On the Hunt for Bargains

Bargain - a thing bought or offered for sale more cheaply than is usual or expected.

Folks all along US 127 have been either offering or looking for bargains all week. The worlds longest yard sale goes from Alabama to Michigan with Kentucky right in the middle. Last week, scenes like the one above were scattered all along the road that runs through the county where I live. People set up booths full of everything but the kitchen sink and I imagine there were even a few of those sinks for sale here and there. Landowners with an accessible piece of property rented out spaces with an eye to this new cash crop and the hope that it wouldn't rain too much so that the bargain hunters' wouldn't get stuck in their fields. And the bargain hunters came. 

I'm not a yard sale person. Not even much of a bargain hunter. I shop when I have to - food, grandkids' birthdays and Christmas. I have been to yard sales a few times in years past. My daughter and I explored a few when she was first renting an apartment to see if she could find some cheap dishes, etc. I've even bought a few things I really like at yard sales, but I didn't dip my shopping toes into the 127 Yard Sale this year. My husband did. He likes bargain hunting much more than I do. Of course the bargains he's hunting are way different than the bargains I'd be hunting if I decided to join the shopping fray.
 
But there are other ways to find bargains besides on the 127 Yard Sale. Bargains pop up every day on the internet - especially if you are an e-book reader. Books show up free every day and sometimes are only free for a day so you have to grab them quick. Other times, they stay free for weeks, even months like my Hollyhill book, Scent of Lilacs. Still free on Amazon, Nook and Christianbook.com. 

But that's not the only bargain going on with my books right now. My story set in Louisville in 1855 that has more romance than some of my other books, Words Spoken True, has been at the reduced price of 99 cents at Amazon for a couple of weeks now. May end today. I don't know, but right now it's a bargain. 


And then there's the e-book version of Angels at the Crossroads, the only nonfiction book I've written, that stays at a bargain e-book price of around three bucks. That book is a friend's powerful life testimony of forgiveness and redemption that shows how the Lord never gives up on us no matter how we mess up. Instead he puts people in our paths to help us choose the right direction when we stand at those crossroads in life. 

You can even find bargains out there in print books. The internet has made bargain finding in books so much easier. Unfortunately, that has also made it hard for many brick and mortar stores to compete, but that's part of the free enterprise system. For months now, readers have had the opportunity to buy the print version of Small Town Girl at Christianbook.com for a low price. 


So the book bargains are out there. For my books and for many other writers' books too. The price per word of these bargains is almost too low to figure and free is free. Of course, they have to be words you want to read or the bargain isn't a bargain. But if you're a bargain hunter, you don't have to get out and fight the 127 traffic. You can just cruise around on the internet and find some book bargains and then settle down out on the swing or glider on your porch with a tall glass of sweet tea and enjoy some stories at a bargain price.

Talking Books in E-town

February and March have been busy book months for me with the release of Words Spoken True. The book went on a blog tour and has gotten over fifty reviews so far. Most have been very positive which is nice for this writer since the book is very different from my other recent books. You never know if readers are going to be willing to follow you along a different story trail. I'm thankful so many of you were willing to try something different, because I like writing different types of books.


But not only the book went on a blog tour, I did too, visiting numerous blogs to talk about Words Spoken True and do some interviews. I've been a regular at our post office sending out books to this or that person who won a book by commenting on one of those blogs I visited. And I still have a couple of interviews promised that I haven't done yet. I love talking about books. My books and other books too.


That's what I was doing with these lovely ladies above. We got together at the fabulous Word of God Christian Book and Gifts Store in Elizabethtown. Michele Brown was nice enough to ask me down to talk about my writing with some of her customers.

It is always enlightening to hear what readers have to say about the books they read - especially when they're talking about a book I wrote! One of the ladies there said she didn't like my ending and when she explained her problem with it, I could see her point of view. That didn't make me wish I'd written the ending differently. I think what happened in the story is what happened. That's the way stories are for me. I write down what happened. But it was interesting seeing the story from her perspective.

Some of the ladies had read my Shaker books, so of course, we did some Shaker talking too. And they told me what they liked in the books they read. I asked them if they liked romance in their stories and they said yes. I asked them if they liked sad endings and they said no. I asked what they liked best about the stories they read and they said characters they could like. I certainly could go along with that. Who wants to read a book about characters you don't like? So I had a great time talking books with reading friends in E-town.

