Welcome to another Weekend Edition.
January is the month for goals and new beginnings.
We Have Winners
Please see our rules for giveaways in Seekerville. Be sure to contact us with your snail mail address if you are a winner at seekers@seekerville.net.
Seeker and award-winning author Myra Johnson had a lively discussion about her My One Word, "Complete" on Tuesday. The two winners of her January release, A Horseman's Hope, book 3 in her Horsemen of Cross Roads Farm series from Heartsong Presents are Naomi R and Viv.
Wednesday Thomas Nelson author Tracy Higley shared insights on How Uncovering Your Brand Brings Peace. Winner of Isle of Shadows is Edwina!
Thursday Cub Reporter Ruth Logan Herne set the record straight on "What Readers Want and Don't Want" On advice from a Seekervillager, Ruthy asked readers what they like... and what they don't like. Winner of a chat with Ruthy is Jeanne T.
New York Times best-selling author Margaret Brownley was our special guest Friday, talking about "Resolutions for Writers." The winner of her newest release from Thomas Nelson, Waiting for Morning (Book #2 in the Brides of Last Chance Ranch series) is Tanya Hanson.
Congratulations to the many Seekervillagers who entered the Golden Heart! This year's winner of one of their entry fees reimbursed by check or money order is Kristi Ann Hunter.
Next Week In Seekerville
Monday: In Janet Dean’s post “Just Do It” she reveals what her Christmas tree taught her this year, along with her One Word for 2013. Janet will be giving away an IOU copy of her April Love Inspired Historical April release, The Bride Wore Spurs.
Tuesday: Madame S Returns! Don't miss her observations on e-books and libraries and why it’s a mess right now. With a special e-book giveaway of a Seeker book of choice.
Wednesday: Debby Giusti shares "Five Tips for an Inspirational New Year." She'll give away a copy of her January Love Inspired Suspense, The General's Secretary.
Thursday: Why should you "ask" your characters about their history and even that of their parents and grandparents? "Interview Your Characters Like a Psychologist Would" with guest blogger Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist for over twenty-five years who shares how getting the "really juicy" backstory on your characters can enrich your plot. Don't miss Carrie's great insight and great giveaway of a Virginia gift basket with chocolate.
Friday : "Writing What You Know...OR Not! " with Debra Ullrick and Cheryl St. John. Recently Debra wrote a writer's loop asking a question about something she knew nothing about. A person emailed back and said, "What happened to writing what you know?" That really bothered Debra until she found a post on that very thing. Join Cheryl St. John and Debra Ullrick as they explore that concept together. Cheryl and Debra will each give away one copy of Colorado Courtship, their Love Inspired Historical (featuring Winter of Dreams by Cheryl St. John & The Rancher's Sweetheart by Debra Ullrick), signed by both.
Seeker Sightings
Mary Connealy will be on Petticoats & Pistols on Thursday, January 17, talking about launching a new series- Trouble In Texas!
Tina Radcliffe will be mapping out a New Year on the ACFW blog on Monday, January 14th.
On Friday, join Myra Johnson on the ACFW blog. She'll be talking
about how to use GOAL-MOTIVATION-CONFLICT-RESOLUTION to get your you-know-what away the computer to exercise something other than your brain cells.
Lillie Beaumont, the heroine in Debby Giusti's latest LIS, The General's Secretary, is being interviewed this weekend on www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com
Debby Giusti will be the guest on Margaret Daley's blog, January 14. Debby will be talking about her latest release, The General's Secretary.
Random News & Information
Michael Hauge's Six Stage Plot Structure (Infographic)
6 Winning Ideas for Self-Publishers Straight from “Downton Abbey” (The Book Designer)
Smashwords Year in Review 2012 - The Power in Publishing is Shifting to Authors (Smashwords Blog)
Tips for Writers on Naming Fictional Characters (Baby Names via K.C.Frantzen)
The Writing Book for Your Year (Steve Laube Blog)
Power of the indie: Macmillan strikes partnerships with e-publisher Entangled (Paid Content)
Us Plus by Jennifer Paros (Author Magazine) Wow! Great article!
The 2012 RWA Conference Workshop CDs are available now!
Now for some inspiring news for 2013!
Congratulations to the 2012 Phoenix Rattler Finalists!!!
and...
Seekerville would like to congratulate Villager Bridgett Henson on her debut release, Whatever He Wants.
Congratulations, Bridgett!
and...
Congratulations to Mindy Obenhaus on her first sale to Love Inspired Senior Editor, Melissa Endlich!
You can also drop by the Yankee Belle-Cafe and congratulate Mindy!
That's it! Have a great weekend!
Ooh, lots of congratulations are in order.
