So Happy To Introduce you to ... Staci Stallings!!

It is so wonderful to have Staci with us this month. She is a talented woman who loves the Lord. Please join me in welcoming Staci Stallings!!

How did you come up with the idea for this book?

Like many of my books, the idea for "Deep in the Heart" came in a dream. However, unlike other books, I can't really tell you what the dream was about. Most of them I can remember a moment or something about the dream. This one (and this is weird), all I had when I woke up was a name. One name, and a feeling I had that I knew it wasn't just a random name but a real live person; however, I wasn't sure I'd ever seen the person, but I knew what he looked like in my head. The name was "Keith Anderson." I got up, went straight to the computer, and searched it through images. Sure enough. That was exactly the person I was picturing! I kind of let myself go and started asking God for the other pieces, and by day's end I had started "Deep in the Heart." Within a month it was finished.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The hook of "Deep in the Heart" is "Can Keith defy the two most powerful men in Texas to follow his heart?" So... it's about Texas. I tried to find something that said Texas without screaming Texas. I wanted to allude to it without bashing the reader over the head with it because Texas in all its "bigness" plays a large part in this book. The idea that came and stuck and stayed was "Deep in the Heart," and I think that title works on many different levels because the book asks if the characters are determined to play shallow with life or if they are brave enough to go deep.

How do you come up with character’s names?

Keith's name was easy--though I did change it to Ayers. Maggie's name was about seven different things as I started writing. Every time I changed the title name, I would change her name too. But I really like the name Maggie because she's rather young, like 22 or 23, and she's... well, she's Maggie. She's not super-sophisticated. She's kind of shy and unassuming. She doesn't take herself too seriously. So Maggie was a great fit.

Some of the other character names came quite naturally. Conrad Ayers, Keith's dad fit because Conrad is an older name and kind of formal. Vivian, Keith's stepmom is the quintessential frilly-at-the-neck with the perfect suit woman. I tend to think of Victorian when I think of her. Patty Ann is Vivian's assistant and just annoying and catty and mean to everyone. Finally, there's Dallas, Keith's fiancée and the daughter of the Texas Senator who will eat Keith for lunch if he dares to hurt his little girl. It's a fun group. :)

Are your characters based on real people?

Normally no. But sometimes I make an exception if they show up as the person they are. Keith is one of those. In what can only be a God thing, shortly after I started writing this, Keith (the real one) had his biggest hit "Every Time I Hear Your Name." I think I watched that video a hundred-thousand times in that month. (Yes, I have a rough job, but I took one for the team! :)

Another character in this one that was based on a real person because he was who showed up was the character of Ike. Carefully pressed Wranglers, that cowboy hat just right--older but carrying it well, serious but with a quick, heart-stopping smile. Who else but the incomparable George Strait? Only problem with that was when he started giving Keith a hard time. Never thought I could even play hate George, but he was annoying me for awhile there!

When do you write?

Ugh. There's a question. I have written 30 full-length novels, 6 Bible Studies, and 5 short story collections. I have 4 blogs that I update every week, and at least five new titles that I'm working on. But if I had to tell you when I've done all that, I would have no idea.

When I was in high school, I wrote what they called "Newswriting" in Texas U.I.L. contests. The deal was, they gave you a sheet of information back and front, and you had to compose a news story (long hand) in 30 minutes. Start to finish edit. 30 minutes. I didn't realize it back then, but WOW does that ability to speed write--no second guessing--has served me very well over the years! When I have an idea, I go for it, and usually the Holy Spirit has to carry me through the doubts about how this is ever going to work out and what did that detail mean. Between the two things, I write a lot more that my time schedule ever says I possibly could.

What emotion do you most want to pull from your readers?

EVERY emotion! Are you kidding? If you don't laugh out loud and shed at least a few tears every book, I haven't done my job. I want my readers to be so hooked into the book that they forget to make dinner and the laundry just piles up--and they don't even care! Not in a bad way but I just think in our world today we so often just skate on the surface of everything. We don't take time to really FEEL. In fact, in some ways we're told that feeling is wrong or beneath us. I don't believe that for a second. That's what I want to give readers--a safe, wonderful place to feel--maybe deeper than they have let themselves in a long time.

Do you work outside of writing?