This coming Saturday, March 10, I'm going to be going down that highway again. This time to Horse Cave, KY for a book signing at the Two Bears and a Dog Book Store. I doubt if I'll ever visit a book store with a better name. I am scheduled to be there between 1 and 4 p.m., so if you're in the area, drop by to see me and meet those "bears" and a dog.  Then next Thursday, March 15, I'll be at Joseph-Beth's Book Store in Lexington with my writer friend, Virginia Smith to talk about and sign our new books. Ginny's latest release, A Heart's Frontier has been getting great reviews. We'll be sure to have plenty to talk about with our Lexington, KY reading friends.

One of the questions I asked on one of my blog visits was "What question do you most like to have an author answer in a blog interview? Or what question do they never get asked that you would like to see?"

I sent out my prizes for the Words Spoken True Louisville Celebration Contest last week. Well, two of them. I still haven't heard from one of the prize winners. Anna S., if you're out there, please check your e-mails. I may have to redraw for the 2nd place winner if I don't hear from Anna soon. But I got this neat note from the 1st place winner, Jodi K from Wisconsin, about the basket of KY breakfast goodies she won.  "I received the gift basket today. The derby pie was heavenly and I did not share. I can't wait to make breakfast this weekend." Glad you enjoyed the pie, Jodi!

Thanks for reading, everybody. What question would you like to see answered in the writer interviews you read?






  

Silly Rhymes and Romantic Lines

Do you remember these kind of sayings? "Yours til' Ivory soup sinks." Do you remember Ivory soap? It's still on the store shelves and it still floats.  So whoever wrote that promise in my little autograph book when I was a kid must still be mine. The autograph books were sort of a fad when I was in grade school. A lot of us girls carried them around and begged people to write something in them. Like a love poem. "Roses are red. Violets are blue. Angels in heaven know I love you." Or shorter little promises like the one about Ivory soap. Another one I remember is "yours till the ocean runs dry." There were more. Some sweet. Some silly. 

Not too long ago, I came across my old autograph book from when I was maybe ten. If you're old enough, you probably have one stuck away somewhere too. Boy, did mine bring back memories as the youthful handwritten entries stabbed me with their innocence. 

I was going to take a picture of it for this post tonight, but naturally, I put it up somewhere for safe keeping. Now it's safe from me since I have no idea where that safe place is. But Valentine's Day started  me thinking about those cute verses. " When you get old and cannot see, put on your specs and think of me."   " 2 good 2 B 4gotten."  "Yours until elephants roost in trees." 

Hope you got a card with a verse that made you smile and feel loved. Or maybe you got candy and flowers. Or just a treasured call from a friend or family member. Most of the restaurants were hopping last night as couples, friends, and families enjoyed a night out. Darrell and I went to a local Mexican restaurant where they had taped fresh roses and balloons to the ends of the booths. At the end of the meal, they presented us with a free ice cream dessert and two spoons. Not exactly a candlelight dinner experience, but fun. So many ways to celebrate love. 

One of those ways is by writing blog posts and giving away stuff. I'm visiting Sunnybank Meanderings today talking about "Romances to Remember." And I'll be giving away an autographed copy of Words Spoken True to one of Caroline's commenters. Revell Books and I are also sponsoring a Louisville themed giveaway because that's the setting for Words Spoken True. Here's a picture of the second place prize in that giveaway open for entries all month on my website and here on my blog too. Just click on the book's cover to go to the entry form. I'm also doing a newspaper related giveaway at Fresh Fiction. A newspaper book bag and some books. So lots of ways to win with several more guest posts to come in the next few weeks.

It's fun visiting other blogs to talk about Words Spoken True. Since it's Valentine's month and my book is definitely romantic, I've been talking about romance. It's not easy to come up with a fresh post each time I visit a new place to talk about my book. The story in my book doesn't change. I still only have my two main characters to talk about. The same background, the same historical happenings. And I can't tell the whole story. I want you readers to have to read that for yourselves. 

Me and you - we're a partnership. I write the stories out of my imagination, but it takes your imagination while reading the stories to truly make the story circle. Thanks for reading tonight and making our friendship circle. So glad to have you as reading friends." Yours until Niagara falls."   Maybe I'll have an autograph book two entry on Wednesday. Lots of great info out there on the net about those old autograph books.

Some Days We Need An Inspirational Kick

A lot of you know I'm a big basketball fan. And living in Kentucky, that means I bleed blue. Ever since I was a kid I've been listening to UK play basketball. Been through some exciting times with the Cats and some disappointing times. Right now, things are going well in the Big Blue Nation. We've got a good team and a coach most all of us can like. 