ReplyDeleteTo weekly winners.
To Bridgett.
To Minday.
To the Rattler finalists.
Way to go, all of you!!!
Coffee's ready.
Helen
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winners, to Bridgett and Mindy!!!!
This next week, as always, is going to be filled with great, great stuff.
Wowza! What a great list of winners!!!!
ReplyDeleteAll over the place!! Prizes. Contests. Contracts!
Great fun!
And next week, as always, looks fabulous!
Bridgett!!!!
ReplyDeleteMindy!!!!
Wow, what a great week at Seekerville!
Super wonderful to see so many outstanding accomplishments. What a way to start the New Year.
ReplyDeleteSuper Congrats to Bridgett and Mindy and all the Rattler finalists! So cool to see names I recognize.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winners. It's been a fun and informative week. I did lots of lurking and chuckling at Mary and Ruthy. You gals are a riot! :-)
I had to laugh this week at the glamorous life of an author. A neighbor dropped by to have me sign several copies of my book that he intended to give to friends (so cool) and I looked down and remembered I was wearing comfy sweats and fuzzy slippers that looked like muppet feet. :-) Very glad there wasn't a camera around.
Oh, Clari that is so cool. Soo excited for you!! Now go eat your bon bons.
ReplyDeleteOH MY STARS!!!! TEX HAS A CONTRACT!!!!! YIPPEEEEE KIIIII YIIIII YAAAAAY, TEX!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I knew this would happen last year when I read Mindy's opening for her soon-to-be-published novel. I could feel the beauty of her writing, the warmth of her words, the wonderful setting....
MINDY!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!
AND BRIDGETT!!!!!! "Whatever He Wants" .... 348 pages..... oh, yowza, congrats on getting it out there!
Time to celebrate in SEEKERVILLE!!!!!
I brought food and a selection of creamers including my current fave: Caramel Macchiato.... LOVE IT!
Congrats to our winners and Jeanne T!!!!!!
You poor thing, LOL!
:)
Can't wait to talk to you, e-mail me at ruthy@ruthloganherne.com and we'll figure out a time when I'm sober.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
I'm giddy with laughter and joy, right now.
So proud o' youse!!!!
CLARI!!! I want Muppet Feet Slippers.
ReplyDeleteI will wear them and feed them and be nice to them and I won't let the dogs chew them.
Unless it's Oscar the Grouch because they are singularly attracted to garbage. Silly dogs!!!!
Isn't that a hoot?
I love our "real" selves. That image made my day!
Congrats to all the winners!...and wow with the contracts and books coming out. The New Year just got started. I can't wait to see more good news roll in in 2013.
ReplyDeleteWOW!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to open Seekerville this morning and see SO much to celebrate.
Congrats to all the RATTLER finalists. It's great to see names I know!
Bridgett - Congratulations. Your book sounds so intriguing.
Mindy!!!! I'm so happy for you. And so confused because I thought you already were published. :) Can't wait to read the opening Ruthy raved about.
Congrats to the weekly winners also and thanks, Tina for a cool weekend edition and a great lineup for next week.
Congrats all around this morning!
ReplyDeleteWinners...
BRIDGET......
MINDY..........
Enjoy the moment!
Looks like a great line up for next week...but doesn't it always?
big celebrations this morning, wow look at all the goodies to eat...
ReplyDeletecongrats to the weekly winners and
Kristi Ann Hunter ....
I met Clari D over on goodreads site this week -Hi again
this group is just FULL of great minds. all these awards and new things happening-proud of ya gals and guys...
Have a great weekend everyone.
Paula O
Congratulations, Bridgett!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to all of you for celebrating with me. I'm still happy dancing.
Ruthy, don't suppose you brought any tea, did you? Cuz if I'm gonna lift a cuppa, it's gotta be tea:-)
Great WE, Tina--and CONGRATS to all the winners, Rattler finalists, and Bridgett and Mindy!! ~ Really looking forward to another wonderful week in S'ville next week. ~ Hugs, Patti Jo (sad over the loss of Tux, my precious Tuxedo kitty yesterday....)
ReplyDeleteLOTS of winners - TONS of names I recognize on the Phoenix Rattler list. VERY cool -and congrats to the others!
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, next week looks WONDERFUL!!
Thanks, ladies!
Wow, what a fun Weekend Edition!!! Congrats to all the winners! Thanks, Tina, for the awesome links. I've got to check out the Entangled link among others.
ReplyDeleteI'm dancing around my desk for Mindy's sale and Bridgett's debut release!! Huge congratulations, gals!!! You rock!!!
