#Interview Part 2: The Worst #Advice I Ever Got About #Writing (and more) on @NChristie_OH 's Blog

Join me on Nancy Christie's blog for Part 2 of our interview. (See Part 1 here.) We dig into the part of the writing process that makes me break out in hives; story inspiration; title creation (something I totally stink at); the most difficult book I've written; the challenges and rewards of self-publishing; and more!

Nancy Christie is a woman worth knowing whether you're a reader or writer. She's a full-time author, speaker, and instructor, teaching at conferences and in classrooms across the country. She also has a huge heart and is a lovely person to know.



You can find Nancy on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, or on her website where you'll find links to her writing blogs and upcoming speaking gigs.

Cover Reveal: THE CALL TO DUTY by #Christian #Author C.J. Peterson! @authoress_cj

I'm so excited to share with you the cover for Christian author C.J. Peterson's latest release, THE CALL TO DUTY, the first book in The Holy Flame Trilogy!

Check out the book's summary below to see just how well this cover fits the story, then take a minute to get to know C.J. as she answers a few questions about her writing.

THE CALL TO DUTY
 
“We all know emergencies never take a day off. We all know for each one of us claimed, another has to step up to continue taking care of our fellow citizens. Our job is to protect and to serve. Our job is to care for the injured, to help those who need it, and to take down the beast known to us as fire. This beast tries to claim whatever and whomever it can. We all have a call to duty, which we have sworn to perform."

Courageous. Brave. Fearless. Valiant. These synonyms are often used to describe firefighters/paramedics, police officers, and military personnel. They face danger and lay their lives on the line when they leave for work. What are their struggles? Could that hinder their job proficiency? Who is taking care of those who are taking care of the citizens of this country?

Casey Carter is a 'newbie' to the firefighting family of Engine Company 15. Not only does she have to prove herself as a probationary firefighter, but she also has to battle misconceptions of females within her newly chosen profession. As situations begin to arise, can she count on the firefighter brotherhood to have her back? Will she be able to pass the tests placed before her, or are there aspects that she was not even aware existed?

 Often in life there are two realms in play. There is the physical realm - what is right before you; the other is the spiritual realm - what is unseen. Each can directly affect you, whether you believe they exist or not. Can Casey keep them in balance when she is not exactly sure what she is fighting? Can a group of men help her see what cannot be readily seen, hear what cannot be readily heard, and be able to overcome what she never knew existed? Will they be able to show Casey her true Call To Duty?

Ephesians 6:12-13:
 ¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.


Get your paperback copy of THE CALL TO DUTY at Booklocker, Barnes&Noble.com, or Amazon!

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MEET THE AUTHOR

C.J. Peterson

Where did you find inspiration to write THE CALL TO DUTY?

I have had many jobs through my lifetime, and quite a few were in male dominated fields. Being a female in a ‘male world’ is not an easy task, unless you learn to take things with a grain of salt. I was also an EMT ten to fifteen years ago, and heard quite a lot of the struggles that the firefighters had to put up with and endure. I knew there was a story to tell, I just had to figure out a creative way of doing it.

My other inspiration comes from my beliefs. There is a spiritual realm out there that does affect the physical realm. There are unexplainable things that occur daily – some people call them coincidences. I don’t believe in coincidences though, I believe in God. I also believe that He takes us through things and will guide us every step of the way if we let Him.


Did you have a particular woman in mind when you developed your main character, Casey Carter?

Casey is a little like me. I grew up in a military family, and worked in firehouses as an EMT. While her looks are far from mine, I always write a little of me into each of my heroines. In growing up the way I did, I have been exposed to many types of people, places, and situations. Those experiences have provided me with a myriad of perspectives with which to draw from and shape my characters.


Why do your characters face such hardships?

Life is not easy. There are twists and turns, there are ups and downs, and there are walls we run into throughout our lifetimes. My characters go through such tough situations to show others that God can make peace out of chaos, and can bring order to pandemonium.

