Tsaba House Authors

WE'VE MOVED!

2007-01-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Tsaba House Authors' Blog has officially moved to WordPress: http://tsabahouseauthors.wordpress.com Please come visit us there! We have a lot going on... Blessings! ~THA Blog Management

Not Easily Broken

2007-01-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Beginning this week, I will be posting a review here every Monday in January. Please read the review and post a comment. At the end of the month, I will choose the best comment and award the winner an autographed Advance Reading Copy of my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. You may post a comment on each book review, increasing your chances to win. The first book I am reviewing is Not Easily Broken--October 2006, a fiction work by author and pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes. Enjoy the review. Let me know what you think. And don't take my word for it. Read the book and decide for yourself. Remember, you must comment to enter the contest. Each person who enters will also have the opportunity to join my new readers' club. More about that later. Not Easily Broken--by T. D. Jakes Clarice Johnson is beautiful, ambitious, and driven. Fiercely independent, she has no patience for an adoring husband who seemingly has no desire to become more than he is right now. Clarice’s husband Dave is a down to earth blue collar kind of guy who runs a successful janitorial service and coaches a little league team of underprivileged youth. When the couple is involved in an automobile accident, Clarice becomes dependent on others for the first time in her life. She has been told by her mother since childhood that she must never put herself at the mercy of another--especially a man--because they will always let her down. An attraction develops between Dave and Clarice's physical therapist, Julie. As Clarice's depression mounts, Dave turns to Julie, who reminds him what it's like to be needed. Dialog is not Bishop Jakes's strong suit. There’s a lot of white space containing passages such as: “Hi, how are you?” “Fine, and you?” “Good, good.” before finally getting down to business. Other conversations are cut off and stilted, which might’ve provided greater character insight. For instance during a counseling session, just as the conversation gets meaty, the author sums up the session and the characters schedule another. The book sometimes reads like a carefully veiled sermon. Because of this and dialog that often bogs down the progression of the story, I am giving it 3 stars. I believe Not Easily Broken can and will minister to people who find themselves wondering if the grass is truly greener on the other side of the fence. Many marriages turn into a "What's in this for me?" situation that leads to pain and frustration. I think all couples question their choices at one time or another and get too wrapped up in themselves to consider the needs of the other person in the relationship. The author has obviously seen this too much in his years behind the pulpit and knows from where he's writing. Fortunately he does not wrap up the couple’s problems in the end in a neat little package. Life seldom happens that way. My main complaint about the book is that I was too aware of the author during the course of the story. All in all, a good story that will stay with the reader for a long time. Don't forget to post a comment. If you've already read this title, let us know what you think. I will be choosing the best comment at the end of the month and awarding an ARC copy of my latest romance, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. Go Bucks!!! Teresa Slack

Tsaba House Authors

2006-12-29T09:28:00.000-08:00

Molly's Writing Plans for 2007 Sancturay, my long historical about the Huguenots, is the first of three long historicals in the Faith of Our Fathers series from Tsaba House. It will be published in September 2007. I am working on a short novel that I will be writing with Teresa Slack. It should be about 50,000 words and is titled Texas Tycoon. I like to have at least one book come out every year. So I am hoping Texas Tycoon will be published in 2008. After Tycoon has been completed, I will start on my second novel in the Faith of Our Fathers series. No title yet. Then I will be working on a non-fiction book under contract with Tsaba House. Wow! I'm exhausted already. Besides all that, I will be buying groceries and cooking for my husband -- who happens to be the father of our three grown sons. So have a happy and busy new year everybody. I plan to do just that. Molly www.mollynoblebull.com

Looking Ahead to '07

2006-12-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

Okay folks, December is nearly over. Time to finish up the last of the cookies and the fudge (In Ohio we eat Buckeyes this time of year--not the ones off the trees. Does everyone know what those are?) take down the tree, turn off the Bowl games, and get back to work. We haven't heard a peep from many of the Tsaba House authors this month. I know you're all busy with your 'real' jobs and the thousands of chores that come with this glorious time of year, but it's time to hear from you again. I'll kick it off with that eternal question: What's in the works for 2007? No, I don't mean those plans to stop charging breakfast at McDonalds, quit smoking, get more exercise, drop ten pounds, and spend more time out of the office surrounded by family and loved ones. I'm talking writing related. So what have you got? I want everyone to chime in on this one. Am I not the hard nose this morning? I'll go first to get you inspired. I am just finishing up my work in progress today. Yes, today. I'll print it off and give to a reader whose opinion I truly value and distance myself from the project for a few weeks. During January I plan to outline and brainstorm for Book 4 in my Jenna's Creek Series...something that should have been done already, but you know how it is. The first half of 2007 will be dedicated to Book 4. Immediately upon finishing Book 4, I will get into Book 5, the final installment of the series. That should take care of 2007. Somewhere in there I need to write a short novel to be included in a book with Molly Noble Bull, with whom I am looking forward to working. It depends on the needs of my publisher and editor if the novella takes precedence over Book 5, but we'll work that out when the time comes. Evidence of Grace, Book 3 in the Jenna's Creek series is due out in June, '07. That will mean another marketing push--book tours, signings, lectures, and library events. Marketing has a nasty habit of throwing a wrench in a writer's writing schedule, but it is a necessary part of the game. It gives me a chance to get out from behind the computer and meet the readers I'm writing for. I can't wait. I have a busy year ahead of me and I'm sure you do as well. Enjoy the last three days of 2006 and let's get psyched about '07. Here's wishing all a safe and happy New Year. Teresa

Tsaba House Authors

2006-12-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

Tsaba House Authors I haven't visited the Tsaba House authors blog in a long time. My computer crashed, and I lost a lot of addresses and info. It's great to be back. I saw the cover of my upcoming Tsaba House novel, Sanctuary, and it is stunning. The colors are lovely. Can't wait for everybody to see it. Set in France in 1740, Sanctuary will be published in September 2007 and is the first of three long historicals in the Faith of Our Fathers series about the Huguenots. May the Lord richly bless you and yours -- now and in the years to come. Molly Noble Bull

Where is Christmas?

2006-12-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

The weather has been unseasonably warm here in Ohio with temps in the low 60's for the past two weeks. I'm not complaining...I love it. But it doesn't seem like Christmas when it's too warm to wear my festive sweaters to holiday parties. Besides the weather I am getting in the spirit of things. The cards are sent, the packages wrapped and under the tree. Christmas bonuses are received and spent and the table is set and ready for guests, figuratively speaking. The sermon in church this morning was Where is Your Christmas. It was about giving rather than receiving. Most of us in this country are incredibly blessed, we just don't realize it sometimes. Few--if any--of us went to bed hungry last night. Most of us will have at least one gift under our tree. If not, it is by choice. Somebody somewhere loves us enough to send a card or Christmas greeting. But it's easy to look inward at all the things we don't have and think we need and start feeling sorry for ourselves. I won't use this post to count my blessings or remind you of yours. This is a writing blog so I'll try to focus on that. The thing most of us lack the most is time. We have so much to do this month, it's hard to find time or inspiration to focus on something as illusive as writing. I'm not getting as much work done this month as I had hoped and I think the rest of you are in the same boat. I comfort myself in knowing I have invitations and engagements and requests for cookies and movies to see with my grandchildren. If the writing falls by the wayside for another month, I don't suppose it will matter. As long as I'm not blatantly lazy, I won't feel bad that other obligations have kept me from the computer. Life is short. Not to worry, dear reader...the book I am working on is definitely worth the wait. Wishing all a wonderful and blessed Christmas holiday. Teresa Slack

My Least Productive Month

2006-12-04T08:23:00.000-08:00

Even though this picture has nothing to do with writing and it isn't a good idea to post pictures of children on the Internet, I couldn't resist sharing this one of my grandson enjoying his first birthday cake. To preserve his anonymity, I won't tell you his name or where he's from, but isn't he gorgeous!? Okay, enough proud Nana. Back to writer-mode and why December is my least productive month. I think it's safe to assume I'm not the only person in a creative field who finds it hard to focus on work during this busy time of year. Actually I begin to lose focus and concentration around Halloween. That's when I start making shopping lists and thinking about menus for Thanksgiving, especially on those years when it's my turn to hostess--this year's a double whammy with hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas. Besides shopping and baking and cleaning and Christmas cards and newsletters and planning entertainment for my guests, I find myself caught up in the spirit of things. I enjoy the weather and carols and friends and all those added activities of the season. Writing and writing related activities fall to the bottom of my to do list. I am determined this month will be different. But how to stay focused and actually accomplish something when all I want to do is go to parties, try new recipes, and watch old movies. I am currently in the editing stages of my latest WIP. If I want to see this book published in the first half of 2008, I need to get it in the hands of my editor and my publisher in January. That's the thing about writing that most non-writers don't realize. The publishing schedule is usually at least a year ahead, even in the big New York houses. I have a reader who constantly asks me when she can expect my next book. She never likes my answers. In this case, the next book will be out June '08. She told me she always thought a writer takes a few months to write a book, sends it in, and within a month or two, they have a book in their hands. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Consequently, my motivation for staying on course with this book throughout December is that I want to see it published in '08. A goal that seems far reaching to those outside the publishing field, but realistic for those who understand how the system works. Today is December 4th, 21 short days until Christmas Day. About eighteen days before I throw my hands in the air and forget about writing altogether and just relax and enjoy the holidays with my family. As of this moment, I am determined to work like a crazy woman until then. Who knows what tomorrow might bring...an invitation to another party, a Christmas card from someone I haven't heard from in a long time who requires a long reply, trouble on my website that requires my immediate attention and takes me farther from my book. Working for one's self is a blessing in many ways, but it can equally be a curse. I make my own schedule which leaves plenty of room for fooling around and wasting a day without even realizing it. So back to work. We'll see how things stand next week when I only have 14 days till Christmas and probably just as much work to do. Peace and Love to All. Teresa Slack

The Fruit of Thanks may be Giving

2006-11-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

I am truly blessed to be associated with the authors represented on this blog. No matter how secretly peculiar I may feel. No matter how different I believe I am from others. No matter how unique my own set of flaws are ... I know all writers wrestle with their own minds to sit and write, to create, to organize the flow of ideas, to reconsider the details and the entire approach, and to sit down alone to crunch out a written product. How strange that others private pursuits makes me feel a little less alone. The Tsaba House authors, like many authors as expressed by Teresa, take inventory of their motives and investment of time. In reality, all humans are the authors of their lives and destinies. So to the ultra conscious the question becomes "Is my life the story I want it to be? Is it in compliance with God's call?" There are so many paths to take and this is particularly underscored by the revelation of the seemingly infinite number of paths of mere self-analysis to question without a choice of action. EeeeGads. After the curse, God shortened lives from 900 ultimately to about 70 or 80. It is as though we barely have enough time to just decide whether or not we want to do right or pursue self-indulgence. No doubt, the leaning of our character is clear to God. Will we abandon good? Will we deepen our commitment to right? Are we saying good things and not practicing them? Our walk trancends the grave in consequences. There is no need for anxiety although it seems unescapable. My son is visiting from Afghanistan for a week or two in early December and then he returns to Afghanistan. 5 Halloweens ago, we took him for traditional trick or treating in Big Creek, CA. This last Halloween he lost 3 army buddies, among them his best friend. I cannot imagine the despair of his friend's parents. I constantly avoid trying to imagine it. I see the newspapers with world peace threatened in more corners than I can itemize. Civil war, crime, needless killing, entire regions bent on vengeance ... I feel almost guilty for feeling so thankful that I am living safely removed from so much violence bearing down on so many good people who happen to live where they are. I suppose I can show my thankfulness to God with a life that dissolves the darkness around me. Can I do that? Ahh, the poetic aspirations of a writer whose character and flaws are as common as the rest of mankind. May our skyward aspirations to please God be launched by sincere integrity and practice. God bless all and Happyness while you give and give as an expression of deep felt thanks .

Happy Turkey Day!

2006-11-22T07:23:00.001-08:00

Having finished my outline as well as the first 10 pages of Book III in TWLC, I am promptly giving myself the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving. ;) Blessings and much love to all the other TH authors, staff, and families. And to anyone reading this not affiliated with those I just mentioned, God bless you real good, too! Happy Thanksgiving! CH

Let's Give Thanks

2006-11-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I finished the last leg of my 2006 touring schedule if you will. Not as impressive as it sounds, but I had a great time hearing how my books have touched hearts and meeting new readers. This makes my third Christmas season as a published author. I take advantage of the gift giving season to stand behind a table and sell books at every bazaar and craft fair I can afford. Each year earns me more attention and more books sold. Yesterday was a hometown event and I did very well. Lots of fun meeting readers who bought books last year and came back for more. Writing is a lonely, often frustrating career choice, so getting out and meeting readers face to face does a world of good in reaffirming that you're doing the right thing. Last week in Wilmington, Ohio I met an aspiring young writer. Speaking to young people like Kayla makes me realize how blessed I am to be a part of this business. If you're like me, you often question your abilities and your decision to ever pursue writing in the first place. I think all writers do. Maybe everyone in any career. But this young lady was full of questions...and full of doubts. When I told her of my own frustrations when characters don't cooperate and storylines don't come together, her face lit up. She thought she was the only one. She'd never spoken to someone who actually understood her and the pain of putting one's thoughts to paper. Talking to Kayla and others like her make the times of sitting behind my computer fighting my own doubts worthwhile. On a regular basis I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. With so many books out there and so many people trying to break into the publishing world, will it matter if I never write another word? Will anyone miss me? Even if the answer is no, I would miss writing. Even after all this time and knowing what I do about the business, I can't make myself not write. I suppose that's what I'm most thankful for this year. Besides all the family and friends and good health I enjoy and a thousand other things I too often take for granted, I am thankful for young people like Kayla and readers like Donna and all those who took the time yesterday to tell me how much they enjoyed the books and to buy the new ones, and bookstore owners like Patsy Maxwell in Sidney, Ohio who invited me into her lovely store to meet her customers. I don't know if it's in God's plan that I become as well known as some writers of Christian fiction. I don't know which of my books will become a break-out bestseller or if any of them will. But I am grateful for the opportunities 2006 has brought. If the Lord tarries, I am looking forward to an exciting and productive 2007. Blessings to all & best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and loved ones. Teresa

Laugh Out Loud!

