Writers Must Be Readers

I've been an avid reader since second grade, and most writers love to read. We have a passion for the written word and for stories, and we write from that love and passion. The writers who come into the market in order to get rich or a similar reason usually quit after the first book. I used to teach school, and recently a reader said to me. "I know you're making much more writing than you did teaching." I laughed. With a master's degree and several years experience, I made much more teaching. Besides, all my profits go a scholarship fund for missionary children anyway.

I've published six books in a year and a half, but I still manage to read over 200 books a year. One year in high school, I read nearly 400 books, including classics like War and Peace. It's what I do for entertainment and to relax. I read in many different genres, but my choices reflect what I write. I only read Christian books, unless I know the author well. In order of preference I tend to read historical, contemporary, mystery or suspense, time travel (if done well), and a little historical fantasy. I like for the books to have at least some romance. I think love is one of the greatest gifts we are given, and, after all, God is love. Besides these fiction categories, I also have a non-fiction Christian book and a devotional going. So at any time, I'm reading at least three books.

A fan recently asked me, if I read so much, how did I keep from copying something from someone else into my writing. First of all, I never have to go looking for stories to tell. They find me, and I usually have at least four rolling around in my mind at any one time. The challenge is to find the time to write them all. I'll probably go to my grave with stories yet to be written, even though I've been writing them faster than we can publish them. Secondly, I can only write my stories. I read to enjoy someone else's, but those are not ones I could write or would want to. 

The advice usually given to beginning writers is really true. If you want to write, read in that genre, read, and then read some more. As you learn the craft, you'll notice what techniques work and what doesn't. With winter's confining weather soon here, it's a great time to snuggle up with a good book, but I think anytime is a great time to read.

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The Kron House

Walking up to the isolated house sitting on a gentle knoll in Morrow Mountain State Park, North Carolina, I felt as if I were truly stepping back in time. Dr. Francis Kron bought the house from William McGregor, a Scottish preacher, in 1839, after immigrating from Prussia. He expanded the small farm into a tract of over 6,000 acres.

Dr. Kron became a noted doctor, horticulturist, and strong supporter of education. His home, doctor's office, infirmary, and greenhouse have been reconstructed as they would have appeared in 1870 and are open to the public. His wife died in 1873, but he lived until 1883, practicing medicine until he was in his 80's. After his death, his two daughters, Elizabeth and Adele inherited the property.

Dr. Kron appears briefly in Transplanted to Red Clay when the Moretzes and Patrick Whitley travel to Morrow Mountain for a picnic. Here are two excepts from the book:

            “Dr. Kron is an interesting man,” Patrick told them as they traveled. “He was born in Prussia, married in France, and immigrated to America in 1823. He was the first doctor in this area, but he’s also a noted horticulturist and is interested in education. He has his home, doctor’s office, infirmary, and a greenhouse on the mountain. I’d guess he’s in his late seventies now.”

            “Does he have children?” Mama asked.

            “I think he has two daughters who never married. I believe they went to school in Raleigh, but that’s all I know about them. I’ve never met them.”

            Several miles out of Albemarle, they began to climb. They slowed and let the horses take the incline at their own pace. After a while they came to Dr. Kron’s house.

            Rachel and Mama stayed mounted, while Patrick and Papa went to the door. Dr. Kron gave them permission to ride around the mountain and invited them in for a visit, but they declined.

            “Well, at least go around the back and give the horses a drink,” the doctor said. “You can fill up your canteens too.”

            They did but soon continued on. Rachel looked up and the sun appeared to be directly overhead. It would soon be time to eat.

            The views were beautiful as they rode. The mountain wasn’t as high or as rugged as the ones in Watauga County, but it was heavily wooded with outcroppings of rock, and it gave a panoramic view of the valley below.

            They stopped at a small green meadow to have their picnic. A deer quickly loped back into the forest as they dismounted.

(All my profits from my books go to a scholarship fund for missionary children. Dr. Kron would have approved.)

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Let God Write Your Story

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3).

Like me, you may often struggle with knowing God's will and wish He'd just clearly show what to do and what He wants. But he wants us to trust Him through faith. That's what Abraham and other fathers of our faith did in the Bible. And God tends to guide us step by step without showing us the whole picture. It's how we learn to rely on Him.

Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter (Revelations 1:19).


Many of you may know that I'm a Christian writer. Maybe that's why Bo Stern's paragraph in Beautiful Battlefields spoke to me so clearly. I buy the book and give it to people going through struggles, especially serious health problems. Look at what she wrote:

God who knows the whole story can be trusted with all the days that fill its pages, but it's always tempting to pick up the pen ourselves. When it seems like the plotline is spinning out of control or when the hero is taking too long to arrive on the scene, I want to take over. I want to make my own happy ending, or at least take a sneak peek at the post-battle pages so that I know everything will turn out okay if I trust Him with my life. I'm finding, though, that He is a page-by-page, line-by-line God. He shows up in every word, in every syllable, and he proves Himself trustworthy every time. And in the process of watching the story unfold, I am drawn closer to His presence and more fully dependent on His provision (kindle location 400-415).

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10b).

We can depend on God to write our story in the best possible way once we surrender totally to Him. I want Him to be the author of my life and not coauthor with me or the editor who cleans up my messes once the manuscript is written. That's what He wants too, and that's life at its fullest, the way it's meant to be.

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Writing Dialect

Writing dialect can be a difficult task, but most long-term writers find they need to tackle it at some point, especially historical authors. Dialect immediately makes characters seem authentic, helps elaborate details about their background, and adds flavor to their story. It's a part of creating distinct voices for characters. However, written dialects can also be a distraction, frustrate the reader, and bog the story down. Therefore, they need to be done well. 

With all the risks involved, some authors hesitate to write in dialects at all. One author spoke of being terrified of using dialects, because there're so easy to get wrong. She knows that writing it incorrectly can be worse than not using it at all. I recently read a western novel that not only overused a cowboy dialect, but often used the wrong words and hurt the novels authenticity and made it less believable. Yet, if they are done well, dialects can illuminate a story and make them special. And, in certain cases, the story won't be nearly as believable if you don't use them, for example a historical story set in the South in the 1800's that includes slaves talking.

All four of the books in my Appalachian Roots series use dialects. Here are some tips for doing them well:

• Be subtle. Use distinctive words now and then without respelling most of the dialogue, which can be a nuisance to read. This is especially good for major characters who appear in the book often.
  
• If you need to use heavy dialect for authenticity, do so only in minor characters, so the reader won't need to wade through too much of it. I did this in Cleared for Planting. I allowed very minor characters that rarely appeared to use a heavy Appalachian Mountain dialect, because I wanted the reader to get a real taste of how it sounded. However, the more a character appeared in the novel, the less a dialect they used, and a word here and there was sufficient.
  
• Another thing that helped me in this series is that I grew up in Appalachian culture and knew the dialect well. Don't tackle a dialect you are unfamiliar with without help. Research is good, but get someone who knows to read your text also.

For the slave dialect, I relied on the Black dialect I knew from years of teaching in the South. Still, I got a reader to make sure I had it right. And again, I didn't have major characters that appeared

often use heavy dialects. In Sown in Dark Soil, Patsy had been taught to use better English than most, because her uneducated speech had irritated Ivy, her mistress. In Uprooted by War, Moses had had his tongue cut out by a cruel master and had secretly learned to write a little, but he couldn't talk. In Transplanted to Red Clay, only very minor characters spoke in the dialect of newly freed slaves.

Although writing in dialect can be hard, it can also be fun and rewarding. Don't put it in unless needed, but do include it when it makes your writing stronger. Readers deserve to have the best story possible.

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World "Hello" Day

November 21 is National and World "Hello" Day. The special day was designed to encourage harmony among people of the world in the hopes of promoting peace. Dr. Brian McCormack, a graduate of Arizona State University, and Michael McCormack from Harvard have joined to spread the word about this global event. At least 180 countries are involved.

