Today I’m honored to interview historical romance author, Kaye Dacus. And, she’s doing a giveaway of a signed book to one lucky commenter so be sure to leave a comment to be entered to win.
First, a little bit of info about Kaye…
Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time English Composition instructor for Bethel University.
Kaye, how did you become a writer?
Even though I started writing when I was twelve or thirteen (writing down the stories I’d been playing out with my Barbies so I’d remember the next day), it wasn’t until I was sixteen or seventeen when I really felt like writing was what I wanted to do with my life. I just didn’t have anyone around me who knew how to direct me. My parents encouraged me, but they weren’t sure how to give me guidance. I had a wonderful Creative Writing teacher in high school and that was when I knew for sure that I wanted to be like him—I wanted to be able to teach others how to do what it was I loved doing so much. But it wasn’t until much later in my life, at the age of thirty when I attended my first writers’ conference, that I truly realized I wanted to pursue publication.
Can you describe a day in the life of Kaye Dacus?
After dragging myself out of the bed between 6:45 and 7:00 a.m. (I’m not a morning person!) to get ready for work, I get to the office around 8:00 a.m. If I don’t have other plans at lunchtime (meeting friends or running errands or other appointments), I will have a sandwich at my desk while trying to get in my 1,000 daily words on my manuscript. At 4:30, when the workday ends, I either stay at the office until I finish my word-count, or I’m off to the gym (and on Tuesdays, it’s off to Panera to write with dear friend Liz Johnson). At home, I’m either grading papers for the composition class I teach or I’m working on something for one or more of my books (editing, proofing, marketing, etc.). At ten o’clock, I’m in the bed, where I spend the next hour or so winding down by catching up on blogs and then reading. Around 11 p.m. is lights-out. Pretty boring stuff.
What is your writing space like?
I can write pretty much anywhere, but mostly it’s in my recliner in the living room with my laptop. My spare bedroom is an office, but I rarely even turn my desktop computer on anymore.
How do you “write in the car” when you’re traveling by yourself?
A few years ago, when I was working freelance and traveling to speaking events, conferences, and appearances several times a month, I discovered that my laptop came with speech recognition software as part of Windows 7. With a microphone headset, I discovered that I could dictate into Word and redeem all of that travel time—and then I wasn’t having to try to furtively and frantically write when I got where I was going. Even though I don’t travel as often now, I do still occasionally use that as a time to get some word-count in so that I don’t feel so guilty about not writing when I get where I’m going.
How many complete manuscripts have you written? Which one do you have the strongest emotional bond with?
Counting the book due to my publisher on June 1, I have written fifteen complete manuscripts—three unpublished and twelve published (or soon to be). If I had to pick one book with which I still have the strongest bond, I’d probably have to go with The Art of Romance. Even though I put so much of myself into all of my characters, there’s just something special about Dylan and Caylor that makes them—and their story—continue on in my imagination long after finishing the book.
Any advice for aspiring novelists?
The best advice I got when I first started getting serious about learning the craft and pursuing publication: Above all else, FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT! You can fix anything but a blank page. The most important thing is to get your entire story down on paper before you start worrying about all of the technical craft things and stressing yourself out about “making it perfect.” Just write.
What’s your biggest time waster/distraction?
Pinterest.
Let’s talk about your latest book, titled Follow the Heart, Book One of the Exhibition series. Can you give readers a one-sentence summary?
An American woman is sent to England to marry wealth, but finds herself torn between the poor man she loves and the viscount who offers the wealth and stability that can save her family.
Ok, that has piqued my interest. Can you give me the back cover blurb?
Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money.
At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America.
Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess.
While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?
Mandates . . . money . . . matrimony. Who will follow the heart?
How long did it take to write Follow the Heart?
I came up with the story idea in August 2010 and wrote up a proposal which my agent started pitching. In January 2011, I wrote three sample chapters at the request of a few publishers. But I didn’t write any more than that until August 2011 when I signed the contract with B&H. I turned the manuscript in the first week of May 2012. So it was almost two years from concept to completion, but about nine months of actual focused writing.
What do you hope will stick with readers when they finish the book?
Women, especially, tend to look at our choices as a series of obligations—we do what we feel we are obligated to do for the sake of our families, not necessarily what we feel our hearts are telling us to do. I believe, and it’s the theme of this book, that we spend too much time worrying about how we can fix/help/support our families (or those around us at work or in friendships) and not enough time listening to and trusting God. When we pray, we tend to tell God what’s wrong and ask him to fix it. But do we ever really take the time to just be still and listen to what God is trying to tell us? And can we really let God take care of those we feel responsible for and let go of that burden of responsibility that may not, in truth, be ours to bear?
Which character in the book was the most fun to write?
Christopher, being lighthearted and easygoing, was the most fun to write. I always found myself in a better mood when I was writing his scenes.
Which character in the book was the hardest to write?
Lord Thynne (pronounced tine, like the tine of a fork) turned out to be the hardest to write—to get his motivations right but also keep him sympathetic, since he comes back in Book 3.
And now, let’s end the interview with a fun question. What are three things in your purse you can’t live without?
My debit card, my Starbucks “gold card,” and my Blistex. I’m sure most women would mention their cell phone, but I don’t keep mine in my purse—I keep it on my person, on my desk, or on my chair-side table at all times to make sure I’m never without it.
Kaye, thank you so much for the interview. Readers, if you’d like to win a signed copy of Follow the Heart leave a comment at the end of this post to be entered in the contest.
I’m at the end stage of the editing process for Along the Way Home…galleys. This means I’m fretting over every single word on every single page, and don’t have a lot of spare time.
Good thing fellow Astraea Press author Wendy Knight has graciously agreed to host my blog. She recently released her debut novel, Feudlings, which has the most spectacular pair of boots on the cover I’ve ever seen!
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was teeny tiny, but I didn’t start seriously chasing that dream until about three years ago. I spent two years writing a story that I loved nearly as much as I love my children (nearly. I said nearly!). And then I spent a year querying. The week I received the contract with Astraea Press, I also received an offer from an agent and two other small publishing companies, but Astraea just felt right.