2006-11-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

Ever participate in a web chat? I hadn't until tonight. The Dancing Word Writers Network invited me to be an author guest for a chat workshop. I was quickly thrown into the world of "lol", ":P",":-)" as well as many other symbols that I never even knew existed! By the way, if you're chat challenged (like me), "lol" stands for laugh out loud. Honestly, I never knew that. Anyhow, if you ever get the opportunity to participate in one, I would highly recommend it. There is a moderator who keeps track of who wants to ask a question and in what order they get to ask their questions. It was a friendly group with some thoughtful questions. The entire event lasted for about an hour. At the end, they had a drawing for an autographed copy of THE FOREIGNER. That was especially cool. You can check out their website at www.dancingword.com. They have also posted the chat transcripts from other authors of interest. Perhaps in a couple weeks they will post my chat transcript so you can see how bad my answers were! One page at a time, Aaron

2006-11-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Seems like everyone at Tsaba House is at different stages in writing. Some are birthing projects, some are still planning and considering and weighing the odds of taking this 'baby' from conception through college, some are fine tuning existing projects to make them the best they can possibly be. I am on the second--and most important draft--of my current WIP. I know the CEO of our little publishing family is chomping at the bit since I have not turned in a manuscript for all of 2006. But I am working. I finished one book this year but it is part of a new series so it won't see daylight after my Jenna's Creek series is finished. As far as the WIP, I hope it will be ready to send by the end of the year. This time of year is generally dedicated to marketing for me, while the actual writing process is put on the back burner. I have three book events in the next 13 days, then I can take a breather and get ready for Thanksgiving which I will be hosting this year. I remember the early days of my writing career with fondness. Back then, I only had one book in my mind; one story to bring to the page. I wasn't worried about marketing or creating elaborate newsletters or websites or book signings or carrying bookmarks with me every time I left the house in case I met someone who didn't know I wrote a book. When I went to the grocery store, it was only to buy milk and bread. Now it's a marketing opportunity. Is there something I can post on the bulletin board? Will I run into Sharon who always wants the newest book, and if I haven't released one in awhile, she'll give me grief about the wait between books? Do I need to pick up chocolates to put on the table at my next event? I don't go anywhere without making a concious effort to turn the trip into a marketing op. No matter what I'm doing or where I'm going, it's always about the books. I eat and breathe marketing. And it is exhausting. But at the same time, it's exciting and rewarding. Getting a book published has opened up so many opportunities for me. Even when an author event doesn't live up to my hopes in terms of book sales, I always benefit for having gone. First off, I'm doing what I love. I've always wanted to tell stories. I am fortunate that I don't have to get up every morning and go to a job that eats up my precious time when I would rather be sitting in front of my computer. The best part by far is the people I have met in the past two years. It seems like every time I need a boost and my doubts in my abilities have crowded out everything else, God sends someone across my path who gives me an encouraging word or affirmation. Just last night in church, after a particularly oppressive week, as I was coming off the pulpit after making an announcement, a gentleman said he felt the need to pray for me and my books right then. He and the pastor led the prayer as the congregation raised their hands toward me. God always knows when we need lifted up, and sometimes when we need to be set in our place. Wishing everyone a prosperous week. Let us keep our eyes and ears open to the Lord's leading, whether writing or whatever other job He's given us. 2006 is winding down. Let's make the most of it. Teresa Slack

Giving Birth Or Just Maturing?

2006-11-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

I think it's so funny how often I use the term "giving birth" when speaking of art I'm creating, yet how far I really am from knowing what birthing a real child is actually like. Feeling "called" to be a mid wife, for example, is beyond me; granted, I know people have to feel a pull to the occupation or else people like me would have to deliver babies for our wives fairly regularly. A horrendous thought. How I made it through my daughter's birth without passing out is a wonder. I think it was all the adrenaline. That or the shock of watching my wife yank two nurses off their feet during a contraction. With my fall schedule finally slowing down, I'm now a week away from diving into the 3rd installment of The White Lion Chronicles (something I've been "a week away from" for over a month now). But I can't help but think about the timing of my soon-to-be son arriving the first week of December coinciding with my own "labor" with this work. Granted, I will never ever dare to put writing a book on the scale of passing a grapefruit through... Sorry. Bad visual. Back to writing. The similarity I notice is the span of time it requires for the baby, physical or artistic, to mature: the wonderful gestation period. I often find that my story sits in me for quite a long time, years most often, before it finally manifests on a page. I was sitting recently with a friend of mine in our little "writer's club" we started at our favorite coffee shop down the road. We meet weekly to discuss what we're working on, our families, and God-stuff. He was mentioning to me how he felt very distraught that, though he'd been outlining, scribbling, hashing, and re-hashing for the last year, he had very little to show for it in the form of written pages. The key here is that we so often confuse the "gestation period" with the actual "birthing" of our art. Doing so will usually lead to deferred hope, frustration, and the eventual termination of what was to be a glorious end. Yet if we had simply understood the process better, we would have recognized the needed time for maturing the "child." This week my wife hit what I call the "Get-This-Thing-Out-Of-Me" stage of her pregnancy. Before everything was tolerable, and in many was enjoyable. She gets to experience something I never will: having a living human being grow in her womb. But now any enjoyment is over, because the season for it is over. If the baby doesn't come out soon, both the mother and the child will be at risk of loosing their lives. Likewise, giving birth pre-maturely can be just as detrimental, if not more so. Trying to put something down on paper before it's had its time to mature can produce an unhealthy child, as we all know. Here I sit typing this little blog post and in the back of my mind I'm really thinking, "I should be working on my book." No matter where you are at as an author, or any matter of creativity, make an effort to identify what season you are in; if you can, I predict you will save yourself much needless heartache and ensure the birth of a wonderful "baby." Happy writing! CH PS - I love you, Jennifer!

Activities

2006-11-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

by Samuel J Alibrando Here is a quick “what’s happening” report and no doubt we will get to writing/marketing advice. First, I do want to comment that I have genuinely received some good, useable tips here. Thanks for that.

I was recently invited to an evangelistic event this past weekend and had a booth for me and my books. I was also invited to sing. Good news and bad news though. Bad news, it wasn’t promoted correctly and incredibly small turn out. More bad news, lots of technical difficulties causing cancellations and delays of preachers, singers, presenters. More bad news, shortage of turn out caused financial difficulties for host who cancelled Sunday’s events after spending thousands already. Whew. Ready for good news? I met some terrific Christians and made some good contacts. Invited to Los Angeles cable TV show and radio program. Met a wonderful archaeologist and his family from Virginia. Sold some books. A guy prophesied over me that I would be doing a book tour and that the "Christians in the Arena" was a new move of God. He was pretty excited about that which made me feel good too. And here is the big news … the archaeologist is Jerry Bowen who has been to the site of Noah’s Ark numerous times on the Turkish border adjacent to Iran. The once buried Ark has risen from earthquakes and has been measured, tested, analyzed and determined to be the real deal. They even had a small piece of petrified wood from the Ark and I constantly encouraged folks to go to the booth and touch it so they can tell their grandchildren “I touched Noah’s Ark”. How many can say that?

My excitement was so obvious to Jerry he gave me what looks like a small rock and he explained the coloration of it shows it was probably a rivet in the Ark, but absolutely from the Ark.

Read the Genesis account from chapter 6 on and then consider this “Hey, Sam has a piece of that Ark!”

I am like a kid at the circus on this. I showed a few people and they looked at me like “Sure Sam, if that’s what you want to believe.” I don’t blame them. If someone walked up to me and show me a rock that looks like it might have come from my driveway and said “Look here, this is from Noah’s Ark” I must admit, I might not get too excited and ask him if he spent anything on it over the internet.

The website of these folks that actually give tours to the Ark is www.AnchorStone.com Jerry’s wife picked that name due to the large, flat stones each with a hole at the top they deduced were used as anchors. The Ark had no rudder which makes sense since they certainly didn’t know where they were going. They just wanted to survive the storm. They tied these anchors on both sides (6 or 8, I’m not sure) to prevent the Ark from capsizing from being battered by waves. The anchors helped in another way a little too complicated for me to explain also. Check the website. The man who discovered numerous things died a few years ago and was a great inspiration to Jerry.

“Floody, floody … Arky, Arky … Two-zees, two-zees…” Yeah, I got a piece of that.

Business-wise, I am on the threshold of a Federal bottleneck for every person in America on Medicare. They all have 45 days to switch their drug plan even though all the drug plans are just now getting the information out about their changes in rates and benefits. Also, these new Medicare Advantage Plans are just coming out all over and seniors can try learning about them as well to sign up during the same 45 days from November 15 to December 31. Yep, Thanksgiving and Christmas season. My whole body wants to complain so I’ll stick with Romans 8:28 and be thankful this season while I try to help the nearly 250 clients of mine I need to advise and sign up for the recommended plans during that 45 days. After that, there is a lock-in until next November when everything changes again, etc.

There are restrictions but opportunities for some switching from January thru March in 2007 but not 2008.

I’m still writing though. Really enjoying the unfolding of a story that I am writing - that was Teresa's tip. And I am reading the book Aaron recommended "How to Grow a Novel" God bless all. I am so enjoying the diversity of gifts and writing styles represented by the Tsaba House authors.

Samuel J Alibrando www.BestChapter.com

The Fine Art of Listening

2006-10-30T06:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my grandson's first birthday. Seems like only yesterday the whole family spent the night in the hospital waiting room while this little miracle came into the world. Friday we celebrated his birthday at his house. All three kids were wound up at having their grandparents for an audience. Dakota threw food at his sister, even sticking a green bean in her ear. I'm not much help in the discipline department. I think they are funny, so that makes them go into high gear even more. In my defense, discipline is not Nana's job. My granddaughter is seven-years-old and a total chatterbox. When she was little, I told her mother not to say or do anything in front of the child that she didn't want me to know because that kid told me everything. She still does. If it's been a while since you've talked to a seven-year-old, let me remind you that they talk incessantly and ramble from one subject to the next with barely a breath in between. If you drift off for even a moment you might miss something important, as happened to me Friday night. I can't relay the entire conversation due to length and subject matter, but suffice it to say, that boys in the first grade haven't changed much since you were in the first grade. They tease girls, using terminology often learned from older brothers that little girls can't comprehend. A little boy in Kiera's class had told her something she just couldn't grasp. While she thought he was making things up to get attention, I knew exactly what he was talking about. I empathized with her, and had a good laugh later when I relaid the whole story to my husband, finishing with; "She's such a girl." As writers, we need to learn the fine art of listening and not drifting off when the conversation has gone on too long or went off on too many tangents. Not only writers, but people who spend time in the company of children will miss out on golden moments that might not come around again. Kids are funny. They want us to be part of their lives. My granddaughter does not confide in the other adults in her life the way she does me. She trusts me. She knows I listen and I care about what she's saying. While the others seem only too happy to let her talk to me, I wonder if they have a clue how much they've missed in the last seven years. Do the people in your life--young or old--seek out your counsel? Do they trust you with their innermost confidences? Perhaps you don't want them to. Maybe you'd rather sit on the couch and watch football and pray no one bothers you until the food's ready. Oh, how much we miss out on when we live like that. Take a moment today and focus on what's coming out of the mouth of the little ones in your life. All they want to do is engage you, shock you, make you laugh, and please you. It isn't that hard and who knows how much creative fodder you'll receive for your next project. Best of all, you might get a good belly laugh out of it. Teresa Slack

A Different Pond

2006-10-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to have a book signing event this afternoon at the Naples, Florida location of Barnes & Noble. Very interesting to say the least. It reminded me of a fishing expedition I once took with my son. We packed the car early one morning and headed out with some frozen shrimp and visions of the "big" catch. There were two options. The pier at the Manatee River (salt water) or the pier at the Skyway bridge (salt water). Given that the later cost about $6 we chose the former. Three hours later, half of our shrimp was gone and all we had to show for it was a five inch grunt. We were dejected as you might imagine. On our way off the pier, we saw this fella cleaning his catch at the fillet tables. He was pulling one snapper after another out of his cooler. I asked how he caught them. Cut shrimp was his answer. That was strange because we were using the same bait. "Where at?" I asked. "The Skyway," he answered. $6 dollars later, our cooler was filled with Spanish mackerel. We also hooked into a large King mackerel and my son pulled up two Ladyfish (similar to a baby Tarpon). Changing venues was the best move of the day. Apparently we weren't fishing in the right pond! At my Naples signing, it was like driving over to the Skyway to fish. I met two former CEOs, a former New York Superior Court Judge, and a lady who owns a ranch in Wyoming next to Ted Turner and Jane Fonda. All of them bought my books. The patrons were casting an incredible amount of discretionary income all over the place. People were hooking up with 10 to 15 books without thinking twice. What a sight to see. And what a day to go fishing. Amen! One page at a time, Aaron

Cowboys I Know and Love

2006-10-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

The song goes, "Mama. Don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys." However, all three of our grown sons are cowboys, and not the Dallas Cowboy kind either. My father and maternal grandfather were ranch managers. I spent part of my growing up years on a 60,000 acre Texas cattle ranch, and all our sons are involved in cattle ranching in Texas. In fact, my husband, Charlie, and two of our sons are working cattle today, October 18, 2006 -- much as cowboys did a hundred years ago. I said, "Much As" because a helicopter is being used to aid in gathering the herd. Since I am also a born again Christian, it is not surprising that I enjoy writing western romance novels with a Chrisitan message. Tsabe House will be reprinting one of my Zondervan western novels titled The Rogue's Daughter. Rogue takes place in 1890 on a Texas cattle ranch that is much like the one I lived on as a child. But not all my ancestors were cowboys. Some were French Huguenots. Sanctuary will be published by Tsaba House in September 2007, the first of three long historicals in the Faith of Our Fathers series. The three historicals trace the route my ancestors took after they left France, traveled to Scotland and finally settled in America. To learn more about my faith, my family and my writing, please visit my website. Blessings, Molly Noble Bull www.mollynoblebull.com

Author News

2006-10-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

The blog has been pretty quiet lately with only 4 posts for the month of October. I know we're not hearing from some of the writers because everyone is so busy, myself included. Let's use this week (or however long it takes for everyone to chime in) to let inquiring minds know what we've been up to--writing related or otherwise. I'd especially like to hear from those Tsaba House writers who've been keeping a low profile lately. In September I hosted a book launch for my first romance, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. Everyone who attended had a wonderful time. I've been working like crazy on my current WIP for the last couple of weeks, determined to have it polished and all the bugs worked out by the end of the year. This is my busy time of year with craft fairs too. I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Check out the craft fairs and book fairs in your area and buy a spot where you can set up with your books. An autographed book makes a great gift and readers love meeting you in person. This weekend was spent near Manchester, Ohio at the Old Thyme Herb & Craft Fair. An estimated crowd of 20,000 visitors from 4 neighboring states and beyond, descended on the beautiful hills of Southern Ohio for the fair. What a wonderful experience. Not only did I meet all kinds of interesting people, hear from faithful readers who were happy to meet me in person for the first time, and get reacquainted with old friends, I sold a lot of books. Couldn't get any better! I even set up two book signing events for next summer while at the fair. Other than craft fairs and working on my new book, I am enjoying autumn and the magical leaf transformations outside my door. Occasionally I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the season. God is so good and has given me so many blessings I can't afford to overlook during this busy season of my life. Have a wonderful week, everyone. I can't wait to see what you are up to. Teresa Slack

The Prompts of Fiction

2006-10-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

by Samuel J Alibrando Usually I login blogin Friday but alas, here am I on Tuesday evening. I am seeing the significance of the “WHO” more than what happens. Since beginning on this “Alien Fiction” story and not knowing where I am going I am literally watching it unfold and enjoying it more than “Lost” or “Dancing with the Stars” [although I might not call them stars per se].

