Author Interview: Tristi Pinkston

By Nichole Giles

With the recent batch of new books coming out, there are quite a lot of authors who are doing blog tours. What is a blog tour? It’s a new, high-tech way of free advertising, baby! An author will tour from blog to blog, having book reviews and answering questions to the host—all from the comfort of the author’s favorite computer chair.

I am such a lucky girl because I am part of a continuously growing community of authors who are happy to host each other in their blog touring efforts. This week, I had the opportunity to interview Tristi Pinkston, whose newest release; “Season of Sacrifice” has been available for purchase since March.

“Season of Sacrifice” is the story of the Perkins family who were part of the famous “Hole in the Rock” pioneer settlers. Benjamin and Mary Ann Perkins had a good life, and were looking forward to the day when Mary Ann’s family would be able to immigrate from Wales to be near them. They never expected to be called away from their home in Cedar City so soon, and Mary Ann had never dreamed that she might be required to share her husband with her younger sister, Sarah—whom she hasn’t seen in ten years. This poignant story is filled with heartache and love, and the absolute and unfailing faith known only to people of that era.

The following is my interview with Tristi:

1. Since this is a family story, what prompted you to pick this particular piece of history and put it into a novel?

My ancestors lived such incredible lives. From the moment I first heard their story, I knew it would make an incredible book. I didn’t even have to add fictional elements to make it fascinating – I just used the real story. Not every family history story will have enough elements in it to create a novel that will sell – this one did.

2. Did writing the Perkins’ story make you feel closer to them as people as well as family members/ ancestors? How?

I felt like I really came to know them through writing this book. Mary Ann was a little bit shy and insecure, and needed Ben’s love to make her feel valid. Ben was a little bit of a jokester and loved to sing and dance, but he took his responsibilities and his faith very seriously. Sarah deeply wanted to do what was right, and once she discovered what that was, she went for it full on and never looked back. Their personalities became very real to me as I wrote.

3. I’m sure you learned a lot of things you didn’t understand before embarking on this project. Is there one in particular that resonates with you? Why?

Before I wrote this book, I didn’t understand the deep faith that went into the practice of polygamy. I have never really cared for that principle and writing that segment of the book was hard for me until I realized that the people who practiced it weren’t necessarily converted to the principle – they were converted to the Lord and wanted to be obedient. Once I made that distinction in my mind, I was able to go forth from there. Polygamy wasn’t something to get all excited about – it was something to endure for the greater good.

4. This book obviously required a great deal of researching. Where did you start your research?

I began with the family history books that have been passed down in my family, including some pages from Ben and Sarah’s life histories. Then I read books my dad has collected on the Hole in the Rock, as well as Blaine Yorgason’s historical fiction novel on the topic. Then I went to the Internet to fill in the gaps.

5. About how many hours of research did you put in before you felt like you had enough information for an entire manuscript?

Because this information was already available to me, I spent eighty hours in research. Ordinarily, it takes me much longer than that. But, I’m feeling a little embarrassed to say, I didn’t do quite enough research into my pioneer animals. I was informed today that I depict the driving of the oxen all wrong. I’m sorry . . . but the rest is historically accurate. I promise.

6. When writing a historical fiction novel that is based on truth, I have found it extremely difficult to decide on the best way to approach telling such a story. How did you decide where to start and what approach to take?

You know, the whole thing really just fell into place. It sounds too simplistic to say, “I sat down and started writing,” but really, I did. This book has gone through fewer rewrites than any of my other historicals to date. I really feel I was led to construct it the way I did.

7. You feel so passionate about this book that you took great measures to self publish it. Are you glad you did this? Can you tell us the pros and cons you’ve come against?

I am very glad I self-published this novel. It’s the only way it ever would have come to light. I really feel this is the book I was meant to write. Of course, that’s not to say that it’s perfect—I doubt anyone ever writes a truly perfect book—but the story deserved to be told. Of course, a con is the money – I did pay for the printing and will be paying for any ads, etc, I choose to place, but I would do it again in an instant.

8. As writers, we all tend to learn a new important lesson with every project we take on. What was your lesson that came from this project?

Not to give up, no matter what the odds are against you. Even if people repeatedly tell you no, if you believe in yourself, you have to keep pushing ahead. You owe it to yourself.

9. What advice would you give other authors who are trying to tell similar stories?

Be prepared to face a lot of rejection, but be prepared to do whatever you must in order to tell the story you were meant to tell.

Thanks for your time, Tristi. I have loved getting to hear more about your book and your writing process. Good luck on your future projects!

~I have had the privilege of reading portions of Tristi’s work in progress. She’s taken a break from historical fiction to write a canny, hilarious LDS fiction novel and I can’t WAIT to see it hit the shelves.

My Favorite

By C. LaRene Hall

I knew this would happen. Yes, I’m home. I have tons of things to talk about, but where do I start? The Hawaiian Cruise was wonderful and all the island tours were great. Which was my favorite? Every one of them. All were different and each added to our vacation. I wouldn’t want to leave any out. As I flip through my photos, I honestly can’t come up with which place I loved the most.

The place that fascinated me more than any other was the ocean. It was always changing. Every picture I took was different. The first thing my husband and I did once on board was immediately go out on deck and watch all the action below as the ship prepared to leave port. The red tugboat had its work cut out for it. How such a small vessel can help a large ship to move even an inch is beyond my comprehension. However, tug us out it did. The last thing I looked at before going below each evening – one level to our inside cabin – was the ocean, and it was the first thing I wanted to see each morning.

The ocean was the one thing I never tired of watching. Even on all the tours, the thing I always enjoyed were the waves crashing against the rocks. On the road to Hana it was the thing that always drew my attention around each curve and across each bridge.

If I were to chose, another thing I enjoyed was the sunsets on the ocean, and the sunrise at the crater. If you haven’t witnessed such a scene with your own eyes, I’m at a loss as to how to describe them. Even though a writer needs to know how to portray such things, I can’t. Some things leave everyone speechless.

Adventures Over the Rain Forest

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

CeeLynn tightened the harness to her parachute. A feeling akin to tiny kangaroos bouncing back and forth churned in her stomach, and excitement caused her fingertips to tingle. She wasn't afraid—not a whit. Jumping from an airplane and floating over the top of the rain forest was exhilarating ... adrenaline spiking ... and technically speaking (in case the IRS was reading), research for her upcoming novel.

She stood in the open doorway of the plane and gazed at the blue horizon, where the curvature of the earth arched with the grace of an angel's halo. The sight was so achingly beautiful that for a second, she wondered if she would become an angel when she stepped out the door.

One.

Two.

Three!

"I love being a writer!" she yelled, as she stepped out into nothingness. . . .

Or maybe she yelled "Geronimo." In my writer's fantasy, the wind was whipping past my ears so fast that I couldn't quite tell what she said as we both plummeted to the earth.

Speaking of fantasies, if you haven't figured it out already, a writer's life is not at all like that. Well, not for most of us, anyway. Case in point—the other day I posted a blog for YourLDSNeighborhood.com. It was one that I'd carefully crafted and painstakingly proofed. The link for it went live on Thursday.

The blog disappeared on Friday.

No, I'm not making this up. When that happened, I neither yelled, "I love being a writer," nor "Geronimo." I think what I yelled was more like "Oh, crap!" Then I tried circumventing computer logs, programs, and servers for hours in hopes of bringing that blog back—hours that would have been far better spent writing about CeeLynn and her adventures in the rain forest.

Ah, yes. That is the life of a writer. Not only must we write, but we must also navigate the World Wide Web, build websites and blog pages, and function as a jack-of-all-trades. Sometimes it's frustrating. However, we can't let that stop us. We need to remind ourselves that when we're rich and famous, we can hire someone to take care of the idiot computer and navigate the spidery Web.

In the end, my writer's ingenuity saved the day. In a flash of brilliance (you'll notice I use sarcasm in my writings), I re-posted the blog. Thank goodness for a techie who was around during the weekend and re-linked it.

So, dear reader, I'm hoping that aside from enjoying today's blog, you'll also notice it was a tactful way of announcing that I'm blogging for YourLDSNeighborhood.com. Well, okay, it was supposed to be tactful!

