Monday, July 24, 2006

AUTHOR INTRO: Leslie Sherrod


See Ya On The Net: Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

Leslie Sherrod:
I’m a Baltimore native, married with two children, and turning thirty this year. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for five years and writing full-time just as long. Before then I worked as an assistant clinical social worker for an outpatient mental health center at a major hospital.

I’ve loved writing ever since I had to put spelling words into sentences. In high school and college, I focused on poetry and short stories, thinking I had neither the patience nor the plot for a longer piece of fiction. But novel writing is where God has truly opened doors. My experiences as a former human service worker and a current wife and mother -and all the joys, sorrows, struggles and triumphs involved - help shape what I write.

See Ya On The Net: Tell us about your current book?

SHERROD:
Like Sheep Gone Astray is a suspenseful story about a young minister who is dealing with the fallout of a bad decision he made because of his love of money. He is facing exposure and risks losing everything - including his career, ministry and marriage. Going down with his enemies and unearthing his family’s secrets might be his only way out.

It’s a book born partly out of my own struggles of defining success, figuring out purpose, and seeing hurting communities, families and misdirected lives. All of those themes are touched on in the story. It’s a thought-provoking, yet fast-moving and fun read.

See Ya On The Net: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

SHERROD:
I’m a firm believer that we all are created for a purpose that will bring glory to God and help others. I hope readers leave the story with a new determination not to let anything get them off the path of their purpose, and to know that there is always hope and another chance to get it right if they have been sidetracked for one reason or another.

See Ya On The Net: Do you ever have a hard time letting go of a character after the novel is finished?

SHERROD:
By the time I reach the end of a novel, the characters feel like they have come full circle. I want to say I am done with them. If I don’t have that sense of completion, the novel won’t feel finished to me. There are certain characters who do linger on in my mind - usually the more colorful, controversial ones. In theory, they could have their own stories told in another setting, but I’m exhausted at the moment trying to imagine what they did before or are doing after the novel takes place.

See Ya On The Net: What do you feel is the key to writing convincing characters?

SHERROD:
Like real people, you have to let characters be themselves and not feel like you can control them. When I have to change or delete a scene in a story because it’s not consistent with what a character would say or do, I know that particular character has been fully fleshed and clothed. At the point characters supersede my outline, they’ve become convincing.

See Ya On The Net: What makes your writing style unique?

SHERROD:
No matter what the subject, I love to keep a suspense current going through the story. Short, intense scenes with cliffhangers, and having many intertwined characters and subplots keep the story fast and moving. I want the story to be a fun read, but even more important, I want to tackle issues not usually talked about: i.e. wanting material blessings more than wanting the One who gives the blessings; generational curses; purpose; broken families and communities. It sounds heavy but it doesn’t come off as feeling heavy. I like to use a lot of sensory descriptions to put readers right there in the pages, to feel the emotions and then to feel the hope. The combination of fast but fulfilling are what I think makes my writing unique.

See Ya On The Net: What are you doing to promote your book?

SHERROD:
I’m scheduled to go to several places throughout the Mid-Atlantic region this summer and other places around the country in the fall. I have a couple of interviews lined up as well. A link to an updated schedule of events is available on the Calendar page of my website, www.LeslieJSherrod.com

See Ya On The Net: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

SHERROD:
I’ve been amazed at the depth of God’s love. Most of us have heard and know “God so loved the world,” but when He starts showing you His love at a personal level, and you feel His breath and passion aimed directly at you - in spite of you - “Jesus Loves Me” takes on a whole new meaning. From the very beginning of writing my first novel to this present moment, God has wowed me with his direct actions on my behalf. And He loves us all. We haven’t even begun to tap into the greatness of His love for us.

See Ya On The Net: What do you do to make time for yourself?

SHERROD: When I figure that out I’ll let you know. ☺ Honestly, being a full-time writer and mom has required more of me than any other job or position I’ve ever had. At this point in my life, eating dinner undisturbed or going alone to Walmart to buy lotion is an accomplishment.

See Ya On The Net: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

SHERROD:
Please visit my website at www.LeslieJSherrod.com. Sign the guestbook or email me at leslie@lesliejsherrod.com. I can also be reached by mail at P.O. Box 19465, Baltimore, MD 21206. I love to hear from readers!

Thank you for this opportunity. I’m both excited and grateful for this chance to share.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Let There Be Light

St. Louis was hit by a severe thunderstorm Wednesday night. It knocked out the power to many homes. Our home was one of the blessed ones. We had broken branches all over our yard, but we had electricity.

Electricity is one of those bills you pay and expect to be on no matter what. You take it for granted that when you flip a switch the light will come on.

This past week has shown me how much we take for granted.

