway. In almost any story, no matter what genre, the part that interests me the most and stays with me the longest is the romance.

Now, you’re probably thinking—this girl clearly missed the memo. Emilie’s focus this month is on fantasy and science fiction. But here’s the thing. For as much as I adore romance, I write fantasy. Why? There are hordes of voracious romance readers out there, so why would I bother with fantasy when I could just tap into that (probably more lucrative) market?

Because I prefer my romance with a touch of the supernatural. There’s something about love stories in fantasy settings that draws me in so much more than the historical or contemporary genres. I think it’s because, at least for me, the fantasy setting ups the ante and makes the story so much less predictable. Because in fantasy, anything can happen.

Take star-crossed lovers, for example. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare created a tragedy surrounding a pair of lovebirds from feuding families. But how much higher could the stakes have been if an ancient prophecy predicted the breakout of a devastating war if a union ever arose between those two families? Or if the feuding households were instead comprised of devious fairies, or powerful sorcerers? You get the idea :)

The higher stakes and unpredictability of fantasy are fascinating in their own right, but when romance is involved, they also can help the reader understand love in new ways. They may call into question our assumptions, or shed light on aspects of romantic relationships we don’t usually have to think about within the parameters of our own world. For instance, Heart Song by Desiree Williams really got me thinking about how I’d react to being soul-bound to a person I barely knew. Would I embrace it, or fight it? Unblemished by Sara Ella had me pondering whether I could risk breaking someone’s heart if I knew that based on his Calling it could literally kill him. The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doué made me question whether I would be brave enough to declare my love for someone, when a positive response could break a curse, but a negative response would tighten the curse’s hold, not only for me but my entire family. The list goes on and on.

But perhaps the most profound value of incorporating romance into fantasy, or any kind of speculative fiction, is that it demonstrates the universal nature of love (tweet this). No matter where they are, no matter what their circumstances, people yearn to make connections with those around them, to feel important and valued, and to find a reason to hope for the future—something worth living, fighting, and possibly even dying for. These connections can come in many forms, including family and friendship, but are often manifested in romantic relationships. Whether in a high school algebra class, a distant planet, an epic quest, or a group of rebels fighting a corrupt government, someone will feel attracted to another person. He or she will get flustered in that person’s presence, and hope to catch their attention. Eventually it turns to daydreams about a future together, an outlook brighter than the present. Such feelings may cause the person to make poor decisions, or to lose sight of a purpose that should take higher priority. But they also can bring hope, a future to strive for, an incentive for self-sacrifice, and a manifestation of that character’s best self.

The prevalence of romance in almost any category of literature illustrates that love is a basic, but very powerful, human longing, something that spans every era and society.

Romance in real life is a beautiful, precious thing. I am so grateful that my husband and I get to live an ordinary existence, with our biggest challenges being house repairs and our kids’ misbehavior. But when I read or write, I love to have those boundaries stretch far beyond my own commonplace experience, causing me to think and feel that much more deeply. And maybe even swoon on occasion 😁

So, how do you feel about romance in speculative fiction? If you have a strong preference for or against romance in the books you read / write, why? Are there any exceptions?

Thanks for reading, and thank you so much for inviting me to visit today, Emilie!!

_____
An avid reader since birth (her parents claim she often kept them up late begging to hear just one more story), Laurie Lucking discovered her passion for writing after leaving her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. She writes young adult fantasy with a strong thread of romance, and her debut novel, Common, will release in 2018 from Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing. Laurie is the Secretary of her local ACFW chapter and a co-founder of www.landsuncharted.com, a blog for fans of clean young adult speculative fiction. A Midwestern girl through and through, she currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and two young sons. Find out more about Laurie and her writing by visiting www.laurielucking.com.

Website: www.laurielucking.com
Blog: www.landsuncharted.com
Readers’ Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1191276077665496/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurieLucking/
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Does Description Matter in Fiction? by DiAnn Mills | Guest Post

Some writers languish over description and create lengthy narratives to enhance their novels. Their readers enjoy passages rich with prose. Their pleasure is intensified in the details—the special features, characterization, and attributes of plot and setting.