Fast forward six months, after all the edits and cover options and planning and dreaming. It was the night before my book came out, almost midnight, and I wrote my publisher to ask her if I could post my cover at midnight. She wrote back right away and told me if I gave her just a sec, the book would be live.
I fell off my chair.
It happens to me a lot. I really need to get a chair with arms or a safety belt or something. So it went live right before midnight my time, and despite the fact that so many people should have been sleeping, many of my amazing friends and family were awake and bought it right away, and then posted and shared the link and I thought I was surely in heaven. But even in heaven, one must sleep. So I went to bed, but bounced out of bed the next day and raced to my computer (which is saying a lot. I am NOT a morning person). I had friends who had watched Amazon for me and had already posted the buy links. So many friends, even acquaintances, shared my cover, my links, my status updates…it was incredible the outpouring of support I received. AND there were several people that I had spoken with briefly on Facebook who were so mega-supportive and now they’re some of my best friends. I would be lost without them.
It was a roller coaster, definitely. But my very favorite part of the day, even more than the dream coming true and all that, was how much my friends and family were willing to help me celebrate that dream.
Wendy Knight was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, etcetera, etcetera). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big: her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.
You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion may be. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.
Nothing makes a new school suck worse than discovering the guy you’re in love with is your prophesied nemesis.
Ari is the most powerful flame-throwing sorceress ever, and her people’s last hope in an ancient war. But she’s also a seventeen-year-old girl, and in her free, not-hunting-nemesis times, she jumps from school to school, trying to figure out regular people her own age and pretending she’ll get the chance to graduate.
Shane lives a double life. He goes to school and masters the art of popularity, hiding the fact that he has a fate with a slim chance of his survival. He’s destined to end a 300 year-old war by killing or being killed. He knows he’s hunted by a powerful enemy who’s not afraid to die. Only problem? He has no idea who that enemy is.
When Ari shows up at Shane’s school, angry and sullen and determined to keep him at arm’s reach, neither of them realize they are supposed to be killing each other, not falling in love. Until Ari does realize it, and she almost dies – by Shane’s hand.
“Shane, I’m tougher than I look. I can handle it,” she said, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to know any more about his magic than she already did. It could get him in trouble. But she couldn’t just leave it alone. Part of her wanted to know. Maybe the monster-killer part of her.
She squashed that thought.
Shane stopped, studied her. Under his intense blue gaze her heart started to pound and she thought giddily that her favorite color just happened to be the exact color of his eyes. What were the odds? “I’m serious, Ari. There’s this war going on, and knowing anything about it could get you killed.”
“Killed?” Ari tried to look dubious.
Shane glanced around and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him out the front doors. The air was crisp and cool; Ari could see traces of her breath. If Shane was aware that half the student population was watching them speed-walk into the woods, he didn’t show it, and after a final glance back Ari ignored them too.
When the school was out of sight, she stopped and pulled her hand away. “Okay Shane. Spill,” she commanded. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to look cold. Normals would be cold right now, but because of the flames flowing through their blood, neither she nor Shane could feel it.
Shane sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Where to start? Even the short version is long. We’re sorcerers, and there are two sides to this war… of course, because that’s what makes a war, right?” he rambled. Ari raised an eyebrow at him as she tried to shiver. “I’m a Carules. I have magic that stems from these blue flames that, well, they’re in my blood. Hunter, too. And all other Carules. The other side is Edren, and their magic comes from red flames. Basically, we spend all our time trying to kill each other. It’s a lot of fun,” he said with a bitter frown at the ground.
“So you hide your magic because if an Edren found you…”
“They’d kill me. Or try to, anyway,” Shane finished for her.
Ari flinched at his words, and she knew right then that if she had seen him on that battle field in Adlington, she wouldn’t have been able to kill him. Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth opened into a silent “Oh”, and her heart started to pound. This was a very, very dangerous revelation she’d just made to herself.
Today I welcome fellow Astraea Press author Heather Gray to the blog!
Before we begin, I highly recommend you first CLICK HERE to read her first blog post ever, in which she shares her heartbreaking story about what brought her to writing.
Go.
Now.
And bring tissues.
I’m beyond thrilled to introduce Heather Gray, who is sharing her journey to the publication of her debut novel, Mail Order Man, with us today.
Publisher, Publisher, Wherefore Art Thou Publisher?
I’d wanted to be a writer since I was nine years old, but I allowed the business of life and the fear of rejection prevent me from ever pursuing my dream. I finally found myself at a crossroads with a choice to make – either give up altogether, or live. I chose to live. With a skill that I’d once considered passable but that had long since grown rusty, I began tapping away at my keyboard.
As I worked day after day, I occasionally had downtime. That’s what I call it when I can’t think of what to write next. During that downtime, I looked at publishers, agents and the like. I learned a couple things.
Some publishers take up to three years from the date you sign the contract until your book is actually published. (I had to ask myself if I was patient enough for that. The answer was no.)
There are publishers within the Christian Fiction market that have intense competition. Brutal, even. (I asked myself if I was brave enough for that. My answer? Uh, not yet.)
Other publishers have inspirational labels, but it’s just one of many labels. Those same publishers often generally have labels for adult-only and erotic fiction. (When I asked myself if I wanted to affiliate with a publisher that put out books I would be ashamed to tell others about, the answer was a resounding no.)
Next, I began looking at agents. I came across the same problem. Competition for agents that specialize in the Christian fiction market is crazy, and agents who work cross-genre also represent authors whose back cover blurbs were enough to make me blush from the tips of my toes to the roots of my hair. My comfort level with that? Next to nonexistent. (I try to blush only four times annually.)
