This weekend in Seekerville we are delighted to celebrate the release of Ruth Logan Herne's More Than a Promise from Franciscan Media. Three commenters will win a copy. Winner's announced in the next Weekend Edition. So let's chat about this exciting release, about your week and about Speedbo!
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.
Speedbo winners! Speedbo winners are also listed under the Speedbo tab as those giveaways will be sent out after April 1, 2016.
Starting Lineup Incentive winners of a $25 Amazon Gift Card are: Rachel Jones and Meg Brummer.
Heidi Robbins is the winner of a surprise package of books. Renee McBride is the winner of our writerly sign. Terri W is the winner of a first chapter critique of an inspirational or sweet romance. This chapter may not exceed twenty pages.
Monday Davalyn Spencer returned to Seekerville with "Passion. Period." Winners of an ecopy of 12 Brides of Summer-Novella Collection #4 are Caryl Kane and Kathryn Barker.
Wednesday: Melanie Dickerson is our Speedbo guest with her post, " Writer Unplugged: Facing My Own Fears. Melanie is generously offering three giveaways. Lisa is the winner of one paperback copy of her February release from Waterfall Press, The Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London). Meghan Gorecki is the winner of an MP3 audiobook of A Spy’s Devotion. Melanie Pike is the winner of a hardback copy of The Golden Braid.
Thursday was the March Contest Update with our amazing March Diva, Christy Distler. Winners of ecopies of 2K to 10K are Rebecca Lafferty, Paula Mowery and Crystal C. Our reader winner is Trixi!
Next Week In Seekerville
Welcome to Speedbo Week 2!
Our incentives this week include a surprise package of books for a reader and for a writer, an $25 Amazon gift card to buy yourself a nice
"I PARTICIPATED IN SPEEDBO REWARD!"
We draw names from all the Speedbo commenters
all week, and all reader comments.
"I PARTICIPATED IN SPEEDBO REWARD!"
We draw names from all the Speedbo commenters
all week, and all reader comments.
Speedbo incentives are mailed out April 1. In March we are writing. Winners will be announced in the next Weekend Edition.
Monday: Keli Gwyn visits Seekerville today with her post, “Read 'Em and Weep: 6 Tips for Moving Your Readers to Tears.” Bring your own tissues. Keli is also giving away three copies of A Home of Her Own -one each to three different winners. Thank you, Keli! This book releases March 8!
Tuesday: Rachelle Dekker returns to Seekerville today. Do not miss her post, "Stolen Advice, From Me to You." One commenter will receive a copy of The Calling from Tyndale House -it releases today!
Wednesday: Julie Lessman is your hostess today. Stop by to see what Julie is up to this month.
Thursday: Ruth Logan Herne gallops into the arena today for the 33 1/3% Check-In of the 2016 Speedbo which is like a diet... If you fall off the diet, you don't quit. You get right back up on that horse and ride, baby ride! In true Western form she's going to be giving away copies of Back in the Saddle to three lucky commenters!
Friday: Best of the Archives is all about Speedbo with a trip back to March 4, 2012 and "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Writers Part 1." We'll also announce the Speedbo incentives for next week. Comments are closed on Friday's so we can achieve our reading and writing goals.
Seeker Sightings
Congratulations to Julie Lessman. Isle of Hope was voted one of the top 15 books of 2015 by readers of Family Fiction Magazine!
Random News & Information
Thanks to everyone who sent links!
The March Calendar is UP!
Looking for some friendly accountability during Speedbo? Ask to be invited to the 1K1HR Facebook group.
External and Internal Conflict in Fiction (Live Write Breathe) ***EXCELLENT POST ON THE TOPIC***
Christian romance publisher changes name (Christian Retailing)
My Ideal Man {THE STEVE TRIFECTA} A Northern Belle *Worth a Peek!*
Check out, Romance When You Need It! (Harlequin)
How to Install Click to Tweet on Your Blog (The Write Conversation)
A Marketing Tool That's Fun (Writers in the Storm)
Top 10 Email Eyesores You Should Avoid (Vertical Response)
Criticism-What Are They Really Saying? (The Steve Laube Agency Blog)
Are You Asking the Right Story Questions? (Fiction University)
Rethinking the Mentor (Writer Unboxed)
9 Free Tools That Can Help Build Buzz for a Book (BookBub Partners)
4 Mindsets That Could Doom Your Social Media Marketing Efforts (DBW)
Fisking Lee Child (JA Konrath) *Spot on*
My Book's Been Orphaned-Now What? (The Passive Voice)
That's it. GO #SPEEDBO!
My Ideal Man {THE STEVE TRIFECTA} A Northern Belle *Worth a Peek!*
Check out, Romance When You Need It! (Harlequin)
How to Install Click to Tweet on Your Blog (The Write Conversation)
A Marketing Tool That's Fun (Writers in the Storm)
Top 10 Email Eyesores You Should Avoid (Vertical Response)
Criticism-What Are They Really Saying? (The Steve Laube Agency Blog)
Are You Asking the Right Story Questions? (Fiction University)
Rethinking the Mentor (Writer Unboxed)
9 Free Tools That Can Help Build Buzz for a Book (BookBub Partners)
4 Mindsets That Could Doom Your Social Media Marketing Efforts (DBW)
Fisking Lee Child (JA Konrath) *Spot on*
My Book's Been Orphaned-Now What? (The Passive Voice)
That's it. GO #SPEEDBO!
 |
| It's NEVER to late to Speedbo. Details here. |
Happy fifth day of Speedbo. Remember it's not about the book. It's about stretching out of your comfort zone. Saturday is my cave day. Hope to see you all on Sunday. Don't forget to comment to get your name in this week's Speedbo jar!
ReplyDeleteSPEEEDBO!!!!
