The timing for the weekly writing updates is being changed. Beginning with this post, I’ll be publishing each week’s writing update the following Wednesday. That will give me a day or two to digest the week’s work and will provide a less crowded publication schedule for you, my good reader.

Now, for the writing wrap-up.

In some ways, it was a very good week beginning with great idea generation on Monday morning. The weekly goal is to spend one hour coming up with new ideas. Last week, I wrote over four thousand words in such areas as story summaries, ‘what if’ ideas, and title ideas. What a great way to start the week!

I continued to record new ideas or fresh thoughts on existing ideas throughout the rest of the week, but the focus of writing from Monday afternoon forward was Saving Grace.

The majority of that work revolved around building the most solid framework possible for the story. The first act was improved. I wrote second and third act chapter summaries for the third draft and prepared to connect all the dots for the fourth draft.

Since the first draft was written off the cuff in less than 30 days back in 2009, there are a lot of structural issues to address. I believe they have all been identified. Some of them have also been addressed, but I’m not happy with all of those solutions.

As for those issues that have yet to be addressed… well, there always seems to be one difficult issue in every story. At least I know what my ‘difficult issue’ is, even if I have yet to figure out how best to deal with it.

Until next week,

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(Ms. Davy) was an amazing cheerleader and I lived to make her smile with my stories. Whether I really was or not at that point, she made me believe I was a good writer.

~ Sr. Editor April Gardner, on who inspired her writing.

Today we get to spend some time with COTT founder April Gardner.

April is an amazing author, good friend, and an inspiration to me. She’s a sometime home school mom, a military wife, a talented writer, and a frugal do-it-yourselfer. So I was excited to get to pick her brain! Below are the questions that I always wanted to ask. I’m sure you will find them just as fascinating as I do.

Michelle: April, what was it like growing up with missionary parents?

April: We never lacked for excitement, that’s for sure! Some MKs struggle with change, but I never minded it. I was shy and content merely to be with my family; wherever they were, I was happy, no matter the town or country! Growing up in Spain and learning Spanish was one of God’s beautiful gifts to me.

Michelle: That’s so cool! Some might be surprised to hear that you are dyslexic. What advice or encouragement would you give to others out there struggling with dyslexia?

April: I’d imagine that most reading this are adults, and by the time dyslexics reach adulthood, they’ve managed to cope quite well. Having a child with dyslexia, however, was something that took me completely by surprise, surprisingly. LOL From what I hear, it goes through the mother, so odds were pretty good one of my kids would struggle with it. When it comes to dealing with a dyslexic child I’ve learned three things.

1. Patience is the name of the game!
2. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
3. There is no shame in being dyslexic or having another learning difficulty.

Michelle: You have now experienced both the public school world and the home school world. What are your observations comparing both?

April: My most important observation is that God’s plan for our children’s education is 1. God’s plan for us is unique! I cannot compare how others chose to educate their children with our own choices.

2. God’s plan for us is not set in stone, never to change. What might be His will one year, might not be the next. We must be flexible and keep our ears tuned to Him. He’ll speak most loudly through our kids via their progress, contentment, discipline, and attitude.

Michelle: Great insights! Ok, so what began your fascination with history

April: Laura Ingalls Wilder and her Little House books! They were the first “big” books that held my attention well enough to make reading worth all the effort. I haven’t looked back since!

Michelle: I love those books too! You are a military spouse>–where have you lived, and which was your favorite place?

April: The military first moved us to Germany. We were 19 years old and newly married. Our tour lasted 7 years. Straight from there, we went to England for four years, and we’ve currently been in Georgia 2.5 years. Germany holds a very dear place in our hearts for many reasons, but I have felt most content and fulfilled right here in Georgia. God bless the USA!! Boy, it’s good to be home.

Michelle: Wow, that sounds so adventurous! And now you’re a published author–another adventure! Who first inspired you to pursue publication< and writing? Who inspires you today?

April: Several people along the path of my life worked together to inspire me to pick up the pen, but the first was my high school creative writing teacher, Ms. Davy. She was an amazing cheerleader and I lived to make her smile with my stories. Whether I really was or not at that point, she made me believe I was a good writer. Today, it’s the drive to reach goals that inspires me. I do love a challenge!!