Other writers offer enough description for readers to create their own story world. These readers value being part of the adventure. Too much narrative spoils their experience. The few areas featuring details allow readers to use their imaginations, as though they are a part of the writing process.

No matter a writer’s preference of writing style, common guidelines apply to all great novels. Descriptions must reflect character, genre, plot, emotion, and setting. These nuggets are to be shown throughout the story in ways that demonstrate the writer’s voice and style.

A polished writer searches for nouns and verbs to pack a punch. They aren’t afraid to add an adjective if it enhances the story.

A devoted writer labors to reflect intimate knowledge of the characters, plot, and setting.

A diligent writer ensures every word is necessary or deleted.

An enthusiastic writer pays close attention to sensory perception, symbolism, and point of view. Each character approaches the story world with their own unique perspective.

The entire process of acquiring research for how details are handled means lots of time and hard work for the writer.

Description is organic, a harmonious weaving of words that is seamless.

Insight into the building blocks of story pave the way for description.

Characterization
A writer knows and understands her character to the best of her ability before typing the first word. A discovery time begins as the character becomes more real during the writing process. Details about the character’s personality, background, culture, emotion, education, religious beliefs, and a list of other unique traits. Look for the oddity in the character, the idiosyncrasy, the one thing defining the character from all others.


Genre
Each genre contains elements setting it apart from all the others. Those distinctions are the details to include in the story. For example, romance novels engage the feelings of the hero and the heroine in language that uses soft consonants, bantering, and deep feelings. Suspense novels uses hard consonants to evoke tension, confrontation, and harshness. Fantasy novels often contain unusual cultures and language to build on a story world. Writers study and continue to read in their genre to master techniques.

Plot
Every story has a plot. But the plot in a romance, historical, fantasy, suspense, thriller, western, mystery, etc are all different. The goal of the story may be to solve a crime, win the girl, or stop a killer from destroying the world. The method of description corresponds to the type of story.

Setting
Where a scene takes place is an area too many writers fail to see the opportunity to move a story ahead. Describe the setting as though it were an antagonist—attractive, alluring, and then have it turn on the character.

Emotion
Emotion is why a reader turns pages. It represents passion while in the midst of initiating and responding to life. Conflict in emotions is what every person endures, and it’s vital to the impact a story has for the reader.

Description does matter in fiction, not as an engine-additive but as a power-booster to the success of an unforgettable novel.

How do you approach description?

__________
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Author Roadmap with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Deep Extraction
by DiAnn Mills

A pacemaker should have saved oil and gas magnate Nathan Moore’s life. Instead, it provided his killer with a seemingly perfect means of execution.

A bombing at one of Nathan’s oil rigs days earlier indicates his death could be part of a bigger conspiracy, a web Special Agent Tori Templeton must untangle. But her first order of business is separating the personal from the professional―the victim’s wife, her best friend, is one of the FBI’s prime suspects.

Clearing Sally’s name may be the biggest challenge of her career, but Tori finds an unexpected ally in the newest member of the task force, recently reinstated Deputy US Marshal Cole Jeffers. As Tori and Cole dig deeper into Nathan’s personal and business affairs, they uncover more than they bargained for. And the closer they get to finding the real killer―and to each other―the more intent someone is on silencing them for good.

Purchase: Deep Extraction

The Core of Characters by Jennifer Slattery | Guest Post

Emilie here: This month the blog's focus is on characters in reading and writing. To kick us off we have the lovely Jennifer Slattery talking about the core of her character creation! I know you're going to enjoy this.

The Core of Characters

Some characters develop slowly. Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of their career or whom they spend most of their time with. But other characters seem to unveil themselves rapidly in my brain. In my latest release, Bianca was very much the latter type.

That isn’t always the case, however, so when I begin to sketch out new characters, there are certain steps I normally take.

One might think I start with the easy stuff—hair color and style, eye color, and build. But I’ve found, I can’t determine those things until I know about my character’s core. The first and most important thing I need to know is, what do they want and why do they want that?

