If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes. Send to Seekers@Seekerville.net
Monday: Missy Tippens brought us "Are You A Couch (Desk) Potato? Let’s Get Moving!" The winner of the Camelbak water bottle is Heidi Robbins!
Tuesday: Myra Johnson introduced us to Lisa Cron's craft book Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere. The winner of Cron's book is Linda Sammaritan. Winner of Myra's award-nominated Castles in the Clouds is Mary Preston.
Wednesday: Author Debbie Lynne Costello shared her experiences and benefits in writing a novella in her post "Me, Write a Novella? What a Novel Idea!" The winner of Debbie's copy of "Sword of the Matchmaker" is Renee McBride.
Thursday: Seekerville was delighted to welcome back award-winning author, Kate Breslin with her post “Seeking Inspiration – Find The Spark That Ignites Your Story Into Lift Off!” Vince Mooney is the winner of her recently released book from Bethany House Publishing, High as the Heavens.
Monday: Editor and author Michael Ehret is our guest today, and Mike brings a perfect- for-the-times post: "Editing the Editor." Hear it straight from the editor's mouth when Mike talks about both sides of the author aisle: Writing and Editing. Leave a comment to be put into the drawing for a copy of the delightful anthology "Coming Home" a tiny house love story collection!
Tuesday: Pam Hillman discusses six things she learned from a "Crunch Deadline". Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for The Promise of Breeze Hill, coming August 2017.
Wednesday: Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Debby Giusti has been in a book club for more than a decade and will talk about "Book Clubs" and why she loves them! Leave a comment about your own book club or anything to do with reading and sharing to be entered in a drawing for the first book in Debby's Amish Protectors series, Amish Refuge!
Thursday: Love Inspired Suspense author Jessica R. Patch is our special guest today with her post, "Why Writing is Like Walking on Water." Stop by to chat and you could win a copy of her latest release, Deep Water!
Friday: Today we bring you The Best of the Archives, with one of our finest vintage posts. Comments are closed so we all can catch up on our reading and writing.
Book 3 in Julie Lessman’s Isle of Hope series, HIS STEADFAST LOVE, is NOW available for PREORDER!! And good news! Pre-ordering gives you extra points in Julie's contest below!
She’s bent on fun.
He’s bent on faith.
Till true love bridges the gap.
He’s bent on faith.
Till true love bridges the gap.
CONTEST! Julie Lessman is kicking off the launch of His Steadfast Love with a new contest where you can win a character named after you in both the e-book and paperback versions, a signed copy, plus your choice of a $50 Amazon gift card OR a box of 10 top CBA books, so here’s the link: JULIE’S CONTEST!
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Love Inspired has re-issued two Amish stories that readers are sure to love.
Plain Truth by Debby Giusti along with The Amish Midwife’s Courtship by Cheryl Williford. The two-in-one will be in stores this September.
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| And still hanging in there on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Bestsellers Fiction List are Ruthy's "Peace in the Valley" (#6) and "Home on the Range" (#15)... Keeping our Ruth Logan Herne happy dancing in the farm fields of Western New York! Books are available wherever mass market books are sold, nationwide! (Walmart, Target, Kroger, etc.) or on our friend AMAZON! |
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Pam Hillman is blogging on Why Write About Indentured Servants at the Heroes, Heroines, and History blog. Pop over there for a chance to win a signed copy of The Promise of Breeze Hill, releasing August 2017. Drawing ends June 20th.
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Thanks for the link love.
🙌🎉🎈Congratulations to the 2017 Genesis Finalists, with a shout out to Cynthia Herron, Sherrinda Ketchersid, and Rachel McDaniel. See you at the 2017 ACFW Conference in Grapevine, Texas, September 21 to 24.
How to Immediately Improve Your Query Letter’s Effectiveness (Jane Friedman)
Empathy, Skill and A FEW GOOD MEN (Story Mastery)
Amazon Has a Fake Book Problem (Let's Get Digital)
Negative Reviews (and Why I Don’t Read Them) (Writer Unboxed)
48+ Publishing Resources You Should Know About (BookBub)
How To Write An Author Q&A That Compels Readers To Buy (DBW)
How to Start Writing Your Book Again After a Long Break (The Write Practice)
A Question of When: Indicating Time Passage in Our Stories (Writers Helping Writers)
The Villain Doesn’t Think He’s the Villain (Seven Pressfield)
OREGON CHRISTIAN WRITERS SUMMER COACHING CONFERENCE, August 15–18 will be held at the Red Lion (Jantzen Beach) in Portland. Keynoters Frank Peretti and Tessa Afshar. Includes 10 in-depth (7 hours total) morning coaching classes and 24 hour-long afternoon workshops on the craft of fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, children’s writing, critique, and marketing. The conference offers manuscript reviews, one-on-one meetings with editors and agents, mentoring with published authors, plus professional panels. A pre-conference seminar “Create Compelling Novels and Scripts” will be taught by Hollywood story editor Michael Hauge Check the website for registration details. http://oregonchristianwriters.org/2017-summer-conference-main-page/.
