Tag: Writing

Faith Blum | Author Interview, Book Release, and Giveaway

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments


Once again, welcome Faith Blum onto my blog!

Most of my blog readers are probably pretty familiar with you, since I’ve been a part of several of your blog tours, cover reveals, and what-not. In fact, I’ve already interviewed you twice (here and here). My readers can get to know you there, so this time, I want to focus primarily on your writing craft.
Are you a pantser, plotter, or pantser/plotter hybrid?
For those of you who don’t know these terms, a basic explanation is that a pantser starts a story with only a vague idea of how things are going to be and “flies by the seat of his pants” as he writes. A plotter knows what’s happening when, and follows his plan. A hybrid is a mix of both.
 I’m a hybrid. I usually do mostly pantser, but sometimes when I get really stuck, or just need to focus in on my plot, I’ll do some planning/plotting. For example, the novel I’m working on right now I started knowing a little bit, but not much, of what will happen and am pantsing it. Soon, however, I’ll need to start plotting a little more and deciding how many years to jump and when.

I think our writing styles are very similar, Faith! 🙂 About how many hours do you write a day?
 That totally depends on the day. Some days I don’t write at all and other days I write for probably four or more hours. I’ve recently decided I need to set a specific goal of words to write every day. For now, that goal is 750 words or more per day (not counting weekends), and when I am not editing, I’ll probably up that to 1,500 per day.

Yep, still nodding in agreement over here. 😉 How do you deal with writers’ block or just simply not wanting to write?
 I have a few ways of dealing with writers block. Sometimes I do a rough outline if I haven’t already done that. Other times, I’ll jump ahead to a different scene and come back later to fill in the gaps. When I simply don’t want to write, I usually don’t write. There are days when I’m just too burned out to do any writing. In which case, I’ll usually do some editing, proofreading, reading, marketing, or some other writing related thing.

That’s what most people don’t realize: life as an author isn’t just about getting a story on paper. There’s so much more involved. Good idea to focus on different aspects of the writer’s life during writer’s block. What are some important lessons you’ve learned about the writing process?
 Just keep writing. If you’re stuck, move to a different scene in the book. If the story isn’t going well, start a different project or start that one over again. The goal is to keep writing. Which I should really listen to for myself. *ahem*

Haha! Yeah…
What is probably the biggest blunder you’ve made in writing?
 The biggest blunder I made was publishing my debut novel too quickly. I wanted it published before Christmas, so I rushed it. Now I’m working on getting it edited better to remedy some of the mistakes I made in it.

I’ve seen this blunder in several authors before. I know from experience that it’s so, so hard not to rush! When do you seem to get the best ideas for your stories?
 I think I get some of my best ideas while I am writing. Sometimes those ideas are for the current book and sometimes they are for a future book.

How do you develop your characters? Do you find images online, create Pinterest boards, do character sketches, develop your character as you write, other? 

I mostly develop my characters as I write, but I often use character sketches as well.
Thanks so much, Faith! I thoroughly enjoyed your answers!

– – – –


Faith is releasing another novella right now! I’ve not had time to beta read all of her newest releases, but I did just happen to do this one and I enjoyed journeying with the twins, Eve and Eva!

About the Book

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
 Eve and Evangeline Collins are adventurous twins who decide to take a risk and head west as mail order brides. Their parents are less than pleased, but do nothing to stop them. Eve and Eva don’t realize their danger until they stop just outside Cheyenne. Will they ever see their family again?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HF4UOFE
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30740818-just-as-i-am


About the Author


Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she could write better than Dr. Seuss. Now that she has grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.

When she isn’t writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana, to see the ghost town she chose for her characters to live in. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.

Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Tuesday, July 26
Bookish Orchestrations-Tour introduction
Rachel Rossano’s Words-Excerpt #1
Wednesday, July 27
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Character Interview
Jaye L. Knight-Excerpt #2
Potter’s Word Publishing-Author Interview
Thursday, July 28
With a Joyful Noise-Author Interview
Friday, July 29
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Excerpt #3
Saturday, July 30
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Excerpt #4
Majestic Golden Rose-Author Interview
Zerina Blossom’s Books-Excerpt #5
Monday, August 1
Rebekah Lyn Books-Review and Character Interview
Honey Rock Hills-Review
Abrahamic Adventures-Review
Tuesday, August 2

Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner

Me? Teach Piano? | Book Release and Giveaway

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
Being a teacher is just part of who I am. I love teaching, and it’s easy for me to see that God has given me that love for teaching. Of course, I love teaching piano, but you know what else? I love helping other musicians know how to teach too! (so, I like teaching teachers?) Last year, the Lord gave me the idea to write a down-to-earth, somewhat whimsical booklet, “Me? Teach Piano?” This year, I’m happy to announce that it is available to piano teachers and wanna-be teachers!
For a moment, let me pause and brag on Sydney Bonnell, because I love the cover, and everyone who sees it says they love it too. I had an idea for the cover in mind, but if you know me, you know that the best thing I can draw is stick people. One of my sisters mentioned that a friend’s sister drew and there we had it. God answered Sydney’s prayer for a way to use her drawing, and my prayer in providing an artist! And then once and again, my sister, Elizabeth, helped me out with the inside graphics.
Okay, now for the book!

“You play piano? Could you teach my daughter?” The parent looks too desperate to turn down, yet your thoughts run wild. “Me? Teach piano? I can barely play myself! Do they know what they’re trying to get themselves into?!”

“Me? Teach Piano?” is a simple guide to clear up some of your questions as you learn a down-to-earth approach to creating piano policies, interacting with students, and choosing the correct curriculum.

Purchase on Amazon (available soon in print):

a Rafflecopter giveaway


OTHER BLOGS

As always, a group of supporters rallied behind me for the release of “Me? Teach Piano?” Hop over and check out their sites!

July 27, 2016 (release day)
With a Joyful Noise – http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/
August 1, 2016
Trio Praise – trio-praise.com
August 2, 2016
Honey Rock Hills – http://www.honeyrockhills.com/
August 4, 2016
Bookish Orchestrations – http://bookishorchestrations.blogspot.com
August 8, 2016
A Thousand Daily Deaths – http://www.drumofadifferentbeat.wordpress.com
Peculiar on Purpose – http://peculiaronpurpose.blogspot.com
August 9, 2016

With a Joyful Noise (wrap-up and giveaway announce) – http://withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com/

Letter of Love | Short Story Release

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It is with great excitement I announce one of newest short stories that God has allowed me to complete: “Letter of Love!” I had several people ask demand what happened to Marie’s brother, Edward. I’ll admit, writing this short story took me a lot of time and prayer. I knew what the gist of Edward’s story, but getting it down on paper was surely a task. But, praise the Lord, that is all in the past and the first Orphan Journeys Short Story is now available on Amazon!

Now, some of you have blogs and might be interested in featuring Edward’s story on your blog. Fantastic! Today to August 1, “Letter of Love” will be bouncing back and forth between various blogs, but it’s not too late to sign up for it to visit your blog! I would love to include you!

In honor of “Letter of Love’s” release, I’m having a giveaway!!

If you live in the US, enter here.
If you live out of the US, enter here.

The fun doesn’t end here though! Mark your calendars, because both Journey to Love and Letter of Love will be FREE on Amazon, August 1-2!! You’ll only have two days to snatch them both. Share, share, share about this free deal!

A.M. Heath | Author Interview

Published on by Amanda Tero4 Comments

Today, I have a fellow Indie author — who has become a great friend — over for an interview! I got A.M. Heath’s books last December and within two days, read them both (granted, I was sick and had nothing “better” to do). If you’re a Civil War fanatic, you will want to pick up these books! And the good news is: they’re only 99 cents on Amazon right now! To make it easier for you to go and purchase your own copies, book 1 is here and book 2 is here. You’re welcome! 😉

In a nutshell, what do you write​?​
Christian Fiction or Christian Romance. At the moment, I’m in the middle of a multi-generational series. The first three books cover the Civil War and the last two are set in the present day. But at the heart of everything I write there is at least a touch of good, clean romance AND a God-centered message. 