I kept writing, still not knowing for sure what was going to happen to my manuscript when I was done with it. I finally finished it, did some revisions, and sent it off to a friend for a trial read through. Then I made some coffee, picked up my tablet, and went to work basking in the relaxation of a good book. That’s when I got a surprise. It wasn’t a Christian Fiction book I’d dumped into my e-reader, but rather a wonderfully affordable book referred to as “sweet romance.” I wasn’t familiar with what that meant, but for the price I’d figured it couldn’t hurt to try. Know what? The book turned out to be good! So I got another from that author, and then another. While one of the books definitely had more “heat” to it than I’d be comfortable writing, it hadn’t crossed a line that made me put it down. Then as I got to the end of the book, I saw on the final page where it said the name of the publisher with the phrase “Pure. Fiction.” My antenna went up. I read about the publisher and went over their website with a fine tooth comb. All the while, this voice inside my head was saying, “This is the one.”
Not everyone is going to look for the same thing in a publisher. That’s okay! We don’t all write the same things or have the same goals. As you do look for a publisher, though, I advise you to keep in mind what kind of “brand” you want to develop for yourself. Avoid a publisher that is going to be contradictory to how you want to be represented. When I selected my publisher, I was still finding my voice and wasn’t entirely sure what future things I would write, but I knew I didn’t want to start my career by publishing with a company that I would be embarrassed to name at a later date. It wasn’t imperative to me that my publisher handle strictly inspirational, but it was important to me that they not publish anything of which I’d be ashamed.
I am delighted to be affiliated with my publisher, Astraea Press. I encourage every writer, regardless of genre, to find a publisher that fits you and of whom you, too, can boast.
I will also tell you that, no matter how many times you read through your manuscript, you will never be completely satisfied. You will always find something that is wrong. Even after my manuscript had been accepted, I would go through the, “I’m out of my ever-loving mind to think I can do this!” phase. On those days, I would take a deep breath, get my cup of coffee, put my feet up and go back to read the acceptance letter from my publisher. After all, if they believed in me enough to be willing to take a chance on me, then by golly, I needed to find a way to believe in myself as well.
One last note, and then I’ll let you go. It was with fear and trepidation that I received my first round of edits on that first manuscript. Then the edits arrived, and I was over the moon. I learned so much from my editors! In addition to the book just published, I now have two additional manuscripts under contract, each one better than the previous. Writing is a journey and a process. I finally accepted the fact that there has to be a first book before there can be a second, third or fourth. My first book isn’t going to be my best book (I intend to get better!), but it will always be the one that launched my career, the one that gave me the confidence to believe “I can do this!”
If you’d like to read Mail Order Man, my debut novel, you can find it at the following places:
Aside from her long-standing love affair with coffee, Heather’s greatest joys in life are her relationship with her Savior, her family, and writing. Years ago, she decided it would be better to laugh than yell. Heather carries that theme over into her writing where she strives to create characters that experience both the highs and lows of life and, through it all, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her.
Thank you again, Christi, for sharing your blog with me – and thank you everyone else for stopping by! I hope everyone has a spectacular day with a little laughter and love thrown in for good measure!
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Thank you, Heather, for sharing your journey to publication with both me, and the readers of this blog.
Readers, I’d love to fill up the comments with questions and encouragement for Heather. What do you say?
Today I’ve invited Kelly Martin to be a guest host on my blog. She’s a fellow author at Astraea Press and is celebrating the release of her novel, Saint Sloan.
A bit about Kelly…
She’s a best-selling author of young adult fiction. She has two books: Grace Award nominee Crossing the Deep and Amazon Best-selling in Teen/Religion Saint Sloan. She has several short stories published and loves to write ‘twitter fiction’ when she’s bored. Kelly loves God, is addicted to chocolate, and would rather write than sleep.
You can find her on twitter (she tweets a lot): @martieKay
I want to thank Christi for having me on her blog today! I’m doing a one day blog tour (‘visiting’ 12 blogs) to tell you all about my new novel, Saint Sloan.
What’s the story about? Well, here’s the short version:
Sloan Bridges wants her 18th birthday to be perfect. Her attacker has other ideas.
Saint Sloan has a cast of characters who all have some sort of past they are trying to get away from, but when Sloan is attacked in her kitchen by someone she knows, all of their past mistakes come back haunt them.
Who attacked Sloan?
Why did they do it?
And how will she move on?
Here’s an excerpt from Saint Sloan—When Sloan Meets Aaron
The car slowed at the four-way stop that connected Brown Hollow Road to Highway 70. Sloan tensed, realizing she really was at Aaron’s mercy. If he turned left, he would end up in Nashville. The road straight ahead led to Harrisburg, a very small town with two red lights and three factories that employed most of the people in the county. If he turned right, he would end up in Chapel Hill, Sloan’s desired destination.
The streetlight above the stop sign illuminated the interior of the car just enough for her to see Aaron. He had dark, wavy, almost curly hair a little on the longer side. The front poofed back, most likely with the help of some extra hold gel. If Sloan remembered correctly, it had been curly when they were kids. Aaron was a grade ahead of her and Ray, so she didn’t see him very much at school. He had on a black leather jacket with a black button-down shirt underneath. His olive skin and brown eyes made him look nothing like his half-brother, Ray, who she remembered had blonde hair and blue eyes.
The guys had the same mother but different fathers. Aaron obviously took after his father since Sloan remembered his mother as having sheet-white, pale skin.
Aaron sat up and tapped his fingers on the wheel, looking first to the right, then to the left. “Hmm… which way to go?” From the playful grin he tried to hide, she knew he was kidding… or hoped he was anyway.
“You’d better turn the way that takes me home,” she played along. “I did tell Mackenzie to call the police if she didn’t hear from me. You’ve got about thirty minutes, buddy.”
“I can do a lot in thirty minutes.” He smirked.
“Yeah, like get me home.” Sloan knew she should be leery of him, but she couldn’t be. For some reason, she had a good feeling about him. She prayed that feeling didn’t lead her down the wrong path.
“Oh, all right,” he sighed overdramatically. His big brown eyes shone in the streetlight. “Can’t have the cops after me again,” he said as he turned right toward Chapel Hill.
