Dear Writers,

Details for entry to the Writers On The Storm “CATEGORY FIVE” Writing Contest are below. The contest is open to unpublished and non-traditionally published FICTION authors, both members and non-members of the Writers on the Storm group. NOTE: If you have previously been “traditionally” published, you are not eligible. However, if you paid to publish your book(s), you are eligible and encouraged to participate.

OUR ORIGINAL JULY 29th DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED BY ONE MONTH TO AUGUST 29th BECAUSE OUR “MEET THE CHRISTIAN AUTHOR” EVENT GOT PUSHED BACK TO OCTOBER 15th. WE HOPE THIS WILL GIVE WRITERS MORE TIME TO GET THEIR SUBMISSIONS TURNED IN. PLEASE SEE THE FORM AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS NOTE.

Judges are all published authors and/or industry pros, though not members of our chapter. Entering a writing contest is a great way to get feedback or accolades, and we hope you will enter this one with great enthusiasm! The WOTS Chapter Board invite you to BLOW THE JUDGES AWAY with your fiction writing brilliance!

Our Cat Five Writing Contest OPENED on JUNE 1st and CLOSES on Friday, JULY 29th. Judges will receive entries for review on August 1st, 2011. Winners will be announced at our MEET THE CHRISTIAN AUTHOR event on September 17th, 2011 and winners will be notified by phone.

Our Five Categories (novels and/or short stories)

1. Romance (Historical and Contemporary)

2. Women’s Fiction

3. General Fiction

4. Mystery/Suspense

5. Young Adult/Children’s

Contest Fees:

Members-$20 per entry (Two or more entries $15/per entry)

NonMembers-$25 per entry (Two or more entries $20/per entry).

Make checks out to: Writers on the Storm

PRIZES:

The overall grand prize (for the highest scoring entry) is the FICTION WRITING MASTER COURSE from www.freelancewritingcourses.com, a $249 value. The grand prize winner will also receive a plaque, a press release he/she can share with others and a news splash on our website. The category winners will each receive a free edit of the first chapter of their book from a multi-published author, along with a certificate. Their names will be listed on our website, as well. We will also post the list to facebook, twitter, the ACFW loop, etc.

Instructions:

Send the first 15 pages of your novel or short story. If you have a prologue, you may send the prologue and part of chapter one or just 15 pages of chapter one if chapter one exceeds 15 pages. The total pages of your entries may not exceed 15).

Entries must be double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 point on white paper.

Entries should reflect a Christian world-view.

Entries with inappropriate content (i.e. profanity, pornography, extreme violence) will not be considered.

Entries will not be returned to contestants via the U.S. Post Office unless a SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) is enclosed with each entry submitted.

Judges are all published authors and/or industry pros, though not members of the Writers On The Storm chapter.

Send your entries via SNAIL MAIL to:

Linda Kozar

7 South Chandler Creek

CATEGORY FIVE CONTEST ENTRY FORM

As I sit with pen in hand, ready to face the stark, white reality of the empty page, I find myself consumed with thoughts that pull me away from my task.  “Am I writing out of passion?” I wonder, “or am I writing to fill a need?”  The sheer bluntness of the question brings instantaneous guilt.  It also sends my mind off in a thousand different directions.

I can’t help but think of Laura Ingalls Wilder in her prairie home… eyes darting quickly across the rough pages as her crude pen scratches frantically – and I feel like a traitor.  My fingers tip-toe across near-silent keys as I write.

My mind roams to Thoreau… strolling silently, solemnly through the sanctuary of his wilderness home, breathing in, giving out – and I realize that I haven’t even stepped outside to check the mail yet today.

I drift to Louisa May Alcott – that adventurous soul, who dared to imagine that her ink-stained hands could push open doors in a man’s world – and I glance down at my finely manicured nails, completely clean, yet completely stained with guilt.

My mind gravitates towards George Orwell, who sought to change his world by writing something so bold, so unique that readers for generations to come would study the complexities of its simplicity – and I am forced to admit that I have become completely oblivious to the political machine in my own world.