Michelle: Of the characters you’ve created, who is your favorite and why?<

April: True Seeker, the budding Creek Indian warrior from my latest novel, Warring Spirits, is my favorite character so far. His heart is good and true to his name, he seeks wisdom, honor, and a personal relationship with the Giver and Taker of Breath.

Michelle: I like his character too. But of course, they’re all good in my opinion! Besides writing excellent historical romance novels, you also have a lot to share on your blog about managing health issues with diet, frugality, and parenting. Any idea what’s coming up in 2012

April: Great question! LOL My blog is ever changing, but yes, I do tend to focus on those topics. Right now, I’m on an all-natural foods kick, so I’m sure my followers will see more of those tips in the future.

Michelle: Tell us about your recent book releases.

<

April: Warring Spirits is my latest adult fiction release. It’s set in 1816 and is the story of a woman who might be able to hide her African heritage except for her hair, which is a dead give-away. Milly’s escape from slavery leads her to the safety of Negro Fort where Major Phillip Bailey, believing her to be white, takes it upon himself to “free” her from the stronghold. At the same time, he’s ordered to launch an attack against it. Accomplishing both is a virtual impossibility, especially when the beautiful woman doesn’t want to be rescued. Where blood is shed, unexpected love may bloom!

Michelle: I’ve read it and it’s awesome! Head to Amazon you guys, you won’t regret it.

April, thanks for answering all my hard-hitting questions today, lol.

Readers, check out COTT this week for some of our favorite Amish Excerpts!

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I’ve been a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association for almost two years in February. It’s a great organization of great writers, published and yet to be published.

One of my favorite things about the ACFW is the opportunity to share writing experiences and skills with other writers through the many crit groups for members.

I now have a new favorite thing to add: Reading freshly published novels I first saw as critique submissions.

Sixty Acres & A Bride first crossed my “desk” as a work in progress several months ago. It appealed to me from the start for several reasons.

• It was historical (which meant it had horses in it)
• It was based on a Biblical story (the account of Ruth the Moabitess)
• The author was from the neighboring state of Oklahoma

All good reasons to take a look at a novel.

But it was the story itself that kept me reading installments as quickly as author Regina Jennings cared to submit them.

On January 17, 2012, an envelope arrived in the day’s mail. Inside the envelope was the finished novel, sent complements of Bethany House Publishers. My first response was to the gorgeous cover and beautiful packaging.

My response after reading the final word was delight at the way the author closed with a repeating theme. The time I spent with Weston and Rosa and all the Garner gang was time well spent.

Sixty Acres & A Bride is a historical romance set in 1878 Texas ranch lands, near the town of Lockhart. It’s full of colorful and fun characters, at least one scoundrel, and the kinds of landscape and weather features those of us living in the middle part of the country are familiar with.

If you enjoy historical novels or romance novels, you’ll want to get your hands on this one.

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2012

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa can’t keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can’t help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

About the Author

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

Visit Regina’s website at www.reginajennings.com.

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Like the article on Vision, this article on Strategy came to me as part of Randy Ingermanson’s monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine (which you can sign up for at no cost here).

A moment for a shameless promotion. I recommend this e-zine very highly and not only because I enjoy it. There is valuable writing and business information in Randy’s e-zine every month. Even the things I don’t publish will help you advance your writing career and each one of them is worth more than the price of subscription (did I mention the e-zine is free?).

End of shameless promotion and on to the real story.

Organizing: Strategizing Your Writing Career

By Randy Ingermanson

In my November column, I talked about the three essential skills you need if you want to succeed in the writing business — Vision, Strategy, and Tactics.

In December, I discussed Vision and gave you some simple tips to help you define the Vision for your career and for each book.

This month, we tackle Strategy.

Let’s be clear about two things:
* Strategy is hard work.
* Strategy pays off massively.

Strategy is hard work because it will never really end. If you’re going to succeed in your writing career, you will need to be continually refining your Strategy.