If you'd like to see what the lost blog was about, and whether it was worth all the time I spent trying to retrieve it, you'll find the link for it at YourLDSNeighborhood.com. Click on the building on the right side that's titled "LDS Outlet Stores" and scroll through the block until you find "The Newsstand." My blog link is titled, "What if it's Boring?"

Hope you enjoy it. Drop off a comment and let me know if you think the blog was worth all that work, or if I should have spent my time on CeeLynn and the blood-sucking leeches she encountered (human and otherwise), instead. And while you're there, take a gander at all the cool products and services at YourLDSNeighborhood.com.

C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website

What books C. Lynn recommends:
You Know You're a Writer When ... by Adair Lara
The Writer's Book of Hope by Ralph Keyes
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)

Another Stop on the Blog Tour

By Keith Fisher

It’s my honor to review Tristi Pinkston’s new book, Season of Sacrifice, but first I need to make an announcement:

I’ve been asked to blog for the YourLDSNeighborhood.com site. I will be blogging twice a week on the subject of outdoor and camp cooking, with emphasis on Dutch oven and cast iron.

A few years ago, a major cast iron cookware manufacturer said there are more Dutch ovens sold within three hundred miles of Salt Lake City than anywhere else in the world. Don’t you wonder why here, instead of somewhere else? where are those Dutch ovens?

I think a lot of them are being stored with all the seasonal and camping equipment. They get hauled out to warm up cans of stew or chili on the deer hunt. A few get used to make biscuits while camping, but I believe the majority are still in the box in food storage lockers, waiting for the day when the power goes out and the gas gets shut off.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but wouldn’t it be easier if you were already familiar with your cooking appliance? In the blog, I hope to show you how to use your Dutch oven and enjoy the smiles on the faces of your guests and campmates. In the process we may learn some things about throwing back yard and block parties that will make you a legend.

I love to cook outdoors and I hope to transplant that love into your hearts. Stop by often. Put your feet up, dinners ready. http://www.yourldsneighborhood.com/ http://thecampcookinyourbackyard.blogspot.com/

Now for the book . . .

I’m not sure how it happened, but Nichole and I decided to split Tristi’s blog tour between us. I am going to review the book today. Nichole is planning to interview her on Thursday. I’m having second thoughts now. I think I’d rather ask the questions . . . just kidding. It really is an honor.

In an effort to avoid a corrupted opinion I haven’t read the other reviews, so if I repeat something already said, please forgive me.

You may have heard that Season of Sacrifice is a work of historical fiction about the Hole in the Rock pioneers. Tristi used family history, historical research, and gut feelings, to tell this poignant story of her ancestors and their part in a historical event. It’s the story of Benjamin Perkins and his wife Mary Ann Williams, but it’s really a story about Sarah Williams, Mary Ann’s sister and Benjamin’s second wife.

Polygamy was, and is, a hard issue. I think Tristi should be commended for the truthful and respectable way she wrote those parts.

As I read the story, I began to feel a common bond. Some of my ancestors were neighbors with Tristi’s in Wales. They were coal miners too. The Perkins’ were called to settle in San Juan. My ancestors came from Wales by way of Yorkshire England to Utah, and were called to help settle Southern Alberta, Canada.

Also, my wife is a direct descendant one of the sisters who married John Rowley. You must read the book to know what I’m talking about. Find a copy at http://www.tristipinkston.com/books.htm

In my family history collection, I have many books written by relatives that attempt to tell the stories of my ancestors. None of them do it the way Tristi has. Her talent of writing is certainly a blessing for her ancestors.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Mother’s Day Blues

by G.Parker

It was a bit crowded in our little hall of a kitchen, and my husband was feeling a bit stressed. He wanted all of our children (well, the older ones) to help make dinner for me. He started on Saturday because he wanted to avoid doing a lot of work on Sunday. Since he had potato salad on the menu, that meant doing most of the prep on Saturday – although we ended up with stuff cooked and the rest of it thrown together Sunday after church.

While my oldest daughter was washing the potatoes for salad and I was getting the eggs put in a pan to boil, he was trying to make strawberry pies. At one point, I had gone down stairs because they had informed me that I wasn’t setting foot in the kitchen. About half way through the cooking ordeal, he called me on the intercom and asked for my help. PLEASE! Grin. How could I resist?

When I say our kitchen is a hallway, I’m not exaggerating. It is about 12 feet long, and 4 feet wide. Which, if you are walking down a hallway is nice and roomy, but if working in a kitchen with three other people and two younger ones who are curious and just want to walk through – there isn’t any room.

About a half hour later, he was tossing the youngest ones out, and threatening anyone who didn’t have an assignment and came within two feet of the kitchen. He was feeling very stressed, and I felt bad. I was also worried he would end up strangling one of the children if they walked behind him one more time.

I guess I should have thrown that old cake pan with the small holes in it away, but it works for most things, and I’m short on cake pans. It didn’t help that he used it to marinate the chicken and it leaked all over the tablecloth and counter before he discovered the leak and put it on a cookie sheet. He was really ready to go to bed by the time we were finished.

Sunday’s dinner turned out wonderfully. I carefully avoided mentioning the rather brown pie crusts on the strawberry pies, but he pointed them out anyway, telling everyone that he usually manages to ruin one or two items each year. I think he does a great job.

He also mentioned, in the midst of the chaos, that this would be great information for a parenting book – one on how to see the humor in every day things. I thought it would be great blog material, and saved it for you folks.

Whoever said the road to hell is paved with good intentions, wasn’t married. It was my hubby's intention to serve me a wonderful dinner that I didn’t have to cook and could enjoy at the same time. While it was yummy and I enjoyed it (especially the marinated chicken!), he focused on the negative parts, and agonized over the fact it wasn’t perfect. I, on the other hand, appreciated his intentions and loved him more for it – along with my children who made breakfast and helped with all the cooking and setting up at grandma’s house.

Sometimes it is the thought that counts.

While he probably felt like the day was a failure, I enjoyed every minute of it. It made me aware of my many blessings, namely seven of them; and the amazing gift of being a mother.

I can hardly wait till Father’s Day.

Vacation Adventures

By Nichole Giles

The blinking red numbers on the clock read 3:04 a.m. as I sat up quietly in the hotel bed, trying not to disturb my sleeping children. I drummed my fingers on the mattress, feeling agitated and concerned as I tried to adjust our vacation plans around what might happen in the next hour or so.

Today—well, technically yesterday since it was officially Tuesday morning rather than Monday night—had been our first day at the theme park. Being a Monday in the off season, the hordes of people who usually bombard this place were thinner than they could be, so we were able to wend our way around to all the different rides, rarely waiting in lines that were unbearably long. We stopped only to eat lunch at a café in the park, and the only shopping we did was to pick up a hat for our daughter, Brittany.

We figured we’d have plenty of time to buy souvenirs later.

But here I was, wide awake at 3:00 a.m. staring at my cell phone as it lay on my pillow, and willing it to buzz with a message that all was well and I could go back to sleep. The only thing I could think was, “What if it’s appendicitis?”

Yep. Brittany, our twelve-year old, had been complaining of abdominal pain since about an hour after lunch—right about the time when we had ridden a particularly jarring ride. The pain had persisted, getting worse and worse until sometime around 12:30 a.m. we decided she needed to see a doctor. Hey, we may be paranoid, but we’ve been through a burst appendix before with our son—it was really, really awful—and we had NO desire for a repeat performance.

So, I stayed with the rest of the kids—who were all deeply asleep—and Gary took Brittany to the emergency room. Apparently, our fears weren’t too far off the mark, because the triage nurse worried about appendicitis, too, and whisked her in with a very short wait—despite the fact that the ER was rather crowded that night. Lucky for us, no surgery was required. After several tests, and a few vital trips to the restroom, the pain lessened and the doctors (several checked her—just to be certain) determined she probably had food poisoning and that she’d be better by morning.