That's it. Now go forth and read and write this weekend!
Congratulations to the Genesis Finalists! Have a productive weekend Seekerville. May the FORCE be with you.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Genesis finalists! That's quite an achievement.
ReplyDeleteTina, great WE. I hope to find time to read the links, but I've got some story CPR to administer.
Seeing Julie's book is bittersweet. I had a dear friend who adored Julie's writing and books. She passed away this year. So seeing book three in the Isle of Hope Series brought both a smile and tear.
So hard, Terri! I'm sorry about your friend.
DeleteTerri, praying that you revive your story! And... so sorry to hear about your friend. I had a co-worker who was one of my biggest supporters. We loved talking books but she passed away with cancer before I became published. She would have been so proud of me for working toward my goal.
DeleteOh, Terri, I am so very sorry to hear that about your friend. I'm saying a prayer for her family and for you right as well, and for your story too!
DeleteHugs!
Julie
So sorry about your friend Terri. How sweet to remember her.
DeleteSo sorry for your loss, Terri.
ReplyDelete(Chuckling on the CPR...inside joke there.)
Congratulations to the Genesis finalists!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great WE, Tina! Julie's cover is so beautiful.
Teri, I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.xo
Thanks, Jill, for your sweet comment about my cover. I really like it too! ;)
DeleteHugs,
Julie
I agree about the cover. Its lovely. Did your special graphics guy create it???
DeleteGood morning, Seekerville! Still dark here in the West, but I've been up and working on my latest WIP for well over an hour. I love being at my desk as the towering pines start to silhouette against the sky and sunshine eventually brushes their tippy-tops. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother great W.E.! Looks like some great links to check out.
Congrats to all the ACFW Genesis Finalists! I still have my 2006 "win" plaque hanging above my desk. I didn't know then that my dream was just around the corner--that 3 years later I'd FINALLY get published!
I'm sorry you lost a dear friend, Terri.
Picturing you writing away dear friend. Hugs.
DeleteCongratulations to the Genesis finalists! I'm so thrilled for you! And congratulations to the winners of last week's book giveaways.
ReplyDelete~ Renee
So excited about the Genesis finalists! Woot!!! Congrats times ten!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day, everyone! I'm getting ready for our Father's Day celebration! God bless the wonderful men in our lives! Best wishes to all the fathers!
Congratulations to the finalists. Whenever contest results are released, I comb through them to see if there's anyone I know. I do the same thing in book stores. It's exciting to see the name of an online friend on the spine of a book. Not as exciting as seeing my own would be, but a nice feeling. And surprising how many "virtual" friends I have now.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of "story CPR." This weekend I'm doing Story Triage.
Much to do, see you Monday.
KB
Kaybee, hope triage is going well for you!! Been there, done that, and am cheering you on! :)
DeleteBest wishes on the triage Kathy. Hang in there because you will be joining them with perseverance. Happy writing.
DeleteCongratulations to the winners and congrats to the Genesis Finalists. Thanks for making Seekerville such a fun place to visit!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the Genesis Finalists! Congrats to this week's winners!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY WEEKEND!
Congrats to the Genesis Finalists! Beautiful cover, Julie...can't wait to read it. Thanks Tina, for another great WE!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jackie! Can't wait for you to read it either, my friend!
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Happy Saturday, everyone!! Congrats to our Genesis finalists!!
ReplyDeleteJulie, that is a beautiful cover! Draws me right in.
Aw, thanks, Missy! Would you believe Keith doesn't like it or any of my Isle of Hope series covers??? Which is SO weird because he designed the first one. :|
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Happy Father's Day weekend to our fathers who are reading!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the winders and to the Genesis Finalists!!!
ReplyDeleteEveryone have a fantastic Father's Day!
Hope your weekend is fantastic, too, Connie!
DeleteGood morning, Seekerville, and congratulations to our Genesis finalists!