“Wait.”
“Something wrong?”
“You said you can’t have the cops after you again. What did you do to have them after you before?”
“Which time?” He clearly enjoyed making her uncomfortable.
“There was more than once?” She had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping. Little Aaron Hunter had changed a lot in nine years.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head. It wasn’t anything horribly bad.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“Who?”
“Serial killers and murderers.”
“If you thought I was a murderer, you never would have gotten in the car with me.”
“I might have if I thought it was a better alternative than going back to that house and dealing with Darcy Perry.”
He laughed at that. “That bad, huh?”
She shrugged and stared at the black nothingness of acres of farmland outside her window.
He took a deep breath. “I’m not a murderer. Never killed anybody. I was wrongly accused, actually.”
“Of what?”
“Of something I didn’t do.”
He smiled and she glared. “Thanks. That helps a lot.”
“Sorry, it’s just a long story.”
“Tease.” She giggled. Then the more she thought about it, the more curious she became about him. “It had to be rough, though. Being accused of something you didn’t do.”
The fields of tall grass and scattered trees gradually became speckled with the lights of houses the closer they got to town. “It happens. Anyway, I’m not that guy anymore.”
“Saw the light, did you?”
“Not in the found Jesus way. But things happened. I turned eighteen a little over a year ago and had to grow up.”
“I’ll be eighteen on December second.” She couldn’t hold in her excitement.
“This Tuesday?”
“Yeah,” she beamed. She had looked forward to this birthday for as long as she could remember. Her mom promised they would go shopping for the car of her dreams. She’d had her license for a while but had to wait two years longer than everyone else she knew for a car. The last few days had seemed like torture.
“Well, let me be the first to wish you a very happy birthday, Sloan Bridges.”
“Why, thank you, Aaron Hunter.” She grinned back.
(End of Excerpt)
Saint Sloan is available from any of the links below:
Hello everyone, it’s Christi again. So what part of the excerpt was your favorite? Any part in particular pique your interest? Let Kelly know in the comments section.
Please check out my post, Weird Stuff Kids Say, over at Moriah Densley’s blog. I reveal all the fun/weird/wowdidyouactuallyjustsaythat things my twins have said lately.
Yesterday, I introduced author Moriah Densley. Moriah has generously agreed to act as the sole judge for the “What’s Going on Here?!” Contest!
Contest details…
Leave a caption for the following picture of Moriah’s ADORABLE children in the comments section of this post.
Contest deadline is 11:59pm PDT on August 24, 2012.
Humor is appreciated, but not required. (Let’s keep it clean though)
Winners will be announced when Moriah is done judging
Prizes are amazing, and as follows…
Grand Prize Winner will receive a critique from Moriah of their first 15 pages of their novel, AND and a copy of her e-book, Song for Sophia, AND, a package of writing goodies (chosen by me and I always include great stuff!)
First Runner Up will receive a critique from Moriah of their first 10 pages of their novel, AND a copy of her e-book, Song for Sophia.
Second Runner Up will receive book one of Reid Lance Rosenthal’s Threads West, An American Saga, series…Threads West. (I had a leftover book from Reid’s contest)
The Soapster Award! If you read yesterday’s interview with Moriah you’ll know that she bribes her children in order to get time to write. This award goes to first person who figures out what happens when you microwave a bar of soap. (Prize is a copy of Moriah’s e-book, Song for Sophia)
Tomorrow the “Best First” Contest opens for entries! I’ve rounded up great prizes which include books, a gift package especially designed for writers, and best of all, a critique!
Today I’m thrilled to introduce award-winning author Reid Lance Rosenthal, who has generously agreed to judge tomorrow’s contest.
*This bio taken directly from his bio page of the book, Threads West *
Reid is fourth generation land and cattle. His cowboy heart and poet’s pen captures the spirit of the western landscape and its influence on generations of its settlers. His long-standing devotion to wild and remote places and to the people—both past and present—who leave their legend and footprint upon America and the American West is the inspiration and descriptive underpinning of all of his writing.
And now, a little bit more information about his award-winning series of books (again, this description was taken from his bio page).
Passion fuels each thrilling romance-packed novel in this widely-acclaimed series and epic of the historical and contemporary American west. Reid’s debut novel and the first book of the six-part saga has been compared to McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove” by reviewers and readers alike. Each ensuing book further unfolds the riveting, sensual, adventure-filled tale of a country on the cusp of greatness, personalities from uncommon origins and lives weaved into generational tapestries of lust, duplicity, enmity, love, and triumph.
I’ve had the great pleasure of reading book one of his series, Threads West, and am nearly halfway through book two, Maps of Fate. His writing is rich with detail, history, and above all, he does a masterful job of portraying the underlying urge of his of his characters to not only survive, but to succeed, in the great American west.
Here’s the cover of his debut novel, Threads West, the first in the Threads West, An American Saga series.
Here’s the book trailer for Threads West
And here’s the cover of the next book in the Threads West,An American Saga series, Maps of Fate.
Here’s the book trailer for Maps of Fate
Now, without further ado, here’s Reid! *********************************************************************
Great to be on here with you and your readers, Christi! Thanks for the invite!
1. What led you to pursue writing as a career? And, what steps do you take to research such a sweeping historical saga?
I am writing the Threads West An American Saga series not only because I want to keep a promise a nine-year-old made to himself many years ago, but because this series is “our” story. It is the ongoing story of “us”. I hope that it provides a reminder of the magical history of America and–through the historical facts that I detail through the eyes of fictional characters–a touchstone that we can reach back to in these troubled times, and perhaps use as a guidepost in future decisions.
I am concerned about the future of America. The disintegration of the values of the old West and of our revolutionary forefathers distresses me. These seem to be traits that are slipping away, replaced by entitlement mentality, dependency on the red herrings of government rather than the tried-and-true traits of self-reliance, individualism, family and community.
