Feedback Friday

Here’s my favorite piece of feedback from the last batch of mail I opened. It was a note to Sally Laity for an older Heartsong titled Valiant Heart.

This reader said, "I have read a lot of books and Valiant Heart has to be a favorite. By the way it started I assumed I wouldn't like it and it would be like all other bad books I've read. Was I surprised!" And then she signed off, "Sorry for doubting you."

That made me laugh! I liked this fan’s honesty. So, here’s to surprising our readers. May they always receive a better read than they expected. :)

Writing Realistic Children

Aaron McCarver suggested the blog topic of writing children in your fiction, so here goes. One thing I often see when an author has a child as secondary character in a book is that the child doesn’t seem very realistic for his/her stated age. Especially for writers who are moms, I’m sure it’s easy to just start writing a child character thinking, “Oh, I have kids, this will be a piece of cake.” But unless you have a child that’s the age of the one you are currently writing or you have an incredible memory, it might be harder than you think to recall exactly what your child was doing at each age. It’s already hard for me to remember what stage Jodi was in just a few months ago. And unfortunately I have not been very diligent about writing everything down. (Thankfully we have lots and lots of video!)

For example, I recently reviewed a Heartsong where a young boy was stated as almost four years old, yet most of his dialogue consisted of one-word responses or requests. To me, that action seemed way too young for an almost-four-year-old, as Jodi is just over two and rarely speaks in just single words anymore. She uses mostly sentences and comes up with new things to say all the time. Granted, all kids are different and I’m not trying to brag on Jodi, but I know that most of her friends around the age of two and three are also speaking in at least very short sentences. And I know that some almost-four-year-olds might have developmental delays, but if that’s not stated in the story then readers are going to wonder why the child is not acting normally. And by normally I just mean what the majority of kids are doing at that age.

So, if you don’t already do these things, I have a couple suggestions for research as you write child characters. First, for young children ages infant through 9, check out www.babycenter.com. You can find lots of typical behavior charts like this one here and loads of other information. And even better than internet research, spend time with kids that are the age you’re writing. If you don’t have any in your family, then seek out friends from your neighborhood or church who do and offer to babysit, or simply just sit in during nursery time or a Sunday School class.

I realize my suggestions here pertain to contemporary children. Even twenty years ago, what kids were doing and learning was different largely because technology has changed so much. And a hundred years ago, there was a huge difference! So if you’re writing kids from the past, let us know what good resources you’ve found.

Oh, and I found a blog I posted awhile back (here), about how very young child characters don’t always keep developing and changing as time passes in the book. Keep that in mind as you write, too.

Aaron, let me know if this cover your topic suggestion, or if you have other suggestions, tips, or questions. Thanks!

I’ll end this with a couple recent pics of my kiddo. One of the cute kitty (sorry for the squinty eyes) she was for Halloween and one where she’s decorating her own cupcake. We’ve been having a fun Fall. We hope you have, too! :)

New Blog Schedule

WOW It is November, and we only have 2 months left of this year and the end of another decade. Wow!!!

JoAnne and I have been talking and kicking ourselves for letting our attention to this blog lax. So we recently brainstormed a new schedule of postings that we'll start off here in November.

Mondays – Guest Bloggers
Tuesdays – Becky
Wednesdays – New Releases
Thursdays – JoAnne
Fridays – Feedback Fridays (tidbits from fan mail) or interesting Barbour Book sightings

Any day could have the potential to turn into a free book giveaway day, so keep a watchful eye for those opportunities.

I can't promise I'll always have deep words of wisdom on my days, but I'll try to post something. Even if it is just a picture of chickens. LOL

We still welcome your suggestions for all these categories. Thanks!

Becky

Guest Blogger Angie Brillhart, Publicist for Barbour Publishing

I know that many of you would like to know a few tips about marketing your books, so here is my informal attempt to answer a few of your questions. Besides bothering Becky and JoAnne for lots of things, I deal with media and author relations, coordinating promotional materials for authors and book signings, developing and implementing new publicity campaigns with Barbour’s marketing team, and working with blog tour alliances for book promotion.

