Saturday, May 16, 2015

The Weekend Edition



We've spotted some great writer bumper stickers lately. Seen any good ones?



We Have Winners

 Giveaway rules can be found here. Please drop us a line to claim your giveaway at seekers@seekerville.net. All prizes not claimed in 8 weeks go back into the prize vault. We wish we could contact all our winners individually, but we'd rather write books! And P.S. - if we forget to send  your prize DO let us know after 8 weeks per our rules. 

Our Mother's Day winner of a copy of any Seekerville author's release, available on Amazon, to a favorite mom of your choice, (it doesn't have to be your mom). In E book or print is Kelly Bridgewater.

 Missy Tippens has been digging around in her giant stack of how-to books, reading up on the use of subtext in our writing. Monday she shared what she's learned! Mary Cline is the winner of The Doctor's Second Chance, now on shelves and in e-book format! 


Tuesday  Myra Johnson borrowed a few hints from online dating services for her post "Tips for Crafting a Catchy Query Letter.” No, Myra has NEVER actually used one of these sites, but when it comes to grabbing the attention of your dream editor or agent, there may be a thing or two we can learn from the dating world. Sally Shupe is winner of a $10 Amazon gift card!

 "Writing All Over the Road" - was our Wednesday post with Bestselling author Dan Walsh who talked about all the crazy choices fiction writers face in today's ever-changing literary world. Should you pursue traditional publishing? How about a small indie press? Self-publishing? Or maybe you should be a hybrid? Dan explored the options he's faced in his own writing career and talked about where he thinks the majority of our writing energy should be spent. Winners o their choice of either his new devotional, Perfect Peace, or his new suspense novel, When Night Comes (ebook or print) are Kelly Goshorn and Bettie.


Thursday Inspirational Romantic Suspense author Debby Giusti teamed up with the amazing Barbara Vey, to share photos and highlights of Barbara's Reader Appreciation Luncheon 2015!  Sarah Claucherty is the winner of cute SWAG from Debby and a copy of her latest Love Inspired Suspense, Stranded.


Catherine West  was our special guest Friday with her post, "Writing Through The Difficult Times." Kathryn Barker is the winner of Bridge of Faith.


Next Week In Seekerville

Monday: Love Inspired Historical author Janet Dean will discuss how to bring story people onstage in her post, "Tips for Introducing Characters in Ways that Will Hook Readers." Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.


Tuesday: What a kick! We are hosting debut author, Rachelle Dekker (daughter of Ted Dekker) today in Seekerville. Stop by for a dose of "Coloring Outside the Lines," and you could win a copy of her debut novel from Tyndale, The Choosing.


Wednesday:  Ruth Logan Herne is back with "Three R's: Revise, Rewrite and Resubmit: A Gift You Can Take to the Bank." How to take it on the chin and make the story better! She's giving advice on revisions, taking direction and dealing with Writing Reality 101.  Of course there is a cat dish and a giveaway of  Healing the Lawman's Heart.


Thursday:" The Characteristics – And The Characters – Of A Christian Novel." Winnie Griggs will discuss what a Christian novel is and is not, as well as list some of the questions we should ask and answer about our characters when penning Christian Fiction. Winnie will give away books to two commenters. They can select her current release or any title in her backlist, international winners welcome.


Friday: 2014 ACFW Carol Award winner,  Tina Radcliffe is your hostess with a back to basics post, "Just Write the Scene." Guaranteed to be a painful day of writing growth. Bring your notebooks and pens. There will be a quiz and a nice giveaway too.

  Seeker Sightings 





Monday, May 18th, join Missy Tippens on Lyn Cote's blog! She'll be doing a giveaway!  

Available for preorder, The 12 Brides of Summer Novella Collection. In four volumes. 

Mary Connealy is in Volume #2 releasing July 1st. Pam Hillman is in Volume #3 releasing August 1st. More information here: http://www.12brides.com/



   
Random News & Information

Links courtesy of Seekers & Villagers


Love Finds You series comes to Television (BeliefNet)


23 Extraordinary Facebook Advertising Facts (Jeff Bullas)


The Daily Word Counts of 39 Famous Authors (Writers Write)


The Art of the Book Blurb (Writers in the Storm)



Indie Author Tip: The Difference between eBook Conversion and Formatting (Indie Author News)

King of the Golden Hill: An Analysis of 50 Years of Bestsellers. (The Passive Voice)


There’s an App for That – 22 Apps and Tools Every Writer Should Know About (novelicious.com)


Revise Wisely: Tips From an Indie Author (Booklife)


Copyediting or Proofreading? Getting the Most for Your Editing Dollar (The Book Designer)


Two Hot Leads From : Cindi Myers Market News's Blog:

There’s still time to sign up for Harlequin’s Back to Basics Boot Camp, which kicks off May 22 as a prelude to their So You Think You Can Write competition. The free, online, interactive Boot Camp aims to help authors polish their manuscripts for the competition. Find out more here.