I truly believe we all have a much greater imagination than we give ourselves credit for. We stumble, however, on road blocks we build ourselves or believe must be there. For example; I need to understand everything about writing before I start. I should know the story from start to finish before I can go on. I should decide ahead of time the perspective I am presenting in the story and whether the sequence is linear or have flashbacks or maybe even conflicting viewpoints. That I should know this or that, etc.

We impede our progress with self-proclaimed handicaps. I have even wasted time indecisive about what time and for how long I should assign my writing times.

Let’s face it, no matter what we do or how prepared we are, whatever it is we write it is a work in progress. It will get better with crafting and experience but experience never comes from indecision or inactivity.

The more we write, the more ideas we get. The less we restrain ourselves, the more creative we give ourselves permission to be.

Even this blog I will procrastinate feeling I may not have an idea. I’ve even written things and scapped them. But what is it I am thinking that makes me “edit” myself out of a contribution? They are varied [and boring].

I am just barely discovering that fiction writing can be like a child looking at clouds and seeing images appear. We write and ideas appear, characters take shape, plots unfold. It is WAY more fun than I expected.

Take the pressure off yourself and enjoy the creative process. AFTERWARDS, learn the craft, rework the dialogue, change the perspective. Yeah, this is a volume thing; the more you do the better you get. Just like basketball, golf, playing piano or anything else – more time in practicing gives a proportinately greater yield.

I admit though, I wouldn't mind getting paid what a doctor gets paid for his "practice".

www.BestChapter.com

Characters Make Your Story

2006-10-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Most would agree that the best way to get to know the Lord is to spend time with Him -- in prayer and praise and Bible reading. The same is true in novel writing. I often write three long chapters of a novel before I know my characters. Unfortunately, sometimes I have to throw away almost all of the three chapters. Nevertheless, I know my main character by the end of chapter three, and that makes writing and rewriting the rest of my novel much easier. My blob title, Characters Make Your Story, is not original. It came from a non-fiction book on characterization by Maren Elwood -- an excellent textbook, I might add. Blessings, Molly www.mollynoblebull.com

Characters Everywhere we go

2006-10-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

Too busy yesterday with yard work to post, but I couldn't resist the topic of personality traits. Like Aaron, it amazes me that answering a few simple questions can tell people so much about you. A few years ago I read a book compiled by a woman who was once a jury consultant. You know, those people who tell defense teams why they don't want the mother of four, but will settle for the five-time divorced construction worker with a bad back. One of the examples the author discussed was men who fix their hair. How telling! I know a young man who never leaves the house until every hair is in place. He spends more time in front of the mirror than 5 women and a fortune on hair care products. Reading that passage was as though the author sat this young man down and talked with him for an hour. She described his passions, his dislikes, his job, and yes, Aaron, even the car he drove. I am currently working on my 7th fiction work. A concern of mine at this point is that my characters do not become carbon copies of all the others. We all know writers are gigantic ego maniacs. Whether intentionally or not, it's impossible to keep ourselves completely out of our characters. They get annoyed over the same things that bother us, they discipline their children the way we believe in, and if we jog or listen to Classical music or sleep in on the weekends, our characters usually will too. Argue with me over this point if you must, but you know I'm right. You may mix things up once in a while, but you care so much about your characters because they were created in your image. So how do I keep my characters fresh? How do I keep from littering my prose with the same old quiet, quirky, clumsy, silly, grumpy, non-confrontational, pro-life, tooth-flossing, hair obsessed, too much salt on the popcorn who doesn't like to share, poor housekeepers who love dogs and pecan pie? Solution: I can't. Fortunately God has created us to be such multi-faceted individuals and filled our lives with equally fascinating, diverse individuals, we have enough material to fill a library of books. Teresa Slack

The Difference Between Rites of Passage and Multiple Personalities May be Slight

2006-10-01T23:23:00.000-07:00

By Samuel J Alibrando OK, whenever I’ve taken those personality tests you refer to Aaron, I am very aware at how different my answers would be at different times of my life and possibly change again in my future. I suppose it isn’t schizophrenia if you have multiple personalities over time as long as it is only one personality at a time. I’m talking years here, not minutes. This is another personality thing that makes me believe I could do well with believable fictional characters.

I have to tell you, I really look forward to this [I wrote good fiction] being the past tense instead of the future tense [I'm gonna write good fiction].

I was working on the fiction story I told Aaron and Jodie [editor] about in Denver but it had played in my head so many times for more than 20 years I couldn’t break out into new territory. Next thing I was happily writing non-fiction in a very philosophical way about a ruthlessly honest approach to truth and it leading me to a convincing faith in God. I thought it would be important for my children and grandchildren but a good testimony for many others as well. I still think it is interesting. It would probably be like a Francis Schaeffer book and be 300-400 pages.

Then I had another idea for getting the fiction going. Why not jump in and start writing on one of my story ideas [I truly do have many] that I hadn’t worked through in my head. I wanted to experiment with Teresa’s idea on letting the story take on a life of its own. I had previously blogged about how that has played out for years for me in music for decades.

Anyway, I just started writing this dialogue between this guy and an alien named Todd. Todd was kind of double-crossing his alien comrades by spilling the beans on their ulterior motives. My earthling is Ray for the moment and he is something of a thinker and suspicious of an alien confiding in him.

It was great for me to see things developing in the conversation. All the cynical comments I make at the movies allows me to try to come up with something more believable; from plots to emotions. The 2^nd chapter I started on a group meeting of 10 of the alien leaders orbiting earth.

For now I am calling it “Alien Fiction”. These guys convince most of the world that they are the ancestors/creators of earth and pretty convincing. They are playing a paternal card with fail safe fallback plans that are far from paternal. Todd [the honest alien] will eventually reveal to Ray that they didn’t invent themselves or the earth and these discussions will bring God into the picture from an alien perspective- at least an alien who weighs evidence as more convincing than propaganda. I think I can get away with more using that angle. Not exactly Little House on the Prairie but I have all these previously useless ideas as inventions and futuristic technology that I could implement here as well.

OK, I’ve come out of the closet on this. Whadya think? Too crazy? Maybe I relate to the alien? www.BestChapter.com

Personality Types

2006-09-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Just last week I took a personality test in connection with my day job. The test was given on the front end of a day-long seminar hosted by an outside corporate coach. There were four main types (the boss, socialite, stable/conservative/easy going, task orientated/ picky/analytical). It was fascinating to see the results of my co-workers and how similar they were to their actual personalities. Knowing which combination you were, the coach would then guess at the type of car you drive, what you would do on your vacation, how you arrive at certain decisions, who you were compatible with, how you prefer to structure your day, etc. It was incredible. But where the rubber met the road was how you could apply this knowledge to your daily work situation. Of course, I began to think about the possibilities this would have for my writing. Understanding which personality combinations were not compatible with each other, I could create characters that weren't compatible with other characters in order to build more tension and conflict. This information was very useful. A couple years back I had bought the book titled Type Talk by Otto Kroeger and Janet Thuesen on recommendation by Angela Hunt. The book broke down the 16 personality types based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It gave fantastic detail as to how certain personality types would react to certain situations and how they would relate to others (particularly in the parent/child and husband/wife areas). I'll now assign one of the sixteen to each of my characters. I would highly recommend this book as a starter. If I can really understand my characters, I'll be in a better position to make them more distinct and believable. I find it more fun too. Kicking around personality types can be very revealing. But that is a double-edged sword. You may end up arguing with your spouse about who you really are and which type you fit into. Worse yet, you might discover that your spouse knows you better than you know yourself! One page at a time, Aaron

Pam's Interview

2006-09-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

We have dial up; so I didn't get to hear Pam's interview. I know it was great. Would someone who heard it please tell the rest of us what was said? Samuel. I like your name. Not only is it a Bible name, my late father was named Sam. Blessings, Molly www.mollynoblebull.com

Words of Blessing

2006-09-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! You would think after reading Sam's post that the two of us talked on the phone this morning and chose our topic together. With much regret I haven't spoken to Sam since the ICRS convention in Denver. (Sam, did you get a lot of bargains that last day? Jodie, Ralph, & I did great though I cut myself off after only one handbag.) Meanwhile back at the ranch, I need to report I had a great writing week last week, pumping out an impressive 25,000 words. If I managed that on a consistent basis, I could write a hefty first draft in 30 days. I know other writers do this without breaking a sweat. They must. Don't you wonder how Nora Roberts and Debbie MacComber have several hundred books between them? Not me. But I keep a close eye on my numbers. I try to make myself accountable for a certain word count. If not, I wouldn't get anything done. My housework would interfere. The weeds in the garden. My grandkids--three at last count. Doctor and hair appointments, and everything else that rob us of our time. Sam, I happen to be one of those blessed few who does not work outside the home. My husband works third shift at a printing factory to keep me in the lap of luxury. I don't have kids at home any longer so my days are basically mine to do with what I choose. So why don't I have more 25,000 word weeks? Discipline, that's why--or should I say, the lack thereof. I allow the distractions of life to keep me from sitting at my computer and staying there until I reach my word count goal. I think it's precisely because I have so much time that I think, "I'll get to it later." or "I didn't have a good day today, so I'll make up for it tomorrow." Alas, you can't make up for lost time. Didn't our parents tell us that a thousand times? Don't write to me and tell me I need to manage my time better. I know that. I know I need to get control of life's distractions instead of letting them control me. It's like losing weight. We all know the dynamics. Expend more calories than you take in. Simple, huh? So why is the world paying billions of dollars for books and diet aids and surgeries if all it takes is putting in less than you take out? I'm obviously not the only one who doesn't do what she knows to do. "Oh, wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" the apostle Paul, Romans 7:24 A good writing week last week has made me determined to repeat it this week. I love watching those numbers go up and the feeling that I have accomplished something of great worth. More than an impressive word count, more than discipline, more than financial gain or personal gratification, I want my writing to mean something. After reading one of my books, I want the reader to feel that he/she has grown by spending three days inside the world my book created. During my devotional time last week, I came across something that reminded me of that point. Whether writers or educators or parents or insurance salesmen, we will have an impact on others, even if it is only indirectly. How will the words out of our mouths or those we write touch the person who hears/reads them? Do we uplift or tear down? Do our words make whole or sew doubt? Are my words, words of blessing or words of cursing? While determined to write another 25K words this week, more importantly, I want those 25K to edify and inspire. Be blessed and have a great week. Teresa

Paying Bills and Writing Thrills

2006-09-25T00:04:00.000-07:00

by Samuel J Alibrando

Hey Molly, your name will be easy for me. As the eldest grandchild my grandmother felt she was too young to be called grandma so her first 4 or 5 grandkids called her “Molly”. “Molly” is special to me.

I am late on this blog. I was in Chicago on insurance business [my day job] since Wednesday and this is a nice segue into talking about the artist and the provider.

I suppose if one is a wife of a man who is amply providing money for bills and expenses, she can write and market, etc.full time. However, for the majority of writers out there, you may be a single woman, a single mom, a bachelor, a husband, a father or even a spouse who needs to contribute to the family income, this is about that balance.

Remember, I too am a student in life and this new thing called “published author”. I honestly believed my first book "Nature Never Stops Talking-The Wonderful Ingenuity of Nature" was not only good enough, but that the timing was God-given and in a matter of 18 months combined with my whole-hearted and savvy contributions to marketing, I would earn more than ever before in my life. I genuinely believed that. I almost sold my insurance business but couldn’t get the terms I wanted. Instead, I drew from a credit line when I was short since I literally went full time into the book work and marketing temporarily.

By the ninth month I realized the big numbers were not materializing. I was told there were 30,000 new book titles released monthly. Frankly, I do not know many book authors in person before becoming an author. I also received the flattering responses from strangers learning I was being published. But when I walk into a big bookstore it seems like everyone is writing books. One of the partners in a firm interested in buying my insurance business approached me with a smiling glazed look saying “I never met an author before” and shook my hand. He had to be in his 60’s. Flattery is one thing. Realizing my carefully considered financial plan was based on inexperience and spreadsheet hypotheticals, I turned more energy toward my insurance business once more. Personally, I have never been able to bring myself to announce to my dependents “I am a great artist and so we shall live in the car and you must become serious dumpster divers. Don’t worry though, in 3, 5, 10 or 20 years I believe my hard work and talent will be discovered in a big way.” So it’s off to work I go.