The why needs to be significant enough to pull my reader in and cause them to root for the character.

In order to answer this question, I need to know the character’s inner lie, because once I know this, I land on the why behind every action, reaction, dream, and fear.

For example, in Restoring Love, Angela believes she’s a failure. She’s made some incredibly big (and hurtful) mistakes that would have resulted in her being homeless—had her daughter not taken her in. But then she encounters Christ, begins to change, completes a college degree, and takes steps toward creating a new life.

Only problem—that nasty inner lie won’t leave her alone. It haunts her, increases her insecurities, and at times, causes her to perceive rejection when there isn’t any.

In an effort to throw off her lie, she determines to get a job as an educator. This is an admirable goal and one many share, but the goal alone wouldn’t be enough to keep women turning pages. Readers need to know why it’s so important that a character reach that goal. That, as I said, is where the inner lie comes in.

Once I know a character’s internal (to prove herself competent) and external (to gain a teaching position) goals, I need to figure out what keeps them from that. In Angela’s case, she has internal and external challenges. Internally, past failures make her reluctant to take healthy risks. When an opportunity arises, the moment she begins to step forward, her inner lie begins to rise up, whispering incessantly, “You can’t do that. They won’t hire you. You’re not good enough for that.”

But she also faces some hefty external challenges, the biggest of which is that she has zero teaching experience. This roadblock is compounded by the fact that she lives in a competitive job market where there are plenty of experienced teachers are seeking the same jobs that she is.

There are numerous other aspects to each character I come to discover, sometimes before I begin writing, other times as they face struggles or change. These include things like unique personality traits, quirks, fears, close relationships, and favorite ice cream. (All my characters must love ice cream if they ever want page time. It’s a rule.) And those things are important, but they’re secondary to the character’s inner lie, internal and external motivation, and internal and external obstacles.

How about you: Do you write? How do you develop your characters? Do you prefer to start surface level then go deeper, or do you go straight for the jugular as I do? Do you have any craft books on character development that you’d recommend? Share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions in the comments below, because we can all learn from one another.
_________________

Novelist and speaker Jennifer Slattery has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, (http://whollyloved.com) she and her team put on events at partnering churches designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. She writes devotions for Internet Café Devotions, Christian living articles for Crosswalk.com, and edits for Firefy, a Southern fiction imprint with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.

Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte

Book Description for Restoring Love

Mitch, a contractor and house-flipper, is restoring a beautiful old house in an idyllic Midwestern neighborhood. Angela, a woman filled with regrets and recently transplanted to his area, is anything but idyllic. She's almost his worst nightmare, and she s also working on restoring something herself. As he struggles to keep his business afloat and she works to overcome mistakes of her past, these two unlikely friends soon discover they have something unexpected in common, a young mom who is fighting to give her children a better life after her husband's incarceration. While both Mitch and Angela are drawn to help this young mother survive, they also find themselves drawn to each other. Will a lifetime of regrets hold them back or unite them and bring redemption along with true love?

Purchase: Restoring Love 

Unexpected Storms by Patti Shene | Guest Post

Resolutions. I quit making them a long time ago.

The reason? I just don’t keep them.

The older I get, the more I realize life just doesn’t work that way. You don’t go to sleep on December 31st and wake up a completely different person on January 1st, with new habits, a new mindset, and a life that goes just the way you plan.

I often fall short of accomplishing the goals I set the previous night for the next day!

Why? The answer is simple.

Unexpected storms.

The Christmas program our church had planned was scheduled to take place at Sunday morning Worship Service on December 18th. Snow was expected for Friday evening, “trace to one inch” the weatherman predicted for our area.

We woke up Saturday morning to a blanket of several inches, and with the whipping wind, four-foot drifts kept some people prisoner in their homes. The program, along with our Worship Service, was canceled that Sunday morning.

We had to postpone our program until January 1st. Despite the delay, we accomplished the same goal of spreading the message of God’s great gift of His son to the world.

Storms rush into our lives in many forms and at the most inopportune times. An unavoidable home repair needs attention, the car breaks down, illness strikes, a death occurs, a job is lost, the list goes on.

