The girl standing at the door took a deep breath pulling her suitcase a little closer to her trembling legs. “My mama’s dead. He’s my daddy.”Susanne Carson knew that she could believe the like of her life-her preserve. David-until she discovered a strange unkempt young girl on their doorstep claiming to be David’s daughter. Not that their marriage had ever been perfect-David’s decision to embrace the Christian faith had strained their relationship. Susanne may not have agreed with his beliefs but at least she trusted him. Had David been hiding this not-so-little secret from his past? He wanted Susanne to believe in his God but believing hadn’t done much to keep David out of another woman’s arms. As David confronts the truth of his past. Susanne must face her own moment of truth as her marriage is taken to the breaking inform and the life of one young girl is left in her hands. It’s women’s contemporary fiction that’s set in the North West and is being published by Kregel Publications a well known Christian publishing accommodate. How did you go up with this story? Was there a specific ‘what if’ moment?
An editor friend and I were brainstorming about what I could do for my first schedule and she suggested using something I knew possibly from my own life. That triggered the idea of using an episode from me and my hubby’s personal life-we received a earn from an 18 yr old girl a number of years ago claiming to be my husband’s daughter. After investigating and meeting Trisha we accepted her into our lives and hearts and have continued a relationship with her. The basis for the book came from that episode but the balance of the book is fiction other than the setting-I live in the Pacific N. W. in the area where the book takes displace.
Stunned and a bit worried at first. I know that sounds strange and I should’ve been bouncing around the accommodate but my first thought was. Oh no! They construe the old version and I’ve made all these changes! What if they don’t like what I’ve done and want to keep the old one? I knew the new version was much stronger as did the editor I’d been working with on the first 1/3 of the schedule so I prayed and my agent asked Dennis my soon to be publisher if they’d act a be at the changes. They did they liked what they saw and the furnish extended to the new schedule. THEN reality set in and the explosion of joy and incredulity hit me. It took several weeks before I really took in that it was sold.
It took me five weeks to create verbally the first draft then the next six months of revising, editing and polishing before it was presentable. This was such new territory for me. I’d written several non-fiction short stories that were published in magazines just prior to starting off in fiction but I had no clue what I was doing when I began to write this novel. I’d never read a schedule on writing had no teaching on structure plot. POV characterization dialogue or anything else. It wasn’t until three months before Kregel made their furnish that I discovered ACFW and joined. My sister who has done some professional editing and a friend who is an editor and author both helped tremendously mentoring and supporting me through the first two drafts or I wouldn’t have made it this far.
The Lord brought Tamela (my agent) into my life in a series of miraculous events that only He could have orchestrated and seven months later I received the offer from Kregel. When the schedule is released it ordain be two years since writing the first draft and nine months since signing my contract. Kregel graciously put
Yes in the final ¼ of my back up book. Past Shadows. I stared at a keep screen more than once when I sat drink to create verbally. It doesn’t come about often but when it does. I drop ahead and go away writing what I DO know then I’ll come back and cerebrate the old and new together. I’ve found that if I can just get writing again change surface if it’s several chapters ahead the be will come in time. Sometimes I simply be to go away for awhile and not push too hard. Prayer is also a key…ask the ennoble to unlock the block and displace up a new creativity in your heart and mind.
I experience what I wish I would’ve had when I started out. Critique partners…they are invaluable. I didn’t be to a group until well into the writing of the back up book in my series. Through ACFW I was able to get connected and our small group of four is a perfect fit for each of us.
Don’t be too shy to ask for back up and don’t be too proud to take constructive criticism of your work when it’s offered. You don’t have to change everything that’s suggested but if more than one person points out something wrong take it seriously and be willing to hit the books. And most of all don’t furnish up. If you accept that God has given you the enable or wish to write then be obedient even if it’s never published. When I started out. I thought the best I’d bring home the bacon would be publication in magazines… having a schedule published didn’t be possible. The ennoble gave me this story and it needed to be written and the rest was up to Him. My responsibility was to write it then keep moving forward in whatever direction He pointed out.
Yes! I’m so excited! I received a Four Star analyse from Romantic Times Review Magazine. I assumed that Five Stars would be the top rating but I was so blessed when I found out Four and a half was the best you could get making Four Stars quite good indeed. I’ve also gotten some very good reviews including a glowing one from Novel jaunt one of the top Christian analyse blogs. The Other Daughter is also climbing it’s way up the beat sellers list on CBD…at the two week mark prior to channel (when this was written) it had hit #15 in women’s contemporary fiction and #103 in overall fiction (out of 9,584 books) very respectable for a schedule not yet released. I’d love to see it arrive the top 75 in overall fiction but am leaving that in the Lord’s hands.
I have several authors that keep pulling me approve…I discovered Gene Stratton Porter and Harold Bell Wright in high school when I first read Freckles. Girl of the Limberlost and Shepherd of the Hills. I love anything these early twentieth century authors wrote and own first editions of several of their works. The writing in the early 1900’s had so much more depth than much of what’s being written now. The descriptions were exquisite…that’s the only way I can describe how they wrote. The stories were unusual and you knew the characters personally and cared about them deeply. H B Wright especially had thought provoking messages woven through his fiction that would stay with a reader for days if not weeks to go.
I’m working on Past Shadows (might also be called “Sheltered”) the sequel to The Other Daughter and hope to have it ready to turn in to my editor in early November. I’ve also started something new for me an 1880’s novel set in Washington express…I’m hesitating to say it’s a act but it looks like it might be heading that direction. I’m playing around with another idea for a stand-alone women’s contemporary with an unusual twist. I’m hoping to start it as soon as Past Shadows is finished. There could also.
Forex Groups - Tips on Trading
Related article:
http://cballan.wordpress.com/2007/11/08/meet-miralee/
comments | Add comment | Report as Spam
|