Top 9 Reasons to Read the Seekerville Blog Every Day

with guest Melanie Dickerson.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEEKERVILLE!!! 

It’s always fun to be a guest in Seekerville. Thanks, Tina, for the invitation! And yay to the Seekerville ladies for another year of greatness!

I consider Seekerville to be a wonderful resource for learning about how to be a better writer, as well as how to learn the ins and outs of this business, whether you wish to be published by a large traditional publisher, or you decide to go it on your own and be an indie author. And that is why, when someone asks my advice on writing, I always send them to Seekerville. It’s also at the top of my file entitled “Writing Websites” that I hand out when I teach writing. And here’s 9 reasons why.

1. Friendly, helpful experts.

Learning to be an author of novels is a lot of work. There’s a big learning curve. It’s like doing the coursework for a four-year degree without the benefit of a college or classroom. It sure would be nice to find a panel of friendly experts with whom you could converse and ask questions. And in the Seekerville comments section, you can!

2. Articles on every aspect and subject about writing novels.

 Sometimes when you’re learning something new, you don’t even know yet what questions to ask. Seekerville can help with that too. Just start reading Seekerville’s archived articles. There’s even a list of subjects on the right side of the screen if you scroll down. The helpful topics include things every writer needs to know about:  

POV
Character Arc
Backstory
Scenes
Conflict
Editing and Revising
Critiques
Emotions
Show Don’t Tell
Foreshadowing
GMC
Traditional, Indie, Self-pub, Hybrid
Proposal
Black moment/Climax
Hooks, and lots more. You can go right now and read multiple articles on each topic. Isn’t that exciting? And it’s all FREE! So it’s even better than a college degree! Unless you want to be a neurosurgeon. Then the college degree is better.

 3. Contest Updates.

A writing contest can be extremely helpful to writers, not only for the feedback and learning opportunity it provides, but it can even help you get published. Seekerville keeps unpublished writers abreast on contests that are coming up. Once a month there’s a Contest Update, listing the contest, its deadline, and the judges, such as when an acquiring editor from a major publisher is slated to be the final round judge. This is helpful information. 

Seekerville also lists contests for the published author, which is great for someone like me who is allergic to spreadsheets and is unorganized and never remembers contest deadlines but does remember to check the contest updates on Seekerville.

4. No bad language and lots of wholesomeness. 

 I feel perfectly safe sending all my young teen writers to Seekerville. I know all the posts will be profanity-free and safe for all ages. I often have 13-yr-olds who write to me and ask for advice on what to do when you’re stuck or have writer's block, and I tell them about Seekerville, where they can read great articles to help them and find supportive people. And with the healthy spirituality of people like Debby Giusti, who will pray with you at the drop of a hat and are always so uplifting, wise, and kind, I know they are in good hands.

And while it is true that Julie Lessman’s kissing scenes and advice might be slightly on the PG-13 side, I know she will just as quickly show them God’s way of doing romance, so it’s all good. 

5. Holiday awareness.

For the very, very oblivious writer who rarely pokes her head out into the real world and therefore rarely realizes when it’s a holiday, Seekerville can keep you from making a dry run to the post office, since Seekerville is closed on major holidays. 

6. Making new friends.

 You might make a friend in the comments section of Seekerville, like Carol Moncado, Patti Jo Moore, and many others. And certainly, the Seekerville ladies will consider you a friend just for commenting, especially if you comment often, and will sometimes give you a shout-out when you final in a contest or get your first contract! And let’s face it. Being an author can be very solitary and lonely, so it’s nice to make friends you will likely meet face to face someday at a writers’ conference!

7. Giveaways. 

Seekerville gives away something for every single new blog article, which is several times a week, as well as on Saturday on the Weekend Edition. So you can win books, gift cards, and other goodies—even a critique! This is valuable stuff. So you definitely want to comment often.

8. The Weekend Edition.

The Weekend Edition lists links to important information from around the internet that can be helpful to any writer. Stay informed!

9. The daily comradery.

The comradery might be the best thing about Seekerville. It’s a safe place full of genuinely kind and helpful people. And it’s funny to read the friendly jabs between Mary and Ruthy especially. You know they are both really sweet people, so when they insult each other, you don’t feel guilty for laughing. And guilt-free laughter is my favorite.

So there you have it. The Top 9 Reasons to Read and Comment on Seekerville EVERY DAY. Do it. Read it. Every day. Because it’s good for you and it tastes better than broccoli.

Now tell me your favorite thing about the Seekerville blog, and if you can’t keep it to one thing, go ahead and tell me two. I will give away a hardcover copy of The Silent Songbird, which releases November 8th, to three select commenters.

Melanie Dickerson is the author of fairy tale retellings set in Medieval Europe and a new Regency Romance series. Her books have won a Carol Award, two Maggie Awards, a National Readers’ Choice Award, and two Christy Award finals. She lives in north Alabama with her teenage daughter (the other one is a college freshman) her husband, and two guinea pigs, Cecily (named after a character in The Importance of Being Earnest) and Ellie (short for Eleanor, I am told, from Sense and Sensibility). She enjoys watching movies based on Jane Austen’s books, and she literally has no other hobbies, as she’s always writing. Or editing. Or a combination of the two.