The Threads West series begins in 1855. It is the tale of disparate threads of lives, from many locations around the globe, of different social origins, ethnicity, culture and creed, that weave together as friends, enemies and lovers into the tapestry of an emerging nation: a country on the cusp of greatness, offering opportunity and freedom. The story arcs over one hundred seventy years and five generations.
The last book of the series will be set in the real-time of the contemporary West. The final book will portray America and the West in vivid current reality – couched in romance and adventure. Threads West, An American Saga is, in essence, a fictional anthology of true life history. If the series evokes folks’ emotions, inspires passions, and delights readers with its story arc, that’s great! But, if it by chance re-acquaints readers with the basic principles that are the foundation of this fantastic experiment called the United States of America, then I truly will be well satisfied.
My pen is also driven by my love of land, a genealogy that goes back almost two-hundred years in land and cattle—including a goodly portion of that time by my ancestors in Europe. Perhaps I am inspired by the cowboy hat, the special feel and touch of a woman you care for, or the smell of horse leather and sweat. I love America and the West. I am enamored with romance, history, fiction, and all things western. They epitomize universal energies. So it makes sense that I love Historical Western Romance as a genre: the power of the land, the all-encompassing flow of steamy passion, heartfelt romance, and the intrigue of differing personalities, all laced with the American spirit.
I had important help from several researchers on details of dress, circumstances and some great historical tidbits and gave them credit in Book One, Threads West. But I wanted to learn what was entailed. Though I thought I was familiar with this magical moment in American history, I was mistaken. 1855 may be one of the single most difficult years of which straighten history of this country and the West that I’ve experienced. The great westward migration was in its infancy. The later turmoil between the northern and southern states–part of the Maps of Fate era novels of the series (Books 2, 3, and 4)–has begun to darken the whispered rhetoric of both sides. Native Americans had rightfully lost trust in the promises of the white man, the broken treaties of the years prior, and indeed the breach of compact between the states just within the previous 12 to 24 months were stirring the winds of war. 1855 was just several prior to the discovery of gold in Colorado, the real precipitator of the tidal wave of westward migration that began 1858.
The Singer sewing machine had just been invented, revolvers were only a few years old, and the repeating rifle was still just a few years out. It was this point in time that the world – and America– breathed in, held their collective breath, and readied to exhale with a rush toward the Great Plains and the Rockies.
It was a time of both promise and fear, and the beginnings of the second great European immigration, a critical timeframe just prior to the switch of reels in the living movie of American history, reel one, the East. Reel two, the West.
My research sources are many and varied. They include print, web, nonfiction and memoir historical works of the specific time, interviews, and many times travel to specific geographic locations which my wandering feet have for some reason not yet visited. History can be general or detailed. I have found that in the nuggets of details oftentimes lies the best of the story. I’m extremely proud of the eight national awards the series earned in the last year, including four in Romance, one in Western, and – perhaps the one I’m most proud of – a Best in Historical Fiction from the Independent Book Publishers Association. It was a surprising pat on the back for the hours upon countless hours invested in research.
Combine these forces of land and love (or lust), mix in detailed historical fact, the West, the American spirit, and the interplay of strong, conflicted male and female impassioned personalities, and we have historical western romances! It is not an oft written genre, and I am the only rancher/cowboy writing heated tales of the multi-cultural West.
2. You’ve written several books. Can you tell us, does it get easier or do you still have the same anxieties with the latest book that you had with the first? What are you working on now?
When I began writing Book Two I was startled to realize that Book One, the foundation for the hundred and seventy your story arc encompassed only four months. Actually, startled is not the right word. Shocked is more apt. And I found, to my amazement, in writing Maps of Fate, the second book, that the first hundred and eighty pages literally only covered only three weeks of my originally intended twenty year segment in the overall storyline of the saga. Indeed I ended Book Two earlier than my original outline. My terrific publishers and distributors urged me to expand the series to at least sixteen novels. Being a masochist—I agreed! There is no anxiety—other than deadlines. There is, however, an awareness that each book sets the bar ever higher for the next.
You could say the genres of romance, historical fiction, and Western chose me, and I chose them. A mutual love affair, no pun intended. I am intrigued by universal energies. The power of the land, the all-encompassing flow and energy of steamy passion and heart-felt romance, and the unique spirit of America, her people, her concept, and their evolution through the relatively short-term of American History.
3. Are you a Plotter or Pantster?
Idon’t write detailed outlines. I am convinced, after many discussions, that book organization is unique to every author. My “outline” is one page and consists only of the chapter titles. I merely hunker down on the stage of the setting, and listen to the characters as they tell me their stories. I am the simple scribe.
4. What advice do you have for writers trying to break into the business?
I am laughing. Write!
Pick an area in your house that is “the writing sanctuary.” My preferred writing atmosphere is pacing around the kitchen and living room of the old ranch house, digital recorder in one hand, coffee in the other. A close second is the cozy interior cab of a one ton Ford as it screams down the highway from ranch to ranch, many of those trip durations of 8 to 10 hours. I would estimate that at least half of Threads West was dictated driving at 90 mph — and if any state trooper is reading this, I meant 75! Many times I’ve missed the next exit or turn, so engrossed have I become in the story the characters are telling me. On a few occasions my startled glance in the review mirror has revealed the winking lights of a patrol car. Generally the officer has asked me why I didn’t pull over for the last thirty miles. The looks I get when I explain I am writing a book are priceless.
Third—devote time to your writing. Easy to say—hard to do! I am both a night owl and an early bird—that helps! Sleep is nothing more than a necessary evil. I would prefer to be catching winks three days at a time followed by six weeks without any rest. The majority of my writing is usually done from about 10 o’clock at night to 3 o’clock in the morning. Secondary productive timeframe would be six or so in the morning to perhaps ten a.m. Then the reality of daily life, business and the ranches takes over. Once in a while I’ve stepped through that time portal I described, and I’m reluctant to remove myself. On those occasions I can go three or four days without any sleep whatsoever.
