Katy Lee’s Writing Stage

Hello all, Katy Lee here. Yesterday, Vivienne Lynge shared the “Stages of a Writer Career.” Click here if you missed it and want to see what stage you are in, and what you have to look forward to. But today I thought I would share the stage that I am in—and how I have to keep pinching myself because of it.

According to Viv’s list, I am in my 40’s…now I’m really not in my 40’s, age wise, but for this list, I’ll go with it and be happy about it.

This is where Viv put me:

“Ahhh, the 40′s – the decade when you finally feel like you’ve arrived.  You’ve got a contract and a couple/few books out there.  You’re a midlist author!  Wahooooo!  You are speaking at conferences, offering your experiences to newb’s in their 20′s, just starting out.  Maybe you are starting to feel some love from your publisher.  You might be getting recognition from some of the big contests, the Edgar, the Rita, a Newberry award.”

Viv would make a great carpenter, because she knows how to hit her nails dead-on. Reading through the stage, I could see how each part fit into this season of my writing career and it made me pretty happy to see where I had come from and where I still might go.

But one part in this stage scared me. In fact, it was something I was thinking about earlier this week when I received a message from my local RWA group asking for published authors to become a mentor. This is the part where I’m being asked to share my experiences with the newb’s, as Viv put it.

Yes, I have book contracts. Yes, I have spoken at conferences on a certain topic. Yes, I have been recognized in contests, but, after all this, I still don’t feel adequate to be offering advice to newcomers on their work. I still feel like I’ll wake up someday and all this will have been a dream, or worse, it will have been real and people will realize I have no talent, after all.

Am I the only one in this stage, or in any of Viv’s stages who feels this way? At what stage does it go away? Or does it ever?

The thing is I REALLY want to be a mentor. I REALLY want to help other up-and-coming authors, and I know I can’t wait until this feeling of insignificance goes away, because chances are, it will never go away…and maybe I shouldn’t want it to?

The Unlocked Secret…and my Ah-Ha Moment: Humility is a virtue I want to always have. Nothing should be taken for granted, and I should always take every success as a blessing. And as with any blessing I receive, I know I am given it so that I can then BE a blessing to someone else. I need not fear about failing someone else. I will offer whatever I can, and I’d be willing to bet my mentee will help me become a better writer in the long run because of it, hence pushing me up in Viv’s list to the 50’s. Wahoo!

Question: So what stage are you in? Did anything scare you?

Her Children Will Arise and Call Her Blessed by Katy Lee

I think the Proverbs 31 woman is the greatest heroine ever. To me, a great heroine doesn’t just make for good literature, though. She also inspires the reader to stretch herself to be more than she might think possible.

In light of Mother’s Day, I thought I might explain why the guidelines of this greatly loved woman inspire me, and maybe she might inspire you too. After all I think all of us mothers would consider our lives a success when our children arise and call us blessed.

So here I go:

First:  “She is worth far more than rubies and her husband has full confidence in her… She brings him good not harm, all the days of her life.”

To me, having my husband’s trust and support in my decisions in running my home is better than any “Wine ‘n Dine” dinner out. Knowing I can rest in this brings us closer as a unit and demonstrates pure love to each other, but also to our children. The greatest teaching tool is modeling, and this kind of demonstrating can only show them what a marriage is supposed to look like…and not settle for anything less in their own lives.

Now I’m not saying this comes with rubies, although a little bling would be a nice surprise, but to be considered more worthy than something as precious as rubies would only increase my desire to bring good to the home, creating a wonderful, harmonious atmosphere…because we all know, when Momma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy.

Next:  “She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands…She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family…She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

I like these verses, and not because I’m a knitter and love to work with wool, although it sure does make me like her more. But this heroine of a woman is not afraid of hard work. In fact, it says she’s eager for it. She’s willing to lose some sleep for the benefit of her family, and even people who are in need of family. Even at the risk of dark circles and aging wrinkles.

In my childrens’ Art History class, we had to look at a picture of an old, ugly woman. We were given no information about her, but told to write down our first thoughts about her that came to mind.

Here is the picture drawn by the artist, Albrecht Durer. What do you think about her?

My kids said, “Eewww.”

After I shook my head at them, I bit my tongue to hold back my disappointment and told them more about her.