British publisher Mills & Boon, British bookseller WH Smith, and ebook retailer Kobo Books are teaming up to sponsor the Romance Writing Life competition. The competition is open to aspiring romance authors in the UK, the United States or Canada. Both self-published and never before published authors may enter the competition. Submit your synopsis of no more than 500 words and a first chapter of no more than 5,000 words by July 14, 2015. Finalists will be asked to submit a complete manuscript. Submissions may be in any romance subgenre — contemporary, historical, paranormal or new adult. The grand prize winner will receive a publishing contract with Mills and Boon. There is no fee to enter the competition. For all the details, go here.

 No Limits Quote of the Week:



That's it! Have a great writing and reading weekend!

37 comments :

  1. Congratulations to all the winners, including those your moved to the next round in the Blurb2Book contest.

    Coffee's ready for the weekend.

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  2. Great WE as always, Miss T!
    CONGRATS to all the winners and those advancing in Blurb2Book!

    Thanks for the coffee, Helen!
    I'm setting out "my usual" (LOL) breakfast: Georgia Peach pancakes and pecan waffles, with warm maple syrup and *real* butter. Enjoy!

    Have a safe, wonderful weekend Seekerville friends.
    Hugs, Patti Jo :)

    p.s. Eager to read some of those links, but I'll wait until I'm more awake in the morning. ;)

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Finally had time to look up the Round 3 finalists:

    Team Love Inspired Historical
    Editor Mentors: Tina James, Elizabeth Mazer & Dina Davis

    Christina Miller-- A Southern Promise
    Crystal L Barnes-- An Unforeseen Match
    Erica Vetsch-- The Snowflake Bride
    Gabrielle Meyer-- The Doctor's Redemption
    Janette Foreman-- Beneath the Cottonwoods
    Karen Gaus-- Hearts Engaged
    Lyndee Henderson-- Mending His Heart
    Patricia Iacuzzi-- Miss Harper's Plan
    Rachel Meyers-- Mail Order Groom
    Tracy Blalock-- Wed on the Oregon Trail


    Team Love Inspired Suspense
    Editor Mentors: Emily Rodmell, Giselle Regus & Dina Davis

    Angela Ruth Strong-- Twice Removed
    Anna Weaver Hurtt-- Hazardous Conditions
    Dalyn Woods -- Exposed
    Helen Jones-- Fatal Deadline
    Jordyn Redwood-- The Hangman's Noose
    Kavanagh Rees-- A Simple Deception
    Mairibeth MacMillan-- Danger in Eagle Pass
    Rhonda Herren Starnes-- Hunted
    Suzanne Baginskie-- Dangerous Charade
    Terri Weldon-- Deadly Assets


    Team Love Inspired
    Editor Mentors: Melissa Endlich, Shana Asaro, & Giselle Regus

    Annie Rains—The Marrying Kind
    Donna Gartshore--Memories at Silver Lake
    Erica D. Hearns--Always the Last to Know
    Glynis Becker—Hope and Promises
    Heidi McCahan—The Farmer's Daughter
    Jeanne M Dickson-- A Home For Roma
    Jill Weatherholt—Capture the Dream
    Laurel Blount-- A Family for Goosefeather Farm
    Vesta Watkins-- Her Cowboy Hero
    Yvonne Weers-- A Home for Hope

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  5. Congrats finalists!!!!!

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  6. Congratulations to all the winners and to all those who moved on to the next round of the Blurb2Book contest! (Hugs to those who didn't.)

    What great posts we have to look forward to next week. Cant wait!

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  7. Congrats to all the winners.

    Tina, thanks for another great weekend with great links.

    Have a great day!

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  8. All of you are such great encouragers. I would never have known about the Blurb2Book contest if it weren't for Seekerville, so thanks to all.
    Thank you Tina for the great WE. I always learn something from the links you share.

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  9. Congratulations to all the writer's who moved on to round three in the Blurb2Book contest! Whoop, whoop, whoop!

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  10. Yawn...slow start to my day. It looks overcast and gloomy outside, definitely sleepy weather this morning. Love easing into the weekend with the WE. So appreciate all the great links. Now I need oatmeal...and hot cocoa and then maybe I'll be awake enough to start writing because now I have a deadline to meet. Yes!!!! (though I'm shaking in my shoes)

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  11. Good morning Seekerville

    One high school graduation today, a nephew, 90 minute drive.

    Another Nephew tomorrow, nearly 90 minute drive.

    Full weekend!

    I need to do some writing, too!

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  12. Congratulations, everybody!! So many winners in the line-up.

    Great articles in the WE reading, Tina! I usually wait until later in the day, or even Sunday afternoon to read, but I couldn't resist several of the titles first thing this morning. :-)

    Melissa, I'd be happy to help you, but I don't even know what an influencer list is!! :-)

    Wishing a good, safe weekend to all!

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  13. And Tina, I love the signs!

    "I do my own writing stunts" :-))

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  14. Love these "bumper stickers."

    SO TRUE!

    Write on everyone and congrats to all the winners! Seekerville is the best!

    And... Congrats to Pepper on her big debut and shindig today. Those scones looked deeeelish!