Amen! And readers like me really, really, appreciate this!! What spurred on the desire for writing​?​
I think I’ve always wanted to write. For as far back as I could remember, I went through seasons where I wrote my own stories. As an adult, I started writing just for fun, but it soon turned into something more serious. 
Now, I’ve come to see that it’s God’s will for my life and the “spurring” comes from Him and the characters that refuse to be silenced. 🙂 

Definitely can identify there! How do you balance writing with living — or is writing your full-time job?I’m a stay at home mom with 4 kids so balance is a really big deal. So how do I balance my life? First of all, I should tell you that I often feel like I’m anything but balanced and am constantly turning back to the basics and starting over. 🙂 But Christians are great repenters, right?!
I have found the key to balance is to understand that your time is NOT your own. It’s God’s. So you need to be ready and willing to be where He wants you in each moment of each day. If I have a sick child at home that might mean snuggling on the couch or running to the doctor’s office. It might mean setting aside my work to chat with a friend who is hurting. Or spending my plotting time doing the dishes and the laundry (which is a great place to plot, by the way!) When you understand that your time isn’t YOURS, it becomes easier to roll with the punches without getting frustrated. I typically wake up everyday seeking God’s will for my day. I also pray for God’s blessings on my efforts since my time is limited and the work pile is great.
Knowing that curve balls are a normal part of my life, I try to make certain adjustments to help ensure that I’m getting a solid writing session. I cannot write when my kids are around. The constant “mommy!” interruptions are just too much for my nerves not to mention my creative thinking. So I don’t even bother trying. Instead, I focus on something that I CAN do while my children are running through the house and save my writing for the quieter hours. Lots of trial and error has taught me some things about myself that I can put into practice to ensure a better writing session. For example, I’ve learned that picking up a fiction book interferes with my creative thinking so I’ve learned to write first and read last. So don’t be afraid to try new things. Even if it fails, you might learn something about yourself that will help you find what works best for you and when you can get the best quality of writing time.  
So the key to balance is to 1) Seek God’s will for you day/hour 2) Plan to work when you don’t plan to be interrupted 3) Pray for God’s blessings on your efforts 4) Don’t be afraid to try new things 5) When all else fails, just roll with the punches. More than a book, God is writing the story of my life. How I handle upsets really does matter. And who I choose to spend my time on matters also. 

Wow, I’ll have to revisit that answer! That’s basically what the Lord has been teaching me (again and again) — to put Him first and leave the minutes of writing up to His blessing.
Who do you hope to reach with your writing?I hope to both the believer and the unbeliever. It’s my constant prayer that the Lord will use my work, whether it’s a post on social media, a blog post, or one of my novels, to edify and draw the Christian closer to Him while also being a witness to the Lost. 

If someone asked you for your best writing tip, what would it be?I like to keep a collection of encouraging quotes displayed on my desk. Here’s one of my favorites: 
“This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and it’s that hard.” – Neil Gaiman
I had stumbled upon this quote at a time in my writing career when I was struggling. This simplified version of a writer’s life helped me to set aside the big picture and just focus on the next word. I was so moved that I blogged about the experience. You can read the full lesson here: https://amheathblog.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/learn-how-to-climb-mountains/

What are three things that you greatly enjoy doing?