I do have the privilege of residual income in my business so if I miss a month of work, I still have money coming in but it isn’t quite enough. And now I owe more than last year. Without getting into politics I will state only the obvious that when I do make more money I owe more taxes which means I have to earn more than I need in order to net the amount that I need. OK, isn’t everyone trying to make more money? Whenever someone wants to change the status quo, there is a learning curve which means more time to make observations, corrections and experimentation. Mentally and hourly, this is much more consuming than the regular work routine. The apostle Paul was kind of a part time apostle. He made tents for income and kind of bragged about it saying he was entitled to contributions but chose not to go that route. We must ALWAYS do the right thing. As Christians the WRITE thing doesn’t override the RIGHT thing.

Truthfully, I do not feel shortchanged but honored to be published and still writing. I am doubly blessed to have a 2nd book out. I am grateful to have work for income too. I am grateful to be American. Let’s admit it, none of us selected what family or nation to be born into, we just found ourselves born into our time and situation. To provide for my family and now, just my wife and myself, is a terrific honor also. We are safe in our home. We eat well and have most of the comforts Americans enjoy. My burden is the shortness of the day and my limited energy. I still write.

I have never been disciplined but have accomplished most of what I do from great zeal. I compose and play music. I journal and write and keep a log of ideas and new quotes. My writing is something of a reaction to my life and the world I live in. Writing is expression for me; an outlet.

If you pray to God to be a writer you must show Him the sincerity of that prayer with your actions. My conduct is also a prayer in every way. My behavior reveals what I really want –

So my challenge is this: Your life and choices reap a destiny. Is your life headed the direction you want? Is your daily behavior showing God the power of a quest He can bless?

Test question: Is your life filled with integrity and only lacking fulfillment due to circumstances; OR is your life lacking integrity and fulfillment due to your choices? God can change circumstances, but it is we who must change our character through choices trusting His help.

This is what I must examine often in my own life and as Psalm 90 [the only Psalm I know of by Moses] pleads “Teach us to number our days so we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Thought for Today

2006-09-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone, The weatherman says we should expect a clear sky today and a lot of wind. I am looking out my window in front of my computer, and the leaves on the tree outside are barely moving. A week ago clear skys were also predicted. It rained and rained. Predictions can be wrong. So can the weatherman. But God's Word is always true. May your days be filled with showers of blessings--whether it is raining or the sky is clear. Molly Noble Bull

Shameless Self Promotion

2006-09-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm going to take this opportunity to formally announce the release of my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. This is my first romance, and I am truly excited about it. The book is already receiving favorable reviews and positive feedback from readers. Midwest Book Review said, "Very highly recommended, entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking reading..." For the complete review, click here. The past two weeks have been filled with promo and marketing, and I haven't gotten much done with the rest of my writing. Hopefully now that the book is out, I can get back in front of the computer where I belong and do some more creating. I look forward to hearing what your projects are this week. Happy Monday to all. Here's to a productive week. Teresa

American Christian Fiction Writers

2006-09-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hi, Thanks for making me feel so welcome. But my name is Molly, not Mary. Molly Noble Bull. I am a member of a wonderful organization of about 9,000 members called American Christian Fiction Writers, and we meet at a national conference every September. I won't be able to attend the one this year, but God willing, I will attend in September 2007 in Dallas. However, for those interested, it might not be too late to attend this year's conference in Dallas. Here is the address. www.acfw.com Even if you don't write fiction, you will gain a lot just being at the conference because agents, editors and book publishers are everywhere -- as well as writers -- published and unpublished. Since Sam met me at a book signing in Denver, he must have attended the ACFW conference held in Denver a few years back. Hello, again. It only costs about $40.00 a year to join ACFW, and for your money, you are allowed to become a member of their e-mail web loop where you will hear from famous Christian authors and writing experts every single day. Since there are so many writers on the loop, I would suggest that you ask to be put on Digest. That way, will receive 25 message at a time instead of 25 to 50 private e-mails -- one message at a time. If you visit the ACFW website, let me know. I would like to know what you think. Blessings, Molly www.mollynoble.bull.com

Writing Endorphins

2006-09-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

by Samuel J Alibrando

First, I wish to publicly welcome Mary Noble Bull to our ranks and look forward to getting to know you better Mary. I only briefly met Mary in Denver at a book signing.

Also, thanks Christopher for tips on posting our photos [Chris helps alot in this type of area and he is new to Tsaba House as well].

Writing has been such an organized way for me to consciously view realities versus the things in my head. So many times what I thought was overwhelming turned out to be just a few things. In my head it was an infinite, relentless loop but once captured on paper it became obvious that it was limited problems that could be solved. I once considered doing seminars on writing for self therapy to help others maybe calling it "Build Your Life with Writing". I don't think my wife will ever truly understand all the many different things I accomplish with writing. Journaling is emotional release but lets pressure off from my head to paper [or a word processor]. I practice both thinking and groping for words. In working with seniors on their Medical insurance and drug plans, I have compiled more than one piece to hand out to simplify what is often considered complicated to them. Whatever I write helps clarify how I think about things too. The net result of clearer thinking is more solutions and the ability to tackle bigger questions that would never have appeared in the fog of confusion. Thoughtful, conscious living is great practice for any writer. Granted, I don't know how I would manage without a dictionary or Thesaurus but once a person begins channeling their experiences into something meaningful energy abounds and once useless suffering suddenly can become a source of inspiration. Certainly I have lived vicariously through characters in movies and rated any movie high if I was tense with confrontations on the screen. I "lived more" because of the story. I deeply desire to find that ability through my own writing. My craving far exceeds my craft but if I begin focusing more of my daily need to think and communicate into creating fiction ... I am hoping for results. Maybe we authors at Tsaba House could start praying for one another and our work. I'll try some of that tonight. SJA

A New Tsaba House Author

2006-09-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Hi, My name is Molly Noble Bull. I am a native Texan, a wife and mother of three grown sons and a published author, and I will soon be a Tsaba House author as well. Sanctuary, my upcoming novel, is about the Huguenots and will be published by Tsaba House in September 2007. To learn more about me and my writing, please visit my website. www.mollynoblebull.com Blessings, Molly

The Power of Stories

2006-09-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sat down with two men at a breakfast appointment. Among other things, one of the questions they asked me was, "Why did you write Rise of The Dibor?" I talked about the jounrey of writing the book, both as something the Lord put on my heart to do, as well as fulfilling one of the innate qualities the Lord put in me: being a producer. But when people really press me, I usually end up talking about one of the most personal experiences I had in writing the book... ...the day I almost hit the "delete" key. Tsaba House had actually called me and offered me a contract over the phone. I prayed about it and then said yes. They said it would be in the mail shortly. Little did I know they were finishing four books and the mailing of my contract got sidelined. For them, they were swamped. For me, I thought I was forgotten. And in that moment the enemy began whispering to me. "You're not really supposed to write fiction." "You should really be writing some deep theological works." "You are wasting your time." Those lies were small at first. Bust as time went on and I didn't hear back from the publisher, I began to make the worst assumption possible: the voice was the Lord's. I kept everything to myself and became so disheartened about my work that one day I opened up the file and my finger hovered over the "delete" key. It was then I heard the Lord...the real Voice... "Christopher, I love fiction...I used it all the time." Truth be told, I broke down, and I didn't delete the book that day. In that moment I realized that every parable Jesus ever told was fiction. And then it dawned on me how powerful His parables were; they were a highlight of His ministry on earth. Of course it was the very next day that the CEO of Tsaba House called me personally and apologized for not sending the contract sooner. But honestly, it was all timed by the Lord. The contract arrived by FedEx two days later and I was signed. But I was signed now knowing that it was OK with the Lord that I write fiction. Now, fast forward to three days ago. Sunday afternoon, right after church, Jennifer and I stopped in to our favorite coffee shop here in town. Standing right in line ahead of us was a very famous movie actor who I have been specifically praying for to meet Jesus, for nearly two years now. After striking up a casual conversation I went out to my truck and brought in a book and some of our CDs. I gave them to him as a "thank you" for the investment of his own art. We talked some more, ministered to him a little, and then said goodbye. I left the place pretty stoked and grateful to the Lord. It wasn't until later that night that the Lord spoke to me in the shower (always in the shower)... "Christopher, he wouldn't have taken a theological book from you. But he took a story." As always, I was in awe. "Wow," I said to myself, "God, you're right!" And all at once I was so grateful for that day Jesus told me fiction was OK to write. My prayer is that my little parable about Jesus will touch that actor's heart and bring him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, sometimes as only stories can. My hope is that this little story would help someone reading who may be struggling with the same thing I was. So I say to you... Jesus really likes fiction. Thanks for reading, CH

Remembering America's Heroes

2006-09-11T04:56:00.000-07:00

I was going to use this week's post to announce the official release of my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter, on Friday, Sept. 15th. Then I realized the significance of today's date, and the release of a book no longer seemed important. Five years ago today Americans came together in a way the world never saw coming. It amazes me that five years have gone by already. Every moment of that day is etched in my mind as if it happened yesterday. I was driving to the post office when I recognized the President's voice on the radio. When he mentioned the World Trade Center, I thought it must be the anniversary of the 1993 bombing or something. I even thought it might be the first Presdent Bush's voice that I was hearing. But when I arrived at the post office, the post mistress had a television set up behind the window and an airplane was flying into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. She asked me if I knew what was going on. I did what I had to do as quickly as possible and hurried home to watch the coverage. It was the first time I ever heard the name Osama Bin Laden. My sister called and told me she loved me. My other sister called the school our sons attented and told them to send her son home. I let my son stay at school. I didn't think anything would be gained by letting him watch his mother cry all day in front of the television. He saw enough of that over the next few days. Next week I'll get back onto a writing topic, most likely a shameless plug for my new book, but for now I want to remember the heroes and ordinary men and women who woke up Tuesday morning, September 11th, 2001 and went to work, never expecting that would be the day they met their Creator in glory. It could have been any one of us. It could have been our neighbors. Our friends. Our brother or sisters. Maybe for someone reading this blog, it was. If today was your last day on earth, would you be ready to meet the Lord? Do you have unresolved conflicts with anyone? Is there someone who needs to hear from you today? Don't put it off. None of us are promised a tomorrow.

The Reality of Stories

2006-09-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

by Samuel J Alibrando Just the other day I was talking to someone discussing how almost everyone has a lonely sense of being the only one who doesn’t get it somehow. Maybe this is why we love titles like “The Secret to Success” or “Ten Great Leaders Reveal Their Secrets” or “How to Succeed in ______”. Most of us feel like we are on the outside looking in but acting like we are already “in”.

For many of us, young years were spent on self indulgence of some kind. Or we may have spent enormous amounts of time on being accepted or whole-heartedly pursued some false assumption about happiness. By the time we decided we didn’t care what anyone else thought and were willing to abandon our self indulgences, we were shocked to discover “success” was still elusive.

I have heard the phrase “quiet desperation” a number of times and I think it applies. Because of the universality of this deep seated feeling of quiet desperation; overcoming an enemy – seen or unseen, is grasped with vigor by most people.

Even if I personally never “win” to my satisfaction, I take great pleasure in any character that I identify with - fictional or real, overcoming his or her enemy. It may be a victory for honesty, for love, for kindness, for Jesus, for truth, for the underdog, the classic good vs. evil or just my team.

Did you notice I relate to good, the underdog, the truth, Jesus, kindness, love and honesty? In the past decade I have seen so many movies where getting the money is “winning” and the audience loves it. Thieves and liars have been the good guys in many, many movies and stories. They just have to defeat less likeable and worse thieves and liars. This is a sad commentary on our times. We are a fickle people because if I see 2 or 3 movies where the hero is less than moral in the biblical sense. I will see another movie where the crowd cheers for someone who IS biblically moral, even though not necessarily religious. It occurs to me how incredibly naïve the population is about the inconsistency of their values. Even if I comment to my wife she may interrupt me and say “I don’t care what you say, it was a good movie”, and I agree.

OK, so we are all mostly living quietyly desperate lives. Fiction creates characters who consciously or unconsciously become models for us. Fiction has the power of something I have for years called “Synthetic Reality”. In Synthetic Reality we can make bad guys heroes and every woman dislike any man with faith in Jesus. We can make immorality pleasant and morality just for hypocrites. It’s scary how fiction can literally change a person’s perception and in life, perception is almost everything. The Bible will affect your perception too. Experiences change your perception. Your friends’ opinions about what is important can change your perception. Without anything really changing you can go from a happy to a sad person because you lack what you now perceive you need. Advertising creates “needs” and you really need to have this thing.

Let me now tie these ideas together.

No matter what you write, I am certain that the desperate human condition reflected through genuine and memorable characters will win readers far more than a plot lacking great characters. Your characters must make choices and reap consequences in the universe [synthetic reality] you create. Ideally, great characters and a great plot/story is what all fiction authors strive to achieve. Authors, you can also change the perception of reality for your readers, which if you ponder this, is an awesome fact. It is also ironic how we can literally change the perception of truth for readers … with fiction.

Truthfully for fiction that exposes the fictions in life,

Sam

PS. Hey Aaron, I DID buy that book from Half.com and it looks new "How to Grow a Novel" and look forward to reading it and marking it up.