When I got the message that all was well, I sighed with relief and adjusted our plans for the next day to allow for Gary and Brittany to sleep in. Then, I lay back in bed, finally closing my eyes for the first time in hours.

After that, our trip went relatively smoothly. We didn’t end up changing our plans drastically, and Brittany felt great once whatever she ate worked itself out of her system. The weather was chilly and the traffic was terrible, but we discovered a grocery store near the hotel where we stocked up on granola bars and Uncrustables. (You didn’t think we were going to take a risk and eat in the park again, did you?)

We visited with some of our favorite fictional characters, rode thrill rides until our legs warbled, boogie boarded in the FREEZING surf with two separate pods of dolphins less than a hundred yards away, bought designer dolls and had our picture taken with the Terminator. The whole trip, I kept thinking, “I should write this down. I can use this somehow…” and “This could be the beginning of a beautiful story line…”

I can’t help it! I’m a writer. And as you see, I am writing it down, and I do plan to use it all, somehow.

All in all, the adventure gave our trip a little added spice and made me anxious to get back to my computer. However, in the end, my son Mckay discovered a very important bit of information that you might want to share with your kids, and anyone else who might have doubts.

The tooth fairy can find you everywhere, even when you’re on vacation!

I’ll Return

By C. LaRene Hall

I’m still away, but I’ll be back soon. This week I’m at Pearl Harbor and then I’m off to the famous swap meet at the football stadium. I guess they expect us to shop until we drop. If you know me though, you know I hate to shop. The tour guide told us this is the best place to buy souvenirs so maybe I’ll look around and take something home to all the grandchildren.

Yesterday we were at the Polynesian Cultural center so I’m sure I’ll be too tired to do much walking today. I’ve written many notes about the things I’ve seen, the people I’ve met, and I’ve taken many pictures. No matter how busy I am, though, I have to write something. Before I left, I had plenty of ideas floating around in my head.

I hope no one asks what my favorite place was. I plan to visit something spectacular every day. With tours to Waimea Canyon , Volcano National Park , Rainbow Falls , and Haleakala Crater at sunrise, how can I not have a fantastic trip?

A Multifaceted Gem

By DeeDee Hunt

With Mother’s Day this week, I am reminded of the many facets of life that make our existence so fascinating and so worth living. It’s often hard to catch those special moments in writing, but when you do, it becomes a time when the written word truly shines. Just like the light through a diamond, when writing has many dimensions, beauty can emerge from ugliness.

As I write this, I contemplate the only chapter of a romance novel that I have ever written, which I finished up not more than fifteen minutes ago. That feels bizarre for me to say, as I’ve never even written romance until today, yet the rest of the story I have in my mind speaks powerfully to me, such that I could no longer put it off. I don’t know if I’ll ever finish this romance novel or not, but now I can say that I’ve started it. I’ve had this idea for about five years now and the first few lines of the story hit me last night when I was trying to get to sleep. So, today I wrote the words down—and I like what I wrote. I now have the first chapter of my first romance novel.

I’ve also written an LDS thriller/mild horror novel, an LDS young adult novel, an LDS self-help fictional book, and even a western-style novel that occurs in Utah some 40 years before the pioneers settled its harsh valleys. I’m guess that makes me a multifaceted writer. My stone might still be rough, but if I polish each aspect my writing to be as smooth as I can, then perhaps the whole of my writing experience will shine like a diamond.

That’s the idea, anyway. Maybe it’s just a lump of coal, but until I try my hand at refining the materials I have, I won’t know. With sufficient work and enough pressure from all sides, perhaps a diamond will emerge, much to my delight.

Surf 'n Swim

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

Youngsters swim hither and yon in little inner tubes, having a good time. Suddenly, all the lifeguards blow their whistles in one shrill, tweeeeeet, the kids scream in unison, the water in the pool develops waves, and you feel as if you're in the ocean's surf.

Let me back up and give you the whole “Surf 'n Swim,” wave pool experience. You start out in the water, trying to get into an inner tube. In case you haven’t noticed, climbing into an inner tube was easy as a kid. As an adult, the thing flips you over and hangs you upside down in the water so you can contemplate the joys of drowning.

After escaping from the rubber beast, you try belly flopping onto the tube. It works … but only after you manage to bruise both biceps and wonder if you ruptured your abdomen landing on the tube’s handles.

But, at least you’re there … you flip over and slide your backside into the ring. You’re finally sitting in the inner tube. You float here and there, bumping into the pool’s walls and ladders, unable to navigate in any direction because your backside is stuck in the middle of the rubber ring and your legs are sticking up in the air.

That’s when you hear, tweeeeeet! You panic for a moment, certain you should never have attempted this … then the waves start rolling, and you have the time of your life.

It’s almost as good as writing. Almost.

When you start out writing, you encounter belly flops that seem to rupture your ego. You do them over and over again until you think you’ve finally managed to get the hang of it.

Next, with your backside stuck in the chair, you float here and there, trying to navigate the writing world. Sometimes you wish you could get your backside out of that chair. You might actually do it, for an hour or two, but then—crazy writer—you put it right back in again. You bump against the wall of one genre and then another, as you turn and twirl, and try to decide where you really want to go.

The submission process begins. You crash into this editor and that. You push off each rejection, sometimes wondering if this ride is really going to be worth it. However, you know there must be something really great ahead, because look at all the authors floating around you!

Then, one day when you least expect it, a publisher blows his whistle. He says he’s interested in your novel. You scream and cheer, and the waves of excitement engulf you. Like a swimmer in an inner tube at the wave pool, you take off for the ride of your life.

And it's at that moment of heady joy, as you're cresting on a wave, that the realization hits you—it is so worth it to be a writer!

C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website


What books C. Lynn recommends:
You Know You're a Writer When ... by Adair Lara
The Writer's Book of Hope by Ralph Keyes
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)

The Dead Authors Society

By Keith Fisher

There is a popular movie from 1989 staring Robin Williams called Dead Poets Society. It is a heart wrenching story about a group of boarding school students learning about life through appreciation of the great poets. Using that premise, I’d like to start a Dead Authors society. Like the movie, we could meet once a week (probably online) and discuss something (good or bad) we found in an old book. Maybe I’ll start a new blog—I’ll let you know.

I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but I avoided reading the classics in high school. Of course, I also avoided most of my homework in those days, I read Tom Sawyer and Future Shock, but I missed out on Moby Dick, Grapes of Wrath, and others.

To make up for my ignorance, I’ve been reading classics mingled among the other things I must read. I discovered an interesting thing while reading the Great Gatsby the other day. Although there is a good message and the book is a great treatise of the jazz age, F. Scott Fitzgerald filled it with flowery descriptions that probably earned him high praise in his day. Now he is dead, it’s time to take a look at his work under the desk lamp, and analyze it against the fiction of today.

One of my pet peeves is when I read a book written within the last twenty years and find the author committed one of the unforgivable sins. I constantly criticize myself for committing these sins because I know if I don’t change things like weak plot, POV shifts, and too much description, my book won’t be published. So, I’m left wondering how the book in question got published because it’s so much harder for us today.

Here I am, reading a classic—a book that is supposed to be an example of good writing—and those same feelings crop up. How did this guy get published? To be fair, I enjoyed the descriptions. Fitzgerald’s metaphors and similes are fantastic. I may write down many of them for future blogs, but does Gatsby hold the attention of a modern reader?

To be honest, if I wasn’t listening on my MP3 player at work, I might not have ever finished the book. Readers have such a short attention span today, a book must be near perfect to survive. An author cannot allow a reader to set a book down, or it won’t be picked up again. I’m afraid the classics would never hold up under the standards of today’s market. My friend thinks they would, but with all the rules for hooks in the first paragraph, etc, I still think my editor would find many wrong things.

So, high school students hate to read those books, while English teachers point to them as examples of great literature. It’s no wonder that many students quit reading after high school. Lest I give you the wrong impression, I must say it was hard to write during those times also. Readers took more time reading, and they scrutinized the prose. They held a paragraph in their mind for days, twisting it over, marveling at the symmetry.