Ha! After you read the answer to this one, go back up to that "When do you write" question. I do not have a formal job outside of writing, like a place where I go to every day and collect a paycheck. However, I own two businesses, keep all the finances for my own and for the business I own with my husband--that's bills out, paying bills, bank statements, bonds, taxes, insurance, etc. I'm the founder of a Christian authors' group that helps each other learn to market. I also have three kids who go to two different schools, and every year I organize and run four different fundraisers between the two schools. Further, we have two very large, well-connected families with all the birthday parties, anniversaries, and get-togethers that entails. I also teach Sunday School and write and direct the VBS plays every year. I serve on retreat teams as well as doing all the "Mom" stuff--Valentine's parties, track practices, gymnastics... No. I don't know how I get it all done. The only thing I can tell you is God is GREAT at scheduling everything! I just do what He puts in front of me to do at the moment and figure He's got a plan for everything else. If I didn't have God, I'd be a basket case by now!

Do you have other titles coming out besides this one? If so, what are they?

I now have 14 titles on Kindle and Nook and 7 in print. One of my books, "Coming Undone" hit the #1 spot in Religious Fiction and Religion & Inspirational on Amazon at the beginning of February. That was an incredible ride.

I also have "Cowboy" which hit #98 in Romance in religious fiction and was a #9 Top-Rated Religious Fiction Novel on Amazon the first part of February. You can see all of my romance novels at: http://ebookromancestories.com

Do you have advice for future authors?

Listen to God. The world is going to tell you a lot of things to talk you out of what your heart is telling you. For example, I had a lot of people tell me that they didn't like my style. They tried very hard to change and to convince me to change the way I wrote, the unique way I tell a story. But God wouldn't let me be at peace with that, so I chose to trust Him more than what everyone else was telling me. It was not an easy road to get here, and I questioned if I would ever see this place. But God is faithful to the calling He puts on your heart, and He was faithful to the one He put on mine. I think if at the end, you can be thankful to God for seeing you through it all, THAT'S success. Get really good at listening to Him and trusting what He's telling you. That will get you farther than all of the other stuff put together.

Do you have a home on the web? What’s the address?

Several actually...

Romance Novels: http://ebookromancestories.com

Christian Living: http://spiritlightbooks.wordpress.com

Marketing: http://gnfmarketing.wordpress.com

I'm on Twitter: @StaciStallings

And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staci.stallings.author

Thanks so very much for having me, Rhonda! I've enjoyed the opportunity!

Have an awesome day, everyone! God bless!


It was great to have you here Staci! I loved hearing how your characters are created and come to life.

It is my pleasure to introduce...Drum roll....Dale West!!!!

Dale and I are members of the same local writers group. I am very happy to be the first to have him on a blog, I'm sure I won't be the last. Please enjoy the inview and be sure and leave a comment for your chance to win his first book!!

When did you learn you wanted to be a writer?

It’s funny, but I’ve never considered myself “A Writer”. I’ve always labeled myself under other titles. Work is work and writing…well, that’s always been fun. I guess subconsciously I never wanted to turn writing into work, so I avoided the label. Honestly, I’d have to say that I’ve always been a “Writer”.

How long did it take before you got the call?

July 2006. And I ignored it until August 2007!

How did you come up with the idea for this book?

Now that’s a story. Since I was little I’ve always enjoyed writing short stories and poems. I always tinkered around with writing a novel but thought it was impossible. At the time, a 5 – 10 page high school or college report seemed overwhelming to me. Yet, just as a little kid stares up at the high dive board dreaming of one day going over the edge into the pool, I too, continued to dream. Oh, I made my fair share of attempts at writing a novel. I had several strong starts with great ideas but they never went anywhere. A couple pages in, I would stop and wonder, “Now what?”, never to start again. Then, one day, July 2006, I got the call in the form of dreams, dreams, and more dreams. Initially, I thought the dreams were just another “good idea” that was destined for the page 5 quicksand, so I ignored them, and ignored them, and ignored them…until August 2007. Finally, I started to write them down in short story form. Little by little, chapter by chapter, the pages formed into Legend of the True King: Book I – Cull of the Plague.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Um, well, I went through several titles but this one seemed to fit best. Legend of the True King fits because it’s essentially a story about the True King. This is the first book in the series thus: Book I. Cull of the Plague describes the challenges the characters face.

Is this book part of a series? If so, what are the other titles in this series?

Yep, definitely a series. I’ve been infected and can’t stop writing. I estimate the series will be about 7 books. The second book is titled, All Are Hunted, and the third book is titled, Heart Storms. The other titles I’m keeping under wraps until they’re written.

How do you come up with character’s names?

I’ve found that a creative imagination and baby name books are great resources.

Are your characters based on real people?

Easy answer. No.

How do you develop your characters?

