Why Read Classics?

Repurpose Classic Book Spines as Bookmarks--Pinterest link

I love classic literature. Love talking about it, pondering it...I can never quite get enough of it. For an excellent post on how reading classics helps your mind, check this link: 10 Ways to Improve Your Mind by Reading Classics. I especially liked point nine, that reading classics helps you develop a distinct voice as a writer/blogger. 

Classic literature touches on the deep inner workings of humans, from Ebenezer Scrooge's greedy/lonely ways in A Christmas Carol, to The Count of Monte Cristo's drive for vengeance, to Jo March's struggle to have her writing recognized in Little Women (art imitates life for some of us, eh?).

As I ponder, weak and weary...I mean...as I ponder what makes classics memorable to me, I keep landing on several characteristics I strive to include in my own writing:

Hoping this movie sticks to the book (Link to Movie Poster)

1) The main characters are memorable in some way. Perhaps they're eerie psychopaths, like The Talented Mr. Ripley. Perhaps they're delusional flirts who have a knack for self-preservation, like a certain Scarlett. Perhaps they're young boys called on to fight an adults' war, like Ender in Ender's Game. Regardless. I can't forget their names. Katniss Everdeen, I just might lump you into that group...not sure yet.

Liked this adaptation (Link to Movie)

2) Things happen to these main characters that literally make me cringe on some deep level, because they ring true. For instance, we really want to smack the selfish Scarlett upside the head when she ignores her understandably needy children. I'm sure we've all seen some modern-day Scarletts around. When Anna Karenina makes the wrong choice, we know things are going to get bad, because we've seen others make that wrong choice or we've made it ourselves. When Angel rejects Tess of the d'Urbervilles, we want to wring his neck. Then we sit, pasted to our chairs, as Tess rolls along to resolving the story in such an unforgettably tragic manner...yes, that might be more Deus ex Machina than realism, but we recognize the Angel-type guy and we recognize Tess' need to absolve herself of her imagined wrong.

The Help movie

3) Even if I can see the ending coming, even if the book drags in the descriptive sections, I can't stop reading until I know what happens to the main characters. Because I know it'll stick with me for life. There are definitely some modern books that fall into this category, as well. These books stick with me forever, for good or ill. They change me. As an aside, I've noticed that frequently these classics are made into movies, as evidenced by all my pictures above!

That perfect concoction of prose, voice, storyline, and characters...I wish I knew which modern books will stand the test of time and become classics. I may never write one, but I have to try. The standard is set, and I want to shoot for it.

****Let's talk classics, because it's so fun! What would you add to my list of classic characteristics? What's your FAVORITE classic? Mine is Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, with The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot pulling a close second. ALSO, what would you deem a modern classic--say 1980s onward?****

Grounded in the Mountains

My latest novel, an Appalachian mystery, is set in West Virginia. It's not something I ever saw coming. Twenty years ago, I was dead-set on getting out of the mountains' grip for good. I wanted big skies and open spaces. I read Architectural Digest in college and pictured myself, CEO of a huge firm in Manhattan, wearing spike heels and a tailored suit.

Then we lived in Manhattan. New York City and I go together like...manure on a prom dress. Sorry, only analogy I could come up with. I didn't fit. Not enough land, and you'd better not DARE walk barefoot.

So here I am, many years and several moves later, back in West Virginia. I drove up those winding roads and the mountains grinned and offered me the chunk of my heart they'd been hanging on to for me.(Click to Tweet!)

My brother and I were talking about why the supernatural has shimmied its way into every book I've ever written. We deduced it might have a lot to do with growing up in the mountains, where ghost stories weren't just stories and the supernatural seemed tangible in every greened-up forest and every shadow-ridden valley.

I'm not going to high-gloss life in the mountains in my books. That's because the mountains don't high-gloss things either. They hem us all in tight, together. (Click to Tweet!) "Look at the grief," they tell us. You can't hide in anonymity, like in the big city. If one person goes through a tragedy, many do. And we all have to work through it and come out the other side, to open our arms to the skies on top of the mountain and thank the good Lord above for our lives and health and "having food and raiment, let us therewith be content."

I wouldn't be who I am today without the mountains' bittersweet blood running through my veins. It's my prayer that I bring this to life in my books.

****How about you? Where do you feel most grounded?****

What's the Point of the Proposal?

Let me just say, I realize what a bear proposal-writing is for most writers. Anyone who knows me at all knows that proposals (synopses in particular) are my arch-enemies. However, each time I've written one, I've learned something, and I'm happy to share what I've discovered along the way.

First off, every agency has different proposal rules. Some want comparable titles. Some do not. Some want a sell sheet with pictures and fancy stuff. Some do not. Some might want future series titles/ideas, and some don't.