I know you're all wondering how I'm going to tie all this in with the picture I've posted. Well, I heard Coach Cal on the radio the other day and he was talking about coaching and how a person can get off track. He said he had a banner in this office that read "Coach Your Team." I think he was saying that he had to work with what he had and not worry about what other coaches were doing. He had to be the coach for his players. 

That resonated with me. Not the coaching part, but the taking care of your own corner of the world part. So I made a banner for my blog tonight. "Write Your Book." I can't write somebody else's book. I can't waste a lot of time wishing I wrote as well as this bestselling author or that much admired wordsmith. I guess it's only natural to wish to be better at whatever we want to do whether that's writing or throwing basketballs through a hoop. But I'm not going to get to be a better writer by wishing I was somebody else writing somebody else's book. I have to write my book. 

Then once I have it written, I could make another banner. "Turn Your Book Loose." Give it to the readers and hope they will like the story. Just don't obsess about it. Turn it loose and look back to banner one. "Write Your Book." 

The thing about writing novels is that by the time one book makes it out to market, most of the time a writer is putting the finishing touches on a new book. And some writers might have finished several books in that year it takes a book to wind its way through a traditional publishing house and be printed and ready to go out and find those readers. All that is good inspirational advice. But even the best advice is hard to follow sometimes. It's hard to turn loose a book and not feel a little tightening in the throat when the first reviews roll in. What are readers going to think? Are they going to like your characters? Are they going to be caught up in the story? Are you, the writer, going to develop a thick skin and be able to remember that first banner and "write your book" no matter what the reviewers say? So many questions. Questions that might not have easy answers. 

But I have gotten the answer about the first couple of reviews I've seen for Words Spoken True. RT Book Review Magazine gave the book 4 stars. Then Long and Short Reviews posted a really nice review today. Loved some of the imagery the reviewer used about the story being a tapestry with the different threads of the characters and their stories woven into it. And isn't this button image they sent me nice? This is the one for romance. The one for sci-fi is green. The one for mystery another color. I'll let you guess what color they use for the spicier romances. Sort of fun. 

But you know the reviews that are best are the ones from you. I'm always glad to get an e-mail or comment telling me what a reader likes about my books. The ones where you tell me what you don't like aren't quite as much fun, but I'm tough. I can take it, because you know what? I have to "Write MY Book." 

Don't forget the giveaway. Comment on the blog and get your name thrown in the pot again for an autographed copy of Words Spoken True. I'll pick the winner February 1. Remember, this is just for those of you who comment on my blog posts so your chances of winning are pretty good. I do need a way to get in touch with you or you'll need to check my Wednesday blog on Feb. 1 to see if you won and then you can let me know how to contact you.

As always, thanks for reading. I do so appreciate each and every one of you. 

Holding the Promise of a Book

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book.  ~Author Unknown
 

I'm excited today about getting the first copy of my new release, Words Spoken True. I've had my ear tuned for the UPS truck to bounce into my driveway for several days now because I knew it was close to time for that advance copy to make its way to me. It takes so long to turn a story into a real book you can hold in your hand that the day when you do actually hold that book and see your words inside is a day to celebrate. 

So I've been celebrating today by sharing the news with my Facebook friends and family. (And planning a new celebration giveaway. I'll announce details soon.) One of the things I said on my Facebook writer's page was how I loved holding a new book in my hand and thinking about readers picking it up and sharing my story. Such a promise. 

Then one of my friends got me thinking with her comment that as a reader, she loved holding a new book too. I knew what she meant. I've had that same feeling many times when I picked up a new book to read. Perhaps it was by a favorite author that I knew was going to entertain or inspire me. Perhaps it was just the story that held out promise. Perhaps it was simply holding the book and knowing that I was going to be able to live some new adventures or through some historical times with the characters inside. People a writer had captured in words that were going to spring to life in my mind and let me accompany them on their journey through the pages.

That doesn't necessarily mean that whatever book I might be holding when I was feeling that promise was a new release. A book unread is a new book to the reader whatever the publication date. Samuel Butler says it well in this quote. "The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them."

Release dates are fun. Holding a book fresh off the press is a definite highpoint in a writer's life. Still, it's what's inside that book, the words that may catch a reader up into the lives of the characters and make the story come to life in his or her imagination, that's the promise I hope I'm giving readers when they hold one of my books. It's the same promise I want to feel when I pick up a new book to read. Movies and t.v. are nice. But books - books are magic.