Congratulations to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a good writing week for me so far. (It helped that I had some time off from work to use or lose.) In four days, I've added a little over 9,000 words to the WIP--a really good week for me. Next week might be tougher as I'll be back to my regular work schedule. But I'll keep chugging. "I think I can..."
Loved, loved, loved that Ideal Man post on A Northern Belle's blog, Tina. Thanks for sharing it! :-)
Cheering for everyone from my writing chair. SpeedBo on!
Congratulations to all the winners this week.
ReplyDeleteTina enjoy your writing cave.
Ruthy, I would love a copy of your book. I love the cover.
I am feeling better. I actually wanted to read. I am so glad my laptop can be used while in bed. I wrote the first scene in my new wip for a total of 568 words! Hopefully tomorrow will be another good day and I can get even more written towards making up for the first days when I was not able to write.
I will check out the links tomorrow. Right now I need to sleep.
Wilani!!! Glad you are on the healing side of this bug. And you are writing!!! WOOT!~!
ReplyDeleteClari!!! Amazing job!! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteAnd that blog post was written by one of our very own Villagers Meghan!!! Meghan take a bow! It's an awesome post.
Congratulations, Ruthy, on your latest release!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all the winners!
Wishing all the Speedbo-ers a productive weekend.
Looking forward to spending Monday with all of you awesome Seekers and Seekervillagers.
Yay! I love surprise books! Thank you so much! I'm really looking forward to Keli's post on Monday. If a book can make me get teary it's most likely getting 5 stars from me :) I want to see what writers do to make that happen...
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend and best wishes to all the Speedbo-ers out there! Stay strong!
Please enter me for Ruthie's new book- it sounds awesome! Love the set-up!
Tina, I have respect for cave days!!!! Gotta love the cave.
ReplyDeleteI have been stymied this morning by things beyond my control, so now I'm reverting to Plan B, and jumping in on another project to finish up....
This is the joy of multiple projects in Ruthy-world because if one isn't working, then... we change tacks!
Heading west now!
TINA!!!!! Thank you so much for including "More Than a Promise" in the WE!!!! And I am happily giving away three copies today, and I hope you guys love, love, love this beautiful story of starting over... and how you can come home again, but it just might take a little while to find that hometown niche!
I have carrot cake here, and that's Mary Jane Hathaway's fault for having it at Yankee Belle and now I WANT IT....
So I brought it to share!
Wilani, glad you're feeling better! Yay!!!!
ReplyDeleteClari, 9K is amazing. That's absolutely wonderful. And even half of that once you're back to work is a lot of words!
ReplyDeleteImagine 4500/week. That's over 200K/year.
That's three books.
BEYOND WONDERFUL!!!! Go get 'em, my friend!!!!!!
Keli, I love it when you visit and even more when you host!!!! Enjoy your weekend and thank you for your kind words... but you left without carrot cake, honey.
ReplyDeleteOne day, about 5 or 6 years ago, I was singing in the choir at my church... it was a quiet time, about ten minutes into the Mass, in the middle of the readings, just before the Gospel...
ReplyDeleteAnd in walks a young father, looking harried, with THREE LITTLE BOYS who did not look at all pleased to be there!
He wound his way to the far side, with three reluctant boys following...
And that two minute scene became the premise for "More Than a Promise"...
Where was their mother?
What happened to her?
Why were they in the church?
What was their story????
Well, when writers wonder about the story but are too polite to tackle innocent people and ask... WE MAKE THEM UP!!! WE INVENT THE STORY!!!! THAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT WRITING, WE DON'T NEED TO DELVE BECAUSE OUR IMAGINATIONS DO IT FOR US!!!!
So that's how Matt Wilmot's story came about, from a somewhat hapless young father, seeking to do the right thing, and the three little boys who seemed like they'd rather be doing anything else!
Gotta love a great imagination!
Good morning! Congratulations to all this week's winners.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Ruthy on your new book! And Julie, wow! Congratulations on being Family Fictions' top 15 books for 2015!!! I'm so excited for you!
I hope you all have a great weekend!
Happy Saturday! Congrats to all the winners, and everyone celebrating a good week writing. I hit 11k on my book today, even though it feels like it's a bit boring and prose-y I am just going to keep adding to it. You can't edit a blank page, right? I did just come up with a fix that I'm hoping to go back and fit in earlier on in the story, so that's today's task. Having tomorrow off to read (and it's Mothers' Day here in the UK so I'm taking my folks out for Sunday lunch.) Feeling good about progress so far, just hope it can keep going next week and on...
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!!! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeletePlease enter me for RUTHY's new book.
What a great WE and its good to hear all the success with speedbo. Yay speedbo.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the winners. We are all so blessed to have so much to give away and to have so many winners.
Glad you're feeling better Wilani.
Clari Congrats on those words.
Ruthy You crack me up. Always a story forming in your mind. Love it. Cause I love the stories that come out of the "I wonder..."
Julie What great news about ISLE OF HOPE. I am so not surprised that is was voted one of the top 15. You go girl.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winners!
ReplyDeleteThis weekend I hope will bring more writing time after all my errands.
Daughter's birthday today and granddaughter's birthday tomorrow.
Would love some of that Carrot cake to celebrate.
Here we are--our first SPEEDBO weekend! Sounds from all reports so far that Villagers are making solid headway! Now off I go myself to ramp up the word count on my latest WIP, too!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all the winners! Also, congratulations to Ruthy for her new release, the cover is beautiful! I would love to win a copy this week!
ReplyDeleteGood luck to all of you doing Speedbo this month. I pray all your goals are met and many wonderful stories are created.
Blessings,
Cindy W.
Jackie, thank you!!! It's such a pleasure to think of this story in people's hands.
ReplyDeleteI ..... love....... it!!!!!
Rachel Meyers, that rocks!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day to everyone in the UK, how lovely is that? And you should be so proud of yourself, pushing through like that!
Go you!
I find that if I go back and READ the passages I wrote yesterday, I have a much clearer view of what to write today.