I imagine Shakespeare… acting out his plays in his head as he scribbles, scribbles, scribbles away.  Enter Puck, Stage Left.  Enter Hermia, Stage Right – and I recognize that  my own characters haven’t spoken to me in quite some time.

I recall the story of Emily Dickinson – so withdrawn, so melancholy, and yet so full of verse that she would flip the world of poetry up on its ear – and I realize that I’ve never graduated beyond the simplest of poetic forms.

I ponder the writings of Herman Melville… a man tormented by allegorical beast, tossing and turning on the sea of life – and must admit that I haven’t used an educated adjective in days.

I wonder at the imagination of a Franz Kafka… in whose clever characters I often find myself hidden – and recognize that my creative juices are in much need of a spin around the juicer.

It is in these moments, as the paper moves from stark white to blur, that I thank God for placing the desire to write in me.  Guilt shifts.  Reality convenes.  I am a writer.  I am passionate.  I am fanning the flame.  I am so grateful to be counted among those who, in touching pen to paper, hope to impact their world.

My fingers begin to dance across the keys – silent no more.  The race has begun.  Yes, others have run that race before me.  They have cast a shimmer of light on the road that I now travel.  For that, I am forever grateful.  But there is plenty of road ahead for one like me.

To learn more about the writing process, feel free to visit my online courses site.

Draw me, Lord

Oh, Father, mine…

With penciled strokes

erase, define

the edges of my life

give them shape, give them form,

Call them forth as one who is born

of more than barren, earthly seed,

Father God, call to me…

And draw me close

Speak through me,

gentle wind

Words of life

May I send

across the rocking,

rolling sea

of this vast  humanity,

As I live and breathe and move

Use my words to heal, to soothe

Lord, speak through me

Create in me,

Author of all

With wing-tipped fingers

touch and stir

the untapped places in my life

take me from this world of strife

to places I have never seen

places I have only dreamed

Create in me

If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don’t remove it – I might be writing in my dreams.
Danzae Pace

Have you ever boarded a roller coaster at an amusement park, only to wonder what you’d just gotten yourself into? If so, then you know what it feels like to be a full-time freelance writer. Up one day, down the next. . .the average freelancer rises over the crest on the proverbial coaster, only to plummet back down the other side, losing her stomach in the process. Scary stuff, the writing biz.

Even those of us who are fortunate enough to have book contracts aren’t immune to that inevitable “stomach in the throat” feeling when we don’t know what’s coming around the next bend. “Will my readers love my next story, or boo me off the stage?” “Will my editors decide the gig is up and send me packing?” “Will I be able to meet my next deadline if I take on extra work on the side?” “Can I really support myself in this crazy business?”

Oy, the questions! How they fly. And yet, the writer plows ahead, undeterred. What propels her, besides the rent, electric bill and so forth? Her undeniable love affair with the written word. She is addicted. . .unashamedly, head-over-heels addicted. She couldn’t give it up if she wanted to.

And so she perseveres. She eats, sleeps and breathes her WIP (work in progress). The laptop becomes her faithful companion. She wonders if others fall asleep thinking of the next step in their plotline. Her dreams are filled with images from her story—colorful, vibrant and alive. Morning awakens and she rushes to pick up her characters where she left them the night before.

When her fingers hit the keys, her breathing steadies. She’s at home once more.

Perhaps you can relate to this writer. Maybe you’ve walked a mile in her shoes. If so, then you know what it’s like to give yourself over to your craft. There are high highs and low lows, and many unexpected places in-between. The joys are many, but so are the sorrows. And the freelancer, for all of her trying, still battles the inevitable questions and fears. She also wonders about the financial. . .a lot. And like the woman in this story, she seeks out other work, hoping to make ends meet. She edits on the side. She pitches magazine articles. She shares her story with writers groups. She offers her services as a creative writing teacher at a local homeschool group. And all with one thing in mind. . .to support her habit.

There is no twelve-step program for this poor soul. She’s in this thing for life. When her days come to their rightful end, she will be found at her computer, rigid fingers still perched on the keys, the words THE END etched in crisp black print against a frozen white screen. Times New Roman font, of course. 12-pitch. Just in case an editor happens by.