"Books are a uniquely portable magic."   ~Stephen King 

Thanks for reading. And don't forget my giveaway just for those of you who read One Writer's Journal. Leave a comment between now and the end of the month on a post here and your name will go into a pot for a random drawing to win an autographed copy of Words Spoken True. Each time you comment on a different post, your name goes in the drawing again so you can have multiple chances of winning.

Editing The Gifted

What do you think of Jessamine here? I don't often let my heroines have blonde hair. Mostly I want them to have dark hair or auburn hair. It goes back to when I was a kid and everybody was always talking about how cute the blue-eyed, blonde girls were. Me, I wasn't blonde. Me, I had eyes that couldn't make up their mind if they were green or gray or, as my son told me once when he was very young, yellow. I preferred to think of them as having flecks of gold. :)

So when I started making up stories, my characters, especially the girls, weren't blonde. My heroines might be blue-eyed brunettes or redheads, but definitely not blondes. That is, until Jessamine. Jessamine is beautiful with hair like spun gold and eyes the color of cornflowers. But that's not the best thing about Jessamine. The best thing is her spirit.

I've been editing The Gifted all week. I don't mind editing. Well, maybe I should "edit" that a bit. I don't mind editing - I even like editing - when it's my idea. Actually, I've been blessed with wonderful editors at Revell for all my inspirational novels and I've not resisted their suggestions to make the stories better except once or twice. Even then, after sleeping on the editor's suggestions, I began to see the light - the editor's light. An editor simply wants to make the story the best it can be. That's what I want too, so I start editing. 

Most of the time, after thinking there's absolutely no way I can do whatever the editors want without having to rewrite the whole thing completely, I figure out a way to make the changes without that much angst. I usually end up agreeing that the editor was right. Sometimes that's almost like admitting your husband is right about something you've insisted he was wrong about for a week. Let's just say, it ain't always easy. 


I didn't have that trouble with these edits. They were fairly simple and I found myself writing "Okay" in a lot of the comment boxes to indicate whatever the editor suggested worked. My editors have nudged me toward being a better writer, more aware of the mistakes I often make while writing. Like that pet word I seem to always bring along to every new manuscript. It's gotten so that every time I type the word "just" or "still," I start hitting the delete key. You'll never believe what my pet word or I guess I should say words were in this book. "Of course." Of course, it was. I'm through with the edits but I'll have to do a search for those of courses. I caught a few, but my eyes must have slid right over the others. My sweet editor counted them for me. You know, this technology stuff is too handy at finding a writer's props and knocking them out from under her.

This is the last sneak peek I'm going to give of Jessamine until June. Got to think about Words Spoken True right now and I'm very excited about readers cracking open that book. Very excited! So excited that I'm coming up with a new celebration giveaway. I'll unveil the prizes soon. Before that, here's a giveaway just for those of you who read my blog. Leave a comment between now and when I receive copies of my new book in the next week or so, and one of you will win an autographed copy of Words Spoken True hot off the press. Each time you leave a new comment on a different post, your name will go in the drawing again. And if only one of you comments, then you know what? You'll have a pretty good chance of winning. 


Thanks for reading. It's always good to have you come by to walk with me down my meandering thinking lane. Hope you have a great week.

Thanks

Looking Ahead to Writing Goals in 2012

"Never believe in mirrors or newspapers." (John Osborne - British playwright and producer 1929-1994)

Last Wednesday I looked back at 2011. I think it's good to take stock of where you've been but it's even better to look ahead to where you're going. A writer can hang onto the last story too long sometimes and not reach out for the new story. With writing, the thing is that it's usually at least a year before you get to actually see your story in book form. So by the time one story is all wrapped up in a great cover and ready to hit the stores for readers, then a productive writer has another story ready to start the publishing process. And some really productive writers have several stories ready to go. I read about one writer not long ago who has nine new books coming out in 2012. I can't even imagine doing all the editing, etc. that would be required on that many books in one year, much less write that many new books.

But I do have two books coming out in 2012. For me, that's a lot. First up is Words Spoken True. It releases February 1, and I'm thinking I might get a copy hot off the presses any time now. I read my first review of the book this week. RT Book Review Magazine gave it 4 stars and said "Gabhart’s ability to transport readers into the world of newspaper writing in the 1850’s is amazing. Her latest conveys the power of the written word, family secrets and the knowledge that the choices we want to make are not always the ones that happen in the end." 