Margaret Daley taught me that, and she's smart.
I listen to smart people. ;)
Heidi, you're in, sweet thing! And good morning to you!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Villagers! I just got Ruthy's book in the mail!
ReplyDeleteYAY!
I can't wait, the first book was so perfect. Such a great story.
But what about the COWBOY BOOK RUTHY!!!???
When is that coming?
Caryl, you're in! Good morning to you!
ReplyDeleteSandra, it is an annoying habit.... the constant "what if's????"
ReplyDeleteI blame years of latent, stifled creativity that now has erupted like a long-silent volcano...
And the ideas pour forth like molten lava... and then some of them sink like ROCKS!
:)
But not this one!
Mary Lawson, you've got it! Carrot cake and I'm tossing your name into Matt's hard hat right now!!!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, let's talk Speedbo.
ReplyDeleteI know I've got edits coming from two directions.
So I'm carbo-loading on word count this week, and next until the edits arrive.
And then I have to go to split screen endeavors!
And in the meantime there were blogs to write for the release of Cowboy Book One.... So that had to be accomplished.
But I had a strong writing week, and that's GOOD... I'm also looking ahead because Holy Week here is a busy time at church. We have a Holy Thursday Mass, a Good Friday service, and then the Easter Vigil on Saturday night and Easter morning Mass with kids. So I have to account for five days of work and church at the end, hence my push these two weeks.
And that's what I love about this job.
I can look ahead (and do!) and plan.
And then work my plan.
It's a plan, Stan!
Julie! Did I congratulate you publicly yet??? I know I did privately and I think on facebook, but mega congrats on making that list! What a feather in your cap!
ReplyDeleteMary, you got it????
ReplyDeleteOH HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!
I hope you cheer for these two (they need some cheers because, well, they do... and he's a guy. That says so much.) :)
We have ten days for "Back in the Saddle"....
And while this wasn't supposed to happen this way (publisher changed release date), how exciting is it to have these two beautiful books coming out this month???
SQUEEEEEE!
And they're quite different....
which is also good!
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE. Besides trying to work for a living and marketing my life away, it was a crazy week. I am going to prove you can start Speedbo five days late and still hit your goal. Wouldn't you know I have a writer's group meeting today, too?
ReplyDeleteOh yes, and I am home-renovating and using a table saw.
Every knife in my drawer is dirty and most of the spoons. Tina, you would be proud of me. Squalor can be fixed, Missed deadlines not so much.
WELCOME TO SPEEDBO LIVING! I can't wait to read all the nifty links later. May we all be blessed with good health and an abundance of prose. Congratulations Ruthy and Julie!
GOOD MORNING, SEEKERVILLE!! I have lots of out-of-town company, so it is a good morning here (especially with 60+ temps and sunny), albeit busy.
ReplyDeleteGreat We, Teenster, as always, and LOVE the Ideal Man link -- both the blog AND the eye candy!!
Ruthy!!! Oh my goodness, I hadn't read the blurb on More Than a Promise yet, but HOLY COW!! That sounds AMAZING, and I can't wait to get my mitts on it, girl!!
Thank you, everyone, for the congrats on the Family Fiction deal -- I LOVE Family Fiction Magazine, so it's a real blessing to make the list!
Clari, Wilani, and anybody else who cranked out the words this week -- I am SO proud of you because I fell short, which is no big surprise. Especially this weekend with company, but hopefully I can double up next week, God willing??
Hugs and HAPPY WEEKEND!!
Julie
Congratulations, Ruthy, on the release of your More Than a Promise....with its perfect title! Wonderful news about Julie's Isle of Hope...yes, it is THAT good! Cheering for the Speedbo-ers making progress this week....and for the WE winners! Glad you're feeling better, Wilani!
ReplyDeleteMy Speedbo week has been amazing. I exceeded my goals! I entered the Fab Five and Manuscript Match, thanks to Seekerville's inspiration. I'm making good progress with words, new ideas, and revisions. Thank you, Speedbo!
I second the recommendation of the Facebook #1k1hr group (thank you, Carol), for accountability and encouraging each other.
Now to check the links. Wishing everyone a good week of writing and/or reading. Go Speedbo!
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, Matt's story sounds delightful!
Congrats to all the winners.
I've hit my Speedbo goals everyday so far. I'm still struggling on exactly who these main characters are. A little 2 dimensional right now but hopefully the more I write, the more it will come together.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. It's been in the 70's this week and absolutely gorgeous.
Big congrats to Julie for making that list. Awesomeness!!!!! Happy speedboing everyone. I am nursing a sick grandpuppy today. Hoping he settles down soon so I can get back at it. The drugs he's been given promise to zonk him out but nobody told him that!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all winners. Have a great weekend everyone.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all of the winners! And a big shout out to Ruthy and Julie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a wonderful WE, Tina. You put in so much time and effort...we all appreciate it.
What a great week! Yay for RUTHY's new release from Franciscan, and yay for JULIE's recognition for Isle of Hope!
ReplyDeleteAnd lots of weekly winners, plus good reports on Speedbo goals! Good news abounds in Seekerville!
KAV, so sorry about your sick grandpuppy! Hope he'll get better quickly and that the meds do what they're supposed to do. :(
I DID IT!!! I wrote FICTION this week! Ok, well I brainstormed my fiction world, characters, problems/plot/conflict, etc. But that counts!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd it was SO FUN!!!!
It was like being a little girl again playing with all of my friends in the tree house out back making up our pretend world!!!!
Thanks Seekerville & SpeedBo!
Hi from the flickering hope of a Nebraska spring.
ReplyDeleteMy Cowboy came in this morning and said, "I think we've got a blizzard coming, but it's still spring."
This is incredible optimism for him. For March 5.
My daffodils are up and who knows, THIS YEAR, they might survive and bloom.
I've learned it's best not to believe it until I see the yellow buds. Which...I almost never do.