Having a sound strategy doesn’t guarantee you’ll be successful, but it makes your success much more probable.

The reason Strategy is important is because in your writing career, you’ll be asked to do far more things than you can possibly do. You will never, ever have time to do it all. A sound Strategy will tell you what to do yourself, what to hire somebody else to do, and what to let go.

My thinking on this has been shaped quite a bit by the book, THE E-MYTH REVISITED, by Michael E. Gerber. I highly recommend this book, which is not about writing, it’s about running an effective business.

Writing is a business, so the principles apply, even though Mr. Gerber never mentions fiction writing in his book.

What is “the e-myth”? It’s the starry-eyed notion that just because you’re in business, you somehow magically become an entrepreneur.

Anybody can strap on ice skates, but that doesn’t make them a hockey player. Anybody can start a business, but that doesn’t make them an entrepreneur.

The minute you make the decision to write a novel with the hope of selling it someday, you’re in business. But you’ll only be an entrepreneur if you take action to do so. And most writers don’t.

So what makes you an entrepreneur? For the full story, I recommend you read THE E-MYTH REVISITED. One essential task that entrepreneurs do is to plan their business from the very beginning as if it were already large and successful. Then they make a strategic plan to get to where they want to be.

The very first step on this road is actually the scariest. This is the step that causes most writers to dig in their heels and say no. Here’s where most writers screw it up and never, ever get it right.

A crucial thing that every large and successful business has is an org chart — a simple document that tells who does what, and who is accountable to whom.

I know exactly what you’re thinking right now. Why the heck does a little one-person business need an org chart, when all you want to do is write fiction?

The answer is that you want to do more than write fiction. You want to make money.

If you don’t want to make money, then I’ll agree that you’re not in business and you don’t need an org chart.

But if you do intend to make money from your writing, then you’re in business and you CAN’T do everything that you’ll need to do to thrive. You will eventually need to hire somebody. At which point, your little business will be an organization.

You might as well get off to a good start. It takes all of about ten minutes and you can do it right now. In fact, I’ll give you a prototype org chart below.

All you have to do is type your name in every slot in the chart, and you’re done. Then for the rest of your career, you’ll be looking for ways to hire out the roles in your business that you can’t or won’t or shouldn’t do.

Every time you hire somebody to play a role in your business, you can delete your name from that slot in the org chart and type in that person’s name. Now you instantly know what they do and to whom they report.

The larger your business gets, the fewer roles in the org chart will have your name in them. That’s fine. That’s great in fact. The fewer roles you play, the
better you can play the one you really want to play — the role of writer.

As you get more successful, you’ll have people to do your admin work, your accounting, your marketing, your legal work, and a myriad of other things. You CAN’T do it all yourself and be successful. So you might as well get the structure of your business correct from the get-go.

Here is a prototype org chart for your business as a writer. It’s like an outline. Each person reports to the person one level up.

• Chief Executive Officer: You
• Administrative Assistant: You
• Chief Operations Officer: You
• Writer: You
• Editor: You
• Graphic Designer: You
• Literary Agent: You
• Customer Relations Manager: You
• Marketing Director: You
• Brand Manager: You
• Webmaster: You
• Blog Editor: You
• E-mail Newsletter Editor: You
• Social Network Manager: You
• Chief Financial Officer: You
• Accountant: You
• Manager of Accounts Payable/Receivable: You

You will probably always be the CEO of your business. You will definitely always be the Writer.

But you can hire somebody else for every other role in the chart. As you get successful, you’ll need to hire people to do at least some of these roles. Here is the approximate order you might fill those roles:

* Probably your first “hire” will be to find a critique buddy to fill the role of Editor for free. Everybody needs a second opinion on their writing, and you
typically pay back your critique buddy by playing the same role for her.

* Eventually, you’ll find an agent to play the role of Literary Agent, since very few writers are competent to be their own agent. Agents work for a percentage of your income, so they don’t get paid until you do. You don’t need an agent until you’re writing well enough to sell your work.

* Once you make your first sale, you may find it useful to hire an Accountant to do your accounting and file your taxes. Part time, of course. A few hours per year, but they’d probably be the most hellish hours of the year if you had to do them yourself.

