Fresh Start

Darlene L.Turner

Every writer loves to type “THE END” on their latest work-in-progress, but that dreaded flashing cursor on a blank “Chapter One” page sends tremors down our spines. Can I get an Amen? However, starting a new manuscript doesn’t have to be daunting. Authors can make it fun. How, you ask? Here’s an overview of my writing process.

Storyline – Before I get too deep into my process, I brainstorm with my author friends on the basic storyline. I determine the main plot, hero and heroine conflicts, and ask that famous “What if” question.

Character sketches – I have to admit, building the characters is my favorite part of the writing process. I love to delve deep into their pasts and find out exactly WHO they are. To do this, I choose their names—first and last. It’s important to me to get it correct. Sometimes I ask for suggestions on social media or browse through an online list of baby names. After I’ve named them, I choose an actor and actress I picture my hero and heroine to look like. I’m all about the visual! Next up—grilling them with a list of questions. What’s their worst fear? Favorite vacation spot? Coffee or tea lover? What happened to them when they were five years old…and the list goes on. This all helps me build their backstory.

Research – After the main storyline is chosen, I create a list of what I need to research. That can be anything from law enforcement duties to medical issues to the town I’m trying to create. It’s important to get the facts straight. Yes, this is fiction, but we still need to keep it believable.

Outline or Not to Outline (that is indeed the question!) – This will depend on whether the writer is a plotter or pantser. When writing for Love Inspired Suspense, you have to include a synopsis, so that is this pantser’s extent of outlining. ;-)

First line – Move that cursor and begin Chapter One. Most writers struggle with that dreaded first line and will probably re-write it ten times. Why? Because they know a reader will either be hooked and buy their book, or put it down. We don’t want readers to set the book back on the shelf, do we?

Write, write, write – Now that I’ve gotten past that first line and paragraph, it’s time to take my hero and heroine on an action-packed adventure filled with switchbacks, surprises, and twists they don’t see coming. To keep me on my deadline track, I add in Scrivener (my writing tool) my end word count and the date I want to finish my draft. Scrivener calculates my word count daily, depending on how much I write on that day. I write until it’s time to type “The End.” After this, the fun begins.

Editing – Most writers have a love-hate relationship with editing. I’m no different. Once I finish the first draft, I print out the entire manuscript and let it sit for a few days. After a break, I read and mark it up with—yes, you guessed it—a red (or maybe pink!) pen. I take many editing passes during this process. First is the storyline—are there any holes that need to be plugged? Then I add in more emotion, search on words I know I repeat too much, then the last pass is through a tool called ProWritingAid. I print the story out again and use the “Speech” option in Scrivener to do another read-through.

Beta Readers – After I’m happy with my story, I send it to a few readers to get their thoughts. They check for typos, story holes, etc. After they’re done, I do another editing pass and read-through before sending to my editor.

I’m almost ready to hit “Send” on book five for Love Inspired Suspense (#feelingblessed). After I do, I’m looking forward to a fresh start on the next manuscript.


Writing full time is a dream come true for me. While the process can be terrifying, I love what I do—creating inspiring stories.

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and best-selling author. She lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. 

You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Woy8dK

Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Qso27O

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Instagram: darlenel.turner

5 Bestselling Author Friends Collaborate to Publish Holiday Novella Collection

Julie Cantrell

When the pandemic wreaked havoc last year, it didn’t pause to celebrate the holidays. Families were impacted in many ways, with COVID-19 limiting travel, shopping, and gatherings around the globe.

 

That’s why four author friends and I joined forces to put a little “jingle-jangle joy” back into this Christmas season.

Our goal: to offer a positive, affordable escape and spark a little happiness for our readers.

The result: A novella collection, IT’S A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS.

 

First things first

From the start, we wanted to bring together a team of authors who were kindhearted, hard-working, and passionate about writing for the fun of it.

 

The five of us had already been collaborating through Her Novel Collective and had developed healthy friendships as a group. Once the idea for this project was tossed into the air, we each came on board and next steps began to develop very quickly.