Most Christian books fit into this nice, neat little package, but I keep it real. My characters go through it all, to show others that they can relate, and also show them that there is a way out. It also shows the world that Christians aren’t perfect. It shows them that God is a God of love, and He adopts them into His family as one of His, no matter their past.


The scriptures you quote relating to THE CALL TO DUTY, Ephesians 6:12-13, are intense. Is there a message in the story that you think will come through?

There is always a message in my books that is evident. I don’t hide anything or pull any punches. Through the trilogy, it is evident that someone has it in for Casey. Even though she doesn’t think she is that important, she plays a pivotal role in the lives of the Angels (an elitist force that rights the wrongs in the physical realm throughout the world under the direct supervision of an Archangel). The Bible says we entertain Angels daily. While it may not be to the extent that this cast of characters play, we are given a purpose, and it’s up to us to discover what it is. It is also our responsibility to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves – to assist where we can, and potentially help guide them to their purpose. Sometimes we need that help ourselves. Know that God already has people in place to help you if you pay attention and listen.

There is also a spiritual battle that is around us daily, so we need to be on our guard. We need to be able to discern what is around us. Some people choose to ignore it, but I choose to expose it for what it is. We need to be grounded in our faith in order to do battle on even footing. The battle builds up through the trilogy, and it comes to a head in book three. I believe my motto fits in perfectly with this series, and in all of the books I write: ‘While the story is fiction, the journey is real.’ It gets real, and allows you to travel through the journey in all three books.


THE CALL TO DUTY is the first book in The Holy Flame Trilogy. How long do we have to wait for the second book?

I have all three written. And to ease your minds, I have already started polishing book two in hopes of getting it out in three or four months. I know it seems like a long time, but trust me, as the story builds, those months of waiting will be worth it!

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THE CALL TO DUTY will be out soon! But if you just can't wait to read her work, check out C.J.'s young adult Christian novel, STRENGTH FROM WITHIN, available in paperback and for e-readers (click the cover below to get to Amazon).

Be sure to connect with C.J. here:

Web Site
Facebook
Twitter - @authoress_cj
Pinterest
Pheed
Goodreads
Email - cjpetersonwrites@yahoo.com

Outlines Make Me Shudder, but I'm Still June's Featured Author at C.J. Peterson Writes!

I've recently had the pleasure of hanging out with Christian writer C.J. Peterson over at her blog, C.J. Peterson Writes. If you haven't met C.J., catch up with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@authoress_cj). She's a great friend and you'll love getting to know her!


So grab a cup of coffee and head over to C.J.'s blog for a quick interview with yours truly (click here)!

While you're there, check out C.J.'s newest release, STRENGTH FROM WITHIN, available now at Amazon and other fine ebook retailers.

Genesis of a Novel: The Horrific Death of James Byrd Jr.

James Byrd Jr.

On occasion, an idea for a novel will spring fully formed into my mind. More often, it takes some time and several prompts for an idea to take hold and germinate. 

In the case of AVENGERS OF BLOOD, the tiny seed of an idea came to me when I read about James Byrd Jr.'s brutal killing. It took place in Jasper, Texas on June 7, 1998 and is a shameful part of our state's history.

Byrd was beaten, chained by his ankles to the back of a pickup truck, and then dragged to his death. The coroner believed it took almost three miles to kill him. This was as cold-blooded a murder as you'll come across.

Although Byrd's death caught my attention, what really grabbed me and planted the seed of the idea was his family's reaction. I cannot imagine the hell they must have lived through as they learned the circumstances of his death and sat through the trials of the three men eventually convicted of Byrd's murder.

But instead of responding to his killers with anger, with outrage, they spoke about forgiveness. When the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers held demonstrations in Jasper, Byrd's family called for peace and tolerance. When two of his murderers were sentenced to death, the Byrd family spoke out, asking that their sentences be commuted to life, saying that was punishment enough for them.

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I couldn't get my head around this.

