Releasing the Spirit of Your Story: Part I

"There's a moment in the life of every generation when there is a spirit that has to come through..."

- Barack Obama's Wisconsin victory speech, February 19, 2008.

I am writing stories about people who believe that their spirit man guides them. This type character poses a problem for a contemporary writer, especially a romance writer like myself.

Most compelling contemporary stories don't spend a lot of time inside the head. Most romance plots aren't moving because of what someone thinks, but because of what someone feels about another person. So I have a problem.

Between my writing time I review and judge romance novels. And for some odd reason the stories published by a house that does not care for Christian orthodoxy seems to have more compelling and redemptive stories. The aesthetic value is higher. The characters are sticky and unforgettable. The plot matters. God pops on their pages. And nobody has to preach to me for me to see Him.

Don't get me wrong. Every year I read more and more works by Christian authors who deliver the big Wow. I believe more are coming. I have a few titles at my feet that I can't wait to share with you guys about. So I can't blame CBA houses for our lack of umph, I blame the writer. I blame myself.

Writing with Christ mind sometimes stilts me. How do you keep from watering down your story with too much inner talk? How do you free yourself from your own box where the spirit of your story breaks through and holds the story up? What must I do as a writer when Christ wants to do his thing?

This week we'll look at a few stories that are great examples to guide me and hopefully you. What stories have helped you? Subscribe.

Trailer Tuesday: He's Fine, But is He for Real?

Today is CFB's Trailer Park Tuesday. The book spotlight is:

Kim Brooks' He's Fine...But Is He Saved?




Book Description
It's been almost two years since Michelle Williamson's boyfriend, Pierre Dupree, walked out on her to marry a minister's daughter. Since then, Michelle's friendship with her church buddy David has deepened into something sweet and special, but learning that Pierre has called off his wedding throws her into confusion. When Pierre wants Michelle back, she's forced to make a choice—one she may regret.

3 Easy Goals U Can Meet to Make your Writing Dreams Come True

At the beginning of the year you made a recommitment to your dusty manuscript. I'm going to clean it up. I'm going to finally write my novel. But now you've hit your normal life slump--that place around mid February where you tuck away your new year's resolutions, well wishes and big dreams. Real life has moved back into your house to remind you of how hectic your life is. Well, today make room for a permanent member of your mental household. Her names is B.E.A. and she's going to stay with you until the writing is done.

3 Easy Goals U Can Meet to Make your Writing Dreams Come True

Believe in yourself.
God made you, so of course, he believes in you. But why don't you? You know your daily schedule, commitments and limits. You also know what you are capable of doing.

For me. I'm an at home mom. Most of my day is spent managing my disability, helping Selah with school, reading and writing. Most of my down time is reading. What if I switch that around to most of my down time is writing? What could I possibly do? I believe I could write more.

Encourage yourself.
One of my favorite songs of last year was Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers 's "Encourage Yourself." An excerpt from the lyrics...

Sometimes you have to speak the word over yourself, the pressure is all around, but God is present help. The enemy created walls, but remember giants, they do fall; speak over yourself, encourage yourself in the Lord.

Write your favorite bible verse or author quote and stick it on your computer, put it by your bedside and inside your wallet and every where you visit the most in your home. Let those words encourage you to meet your mark every day.

My favorite quote: "Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere... You don't have to dress up, for instance, and you can't hear them boo you right away. " Anne Lamont

Allow yourself playtime
As children we played more than observed. We hated to sit on the bench. Now I am an adult and I'm beating other authors to sit on the bench. I'll read your book. I''l review your book. I'll line edit your book. I'll research more. Everything, but I'll write the book. This week let's switch that around. Let's play more. Write more. You know what you can do.

This week's goal: Let's have fun writing.

Share with me all week your writing goals and what did you do to meet it. The Christian Fiction Network is looking for critique partners. Sign up.

Christian Fiction News: Christian Graphic Novels

Thomas Nelson commits to Christian graphics
Nelson will publish roughly 20 graphic novels over the next two years, with the adaptations of Dekker's bestsellers the centerpiece. In 2007, Nelson released the Circle Trilogy, three fantasy graphic novels taken from Dekker's 10-volume Books of History Chronicles. The house will adapt at least four more YA novels (called the Lost Novels) from Dekker's prose series, two in 2008 and two more in 2009.
-Publisher's Weekly

Tyndale signs fantasy author to book deal

Tyndale House Publishers has signed best-selling children's fantasy author G.P. Taylor to a multiple book deal to publish "The Dopple Ganger Chronicles," a new series of "illustronovellas" featuring manga-style graphics...A former policeman and Anglican priest, Taylor-who lives in Scarborough, England-has written Shadowmancer (Charisma House/Penguin Putnam), which reached No. 1 on the New York Times Children's Chapter best-seller list in 2004 and has been translated into 48 languages. His other novels include Wormwood and Tersias the Oracle (both Penguin Putnam), and The Shadowmancer Returns: The Curse of Salamander Street (Realms/Penguin Putnam).

-Christian Retailing

Book Marketing: The Hezekiah Effect for Writers

By Sherryle Kiser Jackson, Guestblogger

Someone estimated that everybody gets about 15 minutes of fame. It would suggest that the recognition we receive as writers for our works will ultimately subside to make way for someone else’s time.