* Before your first book comes out, you’ll need a real webmaster to build you a web site. You’ll pay an upfront cost and then there’ll be ongoing expenses at a much lower rate.

* After you’ve written a few novels, you may find it useful to hire a freelance editor to help you shape your story ideas before you show them to your agent. You pay for this on a project basis — it isn’t a full time job.

* When the e-mail starts arriving in your in-box in the dozens per day, you’ll very likely handle a Customer Relations Manager to answer the easy e-mail. This will probably never be more than a few hours per week, unless you become massively famous.

* If you get asked to do a lot of speaking, you might hire an Administrative Assistant to help you deal with the details, plan your trips, and handle the routine administrivia that most writers hate, hate, hate. Once again, this is strictly a part-time job.

* If your books start doing well, your publisher will expect you to up your game in marketing, social media, and blogging. Unless you really excel at these, you may hire out some or all of this work to a Brand Manager, a Social Network Manager, and a Graphic Designer. You may even hire a Marketing Director to keep all these people under control.

* If you do extremely well, you’ll find that your blog and e-mail newsletter are just too much, and you may hire a Blog Editor and an E-mail Newsletter Editor.

* If you’re making so much money (and spending so much) that the bookkeeping gets to be a hassle, you can hire a bookkeeper to cash your checks and pay your bills (your Manager of Accounts Payable/Receivable).

These won’t happen all at once. But as your career grows, it’s entirely possible that you could end up hiring somebody to play every role except CEO and
Writer. Those are your jobs.

It’s worth repeating that most of the people you hire will be working for you only part time. They’ll be independent contractors whom you pay an hourly wage or a fixed fee or a percentage of earnings to do the crucial support tasks that will keep you on task.

Which is writing.

Your main job will always be to write. And you can’t write if you’re worn down with all the roles that a successful business requires.

One of the most important things you can do to make yourself successful is to simply begin acting RIGHT NOW as if you’re going to be successful someday. As if you’re going to need to hire all those people.

If you don’t plan for it, then either it won’t happen, or it’ll happen in a weird, wild, willy-nilly way that makes it hard for you to manage.

Don’t do that to yourself. Plan now for success. Because someday, you might be immensely successful. It’s easier to set yourself on the right course now
when you’re small than to do a course correction later when you’ve built up a lot of momentum in the wrong direction.

Here’s your homework assignment: Paste the above org chart into your word processor, restructure it as an outline, and type in the correct name for every role. Then print it out and hang it where you can see it every day.

That’s your future. May it be wildly successful.

Carrie’s Thoughts

Speaking as 35-plus year artist whose goal has been to create the best possible portrait for every client AND to make money, Randy’s advice is especially sweet. I wish I’d read it about the same time I graduated high school. Although I haven’t yet had to hire out a lot of the jobs I do as the CEO, CFO and Marketing Director for Carrie L. Lewis ~ Horse Painter, it is a goal to one day be so successful I have to hire support staff so I can do what only I can do. Paint.

And write.

My organizational chart for both businesses is already on the wall.

Where’s yours?

Credit Where Credit is Due…

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, “the Snowflake Guy,” publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 29,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

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**guest post by Michelle Massaro

For the last couple weeks, Clash of the Titles has been exploring two books delivering powerful death scenes. That’s right, death scenes. The two books were The Vengeance Squad and The Redemption.

We met authors Sidney Frost and MaryLu Tyndall and waited with bated breath to find out which title got the most votes. If you missed Friday’s announcement, I won’t keep you in suspense. Though the competition was stiff, the champion title is…

The Redemption, by MaryLu Tyndall.

Congratulations!

About the book

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. Will Charlisse free herself from the seductive lure of this pirate captain and find the father’s love she so ardently craves?

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. Can Edmund win this lady’s love while shielding her from his lecherous crew and working to bring her father to justice?

Can the supernatural power of God rescue Charlisse and Edmund from the danger and treachery that await them as they ride upon the tumultuous waves of the Caribbean?