All of these circumstances and much more disrupt our writing schedules and force us to crunch deadlines, beg for extensions, or back out on commitments. Add to that the frustration of computer issues, Internet connection failures, and the worst onslaught of all – writers block!

I’ve been frustrated for the longest time (years!) with the goals I don’t reach in a day, a week, a month. So, this year, I’ve started using a new system to track exactly what I do accomplish.

All it requires is a simple Excel file.

I make a list of the previous evening of tasks I want to complete the next day. This includes household chores, writing commitments, even reading goals.

The following evening, I go over that list and check “done” next to the items I can cross off.

If some task is accomplished that wasn’t on the list, I simply use the insert feature and add it, then check it as “done.”

Tasks that don’t get completed as planned are moved down to the next day.

I don’t delete anything, which allows me to a) see how many days a certain task is moved before it is accomplished b) track what I have accomplished over a period of time.

I’ve only been using this system for a few days, but I’ve already learned from it.

I accomplish more than I think I do

One project often leads to another. Even though the original task may not be completed, others that have been on the back burner are added to my list and checked off as “done.”

Interruptions are essential

These usually come in the form of phone calls from a friend, an unexpected visit from family, doing a favor for someone, taking care of responsibilities to church or organizations. I can’t sacrifice my relationships to accomplish my goals.

I don’t feel guilt about what I don’t get done

I’m learning to take pride in what I do get done. Putting away my Christmas decorations was delayed because I took the time to organize the room I store them in. It’s a win-win!

I don’t compare myself to others

God made me unique. My friend can watch her grandkids, do farm chores, and be active in several organizations and still keep her house tidy. I struggle to do the routine housecleaning, keep up with organization commitments, complete a couple of blogs posts and add a few pages to my manuscript. I work at my own pace and give my best in all my endeavors.

I pray over my day

God has plans for me that may not even be on my radar (tweet this). I try to stay open to opportunities to serve others, share the gospel, stay connected with family and friends, and accept the challenges He places before me. I pray those experiences make me a better writer!

How have you weathered the unexpected storms in your life?

_____________________

Patti Shene enjoys reading, writing, and encouraging other writers. She maintains two blogs, Patti’s Porch and The Over 50 Writer, where she promotes the work of authors on her website, www.pattishene.com. She hosts Step Into the Light, a weekly interview format Blog Talk Radio show, where guests share their journey from a time of darkness in their lives back to the light of hope and God’s peace. Connect with Patti on

Website www.pattishene.com
Step Into the Light Blog Talk Radio show http://ow.ly/IQ6c307PFUx
Facebook (personal page) http://ow.ly/dtbI307PEBY
Facebook (Step Into the Light) http://ow.ly/41DG307PEPg
Twitter http://ow.ly/dQ6d307PEX5
Pinterest http://ow.ly/yhqO307PF7z

Heroes and Heroines of Dystopian Fiction by Vannetta Chapman | Guest Post

What’s your favorite kind of hero/heroine? Do you envision the hero riding in to save the day on a horse? Or driving a sports car? Is your heroine a woman with a career or a stay at home mom?

My upcoming release, Deep Shadows, is a dystopian story. These are tales centered around a dramatic change in society, major what if scenarios. They are stories about relationships and how they survive or crumble when what we’ve feared, as a society, occurs. They’re stories of faith and hope in the most desperate of times. And the major characters in these stories are a bit different!

Dystopian heroes/heroines:

1. Are usually “reluctant heroes.” They don’t seek the spotlight and don’t want to be the one in charge. But when things fall apart, they step into the role where they’re needed.
2.  Have unusual skills. Usually those are survival skills. They know how to find things that you need to survive. They know how to get by without their cell phone, Google, and GPS. 
3. Are loyal. They might not be the strongest or the bravest, but they genuinely care about their family and friends, and they’re willing to do anything to honor their promises. 
4. Are adaptable. In a dystopian world everything is turned upside down. Heroes are able to adjust quickly. Instead of asking “why” they focus on “what we need to do now.” They understand the time to grieve over what’s been lost is later. The thing to do now is to be strong for friends/family/neighbors. 
5. Have an abiding faith. Despite the odds, the bleak turn of events, the seemingly desperate future, heroes and heroines in a Christian dystopian novel believe that God is still in control. Do they struggle? Sure. Do they doubt? Sometimes. But in the end, they lead others not just through a crumbling world but on a journey of faith.