Each participant is asked to say "hello" to at least ten new people on the day. Wouldn't it be interesting to know how to say hello in ten different languages? Here's a list you can choose from:

French - Bonjour
Spanish - Hola
German - Hallo 
Italian - Ciao
Hindi (India) - Namaste
Russian - Zdrastvuyte
Hebrew - Shalem Aleychem
Yiddish - Sholom
Arabic - Ahalan
Cantonese (China) - Nei Ho
Mandarin (China) - Ni Hao
Armenian - Parev
Danish - Goddag
Finnish - Hei
Greek - Gia'sou
Native Hawaiian - Aloha
Hungary - Jonapot
Indonesian - Halo
Gaelic Irish - Dia dhuit
Traditional Welsh - Hylo; Sut Mae
Japanese - Kon-nichiwa
Korean - An-nyong Ha-se-yo
Polish - Dzien'dobry
Portuguese - Ola
Romanian - Buna Ziua
Swedish - Hej
Swahili - Jambo or Hujambo
Zulu - Sawubona
Turkey - Merhaba or Selam
Ukrainian - Vitayu
Vietnamese - Xin Chao

Whatever language you use, let's say hello to at least ten people today and continue the habit to make a friendlier world.

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An Afterthought or Two

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities (Jude 8).

The election is over, and many Americans have had time to calm down and reflect, or at least they should have. I haven't heard one person that liked this election. Despite which candidate you voted for, however, it's time to move ahead with a positive attitude. This is especially true for Christians. The Bible tells us that God appoints the rulers, and he has His reasons.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whoever therefire resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God (Romans 13:1 - 2a).

The Bible also tells us that we are to submit to the leaders as long as it doesn't go against what God wants and involve a moral issue. Read what one of my former students wrote:

My thoughts on this election...if we (myself included) would spend more time on our knees in prayer for out newly elected leader (no matter who they are) and less time bickering, gloating, or complaining, imagine how God could use the person in office. You see God will use the most "unpredictable/ unqualified" people to fulfill His will. My Bible shows me this time and time again. I don't have all the answers but what I do know is if we're willing He'll use us. We might not understand it now, but I'll take God's will over mine any day. Join me in praying for out nation and our newly elected President.

For it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people (Acts 23:5b).

Reading what my student wrote makes me proud to say I taught her. The negative public view of Christians seems to be easing up some, at least temporarily, and this appears to be a good time to push forward with Christian agendas, following God's lead. But I'm so afraid Christians will breathe a sigh of relief that the election is over, sit back down on their pews, and become complacent. We should be speaking boldly and standing firmly for God's truth and His agenda, always remembering that we are commanded to deal with others in love. To God be the glory!

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king (1 Peter 2:17).

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Little Things Can Matter

Readers often care about elements that writers may deem unimportant. This becomes quite clear in reading their reviews. Here is some of what I've learned:

• The cover matters, so don't scrimp. The title should be large enough to show up in small thumbnail shots. Readers don't like covers that are drab, gloomy, or troubling. Make them appealing.
• Don't make your chapters too long, because readers like to feel a sense of accomplishment. However, don't make them too short or it will break the flow of the story. From 12-18 pages and no longer than 20 seems about right in a regular-size book.
• Don't think that more details make a story better; too many bogs it down. Trust your reader's imagination. Give enough to adequately describe, but most readers skip or skim over more than a couple of paragraphs. It's actually better to weave descriptions into what's happening.
• We all know we should show and not tell, but it's easy to fall into the telling trap if not careful. Don't.
• Be careful of using profanity too often. Most Christian writers don't use it at all, but I've read books that used it so much it was distracting and annoying. I would also complain if they overused any of the other term that much. You may hear readers complain about the foul language, but I bet you've never heard one complain that there wasn't enough of it. 
• Think long and hard before using first person point of view. The majority of readers prefer third person. 
• Omniscient point of view is outdated and pulls the reader out of the story. Avoid it.
• Be careful there's no head hopping. It has a tendency to sneak in.
• Too many indie authors are thinking the grammar doesn't matter that much. Think again.
• Don't use the ploy of not writing an ending to a book with the hopes the reader will buy the next one to find out what happens unless you forewarn them. This is underhanded, even deceitful, and most readers will no longer follow an author because of it.

What are some writing devices you don't like?

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Civil War Veterans


The end of the Civil War brought another set of problems for returning soldiers. For one thing, most of them were keenly aware of how much they'd changed. Some worried how they'd fit in and if they could still be what their families needed. They had seen horrible things, and many of their friends and family members who had gone into the military with them would never return. From 618,000 to 700,000 men were killed, leaving more Americans dead than in any other war America has ever participated in. Of course, soldiers on both sides were American. In addition, many were wounded and maimed, so many of the ones who went home, had missing limbs or other handicaps.