Yep, writing is tough work. But this weary author, for all of her joys and sorrows, hopes the gig won’t be up, even when this life is over. If there’s not a laptop waiting for her in heaven, she plans to take it up with the Almighty. Surely he will offer her a position as a freelancer. After all, the stories up there will be out of this world. Literally.

Want to learn more about the business of writing? Check out my online courses!

Hi friends! I thought it would be a great idea to update you. I’m at the one week point in my “Belles and Whistles” road trip through the central and western states. To bring you up to speed, I’m researching for a new series with Summerside titled “Belles and Whistles.” Many of the stops along my way on this trip have provided opportunity for extensive research.

Here’s a play-by-play of the days my mom and I have shared on the road:

DAY ONE: We stopped in Madisonville to see author and friend Rebekah Hatcher, then paused in Fairfield to see the awesome Eleanor Clark. After that, it was all to the home of Lynne Gentry in DeSoto Texas, where I spoke to the DFW Ready Writers group about perseverance and shared the latest about my writing courses. Staying at Lynne’s was like being at a B&B, only better! I had a wonderful time.

DAY TWO: We visited the Ft. Worth Cowboy Museum (to research for “Cowbelles” – one of the future “Belles and Whistles” books) and then met Lena Nelson Dooley for lunch. After that, we drove to Tulsa. I needed to get a feel for the area, since the book I’m currently writing (Love Finds You in Daisy OK) is set in this area. Along the way, we passed through Tushka, OK, which was badly damaged by tornados. Scary stuff. We arrived at Kathleen and Robert’s place, had dinner and watched American Idol.

DAY THREE: Robert, the best tour guide ever, drove us to OKC, where we saw the Memorial to honor those who lost their lives during the bombing of the federal building. Very, very sobering. From there, we went to lunch, then on to the National Cowboy museum. Took a ton of pics. After that, we went to Pop’s and a round, red barn, both on Route 66. Then we went to a pizza place, where I spoke to the OKC writer’s group. Had a blast.

DAY FOUR: Spent the day in Tulsa. Went to the Gilcrease Museum and the Blue Rose, an awesome restaurant on the river. After that, back to Kathleen’s, then on to a dinner with the Tulsa writers, where I met some awesome people!

DAY FIVE: We drove from Tulsa to Wichita. I spoke to the Wichita ACFW group, then we met up with the amazingly talented Nancy Mehl at Red Lobster. Goodness, did I have fun! Spent the night at the Hampton in Wichita. (I plan to set one of my “Belles and Whistles” books in Wichita.)

DAY SIX: Drove from Wichita to Goodland, where my mom stayed in the hotel. I drove to St. Francis Kansas for an outdoor picnic in the park (sponsored by several churches). Met an awesome pastor (from Texas!) and then heard a fantastically talented music group called Eternity Focus. Wow! Hung around afterwards to talk to the girls and swap product.

DAY SEVEN: Met up with Kim Zweygardt in St. Francis. She showed us her beautiful home, her artwork, and her glass studio. Then she took us on a tour of the area, showing us “the breaks” (a mini Grand Canyon). After that, we drove to Denver. Arriving in Denver, we went to Flatirons Mall, hung out for a while, then met up with the Denver His Writers group at Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. After that, we went to Barnes and Noble, where twenty-plus writers met for a great teaching by Jeff Gerke (awesome!) I delivered a devotion. Afterwards, we went back to Paula Moldenhauer‘s place, where we spent the night.

DAY EIGHT: Paula fed us a fantabulous hearty breakfast and we got to know her family. They’re truly a godly, precious bunch. We left for Estes Park around 10:30 in the morning and arrive around noon. Beautiful! Gorgeous! Breathtaking! Man, do I love this place. We went to the museum first so that I could research for “Wedding Belles.” Met a great historian and took a ton of notes/photos. Then we went to Lake Estes. After that we had lunch at the Stanley Hotel, which will be featured in my book. After that, we drove up into Rocky Mountain National Park, where I took a ton of pics. After that, we checked into our hotel, then went to the shops in town. After that, we grabbed dinner at Village pizza. Yum! (What a rough day this has been on my diet!)

