Some Writerly Tips from Jenna Victoria

Hey, just because it's Christmastime, doesn't mean writers still don't have work to do!

Please welcome guest blogger Jenna Victoria as she shares some great writing tips for you.

WELCOME, JENNA!

♦ ♦ ♦

Alone Again (Unnaturally)

by Jenna Victoria

Writers are a bit, well, different.

We willingly (eagerly!) embrace those hundreds of solitary hours hunched over a computer keyboard or a lined writing pad while doing, um, writerly things. Even when it looks like we are staring into space, we are working. Trust me on this. Being a published author is the carrot at the end of the stick; the stick being the time periods we are tucked away, alone, in our writer's garret—if we are fortunate. Other writers furtively steal a quiet hour or two each day to sit at a corner of the kitchen counter with just enough space cleared for their laptop, rushing to get that fleeting thought or plot twist onto the page. We are happy there, lost in a creative bubble that cushions us from many types of unpleasantness. Like conversation. Like cleaning. Like changing out of our pajamas.

The thing is, though, when the day comes and our book launches on Amazon or is delivered by distributor to the shelves of the local book store - we will need to emerge from that cozy nook. And meet people. And be witty with the repartee. Oh, and be properly attired, like with shoes and stuff. Bunny slippers will not make a good impression, believe me.

Long before our first book signing or Facebook Live video or online radio interview - we need to prepare, to practice our public persona. You know, the one hidden underneath the hair we didn't bother brushing before collecting it into a hair clip as we powered up our computer for another writing session.

Here are some tips that have helped me:

• 1.      Don't panic. The published side of this writing gig isn't a great monster waiting to devour your soul. Take a few deep breaths and relax. You've got this.
• 2.      Join a local in-person writing group. Interact with your tribe. If there are no local groups, join online communities such as ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) or Faith, Hope and Love, an online chapter of Romance Writers of America. Submit your work to other members and get feedback.
• 3.      Take an adult education writer's class. Not for the content alone - but to mix and mingle with others who understand it's scary to talk out loud about your manuscript. Get comfortable schmoozing, meeting and greeting other writers.
• 4.      Regularly attend poetry readings, even if that's not your genre. Watching others bravely face an audience can be empowering. Besides, they, too, likely wear fuzzy bunny slippers when they are at home.
• 5.      Attend a local college or community event with an open mic session. Take the plunge - stand in front of that microphone and be the boss.
• 6.      Be proactive - reach out to others who are just as nervous as you. Help coach them through their readings and you'll be amazed how the confidence rubs off on you.
• 7.      Volunteer to help out at a local bookstore or library during author events, or help plan writer events in your area. If you are able to join a local writer's group - volunteer to assist. The more you interact with publishing leaders, the more polished and professional you'll become. I once had the pleasure of driving a multi-NYT best selling romance author from the local train station to our meeting site. It was a lovely time of soaking up her knowledge but also seeing how easy and comfortable it was to interact.
• 8.      Graduate to attending a national conference. Pitch your work to an editor or agent. Practice your pitch on friends and family. Practice saying, "Yes, I'd be happy to send you a partial or a full."

Before you know it, being in public won't be as intimidating. You'll be ready to don that sparkling evening gown and step onto an awards stage at RWA or ACFW, to accept an award for best first book.  (Even though you'll be wishing you were at home in your sweats and spooning chocolate ice cream out of the container). Trust me on this, too - every other writer there will be feeling the exact same way.

Title:  War of the Heart

Sub title: (A Snow Globe Christmas) 

Publisher: Forget Me Not Romances

Blurb:  When a vintage snow globe sends Boston dress designer Louise Martin & British B&B owner George Walker back in time to London, December 1940, they race against the clock to reconcile a feud between their families and solve a 75-year-old mystery. As Louise relies on God; and on George for guidance, friendship then love, will the future George envisions strangle her own dreams? Will their love survive generations of mistrust, the Blitz and being stranded in wartime 1940, possibly never to return to their former lives? 

Release Date: October 9, 2016

Format: E-book, paperback, audio book

Amazon Links:

eBook: http://www.goo.gl/wflaLA

Paperback:  http://www.goo.gl/O2jEsZ

Audio Book: http://www.goo.gl/Ne8HAE

Bio:  Ever since her grandfather co-created Twinkies, Snowballs & Hostess cupcakes for Intercontinental Baking Company, circa 1959, Jenna's yet to taste a cake she hasn't liked.
Jenna is the author of  “fiction that feeds your faith” – Happily-Ever-After romance & romantic suspense stories with a Christian world view. She also writes clean, wholesome romances. Her stories emulate those she enjoys reading…with a heroine who is in grave danger & a hero who is smart enough to get out of her way as she kicks butt & takes down names… and those that feature the sweetest of fairy-tale-ending love stories.