I always feel a sigh of relief when the first review I see on a book is positive. That doesn't mean the next one will be, but at least somebody thought the story was okay. Now I have to wait to see what my readers think. I actually dedicated this book to my readers who have followed my story trail through my small town of Hollyhill to my Shaker village of Harmony Hill back to a little community called Rosey Corner and now to Louisville. I've so appreciated my readers who have been willing to give my different stories a chance.

 Some of you will be happy to know I am going back to Harmony Hill for another story. I'm actually doing edits on The Gifted right now. I wanted to come up with a different heroine for this Shaker book and I think I succeeded with Jessamine Brady. The book won't be out until July, but it, like Words Spoken True, is already available for pre-sale on some internet bookselling sites. 

So that's what's already in the pipeline for me in 2012. I've got those stories written. Words Spoken True is edited and ready. The Gifted will go through a couple of edits and then it'll be ready for readers too. That's the easy part of my writing road in 2012. But I want to write more stories so that I can look ahead to more books ready in 2013.

My writing road is sort of bumpy right now since I have to spend so many hours sitting with my mother. I am trying to work out a new writing schedule, but so far it hasn't been easy. It would be great if I could sit down in front of my computer and have the story flow like water out of a primed pump, but it's not usually that easy for me. But I keep writing and the story usually trickles out if I keep pumping hard enough. That's what I'm looking forward to in 2012. Pumping hard and keeping my fingers on the keyboard to write two new stories that will speak to my heart first and then perhaps to readers' hearts on down the road. 

What are you looking forward to in 2012? I hope you have some exciting things awaiting you and that you are pushing toward your  goals. Thanks for reading. I appreciate each and every one of you who reads my journal here and those of you who follow it every week. I always enjoy your comments too. Thanks so much. 

2012 - Challenges and Goals

Image credit: jscreationzs

For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. - T.S. Eliot

2012! That sounds so far into the future. Of course it isn't. It's actually the here and now. The first day of a new year. Each day will be a new page to write our own stories on. Some days will be sunshiny and bright. Some will be dull and gray. Some very busy. Some maybe relaxed and lazy. We may have some sad days, hard days, but then again, we will surely have good days, satisfied with our lives days. 366 days this year since it's a leap year. I've still never figured out quite how we can have a fourth of a day extra every year and keep those fourths all in reserve for that day in leap year's February. I know, I must be calendar challenged.

Since we're talking about challenges - we are, aren't we? - what challenges are you going to welcome in 2012. We need challenges to keep life interesting. Challenges and goals. I have some challenges lurking out there in the days ahead. Some of them I can see poking out from behind the shadow of the future. A couple of books to write with the words coming hard and not enough free writing hours in the day. Taking care of my mother while she slowly sinks deeper into the confusion of dementia. Finding the time for reading and renewal and rest. Other challenges that await me in 2012 are hidden deep in the unknown that will slowly be revealed day by day. It's up to me to prepare myself and be ready for whatever 2012 might hold for me. 

I know some good things speeding my way. Words Spoken True will release in a few weeks. I'm excited about a new book out there for readers. And this book is different - very romantic. Unlike the Shaker books that can't have much romance due to that pesky rule those Shakers had about men and women being forever separated. That makes romantic scenes difficult to come by, but I did find ways around that in the Shaker book, The Gifted, scheduled to come out next summer. But with Words Spoken True, I didn't have to tiptoe around the romance. I let it run a happy course right through the heart of the story. 

I don't normally make resolutions. I do often examine my goals. What do I hope to accomplish with my writing? How can I become a better person? What steps do I need to take to move toward my goals? So no real resolutions to be quickly abandoned. Although I could eat better, lose a little weight, be more generous, get rid of clutter. See - when I start resolving I don't know when to stop and soon I'm overwhelmed and surrender to the hopelessness of it without much of a fight. Have you ever made resolutions that you kept? What sort were they? Resolutions to live healthier? Be kinder? Become more spiritual?  
 
The quote above spoke to me. I do need to leave last year's words behind and find the new words, the new voice for a new story. Not always so easy to do, but I've done it before. I hope to do it again. 

Whatever we resolve or don't resolve, I hope 2012 is a year of good things and many blessings for all of you and me too. 