So, there you have it! Lots going on. Tomorrow we leave for Jackson Hole Wyoming, where I will research for “Liberty Belles” (an upcoming book in the new series). After that we’ll head north to Courtney’s place. Can’t wait to see how things go. I’ll post again in a week with more pics. In the meantime, check out my facebook page for more info!

Hi everyone! I hope you enjoy this interview with one of my favorite people, Angie Breidenbach. You’ll find her full bio at the end, but let me start with this little blurb:

Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009, a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and the author of the Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life from Journey Press, the Creative Cooking Series including the new release of Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance and the new Kindle release, Creative Cooking for Colitis.

Angie, when you’re not writing, what fills your time?

Angie: Okay, I have to admit that though I do a lot of volunteerism, I love to bake.

What sage advice can you offer writers who are just getting started?

Angie: Set goals and make those goals part of your daily schedule. Without them, it’s just a pipe dream you’ll write a book someday. Without them, maybe you’ll tinker on a book. But with them, you’ll chart a career of many books, articles, or even Broadway plays.

Tell us about your WIP (work in progress)

Angie: Right now I’m working on three. I switch between them to keep myself creative. I’m working on a 365 day devotional with another writer, an historical fiction trilogy set in 1864 Montana Territory, and a romantic comedy contemporary.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?

Angie: Public speaking. I realized that though it took some intense training, when I am speaking I feel God’s smile. There’s something each of us are supposed to do with our lives. When we are in that action, that specific calling, there really is the sense that God is pleased and smiling on you.

Do you plot your novels or write by the seat of your pants?

Angie: I think you’d consider me plotting. I stumbled on an awesome proposal device from New Leaf Publishing Group. When I have a book in mind, I start that proposal template and answer the questions. Then I write scene and sequel down over and over until I see the story unfold. By scene, I mean I actually write the word “scene” and then write one. But any scene that happens in a book has a response to the action. That’s the “sequel”. I don’t know yet how I’m fully going to group the story into chapters until I have an idea where that story is going. So the first few chapters get written, but then just the scene action with the belonging characters followed by the sequel response follows. As I get the feel, I end up with a skeleton plot for the entire book that’s just a running scene/sequel or better thought of action/response.

Do you edit as you go or wait until completing the first draft?

Angie: I do minor edits as I go if something isn’t pulling together well enough. But mostly just spelling errors so it doesn’t drive me nuts.

How many drafts do you normally do for each novel?

Angie: I now write three drafts. First the rough. Second the fleshing out of the story. Third the polish with power words, hooks, and lyricism.

Do you have a certain editing procedure that you follow?

Angie: I look for habits and patterns of repetition, weak words and phrases, and holes in ideas each time through.

What is your greatest struggle as a writer?

Angie: Waiting for the sale.

Do you have any advice on finding an agent?

Angie: The best way to find an agent and network in the writing world is to attend as many conferences as possible. Because it can be expensive, start in your region with smaller conferences and build great friendships in the business where you give to support your new friends. Then the agent will naturally become a part of your writing world.

What are some ways that readers of your books can help you as an author?

Angie: Interact with me. You can also invite me to speak to your church, group, or event. I love interacting with readers. But if it’s cost prohibitive or there’s no event, I love to skype or video conference with small groups too.

Are you affiliated with any professional organizations? If so, please list them.

Memberships: ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), AWSA (Advanced Writers Speakers Association), and RWA (Romance Writers of America)

Any particular conference instructor who’s made a difference in your writing/career?

This one is hard because I have had so many other writers pour into me, including you, Janice. So I have to say right now that I can give an intensely long list of writers I am full of gratitude to for helping me learn.

What are your favorite marketing strategies?

Angie: I really like using HARO, PitchRate, and other reporter request sites. Because when I’m supplying the reporters information they need, I want to become a friend and not just another noisy bother.