 

Teamwork is Key

Of the five writers involved, USA TODAY bestselling author Lynne Gentry had made the leap from her successful career as a traditionally published novelist to working exclusively in the self-publishing arena. As a result, she’d gained tremendous experience with advertising and marketing in the digital space.

 

We relied on Lynne to guide us through everything from price points to launch strategies to marketing plans, and her knowledge proved invaluable from the start.

“I enjoyed working on this collaborative project and found it to be a stress-free, creative release,” says Gentry. “It’s given us a social network with like-minded peers while also resulting in a collection we can all feel good about sharing with readers.”

 

Cross-genre author Kelli Stuart also brought self-publishing experience to the table, having kept one foot in the traditional market while releasing her own independent titles. With a list of well-proven resources, she led us to our talented formatter and cover designer Roseanna White and our gifted copyeditor Bethany Hockenbury. We couldn’t have been more pleased with those partnerships, and we all formed new professional relationships as a result.

 

Our “numbers guru” (and the only one of us who doesn’t think math is a four-letter word), author Allison Pittman became our accountant, managing the backstage details and keeping us all on track financially. (Thank heavens!)

 

In addition to our roles as authors, Janyre Tromp and I both work as editors, so we tackled the developmental and substantive line edits before Hockenbury took over for copyedits and proofreading.

 

“It was an honor to work with these amazing writers, both as a fellow author and an editor,” says Tromp, whose role as editor with Kregel Publications also equipped her with the skills to steer us through the production stages of this project.

 

With reluctance, I also took on the title of Ms. Bossy Pants to keep the project moving forward at every turn. Sigh … somebody must do it. In this role, I scheduled meetings, offered gentle reminders, and did a lot of cheerleading to maintain momentum for the team. (I tried not to be too bossy.)

 

Like magic, everything fell into place seamlessly, and we were all excited when novelist Susie Finkbeiner offered to write the foreword.

 

A uniting theme

We did overcome one major challenge at the onset: we each have established readerships across different genres.

 

Most collections focus on a very specific niche—small town romance, medical suspense, urban thrillers, etc. But we each bring such diverse views and interests to the page, we wanted to see what could happen if the theme allowed us room to play.

 

After brainstorming holiday traditions, we settled on the topic of film. “There are few things more unifying and joyous than cherished Christmas movies,” Stuart says.

 

Pittman agrees: “We've all become used to the Hallmark Christmas movies taking over the season, but the art of the Christmas-themed drama has been around since long before the greeting card company dominated our small screens. It's a Wonderful Life and Remember the Night hearken back to classic Hollywood films.”

 

Gentry also felt sentimental ties to old films. “It finally feels like Christmas when some of my favorite movies start to play,” she says. “Watching classics like Miracle on 34^th Street and White Christmas always launches me into the holiday spirit with hope and a smile.”

 

Stuart sums it up, saying, “Amidst the continued uncertainty of the world, we’re all looking for comforting, healthy ways to escape. Nothing works better than a film or story.”

Pulling it all together

Once we settled on classic holiday films, we each took that spark and let it lead us anywhere it wanted to take us. The result? An eclectic collection that includes everything from a Nutcracker inspired fairytale to a charming romance set in a Michigan castle to three heartwarming stories that take place right here in the south (can I get a hallelujah?!).

 

While I’d intended to stem my novella from It’s a Wonderful Life, the muse steered me toward the most unexpected of choices—National Lampoon’s Family Vacation! My 30,000-word novella doesn’t parallel the classic John Hughes’ film and it isn’t an adaptation, but it does explore similar themes by focusing on a quirky family with all sorts of differences and modern-day complexities. Then we see what happens when they dare to come together for the holidays.

 

The spirit of Christmas

“I love the variety in the collection and hope readers will enjoy exploring stories that may be different from what they typically read,” Tromp says.

 

“Yes,” echoes Pittman. “We hope we’ve succeeded at delivering something for everyone.’

 

Regardless of faith, age, or story preferences, we want readers to find a little holiday happiness between these pages, and we hope this book leads to a WONDERFUL Christmas for all.