Cuz they freeze off.
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteRuthy, I love how you came up with the premise for More Than A Promise! Just wonderful! It's amazing how something so random can spark the imagination. I'd love to win a copy of your new release!
Congrats to Julie on being in the top 15! I'm not surprised I'm a huge fan! And I'm a minor character in her book! Isn't that fun? I won a contest and Miss Julie made me a little vixen in Isle of Hope! LOL!
Tickled to report that I've exceeded my first week's goal by 200 words! Blessings to all and happy writing!
Good morning! Happy Speedbo! It is a bright sunny day in mid-Tennessee with the promise of milder weather and my grandson and I are now well. The best part about the weekend edition, Tina, is publishing the reader links so that we can have those resources. The contest update is also one of my favorites: it is an encouragement.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Ruthy, on the new release. I hope to download it before an upcoming trip to read on the plane. Julie, what an honor.
This week has had limited writing time due to the fact that I became president of a women's organization and had to grind out the necessary paperwork and organize meetings. No matter the organization was half the current size when I said yes, oh so glibly! No babysitter because one of our relief nannies got sick as well. Can you say, "Moment of quiet," to a five year old? However, I am meeting with my writer's group on Monday night to write and my grandma duties will be lighter at the beginning of the week. Today, I will tackle the mountain of laundry and pick up the house so it is a non issue.
Please know that I have become a fledgling writer because of the encouragement of this site and the inspirational bloggers who fan the creative flame.
Please put my name in some drawing as I will be buying Ruthy's book.
Congratulations winners! I would love the $25 Amazon gift card so when I finish Speedboing I can more books to better my writing! Going off to Speedbo. Have a great weekend everybody!
ReplyDeleteHappy first week everyone! I've managed to be productive despite many late nights with Beauty and The Beast for my son, fencing, and video materials for my son, and even a day with 50 third graders at the Science museum yesterday for a field trip! This light accountability is really a great help. Trying to figure out the more difficult parts of my project that dip into difficult times, like the firestorms and also fun parts that involve jewelry research. I had some kids "test drive" my new blog look and loved their comments, so I think I'm on track so far.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Julie on the award, wonderful! Congratulations to Sara Ella on her premier book cover, it looks wonderful, too! Thank you for this lovely post and I still love your cover Ruthy! So evocative. Please enter me this week and I hope you all thrive!
Wow...so much going on here!! Congrats to ALL!! You all are such an inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteMy Speedbo derailed for a day or two...Antique Mall first of the month business...those dealers do like their checks!! LOL Anyway, today promises to be a GOOD ONE...and next week too! Changing my writing time has REALLY helped!! Please drop my name in the Speedbo Jar...thanks!
Take care...beautiful weekend wishes to all of you!
Debra Marvin, you go, girl!!!! I'm so happy to see you back in the saddle!
ReplyDeletePUN FIRMLY INTENDED!!!!!
And yes, you can start five days late and meet that goal... because you're a go-getter!
Sherida Stewart.... YES!!!! YES!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you and proud of you! Happy dancing!
Connie Queen, mine tend to flesh out by chapter four or five, and then I go back and adjust the beginning to reflect what I've added to their character base/backstory.
ReplyDeleteAnd then that gives a better platform launch for the middle of the book!
SWEET! Go you!
70's?????
Awesome, chica!!!!
Love this community! =D Best of luck and so many words to everyone doing Speedbo and congratulations to Ruthy! Can't wait to read More Than a Promise.
ReplyDelete(And thank you too for sharing my blog post The Steve Trifecta along with all the other amazing posts that I cannot wait to sift thru and glean from!)
Kav, how nice of you to hang onto grandpuppy!!!! God bless you! Silly puppy, doesn't know that it's nap time?
ReplyDelete:)
And Cathy, glad you stopped by!
Jill, we don't tell Tina often enough how much we appreciate her efforts... she rocks it.
ReplyDeleteTINA! THANK YOU!!!!
:)
Do you think she heard me????
Myra, I'm thinking of you as I finish this last wall in my hallway... because then I have to start stripping wall paper in the living room.
ReplyDeleteIf I ever say the words WALL PAPER again, hit me.
It's okay, I really mean it.
JANA VANDERSLICE DID YOU REALLY?????
ReplyDeleteGood girl!!!! Mama Ruthy is so proud of you!!!!!
That is awesome news, chickie! Texans write big and stand tall.
And don't you forget it!
(says the born in New York Yankee)
Mary, your flowers get tricked.
ReplyDeleteMine won't show for 4 or 5 weeks.
They're smart.
I'm not saying they're smarter than yours, but, hey...
I'm just sayin'...
Although we might see a crocus before then.
But we're expecting some high 50s and low 60s this week, so who knows?
I've had tulips freeze and die off. That's if we get snow in May, and once in a while it happens.
That's kind of sad, right?
Kelly!!! You're in Julie's book, I love that! AWESOME!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou vixen!
Laughing, because I can totally see Julie doing that.
Oh my stars, that's wonderful!
Tossing your cute name "VIXEN" in the hard hat!
Oh, Olivia, you are just a bright light of wonderfulness.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the crazy amount of busy that I can tell you muscled into some form of submission and handled with a smile.
You are my kind of girl.
And then the aplomb with which you carried off your responsibilities in true "Ask the busy person to do one thing more" form....
And then your words to buy the book.
What a blessing you are.
You just made my day and then some.
Sally, we're tucking your name in! Happy writing!
ReplyDelete700 words penned this morning. Another 500 to go sometime late. (I'm behind on SpeedBo and need to catch up on the 1000 words/day target.
ReplyDeleteWallpaper--yikes! When they painted this house before we bought it, they must have painted over wallpaper and not always very well. Some walls have bubbles. Actually, they look more like wall tumors.