Appeal to Basic Human Qualities

2006-09-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Teresa asks: So how can we write the stories on our hearts while appealing to a big enough audience that our publishers at Tsaba House continue to put money behind our projects? I would suggest that the answer lies in basic human qualities. They never change. They’re timeless. And they connect to a big enough audience. For example, underneath the violence and riod-raging performances in Monday Night Raw, you have classic stories of David versus Goliath/good versus evil where basic human qualities of determination, resilience, and courage reign. Unfortunately there are far more pathetic qualities which ultimately ruin the performance, but you get the idea. Any boxing fans out there? I don’t even like boxing but when I watched the movie, Million Dollar Baby, I was incredibly moved. Someone could also say the same about baseball and the movie Field of Dreams. I think (perhaps naively) the more we focus on building tension/conflict using basic human qualities, the better chance we have in attracting a wider audience no matter the setting we choose. To digress, Sam mentioned the famous rule of, “Show, don’t tell.” I did a quick search on the internet for some examples. Here's one that I found at another publisher’s website that clearly illustrated the difference. “Here's an example of 'telling' taken from an actual submission: Young and physically strong, Izzy had been singled out as a good worker from the very inception of the ghetto. He had worked in several brigades, but his favorite assignment, of course, was the one where he could make a peckel, "make a package," to smuggle food back inside the ghetto to share with us. While we knew of the imminent danger, we also learned which guards could be bribed. Here's how one of our editors has rewritten this passage to demonstrate 'showing': Izzy slipped inside the pantry of the barracks kitchen, holding the knob and turning it as he pulled the door shut. Good. No one had seen him, and he hadn't made a sound. He'd be summarily shot if he were caught in here. Only a small amount of light filtered in through the transom. He closed his eyes and waited for them to adjust. Then he opened them and saw his hands red, wrinkled, and chapped from a long day spent scrubbing the latrine. No matter. He turned his attention to the canned goods on the shelves, smiling as he quickly stuffed tuna, kippered herring, and a jar of pickles into his knapsack. Food! The work today hadn't been easy, but his was one detail he'd welcome any time. This was all he dared take, today. Unless had he missed anything small that could be of use? He opened the cabinets one after the other. Ah, what was this? He reached in and took out a pack of Gitan. He slipped it beneath his shirt, next to his skin. Gitan! The brand the sentry at the Hapsburgh gate to the ghetto smoked. It would make the perfect trade for letting him bring this peckel to his family.” One page at a time, Aaron

Learning from the masters

2006-09-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to post today because it's Labor Day and my husband goes back to work tonight after a long weekend and I was enjoying vegging in front of the TV eating chili and not doing much of anything. Then my sister called with some writing questions. She has recently become disabled and been forced out of the working world. She has always had a gift to write, but no time in which to do it. Her newfound schedule has re-awakened that interest inside her. Talking to her; encouraging and answering the questions I could based on my own limited understanding got my creative juices flowing. After reading the other Tsaba House authors' posts from last week convinced me to blog on my usual Monday. I believe any author who wants to keep growing and gettting better--and like Sam asked, who among us doesn't?--can learn things about our profession everywhere we look. I even view commercials now from a critic's point of view. The most obvious place to look is in the books we are reading. Where did Author X get the idea for that book? How does Author Y consistently reach Number 1 on all the bestseller lists with every book she writes? Is it a fluke? Talent? A grand marketing campaign? Or a little of each? What can I do to mimic his/her success? It all begins with quality writing. Whether fiction or non, we must strive for perfection as we know it. I realize there's no accounting for taste. I consider myself an imaginative person, but I never would have suspected the popularity of TV's South Park or Monday Night RAW among countless others. But these shows appeal to a certain demographic and have made tons of money for somebody more discerning than yours truly. What I see as quality may be nothing more than drivel to you. No matter how gifted or prolific we are, our writing won't appeal to everyone. So how can we write the stories on our hearts while appealing to a big enough audience that our publishers at Tsaba House continue to put money behind our projects? I read a book recently about a woman who was the victim of a crime. Her reaction to the situation was ridiculous. No person on the planet, especially a woman in a remote area with no means of protecting herself, would have done what this character did. And her reason for behaving the way she did was even weaker. I skimmed through the book, determined to find out what this well-known CBA suspense writer is doing to sell so many books since I hope to write more suspense novels. Undoubtably this book will make some bestseller lists, regardless of what I think. I agree with Aaron that we can learn from everything we read, even genres outside our normal comfort zone. I prefer character-driven books. But the character must behave rationally, even if that rationale is tainted by circumstances that happened long before the book began. Have a great week. Teresa

Good and Bad Fiction is Noticeable

2006-09-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

from Samuel J Alibrando The older I get, the shorter weeks get. How'd it get to be Friday so fast? With the long weekend, next Friday will get here even quicker. Like Aaron, I am reading fiction with a learning posture more than just pleasure. I am paying particular attention to what gives me pleasure. As a matter of fact, I am paying closer attention to movies in the same way. As a non-fiction writer, I could go on about why I like non-fiction. However, my eye is on fiction and for me it feels uphill. For any who may view this blog I am certainly more like you than my fellow authors in that I am viewing fiction as a student. Frankly, I believe all four of us authors on this blog feel like students. Any person in any field is in some kind of trouble when they decide it is time to stop learning. I feel myself leaning toward a form of writing similar to science fiction. I am seeing more risks in that realm of writing. Today I watched a science fiction DVD and I observed a flaw in me through this movie. Since I have so many ideas and a message, the characters tend to be mere obstacles for me to "overcome" to tell my story. I noticed in the movie so many interesting statements and ideas; Gadgets, futuristic changes in society, advanced methods of cosmetics and dozens of things that were interesting but had nothing to do with the story line. It is NOT more entertaining to cram more and more interesting stuff into a story unless it adds to that story line. It must enhance a mood or a relationship or emotions. It cannot just independently be "interesting". Science fiction has kind of given itself license to flaunt ideas and inventions. Although these things intrigue me and science fiction sort of embraces that, there is good and bad science fiction. At the end of the movie, the main character made some comments that suddenly made me aware the writer wanted to relay a message to humanity. It was corny because it was too obvious. It was also lousy [in my humble opinion] because the story itself did NOT convey the message. Since the story failed to deliver the message, the writer had to have a character verbally tell the message. In fiction, the famous "Show, don't tell" is good advice and any speech necessary to compensate for important missing parts is practically an admission of failure for a fiction writer. I will admit, if any book of mine was made into a movie I would be proud but here was this movie showing me so many risks in fiction writing to avoid. Still, I feel like someone in the peanut gallery with all my observations, cheering and booing. I must tell you though, I feel good about noticing these things. I feel instructed. I truly believe a person with a strong desire to do anything becomes a student of the craft through whatever can instruct him. Simply because I have this new mindset of wanting to write good fiction, everything around me is stepping up to give me tips. Relationships I see. Things that are funny. Things that are rewarding to me personally. Things that connect. It is a little exciting for me to feel my brain working in this new area in an unfamiliar way. Well, everyone, have a great holiday weekend. Sam

Cracking the Glacier

2006-08-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

My number one question to break the ice during a book signing is, "So do you read much fiction?" But I don't ask this to everyone I see. No, I'm looking for a particular person to ask. You know the person. He/she is standing within earshot but far enough away to barely read your title. They really want to ask you what your book is about but for some reason they're reluctant to ask. The question is non-threatening and allows me to follow-up with a more focused question like, "Who do you read?" Be prepared for anything. Especially a follow-up question from them asking who you like to read. That's why it's so important to know what you like to read as a writer. Teresa is right on. This will enable you to relate to the reader. It brings you into a simple conversation among friends. They see that you're human. More importantly it gives you the opportunity to relate your work to other authors' works. If you read Clive Cussler, you'll know that he puts himself somewhere deep in his novels. He might be a drifter passing by the main character or a guy seated at the bar with a one-liner, but it's a unique writing quality. He also likes to write about naval history and submariner adventure. It leads perfectly into a discussion about THE FOREIGNER and the beginning chapters which take place on a Naval Base in Rota, Spain. The more you know about the popular and not-so-popular authors who write anything close to your genre, the better off you are. I like to ask people whether they like John Grisham or legal thrillers. Then I like to ask whether they like Tom Clancy or military intrigue novels. If I get a positive on both, then I let them know that THE FOREIGNER is a merger of the two styles into a single novel. Boom . . . people can relate. Unfortunately, I no longer read fiction to simply read. It's mostly with a purpose to see how other authors in my genre are crafting their works. I simply break down their plot and characters to see how they all fit. But lately, I will admit that I've been looking at more character-based romance novels to develop more of an appreciation for character-driven novels as opposed to plot-driven thrillers. This little shift in my reading (not easy for guys) has helped my writing and should provide some lasting dividends in the long run. One page at a time, Aaron ps: any other ice breakers you folks like to use at book signings?

Is anybody doing it right?

2006-08-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Almost every time I go somewhere to speak about writing for publication, someone in the crowd asks me what authors I like to read and who has influenced me. And nearly every time I draw a complete blank. I mumble a couple of names of popular writers who I like well enough, but I can never think of a good examples. I know, I know, we writers are supposed to be quick on our feet. Not true. We just make ourselves look that way in print. Sam's non-exhaustive list of the signs of fiction done right made me think of a few authors that I really do enjoy reading, and more importantly, why. I'll begin my list for no particular reason with Daphne duMaurier, author of Rebecca and Frenchman's Creek among others. Not only did her genre and the period and region of which she wrote appeal to me, I love her style. She always stands out in my mind as someone who did it right. Jane Austen and Fannie Flagg are two more women writers I adore. Unfortunately I'm not smart enough to read much of Ms. Austen's work. The language differences, coupled with her pacing and style of writing, leave my tiny little Midwestern brain spinning on its top. But I love the stories, her sense of humor, and her insistence that women had something to say at a time when no one else was listening. I can't say enough about Fannie Flagg. Her books are so funny and subtle and strike me where I live. Ms. Flagg's characters ring true with people I once knew and take me back to a time before my experiences but where I can picture myself. She can take a story about dropping a mason jar on the floor and make it so real, you sweep your kitchen floor to make sure you got all the shards. I also love reading Ken Follett and Robert B. Parker. Unfortunately because of the content and language of some of these books, I have to close them and put them aside. The last Ken Follett book I read was Whiteout, and I made it all the way to the end. A wonderful book. Again pacing and style are why I love his books. My sophomore high school English teacher handed me The Eye of the Needle by Mr. Follett and told me I'd love it. I handed it right back and said, "I don't like spy stories." She insisted I take it. Since I trusted that she knew me well enough to know my reading tastes. I read the book. I've never seen the movie, starring Donald Sutherland, but I've read the book several times and love it every time. It's one of the few fiction books in the world I've read more than once. My sister has become disabled from work so is toying with beginning her writing career. She told me the other day that her problem is filling in all the gaps between scenes. You know, Heroine goes to the market. Hero drops his kid off at soccer practice before discovering dead body in marshland. Heroine bakes cookies while pondering better place to hide dead body. I assured my sister not to worry about the gaps and read her a page of a Robert B. Parker book I had on loan from the library. Sidenote: I couldn't finish the book because of an annoying curse word that appeared too many times for my comfort level. Open any of Mr. Parker's books at nearly any point and you will see mostly dialog. At the beginning of each chapter, he has a paragraph or two setting up the scene and then he hits the ground running. There is very little inner monolog that appeals to female readers, but with him behind the wheel you won't even miss it. Everything is quick, quick, quick, ohmygosh, I never saw that coming. This was definitely not an exhaustive list, but now I'll have a few writers in mind the next time a reader at a book signing asks who I like to read. Teresa

You Know You Are Reading Good Fiction When …

2006-08-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Chris, nice picture. You crack me up.

You guys are putting out some great stuff on fiction. I don't know who else reads this blog but I am really taking some of this advice seriously. Keep up the quality.

I was hoping and planning on reporting my great strides on my own fiction writing but … not today. The problem has been my shortage of time. A topic for another week. Instead I will share some of the things I wrote down this week about what I enjoy in fiction when I read. I aspire to understand some of these well enough to duplicate with my own writing. We have some listing formats appearing in this blog and since I also like lists I will tell you SIX things [far from exhaustive] I personally jotted down for future reference for my own fiction writing. See if you agree.

Anything that gets a reader's head nodding is good writing.

You know when the book talks about a certain kind of person and you just start nodding your head in agreement because you know someone or several people just like that. I think this pulls the reader into a sense of reality that he identifies with.

Forcing readers to go back to try and figure out who is who - is bad writing.

I have had to do this with a couple books. I wasn’t looking for clues in a fun way, but frustrated that I didn’t have a photographic memory and it seemed like the author expected to tie in something that I couldn’t remember. I don’t like it when I am forced to work when I’m trying to enjoy a good read.

Fast reading is good writing.

Kind of the opposite of going back to put things together is when certain parts of the book flow so easily and the conversations are so natural to follow you zip through the pages. You aren’t reading, you are following the events and situations and the conversations. It doesn’t even feel like reading. I love that. In slower parts of the book you know you are reading and find yourself tempted to start scanning the pages to hurry up and get to a better part. It feels like listening to a boring high school teacher. You just don’t really want to be there. Still you read because you are afraid you might miss something you need to know about later.

Anything that makes a reader respond out loud is excellent writing ... as long as it is not an open criticism of the writing.

“No way!” You are so surprised that someone did something or happened to them that suddenly you unconsciously blurt out. If you did it in a movie theater you would cover your mouth surprised it slipped out. If you have your readers making exclamations out loud, you are really doing a wonderful job at writing.

When readers worry about characters more than their real life family and friends, you know you are making real characters.

Have you ever read a book and almost everything else in your life felt a little bit like an interruption? The fictional characters in the book you are reading become so important to you that the real people in your life are becoming 2-dimensional by contrast. Imagine the power of such character development and story line. Sometimes a character can become so important to you, you read to spend time with that person; to be with them, to watch them, to enjoy them. This is star writing for sure.

Americans and plenty of others, like to see the unrepentant bad guy get what's coming to him. We seem to have an appetite for it. Don't disappoint your readers too much but letting him off.

At first I thought about not putting this in on this blog because it is for Christians and I thought “Am I feeding the wrong appetites?” But I overcame my concerns with thoughts of Bible stories [true accounts] published for our observation to know with certainty that injustice may have a life, but it will end. This is an important conviction from God to all of us.

I certainly want to see the bad guy get something that satisfies my craving for wrongs made right. It delights me when it is done in a way that is unexpected and creative. I can’t think of a more classic example of a story that could actually be entitled “Poetic Justice” rather than “The Book of Ruth”. If you don’t know the story, read it this weekend.

The master writer is a master for a reason. Just like we can all talk about why we all love certain songs; turning around a writing a song to evoke the same response is extremely rare and reserved for either a master or someone very inspired. Still the artist must pursue perfection.