Albrecht wanted to draw a picture of his beautiful mother. She was a woman he arose and called blessed and loved dearly. It is said that she continually prayed this blessing over her children, “Christ be with thee.” Albrecht grew to become the greatest artist in the history of Germany and one of the greatest in all of Europe. He had a mother who prayed for him. A mother who lived out Proverbs 31 for her family. However, when we take a look at the portrait he drew, we must honestly think…well, it may be a good drawing but it certainly is not pretty.

But that’s the thing with a Proverbs 31 woman, and why some of the most imperfect women can make the greatest heroines. We fall in love with their hearts. Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Now when we look at Albrecht’s drawing we see a mother who arose in the night and worked with eager hands because of her love for her family. She earned every single one of those wrinkles, and when Albrecht looked at her, he saw beauty.

Another Proverbs 31 passage states, “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”

Hello! Who wouldn’t want to own a vineyard? But seriously, this shows her intelligence. She’s a smart woman who knows what she wants. She makes wise choices and always for the benefit of her family.

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”

She’s no weakling. She’s a woman of strength and vitality. You don’t want to mess with her.

“When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.”

Well of course they are. She has prepared well.

“Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.”

How does that saying go? Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes. Oops! No, that’s not it. It’s behind every great man is a great woman.

A man who has his wife’s support has the ability to be a great man. She is his reinforcement.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

These passages bring calmness to my soul. I can just picture her sitting by a fire telling a moral story. The children interrupt, because that’s what they do, but she doesn’t yell. Instead, she laughs with them, bursting out those laugh lines and wrinkles she’s earned so well.

And last but not least. In fact, it is the most important of all.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her and says, ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’”

AWWWWWWW!!

So all you children out there today, young and old, call your moms and bless her.

Proverbs 31 tells us to “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Now GO, Do it! And HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Tick Tock Goes the Clock – Are you Managing your Time?

One of the biggest reasons for not getting writing done is that we don’t have enough time. But time is one of the most democratic of commodities. Here’s The Unlocked Secret right up front today: Everyone gets the same number of hours a day. 24 hours for everyone! Yay! But it’s how we use them that make the difference.

Author Terri Main coordinates the Book in a Month group at the American Christian Fiction Writers site, and for the past two months I have enjoyed hearing all her wise words and inspiration. Today I thought I would pass along some of her tips for managing our time in order to get in more writing. 

 

1. Understand how you are already using your time. For one week, record what you did in every 15 minute time segment throughout your day. Some can be easily designated like 11 pm – 7 am sleep or 9 am – 5 pm work. But even there, you might put 9 am – 12 pm work, 12 pm – 1 pm lunch and 1 pm – 5 pm work. Others may change every 15 minutes or so. This will help you identify how you are using your time. 

 

2. Check your priorities. Looking at the time log you made, highlight in different colors different activities by priority. Use three priority levelsHigh – Must do for survival. Extremely important to family life. Something I’ve committed to as a moral, spiritual, physical, family priority. Something that I would sacrifice lower priority items to do. 

 

Medium – Of importance, but would sacrifice, if reluctantly for a high priority item, but would sacrifice a lower priority item to do. 

 

Low – Enjoyable, habitual or dragged into by others, but not personally important. Would not knowingly sacrifice anything else to do. 

 

Look at the colors. Is a lot of your time taken up low priority items like watching a TV show you were only moderately interested in seeing. Going to a Tupperware party for someone you don’t really know that well. Reading a tabloid story about some movie star who may or may not be seeing another movie star behind her movie star husband’s back who in turn is seeing another movie star. 

 

Those low priority squares are the first place to look for writing times. Then check the medium priority stuff. This is where things get serious. Giving up the low priority stuff is easy, but when it comes to something in the middle, you have to think a bit more. For instance, there is a sale on at the mall. There are some good deals. Not great, but you might save a bit. On the other hand, you are getting close to the end of your novel and an extra two or three hours would make a difference. There is no easy answer. You simply have to weigh the pros and cons of each and make a decision. But be sure you make the decision and don’t let the decision make itself. 

 

3. Beware of the Tyranny of the Urgent. I forget who coined that term, but I like it. Sometimes we do something because it must be done now and not because it is actually important. Don’t let a low priority item get in the way of your writing plans simply because something has to be done quickly or not at all. When faced with something urgent, ask yourself if it is also something important and if it is more important than anything else at that time. It might be a one day only sale, but is there anything at that sale which is actually a high priority thing you need to buy? 