ReplyDeleteStripping wallpaper is a terrible, terrible job, though--especially if whoever put it up didn't prime the walls properly and there is NO WAY to get it unstuck!!!!!
Good luck, RUTHY!!!
Congrats to all the winners!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to everyone taking part in Speedbo...you're all winners!!!
Congrats to Ruthy on the release of her next book from Franciscan Media. Looks like a fun story that's sure to please!
It's a beautiful day in Georgia, and I'm at my computer working, which is the Speedbo way! Waving to all of you doing the same. Sunshine can wait, right? (Although I may take my AlphaSmart outside and work there!)
Wilani, so glad you're feeling better!
ReplyDeleteGREAT WE as always!! CONGRATS to all the winners!!
ReplyDeleteYAY for SPEEDBO!!
And YAY for the beautiful weather in Georgia (that sweet Debby Giusti mentioned!) :)
Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.
BIG CONGRATS to Ruthy on the release of your newest book!
Back to writing, then going to "Five Guys" for burger and fries with some family
later on - - I'm the only one in my family who's never eaten there, so I'm excited, LOL. ;)
Hugs, Patti Jo
Congratulations winners! And much success to the SPEEDBO-ers :)I have surprise Lillys coming up! Thinking Spring...
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the winners!! May God grant you the desires of your heart...sooner rather than later. :)
ReplyDeleteI missed this first week of wonderful posts but I plan to be back for this next week's lineup.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win Ruthy's book.
Thank you!!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Proceeding! Almost through the laundry and now sneaking time to Speedbo while everyone is out of the house. Thank you for the encouragement, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping up with my Speedbo goals but I had hoped to surpass them. I've gotten in a good day today and am desperate for a break, but I WILL come back and power on!!!
ReplyDeleteI WILL TOO, RUTHY-THE-DOUBTER!
I can hear you doubting me!
Another AWESOME WE, TINA!!!! You just keep churning them out. THANK YOU. Congratulations to all the winners, and all the AUTHORS doing SPEEDBO!
ReplyDeleteRuthy, I saw your MORE THAN A PROMISE on Amazon, and it went on my wish list. Please add my name to the hat for it. Thanks.
Ruthy, love the cover of More than a Promise!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Weekend Edition, Tina. Lots to celebrate. Congratulations to our winners! Mega congrats to all you Villagers working hard during Speedbo. I lost the first week with houseguests, but tomorrow is a new beginning. I love that!
Janet
Keli, looking forward to your post. What writer doesn't want to move readers to tears? Even comedic stories need emotion.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Ruthy, sorry about that wallpaper you've got to strip. Not a fun job, as Myra pointed out. After spending hours and hours getting rid of the stuff, my dh nixed putting up more wallpaper ever, but have you gals noticed its making a comeback?? He thinks I agreed, but I'm sure I just nodded that I'd heard him. ;-)
ReplyDeleteJanet
ReplyDeleteI added words this week, but not nearly as many as I should have.
Much of this week was spent battling allergies. (I'm happy to say, after spending two days home from work to rest and take meds, I'm feeling much improved.) I've also been busy grading research reports. (I started with seventy-six, but I think I only have twenty to go.) It's the end of the term, and grades have to be posted by Wednesday. I don't know who's bright idea it was to assign a research report so close to the end of the nine weeks and Speedbo! Oh, yeah, guess it was my bright idea...doesn't seem so bright now. LOL!
Okay, so my Speedbo started out with very little spark. It's all going to be okay in the long run, because I'm determined to end Speedbo with a bang!
Rhonda, glad you're feeling better! Sorry for all the papers you have to grade.
ReplyDeleteGod bless teachers!
I wrote another 400 words this afternoon. It is not much but if each day as I gain my strength back I can add a little more, it will get done. I love this story. It is a sequel to my first book. The story is begging to be told so it will all fall into place.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your encouraging words. They mean so much.
Hoping everyone is having a great writing day.
I took the critique starters loop on ACFW this week and was reminded again of the things I need to look for in editing my own work. I am grateful for the reminders and plan to attack the pages I hope to submit to the Genesis contest.
WALT!!!! Good for you, my friend! I do my catch up when no one's around.
ReplyDeleteBut that 700 is/are words in the bank! Go you!
Myra, I am determined. I am beyond determined. I am... THE SCRAPEMEISTER!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteOne last wall, and I got it half done and returned to the laptop to do blogs for these new releases.
And my hands get sore from scraping. I am not looking around the living room where three big walls have wallpaper and border at chair-rail height.
I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT IT.
Right now, I'm focusing on chatting with my buddies over here!!! #morefunthanwallpaper
Debby, isn't it fun to have the sun streaming through the windows??? It's such a treat up here when that happens!
ReplyDeleteAnd then I realize that I haven't washed some of these windows in a very long time. I have a lot of windows. this is one of those old houses that the owners spared no expense in windows as they added on.
I have Oak-trimmed windows in two upstairs CLOSETS... those pretty old-fashioned farmhouse moldings.... Windows in closets, on purpose. It's cool, but there are a lot of windows.
I may have mentioned that. :)
CAT MOM!!!! Patti Jo!
ReplyDeleteWe love Five Guys! It is heart attack central, and we've got a fave burger joint here that beats Five Guys, but when we're on the road... It's Five Guys!
OH MY STARS, their spicy fries are to die for. And they give you a gazillion, so prepare to be gazillionated.
That is a word, I looked it up and it's right after the word Five Guys in the "f" section!
Have fun!!!
Deanna! Lilies appearing already??? Go you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBarbara, how sweet!
ReplyDeleteRight back at you! God bless you, my Nashville buddy!
Mary, I was doubting you... I was seeing you drift away, away, away... BUT THEN YOU CAME BACK, WELL DONE, MY FRIEND!
ReplyDeleteWE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF!!!!
No fears.
No rest for the wicked.
Mary, are you wicked?
Don't answer that.