ReplyDeleteJulie, I love all the covers in your Isle of Hope series--just gorgeous!
Debby! Fun to see your book in a two-in-one!
Oh, Myra, you have NO idea how much I appreciate your sweet comment about my covers. Like I just mentioned to Missy, Keith and I both designed the first one (book 1, Isle of Hope), and I designed the rest, and then he just tells me last week he doesn't like any of them. WHAT???? He says it's because he did the first one and does not think he's a book cover designer. Sigh.
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Thanks, Myra! I never know what will appear in my inbox. Love receiving the covers for these two-in-ones. My stories have appeared in a number of them now...which is such a blessing.
DeleteThanks for another fabulous WE, Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all finalists! WA-HOOOO!
Congratulations to RUTHY, DEBBY, and JULIE for their awesome book accomplishments!!!! So great to know we get all the scoop about our favorite authors here. :-)
Thanks, TINA, for all the links! Will have to ck them out this weekend. When's your next Woman's World story coming out????
CYNTHIA!!! I am soooooooo excited for you, girlfriend -- SUPER CONGRATS on the Genesis final!! Saying one for your right now for a either a win or a sale OR BOTH!!
DeleteHugs and more hugs,
Julie
Thank you, Julie!! xoxo
DeleteCynthia!!!! Congratulations on being a Genesis finalist!! So happy and excited for you! :)
DeleteSo excited for you Cynthia. Yay. Keeping positive thoughts for a win.
DeleteHi Debby:
ReplyDeleteI just pre-ordered "The Amish Midwife's Courtship" and "Plain Truth" for my Kindle. Have to wait to September to get it. I'd sure like to see some more of these double book deals. They're a real value if you want to read both books.
Here's something that might interest you and Cheryl that might be helpful for future books.
I'm reading two book now by Linda Fairley, "Bundles of Joy" and "The Midwife's Here" about an English girl who went to one of the best English Midwifery teaching hospitals in Manchester in 1966, served many years in England, then came to Pennsylvania to finish her career as a midwife among the Amish.
This is a real interesting bio and I am enjoying it. Linda and I think "Call the Midwife" is the best show we've ever seen on TV -- it's hard to believe that the BBC would show Christianity in such a favorable light. The show has just been renewed for three more seasons -- I think that is unheard of!
Enjoy the weekend!
Vince
Thanks for ordering the book, Vince. Hope you enjoy both stories! Interesting about Linda Fairley's books. I haven't watched "Call the Midwife." A number of folks have mentioned it here in Seekerville. I need to tune in!
DeleteHappy Father's Day, Vince! Enjoy your day!
Haven't seen that show. Sounds like I need to go find it. Thanks for the heads up, Vince.
DeleteGreat WE. So many interesting links!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the Genesis finalists! Whoot!
Ya'll ... I am SO looking forward to being with you on Monday. My mouth is already watering for the lemon bars. you DO still have snacks, right?
ReplyDeleteWe always have snacks, Michael! Collectively we have more snacks than you can imagine. Lemon bars?? Did she promise lemon bars??
DeleteWell, it was sort of understood.
DeleteSigh. Oh, that Ruthy!
DeleteWe are looking forward to your visit also. Hmmm, keep reminding Ruthy about the lemon bars because I love her lemon bars.
DeleteFYI- Helen Gray's "Educated in Murder" is free today on Amazon!! You can always count on her books being good! And for such a sweet face she can really write a mean murder mystery!
ReplyDeleteHi Jana: Thanks for the notice of Helen's book. Amazon no longer puts up a list each hour of the 100 best selling free books. Now you just have to get lucky when looking for something to read. Giving notice is now more important than ever. Thanks again, Vince
DeleteYou're too funny, Jana! And Helen does have a sweet face and seems like a mild-mannered woman. But we never know what's brewing behind a writer's smile, right? :)
DeleteOhh, that Helen! I've seen that calculating look in her eyes. lol :) Off to check out her book. :)
DeleteThanks for the heads up, Jana.
DeleteHelen is writing murder? How cool is that???
ReplyDeleteMy next Woman's World is going to be available in July. Thanks for asking, Cynthia.
ReplyDeleteYAY that I will not miss it this time since I have a subscription!!!!!
DeleteHehehehehe!!!
DeleteTina: Helen must have 100 books and novellas up for sale on Amazon! James Patterson better look out!
DeleteYaaaay! Thanks for letting us know, Tina!
DeleteHi Julie:
ReplyDeleteWow!
Is "A Steadfast Love" really 543 pages long? Wouldn't that make it your longest book yet?