Julie Cantrell is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author whose work can be found at: www.juliecantrell.com. Connect with all five authors (and more) at HER NOVEL COLLECTIVE

Researching During a Pandemic

Regina Scott

Every book takes research. Even memoirs might require the author to dig into the historical milieu of the era that shaped their views and customs. As a writer of historical fiction, I prefer hands on research—museums, re-enactments, and recreations of the times—followed by first-hand accounts of people living in that period. You can imagine my excitement when my editor agreed to a proposal highlighting one of the first women to climb Mt. Rainier. The gates of the national park are 45 minutes from my front door, and the riches of the Washington State Historical Society archives are 30 minutes in the other direction.


And none of that was available during the pandemic!


Every library was closed, every museum shuttered. Even the park closed for a time. What’s a writer to do?


Rely on the work of trusted others:


Google books and original sources. Anyone can put anything up on the internet, and I for one am thankful! Google has digitized a number of books spanning history, commerce, and the sciences. So have some universities. For example, the University of Michigan Library digitized the Illustrated Guide Book to Mount Tacoma, Piece County, Washington, which was published the exact month and year my heroine makes her historic climb. It included not only the route from Tacoma to Rainier (called Mt. Tacoma by some at that time), but where to stay along the way and which route to take to reach the summit safely. It also included a set of advertisements for local businesses offering to sell climbing gear, host visitors, and develop photographs. A goldmine!

Online collections. Likewise, many museums and universities have made photographs and photographic reproductions of their artifacts available online. I was able to find photographs of the major streets in my characters’ home city at the time the story was set. I was shocked to find them lined with telephone poles! When my production editor questioned the use of telephones in the story, I was able to prove they did indeed exist.

Tomes by recognized experts. If there is an obscure happening in history, someone somewhere has likely written about it. Digging deeper into scholarly works, I discovered a book on the financial Panic of 1893 and how it affected Washington State specifically. I also located a wealth of information on the Suffrage Movement in the Pacific Northwest.

Reference librarians. Though sometimes harder to find now, specialty librarians may be part of some library systems. I was thankful to reach one in at our State Library, who confirmed the location of a historical figure I wanted to use in the book. Another librarian was able to confirm that there were no suffrage societies in Tacoma at the time, so I was safe to create my own.


We live in a time of great wealth of information. Sometimes it just takes a little thinking outside the box to dig out that information and enrich your writing.

Award-winning author Regina Scott is the author of more than 50 works of warm, witty historical fiction including A Distance Too Grand and Nothing Short of Wondrous. Her writing has won praise from Booklist and Library Journal, and she was twice awarded the

prestigious RT Book Reviews best book of the year in her category. A devotee of

history, she has learned to fence, driven four-in-hand, and sailed on a tall ship, all in

the name of research. She and her husband of 30 years live south of Tacoma,

Washington, on the way to Mt. Rainier. Her latest release, A View Most Glorious, features a headstrong beauty who must rely on a rough mountain guide to get her to the top of Mt. Rainier so she can bring attention to women’s suffrage and avoid marrying the man her mother chose. But her mountain man has hidden potential—and so, she discovers, does their future together.

You can find Regina online at

Website: www.reginascott.com

Blog: www.nineteenteen.com

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/authorreginascott

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/reginascottpins

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/reginascott

Newsletter: https://subscribe.reginascott.com

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/regina-scott

The Chapter Checklist

Irene Hannon

Every writer knows there is no one right way to write a book. It’s a process unique to each author. While one may procrastinate, then use deadline-producing adrenaline to race to the finish, another maps out their schedule with precise daily or weekly word counts and builds in time to coast to the deadline. Whatever works for you is the right way.

But when it comes to polishing writing—a more mechanical than creative process—there are some general guidelines that can work for every author. And an amazing amount of creativity can creep in at this stage, too.

One polishing techniques that has worked well for me is the chapter checklist. I’m in the weekly-word-count-coast-to-the-finish camp, and I write polished drafts. That means I have a master document (the polished manuscript), and no chapter gets moved into it until it’s “done.” At the end, I have a finished book, ready to turn in with only a final read-through for smoothing and minor editing.