Boiling it down, the dread synopsis is all about selling editors on your characters and your story right away. Moving your proposal out of the slush pile, fast. Which means the faster and more zingy it reads the minute they clamp eyes on it, the better. "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" rings true in the editorial world. Click to Tweet!

I would strongly recommend no more than three double-spaced pages for your synopsis. And yes, it's gruesome to have to reduce your 80-100,000 word baby to that size. For the ACFW Genesis contest, they required a one-page synopsis, single-spaced. That's a good standard.

My first synopsis on God's Daughter was lamentable, as I've mentioned before. It was far too long. Thankfully, when you're finding an agent, they focus primarily on your manuscript, especially if you're a new author. They realize you haven't got all your stuff together yet.

But as a wannabe debut author, when you've landed an agent and you're getting that proposal ready for the publishing houses, you are going to have to work. I don't care how perfect you think it is. It isn't.

Thankfully, this is where your agent will step in and help. They'll help you eliminate deadweight and unnecessary side stories and keep you focused on the goal: selling your book.

So I'd encourage you, if you're querying, be sure you follow that specific agency's proposal guidelines. Hard to do without a sample proposal! I've searched all over the place and it's hard to find fiction proposals online for debut authors with no "street-cred." (I've concluded it's because authors don't want to give their plotlines away for the world to see). But if an agent picks you up, he/she will give you a sample proposal from your new agency for you to use as a guideline.

This takes lots of pressure off you, as far as envisioning formatting and necessary elements. But you still have work to do. And as I said above, your agent will work with you on that.

This is where it's also wonderful to have crit partners who have strengths you don't. Click to Tweet! I tend to write choppy sentences in my synopses, trying to jam as much of that wonderful plotline in there as I can. I mean, it's a multi-layered book! Many themes going on here! I need to cram it all in, right? (Wrong!)

My crit partner has the gift of synopsis flow, as I'll call it, and without her I'd be totally lost. She can read my proposal with fresh eyes and tell me how phrases like "intuitive Glock-wielding housewife" might read the wrong way (an intuitive Glock? Dude, I want one!).

I'm sorry this post can't be more in-depth, but it's almost impossible to state across-the-board what you need in your proposal (outside the Synopsis and Bio). Every agency uses different key elements and different formats.

Yes, it'd be easier to have a standard format. But each agent has determined what they feel impresses editors the most. As authors, it makes sense to trust their judgment and run with whatever they give us. 

Because the point of your proposal isn't to torture you as a writer, but to give you every possible chance of landing a book contract.

****How about you? Share your Synopsis and Proposal stories!****




 

When Mama Bears BACK DOWN

    

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”--Elizabeth Stone

This week, I was again reminded of how deep those Mama Bear feelings run.

You carry a child for nine months, you nurse that baby, diaper that baby, bathe that baby. You watch the baby and keep him/her from sticking fingers in outlets or wandering into danger. You will, without one doubt, lay down your life for that child.

If one person lays one finger on that child in the wrong way, they are toast.

But the fact is, sometimes you have to release that child to people who might hurt him/her, temporarily, and for the greater good.

The baby has to get shots. Sometimes four at once! And as a Mama Bear, you sit there and have a strange feeling in the pit of your stomach.

That baby might have to get medical testing. That baby might have to get braces. That baby might have to get surgery, and you, as Mama Bear, sit there and watch.

Yesterday, one of my (now teenaged) babies had to get a toenail procedure done. This entails painful shots in the toe, not to mention blood. Now, I have no problem with blood except when it is coming out of my child. I didn't hurl. I kept it together. But as a Mama Bear, I had the strange desire to...

Jump up and wrench those sharp instruments away from the doctor. Shove said *muscle-y* doctor off his rolling chair to the ground. Grab my child and run screaming from the building.

But...I knew the greater good. I knew this surgery would, in the long run, hopefully prevent further pain for my child. I was willing to watch my child go through hurt to increase his chances of happiness later.

I couldn't help but make the connection with our Heavenly Father. How many times have we, His children, experienced hurt so incredible, we wonder if He's watching? If He cares? Doesn't He REALIZE how horrible it is?

And yet...the greater good. The bigger picture. He sees it all. Every one of these hurts He allows us to endure has a purpose. I know--easy to say, but it stinks to live it.

How many times does God remind us He is our Father? Abba Father. Daddy.

"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" Romans 8:15

Trust this. He sees the pain. He sees the greater good. And sometimes, He will be like a raging Mama Bear to protect us from harm. Sometimes, though, He has to watch as His children hurt. Just like His firstborn son, Jesus Christ.

And someday I believe we will thank Him, when we see how He has been working all things together for good.