 

4. If you can’t write an hour, write for what you can. This is sometimes a sticking point for people. Someone looks at the clock and says, “Oh, I have to leave for work in 20 minutes, I can’t write.” Sure you can. Writ for 15 minutes and then gather your stuff and head out the door. You may “only” get 300 words written, but that’s 300 words you would not have otherwise. Consider this. If you write 300 words a day five days a week that’s 1500 words a week or 78,000 words in a year. That’s a good sized novel from just 15 minutes a day and taking weekends off. 

 

5. Use the “in between times.” Sometimes, I think I spend half my life waiting for something. I may be waiting for a doctor’s appointment, a phone call, a business appointment, a train or dinner at a restaurant. With the various small computers like netbooks, ultrabooks, tablets and Chromebooks, you can spend that time writing, outlining, editing, researching or making notes. 

 

Consider writing during commercials on TV. Every hour of television has, on average, 20 minutes of commercial time. Just mute the TV and write during each commercial break which averages 3-5 minutes. 

 

6. Word sprints. A word sprint is a short time of concentrated writing. You set a timer and write for 15-30 minutes. You do nothing but write. You don’t have soda, coffee or snacks. You don’t listen to music. You turn off the phone. You just write and write as fast as possible. It’s amazing what you can do in 15 minutes of concentrated writing. 

 

A useful tool for this is Write or Die. It has both online and desktop versions. The program begins to flash and play screechy music if you don’t type something for a few seconds. Their motto is “It puts the prod in productivity.” 

 

Well, those are a few of Terri’s favorite tips. Hope they help you. 

Blogs to Help Enhance your Work by Katy Lee

Writing fiction is more than getting your character from point A to point B. Your character needs to experience the world and everything in it just as we do in our everyday lives. Our days are filled with intrusions like weather and sickness, but there are also things in the world that have the ability to cultivate us like the arts and architecture around us…most times when we’re not even looking for it.

Now I could spend a lifetime reading and studying the things in our world just so I can write them into my stories, but if I did I’d never get anything written. As much as I would love to spend my days at the library, or better yet, traveling the world to experience everything in it, it’s just not possible. But I also can’t neglect the fact that these things exist in my life and in the lives of my characters. So what do I do?

Well, while I wait for my cruise tickets to come in the mail, I have found a group of blogs that offer little tidbits of information a little at a time. Ideas and information that I can file away to use in moments where my stories are flat and are in need of some excitement or detail.

So today I wanted to share some of these go-to blogs that help enhance my work. I hope there is something in here for you, too!

1)      http://www.redwoodsmedicaledge.com/

The Redwood’s Medical Edge Blog is medical facts for your fiction. Jordyn Redwood, a nurse by day, author by night, designed her site to help both historical and contemporary authors learn methods to write medically accurate fiction. She fields medical questions from followers, analyzes medical scenes, and posts on topics that can increase the tension and conflict in any story. No one person can be an expert in all things so she also hosts medical experts in other areas: EMS and obstetrics to name a few. Historical authors who have done research in a particular medical area such as civil war medicine are also featured. You want to know the protocol of an accident with injuries, or an illness a baby could have but go undetected? Jordyn is your woman.

2)      http://gailingis.com/wordpress/

Gail Ingis is known as a “Renaissance Woman” for her varied accomplishments. She is a professor of history of architecture & interior design, photographer, artist juror, writer, design critic, and founder of the nationally accredited Interior Design Institute. On any given day, her blog can be about how lighting affects a room, drinking coffee in a café in Portugal, or a description of a Victorian era chair. You never know when your character might need to sit in one. Whatever the topic may be, Gail’s information can bring a flare for the exotic into your stories.

3)      http://www.dailywritingtips.com/

Not just for writers. Whether you are an attorney, manager or student, writing skills are essential to your success. The rise of the information age – with the proliferation of e-mails, blogs and social networks – makes the ability to write clear, correct English more important than ever. (See my blog from last week about good writing here.) Daily Writing Tips is about that. Every day they send out a grammar, spelling, punctuation or vocabulary tip. And we can all use extra tips.