Usually I’ll pull various character traits from real people and mold a fictitious character into what I want, but for this book the characters were given to me. I just had to be true to their already established traits and habits.

Are you a seat of the pants writer? Or a plotter?

I’ve always prided myself as a seat of the pants kind of guy for poetry and short stories. I think that’s part of the reason why I struggled for years at writing a novel. I could sprint for several pages and then run out of steam. After writing the first book, the dreams stopped. I thought I was done; doomed to never write another novel ever again. But before the dreams stopped I dreamed the end of the story. It was a dream that was a huge climax far from anything in Book I. So I found myself mulling. “When will the dreams return?” “What comes next?” “How will I ever carry on?” “Poor me…”

After a year it dawned on me. I was starting to plot. I plotted and plotted and plotted. I plotted until images were oozing from my brain. I plotted until a green light turned on in my head. It was like God said, “I gave you life. It’s up to you how to live it.” Everyone chooses whether they live a life that glorifies God or whether they spend a lifetime in rebellion against Him. The same was true for my story. Now I find myself plotting down a path to a known end. I will get there eventually, but it will take me a while. A journey I invite everyone to join me on.

What does your family think of your writing?

They’re enjoying the journey. My wife and kids are my greatest fans as well as my greatest critics. Their encouragements keep me going.

Welcome Love Inspired Historical author Debra Ullrick

I am so excited to introduce Debra Ullrick! I just finished reading The Unlikely Wife and LOVED it! These characters stuck with me long after I closed the book.

Debra, how did you come up with the idea for this book?

One day I was watching the Beverly Hillbillies. Ellie May Clampitt is such a beautiful woman, yet so uneducated. Knowing Michael wanted someone like Rainee, the heroine from my story, The Unexpected Bride, who was educated yet could handle her own, I thought it would be great instead to give him someone who was a cross between Ellie May Clampitt and Calamity Jane.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

I didn’t, the editors gave me a choice between two titles, The Improper Wife, or The Unlikely Wife. At first I loved the title, The Improper Wife, but then the more I thought of it, it made her sound immoral, and I didn’t want that. This story was originally titled, The Lady In Trousers.

Is this book part of a series? If so, what are the other titles in this series?

Yes, it is. The first book in the series is, The Unexpected Bride. Next is, The Unlikely Wife, then Groom Wanted, which comes out in August 2012. I’m working on Abby’s story now. I’m not sure if I’ll end with her or not.

What emotion do you most want to pull from your readers?

I want them to feel everything my characters are feeling. Joy, happiness, sadness, etc.

Which would you prefer, camping on the beach? Or camping in the woods?

Definitely camping on the beach. I don’t want any bear coming around and eating me for dinner.

Are your characters based on real people?

No. They are all a figment of my imagination. Well, God’s that is. *smiling* Without Him, none of this would be possible.

How do you develop your characters?

Most the time, I don’t. They develop me. They lead, I follow. Every once in a while though I will watch a movie, or see someone who intrigues, and a character similar to them will develop in my mind. Plus, there are times I think of what I want to do or how I would like to be and will create a character that fits that scenario.

What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

That one is easy. I love water and am fascinated with sea life and their brilliant colors, shapes and sizes. So, a trip to the Bahamas, Tahiti, Caribbean or any other place where the water is crystal clear where you can see all of that beauty and creativity. It must contain a lot of waterfalls though, too. That’s another thing I love.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you be?

Camara Chevelle Cole from, The Bride Wore Coveralls. The reason being is, she knows how to works on cars, owns a classic car and could afford all the classic cars her heart desires. Plus she builds and races mud-boggers. Being around all of that would be pure heaven.

Do you have a home on the web? What’s the address?

Yes, I do. It’s www.DebraUllrick.com
Plus you can find me on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you Debra for coming. I was pleasantly surprised that we have something else in common besides our writing. I love sea life and waterfalls, too.

Welcome Martha Rogers

Good Morning Martha! I am so glad you could join us this month. I'm sure my readers can't wait to learn more about you. So let's get started.

When did you learn you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I “scribbled” stories for my mother before I learned to write. Whenever I told about family stuff, she apologized for my “embellishing” the truth. I just wanted it to be more interesting.

How long did it take before you got "the call"?
Would you believe 70 years? No? Then how about eighteen from the time I started pursuing publication until I got my first full length novel contract. I had numerous non-fiction works and one novella before that time, but “the call” came around my 73rd birthday. My advice for those just starting out is to have patience and keep writing and submitting. God has a plan for all of us, and His timetable isn’t always the same as ours. In fact it very rarely is. Hang in there and pray a lot.