A lot of times, authors ask me what they can do to help promote their books. I love that because book publicity is always more effective when the publicist and author are able to work closely together. One of the most important things I can suggest to an author is to keep blogs and websites as up to date as possible. That might seem like general advice, but it’s so important! Whenever I send out press releases, I always like to include the author’s website to draw attention to the author and his or her other books. But, if the media visit a site for more information and things are out of date, the wrong info gets published….not good for anyone.

It’s also important to think about who would be the most interested in your book, whether it’s church libraries, public libraries, individual readers, library book clubs, etc. Make sure that these organizations or individuals receive a notice or postcard when your book releases. It doesn’t hurt to make sure these contacts are also aware of any book signings or events you might be doing.

I do highly recommend book signings as a means of book promotion. Not only are you able to mingle with readers and customers, but they develop your relationship with the bookstore staff. If you’re able to secure a signing, there are several things you can do to help with your success. For instance, talk with the store to find out if they are contacting the local media about your signing. If they don’t do it, you should. Contact information for local media (at least the main local newspaper and/or radio station) can usually be found online. Also, make sure your events are listed clearly on your website and consider creating an author page on Amazon.com where you can interact with readers or on a site like Booktour.com, which will email registered individuals when you are doing events in their areas. If possible, have something to give away at your signing table, even if it’s as simple as a piece of candy. If you can get people to stop by your table for a second look, you have better chances of selling a book. If you have an author newsletter or mailing list, make sure you have a signup sheet available at your signing table too.

I really enjoy connecting with many of you on Facebook or Twitter. If you’re not on either one, I would suggest that you create an account. Social media is so important that almost every one of our publicity campaigns now has to involve social media to some extent. It helps you reach so many more people with your writing.

Be sure to look up Barbour’s marketing department on Twitter at @BarbourBuzz. We’d love to connect with you! Feel free to comment on this post or ask a question. I’ll try my best to answer!

Feedback Friday

I've blogged before about interesting feedback we receive in the mail and by e-mail, and now I thought I'd start a regular schedule of posting it. So from now on, you can look forward to Feedback Fridays!

Today's feedback came from a 28-year-old woman in prison. Her letter says, "I made some bad choices when I was younger and am paying for them now. I was saved and baptized in December 2008...since then I have walked every day with God. I have read one of the three Heartsong books that I found in the jail library.... If it hadn't been for my Bible and books like these I would have gone crazy being away from my husband and our children." She goes on to give her home address so that we can send her information about becoming a Heartsong member when she is released soon! She ends her letter with a request that we pray for her and the other ladies she is with. "Please put me and all the ladies in here in your thoughts and prayers. There are several of the girls here that are younger than I am and have more serious charges. I have talked to them all, trying to win souls to the Lord, but they refuse to hear it."

What a great reminder that those in prison need our prayer. And how wonderful to know that our books helped change this young woman's life, so much so that she's even trying to win others to the Lord.

I don't know about you, but I sure find mail like this encouraging. I never get tired of being reminded that the books we produce at Barbour/Heartsong do truly help change people's lives. They are not just meaningless stories, they help spread the word of God and the Truth of Jesus, so that people can live with purpose and hope.

Harmony

A couple weeks ago now, I went to an old country church on Sunday morning where my retired uncle occasionally preaches. His son and daughter and their families also went along, because this was sort of our family reunion weekend.

The church was originally built in 1825, then replaced after a fire. It happens to be the place where my maternal grandparents were married. They may have been the first wedding there after the church was rebuilt.

It is a one-room building with entry doors at the ends of each of 2 aisles. There is a low platform, and behind it a large wallpapered mural of Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the garden. On each side, pews have been turned in a C shape to accommodate a wood stove. Both stoves are gone now, but one area now holds the unattractive furnace.