When does that 15 minutes begin? Is it when you have crystallized a theme or idea in your mind and proudly announce to friends and loved ones, “I am writing a book?” Is it the minute you learn to juggle the creative and business side of writing, shopping your completed manuscript and securing a publishing deal? Or does it happen much later when you see your finished product properly bound with your name prominently on the packaging?
As writers, we are all somewhere in that process. Even though we may not have submitted our offerings for recognition and fame, we ultimately want someone to read it, right? I mean, we did have something to say. Somehow we are lead to believe that our book’s release date is the starting time and like a Domino Pizza delivery guy we are hell bent to deliver in 30 minutes or less.

Is the clock ticking on our book’s relevance? Does the amount of time our books sit on the shelves before being noticed and appreciated by the masses diminish its poignancy? Don’t we all wish that we have written a classic and definitive novel in our particular genre that will receive steady sales that leave our publishers with no other choice but to go into a second, third or fourth reprinting?
New authors, especially those not use to running into that phone booth as a mere citizen of the creative world and emerging as a book marketing expert, are particularly concerned about their book’s shelf life. They may still be on hold with the publicity department trying to figure out what their publisher is going to do to help market their book for them or in the line at Kinko’s printing out a thousand homemade flyers. What is a press release?
In Biblical times, Hezekiah, the King of Judah faced the end of his life. The prophet, Isaiah was sent to tell him, “set your affairs in order, for you are going to die.” A premature death was prescribed to Hezekiah. How does a man face his last and final days?

Hezekiah had a mild breakdown, similar to the one many authors have when they think of the thousands of books in the bookstore, or worse, in their living room, that they have no idea how to move. Hezekiah didn’t accept the timeline given to him. It is written that on his sick bed, he turned his faith to the wall and prayed to the Lord, reminding Him at the same time of how faithful he had been.

“Father, remember the countless hours I have spent, writing, researching, editing and re-writing this novel. I got up every morning and completed my morning papers like Julia Cameron suggested in The Artist Way. I cut my ties to the literal and tried my best to show-not-tell as outlined in the Elements of Style, by Shrunk and White. Not to mention the money I spent in conferences, writer’s workshops and retreats. I understand its all part of the deal. The books are not going to sale themselves. Please don’t let them send my book back to the publisher. Please, Lord, I’ve got to make back my advance.”

The Lord heard Hezekiah’s plea and agreed he was indeed faithful to his craft. God promised he would heal him and added fifteen more years on to his life. Another fifteen. What could we do with another fifteen minutes of fame. Maybe we could truly make a coast to coast book tour. That might be just enough time for the producers at Oprah to unearth your book from the slush pile of perspective Oprah Book Club picks. Heck, you need that extra time just to explore the infinite possibilities of on-line marketing-the real new frontier.

So we can learn a thing or two from Hezekiah: don’t let critics mark the time of death for your book, stay faithful to your craft, and take a kneel beside your laptop or PC, stare at that that wall cluttered with pin ups of character sketches, outlines and literary contacts and pray for mercy.

Sherryle Kiser Jackson is a fresh new voice in Christian Fiction. Her style is an honest commentary on her life with Christ. Soon and Very Soon is her debut novel from Urban Christian. Experience her christian chronicles that are Biblically based and out-the-Christian-box at the same time.

Happy Valentine's Day! I have decided to choose my daughter, Selah and my mom, DJ as my Valentines this year. My ex's will duke it out this weekend. Pray for them. :) So I got Selah some goodies today and we will go eat somewhere kids can eat free tonight. If you go to Target stores today all the Valentine things on the $1 aisle are 25 cents. I loaded up everything. At Dollar tree I got her a green dinosaur valentine balloon with a matching snow globe, then found a card at Target on the same clearance aisle that matched that. Found a white poodle at Dollar General for $3 for my mom. I need to stop being a cheapskate and get a digital camera, so I can show you this poodle.

My gifts to myself: Dove chocolate bar, John Legend's Live from Philadelphia CD, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married DVD, two dresses my ex's would loose their eyes if they saw me wearing them and an ex-hubby I can carry in my purse. It's a stress reliever doll. If I get angry I can squeeze it. Got that at the Dollar Tree, too.

My parting favorite quote for today...

You have bewitched me body and soul and i love...i love...i love you. (Mr. Darcy.)

The Best Couples are a Hot Mess

My Soul to Keep author, Melanie Wells stopped by Christian Fiction Blog to participate in our 1Question Author Interview Series-The Valentine Edition. 2 Questions/Couple. Cute. The questions:

Who are your favorite fictional couple?

I hate to be a cliche' but I'd have to say Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara. They're a charming, cantankerous relational disaster. You just want to smack 'em both.


And what have you learned about them that helps you build the romance arc of your own stories?

Like Rhett and Scarlett (at this point, any southerner knows to add "bless their hearts" -which is required if you're insulting someone) my characters are extremely flawed. My books tend to be populated with broken - or at least bent - people. But they're so likeable, you're rooting for them anyway. Dylan Foster (bless her heart) just can't quite seem to get it right, which keeps the tension running all the way through the story. You WANT it to work out between her and David-who-owns-a-funeral-home-in-Hillsboro, but you're also sitting there thinking, Dylan, you need to go to time out, and David, for crying out loud, get a SPINE and stand up to this woman. They're a mess. That's what makes the story work. Happiness is sort of boring, if you think about it.

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