The chapter checklist helps me achieve this painless finish. Before I move a chapter into the master document, I give it a rigorous going over. Here’s what’s on my checklist:

1. Do a global search for overused words. This list is personal for every author, but we all have pet words that creep into our writing far too often. My list has grown over the years and is now much too long, making the process tedious—but by searching out these words and finding alternatives, my writing stays fresher and less repetitive.

2. Cut adverbs. I again use global search to do this, putting ly in the search box. Many authors fall into the trap of using too many adverbs—which don’t make for the strongest writing. My rule is no more than two per manuscript page…and in general, I have one—or less.

3. Skim through the chapter and check the first word in every paragraph. It’s easy to become repetitive here—e.g., using too many he, she, first names, etc. Vary paragraph openings with different parts of speech. My basic rule is that no two sequential paragraphs should start with the same word—dialogue being the exception.

4. Run spell check. This is my last step before deeming a chapter ready to move into the master document.

If you’re a writer who writes the whole book in one fell swoop and later goes back to clean it up, this exercise is still worthwhile. But it’s less overwhelming if you do it chapter by chapter.

And you’ll be amazed how much of a luster this puts on your work.

Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than sixty novels, including the long-running Hope Harbor series, as well as Point of Danger and the Code of Honor, Private Justice, and Men of Valor suspense series, among others.
Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of
Fame. Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers’ Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carol, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career
Achievement Award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist.


Learn more at www.irenehannon.com.

Does Your Book Have Ripple Effects?

Susan Reichert

When a writer puts words to paper, those thoughts are like the “rocks” we fling out into the water that cause ripple effects. The ripples just keep enlarging.

Writers have opportunities to influence the reader.

We never know who is going to read something we’ve written. For the most part, we never know the influence the words may or may not have.

I like to think a writer’s words impact readers. At least I hope they do. Edward Bulwer-Lytton coined these words, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I believe that to be true.

Perhaps it is more important than we first thought to know who our audience is as we write our books.

Whether we write inspirational or cozy mysteries, historical fiction or contemporary romance or other genre’s do we write them with a purpose in mind? Do we write a message in the story?

Let us not forget how powerful words can be.

What is the impact we wish for our book to have on the reader?

If it is an inspirational book, we would want the reader to know if they are going through hard times to know they can get through the storms that come into their lives. That it isn’t hopeless.

If it is a mystery, what message would we want to show? Maybe, how the right way is the best way after all and that the bad are caught and justice can prevail.

Do we not want something important for our reader to take away from reading the book? After all that is what makes our books memorable. That is what brings the reader back to read other books we write. That is also what causes the ripple effect, they like it, and they tell others about it.

I still remember books I read as a kid. They had an impact on my life and my thinking.

For sure we want readers to enjoy reading our books. We hope they will mean something to the reader, and they will remember them and tell others how much they book meant to them.

I know for me, (I write devotional and inspirational books) I believe God gives me the words to write for the person who would read my book. Words they would need at that particular time.

I call that writing with a purpose!

Susan Reichert, author of Listen Close, Between Me and You, God’s Prayer Power and Storms in Life. Published numerous magazine articles and stories in 9 anthology books. Speaker at writing conferences, seminars, and libraries.

She is the founder of Southern Author Services, and Editor of Suite T. She is the retired Editor-in-Chief of Southern Writers Magazine. Reichert has a passion for writing about God in devotionals, prayers, and inspirational works.

She and her husband live in Tennessee. They have four grown daughters with families of their own. Susan is a member of the DAR and a member of the First Families of Mississippi

Visit Susan at: https://www.susanlreichert.com/

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https://www.facebook.com/SusanLeeReichert, https://www.facebook.com/southernauthorservices, https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-reichert-55922a13/ , Amazon -

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54576850-god-s-prayer-power

What About Reading Poetry?