4)      http://www.romancingthepalate.com/

Finding a passion for food in every love story is R.L. Syme’s motto for her blog. I took a food class with Rebecca Lynn last year and she helped me learn how to use food like another character in my stories. She brought life to cooking and eating and encouraged us to incorporate the feelings we experienced into our books, so our readers could feel them, too.  *This blog is in the process of being changed, so not much is going on there these days. I’m looking forward to her updated site soon.

Until then, I recently found this one and it has the same premise:

5)      http://platedromance.wordpress.com/

Romance on the Plate: Taste the Emotions…Feel the Food. Here is a quote from the site to show how food helps to bring your character to life:

“He could not control his curiosity; he could smell the delicious aroma of caramelizing onions wafting from the copper vessel that was fired up on the stove. He stood upon a chair in the kitchen and watched as his mother evoked the magic of food……”

I feel like I am standing on that chair and inhaling right along with the child. Which is what we want to do for our readers, so they can get a taste, too.

The Unlocked Secret: Experience is key, but if you can’t experience it yourself, find a source that has. It will make your writing authentic. Check these sites out for ways to enhance your writing. If not these, I’m sure you can search for sites that meet your genre and style.

Question: Do you have a go-to blog or website for expertise or vicarious experience? Please share in the comments below.

And as always, thank you for your Tweets and Shares.

Does Good Writing Matter? by Katy Lee

I recently came across a survey titled, Does Good Writing Matter? The following are a few of the questions I answered. Would love to compare your answers with mine. Feel free to leave some, or all, in the comments below.

1)      Do you judge other people based on their writing?

Now before you throw your pencils at me, or your mouse as the case may be, I will say the word “judge” may be too harsh. Do I judge? No. Do I feel a writer loses credibility if they can’t express themselves well in writing? Yes. A person’s inexperience comes through in their writing and if they want to be taken seriously, whether in fiction or in nonfiction, accurate writing is a must. But like I said, I would not call it judging. I think a better term would be “to question.” Do I question a person’s validity based on their writing? Definitely.

2)      What writing mistakes bother you most?

The answers to choose from were: “Grammar/punctuation,” “word use,” “long, difficult sentences,” “vague purpose,” “poor logic.”

And my answer? Poor logic and vague purpose. A writer may lose credibility with inaccuracies in their writing, but I don’t let those bother me. I’ll most likely continue to read on, correcting mistakes as I go, but a lack of purpose and poor logic has me closing the book/article all together. For example, a few months back I had to judge a writing contest of published works. One book in particular was nearly painful for me to read because it lacked purpose. I squirmed in my comfy chair. I fidgeted and kept looking at how many pages I had left. My husband watched me from the couch. He said, “You’re not enjoying that book.” I was not surprised he could tell. Every sentence, every piece of dialogue, every scene needs to push the story along and show the purpose to the reader, and it needs to be logical, or they will close it up.

3)      Do you apply the same writing standards to social media?

This one was a tough one for me. With the 140 character limitations in Twitter, I think I have to be more understanding to errors in social media. Although, I have seen some great Tweets and Facebook statuses that are short, but full of impact without compromising intelligence. Then there are those posts that confuse “there, they’re and their.” (See question #1 for my response to those.)

I thought this was a great question given our social media world these days. It used to be that a person had to be credible in their field in order to write. These days, everyone has a soap box (or media outlet). Some might think that’s scary, but I still believe your intelligence, or lack there of, shines through even in 140 characters.

Either way, I’m interested in hearing your take on this one.

4)      What is your personal pet peeve in writing?

This is a question we ask many of our guests here at the Scribes, and I have learned so much from their responses. I had no idea some of my word choices bothered people. Now I do, and I don’t do them anymore. So, I am hoping if you don’t answer any of the other questions, you will at least answer this one. I know there is still so much for me to learn, so please share.

Now as for my personal pet peeve word. I would have to say the word “got.” It just jolts the flow of my reading. Also, “lightening vs. lightning.” One is to lighten your load. The other is a natural electric discharge in the atmosphere. The misuse of that word also gives me a jolt. <grin>

The Unlocked Secret: Today’s secret isn’t really a secret, but here it is anyway: Everyone’s a critic. Make every effort to put your best work out there. That means take the time to learn through classes and workshops, reading various works, and keeping your handy-dandy grammar book by your side at all times. And if you’re still unsure? That’s what editors are for.

So, have at it, Scriblings! Answer away, and remember as I said in question #1, I don’t judge.

And as always, thanks for your Tweets and Shares!