It was like walking back in time to enter the building. The pew seats are made short (where half your leg overhangs--and I'm short legged, LOL) and uncomfortable. The wood floors give and creak.

But the best part about the visit was singing in harmony with my cousins, without microphones or soundtracks. The old piano, played by my mother, carried us and the sound was awesome.

Mom and I may go back this Sunday for their homecoming event.

As a lover of history, genealogy, and historical novels, visiting this place was special to me. Have you visited a place that transported you back to another age and time?

Guest Blogger Laurie Alice Eakes: Turning Rejection into Acceptance

Despite the title, I don’t have a definitive answer on how to turn rejection letters into acceptance phone calls. What I have are words of wisdom from other authors’ input and from my own experience on how we can learn, grow, and be blessed by rejections.

Rejection is a part of writers' lives. It comes in many forms. All are disheartening. Even the ones that are complimentary can hurt because they still mean you didn’t make a sale.

Author Linore Burkard put my thoughts on rejection succinctly. “Rejection is a stop sign from God.” At a stop sign, you look both ways before moving on. You look ahead. You may even look behind to ensure the next car that comes along isn’t going to zip past and smash into you, as you make a left turn.

And making a left turn is often what you need to do. Nonfiction author Theresa Cooke wrote an essay on a controversial subject for an anthology. The anthology rejected it. Theresa ended up selling it as an article. Kim Vogel Sawyer submitted an anthology collection with other authors. The editor rejected the concept. Kim took that same idea for four short stories, consolidated them into a novel, and sold it.

Since this is a Barbour blog, I’ll talk about my experience with Heartsong. My story got rejected at first, and it hurt. It also taught me a great deal about writing. That rejection forced me to sit down and really learn my market, then completely revamp and rewrite my story—and sell it to JoAnne six months later, as Better than Gold.

So next time a rejection appears in your mailbox or inbox, step back and ask yourself why God has brought you to this stop sign. Perhaps you have the wrong market. Perhaps you need to improve your craft. Perhaps you need to develop a teachable heart. Whatever the reason, turn that rejection into an acceptance that this is a message from the Lord regarding your writing and when He determines you’re ready, your work will find acceptance.

As a footnote, this is the perfect week for me to be a guest here. Wednesday will mark the one-year anniversary of the phone call I got from my agent regarding the New Jersey Historical Series for Heartsong. This acceptance ended twenty months of rejections. The fun fact is that I was in New Jersey at the time. Even more fun, my hero in The Glassblower is a Scot named Colin. In my class I was taking up there, was a Scottish man named Colin. Colin sent me MP3s of him talking so I could get the cadence of speech right without resorting to hard-to-read dialect.

The Glassblower by Laurie Alice Eakes releases through Heartsong Presents in November.

Guest Blogger Erica Vetsch: Confessions of a Word Addict

Thank you to JoAnne and Becky for having me here at The Edit Café. I’m so excited that my first novel, The Bartered Bride, is debuting with Heartsong Presents very soon. It’s been an amazing year since the contract announcement, going through the editing process, and preparing this story for release in November.

Both my content editor and copy editor have commented on my unusual vocabulary and word choices in my historical romances. One editor said, “I enjoy the words you come up with (how do you do that—surely these aren’t normal vocabulary words for you?!), but when I look them up, they’re always in context... Seriously, Erica, I’d like to know how you research period language. That’s a very cool element of your work. Maybe if you ever guest on Edit Café, you can tell us.”

So, thanks, Rachel O., for the compliment and recommending me to guest blog on The Edit Café.
I fully sympathize with the fictional character Anne of Green Gables, who used big words as a child and was thought to be odd because of it. I did the same. Anne was a word addict, and so am I. I love unusual words, words that look cool on the page, words that feel neat coming off the tongue. I don’t know if this is normal or not, (probably not) but when I hear an interesting word, instead of my brain conjuring up a picture of that item, my brain flashes a picture of the word on a page across my vision. The shape of the letters, the arrangement of the vowels and consonants.