****What about you? Have you had a Mama Bear moment? Or a moment when you recognized God let you go through pain for a reason?****





      

Winner of ANGELGUARD and Bloggy Deep Thoughts

I've been pondering something and would love your input...we'll chat more below. BUT FIRST. The winner of ANGELGUARD is...

Becky Doughty!

Becky, you're going to enjoy this one. I'll get your email address to Ian ASAP. And thank you, Ian Acheson, for the great interview and for offering this free copy!

Okay, so I've been thinking. As a fiction writer who blogs, I'm wondering--without a book to share with you, what do I have to share? I mean, non-fiction authors build huge platforms, just talking issues. They're pros in their field.

I can't say I'm a total pro in any field. Hey, I'm the one who majored in HUMANITIES, so I could take a huge range of subjects, from German to Judo, from News Writing to Abnormal Psychology. 

I've written three books. Yes, I've researched Vikings and Wicca and West Virginia, not necessarily in that order, for my novels. I could throw all kinds of facts at you, but they're kind of like boards strewn about on the ground, with no framework. 

As fiction authors, we identify our "brand." My brand is "Writing Beyond the Vows." But I don't talk about marriage in every post. That fire and drive is there, but I pour it into my novels. I enjoy blogging about it occasionally and finding guest bloggers to talk about it on Married...with Fiction.

On this blog, I've run a series for Newbie writers, a series for Homeschoolers, a series of classic quotes...I've vlogged, I've interviewed so many great authors...yet now I feel like I'm coming up empty!

I love this blog, love connecting with you. Just like novels themselves, different posts resonate with different readers. I know many fiction authors have reached this point--WHAT am I bringing to the table? What's the point of my blog, when I write novels?

If you're like me, you have blogs you frequent for information, then blogs you frequent because of the blogger. We just want to hitch our star to some blogging friends, to encourage them and bring them all the moral support we can.

Blogging is so important for building a platform and finding loyal followers--I don't think anyone doubts that. If I find a new author I like, I immediately hunt down their blog. But is that because I'm an author and I want to know their agent/publisher info? Their journey to publication story? Do readers follow their fave authors' blogs?

Just pondering. What do you think? How can fiction authors best maximize their time? Especially before they're published? Personally, I've found my Facebook author page a fun way to interact, without writing longer posts. Just blips of info and updates to connect.

I'd love some examples of blogs you love--of unpublished authors, in particular--and why you love them. I think once I have a book to offer, it won't even be an issue. But for now, I don't want to waste your time!

Please chime in and let me know your thoughts. Let's hash it out today! Blog readers and writers, UNITE! 

Book Giveaway and Guest Interview with IAN ACHESON, Author of ANGELGUARD

Ian Acheson, Author of ANGELGUARD

From the moment I read an interview with Ian Acheson here at Elaine Stock's blog, Everyone's Story,

I knew I had to read his supernatural book ANGELGUARD. I'm a big THIS PRESENT DARKNESS fan, and this series sounded right up my alley. I was also impressed with how Ian stuck with his dream for ten years to publication. (Click to Tweet!)

Then I had a stroke of luck and won the book! I have to put the cover here, because I can't stop looking at it! Electrifying! And so is the story--a real supernatural thriller.

Here's a bit more about Ian:

Ian reads a lot, and a lot, and a lot more. He’s been telling and writing stories for most of his life since early childhood.

When Ian’s not writing, he’s a professional strategy consultant, having been in the Corporate world for the past 25 years. He brings some of this experience into his stories. He’s lived in Sydney, Australia, all of his life. Ian shares life with his wife, Fiona, and they try to keep up with two almost-twenty something young men who give them much joy and you know what else if you’re a parent.

You can also find Ian here:
http://ianacheson.com/
Twitter
Facebook 
Goodreads 

Now, on to the questions! And Ian's giving away a copy of his book today, so be sure to comment for a chance to win!

HG: Did you set out to write a book about spiritual warfare, or did that angle arise organically as you wrote? Also, how did you deal with such a heavy topic? Did you research angels/demons in the Bible? Pray profusely? Did you sense spiritual resistance as you wrote/edited ANGELGUARD?

 

IA: Yes, Heather, I did set out to write a story about spiritual warfare with angels and demons playing dominant roles. I had my lead angel & demons names before the human characters, in fact.

As you’re aware, ANGELGUARD had a long gestation process, which in fact has mirrored my own spiritual journey. I’ve written a bit about this on my blog (http://ianacheson.com/). 

As brevity is important here, the story evolved over that gestation period as I came to better understand the Word and the role angels and demons play. Yes, I’ve read many books on spiritual warfare, angels and demons. Prayed profusely, absolutely and struggled with spiritual resistance regularly. 