#1KID is Back to Talk Writing

Hello, friends! I’m #1KID as you may know me from visiting here last year when I told you all what the Top Ten Secrets from a Writer’s Kid were, or maybe you’ve read my own blog, Road2Gold! Either way, I’m Katy’s kid!

I’m here today to tell you about my latest experience with a book I just read. It’s actually a book I’ve been waiting to read for about six months.  I’m sure many of you can relate to the excitement of when a book is released..

But as I read it, I noticed something different I’d never picked up on before. The author had a thing with “head-hopping”. If you don’t know what head-hopping is, then let me fill you in: Head-hopping is where the Point Of View (Or POV) all of a sudden changes. One paragraph you’re feeling what the heroine is feeling, then bam, we’re in the hero’s head.

Head-hopping is impossible when writing a first-person book, (which is what I write and usually read) but seeing that this book was in third person, I found it happening a lot. Like I said,  I’d never noticed head hopping before, but now it was like reading had an antagonist of its own. It slowed my reading and really jolted me out of the story. Sometimes I had to go back and reread the paragraph.

Can I ask if this is just me, or is there anyone else who experiences this? And why had I never noticed it before?

What especially bothered me was when the author head hopped into the POV of a secondary character. It tripped me up and confused me. Do we need to know what a secondary character is thinking?

I realize I’m a new writer, but if any of you Scriblings can explain why authors head hop, please tell me.

As for me when I write, I put the squiggly in between POVs. ~ Sometimes I put random symbols.( ψ Ω ∞ ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ ) I don’t plan to be published until I graduate high school, so I can be weird in my books. I write about angels, so a symbol of a pair of wings would be really cool.

My character, Vera North, with her wings

In the publishing world, what is the customary symbol to use for when an author doesn’t head hop and changes POVs? Thanks for your help and thanks for hanging out with me today.

Thanks Scribes for having me here today. But before I leave, I want to tell you that tomorrow is my first blogiversary! (Yeah, yeah… I made that word up.) I’m soooo excited! I’ll be celebrating in a few days on my own blog, so be sure to join the party!

Later!

#1kid

A Key Publishing Ingredient by Connie Mann

Writers talk a lot about all the different stars and planets that have to align to get a book published: the right project—well written–to the right agent and the right publisher at the right time—all wrapped up in God’s perfect timeline. All those things are absolutely true.

But there is one more element that is equally important, sometimes the one ingredient that can make all the difference: the right editor. I am blessed to have one of those.

Back in 2004, I thought my time as a writer had finally “arrived.” I’d written lots of articles, accumulated an impressive stack of rejection letters, and had finally sold both a non-fiction parenting book and Angel Falls, a novel. We were in the midst of final edits when things went awry.

The publisher changed their editorial direction and requested significant changes to Angel Falls. So Ramona Richards–the company’s freelance editor I’d been working with–and I went to work. When the publisher asked for still more changes, we made more. Finally, I realized if I kept going, I’d have to rip the heart and soul out of the story. It wouldn’t be the same story at all. I talked it over with Ramona and my agent and with a heavy heart, I said no. The deal was nixed.

To say I was discouraged would be like calling a hurricane a drizzle. I cried. Couldn’t write. I finally realized I had to get out of my house before I lost what little was left of my mind. I became a boat captain-and love it! I’ve found I need that balance between outside around people and inside my writing cave to keep me happy and creative.

Since I’m a writer at heart, the stories eventually pulled me back. I wrote Trapped and sold it to a small press. But Angel Falls was still the book of my heart.

Several years ago, I heard that Ramona had taken a job with Abingdon Press. I figured it was a long shot that she’d remember Angel Falls—do you KNOW how many stories an editor reads every year? But I mailed it to her anyway.

Ramona hadn’t forgotten. One day she emailed me to see if Angel Falls was still available. That SAME day, the manuscript arrived on her desk. Talk about God’s timing!

Another 1 ½ years went by as she championed the story with Abingdon. Then came the email that began, “I know you thought this day would never come…” Fast forward another year, and Angel Falls is now available! I couldn’t be more grateful or excited.

My best advice? Go to conferences. Get to know the editors. That way, when your right project meets up with the right editor and God’s perfect timing, you’ll be ready.

Thank you, God. And thanks, Ramona, from the bottom of my heart.