The heat has been a major issue with the power outage. There are many seniors living at home or in nursing homes who don’t want to leave their homes. It’s too hot for them to stay in. I’m having flashbacks of Hurricane Katrina. Those people didn’t want to leave either.

I feel so helpless because there’s nothing you can do but WAIT.

We opened our home to one of my brother-in-laws, his girlfriend and her daughter. I know before this is over, we might have a few more relatives to shelter.

I’m thankful the Lord spared our home because we have a safe haven for them to come to.

Please pray for St. Louis and the electricians trying to give us light.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Surprise - You're Pregnant

I received a major surprise last week, one that through me for a loop. To be honest I’ve still haven’t recovered. I’m one who loves surprises, but this one, I didn’t see coming. Or should I say I ignored the signs. They were there, bright as neon lights on Broadway. I was in Nah land.

What open my eyes to the real world? A BOOK. I was reading Best Kept Secrets by Rochelle Alers. The female characters had symptoms that made me think about my own symptoms. Could it be? No way. I was done, couldn’t be.

The next morning I decided to check for myself. I couldn’t remember the instructions, so I had to wait until later to be sure.

Two lines, the stick said two lines. No way!

I read the instructions, two lines means POSITIVE.

Oh Lord!

Six years and two kids later, I thought I was done in the baby making business. The Lord has other plans. You’d think after all these years I’d learn I can’t plan my life.

I’m having a baby. YEP I’m still in shock. The hubby is in shock and the kids are ecstatic.

It’s sinking in because this little baby is making it known he’s there.

Pray for me.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Author Intro: MaryLu Tyndall

See Ya On The Net: Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

MaryLu Tyndall:
I spent my early years on the beaches of South Florida, but now reside in northern California with my husband and our blended family of six children, ranging in age from 16 to 25. I've always loved to write, but never pursued it seriously as a career until last year when I submitted my first novel to agents and publishers. The whole process was such an awesome miracle. When I first started writing The Redemption, I was only writing it for fun and had no intention of submitting it. Through a series of miraculous steps, including getting me laid off from my full time job, and connecting me with ACFW, God led me to finish the novel and submit it. I began sending it to agents in February, 2005. and by October of that same year, I was signing contracts for not only The Redemption, but two more books in the series. I am humbled and blessed with how the Lord moved so swiftly on my behalf, and I give all the credit to Him and pray He uses my novels for His glory.

See Ya On The Net: Tell us about your current book?

TYNDALL:
The Redemption, my first novel was just released on July 1st. It is an historical pirate adventure set in the 17th century Caribbean. My story begins when the heroine, Lady Charlisse Bristol, sets off on a voyage in search of a father she never knew only to find herself shipwrecked on a deserted island. After weeks of combating the elements, her salvation comes in the form of a band of pirates and their fiercely handsome leader, Edmund Merrick. While battling his attraction to this winsome lady and learning to walk a more godly path, Edmund offers to help Charlisse on her quest—until he discovers her father is none other than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean.

The Redemption was born out of a difficult, personal journey. Like the heroine in my story, I too grew up without a father’s love and spent many years searching for acceptance and value in all the wrong places. I rejected God and didn’t realize that only in His arms would I find what I was searching for. There is a deep part of my soul written in the path Charlisse must take to find God’s love—a path that I hope will provide a healing touch to many lives.

See Ya On The Net: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

TYNDALL:
Whether you've grown up with a loving father, or without one, or whether you've been rejected by people you've cared about, or you've been accepted, God's love--not human love--is the only love that comes without cost, will never disappoint you, and can fill the aching void in your heart.

See Ya On The Net: Do you ever have a hard time letting go of a character after the novel is finished?

TYNDALL:
Yes. I had such a hard time letting go of the characters of The Redemption, that I refused and created another novel about them! The Reliance, book 2 in the series, will be released early next year. But, alas, I had to put them to rest in order to get started on my third novel. In a way it is like losing your best friends, but I know they are out there sailing the Caribbean, and God is taking care of them.

See Ya On The Net: What do you feel is the key to writing convincing characters?

TYNDALL:
Characters must be as real to us as our best friends. We must know them intimately. I am not a plotter, but I do spend a great deal of time on my main characters. I give them a past, likes, dislikes, good qualities and bad qualities, things that annoy me about them, and things that I like. They should not be all evil or all good, and they need to shock us now and then, just like real people do. I also give them specific looks or certain quirks that belong only to them. I spend a lot of time analyzing people around me for ideas.

See Ya On The Net: What makes your writing style unique?

TYNDALL:
I'm told that I'm very strong on settings and descriptions and that I have the ability to pull a reader right into the 17th century Caribbean and make them feel as though they were sailing aboard a pirate ship.

See Ya On The Net: What are you doing to promote your book?