But, my twenty-first century mind keeps trying to rush the author. It says, "Get to point already—I haven’t got all day." I found the classics are better if someone reads them to me. Don’t you love the way the narrator speaks in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol? I love to listen to it again and again. Words were not taken for granted in those days. But when I read it, I skip over those words in order to get to the meat of the story. Perhaps if we make high school kids listen to the story they might enjoy it more, but then, how would they learn to read?

Since I haven’t made any real point here, you might wonder which side I’m on. Like any good editor, I must offer praise as well as criticism. I hope we all learn to savor classical prose. It may be a better example of good writing than the entertaining stories we write today, but it would never make it on the best seller list. That’s okay though, most of the classics already had their day in the sun.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Back Next Week

By Nichole Giles

If you read my blog last Thursday, you understand that I was planning a vacation. What I didn’t mention was that my vacation started this past Sunday. While you read this, I am either riding thrill rides with my kids (and trying not to be motion sick) or lounging on the beach. Are you jealous yet?

Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll blog about it when I get back, and I’ll do my best to share some of the good times with my readers.

For now though, here are a few writing prompts to get you through the week. (Taken from The Pocket Muse, Endless Inspiration by Monica Wood.

1. Revisit a story you’ve told many times. Now, tell a different story, beginning with the thing that happened after the story’s end.

2. What if you finally did what you’ve always wanted to do?


3. A woman on a beach, dressed in black, shouting a single word to the ocean. What is the word, and how did she come to this? (My own variation of this one includes white clothing rather than black.)


Good luck! Have a great week, and I’ll see you next Thursday. Oh, and if any of you come up with a whole book from one of these prompts, I want to hear about it!

Painting

By C. LaRene Hall

I have never been a good artist. If I were to draw something, you would laugh for sure. I think most of you have heard that a picture paints a thousand words, but I want my words to paint a picture.

It’s not always easy to do. Sometimes in my mind, I can see the beautiful scene, but the description doesn’t always look like I want it to. I can picture the action, but the words are not always there. I know that if I keep working at it I can capture and manipulate words to create a vision for my readers.

Writing is an art and we need to communicate our emotions while creating suspense. If we use our senses to describe everything we can usually paint a clear picture. Everyone relates to the smell, touch, or taste of things.

Today while you are sitting at home reading this, I’m on my way to see the Volcano National Park near Hilo , Hawaii . After we see the volcano then we are going to the Rainbow Falls . Those of you who have visited this part of the world can picture it immediately in your mind. All it takes is mentioning the place, but if you haven’t been here then the writer is going to have to paint the picture for you.

A good exercise for every writer is to look at a picture and write about what you see. Eventually if you practice enough, you’ll be able to paint a beautiful landscape for your readers.

You Know You're a Writer

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

You know how they say good things come in small packages? It's true. My friend, Nichole Giles, gave me a book titled, You Know You're a Writer When .... Its dimensions are slightly bigger than a large index card and it contains 95 pages, some of which have only one sentence.

In the introduction, author Adair Lara says, "If you're a writer, chances are you'll recognize yourself in this book."

Really? Naw, writers aren't that easily classified and categorized. We're unique and mysterious, I thought. However, by the time I read the first several pages, I found myself laughing and nodding my head, because she nailed me—along with all the other writers of the world.

Since I enjoyed it so much, I thought you might like to read a few of the selections. So, here are a smattering of passages for your enjoyment, along with a peek or two into your own psyche:


"You know you're a writer when ..."

• You'll never forgive your parents for your happy childhood.
• People still talk about your letters from camp, or the navy, or jail.
• You wonder if there's another word for "thesaurus."
• You know more than ten synonyms for "blue."
• The doctor tells you that you have terminal cancer and you think, "I can use this."
• Writing is the only thing you do that doesn't make you feel as if you should be doing something else.
• A cop gives you a ticket and you realize he's sort of a writer, too, and want to say to him, "Can I just say your work really has an impact on me?"
• You are shipwrecked on a deserted island but can't send the rescue note off in the bottle because you have no access to spell-check.
• When driving alone on a stormy night past wind-tossed trees, you think, She swerved to avoid the deer but its hooves shattered the windshield into a cobweb of cracks, and then the car tumbled down the cliff. It rolled several times and came to rest at the bottom of the canyon. She was still alive.
  

That last one makes me laugh every time I read it. Only a writer could take a potentially terrifying experience and turn it into a novel in his/her head. And that's what I love best about being a writer—everything is a story.

C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website

What books C. Lynn recommends:
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)
Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by Jon Franklin
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Browne & Dave King

Writing Out of Time and Place

By Keith Fisher

While thinking about what I want to share with you this week, I analyzed my activities for last week. I hoped to find a lesson I’d learned that would help you in your quest to be published in the LDS market.

It was a busy week. I wonder how I survived. My wife and I cooked in Dutch ovens for the whole fourth grade, teachers, and parents as part of the Utah History unit. We made about six gallons of beef stew, six cobblers, and five 14-inch diameter cornbreads. There were 130 people, and I’m still sore from all the hard work.

Of course I learned a few lessons at the LUW spring workshop on Saturday, but my friend is going to blog about that and I don’t want to compete.

I think the big lesson for this week occurred to me in my critique group. I learned about perspective.

How many of you remember bench seats in cars? Did you know that bucket seats used to be a luxury? Unless your car was a sports car, bucket seats had to be ordered special. It never occurred to me that my readers might not know that, when I had a character slide next to my protagonist and put her arm around him. "What is she sitting on?" was the question someone asked.

Later in the week, I asked a friend to review a short piece for me and it became painfully clear that my frame of reference came from events that happened before she was born, therefore she didn’t understand my point.

I realized my writing should be tailored to the understanding of everyone. I must never assume that everyone understands. I don’t have the figures, but I bet that more than half the population has never heard a vinyl record played, or even seen one. (What’s a vinyl record? Ask your grandparents.)

I was listening to MP3’s at work today and realized I was rocking out to music that was recorded ten years before most of my co-workers were born. Yes, I feel old, but more to the point, I can’t write about Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band without explaining who they were. Or talk about Gerald Ford without bringing up Richard Nixon. Time seems to forget impotant connections and events which will be forgotten in future generations.

Before any of you youngsters start feeling superior because your language and references are cutting edge, I have some questions for you: What will happen to the colorful expressions of today? Will anyone understand them in ten years—what about twenty? Chances are, very few people will remember Hannah Montana, or understand why her concerts sold out so fast. If we want our books to survive through the generations, perhaps we should consider our words carefully. Or at least watch out for dated material.

Good luck in your writing—see you next week.

The Blank Page

by G.Parker

Last week in my critique group, I got my first round of 'red marks' on my story. They were kind -- everyone said they liked the story and that it was great, BUT...

Yeah, that's when it comes down to bite the bullet and listen or chicken out and leave. So...I brought the suggestions home and haven't been able to look at them. The biggest suggestion was that my story needed more information at the beginning. They wanted to know what heaven looked like, what angels looked like, and why one angel was doing one thing when I'm talking about a completely different one for the rest of the story. Basically, it was a rewrite of the prologue.

At this point I'm wondering if it should become chapter one and forget a prologue. I'm not sure what the benefit would be of either at this point, I'm just scared to change it.

Have you ever looked at a chapter and realized it needed to be reworked but were too afraid to touch it? If you haven't ever lost a story or plot outline, you wouldn't know the fear. I've lost a couple, so now I'm really paranoid about rewriting because I'm not sure I'm going to like the change. What if I like the original better? This isn't something that has happened recently, this was back before the time of computers and everyone had a word processor with access to a printer. Fortunately there are many ways to save work and do rewrites with copies. Unfortunately the fear of loosing chosen words lingers.

People think that since you're the one that wrote it in the first place, you should be able to remember what you wrote -- word for word. Well, perhaps some writers are able to do that, but I'm not one of them. Once it's down on paper, I can remember bits and pieces and the general idea, but specific conversations? It's gone -- never to be remembered.

The blank page becomes intimidating at that point. I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to the drastic change that it represents. But today I forced myself to get on with it and rewrite the idea, incorporating some of their suggestions. It became fun and interesting -- I don't think I'm worried about it anymore.