And thank you, Connie, for sharing this amazing story about the journey of Angel Falls. I’m so excited for you, and this is a great story of perseverance for writers who wonder if “the call” will ever come. Find the editor/agent who loves your book and they will champion it for you.

Thanks being with us today, Connie!

Readers, Connie Mann loves stories of suspense, adventure and second chances. She offers encouragement to busy women on her blog:  www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com and is an active member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She’s also a USCG-licensed boat captain, so when she’s not writing, she’s usually on Central Florida’s waterways with local school children or her fabulous family. Please visit her online at: www.conniemann.com. And don’t forget to check out her new book Angel Falls at:

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Falls-Connie-Mann/dp/1426756860/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361369788&sr=8-1&keywords=angel+falls+by+connie+mann

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/angel-falls-connie-mann/1112792558?ean=9781426756863

Christian Book:

http://www.christianbook.com/angel-falls-connie-neumann/9781426756863/pd/756863?item_code=WW&netp_id=1028634&event=ESRCG&view=details

 

 

 

The Greatest Love Story (And Why I Write Romance) by Katy Lee

Happy Easter! Katy Lee here, hoping you are all having a blessed Resurrection Sunday with your loved ones…and speaking of love, let me just say it is my favorite topic to talk about. So it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that I write romance. I write it, I read it, and I love to hear about it. Hearing how a couple met always intrigues me. I love weddings and seeing two people make a lifetime vow of devotion to each other, and I love witnessing the victorious connection of an old married couple as they walk hand-in-hand. I say victorious because I’m not so naïve that I don’t know they fought battles to get to where they are. Battles that tried to tear them apart. Battles their love overcame.

Just imagining those conflicts is making my fingers itch to write about them now. To turn them into words on a page, characters that the world can see, and maybe even fall a little in love with as well.

Many people say romances have no value in the world of literature, but I say they’re wrong. I think seeing examples of what love looks like shows us how to demonstrate it. I think witnessing a person, real or not, offer a selfless act of kindness empowers us to do the same. I think watching two people overcome odds that should tear them apart inspires those facing their own battles to persevere. I think romances remind us that love exists and it starts with us.

Or does it?

1 John 4:19 says we love because God loved us first. He loved us before we were even created. He loves us regardless of anything we have done, and will still love us regardless of anything we do. His love is unconditional and was offered long before we knew how to love.

But like a good romance, there was a conflict. Our sinful natures kept us from being with Him. We couldn’t be together as He had wanted. But, also like the perfect hero, that didn’t stop Him, and He set out to fight the battle for our hearts, even if that meant His death.

In John 15:13, Jesus tells us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friends. He told us what love looks like. And then he proceeded to do just that. He fought the battle for us and on the third day, He reigned victorious.

But unlike a novel, our story doesn’t end there. We get a happily-ever-after that will last for an eternity because of His victory. Jesus is truly the hero of my heart and my inspiration in writing the perfect romance.

The Unlocked Secret: I think we read, and in my case write, romances because we were created with a desire to be loved, and we want to see love demonstrated over and over again in all different ways. But Jesus said something else. He said to love one another as I have loved you. In a good romance, we see two people who don’t just receive love. They also learn to give it just as He says. So, I say, go ahead, read those romances, and be reminded of what love looks like. And then, go forth and express it to the loved ones, and not-so-loved ones, around you.

And remember who it all started with.

Happy Easter!

(This has been a re-post from last year, but it means just as much to me as it did then!)

Another Next Big Thing by Katy Lee

Fellow author Debby Lee (No relation at all) recently tagged me in a blog. She sent me a list of questions that I’m to answer regarding my next book and post them to my blog. Now since I already told you about my October 2013 release, Warning Signs, a Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story, here,  I will tell you about my next book after that one. So here goes.

WHAT’S THE WORKING TITLE OF YOUR BOOK?

In Too Deep to be released mid 2014 with Love Inspired Suspense. Title may change. In fact, knowing my editor, it most likely will. Warning Signs used to have a working title of Forever Silenced. That’s just the way it works.

WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM FOR YOUR BOOK?

Well, first I love a good forensic anthropology story, especially when my heroine anthropologist gets to butt heads with a handsome cop to solve the case. But because I also participate in many events with the Creation Coalition here in New England, I wanted a character that has a strong faith in God as her creator, even when some of her colleagues don’t believe.  I hope to inspire readers to stay strong in their faith.