Get back to work, Slacker-Pants!
Marianne, you're in the hat! Glad to see you here!
ReplyDeleteJanet, thank you! And the wallpaper thing... I'm sticking with paint once I'm done clearing because gosh... if we decide we don't need a humongous farmhouse perfect for six children, then I don't want to have to do this again, you know? And the entry will be pretty when it's done, we're pulling up the subfloor to reveal the 160 year old cedar floor and having that redone now that there aren't hordes of kids on it everyday. So that will be fun to see!
ReplyDeleteRhonda, this happens to all of us. I've had years where I couldn't start until the 5th, 6th or 7th because something interfered, but once you've got the calendar on your side, and a clearer head, you'll do just fine. You're a go-getter!
ReplyDeleteWow, RUTHY, loved the blurb about your book and the beautiful cover! Can't wait to read it! Thanks for sharing the story about the man and his three sons in church, too. You truly never know where inspiration will strike.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, JULIE, on your Isle of Hope honors! Great book and I'm so happy for you!
I've kept my Speedbo goal of 1,000 words per day so far, but will have a tough time tomorrow. Church in the morning, and then church again in the afternoon (after a dinner at the church) and then I'm taking my second oldest granddaughter to see the Beach Boys in concert in Abilene (about an hour and half from us). She absolutely LOVES the Beach Boys and I'm sure we'll have a great time - I wouldn't miss those kind of bonding moments (and awesome music) for anything in the world. Well-worth having to do a little catch-up writing on Monday.
Congrats to all the prize winners! TINA, thank you for another great WE! And thanks to everyone involved in Seekerville and Speedbo for the wonderful words of encouragement each day! Happy Writing everyone!
Wilani, I love that you're looking at ways to strengthen your writing. That's clutch. It's so important to polish, polish, polish those drafts. That's one of my favorite parts of the process, editing, cleaning, polishing... And I'm just glad you're getting better!
ReplyDeleteLaura, if you can't get it in tomorrow, you can either add an extra 100-150 for a week to the daily, or just write it off as a Sunday with family! Because you're right, that's so important.
ReplyDeleteI keep my Sundays for church and family, but I still get up early and do two writing sprints, but that's because it works for my schedule. That might sound contrary, but as long as I'm out the door by 9:00 AM, the rest of the day is theirs and they don't even know I sneaked in a couple of hours of writing time! #fooledthem!!!
Congratulations winners! I hope everyone met their first week goals. A few days of subbing, working on submissions for contests, as well as a difficult week with my kids has slowed me down. I am hoping to hide from my family this evening and write, but so far that isn't going well. If I can get 1000 words today, I will call it a success. Good luck everyone. Time to make dinner and hide. ;-)
ReplyDeleteTINA awesome WE as always.
ReplyDeleteRUTHY when do I get to unleash my five-star review of Back in the Saddle? I covet a copy of More. Than A Promise.
SPEEDBO has been weak this weak. Whole family suffering from school her my colds and congestion. Hubby has left ankle in a boot for two weeks with a torn ligament, and mommy is gimping with left knee from a volleyball wound (jumped to spike and something popped inside knee). Only a couple hundred words written. Brain is in mush mode at present.*sigh*
Hoping next week fares better for the family of walking wounded. Put me in the draw for any an all offerings. Just the opportunity to win brightens my outlook.
YAY for both Rutthy and Julie book success!!!!! Snippy dancing...
Blasted phone... Snoopy dancing. Zetterberg...
ReplyDeleteARRRRRRRGH.... Blasted auto correct. Need to quit while hole is still shallow.
ReplyDeleteSuper links!! The Konrath post was well-worth the long read. All the links were interesting and/or informative. Boy oh boy is the Laube post about criticism something to keep in mind. And the 'Steve' link was fun! Thank you for another WE, Tina!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the winners AND to Ruthy and Julie.
Back to read comments later.
Nancy C
Congratulations winners! I hope everyone met their first week goals. A few days of subbing, working on submissions for contests, as well as a difficult week with my kids has slowed me down. I am hoping to hide from my family this evening and write, but so far that isn't going well. If I can get 1000 words today, I will call it a success. Good luck everyone. Time to make dinner and hide. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like an excellent book. Would so love to read it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I met almost double my quota for today, which should help to make up for the slow day I had two days ago. Excited to be a part of this. Glad to hear about people's successes. Praying in general that God will help you all in your journey!
ReplyDeleteI am probably not interesting enough to count as wicked.
ReplyDeleteAlso an insomniac so no rest neither. :(
I did get a thousand more words written since I checked in and said I made my goals ... so a GREAT DAY!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not done yet.
Just takin' a break to check on Seekerville.
The book I recently won has arrived! Very much looking forward to starting it, thank you! :)
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the winners! I am actually on the road, out of state this week and I have missed connecting with Seekerville every day! My father-in-law died unexpectedly so we have been gone to Calif. all week. We are on our way back home now. It was a lovely experience to be with my husband's family. Lots of wonderful things happened! I also got to see my 3 adult children as they came to the funeral from other states and that doesn't happen often - all of us in the same place at the same time!
Good luck to all of you Speedbo writers! Carry on!!! May this be a great week all of you and I hope you reach your goals!
Valri
Crystal, some weeks are like that. NO WORRIES.... and it is tricky to do this with kids, that's when I started getting up in the middle of the night to do it.
ReplyDeleteI had no recourse!
Sorry about the rough week, but the carrot cake is here and I'm sending you some!
Deb H, thank you for reviewing Back in the Saddle!
ReplyDeleteMARCH 15th!!!!!!!!!!!
NINE DAYS!!!!!
I am putting your name in here, and I am so grateful for all the love and support you shower on us. And Deb, honestly, your time will come. There's no sense spitting in the wind, you know you have the talent, but sometimes God is telling us children first... marriage first... God first.... It is okay to breathe and move on because the talent does not go away. It is yours, a gift from God and it will be there when you're ready.