Don't let the fear of change ruin your story. Remember it's the richness of the mind that brings it (the story) to life. Everything changes in time -- until it's in print.

The Doctor is In

By Nichole Giles

The other day, my husband and I booked theme park tickets for a trip we’re planning. In the process, the web page expected personal information. So there we were, filling it out, and up pops this option for a title.

Now, most normal people don’t worry about titles when booking theme park tickets. Do they? But just for fun, we scrolled through the options and had a good laugh trying to decide which one to use. See, this option—usually used for Mr, Ms, Mrs, etc—had given us an opportunity.

The best part was that this list of options was more extensive than any I’ve ever seen. For instance, besides the usual Mr. or Mrs., we were offered the title of Rabbi, Father, Sister, or Vice-President.

To my great consternation, they did not offer the title of President—otherwise that would have been the title we chose. It’s possibly the only opportunity we might have had for Gary to be referred to as “Mr. President”. I suppose I wouldn’t have minded being called, “Madam President” myself, but my daughter—who is the president of her student body—claims it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

We ended up deciding on Doctor, since that is what Gary decided he wanted to be that day. Though I’m sure he knows about as much about appendicitis as a doctor, that isn’t his chosen profession. Not even close. But now he gets to be a doctor for a day.

In the event of an emergency, I hope the people at Universal Studios will understand—as many of the people who work there are actors or artists of some kind—that though my husband has added the title of doctor to his name, he doesn’t actually know how to sew on severed limbs or drill holes in the brains of people who have passed out from too much brain pressure.

Hey, if that were to happen, at least it would give me something to write about!

Say Yes to You

By C. LaRene Hall

Saying no to something you don’t want to do means saying yes to something you do want. It means you have more time for things that will benefit you.

Years ago, I decided that other people were taking up lots of my time and usually it was doing things that I had no interest in doing. Some people took up so much of my time sitting in my home and talking about the same thing day after day, and never taking action to help themselves that I began to feel used. The problem was they didn’t do things for me in return.

I believe you should be charitable and do service for others, but sometimes it can go too far. People can and will take advantage of you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t serve others. Service to others gives meaning to life. Service is what life is all about.

Giving service is looking around and seeing a need. It’s not someone begging me to help them. It’s not someone making me feel guilty because I don’t want to do everything they want. It’s doing quiet acts of kindness when least expected.

I watch those around me, and try to help those in need. Sometimes people just need someone to talk with. Other times maybe it’s a meal, or a visit. These are the type of things I want to say yes to. I like to make another person feel worthwhile. I love doing quiet acts of kindness. It’s not always convenient to help others, but giving real service can be rewarding.

Even with writing deadlines, I find time to serve others. When I see someone in need it’s not a burden to serve, it’s a pleasure. If someone is using me, however, I’ve learned to say, “No. I need to write.”

Killer Beginnings

By Darvell Hunt

“I believed if I could save the injured bird, my mother wouldn’t die from cancer. It was an irrational belief back then and it still is, but that didn’t stop me from believing it.”

“I helped kill a man while serving my two-year LDS mission. I didn’t even try to help save him when I had the chance—and I did have that chance, but I passed it up. So much for the parable of the good Samaritan. So much for loving your neighbor.”

The above paragraphs are the beginning sentences from two of my stories. I’m not sure if they are great beginnings, but I think they’re pretty good. I feel they at least prompt the reader to read further.

Recently, one of my writing groups has been talking a lot about great beginnings. There’s a lot of material out there nowadays with the Internet, television, video games, and other such contenders for our attention, that it’s so hard to attract people’s attention to books. Our modern-day stories must have a great hook if we expect anybody to read further. Before we can even attract readers, however, we have to attract an editor at a publishing house. Great beginnings can help do both of these things.

Now I just need to write some magnificent middles and some excellent endings!

Delivering the Unexpected

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

Two men are at a batting cage. The one, in his forties and obviously klutzy, is trying to learn how to hit a baseball. The other is trying to teach him. After several swings and misses—one that includes falling on the ground in a heap, and another that sends the baseball bat flying out of his hands to ricochet off the wall—the batter says, “I’m quitting; I’m terrible at this and I’ll never learn to hit a ball.”

The second man, trying to be encouraging, says, “Come on, you’re doing good! You’ve done it six times in a row without hitting yourself in the kidney on the follow through.”

The audience watching the show roared with laughter—me included. Then I found myself wondering why it was so funny. Was it the slapstick nature of the guy, swinging a bat and missing? That was at least a part of it, but the more I thought about it, the more I became convinced it was the writing. The writer of that particular show consistently gave the audience an unexpected punch line.

Read it over again and see for yourself. When the second man starts to give encouraging words, you’re expecting him to tell the batter something like, “You’re getting closer.” Or, “You got a little piece of it last time.” Or, “You almost hit it twice in a row.” Instead, the writer gave the audience a line that was the last thing expected … the batter was getting better because he didn’t hit himself in the kidney with the bat.

Delivering the unexpected is what keeps the humor writer’s audience in stitches. It’s what keeps the romance writer’s audience in love, or the mystery writer’s audience in suspense.

And it’s what keeps the cookbook writer’s audience … in hot water.

C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website


What books C. Lynn recommends:
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)
Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by Jon Franklin
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Browne & Dave King

Hook, Line, and Sinker

By Keith Fisher

It’s time to dust off my tackle box and head out to my favorite fishing hole. Unlike today, when I was a kid, there was a fishing season in Utah. My family always got together for the season opener. I remember waking up before daylight so we could be the first ones in our spot. We clearly should’ve been granted squatter’s rights, or at least first cast into the lake.

The number of anglers lining the shore on opening day rivaled the number of those waiting in line on the day after Thanksgiving these days. Well, it wasn’t that bad, but in those days, it wasn’t uncommon to never see another angler all day. So we were shocked to see another person within fifty yards on the opening, and everyone competed for the same spots. The rules were clear—the first people out got the best spots and therefore caught the most fish.

In order to catch anything, I learned to tailor my tackle to make it appealing, and fishing for different species required different tackle. Since I was a kid, prone to line tangles—fishing for trout from the bank at our favorite reservoir—I required a certain kind of rig. My dad started with a bubble for weight, then a swivel to keep the bubble from sliding off. He tied a hook on the end of a leader and a loop at the other end. Next he’d clip the leader into the swivel. I’d fill the bubble with water, bait my hook, and cast in.

When I got older, I noticed that Dad used two hooks tied at different ends of the leader. The loop was tied between so each hook hung at different levels. This gave him the advantage of multiple kinds of bait, and increasing his chances of catching fish. I wasn’t allowed two hooks because I was, well, as I said above, prone to tangles.

In my dad’s tackle box, there were many kinds and sizes of hooks. Different hooks for different reasons. The key to catching fish was in choosing the right hook for the type of fish and the location.

One time as a Boy Scout, I got bored fishing for Pike below the dam at Yuba Reservoir. I noticed the Perch came up next to the shore. I dropped my hook in the middle of them and immediately caught one. Now, you should know, Perch in those days were trash fish. They are considered to be delicious now, but old prejudices diehard. Anyway, somehow I noticed that if I dropped a bare hook in the water, the Perch would take it, and hook themselves. It was easy, and we had great fun feeding the Perch to the Seagulls.

Now, I’m passing the legacy on to my daughter and I don’t have to wait for the season, but I learned something this week. I attended the League of Utah Writers meeting in Provo where Jeffrey S. Savage (J. Scott Savage) taught about hooks in query letters. I had a rare moment of clarity, and began to think of metaphors and similes. I decided to share a few with you.

As writers, we are fishermen. We submit our manuscripts, hoping to catch the eye of publishers. There are different kinds of publishers just like there are different kinds of fish. The hook we use depends on who we are submitting to and what kind of bait we have. With any luck we will catch a publisher and land a book contract.

In workshops and conferences, we’re taught the value of a good hook. As in fishing, we’re only as good as our tackle. Unlike the perch I caught with a bare hook, a publisher isn’t liable to bite a hook that isn’t appealing. So we need to use bait that will entice and lure someone to read our manuscript. We must write a first paragraph that will make the reader want more. We must write the second paragraph so they will continue. But first we must get them to read the first paragraph.

