The Birth of a Dream

I stopped by a garage sale in my neighborhood a while back.

In the driveway was a box of a few books. As I was looking through them, the lady managing the sale told me, "There are a bunch of other books over here too if you're interested."

I walked over, and yeah, I barely could control my grin.

JACKPOT!

I bought 15 books from that garage sale at .25 cents each. Most all in like-new condition. (most of these weren't ones I would have purchased new anyway, but for a quarter I'd give them a try, so no writer's guilt...)

The writer I am had to ask who the reader of the house was. Come to find out, it was an elderly woman who was "downsizing" and moving into an apartment/assisted living.

Instantly my mind went to my own grandma. Memories of going to her house and searching her bookshelf flooded my heart. My grandma's bookshelf held my first taste of Christian Fiction, Janette Oke, Lori Wick, and Grace Livingston Hill, to be exact.

A few years ago, my grandparents moved into a nursing home/assisted living facility, and my mother salvaged a few of the books for me from the similar garage sale.  There are no words to tell you how special those books are to me. They are how I fell in love with books, they are what birthed the dream of being a writer someday.

Sometimes, in all the craziness of everything, I like to pick one of them up, snuggle up with a blanket, and read one of those "old" books of grandma's. They make me smile, they made me remember, and they make me appreciate the journey.

Because this writing life IS a journey, a crazy, fun, scary, wild, sweet, wonderful journey.

It also makes me appreciate anew the simple act and pleasure of reading a book.

Those "non"-bookies don't always understand this emotional connection we have to a book. It doesn't really make a lot of sense. But it's special. I can't aptly put it into words (oddly enough!) but it just plain is!

Discussion: What was your first "memorable" book you read? Who inspired YOUR writing journey at it's infant stage?

Writers, Read!

I remember the twists and turns of Jane Eyre...even though it's been nearly two decades since I lastread the book.
I often reflect on the tragedy of Wuthering Heights, and the devastation of The Great Gatsby. Even though I read those books before Jane Eyre. There are stories that rooted themselves in my heart, and they were on high school reading lists, the pages of a high school textbook--Thoreau, Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Poe...

During college, the only thing I recall reading is Amitai Etzioni and a social geography textbook..my reading of fiction was very little. But after college, I'd read as I worked out, and devoured books that everyone talked about.

And then, there were several series I read as a young mother,
raising my children in the quiet of a West Texas sand storm.
There were books scattered here and there these past ten years, many that I never finished because of lack of interest or a whining toddler. But, this past month, I have had a great desire to READ. I have devoured about 5-6  books, and continue to have one on my kindle and one in paperback for my convenience wherever I am at.

I feel like it's God pushing me to the next level of writing by giving me the desire to actually read the market I long to write in. When stories model the flow of character, plot, and conclusion, we grow as better writers. If we become out of touch with what is out there, then our writing and pitching and proposing  will flounder.

So, what have you read lately? Learned anything new about your own writing?

*************************************************************************************************************

Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written six historical novels and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/agdicken/

Freebie Friday: A Tradition of Giving!

Traditionally Freebie Friday is when I vet Amazon’s kindle store and give you the links to what’s currently free and worth your time! (or at least looks that way!) Well, today I’m breaking tradition but offering a gift… so someone will still get a freebie, no false advertising here.

Christmas is right around the corner! As an adult (and parent) it’s easy to start seeing this mad dash between Thanksgiving and Christmas as a season of spending. We spend and yes we give but the stress of finding the right gifts for that ever lengthening list of people to shop for becomes a little bit less about the joy of giving that gift and more about getting everything bought and wrapped and under the tree before (ahem) Santa comes.

But there’s something special about giving a gift that we miss this time of year simply because gifts are, well… expected. Whether big or small, when someone surprises you with a gift it’s hard not to get that swell of meaning in your chest. That touch of gratitude and reaches down into the part of you that sometimes feels over-looked or forgotten or unappreciated. Just like spontaneous flowers are better than Valentine’s Day roses any day, a gift from the heart wins against that luxury price tag. Hands down.

Now, nice things are lovely. But not when they come wrapped up in obligation. At least. Not to me.