What I Find Fault With...

2006-08-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

...in myself? Where to begin... O, wait; this is only regarding writing? Phew! You were about to read a pretty sorry session of verbal throwing up! 1.) Spelling. I think I'm a night-mare made manifest for my senior editor. She humors me, truly. But I wish I was a better speller. I have greatly improved and now make more "common" errors, though I still hate them. "Loose," and "lose." "Manner," and "manor." "There," "their," and "they're." I also struggle with simple things like conjunctions and possession. Anyone who owns the first edition of my first book knows what I'm talking about. And just think, for the editor to miss the things that slipped by means she was REALLY distracted by all the other junk! 2.) Letting the reader assume the emotion of a scene. Meaning: if I have to explain the emotion that should be felt to the reader, then my writing is faulty and ineffective. 3.) Thought flow. Sometimes I can really make things confusing for the reader...you know, like not knowing who's talking (especially when there are a lot of characters in a scene). This makes them stop reading and try to figure out who is saying what. Anything that makes the reader stop is bad (unless of course it's emotional or thought provoking). They should never get "hung-up" because of the writing style. The converse is true, too. Sometimes I can be too emphatic about what's going on and then it becomes tedious and overly critical. Again, the flow of reading is hindered. 4.) Mixing up people, places, and items. For this reason I usually write with three Word documents open at any one time. With a Mac (and using Expose) this is incredibly easy to have multiple windows at my fingertips. I keep detailed records of everything from plot to quotes to items to locations of special events. But even still my wife will say, "Huh? I thought [so and so] was back in Adriel still?" O yeah--he is. There's more, but that's enough blood-letting for now. Thanks for reading! CH

Flaws and Traps

2006-08-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

Beside my grammatical challenges (this is where I would just list them but my list looked too similar to the table of contents to the Chicago Manual of Style!), I have a tendency to repeat the following flaws and traps: 1. Over use of narration to set the scenes. I need to focus more on letting the characters themselves set the scene through their own dialogue and action. 2. I don't turn on the "engine" quick enough in the story. The "engine" is the point of the story where the reader can't stop reading. I have to keep in mind that the reader is looking for an experience. I need to use more unexpected obstacles to build surprise and thus suspense. 3. Beginning too many ( three or more) consecutive sentences with "He . . . " or "I . . ." I need to rework the sentence structure to communicate the points differently. 4. The speech patterns of different characters are not distinct enough. This is just practice but a very easy trap for me to fall into when I'm on a roll. 5. I forget to ask myself what the reader would feel after each scene or chapter. After all, I need to keep the reader emotionally involved. They need to be continually experiencing what I want them to experience. If my scene or chapter doesn't move the ball in that direction, perhaps I need to eliminate it. I have more but these are what came to mind. One page at a time, Aaron

2006-08-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late start. I had a doctor's appt this morning that threw off my whole routine. Truth be told, I forgot it's Monday. But here I am so let's get started. First off, a big apology to Sam. Non-fiction writers are just as important to this blog and I'm sure they have the same questions and starting dilemmas as fiction writers. Regardless of what genre or type of writing you do, I hope you can find answers and encouragement within this group. Personally I'm having a great time and can't wait to learn more from each other. Last week, Christopher mentioned reading his first draft through fresh eyes--as if he'd never seen it before. That is definitely hard to do. Mine is riddled with mistakes even after the third or fourth read-thru. This week, let's show the aspiring writers out there how human and fallible we are by revealing our biggest challenges when it comes to producing a publishable manuscript. Be it fiction or nonfiction, song or screenplay, what mistakes do you find yourself making again and again? How do you identify these challenges? And are you any closer at defeating them for good? This is a hard area to pin down because my challenges are many. I am blessed that I do not work outside my home. Besides taking care of an over-worked, ever-patient husband and two rescue dogs, my day is basically mine to do with what I want. By all accounts I should be producing much more than I am. I am a big time waster. Bad. Bad. Bad. (I am currently smacking the back of my hand with a pencil.) But I consider laziness a personality flaw, not a challenge, so I'll talk about the mistakes I keep making in every first draft I've ever done. (I hope my editor isn't reading this, because she can surely identify at least 20 or 30 more challenges that drive her up the wall.) Besides my shameless mutilation of the English language and simple rules of grammar, one of the first things I notice while re-reading a draft is how badly I repeat myself. I repeat myself. I repeat... You get the picture. Like I said last week, the most important thing is to get the story down on paper. So I try (emphasis on try) to get the book down as quickly as possible. I shut off my inner critic and go to town. In other words, I dash thru it. That is if you consider a leisurely stroll a dash compared to some unnamed writers who spit out 4 or 5 books a year. In my hurry to get the story down, I become redundant. Example: A little boy falls off a bridge into a rushing river. He manages to stay afloat until he is able to reach the safety of the shore a mile downstream. I will write the scene thru the little boy's eyes. Thirty pages later I forget I've already covered everything that needs to be covered so I retell the same story, giving the same information thru the little boy's mother's eyes. Then his father will tell the same story, once again giving the same rehashed information. By the end of the book, the same episode has been relived by everyone in the book, from the passerby on the bridge to the trout the little boy landed on. During my read-thrus I do tons of slicing and dicing because I have gone over the same information for no reason other than I wasn't paying attention as I was writing. Believe me, there are plenty more flaws and shortcomings I could elaborate on, but that's the one that drives me crazy while editing. I catch most of those faux pas before I send in the finished work, but many have made it to my editor's desk. Like the character who had two different eye colors. Or the woman who had 3 different last names, simply because I kept forgetting what it was and was too lazy to stop writing and look it up. I believe there's a special blessing waiting in Heaven for editors. They deserve it.

What We Know Converted to Writing

2006-08-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, since I am NOT an experienced fiction writer I do not feel I really have any advice to offer on fiction. I look forward to additional comments since I am learning and want to learn much more. Hey, Aaron, I think I’ll check out that book you mentioned for myself.

It wouldn’t be sportsman like of me to simply duck out and I have no problem jabbering anyway, so I will contribute something here. First of all DITTO on what has been said but I will add some stuff from my perspective since I have the mic.

The “craft” of writing comes AFTER the ideas, not first. Aaron mentioned a synopsis which would quickly reveal if there is something there to start with. I have written a couple hundred songs in my life and it wasn’t because I wanted to write songs, it was because I was about to burst with emotion of some kind and I needed an outlet. Certain kinds of music suited the emotion I wanted to let out and other kinds of music didn’t work for that emotion. It was raw but still tangible to me. “I like that. I don’t like that. Yeah, more like that.” Etc.

I play something new for my wife and usually can’t hold her attention for more than 45 seconds. A year goes by and I have chipped away at the rough edges, made the rhythn better, changed words, minimized the lousy stuff and changed to the key to fit my range better and maybe added some catchy things as well. That is the “craft”. That comes AFTER. I play the song for my wife and she says “I like that song” and I tell her that I played it for her a year ago. She argues that she never heard it and I understand. From the inside of me it is the same song. It has always been about expressing the same emotion as a year earlier but by the time it is “done” other people can finally HEAR WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY. Of course, this is a success story. Some songs never quite get there and I’m sure it can be true for books as well.

I love what Teresa said about “the book takes over” and how the writer is not really in control. Since practically everyone close to me wants me to start writing fiction [I have started, but struggling] I realize that my immobility is because I am not taking everyone’s advice here. I keep worrying that there are still too many unanswered questions and I have literally written down many, many questions about the characters and the plot twists and certain resolutions because I am assuming I need to know everything before I can write the whole story. Teresa’s advice is liberating because it says the book will take me where I need to go. It makes me feel less alone; as though the book and I will collaborate and write it together. I am freed from being omniscient [knowing everything] about every detail. It is worse than editing while I write, it is editing BEFORE I write. How nuts is that? [Oh by the way, it helps to be a little nuts to be creative so that’s the good news for me].

I have known these things in music because since I was a teenager and had a band waaaayyy back then, I would tell the members to put our egos aside and let the song be its very best. We were there to serve the song and let it manifest itself. The more we let it, the better it could be.

Translating all this to writing is identical and now easy for me to see but my point is that you still have to have something to say FIRST. What a bondage it would be if I really, really wanted to be a writer but had absolutely nothing I particularly wanted to say. Naturally, no book can work with a mental mute.

Thanks Teresa. I guess wisdom always has a way of sounding like we already knew it but still needed to hear it.

I guess my advice is also being the transparent student here. I hope I have a testimonial next week of genuine progress.

I’m liking this delayed chat the four of us are having. For readers that don’t know us, I will tell you without an ounce of exagerration, everyone here is genuinely easy to like and easy to get along with. I also know we are all humble enough and smart enough to know we NEVER stop learning and to stop learning is a type of death.

Proverbs 3:13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. NAS

Don't Miss the Bus

2006-08-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

On my way to work this morning I stopped for a school bus that was picking up kids on the opposite side of the street. Yes, school has started in Florida. As the last student boarded, the bus tucked in its flashing signs and went on to its next stop which I had just passed a quarter mile back. I, however, continued in the same direction from where the bus came from. I normally beat the bus to its stops so I knew where the prior bus stops were located. As I came up to one of those prior stops, I noticed two young boys waiting. Chatting away. Oblivious to their situation. I can remember walking up to the bus stop with maybe two other people there. We all knew there were normally 10-15 people at our stop but for some reason, they hadn't shown up yet. Instead of talking about the obvious, we chat about our teachers and the football game. Some time goes by. No one else shows up. We chat some more. Then each of us starts to pace nervously. But no one admits the obvious quite yet. We chat some more about nothing. Pace a few more times. Then someone breaks the silence. Dude, I think we missed the bus. Still in denial, we try to convince him that the bus is just running a little late and that he'll be sorry if he walks home at this point. He decides otherwise and walks home. Two of us remain. The bus is 30 minutes late according to our watch. We're gonna get a pass to miss first period! Whoa. Awesome. Still oblivious. Another 20 minutes and my friend breaks the silence. Dude, I think he was right. We missed the bus. Then reality sinks in. We walk home having missed the bus. Remember that feeling? This is how I felt when I first started writing. So I can sympathize with someone who knocks out 40 pages but still doesn't feel comfortable. Don't sweat the details. That comes later. There are a couple things that I would do before jumping into the ring. I would write a 4 to 5 paragraph synopsis of my story. And don't cheat by writing more than that. This synopsis becomes my mission statement. It's a plot skeleton of sorts. Everything I write going forward (back cover, outlines, character briefs, marketing treatments, manuscript) is directed towards that mission statement. Next, I always try to create an outline that ranges between 15-25 pages before writing the manuscript. It keeps me on track and allows me to stay focused. I find that without an outline I have a tendency to stray into uncharted and illogical territory causing me much grief and editing down the road. Looking at the big picture, never take the reader where he or she wants to go. Focus on basic human passions because they never get old or boring. And pick up a copy of Sol Stein's How to Grow a Novel. It's a permanent fixture in my library. One page at a time, Aaron

Dealing With Details

2006-08-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad Teresa picked this topic. And that she made mention of it being for the next "few weeks," as there is far to much to cover this topic in one discussion. Nor do we want to short change you on the depths to which we all struggle with this issue (*I'm referring to Teresa's most recent post entitled, "Details, Details, Details"). First off, I'll re-enforce Teresa's first piece of advice which is the same one I give to all writers who ask me where to start. And I can't say it any better so I'll quote her: "...Write the blasted thing." So many times we cut ourselves at the knees before the starter pistol ever fires. We don't give our brains, or our fingers, the opportunity to start expressing what's inside. Read all of Teresa's great comments so I don't need to re-write them. Then what? When I go back through on that second read through I try and "Read It Ignorant." Obviously, this can be a bit tricky as I'm familiar with the world, or space, or circumstance I wrote originally. But that's why you give it some time. I read it through as if I had never read it before. Suddenly things that seem obvious I can remove (like exactly how to build a fire when just saying, "And he built a fire," would do), and things that I'm left wondering about in a character's description (like their eye color), are no where to be found. I suppose the "skill" that I've tried to work on, and it is just that, is painting the picture for my audience. I use the word skill because it has taken me time to develop and I'm still far from perfect. I suppose it's in that regard that "practice" does take it's place. But I also used another tool to help me. People. I began giving my work to friends and family and asking them to be honest; that I wouldn't take it personally. That helped me grow immensely. As writers, we sometime make the mistake of having a pitty-party. We get discouraged about something and then trash it. BAD IDEA! You'll never grow that way. I've learned not to trash anything. Ever. It's true. Sure, maybe I'll never read it again, but I never entertain my "false humility" by throwing a pitty-party and being dramatic. When I just go and do something rash, I pass judgement on my work and myself for that matter and never face the problems that I need to fix. Instead, I let the criticism challenge me and the art I made. I'll make the changes, or at least note what the feedback is saying, and then move on. It's amazing because many times we can give too much detail. I remember one of the first drafts of Rise of The Dibor (long before it had a title), I had a reader express to me that I didn't leave them enough room to imagine anything about a castle I was describing. Dah! First I was trying to give people a better understanding of what I was seeing, now I'm telling them too much? It was enough to drive me mad. But instead of throwing a pitty-party and getting upset, I accepted the challenge and I let the criticism "pass through my own filter" of sorts. Many times we are swayed too much by just one persons' opinion. I've learned there are certain people who's ideas I really trust, and others--well, not so much. But in the end, I have to go to bed at night. I have to live with it. I went back and took out a bunch of things about the castle. But then I added a few and streamlined some others. In the end, I got a pretty decent description of what was to be Adriel Palace. One exercise that I do almost on a daily basis, if not on paper at least mentally, has helped me a great deal with my attention to detail, and that's it; I go through my day noticing details. Sitting at the airport I'll look across the room and ask myself what makes me notice that person? What is it about them that I would remember in a week? Surely I don't actually register every detail of their appearance or character, but there are certain things which may strike me as funny, odd, or memorable. He talked with a lisp. She never took her iPod out of her ears. He never let go of his briefcase. Her hair was a wreck. He yelled at his kids. She never even sipped her coffee and I thought it was more of an accessory than a drink. We don't need to give the reader EVERY detail, just the ones that matter. And what ones matter? The ones you remember. They'll remember them, too. I need to go now...our meeting with our Teen & College students starts very soon. TIme to put on the Youth Pastor hat now! It's always a pleasure writing to you! I look forward to reading what the others have to say and continuing this great topic! Thanks for reading! CH