I'm a Christian. I believe in the power of forgiveness, for both the forgiver and the forgiven. The Byrd family has my respect, my admiration for their words and actions. But if what happened to James Byrd Jr. happened to someone that I love? I'm not sure I'd be strong enough to react in the same way, and I can only hope I could muster the courage to try and forgive.

As for the novel, the seed didn't germinate until I was sitting in church one Sunday, bored by a sermon. (Hey, all you preachers, it happens more often than you'd think.) Instead of paying attention, I was leafing through my Bible looking for distraction. And I found it in Numbers 35:20-21 (NIV):

And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity smote him with his hand, so that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer: the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meeteth him.

Brutal, eh? It's Old Testament, and I like it. This reaction would be more true to who I am than offering forgiveness. (I did say that I'd like to have the courage to forgive, but I'm giving you honesty.)



And there it was. The idea for a story about vengeance for a crime that was so unimaginably horrible, made even more intolerable because justice was denied, that no punishment other than death would do. That led me to the tag line for AVENGERS OF BLOOD:

A horrific triple murder; a crime without punishment; and memories that will not be silenced.

This is not the story of James Byrd Jr.'s killing. No piece of fiction could come close to portraying the nightmare of his death. Instead, it explores the opposite of the Byrd family's courageous reaction to their loved one's murder: the desperate need for resolution, for a price to be exacted in payment for a terrible wrong.

Read AVENGERS OF BLOOD and then tell me: which is closer to your heart? Forgiveness or vengeance?


photo credit: knowhimonline via photopin cc

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop: AVENGERS OF BLOOD

Charles Dougherty

Last week, fellow writer Charles Dougherty (@clrdougherty on Twitter) invited me to participate in The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. 

If you haven't met Charles, stop by his blog. And if you haven't read his books, give them a try. I've read DECEPTION IN SAVANNAH and enjoyed it - it's a great mystery with quirky characters (even a raccoon with a personality) and it'll have you laughing out loud!

You'll find links to six other fabulous authors at the bottom of this post. Follow the links on February 7, 2013 to learn more about their works.


 

1) What is the working title of your book?

AVENGERS OF BLOOD. It's the second book in the Cass Elliot crime series.


(AVENGERS OF BLOOD is now live on Amazon! Get it here.)

 
2) Where did the idea for the book come from?

The idea for AVENGERS OF BLOOD came to me after I read about James Byrd Jr.'s murder in Jasper, Texas back in 1998. His death was atrocious, but even more than his killing, it was his family's reaction that caught my attention. They chose to forgive his killers, even asking that the two who received the death penalty have their sentences changed to life without parole.

AVENGERS OF BLOOD isn't a book about James Byrd Jr. or his family. Instead, it asks what would happen if someone chose vengeance instead of forgiveness. If you want to read more about how the novel came to be, read this post.


3) What genre is your book?

It's a crime thriller.


4) What actors would you choose to play the characters in a movie rendition?

Oooh, this is a hard one. Each of my characters is fully formed in my head, but finding the right person to fit that image is tough! I picture Cass Elliot as a Kate Mara or Jennifer Lawrence kind of gal. 

Kate Mara

I can see Matthew McConaughey as Mitch Stone, although he might have to put on a little weight. Just a smidge. He's an East Texas boy, so he's got the accent down and he could probably pull together Mitch's swagger and vulnerability. 

My editor recommended Harrison Ford for Sheriff Bill Hoffner - yup, that would definitely work. 

Harrison Ford

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

A horrific triple murder, a crime without punishment, and memories that will not be silenced.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published.


7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

About 90 days for the first draft and another 45 for editing.


8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Probably Karin Slaughter's Grant County series. They're gritty crime thrillers with a strong, flawed female lead.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

This story has been nagging at me for years, but the plot is a bit complicated and I wasn't sure I could pull it off. It involves two sets of individuals who are seeking vengeance from the same people, but for different reasons. Things get nasty when their paths cross. When I finished THE DEVIL OF LIGHT, I talked the plot for AVENGERS OF BLOOD over with my husband, and he encouraged me to try writing it.


10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?