Tell us about your book:

In Gems of Wisdom: For A Treasure-Filled Life you’ll embark on a treasure hunt for God’s unique gems of wisdom. Be empowered, learn to influence through your own life lessons, and preserve important relationships. Gems of Wisdom invites the reader on a treasure hunt to find important life concepts represented by the beautiful stones God created. Excellent for Bible study and book clubs as well as individual study.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?

Angie: I’d love to have readers learn that everything they experience builds beautiful wisdom that God uses to help others through them. If they understand the concept that God’s filling their treasure chest with His gems of wisdom so they can pour them out into others.

Why did you choose to write this book?

Angie: I see Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life as my actual ministry. It’s how I can leave a legacy of love.

What did you learn while writing this book?

Angie: That I love wisdom, God’s wisdom, and it’s threaded through everything I write. I tell stories to help other people catch concepts that will enhance, engage, and encourage them to walk their faith life with intentionality.

If you could change one thing about your non-writing friends/family members, what would it be?

Angie: Lol, I wouldn’t change them. They have different gifts and callings than I do so I get the benefit of their special qualities by appreciating them for who they are even when they don’t fully “get” me.

What is something readers would be surprised you do?

Angie: Talk pirate lingo when writing the pirates. I act them out loud and get into the characters. Ahoy, maties!

Anything you wish you’d known before you set off to publish a book?

Angie: The cost of marketing and publicity. Without it, you’re dead and the book is obscure. With it, you have a chance in the cacophony of the market out there.

Share the opening paragraph of your book here:

Gem of Wisdom

Search for Wisdom as you would search for silver or hidden treasure.

—Proverbs 2: 4, CEV

From a Personal Place: Angie’s Story

I ran before I fell apart. Door after door in the sterile clinic kept me out. Out in the hall. Out in public where privacy became the mythical siren song before I fell apart. I needed seclusion, and I needed it now—before I fell apart.

The final door swung open onto an empty treatment room that smelled of medicinal alcohol. The heavy door closed behind me, only to have a nurse catch it. I turned to beg for a moment, just one moment. But there’d be no moment. She entered wielding compassion.

How can readers get in touch with you? (email, website, blog, facebook, twitter, etc.)

Interact with or learn more about Angela Breidenbach:

• http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
• http://www.MyGemofWisdom.com
• http://www.Youtube.com/AngieBreidenbach
• http://www.GodUsesBrokenVessels.com
• http://www.twitter.com/AngBreidenbach
• http://www.facebook.com/Angela-Breidenbach-Inspirationa-SpeakerAuthor/107359399338636
• http://www.TheFaithGirls.com on Wednesdays each week
• http://www.linkedin.com/in/angiebreidenbach
• http://ColitisCooking.blogspot.com

Angie’s full bio:

Angela Breidenbach is Mrs. Montana International 2009, a multi-award winning inspirational speaker and the author of the Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life from Journey Press, the Creative Cooking Series including the new release of Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance and the new Kindle release, Creative Cooking for Colitis. Other works by Angela include compilation books and devotionals from Guidepost, Group, and articles in magazines, ezines, and newspapers. She connects missions to her work with Hope’s Promise Orphan Ministries and the Jadyn Fred Foundation. Angela also teaches online classes and coaches one-on-one in courageous confidence, personal growth, and powerful living. She’s certified in mentor/peer counseling as a Stephen Minister and life coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister for her congregation in Missoula, MT. She volunteered as the American Christian Fiction Writer’s publicity officer for two years. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom’s brain for the study of schizophrenia, but she’s also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital. Angela is married with a combined family of six grown children and two grand children. Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life releases May 2011 from Journey Press, a Sheaf House imprint.

Confidence Coach & Purposeful Living Educator

Personal growth = Powerful living!

Interested in having Angela speak? Contact Christian Speaker Services 800.871.9012 x40250

Karen@ChristianSpeakerServices.com

Endorsements:

“Angie has amazing passion and mission for helping others achieve their goals and live healthy, fulfilled lives. With her eye always on the Big Picture, she is an unending source of inspiration, energy and empowerment for others.”
~ Tosca Lee – Gallup Organization Senior Consultant/Performance Coach & Christian Author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: Story of Eve.