Details, Details, Details

2006-08-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

Once your first book is published, you become an expert--and perhaps a bit of a celebrity--in the eyes of the world concerning this mysterious world of writing. Everyone believes they have a story to tell. They just don't know how to go about getting it done. I get asked all the time, "How do you do it?" "How do you put all those words down into a semi-cohesive form to make a book?" "Where do you even start?" "Is there a twelve-step program?" My nephew, Adam Jackson, who is a staff sergeant in the Air Force currently serving stateside, has expressed an interest in writing and told me a little of his story ideas. It's always doubly gratifying when someone close to you shares your passion and a bit of natural ability. Adam has a few stories in his head he's been wanting to put into written form for quite some time. Christopher, it's your type of book, so someday I might send him your way for a little advice. Adam has been hashing away at this idea of his for a few months and feels like he's running up against a lot of brick walls. I told him that his ability to identify his weaknesses and his willingness to get help is the first sign that his writing is more than a hobby and will probably someday come to fruition. His problem he says is in the details. After re-reading what he'd written, he went to my website and read a page or two of my latest book. Here's what Adam wrote in his own words(used without his permission, btw): Ok, So how did you get better? I know the short answer is just to sit and practice... I sat here, and I've pounded out probably 40 or so pages, but there is NO DETAIL. I know I'm not painting the picture of exactly what I want the reader to see in their mind. There are plenty of Adams in the world who've read the writing books and attended seminars and still aren't able to convey their message to the reader in the way they see the words in their heads. Let's spend the next few weeks helping them out. As published writers, we've all been asked these questions a thousand times. What's the first bit of advice you would give an aspiring author? Let's remember to K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple, Stupid and focus on one topic at a time. Since we're all Christian writers here with compassionate hearts and meek spirits, I'll put on my best Bogie impression and change that to Keep It Simple, Sweetheart. I'll go first. I gotta tell you I fight this battle every time I sit down in front of my computer. Getting my message across to readers in the way that I want never comes easy. Sometimes when I read through something I've written, I'll think, "What drivel! This will never sell. It doesn't make any sense. I don't even know what I'm talking about, how can I possibly make the reader understand." My first bit of advice is to forget about details. Get your story down on paper. Don't edit yourself. Don't re-read. At least not yet. Just get the story down. You'll have plenty of time for editing and censoring yourself later. The first draft of a manuscript, be it short story, novel, or haiku is very freeing. Enjoy the freedom. Just sit there, shut off your inner critic, and write the blasted thing. Then after you've written those two magnificent words, THE END take a deep breath, go buy yourself a milkshake or a CD, read someone else's book or watch a movie...and relax. Let a few days, or weeks go by. Then and only then, take out what you've written and read it through. You might surprise yourself. Your plots may have a lot more twists than you realized. Your characters may actually be interesting, and that message you wanted to get across to your readers may have morphed into something else entirely. That's the thing about writing. You're not in control. The book is. You're just the tool. But that's another lesson. For now, don't sweat the details. Just get your story down on paper. Or your hard drive. And most importantly, enjoy the process. It can be fun. Of course, if you've written more than five consecutive words you know it can also be aggravating, frustrating, and lonely. But that's another lesson as well. Stay tuned for more writing lessons from yours truly and the rest of the Tsaba House authors. I can't wait to see how they answer these questions. Teresa Slack

Tsaba House Authors

2006-08-10T22:53:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. My turn, heh? Got a little theme goin’ “Branding” Well, my last name is aliBRANDO so I should have something to say …

I relate to Christopher because I think my brand is kind of “schizophrenic” [even though at least 2 of my numerous personalities seem to not be schizophrenic]. However, I believe when we practice something a lot our “brand” sort of gels before our eyes.

With a mere two books published I can hardly give a seminar on branding but I did write a column in a small mountain paper for more than 12 years. I started out doing what I really liked experimentally and over time developed something of a rhythm and recipe. I liked it. It guided me and I felt comfortable within a framework no one forced on me. The “branding” became somewhat like a franchise where “customers” anticipated the flavor after some regular consumption. Sure the articles were different and went all over nature and science and even a little philosophy. I used humor but avoided mentioning God or quoting scripture or getting argumentative. I had developed a sense of identity [branding?] in my persona / character / attitude / approach / genre … I really didn’t make a decision and the best part is I didn’t feel boxed in but … at home.

To see 10 years worth of articles in one body of work (the book) and hearing that folks are reading it to elementary school kids is unbelievably rewarding. Like I say to wife “I can die now.” That’s not a morbid statement but a proclamation of satisfaction.

Just today I was asked to be a columnist for a new Christian glossy magazine for Christian educators. That is public schools, youth pastors, pastors and other influential types trying to help others with positive influence. I’m honored of course but immediately shared my concern about whether to do the nature articles or something slightly different. I agree with that “franchise” idea and maintaining some consistency. After one or two articles I am still pretty free to go any direction I want because the pattern is not really established. The founder of magazine told me to do whatever I wanted (that’s trust). She also said I could have color photographs accompany my articles and of course a byline. Sooo cool. Unsolicited. Going to educational leaders and who knows? I am thrilled. (The first issue may not be until January but could be sooner. I’ll mention it when it happens).

My point is I think genuine identity comes from passion and a deep sense of what our motives are. It may be a calling, a deep hurt, a militant resolve, an endless fascination or something else. Now that I’m old [53, but I easily look 52] and don’t fear error as much as I used to, “comfort” is a bigger guide for me. That’s because I’ve been living with me all my life and I have learned that I am not comfortable doing anybody wrong. I am not comfortable being insincere. I am not comfortable with facades. I am not comfortable with half-heartedness. I am not comfortable with considering anyone unimportant. So I have learned that if I am comfortable nowadays, there is a good chance I doing the right thing.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying I’m all stable and secure and certain about everything I’m doing. Like Christopher, I am a glutton for life and once wrote a song with that very title. I will never live long enough on this side of the grave to do the things I deeply desire to do but my anxiety turns to rest when I consider “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (New American Standard). I also rest knowing eternity will be a creative, wonderful productive time, not a heavenly hammock.

I would encourage all [me included] to be passionate and honest with ourselves, add a dash of courage and mix it all up with love and see the branding God can uniquely make of your life. After all, no one can be you nearly as good as you can.

Branding: "Branding A Wild Horse"

2006-08-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

O boy! Branding! Great topic, Teresa! And great lead in, Sam! Teresa made mention in her last post of "going all over the map." We'll, I guess that's me. Truly, I know it would be much easier on all those involved, from my wife to my publisher, if I just stayed with one thing (let alone one hobby--my wife would certainly sleep better!). But I can't. Call it a lust for life, of new adventures, of trying new things. I am what I am. Music really kicked this all off, this "branding" issue. I remember, like Sam, wondering wether or not to include my middle initial in my "music name" (Michael W. Smith), to use the whole middle name (Steven Curtis Chapman), or to leave it out all together. When you're 17 this is a big deal. And as Sam pointed out, still a big deal when you're not 17 anymore. Within music itself I had to determine what "genre" I was. Well, that wasn't very successful. It's taken me over ten years to figure that out! (Probably one reason why you'll never hear Christopher Hopper on KLOVE...I definitely don't "fit the mold," or stick to one). Then again, I was always much more intrigued by musicians that continually reinvented themselves rather than bow to "what's expected"; those types wear themselves out (and their "sound" for that matter) by their third album. After traveling as a musician, singer, worship leader, speaker, (what am I now?) I had to go and do something crazy--of course; write a book. Really, though, I can pin that one on the Lord. And then the name thing started all over. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis...and C.K. Hopper? Well, it was on the drawing board. Fortunately my [brilliant] publisher recognized I already had a little bit of a brand in the works, which included a nice web presence under Christopher Hopper (.com). So that's what we went with. That, and there is no way I could have justified being put in a league with the greats. Don't you have to at least be dead for that kind of status anyways? The White Lion Chronicles have been so much fun to write. I'm not sure getting paid for them is actually legal; it's almost like skipping school and then finding out your teachers all gave you "A"s for doing so. And truth be told, I have many more works of Christian Fiction within me. Can't wait! However, if I am to be true to my "deep inside parts," I know there's something else. And why wouldn't there be? After being stuck with this brian for quite some time now, would I expect anything different? If someone were to ask me right now "what's to come," aside from Christian Fiction, I would have to say that I'll be writing out of my "pastoral experience" (as I'll call it). I have three books in me right now, all of which draw from my years growing up in a pastoral-home, a youth pastor, and years traveling and ministering to youth. There are some incredible books out there, for instance on relationships; God bless them! But I suppose, like everything else, there's always something more to be said, or at least in a different way. Jennifer and I are working on one such book right now that I think will be hitting "relationship" issues in a whole new way. What "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" did for the 90's, I hope our does for the next few years (or more). Someone recently asked me what my inspiration was in writing Rise of The Dibor. I smiled and eloquently told them of my favorite authors, waved my hand in the air wistfully, and then concluded with some divine point of inspiration. As I got in my car, I realized that's not what the person had asked me at all. I could see it in their face. Later, I told them what really inspired me; my life. Boy Scouts. Camping every month of my life for eight years straight. Traveling overseas. Learning how to relate and live in community with people. It was then that I realized my trademark, if it could be called such a thing; my love for this amazing journey called life that my Daddy invented is the very entity which drives my creation of art, wether it be my books, my music, or my paintings (yes...I do that, too. I can hear my wife sighing as I write...). So what am I getting at in all this verbal throwing up? That maybe my "brand," as incredibly shallow and quirky as it may seem, is simply that you'll never know what to expect from Christopher Hopper. When someone sees my name in print, they know they'll get a shock, something new, a twist, an unexpected new friend to meet, album to listen to, or piece of art to hang in their house. Maybe if you're standing next to someone in a store and you hear them say the following, you'll think they're reading something new from me: "Well, I never--what is he thinking?" ...let me know if you figure that out. It's probably like trying to brand a wild horse. Good luck! Write on! CH (Possibly what could happen when branding a wild horse. In this case, what happened when my pastor's saddle came undone and snapped. Yes, he's OK, and yes, he's still my pastor. Thanks for asking. Needless to say, we sent it back fro a new one.) (For those that wonder what they're looking at, the borken strap holds the saddle onto the horse via the girth. Not a good thing to have break...)

Branding--Am I selling my books or myself?

2006-08-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Sam mentioned "Branding" in his Friday post and I thought that would be an interesting topic to pursue this week. BTW, if you have a topic you would us at Tsaba House to discuss or a question you'd like answered, drop us a line, and we'll each take a turn giving you our spin on it. This group has a lot of opinions so you may get more than you bargained for. But back to branding. For those of you not in the marketing world, branding is what you do to make your product known to the consumer. Back when I was still naive and idealistic, I thought I would write a book, the grateful public would clamor to read it, and I could get back to writing my next masterpiece. Little did I know I had to market myself, not just my book. In fact, it's more important to market the writer than what that writer has produced. Most of us writers like to think we have more than one book within us, so it's important that we get people to want every word we write, not just the one they see at that moment on the bookstore shelf. That's where branding comes in. What do I want readers to think of when they pick up my latest release? We all know what to expect when we see a Mary Higgins Clark on the shelf. Or a Sue Grafton. Or a Tom Clancy. Wouldn't it be a hoot to open the newest Stephen King only to discover he's written a bodice ripper or a lowfat cookbook?! I might get a kick out of it, but I doubt his agent would find the humor. No one even asks the store clerk what these writers' books are about. We already know. So that's where I am at this point in my career. The only problem is I'm not sure how I want to brand myself. I love contemporary women's fiction, which categorizes my latest books. My favorites are mysteries and suspense. I love reading them and creating them. I also love historicals. I even have two books in mind that would be classified as westerns. Romances are also fun, especially when combined with one or more of the aforementioned genres. My current WIP is definitely a Mary Higgins Clark type story. I've even finished the first in a mystery series for middle-grade readers. That was a lot of fun and I can't wait to see the series in print someday. So what kind of writer am I? What is my brand? It's been proven that branded writers sell better than those who write all over the map. I think we're all in agreement that Stephen King should stay away from bodice rippers. Unless the "ripper" is a literal term. I think I'll go ahead and finish my whodunnit while I ponder which direction I want my writing to take. I believe the Lord puts these stories and ideas in my head for a reason, so who am I to resist. I can't wait to see how the other Tsaba House authors have decided to brand themselves. Or if they've even thought about it. Wishing all a blessed Monday and a prosperous & productive week, Teresa Slack

Tsaba House Authors

2006-08-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

The Hardest Working Lazy Guy I Know is Me One of the reasons I normally rise early, work all day and work at night is because I am just being lazy. Yeah, I streamline my database, I work out various software bugs, I file, I reorganize my office, my strategies, my plans for next week and sometimes my goals. I continue looking forward to the getting just over that peak where it will finally be all downhill. Ah yes, cruise city.

This is all an introduction to me inserting an email I just sent to my fellow Tsaba House authors about my name. I thought it might be an interesting entry for folks to realize that an author, if having the good fortune of being published, must make a decision about ... their name. Should I insert my middle initial? Should I shorten my last name? Should I use the casual or formal version of my first name? etc. It is pretty bad news if you put out a book or two and then change your mind about something like - your name. It obviously becomes a brand. Well, I have a story and I am simply going to cut and paste what I emailed and maybe expand and edit a little. Uz althers du ned editerrs to mak us luk lik evin beder althers.

I have a great 2nd cousin who is also from NJ like me. We were raised about 30 minutes from each and neither of our fathers [who were cousins] bothered to mention that we each had a 2nd cousin named Sam Alibrando the same age and all.