If you've read THE DEVIL OF LIGHT, you know that the book ends without full resolution: some of the bad guys get away, a character's life hangs in the balance, and Cass Elliot's future as a Forney County Detective is uncertain. Some of those loose ends are tied up in AVENGERS OF BLOOD, and others continue to weave through the series storyline (yup, Hitch and the old man still linger...).

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And now to introduce six great authors - in no particular order. Remember to check out their Next Big Thing posts on February 7, 2013:

Wendy Potocki (@WPotocki) - horror author, her most recent is the second book in the Adduné series - The House of Cards

Douglas Wickard (@DouglasWickard) - author of the Sami Saxton thriller series 

Joseph Souza (@josephsouza3) - author of The Living Dead Trilogy 

Teri Heyer (@TeriHeyer) - poet and author of contemporary and paranormal romance, her most recent is Bayou Blues and Other Sorrows

Ron Dahle (@chrningcauldron) - author of The Churning Cauldron paramilitary novels

David Perlmutter (@davepperlmutter) - author of true story Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Physical Books and CDs: Alive and Well in 2012 England

It's hard to find a bookstore or a CD shop any more. Have you noticed? Barnes & Noble are still around, along with a (very) few independent bookshops, re-sale CD shops, and in our area, the highly addictive Half Price Books (who do a mighty trade in CDs). In this neck of the woods, that's about it.

As a writer, the demise of the physical bookstore doesn't bother me - customers find me in a variety of digital venues. As a reader, it definitely does bother me. Same holds true for my musician husband when it comes to CDs and his recording / listening habits. He can distribute digitally, but prefers to have the physical CD (or even the vinyl, in some cases) for listening purposes.

Although this change might be a bit slower coming to other parts of the world, the digital age continues to gain ground. In this August 6, 2012 article, Michael Harper notes that in the UK, Amazon is selling 114 ebooks for every 100 paperback or hardback books sold, and the British are buying approximately four times more books now than before they owned an ereader. (That's good news for those of us who so far, only publish our books electronically.)

Two of the things I enjoyed most about living in England were the ability to walk to many of the places we wanted to go and the number of bookstores and music shops we came across on our walks. In June, my husband and I had the pleasure of traveling to England to visit his family in Norfolk County. One of the things we worried about before we took flight was how many of those lovely stand-alone book and CD shops we'd find, now that we've been away for five years. So much has changed in terms of the world's digital lives that we had serious cause for doubt.

It was with some trepidation that Martyn and I walked down London's Charing Cross Road in hopes of seeing Foyle's Bookshop and Ray's Jazz. To our delight, both exist and appear to be thriving.

The Stage at Ray's Jazz is still on Foyle's first floor, but with a larger seating area for the café. (If you have a chance, stop by for a great cup of coffee, scrumptious scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and free Wi-Fi.) The record shop is upstairs on the third floor now, with an expanded selection of music. Yup, you read that right: expanded selection. Music to Martyn's ears, so to speak.

With the exception of the Borders bookstores, we found almost all of the stores that we remembered open and doing quite well, in both Norwich and London. All the bookshops down Cecil Court were open, along with the Waterstone's on Oxford Street, Hatchard's on Piccadilly, and many of the independent shops.

The bookshops on Cecil Court

On the music front, although the Virgin store is long gone from Piccadilly Circus, HMV lives on in London and Norwich. We were pleasantly surprised to find the funky Fopp on Earlham Street still open (they're somehow linked to HMV now), and all the instrument shops down Denmark Street thriving.

The Earlham Fopp Shop

Denmark Street

What does the presence of all this populated brick and mortar mean? Although the digital age marches on, it seems there are a few holdouts for lovers of physical books and CDs. Across the pond, anyway. Given the rise of the ereader and other digital devices in England, it may not last. But hopefully those physical shops will hold on long enough for us to make another trip back - maybe next year...

Does having access to physical shops for books and records matter to you?


Girl Reading Book photo credit: Βethan via photo pin cc
All other photos via yours truly.