Last, use technology! All my writing is done via dictation. I am chuckling. Truth be known, I dictate because I can’t type. Actually I can type about 80 words per minute. Unfortunately, that includes 20 typos (at least) per line. I am also not a big fan of spell check. It is the big paw, little keyboard syndrome. Also, I spend so much time traveling between ranches, or in locations without power that recording thoughts for later use became a necessity in my teens. The prehistoric full-size cassette recorders of the 70s were quite something. Good ones were the size of small briefcase. Then along came the micro-cassette recorders. If I was in heaven then, the current digital technology is pure nirvana.
5. Was it easy for you to find a publisher?
Ah, the world of Publishers! From what these relatively new author eyes see, it is in a state of flux—rapid change—unparalleled opportunity.
I was approached early on by two large publishers all via contacts at conferences. I was gratified to get the interest, but not thrilled with the deal structure.
The end result, as the books have gained momentum, is a joint-venture affiliation between one small, one medium and one huge publisher/distributor out of Wyoming, Texas and New York City, respectively. Each does what they do best—print, e-book, graphics, editing, “reach and penetration.” Texas handles the award-winning covers, interior layout, and epub loading. All in all a better deal for the direct author team. I believe hybrid deals of this nature involving several publishers with different “muscle” might well be the future. Time tells all tales!
6. Twitter, Facebook, Blogging—valuable networking tools or an unbelievable time suck?
All play a role. All take time. It is the cumulative effect. Facebook is probably best and least time-consuming if you are without help.
7. What are your thoughts on the recent rise in authors, both established and new, going the self-publishing route?
More power to them! It’s that American entrepreneurial spirit! A great thing that will, of course, have significant effect on both the author and publisher sides of the industry.
8. Tell us about the series.
The Threads West series begins in 1855. It is the tale of strong men and independent women—complex, conflicted personalities from Europe and America—the threads of their disparate lives destined to converge, drawn by the currents of fate to the remote, lawless flanks of the spine of the continent—the Rocky Mountains.
The last book of the series will be set in the real-time, contemporary West. That is a one hundred and seventy year story arc has been organized into eras—each with three to four novels—but all part of the series. The full description of the six eras and sixteen novels can be found at our website www.threadswestseries.com.
I’m astounded by the success of the series. Like Book One when it launched, Book Two, released April 17, 2012, was an immediate #1 best seller in Western, Romance, Historical Fiction, Family Saga, Historical Romance, Women of the West and seven other related genres. Book Two continues the tale of the Book One men and women, and new characters catapult into the story. The novel begins the examination of slavery, from the viewpoint of an older slave couple setting their life sails for freedom. So, too, does Maps of Fate commence the tale–from the intensely personal perspective of an Oglala Sioux family–of the sad, dark blotch on the pages of American History which is the treatment of the Indians.
Maps of Fate follows the evolving life threads, passions, loves, disappointments, tragedies, romances, and in some cases the pathos filled, lethal experience of the characters which the readers of Book One seem to thoroughly enjoy. Their passions, interactions, conflicts and decisions hurtle through American history towards the cloth of their destinies and still subsequent generations of the series. Book Three, Uncompaghre—where water turns rock red, will release in November 2012.
My first narrative non-fiction work, Volume I of the three-volume Land for Love and Money series releases June 26th, everywhere. It is written for owners and wannabe owners of land—any type, size or location. It will be controversial. These are eye-opening secrets of land and real estate sales, acquisitions, management, tax and government that banks and attorneys don’t share, told in the form of sometimes humorous, sometimes serious true stories based on my extensive forty-year land related career (there’s that land thing again!).
I hope Maps of Fate, and the overall series makes readers laugh, smile, cry, and think. I hope it stirs their love of country, sense of self, stimulates the romance and passion centers of their brains and bodies, and makes hearts beat faster with adventure, action and intrigue.
9. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
To write at the speed of light? (Big smile). Super strength.
10. If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do?
Be a ranching, writing cowboy fool!
11. If you could have one current writer write your biography, who would you pick?
Now—that’s a scary question! (The cowboy grins). My mom—maybe!
Thanks much for this opportunity, Christi! It was fun. I hope it was enjoyable and informative for your visitors.
Now that you’ve met the judge for tomorrow’s contest, get those first lines of your novels ready!
The “Best First” Contest will consist of writers entering the first line of their novel. The winner receives (among other great prizes) a critique from Reid Rosenthal himself, so make sure your first sentence grabs the reader’s attention and leaves them wanting to read more. In other words, craft that hook!
Start polishing those words now because the contest opens for entries Wednesday, June 13th at 1:00 am PDT. Deadline for entries will be 11:59 pm PDT on June 22nd.
I am pleased to announce historical fiction author Haley Whitehall has agreed to guest host my blog today, and share details about the process she went through to self-publish her debut novel, Living Half Free.
Without further ado, here’s Haley…
Haley Whitehall
A Rebel’s Journey to Publication
I consider myself a rebel when it comes to my writing. I write out of the box stories that do not fit nicely within one sub genre of historical fiction. Even beyond the grave Mark Twain has been my writing mentor. It was through reading his books that I learned how to write dialect and description. I learned the importance of character quirks, and that I prefer character driven stories to non-stop action plots. Yes, I realize Mark Twain wrote over a hundred years ago.
I’m a rebel. I have always believed that being different was a good thing. It separated me from the crowd. But would an agent or publisher agree?
I take my writing seriously. Even before releasing my debut novel I considered myself a professional writer. After spending five years learning the craft of writing and editing my first novel, I began going down the traditional route. I pitched my novel at conferences and queried agents. I got requests for my manuscript, but no offers for representation.
Turning Point: Traditional or Indie?
After pitching my novel at one writing conference, the agent said that she liked the idea (wanted to read it too), but I would have to rewrite large chunks of my novel to fit into the mainstream market. Her comment made me wonder: do I really want to bend my creativity to be in the mainstream market?