“Any cause Angie supports is truly blessed. She has so much energy and passion.”
~ Linda Bauman – Owner, Market Place Media

Please enjoy my final article on “Writing for the Christian Market.” If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or track me down on facebook.

HOW TO BREAK INTO CHRISTIAN WRITING:

Ask yourself, “Why do I write?” and begin to pray about whether the Lord is asking you to seek publication.  If so, begin to “stir up” the gifts He’s placed in you!

TIP #1: Join a local critique group. Here are a few Houston-area groups for my local friends to consider:

IWA (Inspirational Writers Alive/c/o Martha Rogers at marthalrogers@sbcglobal.net

WOTS (Writers on the Storm) http://acfwwritersonthestorm.blogspot.com/ (Email marthalrogers@sbcglobal.net)

TIP #2: Join an online writing group for instantaneous interaction

Suggested: ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com

TIP #3: Learn your craft.  Take online classes

Suggested: www.freelancewritingcourses.com. I would recommend starting with “Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer” and working your way up from there. http://www.freelancewritingcourses.com/online-writing-courses-how-to-be-a-freelance-writer

TIP #4: Go to a conference

Suggested:  Local/Houston IWA Conference in August (c/o Martha Rogers at marthalrogers@sbcglobal.net)

Suggested:  American Christian Fiction Writers Conference/Nashville

Info at: www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com

TIP #5: Determine your strengths (magazine articles, devotions, etc.) and study the market

Buy Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers Market Guide @ www.stuartmarket.com

Read Marlene Bagnull’s book Write His Answer (www.writehisanswer.com)

To further develop your fiction writing skills read Stein on Writing

Write, write and write/Submit, submit, submit/Never, never, never give up!

Suggested: Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay abreast of markets.

We’re going to continue with the topic of writing for the Christian market. I hope you find this information (and these questions) helpful.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

How do we set out to write a life-changing book or magazine article?  Where do we find our inspiration?  Often, from life itself.  Like those above, you can choose a social issue, or even an actual event/period in history that sets a strong stage for characters to grow and change.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THE WORLD IS ASKING?

• There are SO many questions! The Lord often presses hard stories onto our hearts.  Stories meant to transform lives.  Why?  Because the world is in crisis.  Those who don’t know the Lord – and even those of us who do – face very real catastrophes and we need very real answers.  A sermon doesn’t always cut it.  Many who will never be reached with a sermon can be touched by a life-changing story.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “WRITE HIS ANSWER”

• Why do you suppose people enjoy stories, even when a sermon won’t reach them?

• Think back on the top three or four books you loved over the course of your lifetime.  What are they?  What did/do you love about them?

Here are my favorites:

Little Women: This very “real” story (taken in part from Louisa May Alcott’s own life) gave me hope, even as a little girl, that I could/would someday write.  Ink would cover my hands.

The Hiding Place: Hope that if someone could survive something that horrible, that tragic, (the REAL events of the holocaust) then surely I could survive the tragedies life would throw my way.

The Pearl: A very REAL story about a man’s struggle to hold onto something, even if it destroyed him.  Isn’t that what we do?  This book teaches us how to let go – how to take our hands off of the things God never intended us to carry.

LOOKING FOR THE REAL DEAL:

• Can you think of a movie or book that “began” with fact?

Inspirational writers have been using real facts to write “present a message for change” for years.  If you don’t believe it, then look at the following:

Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. A dramatization of the harsh realities migrant farmers experienced in California during the early 1930s.

• What was Steinbeck trying to change?

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Set in Alabama in the 1950s, the book tells the story from a young girl’s perspective of a black man wrongfully accused of raping a white woman. The incident and the trial that ensued had long-lasting ramifications for everyone in the town.

• What was Harper Lee trying to change?

Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. This early 19th century book was written to expose the harshness of life in orphanages and on the streets for homeless young boys.

• What was Dickens hoping to change?