Wow, only 3 things….
1) I love to be creative. I’ve been coloring as an adult before it was the new fad. Lol I also love being creative with the camera (since my hands refuse to be talented with a paint brush or pencil). And being creative in the kitchen for sure!! I love to play with colors, textures, and table settings when I cook. If I didn’t spend so much time writing Christian fiction, I would definitely be food blogging! Lol I’m also a cake decorator and it’s where this artist “paints.”
2) I love to relax. And I do that in many ways: snuggling with my family on the couch, reading a good book, drinking tea or coffee (hot or iced! I take it all!!! Lol), taking in some quiet time outside, napping, and snacking. 
3) And I also really enjoy serving my Lord. I love to witness to the Lost, teach my children and those in my Sunday School class, and encourage other believers to persevere and cling to Christ. 
Thanks so much for your wonderful answers! I had so much fun reading them!
ABOUT A.M. HEATH

Bio: Besides being an Indie Author, I’m a wife, mother of four, children’s Sunday School teacher, sweet tea drinker, history fanatic, romantic, bubbly, lover of broccoli, and cake decorator who has a soft spot for Christmas trees, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What I’m not is a laundress (or at least not one who keeps up very well), a duster, tall, or patient in a doctor’s office.

Me? Teach Piano? – ready for review

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It’s almost time, folks! “Me? Teach Piano?” is on the brink of release and I’m getting reviewers signed up to read it. Are you interested in getting a free eBook of “Me? Teach Piano?” Email me at withajoyfulnoise{at}gmail{dot}com and I’ll send a copy your way in exchange of a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads.


Table of Contents:
1. Welcome to the World of Teaching
– Can you do this?
– Not all musicians are teachers
– When a pianist should begin teaching
– Some personal advice
– The one thing I wish I knew

2. Running a Piano Studio
– How do you get students?
– Where should you teach?
– How much should you charge?
– How to organize billing/payments
– Creating a studio policy
– Scheduling lessons
– Recitals
– How to organize lessons or lesson plans

3. Parents and Students
– You and the parents
– You and the students
– Practice
– Student problems

4. About Books
– Lesson books and beyond
– Supplemental material
– Duets
– Theory
– Hymn Playing

5. About Teaching
– The fundamentals (piano keys, finger numbers, note reading, timing, chords, cadences)
– This thing called “ear”

Historical Hints

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments
Historical fiction. It has to be my favorite genre! Not only do I enjoy reading it, I also enjoy writing it. And as I have read and written it, there have been a lot of things that I’ve noticed. Sometimes it is simple things that will make or break your story.
Characters
1800 – You have this kid who says cool.
Actually, it wouldn’t be a kid at all — it would be a child. And “cool” is totally out of his century.
1750 – All of the families have 2-3 children.
Depending on the culture, some of the families would have had 2-3 children, but that was probably due to deaths of children (during childbirth, as infants). Otherwise, if you’re speaking English culture, families would have had larger families.
1550 – “I’m just kidding.”
What? Your character is having a baby goat? Nay. He would be in jest.
980 – “This is my dad.”
The first known use of “dad” is 15th century (how do I know that? Simple online search). He would most likely be “Father.”
How does your character dress? How do they speak? How do they interact with others? What do they call their grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles? How do they spend their days? What is their occupation? The answers to all of these questions help set the tone of your historical fiction novel.
Setting
What is the terrain? What do the houses look like? Are the streets crowded and dirty or clean and free of clutter? The more you describe, the more the reader “feels at home” in your story.
Food
What did they eat? Did they have crackers then? Soup? Bread bowls? Salads? Dressing? You could omit these details, or you could do a little research and make your story authentic.
Items
She looked around the parlor.
What did she see? Were there couches (or were they called sofas or settees)? Did the windows have curtains or drapes? What were the colors? The ambience?  Going from the parlor, what is in the kitchen? A butter churn? What about the barn? Are the walls lined with tack?
Things to Remember
Don’t assume. Do not assume that a published fictional book is accurate. It might be a good place to start with research, but don’t use it as the encyclopedia.
Research pays off. But be sure that you’re researching in the right places. The internet has great sources and the library has great books, but anyone today can have a website or publish a book. Check your information — if you find 2-3 places that say the same thing, chances are you’re pretty accurate. And remember: the best place to find solid information is in original documents, newspapers, etc.
Read books that were published in your era. If you’re writing in the 19th century, you have a world of books you can obtain that were written in the 19th century! And who would better know their century than those authors?
Writing historical fiction is the best tool to learning history — and you will unearth some pretty amazing treasures as you research! Don’t let the magnitude of work discourage you from writing. Learn as you go, and be willing to test your historical authenticity.
What makes a historical fiction novel authentic to you? 
What hints do you have for writing historical fiction?