A few of the comments from readers

I loved the Excerpt B…..I look forward to reading the book..it seemed more historical and the genre of books I enjoy reading. I am personally blessed by many of the Christian fiction authors and want to say thank you for all you for your readers. God bless you both!

Someone turning to Christ at the last moment is always a touching scene. It tugs at your heart to know that someone you would never see again, now you will. Very touching!

Keep writing as God leads you. You are bringing God’s truth to readers; some who really need those truths in their lives.

About the author

MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award finalist, and author of more than ten novels is known for her swashbuckling historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes.

MaryLu dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling pirates during her childhood years on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Unfortunately, instead of pursuing that dream, she worked as a miserable, landlocked software engineer for fifteen years. Only by the grace and providence of God, did she decide to answer His call to write a Christian Pirate series. Today, while writing her eleventh novel, she manages a home, husband, and six kids while battling three cats who have decided that her keyboard is the best place to sleep!

She believes that without popcorn and chocolate, life would not be worth living, and her sole motivation is to bring others closer to God.

What fun! For a sneak peak at the book, check out the winning excerpt here.

You might also enjoy her fascinating interview here.

>Right now, COTT is in the middle of a brand new clash so be sure to head over there to cast your vote. You just might win a free book!

Happy reading!

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This week’s reading is in Exodus. Namely, the exodus from Egypt.

As things turned out, that was appropriate to my writing week. I spent most of the week feeling like part of the crowd of freed Israelite slaves milling about on the shores of the Red Sea. Open water ahead of me. Charging Egyptian army behind me.

In other words, a lot of activity, but not much forward progress.

Saving Grace received attention every day this week, primarily through design work and weighing alternatives, but also with story work. New ideas and fresh ways to handle the story made up part of the multitude surrounding me. I considered ways to open the story, ways to conclude the first act, and ways to bring the two main characters together.

I even considered leaving one of the lead characters out and making the story about one or the other. There were ideas favoring each of the two characters, but no clear choices and no clear indication that I should undertake such a massive rewrite.

Overall, the story is coming together, but it’s a slow slog through structure issues. I was tempted once or twice to simply go back to the third draft, make the changes I marked and call it good. The third draft has some structural unsoundness, however, and if I yielded to that particular temptation, I wouldn’t have gained much. The same problems I’m currently facing with the fourth draft would have to be dealt with in the fifth draft. No. Thank. You.

I also considered setting the story aside and working on another. In fact, there were a couple nights during the past week when I went to bed with that thought. Each time, I awakened with something else to do with Saving Grace, so other than note taking, little has been done on a second story.

I did send off a chapter outline of the first part of the story to a crit and brainstorming partner this week. Hopefully, she can shed some light into the darkness.

Saturday, I spent writing time recording any writing-related thought that popped into my head. Each one was lain before God in prayer, but I made no effort to develop or explore any idea beyond recording it. Not a high word count, but some interesting ideas. I’m interested to see what, if anything, happens.

For now, work is done for the week and I’m looking forward to a day off.

Until next week,

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In Psalm 37 is the following verse (my paraphrase). Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Now that seems a bit extreme; we get the desires (not just our needs) of our hearts. But we want to disconnect the last of the verse from the first of the verse, meaning we want to receive the desires of our heart without any consideration of God.

Now the word ‘delight’ is an interesting word. To be delighted is to be very pleased with the circumstance in which one finds oneself. Normally we say that we are delighted when we are meeting someone very nice, or we have come to a family gathering, or some other similar very pleasing situation.

So, if we delight ourselves in the LORD it is like a child who is pleased to be being held by its father. There is a contentment and a desire for the situation to never end.

If we are focused on the pleasing nature of our relationship with God, then we are close to Him. If we are close to Him, it is not unreasonable to expect God to dote on His child and give them all sorts of good things.

The cup filled up, packed down, flowing over comes to mind. Jesus’ mention of how God likes to give good things to those who love Him, also comes to mind. So, the statement that God will give us the desires of our hearts is not un-Biblical, if we are willing to couple the desires of our hearts with a close relationship to Him.