Sending you a peace hug!
Nancy wasn't the Konrath post perfect? For everyone who has delusions of grandeur about any one road in publishing, I urge them to print and frame that post.
ReplyDeleteThere are no perfect industries.
But the fact that Amazon was able to shake up a feet-in-the-mud industry and open doors of opportunity is marvelous!
Now it wouldn't be good to have all the power shift their way, either. Balance is clutch. And authors are the fulcrum of that balance. We tip the scales.
Super great article and he didn't swear a lot, which made it even more powerful.
Lara, I love your pic!!!!! And right back at you, we take each success and we learn from it, then add to it! Tucking your name into Matt's hardhat!
ReplyDeleteMary, by the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!
ReplyDeleteOkay, you are not wicked by any means... and well done, my cattle-loving friend!!!!!!
Go you!
Cheryl, I'm tossing your name in as we speak!!!! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteSchecki, you're welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteVal, I'm so sorry about your loss, but I love the reunion aspects of the funeral.
ReplyDeleteGathering together to mark a day, celebrate a life.
Putting your name in!
Thanks, Ruth! I don't like very many pictures of myself, but that one won out. And thanks for entering me in the drawing. Best of luck to everyone as they continue writing!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love the synopsis for More Than a Promise. Just put it on my Goodreads reading list! :-)
ReplyDeleteWHEW!! Busy weekend on Seekerville and at my house with out-of-town company, but both sooooo fun!!
ReplyDeleteSherida, Kav, Jill, Myra, Olivia, Laura, DebH, Nancy C, Debra, and Sandra -- thank you for the congrats -- it was a total blessing, I have to say!!
Kelly -- you made SUCH a great vixen, my friend, and actually saved Tina Radcliffe from being one because that was the character's name before I changed it to yours. ;)
And Elizabeth Van Tassel -- girl, you won an ecopy of either Isle of Hope or A Glimmer of Hope a while back and I've emailed you twice, asking which you would like, but haven't heard back, so let me know, sweetie-pie, okay? :)
Hugs!!
Julie
Ruthy, I see the beautiful results of refinishing old floors on HGTV! Know you'll love them when they're done. Your 160 year old house is blessed to have your TLC!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Valri, Weddings and funerals gather us. I'm glad your family was able to celebrate your father-in-law's life together. Safe travels!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Love all those great links. I've had a busy weekend, started on Friday night with dinner for my college-age son and his girlfriend, the visiting my other son & DIL and new grand baby (we took food! :), writers' meeting Saturday morning, followed by grocery shopping, cooking for a church singing and supper Saturday night, then church this morning.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, I didn't have to cook dinner today because I made double batches for last night's event!
So, dig in.
Cheeseburger pie, Jalepeno poppers, and my MIL's banana pudding that my hubby brought home with us (ahem!!). Please help yourselves to the pudding as it is SOOOOO GOOD and WAY too tempting! Her banana pudding is amazing.
Happy weekend everyone. I have met my Speedbo goals every day so far. But does it still count if I will probably end up deleting most of the words I've written?! They are all pretty bad. Part of my problem is that I am picking up where I left off in my novel last year. (Yes, I really didn't go back and do much more on it since.) I also didn't get to look at it again before March 1, so not exactly sure where I am or where I need to be. I am just basically writing scenes that need to go in there somewhere. I figure it's at least getting me back into it. When I have some free time, I will go back and read through the whole thing so maybe I can figure out where I am going next.
ReplyDeleteSandy, I feel your pain and I have sooooo been there before. I suspect that different things work for different people, but what's worked for me (and this sort of assumes you don't have all the details worked out; I've never been very good at outlining although it sort of happens in my head as I go along). As Ruth said, rereading and editing can be helpful. I've been doing some of this in Seedbo because I can't resist and because sometimes a little change can have a big influence on my story. I often find that the important details come in increments and rereading / minor editing allows me to come up with ideas I hadn't considered before and to keep my story on the right track.
DeleteThe good thing about forcing yourself to write is that sometimes you'll come up with something you'd never considered before. Personally, my stories so far have seemed to progress through a combination of (1) writing out scenes (sometimes ones I know will be critical, sometimes ones I'm not so sure about but just playing around with). And (2) brainstorming. I keep an ideas file where I can type up ideas, short and long, include links to research websites, start scenes I'm not ready to place yet, etc. Going for a walk or getting involved in some other mindless chore often helps. I have a recorder device I've used a lot in the past to record ideas I have while walking or driving.
Not sure any of this is helpful to you, but I hope so. Sending prayers and encouragement your way. Best of luck!!
I have a question about critiquing. I am getting ready to do my first critique of someone else's work. I am wondering if I should just read through it first to get an idea of the story and how it flows making a note if something jumps out at me. Then go back and read it through to check for all the grammatical and punctuation errors. I plan to do a thorough job not just rush through and make quick comments.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on this? I want this to be a way I can help other writers and also a means for me to learn to be a better writer.
Wilani, I find that first impressions can be helpful. Especially for making note of any points of confusion. Don't know if you are able to remember these issues after the fact. If not, you might consider jotting those sorts of things down as you go through the first read. Otherwise, I think big picture is more important than getting bogged down in any editorial/grammatical details. And my experience with critiquing is that you WILL become a better writer. Whenever you analyze what you read, you can't help but start to think things like, "that worked well," or "that didn't work for me as a reader at all." Then as you start to try and figure out why you will find yourself equipped to make better choices in your own writing. Hope that helps. Best of luck!
DeleteWoohoo! Can't wait to receive my free e-copy of 2K to 10K. What an exciting blessing that will be! In the meanwhile, I'm writing like the wind...Speedbo, here we go!
ReplyDeleteHope you've all been having a great weekend! I'm not online as much as usual since my daughter is home for spring break. So nice to have one of the kids home to the empty nest!! :) (Wish you could all see my silly, happy grin.)