Did you fall off the word-wagon?
I think I'll offer a novena said for you. That's the ultimate! Go big!
Not to worry, however, because at "A Steadfast Love's" very reasonable price, it may be the best value per-page in Christian fiction! (No kidding.)
No problem...I'm a steadfast reader:)
Vince
The first book in the series was 522 pages, so not much longer.
DeleteTINA
DeleteYes, but the last of the Boston books, "A Love Surrendered," came in at 401 pages and I had hoped that the winds had changed! :)
LOLOLOLOL. Funny guy.
DeleteLOL, Vince!! And, no, my friend, HSL is not 543 pages long, I promise! Not sure how Amazon came up with that except I downloaded a double-spaced rough draft for preorder purposes, which has to replaced with the final doc ten days prior to release, so maybe that's how it happened. Actually HSL is a little longer than LE and a whole lot shorter than IOH, so trust me, I did not fall off the word wagon. ;)
DeleteAnd, Vince, the only reason A Love Surrendered came in at 400 pages was because my editor (by dictate of the legal department) made me cut 50,000 words from the ms.! ;)
Hugs,
Julie
"Fall off the word wagon???" Vince you are too funny. We do know Julie writes a great long novel and I love it because I always hate for them to end.
DeleteHi Pam:
ReplyDeleteI really liked your "Breeze Hill" setting. Is you new "Breeze Hill" book a novella, novel, or collection of novellas? You have description down. Sometimes when I read your books I subconsciously start to brush off those sticky pine needles. Can't wait for August and September! Good books on the way.
Vince
Awe, thank you, Vince! Breeze Hill is a full-length novel set in 1791 Natchez, MS. It's the first of three in the Natchez Trace Novel series.
DeleteAnd speaking of pine needles, the hero is an indentured servant repairing the heroine's family home, as well as getting the family's foundering logging and sawmill started again.
Oh boy, sounds great. I love stories set in the Natchez Trace. Can hardly wait.
DeleteCongratulations to all the winners! And congrats also to Genesis finalists Cynthia, Sherrinda and Rachel!
ReplyDeleteLove the cover of your newest book, Julie!
Thank you for such a great WE, Tina - including the latest news on Seeker books! Happy reading and writing, everyone. Off to read the links.
Thanks, Laura, SO MUCH! I really like it, too, because it SO depicts the story. :) Excited to see what you think of the inside too! ;)
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Goodness there's a lot of info in those links. I particularly liked the short post about how the villain thinks he's a hero -- an interesting way to get inside the villain's head. Although most of the time I'd rather not be in the villain's head :-) Unbelievable that Amazon still hasn't dealt with the fake book issue.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the Genesis finalists. What an achievement!
Congrats, also, to this week's winners and to Ruthy, Julie, and Debby.
Tina -- another story in Woman's World? Oh boy!
Thanks for the WE ... and thanks to everyone who shared links.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY for those to whom it applies ;-)
Nancy C
Hey, Nance, thanks, sweetie!
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Yes, Nancy, we do have so much to be thankful for. Have a great weekend yourself. smile
DeleteAnother wonderful WE! I always love all the book news and links. Makes for nice surfing time on Sunday afternoons.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all the Genesis finalists!! And yay for another WE story by Tina!!!!
WAIT! THAT'S YOU! Take a bow.
DeleteLOL. Not just me! :) But thank you. I am beyond excited!
DeleteSHERRINDA!!! SUPER CONGRATS, my friend, and you go, girl!
DeleteHugs,
Julie
Sherrinda!!! Super Congrats on the Genesis final! Cheering you on from GA!
DeleteSHERRINDA!!! Congratulations!!! So excited for you! :)
DeleteCongratulations Sherrinda. So excited for you. Keeping positive thoughts for a win. Happy writing.
DeleteCongrats to all the finalists and winners.
ReplyDeletePraying everyone has a great weekend.
Waving back at ya, Wilani! We're having dinner at my MIL's, but I just got word that my husband's grandmother is in the hospital (a mild case of pneumonia), so I'm going to my MIL's house to see what all I need to do to finish preparing lunch, since my MIL is with her.
DeleteYou have a great weekend also, Wilani. Hope you're feeling super great. Hugs.
DeleteSUPER CONGRATS TO OUR GENESIS FINALISTS, and YAY, Ruthy on another week on the CBA Bestseller List, my friend, and Deb on the re-issue! And, Tina, how many WW's do you do a year? Seems like it's at least three or four -- which ROCKS!!