Deep Shadows is the first book in my upcoming Remnant Series. It’s a significant change from the Amish books I’ve previously published, and for me this journey began with a few questions:

Would I know how to survive if the technology I use every day disappeared?

Would I be strong, physically and emotionally, to care for my family?

Would my faith, my belief in God’s care and provide, remain strong?

Deep Shadows is a journey into fast paced, unexpected journey through a world turned topsy-turvy. I hope it’s a journey that you’ll take with me.

______________________________________

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. She is the author of seventeen novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series and Anna’s Healing, a 2016 Christy Award finalist. Vannetta is a Carol award winner and also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas hill country. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.

Connect with Vannetta: 
http://vannettachapman.com
https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman
https://www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks
https://www.instagram.com/vannettachapman/

When You’re Afraid to Dream by Varina Denman | Guest Post

When I was a little girl, I watched cartoons every day after lunch. Casper, Mickey Mouse, Sylvester & Tweety, among others. (Yes, I’m dating myself.) That hour was the highlight of my day, and often a movie would come on afterward that was just as exciting as the cartoons. My mother was one of the original work-at-home moms, so undoubtedly she needed a little time to herself. She was my hero, and I had no greater dream in life than to be HER when I grew up.

One afternoon, The Mummy came on just after cartoons—the black-and-white version with Boris Karloff. Mom discouraged me from watching it, but somehow I insisted the club-footed, toilet-paper-clad monster wasn’t scary. And really … he wasn’t. Not even to a little girl. Special effects have come a long way.

However, the un-scary monster turned uber-scary in my dreams that night, and I cried out for my mother who came and patted my back until I calmed down. After that, I vowed to stick with cartoons, but wouldn’t you know it, that mummy haunted me for weeks. I’d lay in bed every night, unable to sleep.

Because I was afraid of dreaming the mummy dream.

Fast forward forty years. (Yes, I’m dating myself again.) By that time, I had achieved my lifelong dream of being a work-at-home mom. Yay me! While I didn’t allow my kids to watch horror movies, I didn’t hesitate to set them in front of Sesame Street so I could have a little time to myself, especially to … READ. In fact, I spent so much time reading, that I found myself dreaming about writing a book of my own.

But, oh my goodness, who did I think I was? I didn’t know anything about writing. I hadn’t been especially good at it back in school. And I certainly didn’t have a college degree. Besides I had already achieved my dream, and I was living my happily ever after. So I talked myself out of trying.

Because I was afraid of dreaming the writer dream.
However—just like my mother had done all those years before—God patted my back until I calmed down. Then He surrounded me with friends and acquaintances who encouraged me to give writing a try. He opened doors in places I didn’t even know to look, and finally … he gave me a nice little shove.

Now that I’m looking back from the other side of the road, I can see His footsteps walking next to mine all along the way. And isn’t that how it always is? Even when we’re afraid, even when we think we can’t do it, even when we’re up against obstacles that seem insurmountable, God is with us.

Helping us be brave enough to dream impossible dreams.

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11

The Mended Hearts series focuses on three women whose dreams have been shattered. The final book, Jilted, tells the story of Lynda Turner whose husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years before.

Hope awakens for Lynda when a local ex-convict shows interest, but having been jilted more than once in her life, she’s now afraid to dream that love could be a possibility. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life in which the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

She must be brave enough to dream the happiness dream.

Jilted will be available in bookstores June 1, but you can pre-order now. And through May 31, the eBook is HALF PRICE. Grab it while it’s cheap!