This is not to say that bad things do not happen. But to focus on the bad, to talk about “false hope” as the first words out of our mouth, to talk about when bad things happen to good people (as though that is the normative condition) is to be deliberately cynical and bitter. And that is not an acceptable attitude for a Child of God.

To say we can’t help ourselves on that attitude is a cheap way out. It is deliberate, lazy irresponsibility on our part. There are too many examples of people whose circumstances have not been good, who have chosen Godly attitudes (and ultimately prevailed), to say that somehow we can not rise above our situation; with the help of God.

And if someone says there are just as many who didn’t, then they should not call themselves Christians. The message of the Gospel is the “Good News”; not the “hope it turns out OK, but I don’t think it will”, news. They are not being “realistic” but cynical. And the Bible says that being cynical is sin.

The coupling of receiving desires with delight in the LORD is both the hard and the easy part of the verse. As long as we want to hold God at arm’s length and try to get what we want on our own, it is very difficult. If we say, I want to do things God’s way, then it is very easy. Because then the desires of the heart get used properly and for God’s glory. Think Tim Tebow. Think Eric Liddle, who said, “When I run I feel God’s pleasure.”

The world (the evil one) wants us to say like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way. That is the world’s way. We must choose between the world and God. That is the same choice Christ made in the wilderness when He was tempted. When we choose rightly, we can claim the promise of the verse: Delight ourselves in God, have the desires of our hearts fulfilled.

So, we are to delight ourselves – be content, be pleased, be very happy, take great pleasure – in God and God will indeed give us the desires of our heart.

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“I knew that I had just been given an amazing true story that needed to be told.” –Rosslyn Elliott, Clash of the Titles 2011 Laurel Award Winner

Portions of that story—Fairer Than Morning—won the majority of COTT reader votes in June when it took the victory in the “Best Protagonist” ring. In November, it competed against a long list of other COTT champion novels then took home the Laurel. More hearty congratulations go to author Rosslyn Elliott for her win.

Read June’s winning excerpt (excerpt B).

Read the Laurel Award winning excerpt (excerpt A)

The Saddler’s Legacy series is inspired by a real family in American history–the Hanby family, who are to this day the most celebrated citizens of Westerville, Ohio.

About Laurel Award-winning novel, Fairer Than Morning:

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli—until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.

On a small farm in 19th century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann’s dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor.

When Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her minister father on business, she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker’s apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. Anne’s compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul.

Through his encounters with Anne’s father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage even in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Learn more about the book as Clash of the Titles staff interviews the author:

Hostess Raqul Byrnes asks, “What led you to use the inspirational Hanby family and how did you first come to know about them?”

Rosslyn: After I finished my doctoral dissertation, I decided to try my hand at writing my first historical novel. I was living in Westerville, Ohio at the time, so I decided to go visit a small local house museum so I could research all the kitchen artifacts and farm tools. Before the tour, a guide took me into an outbuilding and showed me a video about the Hanby family, who had lived in that house. By the time I stood up thirty minutes later, I knew that I had just been given an amazing true story that needed to be told. The Hanbys lived romantic, action-filled lives marked by courage, and most importantly, they served others out of faith and love.

Hostess Lisa Lickel asks,“Rosslyn, what does “nobility” mean to you and to the era of your story and today? What made you choose that character trait?”

Rosslyn: The origin of that word on the back jacket of the book is that when my publisher and I were creating jacket copy, I had to come up with a condensed way to describe what it means to find a man of true value. And both in Ann’s time and today, the words noble man mean a man of great worth and high virtue. It also made a nice contrast with the apparent gentility and breeding of one suitor, who would fit the other meaning of nobleman far more obviously than the ragged Will Hanby!

Assistant Editor Michelle Massaro asks, “What circumstances led up to Will Hanby’s down-trodden situation?”

Rosslyn: In the novel, we learn that Will’s parents and his sisters all died of a virulent form of tuberculosis which killed much more quickly than ordinary TB. (The novel never reveals this in such specifics, but the TB was disseminated bovine TB, for those who care, acquired through milk ingested on a visit to a cattle farm, when Will and his brother were not with the others!). Their deaths left only Will and his younger brother, who were forced to indenture themselves to farmers to avoid infection and work in exchange for food and board. The farmers were kind, but Will ends up under a much harsher master when he signs a new indenture with Master Good.