How did you come up with the idea for this book?
This book is the third in the series, Seasons of the Heart, and this story evolved from the characters I had already created. Abigail was Rachel’s best friend in the first book, so I wanted to bring her back into the picture. She is also sister to the hero of the second book.

Is this book part of a series? If so, what are the other titles in this series?
The first two books in this series are Summer Dream and Autumn Song. The fourth, Spring Hope, will be released in May.

How do you come up with character’s names?
Since I write historical romance, I use the data base for popular names for various decades. That way my names are more authentic to the time period. Sometimes the names come from family members, and they love to see their names in my books, especially my grandchildren.

Are you a seat of the pants writer? Or a plotter?
Definitely a seat of the pants writer. I can write a synopsis and use it as a basic plan, but my characters take on minds of their own and things happen that I never planned. Characters I never knew existed pop up too and usually make the plot better. The synopsis is usually a guideline and will keep me on track to where I want to go, but the getting there changes a lot.

What emotion do you most want to pull from your readers?
The theme throughout all of my novels is that of reconciliation. Either the characters must make reconciliation with each other or with God and sometimes both. I want my readers to see how God touches our hearts and changes our lives. No matter whether my stories are contemporary or historical, they all carry this theme.

Do you have other titles coming out besides this one? If so, what are they?
Besides the fourth book in the present series, a Christmas book, Christmas at Holly Hill, will be released next fall. After that a new 3 book series, Love’s Journey Home will begin.

Do you teach writing classes? If so, where do I sign up?
I will be teaching 2 classes at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in Houston on August 4, 2012. I am also available to speak to writing groups and travel to wherever they may be.


What is your favorite writing conference to attend?
Definitely the ACFW conference is my favorite. I see so many friends there and make so many new ones each year. I always learn something new and get energized for the next year. It’s a great place to connect with editors and agents. Next to that would be our Texas Conference in August.

ACFW is my favorite also, Martha. Thank you for joining us.

If you want to learn more about Martha go to: www.martharogers.com

Time to welcome... Jill Williamson!

Welcome Jill!

I hope you don't mind but we are going to jump right into your interview. I found it fasinating and think that our readers will too. So here we go.


How did you come up with the idea for this book?

I was riding in a car through upstate New York. I passed endless amounts of ranches, orchards, and farms. It got me thinking. What if there was a farm where they grew people? Clones... It could be called Jason Farms!

Since I’m from Alaska, I thought the last frontier would be a fun and ideal location for such a story. Alaska is such a vast state. Most people move there to get away from the world. And no one tends to ask many questions. It was the perfect place for an underground cloning lab.

I knew right away that I wanted a main character who was the daughter of one of the scientists. I thought if I made her a Christian and her father an atheist that alone would create conflict between the two on issues of ethics.

And I also wanted to have a male point of view character. My goal in choosing one of the clones was to explore God’s purpose for people. Purpose is one of my passions. I love getting to know people and encouraging them in their strengths. I wanted my female lead to do the same for my male clone. I wanted him to discover that even though he is a duplicate of another human, he is unique and called by God to live a purposeful life.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

It was originally called Jason Farms. It seemed the perfect title considering how I came up with the idea, but Zondervan didn’t think so. They changed the title to Replication: The Jason Experiment.

Is this book part of a series? If so, what are the other titles in this series?

I have ideas for two more books in a trilogy, but whether or not I get to write them depends on how well the Replication does. For now, it’s just one book.

Are you a seat of the pants writer? Or a plotter?

I’m kind of a mix. When I’m brainstorming something new, first I come up with an original premise. Then I write five sentences that encompass my beginning, my three act structure, and how the story will end. I brainstorm characters’ names and backstories. If it’s fantasy or science fiction, I draw a map. If it’s contemporary, sometimes it helps to draw a floor plan of the main location.

Once I feel good about where I’m headed, then I write the story seat of the pants, with those general guidelines to keep me on track. I try to write the whole story as fast as I can. In a month or less, if possible. Then I can take my time rewriting.

Do you teach writing classes? If so, where do I sign up?
I teach classes ever year with the Oregon Christian Writer’s organization. I also teach online classes at http://nextgenwriters.com/ and plan to teach some classes soon with the new http://www.pekazoidprophets.org/ group for children and young adult writers.

Do you have a home on the web? What’s the address?

My website is www.JilllWilliamson.com. You can find out all about me there as well as read my blog posts and listen to my Blood of Kings podcast, where I record and post a new chapter of the trilogy every week—for free.