We do this by baiting the hook in our query in a way that explains the story, but more than that, it must be enticing, it must make the publisher want to look at the first paragraph.

Jeff talked about four elements to look for in a query and explained why they are important:

1. Who is your protagonist?
   You must decide so your readers will have someone to care about.
2. What is your protagonist’s noble, goal?
   What must be accomplished? What is driving him/her to the end?
3. What stands in the way of reaching the goal?
   What major obstacles stand in the way of number two?
4. What happens if the protagonist fails?
   It has to be dire circumstances. There has to be a real consequence.

If the answers to these questions are sufficiently intriguing, your query will be noticed. You can also use these questions when plotting your next book. If you can dream up great answers, you may have the beginnings of a best seller.

Good luck in your writing and your fishing (submitting)—see you next week.

It's Not Personal

by G.Parker

Our group has been commiserating and encouraging and discussing a well known writing dilemma: the rejection letter. Rejection letters come in all forms, sizes and paper. We feel honored if it actually has handwritten signature or comments on it -- because that means someone has really looked at our efforts and has taken the time to let us know we are on the right track, just not the one they can use right now.

It reminds me of the movie (I know -- a movie again? lol) that I think I've mentioned before. In You've Got Mail, he tells her "It's not personal, it's business." Well, I've used that phrase in many conversations, but in this instance, I'm telling you it's true. In the publishing world, especially in regards to agents and editors, your rejection is probably 99.99% NOT PERSONAL. It's not about you and whether you spell your name right, comb your hair a certain way, look as gorgeous as a model or wear a specific outfit.

It's about publishing.

You see, a lot of writers have a favorite day dream: A literary agent sitting at his desk, waiting for that wonderful manuscript that's going to change his or her life (and ours). Or even better, that the editor is just waiting to get my book because he knows it will be a raise and promotion and will spring both of us to the top of the heap, king of the hill, etc., yada, yada, yada.

Unfortunately, most of us at Authors Incognito have discovered this scenario doesn’t represent reality. They aren't waiting, they are WADING. They are quick to explain in about every writing conference the idea that publishers and agents are swamped with manuscripts. Agents get an average of fifty a day. Publishers get hundreds. Your manuscript is just another in the pile and if it doesn't stand out as an amazing read, it will get the rejection letter.

So, rather than let this discourage you, the next time you get a rejection letter remember that yours was probably the last in a long day, or the wrong genre, wrong season, wrong anything to that editor who is overworked, or the agent who has to eke out a lively hood from finding a person to represent. It's not personal -- it's business.

It's up to you to make things the best they can be. It's your job to keep submitting, keep improving, keep moving forward. You have to remember that many famous published authors were rejected many times before they made it big. I've heard Gresham was even rejected 100 times before his first novel reached print. 100 times.

We have an annual contest going in our writing community -- it's the rejection letter contest. We were told at one of our writing conferences that you need to keep these letters, count them and be proud of the work you're doing. If you are submitting, you are persevering. You will make it.

In the future, try to remember when you find yourself holding a rejection letter -- it's not personal -- it's publishing.

Be Like a Munchkin

By Nichole Giles

For the last four months, my kids—along with more than 60 others—have been working toward a goal. They’re cast in a children’s theater production of The Wizard of Oz. Tuesday, they opened their first performance to a house full of first through third graders who laughed, gasped and cheered until the final curtain call.

The kids were exhilarated and amazed at their accomplishment, and the adults…well, they were impressed. It was my privilege to be the “green room mom” during that first performance, which means I was back stage in the green room helping with makeup, hair, costume issues, and anything else that came up.

If you’ve never been backstage during a performance before, let me enlighten you. As the cast prepares to go onstage, the energy level practically hums through the air. People dance through the halls, singing and laughing, and just before the curtain goes up, the entire cast forms a circle, holding hands with their heads bowed while they pray. Just being there is an amazing, moving experience.

But that’s behind the scenes. The performance of these kids is amazing. They range in age from six to eighteen, and the directors are talented enough to bring them all together to produce one working machine. During their months of practice, they’ve learned responsibility, endurance, and self-confidence. They’ve learned to treat each other well, despite disagreements and differences, and they’ve learned that it isn’t always fun to stay up really late rehearsing and then get up very early to perform. Sometimes, acting is tough.

As a case in point, the girl playing the part of Dorothy happens to be eight-years-old. She has worked for several hours every day learning lines and dances. Practicing. Yesterday, she came down with a terrible cold that has affected her singing voice. Rather than crying and refusing to sing, that little girl drank tons of water, carried a pen and paper around, refusing to talk except when she went onstage, and did her very best to belt out her songs—even though it hurt.

Why do they do it?

Because they love it. There is no other explanation. If these kids didn’t love what they do with their whole hearts, they would never commit to give up all the Saturdays and afternoons in April—including spring break—to rehearse. They wouldn’t be willing to wake up at 6:00 am—two days in a row—to have their makeup and hair done so they can make an 8:30 performance call time, knowing they might be at the theater until as late as 10:00 pm.

Writing is a form of creativity that is put on paper rather than performed on a stage, but the same rules apply. Why do we do it? Because we love it. Why do we sacrifice our time, our talents, and sometimes our sanity, going to workshops and reading books and writing things no one will ever see? For the love of it.

Those kids may have walked into this program with no idea of what they were getting into, but they came out with performance experience and a new understanding of life.

Often writers jump into a project with no idea of what they are getting into, but they come out with writing experience and a new understanding of life, the universe, and everything else.

Today I’m taking a lesson from a bunch of kids. Despite the many, many challenges that have occurred over the months, these people were able to pull this play together, and their performance is incredible. They didn’t give up when the going got tough, or when their friends went on vacation and they had to rehearse. They didn’t give up when they had to take dinner with them in a paper sack and do their homework backstage. They kept going and in the end, they are rewarded. They are amazing.

I only hope I can be so dedicated and produce as high quality a result as my little munchkins in the play.

Writing Exercises

By C. LaRene Hall

This year my local writing group has been encouraging all of us to do more writing exercises. One that I particularly enjoyed was picking a moment from the day before when there were people surrounding me. Once I freeze that time into my memory, I ask myself questions. Where was I? What time was it? Who was there? What were they doing?

The next step is to set the timer for fifteen minutes and to start writing exactly what happened with no emotions, no adjectives, just what happened. You write short sentences with every gesture, every reaction, and all the dialogue. The thing you want to do is cover five minutes worth of real time in fifteen minutes of writing time.

One week we completed the following sentence; I am the one who . . . forgets, or has never, experimented with, dreaded, hates, believed, must have, wished, and remembers, with a very short statement. Make your own list and see how well you do.

That same evening we finished two sentences.
1. I am going to write my story just as soon as . . .
2. I really want to write about . . .

Another time the leader divided us into teams and had each group pick one of three paragraphs. All the people on the team wrote a paragraph about the same thing, and then compared their stories with one another. It was amazing to see the different ideas that came out of the same basic idea.

These types of activities get your creative juices flowing and help you think about new ideas. The most important thing for each of you is to keep writing. Write something every day. I do.

The Name Game

By Darvell Hunt

Would you be more interested in reading a story written by Samuel Clemens or Mark Twain? My guess would be Mark Twain, but why? Does the name have more appeal or is it just because we’re familiar with stories associated with the name?

Would you be more inclined to read a novel written by Joe Hill or by Joseph Hillstrom King, son of Stephen King? My guess would not be Joe Hill, but in fact, these two names refer to the same person, but only one of them appears on a recently published novel. I imagine it would be hard writing under the shadow of such a famous father, but I’d be inclined to keep the famous name on my books. Yet I think I understand why he picked an alternate last name, because he doesn’t want his novel to be compared to Daddy’s writing. (What kind of bedtime stories do you think Stephen King used to tell his kids?)

Why use a pen name? Are there valid reasons to use one? Or is using a pseudonym just a “fun thing” we fiction writers like to do? Fictitious names for fictitious stories.