Janet
T I N A
ReplyDelete“Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Proverbs 3:17
Just a reminder that all these many Seeker friend contest finalists go back to last year when Sgt. Tina motivated everyone into entering contests. Even people like me! There were incentive prizes for entering. So once again, kudos, Tina, great WE!
Now, I think we should all offer a silent prayer for Mary. She is in bootcamp this morning taking a plotting workshop. This is the equivalent for Mary of having to conduct a seminar to a room full of mice. I’m still looking forward to our “Fuzzy Plotting” seminar in the future.
Vince
P.S. I’ll be working all day on my online Plotting Bootcamp. This is more work than a college class. Oy.
WOW!!!! WHAT A BIG DAY IN SEEKERVILLE!!!!
ReplyDeleteMucho congrats to all the winners & finalists, and big high-fives to MINDY and BRIDGETT!!!!
Fabulous. Congratulations to all the winners. i will be watching for Mindy's novel to come out! Missed you yesterday, Helen.
ReplyDeletemitziUNDERSCOREwanhamATgmailDOTcom
Next week looks great! (As always...) ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats Mindy and Bridget! What a wonderful journey and aren't we lucky to be along for the ride?
ReplyDeleteGreat job contest winners and Krisi Ann on the Golden Heart Seekerville recognition. Now you have cash for another entry! ;)
Thanks for another great WE Tina. I hope you are feeling settled and comfortable in your new digs.
Hugs all....
Oh, honey, I had to run a few errands while taking a break from writing a wonderful synopsis for my new BFF's "Luke" and "Rainey"...
ReplyDeleteWhat a great couple they're going to make!!!! (big cheesy Ruthy grin here!!!)
Yes: tea. And not just any tea, oh no. Not for THIS. I've got Cream Earl Green and a host of others...
(Confession for Catholic girl: Ruthy has no idea what Cream Earl Green is or could be. Is Earl sick? Ill? Did he eat something he shouldn't have? Dunno. But anyone who can write a post like THIS deserves the best tea money can buy right now!
I'm so stinkin' proud of you, Obenhaus. You didn't quit when things got tough... you've stood up to trial and been ladylike and caring to so many...
What a wonderful representative of fine Christian fiction... and life... you are.
Hugs to you!
And now... Lifting my tea cup (pinky extended) to you!!!!
Congratulations to the winners!! And to Bridgett!!! And for Mindy!!! I'm so excited for you all! How encouraging to see people I comment with selling stories. Yea!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, thank you so much for the opportunity to chat with Ruthy. Wow! Now, what shall we talk about..... :) Looking forward to that. :) I'll drop you an e-mail.
Thanks for the interesting articles, Tina! I've read a couple, and I hope to come back for more. I'm so looking forward to this week.
THANK YOU SEEKERVILLE!
Awesome news all round. Congratulations everyone!!! I LOVE seeing names I 'know' on lists of finalists and new book announcements. Hooray!!!!! And so grateful to Seekerville who continues to be the inspiration for so many of us!
ReplyDeleteROFLOL! Ruthy, you just made me spew my tea. Very unladylike.
ReplyDeleteMindy, you are so calm. What did you realllly act like when you got the call I wonder??
ReplyDeleteTina, I'm a tad calmer today than I was yesterday. I screamed. I cheered. I hyperventilated. Oh, and happy danced all over the house and half way across the Metroplex to meet Becky Yauger for what ended up being a celebratory lunch. Then I came home did some more dancing:-) By then end of day, I was exhausted.
ReplyDeleteYAY MINDY! YOU'VE EARNED THIS(just by dealing with my Carol entries)
ReplyDeleteYeesh
I'm doing great, Vince. Thanks for the prayers.
ReplyDeleteI probably shouldn't be reading Seekerville, right?
Better go, the warden is coming!!!!
Wow! Awesome news for Bridgett and Mindy!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary!
ReplyDeleteYour secrets are safe with me. Well, except for those I've already shared with Ruthy.
WAHOOO - Congrats one and all!
ReplyDeleteLoving these quotes - most with a sports theme. :)
Sharing good news too - friend of Seekerville Sandra Byrd's upcoming release cover is the header on USA Today, well... Today!
http://www.usatoday.com/blog/happyeverafter/
Terrific!
Looking forward to reviewing some of the links. Thanks Tina! Super WE as per your usual!
Happy writing Saturday everyone.
And a happy sigh again this morning :)
ReplyDeleteRattler finalists...
Bridgett's release...
And Mindy's sale...
what great things to celebrate!
I'm canning beef stock this morning - it's 9 degrees outside and the temperature is dropping. The wind is still blowing, but the snow has stopped.
I have no idea how many inches of snow we got yesterday - our driveway is clear, but our neighbors have been out to shovel the two foot high drift from the front of their garage door three times. I think they are stealing our snow.