YOUR TURN:

Think of novels/movies that impacted not just your life, but society in general.  Did it motivate people to want to change?  How?  Why?

• List a historical event that changed your life.

• Think of a social issue that presses on you.

• Think of a “real” life-changing situation you went through and fill in the blanks:

• Did beauty rise from the ashes?  Explain.

• How could your experience help you craft a magazine article or book?

ABA or CBA?

• The major complaint about secular fiction is that it’s too graphic (too much fact and not enough creative fiction to balance it out).  The major complaint about Christian fiction (ironically) is that it’s too “cookie-cutter” and doesn’t present real characters dealing with real problems.  There’s got to be a careful balance between the two. We must write stories with REAL/FACTUAL issues. On the other hand, we must do this carefully.  The world has enough “R” rated movies that overtly focus on fact but don’t present a balanced godly message. There is power in the written word and what you write could very well influence a life.

Bringing Hope to a World in Crisis

Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.
–Jean Kerr

Over the next several days I’ll be sharing my thoughts on writing for the inspirational market. I hope that other Christian writers find this motivational and thought-provoking.

OUR CALLING:
As writers who are called by God (Matthew 28) to “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” we need to be savvy – especially if our platform is the written word. Do you feel that you have a calling on your life?

OUR CALL AS WRITERS: BRINGING HOPE TO A WORLD IN CRISIS
Why should we craft powerful pieces that present a HOPEFUL, life-changing message? There is POWER in the written word. Have you ever been told that something you’ve written (or spoken) has somehow changed a person’s life for the better? How did that make you feel?

OUR HOPE:
Hope deferred makes the heart sick. If we write about real/factual things, we have to provide HOPE. So, what is hope? Longing, optimism, expectancy, desire. This is what our writing should bring.

BREAKING HOPE DOWN…
LONGING: Can my writing create a longing or a desire in people? In my novel HURRICANE (about the great Galveston hurricane of 1900 – the largest natural disaster in American history), I wanted the characters to long for more than just external things (like money, jobs, houses) I wanted the people to long for mended relationships with family members. I wanted them to want to be better people, stronger people, more hopeful people, in spite of their tragedy. My reader wants these things too.

OPTIMISM:
To be optimistic means that you can face tomorrow with a smile (or at least the hint of a smile) on your face. Can my writing bring about a spirit of optimism? If, when they put the book down, they smile and say, “Wow. I wonder if something like that could happen in my life.” Then I’ve succeeded.

EXPECTANCY:
Does my writing bring about a sense of expectancy? The Islanders in HURRICANE worked together to rebuild and their expectations were huge. So were their obstacles. Our lives aren’t much different form that. Sometimes we go thru things that completely wipe us out (like the storm). But if something I write gives a hurting person a sense of expectancy, that life will go on, that better days are ahead, that life is worth living, then I’ve achieved not just a literary success, but a psychological one, as well.

Your hopes, dreams and aspirations are legitimate. They are trying to take you airborne, above the clouds, above the storms, if you only let them.
–William James

Hey, y’all! I’ve decided to post an occasional low-cal recipe, for those (like me) who are trying to take off a few pounds. One of my recent favorites is a salsa-coated chicken breast (approximately 300 calories per serving). It’s really easy. Here’s what you’ll need:

olive oil
chicken breast, pounded thin
a really good salsa (best to make it fresh)
low-fat grated cheddar
4 – 5 tortilla chips

Start by marinating the uncooked chicken in a bit of salsa. When it’s ready to be cooked, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add your chicken breast pieces and cook on both sides until they’re cooked throughout. Remove the chicken from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Transfer to a baking dish and cover each piece in 2 – 3 tablespoons of salsa. (Remember, we’re not talking bottled picante sauce here, unless you happen to like that sort of thing. I like a really good cilantro-infused salsa, restaurant-style.) Add a tablespoon of low-fat grated cheddar to each piece of chicken. Finally, crumble up the tortilla chips and sprinkle them over the pieces. Put the pan in the oven under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and the chips are crisp.

Serve with salad and/or black beans for a great low-cal meal.