She writes romances that glorify God and His sacrificial love through His Son, Jesus Christ and show how He gives us hope & peace amidst unbearable situations. After her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2012, several reoccurrences and metastasis, Jenna continues to praise God and trust His oversight in her life; and continues to write more books.

Social Media Contacts

Twitter  www.twitter.com/jennavictori

Facebook  www.facebook.com/jennavictoriaauthor/

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/jennavictoria/

Heroes of Song Personal Blog http://www.jennavictoria.com/category/blog-heroes-of-song/

Book Review Blog  http://www.jennavictoria.com/category/on-jennas-shelf-reviews/

Instagram  www.instagram.com/jenna_victoria_author/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jennavwriter/

Barbara Britton TV Interview

It's common knowledge that authors find their muse in many different places, but one author found her muse while teaching Sunday school.

Author Barbara M. Britton recently was featured on the Books of the Month TV program. Today we host the episode, now available online, on demand, courtesy of Preach the Word Worldwide TV Network. Learn how teaching Sunday school to children helped to spur Barbara's story ideas for her now-popular Biblical fiction series "Tribes of Israel."



(if you can't see the video, click here to visit the Preach the Word Worldwide Network TV station page.) 

Purchase Providence: Hannah's Journey today

Pre-order Building Benjamin: Naomi's Journey

The Jesse Tree: An Advent Tradition ♦ June Foster

Read Isaiah 11:1-2, 10

Bringing you a special Christmas article from author June Foster. I don't think I've ever heard of a Jesse Tree. This is most interesting to me, and I hope you'll enjoy it. too!

Though our primary focus at Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, it's a time to think about family and friends as well. We get so busy with our lives that the season is a wonderful opportunity for us to think about the importance of family. The older I get, the more valuable brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, and spouse become.

If you haven't already, start a family tradition. Even when children grow up and have families of their own, it's likely they will remember fun family activities and incorporate them into their own lives.

I remember one Christmas we created a Jesse Tree. By this time, our daughters were teenagers with boyfriends. We all gathered at our home for dinner then adjourned into the living room where our Christmas tree, bare except for lights, stood ready for ornaments.

First, we read the story of the Jesse Tree which tells, through the use of symbols, the Biblical story from creation to the birth of Christ. In Medieval times, when the tradition of the Jesse Tree first began, people created large carvings, tapestries or even stained glass windows to place in churches for members of the congregation who were illiterate. Today the Jesse Tree symbols are used on advent calendars or banners in the shape of a tree.

So, now it was time to get creative. Each family member chose a couple of symbols for ornaments they wished to construct from the variety of materials I had accumulated and set out on the dining room table. When the ornaments were completed, we hung them on the tree. The next week we gathered again and told the Christmas story. In the correct order, each person removed their ornament, told the story and replaced it on the tree. Afterward we prayed and asked the Lord to help us keep Christmas in our hearts every day of the year.

Here are some of the story elements and their symbols.

Creation - the earth

Garden of Eden - a tree with an apple

Noah & the Flood - a rainbow

God's promise to Abraham - a tent

Isaac - a ram

Jacob's Ladder - a ladder

Joseph's coat - a multi-colored coat

Moses - a burning bush

Israelites and Passover - a lamb

the 10 commandments - two stone tablets

Joshua and the fall of Jericho - a ram's horn trumpet

Ruth - a sheaf of corn

King David - a six pointed star

Jonah and the whale - a whale

John the Baptist - a scallop shell

Mary - a white lily

Joseph -  a carpenter's hammer

The Wise Men - three gifts

The Shepherds - a fluffy sheep

Jesus - a baby in a manger

♦ ♦ ♦

An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in education and MA in counseling. In 2013, June's book Give Us This Day was a finalist in EPIC's eBook awards and in 2014 a finalist in the National Readers Choice Awards for best first book. Ryan's Father was one of three finalists in the published contemporary fiction category of the 2014 Oregon Christian Writers Cascade Writing Contest and Awards. 

Deliver Us was a finalist in COTT's 2014 Laurel Awards. June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, Give Us This Day, As We Forgive, and Deliver Us, and Hometown Fourth of July. Ryan's Father is published by WhiteFire Publishing. Red and the Wolf, a modern day retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, is available from Amazon.com. The Almond Tree series, For All Eternity, Echoes From the Past, and What God Knew are available at Amazon.com as well. Misty Hollow is published by Helping Hands Press. 

June enjoys writing stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. Recently June has seen publication of Christmas at Raccoon Creek and Almond Street Mission. 

Visit June at junefoster.com.

Find her on Twitter @vjifoster

Do You Suffer from S.A.D.?

Winter in NW Wisconsin ©Peg Phifer 2016

 Does the above picture make you shiver? I took it yesterday morning with my cellphone. While I don't mind the snow so much, it's the cold that gets to me. That being said . . . 

It is my pleasure to feature author Sue Fairchild to Whispers in Purple today, with a timely guest post for this time of year! 

Hi, Sue . . . welcome. Now, what, exactly, is S.A.D. ??