 Sara M. Robinson

Do poets read others’ poetry with the same enthusiasm as reading their own? Why should we read poetry? Do these questions seem trite to you? They are not meant to be. You might be surprised to learn that many poets do not read poetry. They may read other genres or journals or digital files, I don’t know. But I have come across poets who tell me that they don’t read much poetry. And I ask them why? The response is mostly about time, or lack of it to read. Some offer up that a lot of the poetry now seems to be on themes that are not interesting to them or even relevant to what they are writing.



It’s funny, as in peculiar, to me that writers of particular genres may not read others in that same arena. I don’t think this is an isolated situation either. I think more and more writers are scarce in time and find they have to pick what they do. Do you agree? I wonder if going to a reading would inspire more interest in reading poetry. But now we have to deal with the upsurge in covid-related illness and the growing threat of more isolation. For me this means I will turn more to poetry to read.



To read poetry, is to learn. I have not stopped learning. To read poetry, is to live. I have not stopped living. To read poetry, is to experience language in the most incredible ways. I want to embrace language. To read poetry, is to be reassured that all can be good in the world. I want to see and feel better. To read poetry, is to connect with people of all ethnicities. I want to know these people. To read poetry, is to celebrate an art form that is ageless. I love to celebrate.



Did you know that after 9/11 poetry sales rose? To read poetry, is to offer solace, give succor to those around us. To read poetry in the aftermath of a catastrophe and create a “wellness” is to offer a kind of peace, a kind of rest. We can find in poetry a path to our own acceptance and strengthening of our personal resolve to be a greater person. Maybe a greater poet.



So, yes, we must read poetry. Poets can be everything and everyone. Poets write poems for everyone, even though poets write for themselves. When a book of poetry arrives in my mail, I open the package slowly, knowing that a treasure is within. The late Mary Oliver had a poem, “Humility.” Poems arrive ready to begin.// Poets are only the transportation.”



Find a poetry book and begin.



Until next time…

Sara M. Robinson, founder of the Lonesome Mountain Pro(s)e Writers’ Workshop, and former Instructor of a course on Contemporary American Poets at UVA-OLLI, was poetry columnist for Southern Writers Magazine and inagural poetry editor for Virginia Literary Journal. She has served as guest lecturer at UVA’s College at Wise, Wise, VA. Her poetry has appeared in various anthologies, including We Grew Wings and Flew (2014), Scratching Against the Fabric (2015), Virginia Writer’s Club Centennial Anthology (2017), Blue Ridge Anthologies and Mizmor Anthology (2018). Journals include: Loch Raven Review, The Virginia Literary Journal, vox poetica, Jimson Weed, Whisky Advocate, and Poetica. She is poet and author of Love Always, Hobby and Jessie (2009), Two Little Girls in a Wading Pool (2012), A Cruise in Rare Waters (2013 Stones for Words (2014), Sometimes the Little Town (2016), a finalist for the Poetry Society of Virginia’s 2017 Book Award. In 2019, Needville, her poetry about effects of coal mining on SW Virginia was released and in 2020 debuted as play in Charlottesville. Her most recent publication is Simple River (2020, Cyberwit).

Visit
https://saramrobinson.com/

Mad Lib Fun

Heidi Gray McGill

We all know reviews do more than encourage authors yet writing a review can be daunting. Many people prefer not to leave one because they may not feel they write well enough or know what to say.

If you fall into that category…here’s a fun way to make it easy to write a review.



Directions: Choose the word(s) that best fits in the blank:

I __verb___ this book! (Loved, enjoyed, adored, treasured, devoured)

The characters were ___adjective__. (Entertaining, delightful, wonderful, amusing, charming, real)

_____Name_____ was my favorite character because _____________________________.

©Author Heidi Gray McGill 2021

The story was ___adjective__. (Engaging, captivating, sweet, uplifting, inspiring)

I will ____adverb_____ (gladly, heartily, definitely) recommend this book to my friends.

I really hope the author writes more books in this series, because ________________. (I want to know more about a certain character, these characters feel like family, I must know what happens to ___name___)

I look forward to reading more books by this author because ____________________________. (I enjoy her writing style; I love the way she reveals the spiritual side of her characters; she ties true, historical events to her storyline.)