In my case, I’m considering using different names to publish in different genres. I’m currently writing both young adult material and more adult-themed thriller stories. It wouldn’t seem appropriate to use the same name for both, as I wouldn’t want to confuse a young reader who sees my name on a thriller novel.

We’ve been discussing this topic on various writing groups in which I participate. Many of my friends are trying to establish their writing identities before publication, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. It’s better than changing your name later on once you have created a solid reader base.

So don’t be surprised if in the near future you begin to see new writers pop up on your local bookstore shelves with similar names like Darvell Hunt, D. Dean Hunt, or even D. D. Hunt—all different variations of my given name. I might even consider writing romance under DeeDee Hunt, but maybe that’s pushing the idea a bit too far.

I Love Getting Tagged

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

Some time ago, fellow blogger, Nichole Giles, tagged me in the game of “Seven Unknown Facts about Me”. Because I write a humor column, there’s very little the world doesn’t know about me—or my husband, dogs, cats, and dust bunnies under the bed. Because I love playing tag, I’ll give it a shot, however, like fellow blogger, Darvell Hunt, I’m going to give it a little twist and make it seven unknown writing facts about me.

1. I can not diagram any sentence more complicated than, “See Spot run.” Even in that simple pronouncement, I’m unsure where the word “see” would go on the diagram.

2. Like most writers, I’ve composed poetry. Things like, “There was a young girl named Beckie, who was stuck in the snow to her neckie.” Award winning stuff, to be sure.

3. I never aspired to be a writer when I was a child. Although—funny thing—a friend and I started our own newspaper that we hand-wrote and then typed on an old typewriter. We wrote it for friends, when we were 12. It ran about three months and bombed out when we realized the two of us were the only ones reading it.

4. Writing was something other people were good at, not me. Or so I thought, until I had a wonderful graduate student as a teacher in college. Because of her, I discovered that I could actually write. It probably happened because she never made me diagram sentences.

5. Brevity. It’s a problem!

6. Typing is an evn bigger prblem becsaue my brain tinks faster then me fingrs.

7. Author, Shirley Bahlmann, mentors and encourages me. The 2006 LDStorymakers' Conference motivated me. Without those two, I wouldn’t have plucked up the nerve to say, “So what if my stuff gets rejected a hundred times. I’m writing and submitting anyway!”

C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website

What books C. Lynn recommends:
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)
Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by Jon Franklin
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Browne & Dave King

Warning! Graphic Images!

By Keith Fisher

It’s been six weeks since my wife was awakened early in the morning by our nervous cat. She needed a midwife, the cat . . . not my wife. Anyway, it was a Sunday morning and we ended up being late for church. It was a magical event for our family, but by the time the sixth kitten was born it was pretty monotonous. The cat wasn’t very thrilled either.

My daughter started naming the kittens almost as fast as they were born. "Don’t do that," I said. "We’re going to have to give them away . . . what’s that? No, we’re not keeping just one."

Well, as I said, it’s been six weeks . . .

When the cat got, uh, in the family way (this is a family blog), my daughter assured me some kids at school most definitely had permission . . . well, you know where this is going. Does anybody want a kitten?

Okay, to be fair, I won’t tell you how cute they are, or how they purr when you stroke their fur. I won’t even tell you they all have blue eyes like their mother. On second thought . . . I will tell you, they all have cute meows that’ll melt your heart.

Did I mention it’s been six weeks?

You’re probably wondering what all this has to do with writing. Well . . . I’m shameless. I’m going to have a literature contest and, anyone . . . well, everyone who gives me the correct answer gets a kitten. But you better hurry. I only have six.

Did I mention it’s been six weeks?

Okay here's the question . . . what is the name of our blogck . . . uh, I mean blog . . . what’s that? You want a harder question? Darn. Okay . . . who is your favorite author and why?

Now, there you have it. Leave your answer in the comment trail and tell me where in Utah County you want to meet your new kitten. Oh so cute . . . just look at the pictures. Provide the right answer and you’ll be happily stroking the fur on your new kitten. Did I mention it’s been six weeks?

Good luck in your writing—see you next week.

Pulling an Elephant Through Mud

by G.Parker

If you've had children, you understand that trying to force them to do anything is much like pulling an elephant through mud. Sometimes it works -- eventually -- when everyone is frustrated, angry and the home no longer resembles anything harmonious.. .you get the picture.

This is also what it's like when you try to force a story to go where it doesn't want to. It's one of the causes for the sickness called "writer's block" and can sometimes be fatal to the sanity of a writer. Case in point? I have a story that I'm trying to finish. I keep trying to end the darn thing, but the characters keep wanting excitement. I guess they aren't ready for it to end yet. (One can hardly blame them, they're in beautiful Hawaii in the middle of the Polynesian Cultural Center.) Unfortunately, while they're having a grand time, I'm totally frustrated. I want it over. I want them on the plane back home, basking in the warmth of a vacation over, lives saved and friendships deepened.

They won't cooperate. I keep getting new plot lines running around in my head. I have a gun that I'm trying to figure out how to justify it's existence, and people who are refusing to just go away. I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill someone. I remember reading about JK Rowling and how she came out of her office one day, just bawling, "I've just killed off a character." (Or something to that effect.) I don't want to kill a main character, just a bad guy. Don't you think that would be simple? Sigh.

So, I'm trying to force my imagination to my will. Unfortunately, the mud seems to be getting deeper each day. It wouldn't matter so much if I weren't trying to meet a self-imposed deadline. I've still got another book that I'm trying to edit and get submitted!

I guess now would be a good time to ask myself why I want to be a writer. It doesn't take much to send me cringing -- just the thought of shutting off that side of my brain gives me chills. There are stories to be told, morals to be taught, and spirit to be felt. I like this If I don't do it, who's to say that my version will ever be told?

So, I'm going to get back to it. Force the plot to make itself known, kill off the bad guy and save the day with a 10 gallon cowboy hat on my hero's head. Hey -- he likes it. He's from Montana.

Waiting

By Nichole Giles

Do you remember the story I’ve been talking about on and off for the past two years? The one about my grandfather who was kidnapped? Well, I finished it. Not only did I finish it, but I entered the first chapter in a contest. It took first place.

Then an editor asked to see my winning first chapter, and when she got it, she wrote me back and asked for the rest of the book—which I had been editing like a mad woman, just in case.

It’s a good thing I’d spent the better part of the last three weeks finishing the last of the editing on that book, too, because when she asked for the rest, it was expected soon. So, this past Monday, I printed, packaged, and took a trip to the post office where I sent my manuscript priority mail—and labeled “requested material.”

Now I wait.

While I wait I have two choices. I can either sit around biting my nails and staring endlessly at my phone, email, and mailbox waiting for a response. Or, I can get right to work on another project, that is equally important and every bit as crucial as the one I just finished. I choose the second option.

Life’s way too short to sit around waiting for an acceptance that may or may not come. And let’s face it. The response may very well be rejection. Though it will hurt (this one will hurt especially badly, since this particular story is so important to me) I already have a plan for what to do next. On to the next publisher, on to the next project, on and on and on until I write that story and find that publisher that will give me the break I’ve been waiting for.

And then…I’ll write some more.

Live in the Moment

By C. LaRene Hall

One talk that I really enjoyed during the last conference was by Elder M. Russell Ballard on Sunday afternoon. He talked about mothers but there was a message there for everyone – especially me.

He asked if we were all in such a big hurry to get on with life that we let the important moments pass on by us. He reminded us that once that moment goes it is gone.

His encouragement was for everyone. Don’t over schedule yourself. Take time to listen, laugh, and play together. He encouraged women to find time for their self, and cultivate their gifts as well as their interests. I wish I had learned to do this at an earlier age. I feel sad when I think about all the things I could have wrote in those years. I will never again have the same thoughts I did back then. I can never write the stories I would have written then. That time is gone.

All I can do now is look to the future. Elder Ballard reminded us that every situation is unique. We all have different choices and should focus on the things that we can do in the particular season of life in which we are now living, and not everyone’s season is the same. Everyone has momentary feelings of inadequacy, and frustration, but we can also have great joy. We just need to relish the time, and not rush past the fleeting moments of life.