Hi Peg! Thanks for this opportunity to share my new journal! 

When the winter season starts to roll around and the weather turns cold, damp and dreary, I find myself losing momentum and longing to stay in bed. My creativity drops and depression seeps in. Have you ever felt this way? It might not just be the “winter blues” – it could be Seasonal Affective Disorder. S.A.D. affects more than 3 million people in the United States alone, including myself. As I fought to cope with the onset of winter this year, I found new and interesting ways to combat my disease—ways that seemed to help, including journaling. When I heard of multiple friends and family members who were also suffering from this same illness, I decided to create a journal in order to share my newfound knowledge and encourage others to learn.

A Season with S.A.D.: 

Do you or someone you know suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (or S.A.D.)? S.A.D. affects more than 3 million people in the United States alone. It is often referred to as the “winter blues,” but should not be discounted easily and it is not something to simply shrug off. “A Season with S.A.D.” is a six-month journal designed to provide space to document your symptoms, feelings and even the weather, as well as tips to help you mitigate your disorder.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Season-S-D-6-month-journal/dp/1539835634/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480957875&sr=1-4&keywords=a+season+with+S.a.d

Sue A. Fairchild is a writer, blogger and editor. Sue’s devotionals have appeared in numerous Christian devotionals and websites. In addition, she has been a contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series twice. Sue edits professionally for an online publisher as well as Christian Editor Connection and is a member of ACFW. For more information on her professional services, please visit her website Sue’s Simple Snippets: Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Peg here: Thank you so much for this, Sue. I know I suffer severely from the cold temperatures of winter, and yes, probably experience some depression along with it. I'm going to have to check out your journal. 

7 Ways to Choose a Title For Your Book

Title Wars

by Denise Weimer @denise_weimer

Your book, your story – you’ve put your heart and soul into it. You’ve agonized and edited and even produced the nutshell summary that should snag publishers and readers alike. But one thing evades you. Maybe just one word, in fact! But oh, what a word. The title.

The other day a reader asked me for the first time how I go about choosing titles for my books, which got me thinking. You know, titles, like writing styles, have really changed in the last quarter century. There was actually a time sweeping sagas dripping myriad adjectives, adverbs and descriptive details – accompanied by a dramatic title – were prized. If it wasn’t grand, it wasn’t worth picking off the shelf. Now, after the title of our book grabs the reader with succinct cleverness, we’re supposed to introduce both hero and heroine on page one, while simultaneously plunging them into hair-raising action.

That said, there are still several ways to go about selecting a title that both draws attention and encapsulates the heart of your story.

·        The descriptive, one-word title. Think of all the popular YA reads with titles like Shattered, Hunted or Erased. It’s powerful, arousing curiosity and creating immediate kinship, if you can find just one word that says so much.

·        Two-word, action-name or action-noun title. Examples: Redeeming Grace (the title of my first novella, which also reflected theme) or Finding Fairies. Couples your clever character name or subject with what happens to them.

·        Location title. Consider this option if your story encompasses a region or exudes a strong sense of place. Granted, titles like a state or city name can sound Michener-esque, so you might want to go with something less grandiose by adding another word, like the movie, Mississippi Burning.

·        If an item figures prominently in your story, the item title may be your way to go, especially if you are going for either foreboding or sentimental. Example: The Heirloom.

·        The play-off-a-similar title title. Be careful that you’re not infringing or offending, but there are times it’s appropriate and even humorous to play off the words of a well-known title, especially if your story is tongue-in-cheek or spoofy.

·        The character-possessive title. Example: Sarah’s Revenge.

·        The theme title. If your book possesses an underlying lesson for the reader, or if a thread runs through your story or series, you can reinforce that in the title. I did this in both of my series. The Restoration Trilogy titles of White, Widow, and Witch offer punch and puzzlement while representing the historic back stories at the heart of the novels. In The Georgia Gold Series, each title (Sautee Shadows, The Gray Divide, The Crimson Bloom and Bright as Gold) reflect the light, shadow and color of turbulent times and the mystery of missing gold throughout.

I’ve just scratched the surface, but hopefully I’ve got you started thinking if you’re stuck. Choosing a title doesn’t have to be the point where you bang your head against the wall! 

What about you? Do you have a tried and true formula for selecting your title, or as a reader, does a particular type of title really capture your interest?

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below. Join the conversation!

Author bio: Denise Weimer holds a journalism degree with a minor in history from Asbury University. A former magazine writer, she is the author of romantic novella REDEEMING GRACE, The Georgia Gold Series (SAUTEE SHADOWS, THE GRAY DIVIDE, THE CRIMSON BLOOM, and BRIGHT AS GOLD - winner of the 2015 John Esten Cooke Award for outstanding Southern literature) and The Restoration Trilogy (WHITE, WIDOW and WITCH). Denise is a wife and swim mom of two daughters who always pauses for old houses, coffee and chocolate!