Congratulations to all the Finalists!!!
ReplyDeleteMindy, Super congrats to you!!!
Thank you all for helping me celebrate my debut. I’m so in love with this book. Thanks for all the great comments.
Great Weekend Edition, Tina. I’m so honored to be included. :)
Oh, Bridgett, darling girl, you have to be included. You are so delightfully special to us!!!!
ReplyDeleteHey, I made banana split pie because I know Mary can't have any....
HAHAHAHAHAHA ON YOU, CONNEALY!!!!
Boot camp.
Oy.
I taught her all I know about plotting Vince!!!! :)
And then filled the rest of the thimble with coffee, LOL!
Bridgett, I have to tell you, that little guy on your book cover is just adorable.
ReplyDeleteMINDY!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuper congrats on your sale! I read the news on Twitter yesterday and was going like: wait a sec, doesn't she hang out at Seekerville too? Wanted to run in here screaming to tell everybody, but kind of figured it was more fun if you could tell people yourself. You must be over the moon!
You sold to LI, right, not to LIS? (because you finaled in the Genesis with a rom susp before).
And if you don't mind telling: was there something different about the ms that sold, like you had an AHA moment in your writing or in this story that helped sell this particular ms? Or was it more a matter of persistance pays off? If it is, I'm not complaining, LOL!
Enjoy this very special time!
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI hope you're having an awesome time at plotting bootcamp.
Ruthy,
I love tea, especially fruity flavors. I've got too much tea, both loose leaves and bags, but always buying more. I think Green means the tea is green (which denotes the leaves haven't been treated the same way as black tea is). I'm not real fond of green tea but I do drink it as it's supposed to be good for a lot of things. And when the experts talk, I listen... :D
Thanks Ruthy.
ReplyDeleteTina, the little boy is amazing. I was praying about the cover. I knew about what I wanted, but couldn't afford to hire a model. Then his dad preached our church's homecoming and I knew it was a God moment.
The character's name is Isaac and so is the little boy's. I'll never forget he said, Do I smile?
I said no, just look bored. He replied. I can do that.
And he did. I'm very pleased with the cover picture.
Hi, Viv. And thank you for celebrating with me.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good memory. I did final in romantic suspense. This was an LI sale though. RS is on the back burner for me. I just like seeing folks fall in love.
Sigh.
Persistence does, indeed, pay off. We just gotta keep learning, keep writing, and wait for God's perfect timing:-)
A great WE, Tina! I've been absent a good bit last week. Hope to do better this week!
ReplyDeleteBTW, that book on the Laube blog link is AMAZING. I ordered it after I saw it on there, and I'm loving it.
Congrats to Bridgett and Mindy!!! So happy for you!
ReplyDeleteWheee!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Bridgett and Mindy and the Rattler finalists!!
Loving the Smashwords article.
I've never been a numbers and graph and percentages person- but becoming published has forced me to pay attention and open my eyes to these things.
It's a business and I need to respect that side of it.
Great articles, as usual!
Bridgett, I agree... that expression on his face is perfect.
ReplyDeleteIt pulls the reader to the book. Stinkin' cute kid!
Unfortunately Blogger must be having issues so we're getting slammed with spam. Blogger did eat 650. But for a short time until this is fixed I have had to turn off anonymous identities. The only other option is the word identify thing and I hate that.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winners, Bridgett and Mindy!! What a great start to 2013 :)
ReplyDeleteDebra!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS on winning the RATTLER.
Way to take that snake by the tail. ;)
Congrats to Bridgett and Mindy!!!
ReplyDeleteWhoo-hoo!!! So excited for both of you.
KC, thanks for the tips on naming characters. Excellent advice.
Congrats to all the winners.
BTW, I LOVE Nate the Great too! :)
Congratulations, Debra!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Winner of the 2012 Phoenix Rattler contest is...
ReplyDeleteDebra Marvin
Historical Romance, Through Deepest Night
Picture
OH, MY!!!! Debra won the whole enchilada. Do you still win the ACFW conference fee??
DEB MARVIN!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, my wondrous Bedford Falls bridge walking buddy, I'm so stinkin' proud of you!!!!
Yipppeeeeee kiiiii yiiiii yaaaay!!!!!
HAPPY DANCING FOR YOU IN UPSTATE!!!!
And hugging you from afar. What a wonderful phone call that must have been!!!! Hang in there, my friend. Keep pushing forward... Just Don't Quit!!!!!!
Oh, so excited!!!!!
Congrats Deb and all! So thrilled to be in such great company and most of what I learned about craft and publishing I learned here in Seekerville so thank you all.
ReplyDelete