See? That was fun!! AND easy!

You don’t have to match the author’s writing skills when leaving a review. A couple of sentences do the trick! If you have read a book recently and haven’t yet left a review, please encourage an author today and submit your completed review on Amazon and other online retailers or sites you frequent. You’ll make someone’s day!

©Author Heidi Gray McGill 2021

Heidi Gray McGill loves to travel, especially to foreign lands, even though she speaks no foreign language. She embraces the culture, the food, and even the inconveniences that come with adventure.

Her thirst for adventure plays out in her writing. If she can’t visit in person, especially in during the Covid-19 Crisis, why not visit in her mind, and eventually in writing? When mishaps are shared in her stories, a slightly tweaked personal incident could be possible, although she will most likely deny all reference to reality.

In addition to writing, Heidi is the founder and Director of an English as a Second Language Program in her hometown. She is an ESL certified teacher and enjoys providing opportunities for non-native speakers to learn English and of God’s love.

Heidi lives out daily her favorite Bible verse, 1 Samuel 1:18 “[Hannah] said, ‘May your servant find favor in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.” Heidi identifies with Hannah, believing we each choose to be joyful in our hearts, no matter our circumstances. She also agrees that eating something, especially chocolate, can solve myriad issues.

Heidi has been married for nearly 30 years and lives near Charlotte, NC, where she spends her days having fun with her grandson. When she isn’t playing, you’ll find her cooking, scrapbooking, or writing. She recently released her first book, Desire of My Heart, and her r sequel, With All My Heart released in April of 2021.

Visit Heidi at: https://heidimcgill822089357.wordpress.com/

https://www.instagram.com/choosingjoynovels/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20851872.Heidi_Gray_McGill

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heidi-gray-mcgill?follow=true

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeidiGrayMcGill

https://heidimcgill822089357.wordpress.com/my-books/

Heidi’s thirst for adventure plays out in her writing.  If she can’t visit in person, why not travel in her mind and eventually in writing?  A slightly tweaked personal incident could be possible when mishaps occur in her stories, although she will most likely deny all reference to reality.  Learn more about Heidi and her books at https://heidimcgill822089357.wordpress.com/my-books/

To receive the FREE prequel to Heidi’s “Discerning God’s Best” series, please join her newsletter https://bit.ly/freeprequel4you

Heidi interacts with her Reader friends through Facebook and Instagram. https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeidiGrayMcGill

https://www.instagram.com/choosingjoynovels/

Heidi Gray McGill, Author
Please visit my website

Leave Your Comfort Zone

Audra Jennings

It’s easy to fall into a routine that’s easy and comfortable because it’s what has always been done. But sometimes we need to get pushed out of our comfort zones in order to do the work God really calls us to do. That’s what happens to the members of the Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry in Sharon J. Mondragón’s debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady.

“The spiritual theme of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is going ‘Beyond the Building,’” Mondragón shares. “I want readers to be inspired to step out of their comfort zones of church ministry to reach those outside of church with the love and care of God.”

Mondragon goes on to say, "Much of The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady was inspired by own experience in a prayer shawl group. Due to a military move, I was the new girl once again, and I joined my first prayer shawl group in hopes of making friends, but it turned out to be so much more. The ministry met in the café of a local health food store. The pastor wanted us to ply our needles in public, not hidden away in the church building. People often stopped by our table to ask what we were making or to tell us about someone they loved who also knitted or crocheted. We were a warm and comforting presence in that space every week.” 

After Sharon's husband’s retirement, they moved again, and she is now the facilitator of her current church’s prayer shawl ministry that meets weekly at a local coffee shop.

Her debut novel is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sharon J. Mondragón writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest. Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store. Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

Visit Sharon Mondragón’s website and blog at www.sharonjmondragon.com and follow her on Facebook (Sherry Mondragón) and Twitter (@SJ_Mondragón).

Here is an Interesting Premise: How Can Thinking Like An Artistic Painter Help a Poet?