Announcing New Online LDS Writing School

By Darvell Hunt

I’m very excited to announce that registration is now open for two classes being taught online at LDSWritingSchool.com. I’ve teamed up with some successful published LDS authors to offer online instruction in the LDS media marketplace.

Author Candace Salima is currently offering two classes, one for aspiring writers who would like to write a novel and a second class for published authors who want to learn how to market their book more effectively.

Here are the details on each of these classes:

Class #1: Getting that Book out of your Head and onto Paper!

Lesson 1: Idea, Outline and Research
Lesson 2: Refining Outline and Creating a Story Treatment
Lesson 3: Story Flow and Structure
Lesson 4: Character Development
Lesson 5: Dialogue vs. Exposition/Narrative
Lesson 6: Readers, Critique Groups and Editing

This writing class will be taught every Monday, via Talk Shoe, utilizing their conference call software as well as email and MSN Messenger. The first class will be held on May 5, 2008. Cost is $150, or $125 each if taken with a friend.

Class #2: How to Market your Work and Increase Sales!

Lesson 1: What is Expected of an Author
Lesson 2: Blogging
Lesson 3: Virtual Book Tours
Lesson 4: PodcastingLesson 5: Book Signings / Readings
Lesson 6: Public Speaking

This self-marketing class will be taught every Tuesday, via Talk Shoe, utilizing their conference call software as well as email and MSN Messenger. The first class will be held on May 6, 2008. Cost is $150, or $125 each if taken with a friend.

Please visit http://www.ldswritingschool.com/ for more information on the LDS Writing School, or go directly to candacesalima.lakemtn.com to sign up for one of these exciting classes.

A Few Announcements

By C. Lynn Beck
© 2008

Never-Never Land. Don’t we all secretly wish we could live there? Oh, wait. Maybe I should clarify. I’m not talking the Michael Jackson ranch, I’m talking the real thing—the delightful place where Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle lived. The world where no one ever had to grow up.

Writers wear many hats, and one of mine has been my less-than-grown-up hat of humor. It’s my favorite, because it’s blue with a big plume that squirts water. It’s covered in pin-on buttons with funny sayings, and when I meet someone sad, I pull off a button and give it to them.

However, I also have other hats, and in honor of fairness to them, it’s time for me to pull out a few, dust and polish them, try them on for size, and actually wear the hats in public.

Hence, the above name change. In keeping with my resolve to be a multi-hatted writer, I’m using a new pen name, C. Lynn Beck, for my more serious/grown-up writings. That’s not to say those pieces won’t contain a bit of humor. After all, I’m not actually taking off my humor hat; I’m just wearing it under the others. However, when I write under the pen name of C. Lynn Beck, you’ll know the topics are things I’ve observed, pondered or studied, and then written because I wanted to share those thoughts with you.

For those who liked hearing from C.L. Beck, don’t worry. You can still read my humorous column at the Sanpete Messenger. Or find humor in a forthcoming book about LDS goofs and gaffs that fellow blogger, Nichole Giles, and I are working on. Or in the new personal blog that I plan to have up and running in the near future. (Information on those last two will be listed at my website, ByTheBecks, so check often to see what’s new in the laughs department.)

I hope you’re not disappointed to hear the news. Humor will still slip in occasionally because it’s a part of me. However, you know as well as I do there really isn’t a Never-Never Land. Sooner or later we all have to grow up.


C. Lynn’s other work:
Cup of Comfort for Horse Lovers, "Horse on Lap"
Life is Like Riding a Unicycle by Shirley Bahlmann, "Priming the Pump, pg. 79
Newspaper Column
Ensign Magazine, Dec 2007-Q&A
2007 League of Utah Writer's Award-Historical Fiction
Website

What books C. Lynn recommends:
Publishing Secrets by LDS Storymakers (BJ Rowley and others)
Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic Nonfiction by Jon Franklin
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Browne & Dave King

Just Fifteen Seconds

By Keith Fisher

Before we get started talking about whatever the subject for today’s blog is, I want to take a minute and tell you about the great marketing program J. Scott Savage is using. It’s called a blog tour and he has asked all those bloggers who are interested, to sign up for an advance copy of his new book. All you have to do is promise to blog about it. I told him I would help out, so be looking for my humble opinion. The book is called Farworld and you can sign up at http://jscottsavage.blogspot.com/2008/04/marketing-part-ivthe-blog-tour.html

Now on to other things:

In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes. Millions have quoted this statement, made by Andy Warhol, in 1968. Many people look to this statement with hope, thinking they will someday, be granted fifteen minutes of their own. Consequently, we tend to joke when we see someone posing for news cameras or when we see the crowds outside the studio of the Today Show in New York.

With increased population and thus fewer chances, it seems the estimate has changed to fifteen seconds. Because of our origins, we believe mankind was destined for greatness, but most of us would be happy to simply be remembered when we’re gone. Sometimes our fifteen seconds can be hard to grasp.

In my life I have been blessed with many fifteen seconds of fame, starting with my baby blessing, baptism, priesthood ordinations, missionary farewell, and homecoming. My wife and I were blessed to win The World Championship Dutch oven Cookoff and I was interviewed on television. I have had my picture in the paper many times, been interviewed on the radio, and even had an editorial published.

All of these things have added joy to my life, but none of it compares to the fifteen seconds when I will hold a printed copy of my first book and realize people are actually going to be able to read the thing. It will be joy beyond compare to run my fingers over the spine and know it wouldn’t be possible without all the help I’ve received throughout my life.

I am so happy to see my good friends get their books published. They deserve it—they have helped me along the way. I can think of no greater joy than to see one those friends receive an award for their work and to know what has gone into it. I hope that in some small way, I will have had a part in helping them. Then I will have been blessed with another fifteen seconds, but the fame will be in the hearts of my friends.

Good luck in your writing—see you next week.

The First Step

by G.Parker

As I sat around the table getting to know the four people who were going to have influence on my writing in the coming months, I realized that I'd decided to take my writing to the next level. I'd joined a critique group.

I've been a member of various writing and critique groups in the past, but they were always on the internet, never lasted very long, and weren't very helpful. We even tried one at Authors Incognito, but there hasn't been much activity.

This step in joining a critique group was a first for me. Despite the fact that I'm usually a people person who likes to socialize, there are many times when I'd rather hide in my shell -- when I'm writing or when people are reading my work. I've had so many family members read, various other people give opinions and edited my brains out -- but I know it needs that next step. I've got to have another level of input. I need to know if it really works or I'm just fooling myself.

When I got to the house where we're holding this group, the default chair (no one else took the ball, Gary!) showed me the box he'd stored from writing his first book and the critiques he'd gotten on it. It was stuffed with paper – red-lined, blue-marked, totally covered on some pages, manuscript. It was enough to send some of fainter heart screaming through the night. That was what my work would look like when they finished with it?

Never had the comparison of your manuscript being a baby that you have to let out into the world been brought home so forcibly. It wasn't as if I thought they were going to be mean in their remarks -- it was simply opening myself up to criticism and suggestion. It's that whole "delete that favorite/best line" and move on from there. ARGH!

As I got to know the other people in the group and discovered what their goals were and the work we would be looking at, I was impressed with the diversity. Unfortunately for Gary, he was the only male. I'm sure he felt outnumbered. I tried to get my hubby to come, but he claimed he'd be a distraction. right. cap When I contemplated joining the group, all sorts of thoughts ran through my head, like: "I'm not sure I can do this.", "It's another night away from my family." or "It's another writing thing." and finally, "What if they don't like my stuff?"

Sitting there, going over group guidelines and suggestions, outlining what we wanted to accomplish as a group and discussing our goals, I felt such a feeling of...belonging. I was with people who wanted the same thing as I did -- to write and have it published. They all had the same fears I did, the worry, the anxiety of putting ourselves in the path of rejection. But we'd all been willing to meet, no matter how difficult it might be.

We'd taken that first step. I'm excited to see where it takes us.