No, I decided. The publishing industry is constantly changing and self-publishing is becoming a more viable option for many authors. After some formatting, it was simple to upload my manuscript to be sold as an ebook through Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Print On Demand services like CreateSpace, Lightning Source, and Lulu are also available for a hard copy edition. I plan to get around to that in the near future. I didn’t want to give up control of my novel and career to others. I wanted to be in the driver’s seat.
Editing
Deciding to go indie was the first step on my journey to publication. I now had to put on my publisher’s hat. I had to find a professional editor to comb through my final draft. I learned that was not an easy task. Some editors just fix grammar and punctuation errors. Some editors look for story and content issues. Then after editing, another set of eyes was necessary to proofread the final manuscript. On my first trip down this road it took three editors and a proofreader before I was satisfied. Jeopardizing quality to save a few dollars is not a good idea. Oh, did I tell you that self-publishing takes a good chunk of money?
Cover Design
Another thing I had to buy was a cover. I contacted numerous graphic artists and presented them with my concept of my protagonist Zachariah, a mulatto slave. They all responded that there were no stock images available that could create the picture I was seeking. It was suggested that I pick a different concept. I did not want to do that. Are you seeing a trend here? One graphic artist was kind enough to suggest that I hire models, have them dress in historical costume, and take their picture, or hire an artist to create my cover. I went the artist route.
The rebel in me is very satisfied with my cover. It brought my vision to life and it fits the feel of my writing. While it isn’t as eye-catching as computer generated graphics, it does make my novel stand out. Just scroll down a page of books on Amazon. I have a very unique cover. Unique like me.
Formats Available
My novel is not available in paperback yet. Ebook formatting is different from formatting for print. I am slowly working on reformatting my manuscript as time allows. Many small publishers only create a paperback version of their books if they sell a certain number of copies usually anywhere from 500 to 1,000. In this digital age, the ebook is equivalent to a hardback. The ebook is often released first before the paperback. I hope to have my paperback version available by the end of March 2012.
To Conclude
You’re probably wondering what a rebel historical fiction author would write. All my novels are set in the 19th century United States. Here is a teaser from my debut LIVING HALF FREE.
When Zachariah, a naïve mulatto slave, is sold to aKentuckyslave trader, and separated from his ma and sister, he realizes the true meaning of not having rights. Seeking escape, he falls in love with a Cherokee woman, under whose direction he learns to pass as white. But, he must find his voice, and the courage to stand up for his beliefs or else lose everyone he loves forever.
Bio:
HALEY WHITEHALL has a B.A in history and has been studying the Civil War era since the 5th grade. She likes to write out of the box stories that feature an underdog. LIVING HALF FREE is her debut novel. Released February 29, the ebook can be found at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. Find out more about Haley through her website or connect with her on Twitter @HaleyWhitehall or Facebook.
Haley has generously agreed to give away a copy of her novel to the first person to correctly answer the following question! (Leave your answer in the comments section of this post)
What is the title of the first flash fiction story Haley wrote?
Also, leave any questions about self-publishing in the comments section of this post. Haley will drop in and answer them throughout the week.
“That’s essentially a perfect query letter. And in fact…Dan Krokos wrote that and I signed him as a client about twenty-five seconds after I read the novel.”
Yeah, that made us writers still licking the condensation from the outside of the writing pool just to keep our parched dreams alive sit up and take notice.
I’m 25, living in a suburb of Cleveland(for now), and writing full time. Before that, I worked at a gas station for NINE YEARS. I went to school part time, toying with Law Enforcement, then English. During that time, I plowed through many manuscripts and read agent blogs feverishly and ruined several relationships. Once my book sold, I quit the gas station, and decided school was for losers. I’m hoping that decision doesn’t bite me in the ass one day, but chasing my dream isn’t a bad way to live.
What is one piece of advice you have for writers trying to break into the business?
Put writing first.
I wrote casually for six months, then went for a two week stretch where I didn’t write anything. It was scary. I asked myself if this was what I really wanted to do, all the way, no looking back. It was. So I put writing first. I worked 54 hours a week and went to school part time, but I put myself on the pace to write three manuscripts a year. I was getting better with each one—I could see it—so I thought eventually I HAD to become publishable.
I skipped many social engagements in my early twenties. I skipped seeing my family. I alienated people. Because I had to succeed. Having a terrible job helped. But really, swallow all that self-doubt and just sit down and write something. It’s going to suck. Put it in a drawer. Don’t become attached to stuff. Keep moving forward. If your momentum is high you can outrun that doubt.
Wow, this is turning into like seventeen pieces of advice.
But I guess the main idea is, Put writing first.
Twitter—a valuable networking tool or an unbelievable time suck?
Time suck. Here’s another piece of advice. Shut your mouth. Stop talking about writing and write. You don’t need to network. If you get an agent and maybe want to make some author friends on twitter, fine. Otherwise shut up about writing and write. Read agent blogs, not authors’ shitty, self-absorbed timelines. Unless you don’t have a job, time management is key, and every free moment should be spent learning your craft. I sometimes wish I never got on twitter, even though I’ve met some great real life friends there.
What are your thoughts on the recent rise in authors, both established and new, going the self-publishing route?
I don’t like it. We need gatekeepers. We need agents and editors to make us shine. Here’s a cool thing: without my agent and editor, I would not be publishable. Unless someone reads my stuff and gives me notes, it’s just a first draft, or a second draft, or a third. It’s not final. There will always be problems I can’t see on my own, especially the closer I am to the manuscript. And I’m not the only one. Some writers turn in real train wrecks and expect everyone to make it better.
The point is, unless these self-published works are going through the same hurdles as published works, I don’t want to have anything to do with them. I like knowing that when I pick up a book, the author didn’t just have their mom proofread it before slapping it up on Amazon. If your book doesn’t snag an agent, write another one. It’ll be better, anyway.
What was your absolute last thought before you pushed “send” on your query letter for Query Shark?