At 16 or 17 [that is 1969 or 70], I met a girl at a dance who didn't believe me when I told her my name. I looked around to see who put her up to this trick because she said my name so effortlessly. She was from Audubon High School and I was from Collingswood High School. When I showed her my drivers license [no photo or even lamination then] she became as perplexed as me. This was the beginning of my inquiries which led to asking my dad who said "I have a cousin also named Sam Alibrando who lives in Mt Ephraim [a half hour from us] and he has a boy also named Sam. Hmm. I think he's about your age too." I looked at my dad in unbelief. "Don't you think I might have been interested to know there is a guy walking around with my name who lives a half hour from here?" "Well, I never thought to mention it." I am probably making the same face I made nearly 40 years ago right now as I write this. The upside for a red-blooded young guy was that soon after several of my buddies and I started meeting girls from Audubon High School and the girls naturally knew this relative of mine. So I would introduce myself. "Hi. I'm Sam Alibrando" :) Great ice-breaker. Turns out my 2nd cousin started doing the exact same thing with girls from my high school.

"Who is this guy using my tricks?"

Since I'm tired I'll skip these interesting details...

While posing as an Audubon student one day tracking down a gal to invite her to my band practice, I finally met my 2nd cousin Sam. He was friends with a gal I was dating and as I invited her he wanted to come too since he played keyboards. How could I deny him? Guess what? Our band ended up with TWO Sam Alibrando's in 1971.

Fast forward. Neither of us were Christians when were in the band together but that changes for both of us separately and unknown to each other til we meet again years later. We both move to California. He marries a gal named Janel, I marry a gal named Janie. We both get better looking with age :)

Sounds like some Disney movie, huh? He has a great wife and two wonderful kids who I feel sick about not visiting more often. I haven't visited them for a couple years now. I guess that's because I am so terribly busy being lazy.

Anyway, he writes a book. That's the clincher and the point of this story.

His middle initial is Antonio mine is Joseph.

So my dilemma was how to distinguish myself from my 2nd cousin in the literary world. He already had a book out.

Actually I am Sam Jr and he is too but he didn't use the "Jr". So I figure if I use Jr. everyone will think I am his son. Bad idea. The key and the only distinction is my middle initial and consistently using "Samuel". He goes by Sam A. Alibrando, Sam Alibrando and occasionally Samuel Alibrando. Therefore, please; in all online, printed or any published references to me as an author refer to me strictly as "Samuel J Alibrando". That was my decision and that's my name story.

So if you see anything official that says "Sam J Alibrando" or "Samuel Alibrando" and it is about "Nature Never Stops Talking" or "Christians in the Arena" ... it is a little error. I know it's a little sticky like saying someone's name and they keep correcting how to pronounce it. Finally you feel like saying "Can't I just say it MY way?"

Informally, Sam is OK; but now you understand.

Thank you very much.

Samuel J Alibrando -

Denver Rain?

2006-08-02T05:24:00.000-07:00

I flew into Denver for the 2006 International Christian Retail Show on Sunday, July 9th. To my surprise, it was 59 degrees with rain! I didn't even bring a jacket. But considering it was already 82 degrees with 110% humidity at 9:00 am in Tampa when I departed, it was somewhat refreshing. The greatest part for me about the conference is the people. First and foremost are the store owners and employees. God bless them. It is incredibly competitive today for Christian retail stores. As soon as they set up shop (or even if they've been there for years), a Super WalMart goes up and a Borders/Books-a-Million/Barnes & Noble (take your pick) soon follows. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for competition. But there's something different about the customer loyalty and the dedication of the management with these local proprietors. It's a tough road but I'm glad they are staying the course. Second are the folks at Tsaba House. It's truly a family. Literally in both a personal sense and professional sense. What a blessing it is to meet up with them in person at the conference. Third are the other authors at Tsaba House and the many others outside of Tsaba House who attend the conference. It is such a great opportunity to network and to see what is working and what is not. To share ideas on marketing and writing in general. I always meet new friends and enjoy keeping in touch afterwards. And lastly are the people in Denver. I enjoyed the World Cup Final by watching it at the ESPNZone located on the 16th street mall. For a "rowdy" group of soccer fans, they were placid at best. Even the employees who work at the many shops located on the 16th street mall were extremely helpful and kind. Denver certainly has a gem in the 16th street mall. One page at a time . . . Aaron

How Fast Is a Blur?

2006-08-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

In reading Teresa's first post, I have to agree. Somehow the "spirit-of-not-putting-the-luggage-away" hit our home, too. I think, in fact, it was just yesterday that my wife threatened me, requiring the suitcase be taken down stairs or else I wouldn't eat. The suit case is in the basement now. Since being in Denver with my fellow authors and wonderful Tsaba House staff, my mind has been a whirlwind of activity. I think the entire trip was in fact a secret ploy by our CEO to generate productivity and cause us each sleepless nights. It worked. Since returning, I have hardly slept and the creative juices are flowing a little too much. Since returning home I: 1.) Started picking up my game in terms of updating my website and making sure it remains current. What an invaluable tool in the right hands! Had my web desginer do up a special little something just for The White Lion Chronicles. (You can see it at: www.thewhitelionchronicles.com) 2.) Have started marking my calendar with our NY Border's Fall Tour Dates. Those should be posted shortly. 3.) Have been introduced to a whole new gambit of authors who, unexpectedly, I have quickly befriended. This has also spurred a new appetite for reading. I think I finished four books in the last two weeks. That in and of itself is a marvel for me. I am greatly encouraged, intrigued, and inspired. 4.) Because of point #3, I am earnestly asking God about "what's next" after The White Lion Chronicles. He has been placing some amazing desires in my heart, things that I know are truly from Him and not from me. Like Teresa, I hope to be starting a new work soon. More on that to come! 5.) I have been seeking the Lord about ways in which I can impart my love for the arts into the students that I pastor. God gave me a little principle that I try and live by: "Excellence Changes Culture." I have been brainstorming about how teens can no longer be subjects influenced by culture, but how they themselves can change culture... 6.) ...And to that end, a friend and fellow writer here at church and I are starting what has the potential to be a Christian writer's guild in our little community. That, and I am discussing with my pastor starting "The Artistry," a church ministry in which we have local professional artists, writers, and musicians begin teaching the next generation and beautifying our county with works donated by the students of our church to the homes and businesses around us. 7.) Somewhere in there I went to France for a youth conference. I don't remeber July now. Read my blog if you want. ;) I'm pooped! All in all, my thoughts and activities are a blur. When we were all discussing doing this blog, we talked about being personable and up front; my only reservation was that if people actually got inside my head for even an instant, they might be shocked at how fast things move in me! >chuckle< God bless my wife. So I guess you get a glimpse of it now. Needless to say, even my wife was very encouraged by our trip out west and I think she has been given a new measure of support for what I'm doing "as a writer." Not that she didn't before; in fact, she's amazingly patient and tolerant of my writing patterns. But by including her in the trip (for in fact I couldn't leave her out...she makes it all possible), we both saw "how big" this vehicle for effecting life-change truly is. I don't do this for my own glory or to make a name, though in all honesty, they are nice things (just being up front with you!); I do this so culture is effected, even if it's the course of one life. So be it. May Jesus be made more famous today than He was yesterday by our doings... Sheesh, didn't mean to get so serious there, just happens sometimes. For this blog's use? I hope that readers are inspired to know how strange we writers truly are, and that writers would not feel so bad about their own quirks; we have plenty to go around! My hope would be that "intimidation" would be broken. The world and the Body need to hear from more than just "a few" authors in the Body of Christ (that's my soap box for anohter day!). There are so many books to be written and so many lives to effect change in. I would hope that a new writer out there would be inspired to start typing what's been in their heart for years; someone needs to read it. If any of us TS authors are a testimony, may you be encouraged! From Aaron who has more plaques on his wall than Carl Sagan, to me who never stepped foot in a University (accept to visit friends and eat the food), to Sam and Teresa, and the rest to come, being published is within reach, just submit your plans to the One who is trying to fashion them for you. Anyways, I'm so pleased to be a part of this, the Tsaba House family, and I am myself honored to be counted among the number of the authors who you'll be reading here. I am least among them and grateful for them humoring this wild little young man, his crazy ideas, and his rambling words. (What's more, I'm the youngest...with the least amount of hair. Irony anyone?). What fun it is to serve Jesus! I'm convinced we live in the greatest time in history and have been given the most marvelous tools with which to serve Him. Write on! CH

Getting Down To Business

2006-07-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

When I sat down at my computer this morning I realized I still haven't put away my luggage from my recent trip to the annual Intl. Christian Retail Show in Denver, CO. Oh, I've unpacked, it's just the luggage hasn't made it into the closet yet. Note to self--put away suitcases. So what have I done in the two weeks since I got home all super-charged and full of ideas for marketing and writing and re-dedicating every stroke of my pen--so to speak--to the Lord? 1. Approached the throne room of grace with a petition that my writing be God inspired and God approved and not just something I do for my own personal gratification. I need to do this dilligently, lest I become full of self and forget the One who gave me this ability and opportunity in the first place. 2. Started a new novel--a Mary Higgins Clark type mystery I am very excited about. 3. Scheduled speaking engagements for late summer/fall, including a huge book launch on September 15th for the release of my latest book, The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. 4. Read a couple fiction books I picked up at the convention. One I liked better than the other, but I'm not mentioning any names at this time. 4. And starting today, I'll be blogging every Monday morning on behalf of the Tsaba House authors. Christopher, Sam, Aaron, and I decided this blog would be a great way to connect with readers and each other. On this blog, you'll have the opportunity to see how four different authors from four different genres find inspiration, research, outline, study, and everything else necessary to go from a nagging idea that won't let us sleep at night to a book on the latest bestseller list. Let's not forget, this blog will prove to the bosses at Tsaba House that we are serious about this marketing thing. So help us out and check out this blog on a regular basis. As for Mondays, that's my gig. You'll have to come back tomorrow to see who's on deck with words of wisdom to uplift and inspire you. Until next Monday, have a blessed week. May you arise each morning with a song in your heart and a desire to have a positive influence on the people around you. Blessings, Teresa Slack

Getting To Know Us - The Tsaba House Author Bios

2006-07-31T08:17:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Tsaba House Author Blog! We invite you to journey inside the minds of our authors (albeit a bit scary!) and look beyond the books they publish and into the lives that make them who they are. Please leave your comments and visit their websites. Thanks for diving in! - - - Teresa Slack - Christian fiction has given author Teresa Slack a chance to tell the stories on her heart and share her faith with readers at the same time. Her down-to-earth style and ability to create flawed, realistic characters have endeared her to readers all over the world. She writes from her home in Ohio, which she shares with her husband and two rescue dogs. She is currently working on another book. - - - Samuel J. Alibrando - Samuel J. Alibrando, author, songwriter, performer, and businessman, was raised in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area. He is a graduate of Youth With A Mission, and has been writing numerous columns since the mid-1970's. Alibrando was the founder of "Fresno SHARE," a large food co-op in Fresno, CA, who also published their own newspapers for three years. He has been writing the column formally called "It Doesn't Sound Like An Accident" for the Mountain Press about the marvels of nature and the fantastic ingenuity in its design for over ten years. Alibrando lives in the scenic foothills of central California with his wife. - - - Aaron S. Thiel - Author and attorney, Aaron Thiel, is more than qualified to write his series of Dutch Bennett Novels. Although he calls researching SPace LAw a "hobby," his years of experience in the field of law are the backbone for these legal thrillers. Mr. Thiel graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He completed his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1998. Aaron is a member of the Florida Bar Association and participated in the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section. He holds a NASD Series 7 license, as well as the State of FLorida Life and Health insurance License. Aaron has also earned his FAA Private Pilot's license. 32 guest speakers appearances in 1999, and 40 in 2000-2001. Aaron is currently a Vice President in the Trust Department t of a major banking institution. He and his family reside in Central Florida. - - - Christopher Hopper - An international speaker, recording artist, and now Christian Fiction author, Christopher Hopper serves as a youth pastor and resides in the 1,000 Islands region of northern New York with his wife and children.

Off to Denver

2006-07-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

The Tsaba House Authors will be converging on the Denver Convention Center, Monday, July 10th, for the annual International Christian Booksellers Convention. Each of us will host a book signing for our latest releases during the four day convention. On Tuesday, July 11th, we are participating in a book signing with a group of other Christian authors at the 16th Street Mall Barnes & Noble in Downtown Denver. If anyone is in the area, please stop in and say hi. I attended the convention in Denver last summer with my husband, Ralph. He is a marketing machine. He spent his time walking the convention floor, handing out business cards and inviting attendees to my signing. We had a wonderful time in Denver and plan to do more sightseeing and shopping this year as well. I highly recommend the Gray Line Tour package to the Rocky Mountain Nat. Park. Not cheap, but well worth the cost. We never could have enjoyed the mountains on our own as much as we did from the comfort of a Gray Line Touring Van with a knowledgeable driver and guide to point out things we would have missed. Hopefully the Tsaba House authors can get together during the convention and nail down this blogging business. Starting the week after we return home, I hope we can begin posting regularly to this blog and letting readers know what we are all up to. Check back often to see what your favorite author is working on, where they are touring, or a peek into their private lives. See you after the Convention. Teresa Slack

Welcome

2006-04-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Blog of the authors of Tsaba House. This is something new for us and hopefully will be interesting and fun for everyone involved. Each participating author at Tsaba House will post a blog here one day a week. Check back often to see when your favorite authors are blogging. We represent a wide range of genres and writing styles. Hopefully you will find something to suit your tastes. You may even discover something new you never considered before. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Teresa Slack. I've been writing as long as I can remember, but it wasn't until about 7 years ago I was able to quit work and focus on my writing fulltime. For that, I am sooooo thankful. My husband and I live in America's heartland. Our blended family includes two sons and a daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. I write contemporary fiction. My first romance is due out in September. It is called The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter. My favorite thing to write is romance with a taste of mystery, or perhaps mysteries with a hint of romance...I can't decide which. Feel free to visit my website to find out more. http://www.teresaslack.com Come back often to learn about the other Tsaba House authors who will be joining me here.