The historical facts behind what happened to the real William Hanby were somewhat different, but the effect was the same: out of dire poverty, he indentured himself in his youth to Master Good, and much of what followed was what also happens in the novel.

Talent Scout Katie McCurdy asks, “Which character, not counting Ann or Will, is your favorite? Did you have a certain character that kinda suddenly took a main role that you didn’t forsee when you plotted Fairer Than Morning?”

Rosslyn: My favorite supporting character is Ann’s father, Mr. Miller, whom I admire so much that I honestly wonder how I wrote him sometimes. His was the part of the novel that seemed most spirit-led. But the characters who suddenly appeared onstage who weren’t part of the novel at all, in the original sketchy outline, were Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and their daughter Amelia! They showed up on that steamboat and began to take on a life of their own, and before I knew it they were a major subplot.

Listen to Another Interview:
After her Laurel Award win, Author Rosslyn Elliott was also interviewed by Christian Authors Guild board member, Cynthia L. Simmons. This is a podcast you won’t want to miss. You can listen to in our sidebar or find it by visiting this link.

The second in the series, Sweeter Than Birdsong, releases next month and promises to be just as compelling as the first. Below, in two short, yet intriguing excerpts, the author shares a taste of what’s to come.

But first, here’s a brief summary of Sweeter Than Birdsong, book two in the Saddler’s Legacy series.

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles… But real freedom is sweeter.

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance–and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

Excerpts:

Chapter One

Westerville, Ohio 1855
Her customary walk across the college quadrangle had become an executioner’s march.
Kate’s heeled shoes clunked over the flagstones. Her full skirt and horsehair crinoline dragged from her waist, too warm even for this mild May morning.

She climbed the stone steps of the whitewashed college building and laid hold of the black iron door handle with a clammy palm. The dim foyer led to the lecture hall. Her breath came faster and her corset squeezed her lungs. It had not felt so tight when the maid laced it an hour ago. Up ahead loomed the dark rectangle of the hall’s oaken door, which stood ajar.

She paused on the threshold. Inside the hall, a baritone voice lifted in clear, well-balanced phrases. The speaker’s persuasive power carried even here. Ben Hanby. He was the best orator in the class. She laid a hand to her midsection to quell the pulsing nausea there. If she did not go in now, she would not go at all.
At her push, the door swung open to reveal rows of masculine shoulders in dark coats, all heads turned toward the speaker. Each gentleman’s neat coattails fell open over his knees, black against the polished wood floor. Each white collar rose to the sweep of hair worn according to the current vogue, longer than a Roman’s but never past the collar.

On the raised platform beyond them, Ben Hanby stood, as natural and poised as if he were alone in the room, his dark hair thick over his brow. His eyes were intent, his face alive with interest in his subject, but his words floated past Kate in a wash of sounds her jumping nerves could not interpret. Of course speaking came easily for him—his father was a minister.

He finished with a question to the audience, and even her disrupted attention caught the subtle humor in the lift of his eyebrow as he delivered his line straight-faced. A chuckle rose from the young men, echoed in the lighter laughter of the small party of young lady scholars seated with their chaperone on the end of the front row.

Ben Hanby descended the stairs, the barest smile appearing as he exchanged glances with his friends.
“Miss Winter.” Professor Hayworth’s bass rumbled across the hall.

Heads turned toward her. Her skin tingled in waves of heat, her heart kicked in an uneven cadence. Could it stop from such fright?—the thought made it worsen, like a stutter in her chest that could not move on to the next beat.

“I am glad you choose to join us today.” Professor Hayworth spoke to her from the dais, beside the podium, full bearded in his formal black robe. “You have arrived just in time to give the first of our ladies’ speeches.”

She avoided their curious stares as her pulse quickened and her mouth dried.
“Please proceed to the podium,” he said.

******

All was quiet and dark. The boat bobbed like a cradle soothing a baby to sleep.