Probably a combination of “I got this” and “Oh, shit.” I knew it would be okay because I spent months on it, while writing the first draft. I spent time reading agent blogs and knew what to do, and what not to do. And I tweaked each sentence and reordered things until I didn’t even want to look at it anymore. If you aren’t reading about queries when you’re not writing, you’re hamstringing yourself. Study it. It’s just a few paragraphs.
What was your absolute first thought when you heard you’d “won” over at Query Shark?
Maybe I’m good enough to do this after all. And at the very least, a professional in the industry has given me a nod of approval.
What do you visualize yourself doing one second after you hold your ARC for the first time?
Maybe rubbing it all over my face. Probably taking it around town to show my friends and family that, yes, this is really happening.
Who gets the first copy of your debut novel?
Me.
Is your agent, Janet Reid, every bit as amazing as she comes across on her blog?
And more. Some writers need their agent to hold their hand, to tell them everything will be okay. To sugarcoat things. Janet doesn’t feed me BS, and she doesn’t take any from me. But she also knows when to give a confidence boost.
Not to mention her line edits make my sentences sing. She cut two thousand superfluous words from my latest novel without batting an eye or spilling her scotch.
Tell us more about your upcoming novel* so we’ll know what we’re buying when we all converge on Amazon the day pre-orders become available.
(*False Memory, the first in a trilogy, coming from Disney•Hyperion in 2012.)
It’s about a girl who loses all her memories, and has to rediscover her old life and the people in it. Turns out she’s a weapon of mass destruction, along with her friends, intended to be sold as ready-made super soldiers to foreign nations. The more she discovers about herself, the better armed she is to fight back against the people who created her. It is safe to say there will be some false memories.
Think of Jason Bourne, with teens, and a few heavy splashes of futurism. Most of all, it’s a thriller.
Writers Everywhere Want to Know…
If you could occupy the world described in a novel, which would you choose?
This is insanely difficult and hinges on too many conditions. If I was just going to be ME, I’d say (and this counts, because there are a ton of novels in this universe) Buffy. I’d want to fight evil with the gang. But instead of being a dumbass like Xander, I’d actually train so I wasn’t getting beat down all the time.
Now if I could be like the characters in a world, that changes things. Being a wizard in Harry Potter sounds fun.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Flight. I think it’s best to fight crime with. Super strength and invincibility could still lead to my containment. Super speed would be good, but who doesn’t want to fly?
If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do?
Something with tigers. I love tigers. Real hard.
If you could have one current writer write your biography, who would you pick?
Josh Bazell, just because he’s my favorite, and maybe he’d interview me and we could hang out and be best buds. Or Charlie Huston for all the same reasons.
And now, to the eternal question. The one everyone wants to know…
Plotter or Pantster?
Both. I don’t sit down with NO IDEA of what happens next. I outline maybe 10-30, sometimes 50 pages in advance. It’s really just basic stuff like “Miranda goes here, does this.” Maybe a snippet of dialogue. Writing that down gives me a few days to work out any kinks, and it allows me to sit down and be productive. I think that’s called the headlight method. It works. Try it.
There’s nothing worse (besides rabies, maybe) than sitting down and not knowing where to go. Because when that happens, I check twitter. Or io9.com, or funny cat pictures. Or do anything but write.
Keeping the outline sparse means I can still experience that wonderful discovery only writers can have. When you’re in the middle of a scene and genius strikes. And I don’t even always follow the outline. I’ve found the more I write, the easier it is to let go. The outline is a safety net. If I remind myself to stay loose, I have a lot more fun.
It also helps to have a vague idea of the ending, just so you know what you’re building towards. Right now I’m “plotting” the third False Memory book. I know how it ends, and how it begins, and once I have a few more ideas on the middle, I’ll sit down and start drafting.
Jillian has generously agreed to offer GREAT PRIZES to the first and second place winners! She’ll critique the first page of the winner’s manuscript, and the second place winner gets a signed copy of her debut novel.
Christi has been kind enough to invite me here so I want to answer as many questions for you as I can. So ask away. Nothing is off limits, but I may choose not to answer it if I think it’s something that I shouldn’t put out there for the whole world to read.
There was a combination of things that occurred in my life that led to the love of historical romance. I discovered the poem, “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes at a young age. You can read it if you are not familiar with it on my website at www.jilliankent.com It’s in the public domain.
I went to England the first semester of my senior year of college. Loved all of Great Britain. I lived and studied with other students from Bethany College where I went to school.
I read historical romance novels in my twenties and said, “I could do that.”
I am a research addict. I struggle a lot to stop researching and keep writing. Now that I don’t have the freedom to write at a slow pace (I’m really slow), I have to let some of the research go and just write. When I get to something I don’t know I leave spaces and notes to myself in a different font or color. I’m still trying to find the balance.
The way to publication has not been easy. I decided to begin studying the craft when my first child was born and that was twenty-one years ago. You must reach deep inside yourself and find out what it is you want related to writing. WHAT DO YOU WANT? Do you want money, fame, a life-long career? This is a question only you can answer. I have to tell you that once you get published it’s a very busy time. You’ll have twice as much to do as you think you will.
If you have any questions for Jillian simply leave them in the comments section of this post. I know for a fact she’s generous and kind with writing information, so please, ask away!
Now, on to the “Worst First” contest!
Entrants shall create, on purpose, the worst opening line to a novel.
One sentence (fifty word limit).
The use of commas, semi-colons, ellipsis, and/or hyphens is highly encouraged.
All genres accepted.
Let’s keep it clean. No sex, extreme violence, or cursing.
Enter your sentence in the comments section of this post.
Entry deadline is Saturday at 11:59pm (Pacific Standard Time)
Winner will be announced when Jillian completes judging.
Historical Romance author with Astraea Press. (My debut novel, Along the Way Home, will be available June 11th, 2013)
Addicted to coffee, hanging with my characters late at night, and the Oxford Comma.
I post twice a week; Tuesdays are (mostly) about writing and on Fridays I feature quotes about writing. I LOVE comments and always reply. Let's get a discussion going!!
Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time English Composition instructor for Bethel University.
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