Now because I write romance, the romantic conflict ensues when my hero needs evidence to trust in her because of his own past betrayals, but my heroine doesn’t want to live her life with her actions always under the microscope.

WHAT GENRE DOES YOUR BOOK FALL UNDER?

Inspirational Romantic Suspense

WHAT IS THE ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS OF YOUR BOOK?

Bones have been unearthed on the island, but the real trouble begins when Anthropologist Lydia Muir and the handsome sheriff, Wesley Grant, start digging deeper.

IF YOUR BOOK BECAME A MOVIE, WHO WOULD PLAY YOUR LEADS?

A long-haired Bradley Cooper and a  sophisticated Jennifer Garner.

 

 

IS YOUR BOOK SELF PUBLISHED OR REPRESENTED BY AN AGENCY?

This will be published by Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense.

WHAT OTHER BOOKS WOULD YOU COMPARE YOUR STORY TO WITHIN YOUR GENRE?

I hate comparing my stories to others out there. I don’t want to compare this story to the T.V. show, Bones, either, even though that is the first thing that comes to mind. Like most writers my stories are unique and don’t follow another writer’s pattern. It keeps things fresh and surprising!

WHAT ELSE ABOUT YOUR BOOK MIGHT PIQUE THE READERS INTERESTS?

I was excited to return to the Island of Stepping Stones where Warning Signs takes place. So I got to revisit some of the characters from the first book. I hope you like them all!

And now if you would like to see Debby Lee’s answers to her book, click here. And thank you Debby for the invite to share!

P.S. Stay tuned, in a few weeks, I will reveal the cover for Warning Signs!!!

Katy Lee’s at EPICon 2013 finding Her Voice

Hello all, I am writing this from my hotel desk in Washington State where I am trailblazing the wild world of e-publishing with professionals from all facets of the electronic publishing industry. I’m also up for an award for my first novel, Real Virtue, so that doesn’t hurt! We’ll find out the winners tonight at the awards ceremony, but of course, I’m just tickled to be nominated.

 
There have been hoards of info thrown at me in the workshops this week, from marketing specialist, Jennifer Fusco of Market or Die Author Services to doing a writer’s taxes…UGH! I could try to throw it all on you, but I won’t do that. Instead, I want to share one thing that really gave me a little peace in my heart about my writing.

 
I’m sure I’m not the only writer out there who looks at their favorite authors and wonders why I can’t write like them … right? I’m not, right? Please tell me I’m not.

 
Either way, I heard Editor Debra Dixon of Belle Bridge Books speak at the luncheon yesterday about understanding your voice, and I know I will never do her speech justice, but her words finally helped me understand why I will never write like my favorite authors.

 
Now I know it’s not anything I haven’t told myself, but the fact is I can’t write like them because I write like Katy Lee. She said our best writing comes from writing what we know, but not knowledge like many people think. She said the things we know are the experiences we have lived through and come out of. Each writer will be very different from another.

 
Now if we don’t know what those things are, just look at all your writing. What is the recurring theme or conflict that comes up in your writing? Do your stories always have some type of redemption premise in them? Or a character finding their place in the world? Or someone out to prove something about themselves?

 
That may very well be your voice. That thing that readers come to know you by.

 
Now I shouldn’t be so surprised. I recently spoke at a church where I shared how writing for me used to be more than escape. It was a way for me to be in control. I could create a character, give her the same conflicts I struggled with, and try to make her victorious. I say try because most times I couldn’t finish the work.

 
And why couldn’t I finish? Because as Debra Dixon pointed out, I didn’t have the experience to write what I know.

 
The Unlocked Secret: After today’s luncheon, I think I have found my writer’s voice. My inspirational stories follow the same patterns of victory. No matter how drastically different the story lines are, I can see the theme flowing through the work. But what gave me the peace in my heart had nothing to do with finding my writer’s voice, but everything to do with knowing if I could write about victory, then I must finally “know” victory. I can finally write what I know.

And even if I don’t win the EPIC award tonight, I did win the tiara at the luncheon yesterday! Yay! I’m all set to reign in victory!

 
Question: What do you “know” about in your writing? Compile all your work and start digging. You just might find your voice, too. And wouldn’t that be a huge victory!

And as always, Thank you for your Tweets and Shares!