What was it like when you got your first contract? Did your agent call? Did the editor call you? Were you at a conference?

I was sitting at my computer, and Jeff Gerke sent me an email that said, “Do you happen to be by a phone right now so that I can call you?” That email pretty much floored me. I’d been rejected enough to know that editors didn’t tend to call an author up and say so. I figured Jeff wanting to talk on the phone was a good thing. I ran and told my husband to keep an eye on our daughter, then emailed Jeff back and he called right away. He wanted to publish the book. We talked about that a bit, and he said he’d email me the contract. I couldn’t sit still. I was so excited.

What is your favorite writing conference to attend?
Oregon Christian Writers Summer Coaching Conference. They’ve set it up similar to how Mount Hermon runs their conference. The conference gets about 300 attendees. It’s a great chance for me to hang out with some dear friends every year. It’s a longer conference, so it’s very relaxed. And they get a great mix of editors and agents. I’ve sold all my books at that conference to both Marcher Lord Press and Zondervan.

Do you have advice for future authors?

Write, write, write. Get into a critique group where you feel you are learning. And finish that first book. Many new writers tend to get stuck for years writing that first book. Train yourself to be a writer by doing the hard work of completing a full manuscript. Then go back and rewrite it. And when you’re done, put it down and write another book. Then write another. Then another.

Also, read, read, read. When you read, study what the author did. Look at their dialogue, action, punctuation, characters, plot, everything. Learn all you can. It will help you be a better writer and storyteller.

And try not to be impatient. Work on making each book the best it can be. When you finish a book, send it out. While you’re waiting to hear back, write another one. I wrote six novels before my first book was published. I’ve heard the same from many authors. So, try to have fun.

Advice-wise, one of my favorite writing quotes is from Michael Crichton. He said, “Books aren't written—they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it.” It’s so true.

Thank you, Jill for being with us. I loved your "how I got the call" story! and I'm looking forward to reading this trilogy.

Please Welcome...Robin Bayne!!

Welcome Robin! Thanks you for stopping by. I know my readers are looking forward to meeting you, so I'm just going to fire off some quick questions. First off,is this book part of a series? If so, what are the other titles in this series?

Yes! “Christmas Pearl” is part of series of three novellas based on Biblical parables. The first two titles are “Prodigal” and “Samaritan.”

Do you work outside of writing?

Yes again! I work at a small, community savings bank. I wear many hats there, some of which include mortgage underwriting, loan processing, government reporting and loan shipping. If it’s walked by the loan department, I’ve worked on it.

Do you have a home on the web? My main site is www.robinbayne.com. From there you can link to my blog, which is called “Between Sundays.” I am also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rlbayneauthor.

Do you have advice for future authors? I would advise them to read all they can in their genre, and once they start writing, find a good critique partner or group before ever submitting anything.

What writing books would you recommend to new authors? There are so many great ones out there! “Writing For the Soul” by Jerry Jenkins, “Techniques of the Selling Writer” by Dwight Swain, “Creating Character Emotion” by Ann Hood, just to mention a few. If you are interested in reading devotionals geared toward writers, several years ago I compiled a collection of these written by well known and new Christian authors. It’s called “Words to Write By” and you can find info on my website.
Do you have a newsletter?
I’ve never gotten a newsletter off the ground, I have this great fear of accidentally spamming someone. Instead I invite everyone to visit my author page on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/rlbayneauthor)

What emotion do you most want to pull from your readers? Well, of course I want them to feel the love developing between my characters, but I also seem to weave a lot of forgiveness into my stories. I want them to feel the relief the character feels after making amends.

How did you come up with the title of this book? As part of the series based on parables, I first thought of the title “The Pearl.” Based of course on the parable of the pearl, and as it became a Christmas story the new title evolved.


When did you learn you wanted to be a writer? In the second grade, I remember being called up to the teacher’s desk. I thought I was in trouble. Actually, she was impressed with a short story I’d written about a haunted house. (My mom still has that story, printed with a fat pencil on wide-ruled paper.) I guess that was when.

Which would you prefer, camping outside or on the beach? That’s an easy one—camping at the Holiday Inn. LOL. Actually, my husband and I did own a large RV for a few years, but it wasn’t our thing. We like to stay in small towns or on an island and go exploring.

Laughing, I know what you mean about the Holiday Inn. Although it is fun to go on short camping trips from time to time. Thank you again for joining us this month Robin. It was a pleasure getting to know you better.

Thanks Rhonda so much for hosting me today! Merry Christmas

WINNER!!

Ann Shorey is the winner of Vickie's Book!