Varina Denman writes stories about the unique struggles women face. A native Texan who spent her high school years in a small Texas town, Varina now lives near Fort Worth with her husband and five mostly grown children. Her passion is helping others make peace with their life situations. Varina’s Mended Hearts series is a compelling blend of women’s fiction and inspirational romance. Connect with Varina through her website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.



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When a Dream is Turned on its Ear by Meghan M. Gorecki | Guest Post

The moment I woke up on some random morning around my fourteenth birthday, I knew I had a huge story to figure out. I had just literally had a vivid dream that turned out inspiring an entire novel. I can’t tell you why I dreamed of someone being caught in a severe thunderstorm in dense woods, or why a bolt of lightning hit a tree sending a deadened branch to the ground and paralyzing the faceless victim that would turn out to be my main character. I had always been consistently freaked out by thunderstorms…

I can tell you this. That random dream turned into a novel on a typewriter shortly thereafter, before it was typed into a document on my first laptop months later, only to be finished twice, rewritten once—and then overhauled not quite two years later. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Seven years it took me to write my first novel. I have since grown in writing speed, thank you God.

When what I thought was my final overhaul was through in 2013, I began shopping around. After doing some light reading as to queries, proposals, agents and all that jazz (emphasis on “light” reading) I shopped it around to over twenty agents all together. I just knew that this book had to be traditionally published—that there was no other way. It was similar to Lynn Austin’s Hidden Places in era and genre, after all! This may have only been three years ago, but oye with the youthful arrogance already.

Nothing panned out. Not one rejection came with any thread of critique or feedback on it. Once I got over feeling like an utter failure, so fed up with the novel of my heart sitting idly in my computer, I was tempted to leave it there since at least it was done after six-plus years.

I am so glad God didn’t leave me and this dream there.

I honestly can’t remember exactly why I was so set against indie-publishing. Thinking it was well and good for other people but not me. Once I actually took the time to talk to God about His dream for this novel of my heart, the novel that in many ways taught me how to write, a seedling of a new dream for the book took root. Maybe because I finally shut up about my own wants for this book and actually listened. Now, of course, I fought against it for a while—I have a thick skull—but right around the holidays of late 2013/into 2014, I put a stake in the ground and said, “I’m doing it.” For a Mother’s Day gift for my biggest cheerleader(s) who inspired so much of my novel—my mom and grandma.

Fast forward two years later—almost to the day.

It was unpleasantly humbling to let go of my dream of traditional publishing for this book. And um, wow is hindsight (even to two years ago) 20/20 in how I let my book go out there like it did. All I can say is: it's because of God.

I won’t use the cliché, 'It’s a dream come true to have my book in my hands'. Because it's not. It is a dream hard-fought; not exactly won in the way I would’ve originally preferred it to have been won. But this is because God knew better and His plan may have had its tough moments where He had to half-drag, half-carry me down life’s road—but it was all worth it. SO worth it.

Every time I hold my book in my hands—both the first edition and the second—I marvel at how He alone reshaped and renewed my dream for this book and my heart. But, despite the immense relief and joy I have in the fact that it is done, it’s not for, or because, of me. Letting go, being still, and letting God have His way is hard no matter what He calls you to. Listening is often the harder first step of that process. But whatever you’re facing—it will be worth it. The pain and the struggle all serves a purpose, even when you feel close to breaking.

I did title my story, a paper bound testimony to what God did and what He is still doing, God’s Will for a reason. And being in God’s will is the sweetest place to be.

Meghan M. Gorecki is an author of inspirational fiction, a blogger, book reviewer and voracious reader. Taking her life a day at a time as God leads, she is pursuing a career in the publishing industry as an editor in training and as a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. A hopeless romantic, history and Marvel nut, she's also a redhead (thanks to a box), who knows way too much trivia about movie musicals and the Civil War. Find her on social media and at her blog, A Northern Belle (www.northernbellemeg.com)


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God's Will

Kathy Andrews is good at goodbyes. Her mother is sent to a sanatorium, her sister, left behind in Chicago, and her father, forced to roam looking for work. So she holds close to the only one she has left, her brother Danny. When the two go to live with the Marshalls in the sleepy town of Brighton, she doesn't let anyone past hello. Elliott Russell frowns at his aunt and uncle's generosity--even though he and his sister are on the receiving end. He frowns, too, at the uppity city girl with a chip on her shoulder whom he can't get out of his head. When a tragedy rips apart what tenuous existence they manage to forge, will they find the sweetest place to be is in God's will--or will they turn their backs on faith that fails to protect against pain?