Sara Robinson

I have a long-time friend, who in the height of her career was a well-known and highly regarded fashion illustrator. She and I compare notes frequently on techniques for each of our crafts. She wants to write poetry, but I really want to steal some of her ideas. One of my techniques she often brings up is my use of white space. She is intrigued as white space is an essential tool for the artist. I like to think of my white space as an insertion of “pause.” She uses the space more for defining her intended subject. She uses white pigment to create white space while my “writing canvas” is simply left blank.



In some works of art, the artist has created pathos or chaos or poignancy. Think of Van Gogh or Cezanne. In paintings the artist has several ways for expression to not only get a viewer’s attention, but also to invoke an emotional commitment. Since we can’t “write” with colors, texture, or perspective, we must use words to present the same effect. In past columns, I’ve mentioned metaphor and simile as tools. But it all comes down to language. For example, how would you describe a southern mansion, abandoned, in shadows of live oak and Spanish moss? Your decision might be influenced by what emotions you wanted to bring out. Do you want this mansion to be creepy? Or do you want it to be sad? How would you put each into words for a poem?



So, in all this, I’m suggesting that you write as a painter would. Moss, for instance, has a muted green color that is anything but vivid. How does it hang from the trees? Do breezes move the moss in a certain way? Look at the live oak branches. How do they appear? Stately? Forlorn?


Or maybe the branches are still and waiting. As I drive up to this mansion, I see sheer cotton curtains emerge from windows like little thin translucent ghosts escaping the heat.

My friend created an illustration for a play based on my Needville poetry book. It was a coal miner standing in front of a cart of coal. He held a pickaxe on his shoulder. His look was one of stern conviction and accomplishment. I wrote about him in my book that he had to always put on a brave front for his family. Art can give us many ideas to choose from in our writing.



Here is an exercise to consider: Find an illustration and see what you can write about it as a poem. Study it for details that might normally be missed. Your topic might not even have anything to do with the art, but for one little, small detail.



In all your writing, have fun. Write to the end of the page and wrap it around the edge. Like an infinity canvas. A key word or line around the edge could be an interesting surprise.

Sara M. Robinson, founder of the Lonesome Mountain Pro(s)e Writers’ Workshop, and former Instructor of a course on Contemporary American Poets at UVA-OLLI, was poetry columnist for Southern Writers Magazine and inagural poetry editor for Virginia Literary Journal. She has served as guest lecturer at UVA’s College at Wise, Wise, VA. Her poetry has appeared in various anthologies, including We Grew Wings and Flew (2014), Scratching Against the Fabric (2015), Virginia Writer’s Club Centennial Anthology (2017), Blue Ridge Anthologies and Mizmor Anthology (2018). Journals include: Loch Raven Review, The Virginia Literary Journal, vox poetica, Jimson Weed, Whisky Advocate, and Poetica. She is poet and author of Love Always, Hobby and Jessie (2009), Two Little Girls in a Wading Pool (2012), A Cruise in Rare Waters (2013 Stones for Words (2014), Sometimes the Little Town (2016), a finalist for the Poetry Society of Virginia’s 2017 Book Award. In 2019, Needville, her poetry about effects of coal mining on SW Virginia was released and in 2020 debuted as play in Charlottesville. Her most recent publication is Simple River (2020, Cyberwit).

Stephanie Hurt Releases

Just Released

Book 2 of the 'In Harm's Way' Series

BROKEN

by

Stephanie Hurt

Weaving Story Threads

 

Jane Kirkpatrick

At a Women Writing the West conference several years ago, I attended a session called “Expanded visions: Four Women Artists Print the American West.” The story behind each artist and their work – all of whom were women of color – changed my writing life. I received permission from the curator to get slides of the artwork and use them in teaching writing classes, organizing two non-fiction works and in every historical novel based on the lives of real women that I’ve written. The prints inspired four story threads: Landscape, Relationship, Spirituality, Work.