Kellyn Roth | Author Interview

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Today is the start of a fun weekly event on my blog: author interviews!! Some of these authors, I have just discovered and haven’t read their books yet (like Kellyn), others, I have already read their books, and am sure you’d enjoy them as well.

1) In a nutshell, what do you write​?​
I’d say I write historical fiction with a dash of Christianity. I like the idea of writing romance, but have a terrible fear of it ending up sounding corny. Overdone romance is one of my biggest pet-peeves, and I certainly don’t want to write it! I guess I’ll just have to make sure someone with more common sense than me reads it if I end up writing more romance-y novels. I’ve always dabbled in fantasy and steampunk … but nothing has been good enough to publish as-of-yet. Oh, and I wrote a couple contemporary pony stories a while back that I might rewrite should my adoration of books about horses return. I doubt it, though. 😉

2) What spurred on the desire for writing​?​
“The voices in my head” is my stock answer for when people ask me this. But, really, I don’t know. I’ve been writing ever since I could talk … poetry, songs, short stories, little bits of prose … and I’ve never stopped. I always loved words and characters. My love for plots came later as I began to read, and I started wanting to make my own. Though for the longest time I had no writerly aspirations.

3) How do you balance writing with living — or is writing your full-time job?
Well, I have a pretty relaxed schedule. I’m homeschooled, and I have an average of 2.5 things to do a week during the school year (not counting church). During the summer, it’s a lot less. I usually am able to find a couple hours to write every day.

4) Who do you hope to reach with your writing?
At the moment, I’m writing for upper middle grade and young adult readers, although I think some adults might be interested, too … it really depends on the person. However, I’d like to write for adults in the future (once I am one myself) and smaller children. I’ve always adored kids (I kind of am one myself still), and I really want to write interesting books for them. Also, I’d like to write light, happy books that a mom could spend an afternoon reading while her toddler naps. I know this sounds shallow, but my main goal isn’t to touch people or bring them to God or anything like that … it’s just to make them happy and give them entertainment,  and perhaps to spark their imaginations a little (which is a goal a bit more worthy). And … that sounds like just Disney … But, you know, Disney’s great, and I have no objections to touching people in my own way like old Walt did.


5) If someone asked you for your best writing tip, what would it be?Well, I don’t know. I’m a rookie writer myself … I don’t think I have any great advice to share with the world. 🙂 How about, um … show, don’t tell! (wow, the was cliché!)

​6) What are three things that you greatly enjoy doing?

Um, let me see, sky-diving, shooting baby deer, and … ok, I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m terrified of heights, and I like Bambi just as much as the next girl. Three things I enjoy doing … let me see … horseback-riding, swimming, and reading (which is kind of a given). 🙂


Links and Books
My website: http://kellynroth.wix.com/author (which I almost never update … and on which the formatting is off)

About the Author
Kellyn Roth lives with her parents, two little brothers, incredibly needy cat, and faithful border collie Gidget on a ranch in the country. She has been reading obsessively since she was seven, writing poetry and short stories since she was eight, and writing novels since she was ten. Her goal is to write historical fiction novels (which slight branches out into other genres) with Christian themes. Her debut novel, The Dressmaker’s Secret, can be found on Amazon.

Getting the Keys in the Ignition (Starting Your Story)