TYNDALL:
My publisher hired a marketing company that is doing most of the promotional work for my novel. Other than working with them, I'm talking with local book stores, trying to set up book signings. I'm doing blog interviews and sending the book to interested people who are willing to write reviews for newsletters or online book stores. I'm sending out postcards advertising my book, and I have bookmarks to give away. Also, in the fall, I'll be attending the annual Pirate Festival in Key West, FL. Yea!

See Ya On The Net: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

TYNDALL:
The most surprising thing I discovered was that my characters took on minds of their own and often led me in directions I never would have foreseen.

See Ya On The Net: What do you do to make time for yourself?

TYNDALL:
It's hard to find time for myself these days. I spend most of my day either writing or on writing-related activities. Then I have a husband, kids and a house to run in the evening. Yes, I cook dinner, clean the house, and do laundry just like everyone else! I guess my favorite time alone is when I can curl up in bed at night after everyone else has gone to sleep and read a great novel.

See Ya On The Net: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

TYNDALL:
The best way is to go to my website: www.mltyndall.com

I have an email address listed there to which they can send notes.

Monday, July 10, 2006

AUTHOR INTRO: Dr. Lisa Fuller


See Ya On the Net: Tell us about your current book?

Dr. Lisa Fuller:
You Already Have All of the Tools that You Need is a Christian inspirational book composed of poems in a non-hymn form supported by Biblical scripture. The focus of the book is change. The book answers the question: How can I use God’s Word to bring about change in my life?

See Ya On the Net: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

Lisa Fuller:
The take home message is that change first starts in ones mind. With God’s help, we each have the ability to change our mindset and thinking thus producing change in our lives.

See Ya On the Net: What was the most profound lesson you learned while writing this book?

Lisa Fuller:
As I wrote this book, I found that God taken me through various seasons of change including spiritual, mental, and physical changes.

See Ya On the Net: What do you to improve your craft?

Lisa Fuller:
If you invest wisely into anything, your return for the most part is profitable. I make wise investments into my craft by first seeking God’s instruction through prayer for my life, placing myself in circles of people that have achieved what I want to accomplish such as professional writer’s groups. Additionally, I attend conferences and seminars and read a wide variety of books on various subjects.

See Ya On the Net: What makes your writing style unique?

Lisa Fuller:
I incorporate my professional training in medicine and mental health into ministry through my writing.

See Ya On the Net: What are you doing to promote your book?

Lisa Fuller:
Book promotions include book signing (in churches and book stores), speaking engagements, multi-media sources (radio and TV interviews) and Internet promotion.

See Ya On the Net: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

Lisa Fuller:
The most surprising thing that I found was the transformation of the book from the initial idea, transcript, and drafts, to the finished version. It was amazing for me to witness the change.

See Ya On the Net: What do you do to make time for yourself?

Lisa Fuller:
The most important thing that I do to make time for myself is to schedule it. I find that if I don’t set aside specific time for myself, I will occupy my time with work or other activities.

See Ya On the Net: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

Lisa Fuller:


Mail: Dr. Lisa Fuller
P.O. Box 401259
Redford, MI 48240-9259

Phone: (313) 645-1596

Website: www.drlisafuller.com

Email: drlisafuller@aol.com

Thursday, July 06, 2006

New Blog

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Here is something really different. But really cool.

Author (and blogger) href="http://forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/">Brandilyn Collins
has written a novel that comes out in August called Violet Dawn. It
is part of a new series she has started called the href="http://kannerlake.com/">Kanner Lake Series. She sent out
Advance Reader Copies to those who requested them and asked them to
choose a character that they liked. Then she asked the readers to
send her a make believe post from the character for a make believe
blog by the 'Kanner Lake' make believe residents. This is going to be
an actual blog, called...Scenes and Beans, full of ficticious bloggers
written by real bloggers who liked Violet Dawn. Confusing? href="http://www.kannerlake.blogspot.com/"> Well, it began, July 5th! Go check it out by pressing the href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2402/1433/1600/javajoint.5.jpg">button
for Scenes and Beans!
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Summer Sale

The Story Sensei Summer Sale - A writers' summer event!

From now until July 15th, I will be holding a fabulous contest for my Story Sensei critique service.

I will draw the names of TWO lucky winners! They will each receive:

A free synopsis critique – up to 10 pages single-spaced, a $40 value!

AND

A coupon for 25% OFF any manuscript critique – whether full or partial manuscript, any number of words. For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $250!

In addition, EVERYONE WHO ENTERS will receive a 10% OFF coupon for any service, whether synopsis, query letter, or manuscript critique (full or partial). For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $100, just for entering.

Go to my Story Sensei blog and post a comment to enter the contest!
http://storysensei.blogspot.com/