It didn’t calm Kate, who sat immobile in the prow. She laced her hands together in her lap where John Parker could not see them and dug her fingers into the back of her knuckles. She couldn’t stop the faint tremble that had started inside her and traveled to her hands. He mustn’t see her shaking or he would think her unfit for the errand.

The chirp of crickets set a rhythm for little splashes from the oars as John rowed them toward the Kentucky side. They were quite close now.

 She must shake off this dreamlike state. She peered at the riverbank as far as she could see to left and right. At least there was no sign of a lantern.

They bumped up against the reeds. John jumped out, heedless of the mud and several inches of water. He lashed the tow rope of the fishing boat to a birch tree.

She must move now. She clambered over the side and into the dark water.

The unfamiliar feeling of the breeches increased her sense of having traveled to some different life, some strange body. It could not be she, traipsing around the wild in men’s trousers. Someone else entirely had come on this errand—someone braver and stronger who just happened to resemble her on the outside.
A few waterlogged steps brought her to where John stood on the riverbank, like the shadow of a tree in the moonlight.

“This way.” He walked ahead of her, straight towards the thickest tangle of thorny bush.

If you would like to join the COTT Blog Alliance tour for this award-winning novel Jan 14-18), please email us at contactcott(at)gmail(dot)com.

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The following day, I decided 2012 was an ideal number of words to add to whatever story I was working on and, just like that, I had a new goal for the year.

I wrote 2,073 words that day, also on Saving Grace.

Friday and Saturday were a bit thin, but not because I wasn’t writing. I did write, but I worked on summarizing the first act as clearly as possible.

Why go back to what is essentially a design task when the story is already written through three drafts? For the simple reason that the first act has never really seemed connected to the rest of the story as completely as I like. There have been times in which I’ve considered lopping off the first act. The knowledge that doing so wouldn’t significantly change the rest of the story is why I was doing summaries again.

The good news is that by the end of the day today (Saturday), I had what I believed to be the solution to this particular problem. It will affect the second act, possibly significantly, but it should also result in a more cohesive story.

So my new word count goal suffered, but the story will benefit in the long run.

And that’s good!

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I confess to digging in my heels at the thought of performing according to company dictates for any reason… especially since I don’t work there. Neal wanted to do it, though, and since we’re both covered, we both needed to participate. All we had to do was average a predetermined number of steps each day to earn rewards. Since we walk anyway, what’s the harm. Right?

It turns out that the benefits far outweigh the dollars. Or the health benefits.

As I said, we walk as often as possible, anyway, so it hasn’t made much difference in that regard. We just know how many steps it takes to walk 27 blocks or about 2.25 miles.

But I find myself walking around the house for no reason at all.

For example, instead of sitting at the computer while it performs some task, I get up and walk until the task is completed.

If I get stuck on writing, rather than sit there stewing, I get up and walk around the house.

When I put on the tea kettle, I walk until it whistles if I’m not in the middle of something else.

Quite often, I end up walking 20 or 30 minutes on the circular path around the core of the house. Put on classical (or better, yet, marching) music and the steps multiply.

The real benefit to me as a writer lies in the second example I listed above.  I’ve rediscovered that exercise has a way of stimulating the little gray cells. Sometimes, an idea appears or the confusion is cleared by the time I’m halfway around. Sometimes it takes 20 or 30 minutes.

I say ‘rediscovered’ because for years I’ve stepped away from a stubborn writing or painting project for a walk. Back home in Michigan, a walk was usually a three- to four-mile event on country roads. Here in Kansas, I have a regular route of one mile.

I often walk to clear thoughts in the summer. Now that winter is ostensibly here (it was down in the teens over night the last two nights, but forecasts include temps in the 50s the next couple of days…. that is NOT winter where I come from!), it’s more difficult to make myself get out and walk.

Having a pedometer clipped to my belt has encouraged me to get off my duff and walk, even if I have to walk inside. The change of pace (pun intended) is often just what the doctor ordered when it comes to creativity.

So the next time you find yourself facing writer’s block or searching for just he right idea, exchange your computer for a pair of walking shoes and go for a walk!

Q4U: What do you do to stimulate creativity?

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