For those of you wonderful readers who entered my Christmas giveaway, I drew for the winners and have already sent these lucky winners e-mails. The winner of the music box and one of my books is Jeanne. Christine from FL can no longer say she's never won. She won a copy of one of my books and the Christmas book, Startling Joy. The other two winners, Christine of IA and Gina J. won copies of The Dog Next Door and their choice of one of my books. Then because I so enjoyed all your stories, I picked an extra winner out of those who shared their favorite Christmas memories. Angie C. will have her choice of one of my books. I wish I could send you all a book, but if I did that, I'd run out of time to write for sure. But I do appreciate those of you who entered. I'll be doing another giveaway soon to celebrate the release of Words Spoken True. 


Meanwhile, Happy New Year! May 2012 have nothing but good things hiding in the dimness of the future ready to pop out at you. Thank you so much for reading and for commenting at times. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Counting My Blessings on Thanksgiving!

There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American. ~O. Henry

Thanksgiving is a great time to pause and think about our blessings. Family is certainly a blessing that has me counting. And grandkids are easy to name in that number. One through nine for us - all beautiful children who can make this grandmother smile. But I'm also thankful for the rest of my family too. My husband, my children and their spouses, my mother and my dad - though he's been gone over 20 years - my sisters, my in-laws and all the others in my extended family. That's one of the good things about living in the same place forever and having family that has done the same. So many great connections and family who are not only related by blood but by love and common experiences. 

My country church

I'm thankful for my church family and for a pastor who is able to open up the Bible and reveal its lessons and truths to me. I'm thankful for the Lord and the many times He has blessed me and forgiven me. I'm thankful for all the everyday blessings of life - blue skies and rain, flowers and trees, hummingbirds and snowbirds, breaks in the traffic when I'm merging onto a busy interstate, a car that starts when I turn the key, a child's smile, a baby's first giggle, a dog's wagging tail - just to name a few. So many little gifts of life to enjoy and appreciate. 

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

Coming February 2012

So this Thanksgiving Day I want to be conscious of my treasures. I can't leave out the blessing of being able to live my dream of writing books and seeing them published for readers to share my stories. Each book a blessing. Each reader a blessing too. I thank all of you who have read my books or who peek in here at my journal from time to time. I am thankful for each of you. And for a new book to come in the new year and for the unknown blessings it may bring me in the months to come.


Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. ~Native American Saying

So may you have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving Day with many unknown blessings headed your way. As always, thanks for reading. Oh, and for those of you who didn't know the way I didn't know, saleratus means baking soda. A saleratus biscuit is a soda biscuit - the kind my mother used to make every day for breakfast.  

Judging a Book by the Cover

One of the most exciting parts of getting a book published is seeing the cover that the publisher's art department creates to represent your story. I really like the cover for my new book releasing in February. The girl looks like Adriane in the book and I love the city backdrop. The story is set in 1855 Louisville and I think the cover shows the historical setting well. What do you think?

Book covers have trends. For several years, the popular chick lit books all had feet or legs of the character model. Many historicals in the inspirational field showed the model in whatever pose but only from the shoulders down. No face. Some readers prefer that. They want to come up with the character's looks on their own and not be distracted by an actual photograph that might have a model who doesn't look the way they envision a character in the book. Lately a lot of books have had the head of one of the characters - sometimes both male and female characters - sort of super-imposed on the background. Then along came those books that hardly had pictures on them at all and only the title shown in a dramatic way. So many ways to make a book cover.

How that cover comes about is a question I get at a lot of the talks about writing that I do. People will ask who did I get to do the cover or did I do the cover. They are very curious about the process. Most publishers work hard to present a book with a great cover. That's because the cover is the first enticement to a reader when a book is there on the store shelf with dozens of other books. A great title helps too, and of course, many readers pick by the writer's name if they've read and liked previous books by her or him. But readers enjoy finding new writers, new books. That's when that first impression is so important. 

My current publisher, Revell Books, comes up with eye-catching covers that capture the spirit of the book. While I would have never thought of using the cover they did for Angel Sister, it was perfect. Lorena was plucked right out of the pages of my book and she has the perfect look on her face as she's looking up at her "angel sister." That cover attracted a lot of readers' eyes and I think encouraged some of them to give my story a try. By the way, I just got some good news that Angel Sister was picked as one of RT Book Reviews Top Inspirational Novels of 2011.  That has me smiling, but then every time somebody has told me they enjoyed reading my story about the Merritt family, I've been smiling. 

Then one last book cover. Everybody knows the Amish fiction is very popular with readers in the inspirational market right now. And those covers usually have a model wearing a bonnet of some sort. My Shaker books aren't a lot like the Amish fiction because the Shakers were quite a bit different from the Amish, but the Shaker girls on the covers attract the eyes of those who enjoy Amish fiction. I'm grateful that many of them have also enjoyed the Shaker stories. So here's my new cover for The Gifted that will be out next summer. A few sites have given a peek at the cover and it's out there on the internet bookselling sites, but this is the first time I've put it out for eyes to see. 