Forgetting and Reaching: Two Keys to Reaching Your Dreams by Preslaysa Williams | Guest Post

The road to success is paved with failure. Yep, failure. Some of the most successful people have failed their way to success.

Bill Gates is one example. Long before he became one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, Bill Gates started a company called Traf-O-Data with his partner Paul Allen. The company aimed to process large amounts of data. They tried to sell their idea, but they garnered a lot of “no’s”. Gates and Allen later went on to found Microsoft, their biggest success.

Did you know that Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper company because he “lacked creativity”? He persevered and later started Laugh-O-Gram films, but that failed. Disney eventually made his way to Hollywood and created films which gained in popularity.

Milton Hershey started three candy companies before he founded Hershey’s chocolate. I, for one, am very thankful that Hershey persevered!

Philippians 3:13-14 says: “Brethren, I don’t regard myself as having laid a hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus.”

To see your dream materialize, this passage says to do two things: 1) forget the past and 2) reach for the future.

To fully let go of the past—the failures, the mistakes, the regrets, the pain—you need to have something to shoot for in the future. “Without vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Without vision, you can easily get sucked into the past and literally drown in negativity and failure.

I believe that when God created you, He had big dreams for your future. I believe you were created to fulfill God’s big dreams for your life. I also believe that when you tap into your heart’s desires, you’re tapping into God’s dreams for you. They’re one and the same.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). As you delight in Him, your true heart desires will spring forth. You’ll know what you were called on earth to do. You’ll know your dreams. The first step is delighting yourself in Him.

To tap into your dreams, you have to set aside time with God. It doesn’t have to be a legalistic set amount of time. It can be five minutes a day, but consistency is key. During this time you can:

1. Pray
2. Listen to a faith building message
3. Read a couple of verses in the Bible, etc.

During this time, ask God: “What are your dreams for me?” Also, ask yourself: “What do I want most for my life?” Write down your thoughts.

At first, what you write may be hazy, murky, diluted. You may be unsure if this is really what God has for your life, but over time your vision for your life will become clear. You’ll start taking first steps towards your dreams. Yes, you’ll be met with failure, but don’t worry, you’ll be in good company (Gates, Disney, Hershey!) Simply seek Him and persevere. 

Preslaysa Williams is a multi-award winning writer of Inspirational Romance. Her work has won the 2015 ACFW Genesis contest and the Indiana Romance Writers of America Golden Opportunity contest. Her work was also a double finalist in the 2015 Windy City RWA Four Seasons contest and a finalist in the Northwest Houston RWA Lone Star contest. She has a Master’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University. You can sign up for her newsletter at http://www.preslaysa.com/newsletter-sign-up/ to get updates on her writing journey.

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When Your Dreams Come True by Katie Morford | Guest Post

Most kids want to be a princess or fireman when they grow up. I was that weird kid who wanted to be a missionary and publish a novel.

There are quite a few childish dreams that haven't come true. For example, another career plan was running a racehorse farm in Kentucky (I was going to be the jockey). That one didn't quite pan out, needless to say.

But, there are a surprising number that have come true.

Last year was a "dream come true" type of year for me. I lived in England and traveled the world as a media missionary, writing stories and taking photos to tell about God's work in countries like Myanmar, Haiti, and Namibia. I had co-founded a fiction publishing house with three other amazing women and published my first novel in May 2015. I started dating a kind, Jesus-loving man who wasn't deterred by dating his girl literally across an ocean.

I rode tricycle taxis around Yangon and chatted with Buddhist monks and hugged on orphaned children. I came face-to-face with lions in a game park in Namibia and rode a camel in the Arabian desert and watched baby rhinos come up to the waterhole at night under the African stars.