ReplyDeleteHugs and happy weekend, all!
Julie
Congratulations Ruthy! Keep that bestsellers list smoking hot!!!
ReplyDeleteI love that jigsaw puzzle on your website, Pammy!!!
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks, Mary! It was fun to do.
DeleteHappy Father's Day to all the dads!!! I hope your day is extra special because you guys are the greatest!
ReplyDeleteHugs, helium balloons and cake and ice cream for all the special men in our lives!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially those that fostered our love of writing. Yay.
ReplyDeleteGreat weekend edition. Congrats to the winners and Julie, I'm so excited about another in your Isle of Hope Series. I'm always ready for another one of your wonderful novels. Congrats girlfriend. And Debby, how fun to have two of your novels out there again. And Congrats to Ruthy for still being on the bestseller list. No big surprise there. smile Great going my wonderful writer friends.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Genesis Finalists also. Way to go. Happy writing.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie:
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of with your husband about the Isle covers. I believe the first one is the best by far. It says 'romance'. The couple seems together and looking out at a hopeful new day in a beautiful location. Excellent.
All three covers have fusion. Look at any one cover and you'll know in an instant that they are part of the same series.
On each cover your name is prominent as it needs be because no one who has read you for over a decade would associate those covers as one of your books. I'd even put your name in bolder type at the bottom. We are trained as readers from childhood to look below a photo to read the caption not above. I'd put the title at the top as the photo already speaks the title for you.
I love the message of the artwork in the first book as it suggests success. Hero and heroine have fallen in love.
I'm leery of the message of the second book cover because I took it as the heroine has died, is on her way to heaven, and has left the hero behind. She is illuminated in a mystic cloud of heavenly light and the hero is making no move to go after here. Not a hopeful image!
In the third book I was at first mystified what was going on in the cover. It was not clear that the woman was holding someone's hand. I think the type and light obscured the message. In any event, the message I got was that the heroine was so lost that she was going to jump off the deep end of the pier to nowhere and the hero was trying to hold on but she would not even turn to look at him. It's disturbing. Why doesn't the hero grab her around the shoulders and stop her? Does he lack commitment?
I also think the fusion is too much. It may be very hard to remember which of the books you have already read in the future...especially for buyers of the books several years from now.
My thoughts:
1, make the books look like part of the same series but make them different enough so that readers can easily remember which of them they have read. The pier could go sideways, the couple could be heading back to land and not away. Like romances: they need to be the same, only different.
2, Your name has to be the biggest, boldest, and most instantly noticeable type on the cover. Your best prospects are past readers who like your books. They HAVE to know it was you who wrote these Contemporary books. You have a large installed base of readers and it would be a marketing cardinal sin if your readers did not know this was one of your books...not just a Lessman book either but rather a Julie Lessman, the historical author, who wrote the book.
Well, that's a lot of unsolicited free advice for a Sunday morning. Take if for what it's worth. But I do think your husband has a insightful feel that something is not right. Artists tend to feel more than us writers.
Vince
SUNDAY
ReplyDeleteWriting Question:
If you're a fan of beautiful and vivid physical descriptions, the kind you can 'feel' with your senses, and these are descriptions of areas you already love and have been to many times, then are you more likely to appreciate the writing than you should because your mind is filling in any gaps the author missed or is the writing better than you thought because with your firsthand knowledge of the actual location any misdescriptions would set off alarm bells in your head?
I really don't know the answer to this question. I know the two descriptions I have felt to be the most real and sense-felt are Sandra's Lake Powell and Pam Mississippi area forests. I know and love these locations very well.
What do you think in your experience?
Vince
Congrats to Genesis finalists Sherrinda, Rachel and Cynthia! Congrats to our weekly winners! Congrats, Julie and Debby, on your beautiful covers! Lots to be happy about this weekend.
ReplyDeleteMy DH got to see the kids and grandkids today, which made his Father's Day very special! We've also had a busy, fun-filled weekend with our grandson's grad party! We made so much food, we'll be eating leftovers for ages! But it was a great time. We're very proud of him.
Happy Father's Day for the fathers out there.
Janet
Happy weekend! Congratulations to all with great news! I'm going to be spending the next three weeks voraciously reading books to review while I recover from shoulder surgery (dislocated my shoulder and tore the labrum almost 360 degrees... tripping over a baby gate in the middle of the night). Thank you Missy for the water bottle!!! So excited to use it this summer.
ReplyDelete