Recently, a family member told me how much she liked the tagline “Meaning Suspense” I chose for my website. She asked me where I got the idea. While explaining my heart, I realized that others may also wonder about the two important words that not only define the novels I like to write but also embody my philosophy as a Christian author. Which is what exactly? I’m glad you asked. Let me answer that question by painting a picture in your mind. Imagine a crowd from all walks of life and worldviews crammed into the largest auditorium on the planet. Now, imagine you’ve been given a microphone and a request to tell them the most amazing story you can imagine. You have exactly one hour to speak. And no more. When the time’s up, you may never have opportunity to speak to these people again. If you’ve got only one shot, whatever you…
Read more10 Common Misconceptions of the Wannabe Novelist, #9
See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8. #9: Once I publish my novel, I’ll finally be someone people notice. Oh, this is a sad, sad way to live—to be a slave of others’ approval. When I was a child, I wrote stories simply because I enjoyed writing them. As I grew older and became more self-conscious, I realized that writing could be more than fun and games. I could actually get published and “be somebody” (as if I wasn’t somebody already). Someone important. Someone people would notice. Who knows? Maybe I’d even write best-selling books, and then people would know who I am, and I’d be famous. The Trap (Do you hear the pride ringing in those statements? Perhaps the pride of life described in 1 John 2:16?) In my opinion, the most genuine famous people I’ve ever met are the ones who never sought attention.…
Read moreShould I Be a Novelist? Five Critical Questions
“How can I get started in novel writing?” Someone recently asked me this question, and my mind swam with a myriad of thoughts and questions. Such an elementary question forced me to stomp on my mental brakes and flash back about thirty years to the days when I filled notebooks with all sorts of strange tales with my childlike, loopy handwriting. What the questioner really wanted to know was, How can I publish novels? But the answer to that question—and what a big question it is—is only part of the journey. So let’s start at the beginning. Before anyone should seriously pursue novel publication in any formal sense, I believe he or she should first ask the following five questions: 1. Do I love fiction? To be a great writer of fiction, you must first be a great lover of it. I firmly believe that. You’ll need extraordinary perseverance not…
Read moreWinner of Book Giveaway Contest
Congratulations to Faith, Hope, and Cherrytea! You have won my May book giveaway contest and will receive a copy of False Pretenses by Kathy Herman. I’ll contact you via e-mail for your mailing address so I can get the novel in the mail and into your hands. Thanks for participating!
Read more