Just yesterday my husband made a point to tell me about the barista in the Starbucks drive-thru who gave him a free cup of coffee when he tried to cancel his order because he’d his forgotten his wallet. I still remember the bagger at my grocery store pulling a dollar out of his pocket for the used VHS Star Wars movie my son was mooning over that required cash when I’d only brought in my debit card. These were random acts of kindness, and not elaborate or expensive, but the spirit in which the gift was given was something special. Something I longed to capture and emulate in my everyday giving. Whether it’s a hand drawn Lego man picture for my son’s lunchbox or a quick love letter under my husband’s keys, I’ve found it matters very little what the gift is and very much what the unexpected gesture means. It’s buying a great book for a friend just because it might brighten their day. That is the tradition of giving I want my kids to see. A generous heart behind every ribbon.

So on this unconventional Freebie Friday I want to bless someone with a gift simply because it blesses me to be able to give. And all you need to do is leave comment about your favorite Christmas tradition to help get us in the spirit. I’ll draw a winner who will get an e-book bundle of Alley Cat New Releases! (I'll announce the winner and how to collect your gift in the comments on Sunday night! So check back!)

 

Hope you have a blessed Christmas season! Give with your whole heart!

 

 

 

 

 

 

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Amy Leigh Simpson writes romantic mysteries with honesty and humor, sweetness and spice, and gritty reality covered by grace. When she’s not stealing moments at naptime to squeeze out a few more adventures in storyland, she’s chasing around two tow-headed miscreants (Ahem)—boys, playing dress up with one sweet princess baby, and being the very blessed wife to the coolest, most swoon-worthy man alive. Amy is a Midwestern-girl, a singer, blogger, runner, coffee-addict, and foodie. Her Sports Medicine degree is wasted patching up daily boo boo’s, but whatever is left usually finds its way onto the page with fluttering hearts, blood and guts, and scars that lead to happily ever after.

Check out her debut romantic mystery novel WHEN FALL FADES available now for $3.99!

 

The Tale of Two Books

Last week, I read two books.

Their names will remain unknown.

I haven't had a lot of reading time lately, but I'm in the middle of writing a book, and was a bit "stuck" on a plot point, and reading a good book tends to help me unstick.

Book One

This book had a plot that seemed really intriguing, but it was an author I didn't know, and my to-be-read pile was large. For some reason, the book triggered in my memory from a sample I'd read. I went to Amazon and it was 99 cents. I figured, maybe it might be just the thing to kick my muse into overdrive.

$1.08 later, I started to read it.

The plot was good.

The prose, most of the time, was pretty decent too.

The characters were....

Eh. They had GREAT potential to be really amazing characters. They had back story that could have been interesting. They had internal and external conflicts. But there was still just something missing. They were FLAT.

Even though they had back story and the MAKINGS of great characters, the execution just wasn't there. The back story didn't really interact with the present story. Some of the big things they had to overcome were ignored until the end and then resolved with a simple, unrealistic discussion. Emotions were barely touched on even though, given the story, you know they HAD to be there.

But the plot was still good-- it was enough to keep me reading. I wanted to find out what happened.

A few hours later, I finished the book. Meh. My muse was still in hiding.

Book Two

The next day, I started to write. And nothing came. You know when you see a bad movie and you really just have to see a good one to help get over it?

That's were I was. Writing was going to be non-existent if I didn't have a good book to balance out the not-so-good one!

So I searched my Kindle and found a book that I'd bought a while back, but hadn't read yet. It was by one of my go-to favorite authors, and I was shocked that I hadn't read it.

I devoured the book in a day.

The storyline was catchy. The characters were unique and raw and deep. They had back story and wow, did they interact with it. The dialogue was snappy and realistic. There was a big black moment, even if it was just a teeny bit cliche, but I was intrigued and could barely put the book down.

Moral of the Story

Two books
Two great, intriguing plots
Only one author I will seek out to read their next book.


So take that story and get a crit partner (a GOOD one, see Mary's post from yesterday!)
Invest in an editor.
Read books/blogs on writing craft.

Listen to beta readers.
Don't use "voice" as an excuse for poor writing. (There. I said it. I might blog on that later just to ruffle a few more feathers!)

Because you want your readers to close your books and think, "Hmmm, I wonder what else they've written!"

Discussion: What methods do you use to improve your craft and make sure you have not only a great story idea, but great writing to compliment it?

*************************************************

Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romanceand A Side of Faith. She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by Sarah Freese of Wordserve Literary.