Yeah, probably not normal. I just love words.

One of the reasons I love to watch sports is because of the jargon. I watch NASCAR and words like aero-loose and bump-draft and camber fire my imagination. Show jumping becomes surcingle and snaffle-bit and tiger-trap. Of particular delight to me were the words of curling: hog-line, hammer, and broomer. When the Winter Olympics comes up in a few months, I’ll be soaking in the spectacle...and the lingo.

I’ve carried this love of words into my research of period language.

I’ve always been an avid reader, especially of historical fiction. Historical fiction is full of great old words that look good on the page, evoke certain emotions and ideas, and really pull a reader into the time-period. I’ve been blessed with a good memory for unusual words (precious little else these days, it seems) and when I find a new word, I tuck it away into my vocabulary and wait for a great time to use it. And my family will attest, I do use unusual words in my everyday speech.
Besides reading quality historical fiction, when researching a particular time period, I also go to original sources of that day for words and phrases. Diaries and journals are great, for they give you the flavor and nuances of speech patterns of that time. They give you a peek into the minds of people who lived in the era you’re trying to portray.

I also love to read novels written in the time period I’m researching. I’m currently researching a series set in 1870’s Kansas at Fort Larned, and one treasure I found while touring the fort (which is a National Historic Site and I highly recommend touring it if you get the chance) was a list of books available at the post library at the time I’m writing about. Invaluable to read what my characters would be reading at that time.

But by far, my favorite way to garner words of a bygone era is reading newspaper articles and advertisements of the times. Journalists of the 1800’s were showmen and wordsmiths. Their language is flamboyant and unusual, and they constantly drew upon their communication skills to entice the reader into their stories. Journalists of frontier America were not all that far removed from the running patterers of Victorian London. Garnering the biggest audience meant telling the most interesting story.

And isn’t that true with writing fiction as well? I love an interesting story, and part of what interests me is unusual words, so I try to sprinkle them in whenever I can.


ERICA VETSCH is married to Peter and keeps the company books for the family lumber business. A home-school mom to Heather and James, Erica loves history, romance, and storytelling. Her ideal vacation is taking her family to out-of-the-way history museums and chatting to curators about local history. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Calvary Bible College in Secondary Education: Social Studies. You can find her on the web at www.onthewritepath.blogspot.com


About The Bartered Bride:
Jonathan Kennebrae is furious when his grandfather informs him that his future has been decided. He will marry Melissa Brooke or be disinherited. Jonathan has invested years of his life in Kennabrae Shipping, but heaven help him if Grandfather decides to take it all away for this.

Melissa, too, is devastated when her parents make their announcement. As little more than a bargaining chip in her father’s business maneuvers, she feels her secure world slipping away. Engaged to marry a man she has never met—someone “considerably older” than herself? What have her parents done?

Can Jonathan and Melissa find a way out of this loveless marriage, or must they find a way forward together?

I'm Still Here

I can't believe fall is here, October is halfway through, and ACFW conference has come and gone.

I'm still here, plugging away at the work. I haven't TOTALLY forgotten that I have a blog.

I have a Bloglines account and track several blogs that I'll check a couple times a week. It does amaze me that some people come up with great thoughts to share everyday. How do they do that? If it is on random life stuff, then okay, I could probably write something every day, but I don't know how I could tell you something new and useful about publishing every day when I can't seem to do it once a week these days.

Still, some people are doing it. Agent Rachelle Gardener has a great blog here that she adds to five days a week. I don't know how she does it.

Kaye Dacus has been coming up with some profound thoughts here on her blog that is geared toward fellow writers.

When I think of all the stuff I need to do, I can easily get a case of bird brain (burnout). LOL

Anyway, I think we should revitalize this blog, and I welcome your suggestions. What do you want to see here? What questions still need answered? Who do you want to see as a guest, or do you want to volunteer as a guest?

And THANKS to all who still follow, despite my lazy posting routine.