What do you think? Do you like the cover? Does a great cover make you pick up a book to read?

Finding the Best Words to Tell the Story

" And that is all there is to good writing, putting down on the paper words which dance and weep and make love and fight and kiss and perform miracles."   (Gertrude Stein)

Words - the tools of a writer's trade. Words tell your story. Words make your characters leap off the page and come to life. Words plunge those characters into disasters or lift them up into joy. George Bernard Shaw has a true view of words in a story. " Words are only the postage stamps delivering the object for you to unwrap."  The object I'm trying to deliver for readers to unwrap is a story. 


I've been editing the galleys of my book, Words Spoken True, that is scheduled for release in February 2012. So tonight, since I have been engulfed in words for several days now, I'm very conscious of how much difference a right word can make or the trouble a wrong word can cause in a story. Words Spoken True deals with words in another sense too since the characters in it are newspaper people whose lives revolve around the words they put out on the street for the people to read. The power of the printed word. 


I never wanted to be a journalist. I always wanted to make up my stories, not report true stories. But I seem to enjoy making up stories that have newspaper editors as characters. David in my Hollyhill books is not only a preacher, but the editor of the small town's newspaper. I wrote a couple of mysteries that have yet to be published where one of the main secondary characters is the editor of the town's paper. Newspapers have played a big roll in the history of our nation and they certainly play a major role in the history of this new book of mine. 

So words have been my focus this week. I've read through this story at least a dozen times, probably more, and each time I find things to rewrite. I find words that clutter and must be removed. I find words that might be okay, but aren't the best to tell my story. The first words are not always the right words. 



Plain or fancy, the words need to fit the story. The words inside the quotation marks need to be words that would come from the mouths of my characters. And so I examine every scene, every conversation to make it the best I can. I edit by ear. The words sound out in my head as I read and sometimes while I'm reading along, suddenly I bounce into a chug hole of awkward writing. That's what I'm trying to take out. I'm trying to make the reading road as smooth as possible for my readers so that those readers will not get bounced out of the story. That means paying attention to details. Things like not using the same word over and over. My pet words in this one were "a bit." Everything was a bit this or that. Of course I was also too fond of "still" and "just." Still, it's just so easy to use them a bit too often. :o)  

There are plenty of details to watch. Details like being sure the POV is clear in each scene. Details like paying attention to the time line and the names of minor characters. Details like not having your characters need to be contortionists to make the movements you have them making. Details like chopping out those adverbs and letting your dialogue do the work instead. 

So I've been smoothing out the road my words have made in hopes that the reader will pick up my book and not be jerked out of the story by sloppy writing. Details. That's what editing is about. Making the story right. Making the story sing. I'm hoping I got the details right, but I'll have one more go at it to correct minor problems when I get to review the pages before the book goes to print. And again I'll be reading and editing by ear. 


How do you like the cover? I like how the town of Louisville is behind my beautiful heroine. Adriane is beautiful in the book, but of course she cares more about writing stories for the newspaper than she does about being beautiful.  


What do you think about books you've read? Can you tell when the authors are careful with details? Or do you even care as long as the story pulls you in? 


Thanks for reading. And don't forget about my birthday giveaway. You can check it out on my website and send me an e-mail to enter or leave a comment here. I'll be doing the drawing for four winners the end of September. Remember if you've never won anything from my website to tell me that to get your name in the bonus drawing.

Counting Butterflies and Editing Galleys

The butterfly counts not months, but moments, and has time enough. ... Rabindranath Tagore

We've had a beautiful summer here in Kentucky - the first one in several years where we had enough rain to keep the fields green into August. I took a walk this week through our hayfield before my husband mowed it and counted butterflies. Well, not actually how many butterflies I saw, but how many butterflies of different colors, sizes and markings. The past few dry summers, it has seemed as if butterflies were becoming scarce. But this year they have rebounded. I counted almost twenty different looking butterflies in my mile and a half walk. The one in the picture is not one of them. I didn't have my camera with me this week so this is a butterfly I captured in my lens earlier this summer on a thistle bloom. But on my walk I saw little white and yellow butterflies. I saw Monarchs and lots of black ones with yellow spots. I spotted one black with blue spots. I saw small orange butterflies with big spots and other little orange butterflies that wouldn't stay still long enough for me to see their spots. 