The landscape print Jackstraw was done by Navajo artist Emmi Whitehorse. The word means “something perceived as worthless or barren.” But in her print of desert seeds and weeds one finds insects used to dye cloth and grind flour. It isn’t barren at all. I use this lens to ask what is the relationship of my characters to rock, wind, fire and water? I use metaphors of landscape to show readers how they see the world. “Like the slow rising of the river after an early snowmelt in the mountain, he seeped into my life, unhurried, almost without notice until the strength and breadth of him covered everything that had once been familiar, made it different, new over old.” (From A Sweetness to the Soul).

Chinese artist Hung Liu’s print she titles Sisters. I describe that theme as “Relationships.” The painting shows a girl carrying another on her back. They’re laughing. I ask my characters who they lean on? Who do they need to avoid and why? I make a list before I start writing identifying possible relationship tensions and how those pressures help or prevent my protagonist from achieving their goal. In memoir, this is a critical question. In biography, answering who supported whom can open up new avenues of exploration.

Hispanic artist Anita Rodriguez gave me “Spirituality” in her work Homage to Selena honoring the singer killed by a fan in 1995. The skeleton in the print is happy, dancing over an undulating floor. It invites exploration of how my characters struggle with mortality. Are they fearful or does danger invite them into risk? Spirituality asks us to question where they get their strength from to endure life’s challenges? What takes them from their cellar of sorrow to new light?

The final print is of an African-American washer woman. We see her face only reflected in the water of the tub she’s carrying. Artist Alison Saar titled her woodcut Washtub Blues and for me it shows how the subject is reflected in her work. Did they choose their profession or fall into it? How someone builds a fence or bakes bread also offers beats for authentic dialogue. “’My stitching is improving, don’t you think?’ “Don’t change the subject,” her mother said.’”

The artistry of these women can help us all weave better stories rich with landscapes, relationships, spirituality and work.

All the prints are now in the Autry Museum in Los Angeles.

 

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author of forty books, including Something Worth Doing, One More River to Cross, Everything She Didn’t Say, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, andthe 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Jane divides her time between Central Oregon and California with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,Caesar.

Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

Who Influnced our Writing Most?

 

I have been doing research on finding who are some of the greatest writers of all time. Why? Curiosity, mainly.

And in doing so, I ran across this website:

https://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/literature/30-greatest-writers/

No Sweat Shakespeare. They have an article on the thirty greatest writers classified under fiction writers. Their criterion would be, “They should be poets, dramatists and prose fiction writers who have had a significant influence on the writers who came after them or on the direction of society.”

I chose to look at the first fifteen that they considered the greatest writers as well as shaping our thinking. These years are from 850 BC to the 1800’s:



Homer – His two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Sophocles – Oedipus the King is his most famous play, also the greatest Greek drama. A Greek who wrote plays for tragic dramas.

Virgil – A Roman poet, wrote the epic Aeneid.

Mark – The Evangelist who wrote The Gospel of St Mark.

Dante- An Italian poet,  wrote the acclaimed poem The Divine Comedy.

Geoffrey Chaucer- A giant of English poetry wrote The Canterbury Tales.

Francois Rabelais - A French novelist wrote volumes of The Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Miguel Cervantes- He wrote Don Quixote and is the most important writer in the history of the modern novel and one in the history of literature.

John Donne – His famous poem A Valediction Forbidding Mourning.

John Milton- His epic poem Paradise Lost.

John Bunyan – Writer of The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Voltaire – (François-Marie Arouet) Novelist, wrote Candide.

William Blake – An English poet best known for Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience.

Jane Austen – Considered to be her finest work is Mansfield Park.

Hans Christian Andersen – The Emperor’s New Clothes is considered the best short story ever written.



Of these top fifteen writers, you can see seven of these people were poets and these poets influenced our writing, not just poetry, but plays, novels and lyrics.

What you may not know is writing poetry helps us write better. Through poetry we develop a greater understanding of language. We can see our writing through different eyes. It teaches us to express ourselves or our ideas in a more succinct manner.

So, take a break and try your hand at poetry. See what words you can bring to play. As writers it helps our writing to "get out of our box" so to speak. Have fun!