ReplyDeleteMissy, I am glad your daughter is home for Spring break. Enjoy your time with her.
ReplyDeleteI hope I'm not too late for Ruth's new release and giveaway. Please enter me. :) I love that two new "Ruthie" books have released so close together. Not needing to wait too long for the fix. My copy of Back in the Saddle should be arriving in my mailbox soon. (Or as Kav's email stated, "Back in the Salad") haha. Silly autocorrect!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the recent winners and you go Speedbo's!
Oh my goodness, I just realized Toss the Bouquet is out this month, too. What a busy and exciting month for Ruthy!! Congrats to you.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in Ruth's new release and giveaway. I would love to read her book. It sounds fun and adventurous.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, your new book looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGreat articles, as usual. They're so interesting and helpful. Thanks Tina and everyone else who discovered these articles.
Congratulations, winners! Ruth, congrats to you on your latest release. Looks great.
ReplyDeleteI've re-assessed my writing goals. If I push it I can finish next week then use the rest of the month for rewriting. Of course, that means I need to ignore my hubby and friends, live on peanut butter, stay off Internet and hide my phone from ME. :)Mmmm, that doesn't sound like much fun. :(
Congrats winners! Looking forward to the upcoming week. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey from Down Under. Thanks for another great WE. With all the the travel - 28 hours door-to-door - I've been limited in my Speedbo writing, but expect to gear up once we start getting into schedule here. DH is doing sporty stuff, scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and white water rafting and I will be holed up in my lounger overlooking a pool/lagoon right outside our condo door! Serious inspiration! Wish I could have brought you all along!
ReplyDeleteWill try to check in later this week!
G'day!
Happy Weekend Seekervillions (is that a word?). Hope you're speeding through your first week of Speedbo! Keep up the good work :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats winners, I see lots of them!
And I see someone (Ruthy) mentioned carrot cake somewhere up there, I sure hope there's a slice left...because that's my FAVORITE cake in all the world....especially homemade with cream cheese frosting!!!!!! Got my mouth all set to watering :-)
Got some great author posts coming up for this next week, yay! I see my California author friend Keli's gonna be in the house on Monday. I best have a box of Kleenex with me.
Please add my name to win a copy of Ruth's book "More Than a Promise" because you know anything by her is gonna be good :-)
Blessings Seekers & Villagers!
Lyndee, enjoy your tine down under
ReplyDeleteWell, I've had a slow start, with only 3k this week, but I hope to catch up faster on my goals next week! :-)
ReplyDeleteLara, thank you for adding it to Goodreads!!!! And isn't that true of pictures of ourselves??? But that one rocks, girlfriend!
ReplyDeleteJanet, you're so right. We had the stairs, landing and one bedroom done last winter. We have two floors on the schedule for this year. One step at a time, right? (I keep telling this old house that I didn't mean to abandon it for YEARS.... it was either food on the table or home improvement, and food won!!!! Something about six hungry kids pushed me to patience, which makes these step by step improvements so fun!!!!)
ReplyDeletePam, thank you for the food! And yeah, that sounds like a crazy busy weekend!!!!
ReplyDeleteSandy, I always go back and re-read the entire thing before I jump in after an absence. It gives my brain a starting point and lets me gather all the bits and pieces mentally that I forget... and then when I start writing, I have a purpose. So I'd go back and do that first, and not worry about the word count until that's done. I build this reading/editing time into my work schedule and I stop every 100 pages, and print what I've done, read it in hard copy and edit it, then add the edits in before I move on.
ReplyDeleteThis has helped me to produce really strong stories on what some would call a first draft. of course it isn't really a first draft because I read what I wrote the previous day, then write from that point on... and then I repeat that daily. And the 100 page hard copy read-through/edit.
But technically, they'd call it a first draft and this helps it to be less error-prone than it normally would be. I'd say do what works for you, but I sense from your comment that you're not too sure of this right now. I'd stop, go back, and read, because that's as important a task for us writers as anything else.
Wilani, I think you're spot on. That's how I would do it. A read-through first... and then a more thoughtful one, noting what pulled you out of the story.
ReplyDeleteMy first critique was with Mia Ross.
I AM STILL EMBARRASSED BY HOW MANY THINGS I TOLD HER WERE WRONG.
I don't know why she still wants to be my friend.
I was new and stupid.
Forgive me, Mia!!!
Years later, that story ended up being one of her Sawyer books....
But not because of my horrible, very bad critique, LOL!
Rebecca, that's wonderful! Go you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTerrill, you're in and I hope you love Back in the Saddle!!!!
ReplyDeleteI know, how fun that an oddity of errors/change put these books releasing back-to-back, right????
MORE RUTHY!!!!!
Thanks for the enthusiasm, and I need to be Back in the Salad!!!!!
Una, you're in, and I hope you love it!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah.... raising three little boys, bent on self-destruction????
There's an adventure for you!
Jess/Jessy/Jessie....
ReplyDeleteIt is fun!!!! Because when you're done you are HAPPY DANCING!!!!!
:)
G'day, mate! Lyndee! Have sooooooooo much fun!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTrixi, thank you!!!! We do have a great week coming up, and oh my stars, we are just totally celebrating all of God's blessings this month... as we write!
ReplyDeleteTucking your name into the hard hat!!!!
Elizabeth, go get 'em! Are your fantasies directed at teens? They look like a lot of fun, and I am over the moon with your clothes, you brat! GREAT LOOK!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTossing your name into the hard hat!
Ruthy..Whether or not my name is picked outta the smokin hot cowboy hat...I love your books they are a joy to me...And your Mighty Finn tales make my heart giggle ❤��❤ Blessings Sweet Ruthy ��������
ReplyDeleteI would love to be entered to win Ruth Logan Herne's More Than a Promise.
ReplyDelete