I didn't look up any varieties. You'll have to use your imagination or go out in the fields and see what's flying around your way. I was just having fun as I gave my mind a break from editing my book, Words Spoken True that will be out next February. I like this story. It's different from my Shaker stories and from my family stories too. It's a true historical romance. The 1855 Louisville history is a great backdrop for the romance. Suffice it to say, the setting is not my Harmony Hill Shaker village. There are no rules against romance in this story. The edits so far have been minor - mostly rewording scenes to make them read smoother and to cut out those pet words that I seem to love to overuse. 

But those of you who love that Harmony Hill Shaker Village setting, don't despair. The next thing I edit will be The Gifted, my fifth Shaker book. I saw the cover last week and all it needs is a butterfly. :-) Actually I have my heroine, Jessamine, thinking about caterpillars turning into butterflies in that story. Sometimes all the threads come together. 


Thank you so much for reading, and I do very much appreciate all of you who shared comments about what you like to see in newsletters. My birthday giveaway will be open for entries until the end of September, so if you haven't entered and would like to, either send me an e-mail or leave a comment here saying you'd like to be entered. You can check my website or the archives here to see what you might win. I'll be posting about it again too before I do the drawing for winners. 


If you want an extra chance to win a copy of The Blessed, you can go to Trish Perry's Reading, Writing and the Stuff In-Between and leave a comment in answer to my question there. It's a question my dog and animal loving friends might have fun answering. 



Last but not least, here's a quote I found about butterflies. It sounds like something my character, Jessamine might say.


" How does one become a butterfly?"  she asked. 
" You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."   (Unknown author)

Wildflowers and Edits

I met an editing deadline yesterday. Actually I was almost two weeks early, but that other deadline for my Shaker 5 book is looming out there so I wanted to get the edits done as fast as possible. That way I can get going again on the Shaker book. I reread what I've already written or most of it today. Not bad, but I'm needing a brain surge to tell me what happens next. I like my characters, so that's a good thing. Maybe they'll whisper their plans for the rest of the story in my ear tonight while I sleep.

The book I finished editing is the one set in 1855 in Louisville. It's got lots of romance and some suspense and good helping of history. I think you readers will like my hero. He's very handsome and very in love with the heroine. We've struggled a little with the title for this one. I came up with Words of Fire. I still like that, but the publishers wanted something that sounded more romantic since this story teems with romance. So we've settled on Words Spoken True. What do you think? Does it make you think romance? They tell me the ideas for the cover are going to be fabulous. Anyway, I got the editor's suggested edits finished. Now I can get back to figuring out how to sneak a little romance into my Shaker village, Harmony Hill. Not exactly the easiest place to have a romance since the Shakers did not believe in romance at all.

But as a reward for getting the edits done and since we had a beautiful, sunshiny Sunday and I had to do something to take my mind off UK losing that ballgame, I decided to take a wildflower walk. I really didn't think that many of the wildflowers would be blooming since it had been so chilly all last week, but when I got over to Panther Rock where the wildflowers abound, they were blooming all over. There were the Dutchman's Breeches in the picture above. Those flowers do great over there and they are my mom's favorites. I don't normally pick wildflowers, but since there are scads of these and Mom loves them so much, I always pick a bloom to bring to show her. It's a good thing to see her smile.

But besides the Dutchman's Breeches, there were Woods Poppy, Twin Leaf, Bloodroot, Anemone, Spring Beauty, Yellow Trout Lilly, Sweet William, and others I need to look up in the flower book. I try to remember all the names, but I lose a few from year to year. It's such a treat for me to go see the flowers and I have the bonus of the sun glinting off the creek water as it flows past me. Today I had even more bonuses. I found a nest of some kind of animal in a hollow tree. Not sure what. And I didn't linger because I was afraid my dogs would come investigate and think the little creatures were supper. They could have easily gotten to them. Then I saw a huge crawdad. And a dozen wild turkeys. It was flower and wildlife day. I took pictures, but they never turn out as good as it looks when I'm right there in the middle of it all.

I'll have to go back in a week or so and see what else is blooming out. I'm sure to hit a knotty spot in my book and need to walk a while to give my brain time to figure it out. Writing isn't only done when your fingers are on the keyboard.

Do you like wildflowers? Well, here's wishing you "May all your weeds be wildflowers." Tell me about the wildflowers you love or how you reward yourself for getting something done.