But God was good and kept leading me. It’s important as Christians that we let God guide us in our story. (Click to Tweet!) He’s a great storyteller and so wants to help us tell the story He has birthed in us.

HG: Were you involved in critique groups of any kind, or did you have critique partners as you edited ANGELGUARD?

IA: No I didn’t use critique partners. After writing the first 2 drafts, I employed an editor. Clare taught me how to write and how to self-edit.

Around 50 people via publishers’ reader groups & the publishers themselves would have read the manuscript in its various iterations over the years. I took their positive responses, perhaps naively, to believe the core story was good. But getting the craft right has always and continues to be my struggle.

I like your idea of the 2-beta readers. I must start looking for them. Any suggestions? HG: (Um, there's this girl who lives in West Virginia and likes speculative fiction...)

HG: ANGELGUARD depicts international terrorism. Have you been to all the cities you describe, or were you able to research them to get those details right?

IA: Even though I’ve been to most of the cities mentioned in ANGELGUARD, I did most of the work on the internet. It is amazing how much detail you can get from Google Maps. Jan, my Lion Hudson editor was very useful in assisting me with some of the London and English countryside scenes. In fact, it was her influence that led me to make a big change to one destination. 

I did specifically visit Fontainebleau when visiting Paris on holiday having written the first drafts of the novel. 

HG: You have a female angel, Arlia, in this novel—and she’s a fearsome warrior. Did you have a biblical reason for using a female angel, or was this a case of imaginary license?

IA: I like this question. Angels and demons are created beings. Certainly I don’t believe there is any reference to a female-looking angel in the Bible, but I believe it was Thomas Aquinas who proposed angels could assume whatever form was needed to do God’s work. So why not a female? 

HG: Finally, I’m sure Lion Fiction (your publisher) has done much to publicize ANGELGUARD. However, what’s been the most effective promotional strategy you’ve personally used to get the word out?

IA: This is an area I have so much to learn. It’s fascinating as a first-time fiction author who is unknown in the US and UK, how to do this effectively to enhance readership. I hope to gain some clear insights so I can mentor future first-time authors. I’d love to know of other authors who’ve done it well, so if you or your readers can nominate some, I’d be most appreciative.

It’s probably too early to tell at this stage but getting visibility with key bloggers is a key strategy. For my next novel I’ll definitely use a “launch team”. I’m on a few authors launch teams (both fiction and non-fiction) and have been able to see how this has helped drive interest and uptake at launch.

I’d encourage any new authors to join 1-2 launch teams as you get an inside look at some of the key machinations the author and their publisher work through. It’s also a great way to meet other readers and give back to another author.

Sorry for prattling on for too long but I’m also a firm believer in actively supporting the industry. So buying books, placing reviews on Amazon, GR, etc, commenting on blogs and writing encouraging notes to authors are really important. (Click to Tweet!) It’s the ‘boomerang’ effect – giving and serving changes the world and us. One never knows what the boomerang will bring back to you.  

Thanks so much for coming today, Ian, all the way from Australia! Great having you here--love your heart for authors who are new to all this!

ANGELGUARD: 

Within a period of weeks, three horrific bomb blasts devastate areas of London, Los Angeles and Sydney. No explanation is offered, no victory claimed for these acts of terror. Yet behind the scenes a Machiavellian European businessman is planning to bring the G8 nations to their knees for his own larcenous purposes, aided by the dark forces to whom he has sold his soul. Jack Haines, an Australian academic, is grieving the loss of wife and children in the Sydney blast. Against his will he finds himself thrown into a war that transcends the physical world, a conflict in which angelic guards have a special mission for him. This is a gripping novel of the unseen forces that throng our world.


ANGELGUARD on Amazon 


ANGELGUARD book trailer: YouTube

****And now for the fun part--please leave a comment or question for Ian for a chance to win a copy of ANGELGUARD! I'll draw and announce the winner on Friday!****

Writing an Effective QUERY

I'm not going to elaborate here, I just want to refer you on to the Married...with Fiction post today, because it's something I wish I'd had when I started querying. ALL kinds of info from all kinds of agencies, compiled in one place. PLEASE check it out, tweet and FB it all over the place for aspiring authors who are ready to dive into the query trenches.

Because contrary to popular belief, it is possible to land an agent via old-fashioned querying. You do NOT have to go to conferences. I've gotten two agents this way. While I'd love to go to a conference at some point, it's just not in the budget for me right now.

Here's the link to the query-writing post to end all query-writing posts...and I'm not bragging on myself since my friend Becky Doughty did all the hard work writing this one!: Ten Steps to Writing a Great Query .

And Monday, I'm interviewing Ian Acheson, author of ANGELGUARD. Hope you can stop by then!

--Heather