PTSD was a big problem for these men, but no one named the problem, and there was no support or help set up for those suffering. Some related part of their stories, and some refused to talk about the war. Reunion groups sprang up to help the veterans stay in touch with each other. The last large one met at Gettysburg in 1913. 54,000 attended.

In my novel, Uprooted by War, Luke experiences much of this. Here're three short excerpts from the book: 
             

(From Luke's point of view)
            “I’m not the same man who rode off to war, Leah. I’ll probably never be. I don’t even know if I can be the husband you need anymore. I’m not sure I even remember how.”

            “You’ll always be the husband I need, Luke. You never have to worry about that. I’ve changed too. Time and the war have changed us all, but you and I still love each other. I feel it as strongly now as ever, and that love won’t fail us. Besides”—she smiled at him—“it’ll be fun discovering each other all over again.”

            He managed to smile too. “Was it terribly hard here?”

(From Leah's point of view)

            Luke remained tentative and unsure of himself. Leah kept reminding herself to give him time. She slowly got him to talk about prison life. It came out little by little, but it enabled her to understand the man before her, and it helped Luke dispel some of the ghosts from the dreadful images engraved in his mind.

(From Luke's friend's point of view when talking to Leah)

           “I know he loves you that much too. You and his faith are what got him through his time in prison, and he forced me to get through it with him. We both came out sounder than most. I know some of those men will end up in insane asylums. One even killed his own brother for food and buried the bones underneath where he slept. Neither Luke nor I ever intentionally harmed anyone else off the battlefield, and that’s made it easier for us to readjust.”

(All my profits from my books go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.)

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Enough Faith
 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men shall gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15: 4-6)

As a Christian, if we don't surrender our lives to Christ and bear fruit, our faith will wither. If you don't have a close, personal relationship with the Lord, you're not "abiding" in Christ. The more you put your trust in Him and the more you surrender, the more your faith will grow. But you need to rely on Him to do it, and not try to grow on your own.

(Read Hebrews 11)

Belief and faith are not the same thing, although we sometimes use them as synonyms, and they do have similarities. We say, “I believe in you” or “I have faith in you.” However, Satan believes in God, but he doesn’t put his faith in Him. Instead, Satan has faith in himself, and he’d like for you to put your faith in yourself too. Belief is a thought. Faith is a response that requires action based on that thought. Abraham had faith that whatever God told him to do was for the best. Elijah had faith that God would light that drenched altar on Mt. Carmel, and the fire came down (1Kings 18:22-39). If Elijah only believed that God could light the fire on the altar, the wet wood might have never caught fire. Faith allowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to go into a fiery furnace with confidence.

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith (Mark 11:22-23).

My mother always seemed so strong in her faith. She's partly responsible for teaching me to walk in faith. She once made the comment that she didn't have enough faith, and I was floored. But, in one sense, none of us have enough faith, and this is especially true if we try to grow it. God is the vinedresser and Jesus is the vine. They grow our faith. But it's never too late to cultivate that field, and the place to start is in prayer. Pray today that He will deepen your faith and help you surrender totally to Him. The fruits you produce when that happens will be amazing.

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Transplanted to Red Clay Releases

Transplanted to Red Clay, the fourth and final book in my Appalachian series, is now available in both e-books and print. Amazon began shipping and I got my copies on Thursday. This one took eight months to get through the publishing process, but I'm excited to now have it.

The story is mainly about Rachel Moretz, Luke and Leah's daughter. Her Aunt Ivy invites her to come to their farm in Stanly County, east of Charlotte, North Carolina, for an extended visit. Ivy and her son, Patrick, had stayed with the Moretz family in the Appalachian Mountains during the Civil War, but Rachel was too young to remember much about that time. 

Rachel's move to Big Lick starts a confusing time for her. Between missing her parents, filling in for a teacher at the school, being pursued by a man rumored to be a friend of Jesse James, finding a man she likes but discovering he's prejudice against her part-Cherokee heritage, and threats from the KKK, life is anything but dull. But her growing friendship with Patrick helps support her, and her faith in God will see her through.