    I'm SO on deadline - more later!

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  15. Bumper Stickers & Saturday Thoughts

    You don't have to be writing
    to be writing.

    Electrify your characters so they will spark over their ARCs.

    Plotters write to entertain.
    Pantsers write to be entertained.

    Plotters are to legitimate theater what pantsers are to improv. Either can be more enjoyable to experience than the other.

    Marketing 1, 2, 3
    The cover should attract the favorable attention of the best prospects.
    The blurb should act as irresistible bait to lure the prospect into reading the first sentence of the book.
    The first sentence should be the hook that reels the reader into becoming a buyer.

    Great WE!

    P.S. The Yankees need our prayers! (Or rain).

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  16. Oh, I just love all the "bumper sticker" graphics! Pinned them to my For Writers board in Pinterest!

    Congrats to the winners and to all the Blurb2Book finalists--how exciting!

    And . . . hey, VINCE, are you implying pantsers' books don't also entertain readers?????

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  17. Yeah, Myra, the only reason I didn't throw a BOOK at Vince is he likes the Yankees too.

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  18. Hi Myra:

    "Either can be more enjoyable to experience than the other."

    The implication here is that either one, pantsered or plotted books, can be more enjoyable than the other. I was trying to imply that the reading enjoyment depends on the writer's ability and not the writing approach taken.

    The best books are probably pantsered, like Tony Hillerman's, when the writer makes it to a great ending. This is just harder to do than when you've already written at great ending and the plot shows you how to get to it.

    The plot acts as a safety net. Pantsers write without a safety net and when they fall off, as Hillerman often did, they usually have to start a new book.

    Vince

    TINA: We could see down into the stadium from our restaurant table as the Yankees were playing the KC Royals, when I took out my engagement ring and ask Linda to marry me. I'm feeling a little nostalgic.

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  19. Thanks for the great WE, Tina! Fun bumper stickers, too. Needed a laugh...

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  20. VINCE, I'm not even going to pretend I understood any of that.

    But I love you anyway. :)

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  21. Congrats to the Blurb2Book finalists!!! Love seeing Villagers on the lists! So proud of all of you!!!

    I write for chocolate! :)

    Keep Calm and Keep Writing!

    Thanks for all the links, Tina!

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  22. If I am
    because
    I write,
    then
    I must
    have written
    before I was.
    Right?

    And so,
    I write
    because
    I am
    and not
    because
    I can.
    Right?


    *****

    Myra: Is the above more to your liking? I think you're wonderful, too!

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  23. Haha! I love the "We don't need no stinkin' character arcs" bumper sticker.

    Congrats, Seekers, on the coming release of your Brides of Summer series!

    Thanks for the links, Tina!

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  24. Sounds like a scene in a book, Vince!

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  25. Okay, I have read this six times and still do not know what Melissa is talking about...

    "I wish Roseanna White's LFY was included."

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  26. Tina:

    I think LFY stands for the Love Finds You series of books. Ruth's wonderful "Red Kettle Christmas" is in one of those LFY series books. It's a great series but I could be wrong about this. : )

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  27. Lots of good stuff this weekend, as usual. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. We are back from my nephew's college graduation in St. Louis and in the midst of my niece's high school graduation a little more close to home.
    Will be ready for things to quiet down this week.

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  28. Tina, Vince is right, LFY was short for Love Finds you and Roseanna's was Annapolis.

    I liked that books so if they were going to pick LFY books for a movie, why wouldn't they pick my favorite (and the only one I've read...) These Hollywood people should cater to ME!!!

    Mary Hicks, you gotta email me! Well, I just friended you on FB so maybe I can grab you that way! I'll tell you all about influencing.

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  29. Congrats to the Blurb2Book contest winners who are advancing to the next round! Whoohoo!!

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  30. Well, duh, Melissa and Vince. Thank you.

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  31. A lot of great links I look forward to reading!

    Congrats to all the winners! And to those who've finaled in contests or moved on in the blurb2book!!

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  32. LOL, Melissa. As if you'd have to beg! I bet lots of people wanted to jump on that offer before you gave them the puppy dog eyes. :)

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  33. Praising the Lord, I have my new computer. Being without a computer for two weeks has been hard. I have been going through withdrawal since I could not write. I am so excited that I can get back to work. Just in time to write the curriculum for teaching the preschoolers on Wednesday nights for the summer.

    While I have been able to read the posts each day on my phone,it was difficult to do much commenting.

    Congratulations to all the winners this week. Including the ones who moved on with Blurb to Book.

    This week will be hectic because of my niece graduating from high school and all the family coming in for that. I hope everyone will have a great week.

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  34. Is that a typo in that blog -- two authors write 10,000 words a day??

    Congrats to ALL winners. Thanks for the interesting links, Tina.

    10,000 words a day? Seriously?

    Nancy C

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  35. Nancy, yes, 10K. And they are men. What does that tell you?

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  36. Thanks for the articles, Tina! As usual they're so interesting and helpful!

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  37. VINCE. [nodding and smiling, nodding and smiling]

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