Published on by Amanda Tero4 Comments
You have an idea. And it really is a great idea. A fantastic idea. But first, you have to get past that blank page. You have to somehow get the key in the ignition and start this story — get the story engine revved and moving
Many would-be writers stop right there. If this describes you, then get your pen out and just start writing! Guess what the first draft of a story is called? Wow, you’re smart: a first draft! It means this isn’t the finished product. Some writers go through ten, twelve, twenty drafts before their story hits the public. What do you have to worry about now? Not about getting your story perfect. And not about getting that “gripping first line” perfect. You have to start your story. Get your ideas on paper.
Those of you in the “would-be-writer” group, you may stop reading the article and get to work. 😉
Now, some of you are here and all of your stories start with “Once upon a time” or “The sun rose in the sky” or another cliché idea — anything to get you to the story. If your rough draft is finished, congratulations! You started and finished a story! But. You cannot leave your beginning like that. The first sentence of your story will either engage your reader, or turn them away. It is extremely important! Because of this, 99% of the time, the beginning of your story will need to be changed. For the fun of it, I asked a writer’s group that I’m in, “How many of you changed your first sentence, paragraph, or even chapter, after rough draft?” Guess the answers I got? “A hundred times!” – “Oh yeah, over and over!” Several of them said they cut the first chapter completely out — one of them even cut out the first two chapters. They realized that it wasn’t necessary to the plot they had.
Some of you might be at loss with what to do for a new beginning of your story. I wish I had easy answers, but as I’m still working on crafting the beginnings of my stories, I can only give you some tips and ideas.
     – Write something that will hook your reader in the first sentence or two (“The sun rose in the sky” isn’t very gripping. But what about, “Sarah refused to acknowledge that morning had finally come”?)
     – Choose an interesting first scene (start in the middle of your story — Prince Reginald just discovering that he wasn’t really the prince is more interesting than describing the back story of his life as a prince, which might not be relevant to the tale you’re telling)
     – Raise questions about your character and his/her goals (In the examples above, why did Sarah dread this morning? If Prince Reginald wasn’t the real prince, who was? and why did he live as if he was the prince for so long?)
Two things stop your story and make readers groan:
     – Information dump (“Sandra had grey eyes, sandy-brown hair, she was thirteen, had seven siblings who were ages ___. Her parents were both alive and loved the family and they lived happily together in Texas with their dogs, cats, cows, and rabbits.” — instead, weave this information throughout the story)
     – Back story (where you explain why your character is here and detail their past life after you’ve already started the story moving forward. Immediately going into back story instead of pushing the story forward to the future takes careful skill and purpose)
Thinking about the beginning of your story might be tedious and frustrating, but it is worth it!

I leave you with an assignment: go to your bookshelf and pull out ten books. How many of them entice you with the first sentence? How many take a paragraph? How many are just a little dull? Why? Use these observations as a key to start the engine in your own story.
—

What are some of your favorite story beginnings? What are some things you do when mastering your story’s beginning? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The "S" Word (a New Age of Story Telling) | Guest Post

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By Hope Pennigton

And by the “S” word I mean “Social” of course. What were you thinking?

Writers tend to be rather hermity kind of folk in an endearing poetic kind of way. They like to think. To study. To read. To be introverted and in libraries, in the rain, with tea.

Unfortunately if you’re the most amazing, brilliant, best writer in the universe and you’re keeping it in your cosy poetic library or under your bed amidst My Little Pony coloring books it’s not gonna become a best seller.

In today’s writing world sadly and regrettably being social is a part of being a writer.

Now don’t start hyperventilating. *hands a paper bag* This can actually be a lot of fun.

First of all, getting in social group online or in person can kind of be like going to ComicCon or hanging out in your favorite book because your ideal readers and partners are the people who get you, who get your writing and your outlook and want you to succeed.

If there are no preexsisting groups for your niche, create one! Be the leader in that step-into-the-world-of-authors-hanging-out movement.

Most people won’t even know they needed or wanted a social life that promotes their creativity until they’ve been a part of a good one.

And as you step from your house into a group of humans remember: at the end of the day you’re awesome and epic no matter how anyone else sees you or your work.

So go make friends and colleagues!

It can really be a lot more fun then you thought.

If you have tips or thoughts on socializing in the author world let us know in the comments below! 🙂

~*~*~

About Hope:
Hope Pennington is a nerdy homeschooled grad who loves writing, reading and imagining she’s in the TARDIS with the Doctor. Jesus is her best friend and she loves Starbucks too.

Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Tumblr, and her Blog.