Like one of my readers, I hate to see this series end. The characters have become family and close friends, but they'll always hold a special place in my heart. As another reader said, "There're characters that stay with you long after the book ends - ones you won't forget." And we can always revisit them. 

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Franklin D. Roosevelt is Elected to Fourth Term

On November 7, 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt was reelected to his fourth term. The 32nd President of the United States led the country through the Great Depression and most of World War II. He was especially known for the New Deal, a program for "relief, recovery, and reform."

Born in 1882 to a prominent family of Dutch decent in New York, he attended the best schools and graduated from Harvard. In 1905, he married Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of Theodore Roosevelt, and they had six children. In 1910, he began his political career, serving in the New York State Senate and then as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. In 1920, he ran for vice president with James Cox, but they lost to Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. 

In 1921, he was struck with polio and lost the use of his legs. He tried hard to recover from the disease and founded the treatment center in Warm Springs, Georgia. Although his political career seemed in doubt, he successfully ran for Governor of New York in 1928, where he came up with some of his ideas to combat the depression. After being elected to his first term as president in 1932, he won in a landslide in 1936 against Alf Landon. He was reelected again in 1940 and 1944 and had just begun his fourth term when his declining health caught up with him, and he died from a massive stroke on April 12, 1945. The Twenty-Second Amendment, which stated that no person shall be elected as President more than twice, was ratified in 1951.

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Bethany

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there (Matthew 21:17).

It's recorded in the Bible that Jesus went to the village of Bethany several times. In fact, He tended to go there whenever He was in the area. Not only was it in a convenient location not far from Jerusalem, but He could stay with His good friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Bethany was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives and set at the foot of the mountain. The mountain actually blocked the view of Jerusalem. Therefore, although it was near the busy city, Bethany had the atmosphere of being in a secluded, quiet retreat. 

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head (Mark 14:3).

Mark and Matthew (26:6) both record that Jesus visited the house of Simon, the leper, at Bethany. A woman came there to anoint Jesus, and some of those present began to complain about the waste. Jesus told them to leave her alone, for she had done a good thing. He even hints that she has anointed His body for the burial to come, a foreshadowing of the cross. He goes on to say, "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort then concerning their brother ( John 11:18-19).

One of Jesus' greatest miracles happened at Bethany. Lazarus, Mary and Martha's brother, had been dead and buried for four days before Jesus came to them. Martha believed that if Jesus had been there, her brother would not have died, but she didn't consider He could raise Lazarus from the dead after so many days. Sometimes our faith is limited too. We believe up to a point, but do we really believe the Lord can and will do anything?


And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither (Luke 19:29-30).


The young donkey Jesus rides to make his triumphant entry into Jerusalem that we now celebrate as Palm Sunday also came from Bethany. The crowds enthusiastically welcomed him, waving palm branches, throwing down their cloaks to make a royal pathway, and shouting hosannas. In a few days some of the same crowd will be crying, "Crucify Him!" How fickle His followers can be.

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50-51).


 Jesus blessed His disciples for the final time at Bethany before He ascended into heaven. Bethany had been a special place to Jesus, a place where he could find some peace away from the large crowds of Jerusalem, a place where dear friends lived. It was the closest place to a home that He had during his brief ministry. He chose to go to Bethany to be with his disciples right before he left them to ascend to His Father. What a life of ministry He had lived in only three years!

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Unforeseen Blessings

I love writing and see it as a blessing. It's thrilling to think God has called me to do something I enjoy so much. But then, that's usually how we feel when we strive to serve Him. Bible scholars have often written that this is one component in the ways we can use to determine His will for us.

Apart from writing itself, however, I've also had other blessings come from this new career of mine. I had no idea when my publisher told me I needed to create a website, blog, and be on social media that God would be able to use all these avenues. I write a Christian message for one of my blogs each week, and God has used it to touch people for Him. In addition, I get to use all my profits to provide scholarships for missionary children to attend school. Although I'm fully aware that nothing is impossible with Him, He continues to amaze me.

I've made so many friends and supporters through my writing, and some of us have become close. Many fellow writers and readers have friended me on facebook or followed me on twitter. I've gone places and made friends that I would have never made if I hadn't been promoting my books. I'm slowly gaining a very solid fan-base, and I appreciate every one of my readers. The whole process of writing has been generously sprinkled with unexpected blessings.

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