It was truly incredible. No doubt about it.

But it wasn't all glamorous adventures. Seeing my dreams come true meant walking to work over 45 minutes each day, working 9-5 (or more) and then coming home to write with my co-author over Skype for 4-6 hours most evenings. It meant 24 hours of travel in planes and airports at the wrong time of the month with Bangkok stomach. It meant 60-hour weeks in Third World countries and at conferences with 4,000 teens and staff. It meant missing my friend and college mentee's funeral when she finally succumbed to brain cancer.

One day, I was sitting in my favorite cafe (The Shabby Scholar in Carlisle, England--I recommend it) and I realized that by God's grace I had seen so many of my deepest, most long-standing dreams and aspirations come true.

How many 27-year-olds can say they've seen their dreams come true?

I wish I could say, in that moment, I fell on my knees and thanked God. I wish I could say I jumped up and did a happy dance and celebrated all that I'd been able to accomplish through His work in me. But I didn't. I panicked.

What now? I thought, gulping my tea. What do I do with the rest of my life, now that my dreams have come true?

Seeing my dreams come true didn't feel like I expected. It was a bit of a let-down, to be honest. I kept thinking, "What's wrong with me? All my dreams are coming true! Why am I not happy?"

Eventually, I came to realize that accomplishing old dreams just makes creative space for new dreams. (tweet this) I came to peace with the fact that life isn't like the movies. Success isn't what we think. Dreams coming true and hard times and failures all run right alongside each other and tangle together in this messy thing called life.

I realized that seeing my dreams come true, while a beautiful thing, isn't everything. Nor should it be. We celebrate, we rejoice, we thank God for the gift of seeing us through the struggle on the road to "dream come true" moments.

It can be a scary feeling, when dreams come true. When the driving purpose of your life for the past few years--maybe your whole life--is suddenly gone, you can feel disoriented, like a boat without its mooring line. I certainly did.

But the beauty of the last page is that you get to write another book. Live a new, different story. Go on exciting adventures to places that haven't even entered your dreams yet. 

In December 2015, I moved from England back to my native Kansas. Come June, I'll be stepping down from my full-time position with Operation Mobilization to pursue my new dream--my own creative business combining my passions for custom photography, editing novels, and mentoring young writers.

Exciting? Sure. Terrifying? Most definitely!

If you're still waiting for your dreams to come true, keep pressing on. The view will definitely be worth the climb! And if you're in that strange middle ground of trying to pin down your new dream--breathe deep, pick up that notebook, and write the first page of a new chapter in your story.

_______________

Katie: I am a globe-trotting writer, photographer, editor, and media missionary, who’s secretly a homebody and a bookaholic. After three years living in England, I’ve finally moved back to my Kansas roots. I blog about creativity, travel, and walking with Jesus in the messiness of real life and authentic relationships. My co-authored debut novel, "Kenan," is an international thriller in the vein of the Bourne movies and "Sahara", packed with action and snarky one-liners. It was released last May under the pen name Karis Waters.

Instagram: Create.Explore.Illuminate
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/CPkariswaters/ 
Twitter: @CPKarisWaters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Karis-Waters-829112427157211/

Check out her novel under the pen name Karis Waters...

Kenan
by Karis waters & Carrie Lemke

Assassinations rarely follow the plan, even when you’re the demolitions expert for the Ghazi’s top hit squad, the Katiller. Kenan gets caught in
the crossfire when their latest hit goes south. Bleeding out on the cobblestones of Milan, the one person who can help him is the last person he expects.

Just off her shift at a nearby hospital, American surgeon Kris Marshall thought she was done saving lives for the day—until Kenan falls at her
feet half dead. She doesn’t realize saving him will put herself and her friends in the sights of the world’s deadliest terror organization.

Honor demands the Katiller protect Kris and her friends, since she saved one of their own, but the Ghazi call for her elimination. On the run across
the lush Italian countryside and the icy beauty of the Swiss Alps, Kenan discovers that there is always a choice between life and death. A choice
that might cost him everything.

Purchase: Kenan

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