SILENT SONGBIRD

Evangeline is gifted with a heavenly voice, but she is trapped in a sinister betrothal until she embarks on a daring escape and meets brave Westley le Wyse. Can he help her discover the freedom to sing again?

Desperate to flee a political marriage to her cousin King Richard II’s closest advisor, Lord Shiveley—a man twice her age with shadowy motives—Evangeline runs away and joins a small band of servants journeying back to Glynval, their home village.

Pretending to be mute, she gets to know Westley le Wyse, their handsome young leader, who is intrigued by the beautiful servant girl. But when the truth comes out, it may shatter any hope that love could grow between them.

In this loose retelling of The Little Mermaid, more than Evangeline’s future is at stake as she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue that threatens England’s monarchy. Should she give herself up to protect the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne?

We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Blog Post With An Important Message.

Seekerville Just Hit  A Million Views!

IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE.

We've been saving up our "We Hit a Million Swag Bags"

"WE HIT A MILLION SWAG BAGS"

for this moment.

Please contact us if you are a swag winner!
Names pulled from commenters in the last 24 hours.
You were in the right place at the right time!!

1. Eva Maria Hamilton

2. Sherri Shackelford

3. Lyndee Henderson

4. Marilyn Baxter

5. Dana McNeely

6. Marianne Barkman

7.Elaine Manders

8. Elizabeth

9. Susan Codone

10. Traveling Stacey

11. Nancy C

12. Anna Weaver

13. Julie Hilton Steele

14. Helen Gray

15. Jamie Adams

16. Mary Hicks

17. K.C Frantzen

18. Clari Dees

19. Rose Ross Zediker

20. Jeanne T


After you throw confetti and scream with us, please go back and comment on Clari Dees post here. 

Thank you!

October is not only the Seeker Birthday but it's also when we celebrate our own ‘thanksgiving’ here in Seekerville. We have so much to be thankful for.

For those of you who are not aware of it, we were all strangers who came together in 2005. The only thing we had in common was our faith, our writing and the fact that we literally kept running into each other when contest rankings were posted, either finaling next to each other or nosing each other out.

Here's a smattering of examples:

Genesis 2003

Genesis 2004

The Maggies 2005

Genesis 2005

The Golden Pen 2006

Genesis 2007

The Golden Pen 2008

Janet, Myra, Julie and I met online as we were 2005 Golden Heart finalists. (Myra won) We met in person in July of that year at RWA. In August, the Seekers (Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God…) became a Yahoo Group.

Very shortly after that Debby and Mary sold. We didn’t become the Seekerville Unpublished Island blog until two years later. The rest of the group languished on a tropical island with sun, sand, coconuts and Captain Jack, selling one by one until this year, when the very last Seeker climbed onto her life raft and sailed away.

We love the island. (click on the map to really see our digs) I mean who wouldn't? But after years and years, even a tropical paradise can get old.

What made that island tolerable besides Captain Jack, was that we were all faith buddies. Lifting each other up and praying each other into publication.

So you can see we have much to be thankful for. I personally want you to know that we believe in the philosophy of Seekerville.

"Our focus on Him as we write toward the dream,
We shall leave no woman behind."-2005

This isn’t just a publicity gig. It’s real to us. We care about each other and we care about you.

Why? Because we know what it’s like to go it alone. We know what it’s like to have no one get you, to have people look at you like you’re fooling yourself by thinking you’re going to sell. So you can trust that we aren't going to leave you behind on the island.

We care about our readers as well. We have been blessed over and over again by the wonderful, smart, caring and sassy readers we have met in Seekerville. Whatever we give away each day is returned to us double because of what you give us.

Lastly, a big thank you to all of the writers, and editors and agents, and other industry professionals who have been our guests these last years and who have given of their time, and their wisdom because they too really care.


"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks!" Anonymous


Wherever you are when you’re reading this I’d like you to look up and smile. Really big. Because we love you, and so does He. Doesn’t a smile just feel good?




Since we're giving away birthday presents every day this month I have a few to share. Please tell me about someone you are thankful for in your life and/or your writing journey. I will send four of those special folks a copy of my October Love Inspired release, Oklahoma Reunion.

My other present is that once again I am going to share my ‘used to be secret’ coconut cake recipe from the island.




Tina's Coconut Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large tub Cool Whip or 2 small
Shredded coconut (fresh and moist)
1 can or bottle cream of coconut

Bake yellow cake in a rectangular pan according to directions. Immediately after removing from oven poke holes over the top with a fork. You should have more holes than not on the cake. Pouring slowly over the cake while HOT, alternate the sweetened condensed milk and Coca Cosa

Let stand for thirty minutes and then refrigerate overnight. Do not attempt to eat this cake until it has set for 24 hours.

Before serving top with generous mounds of Cool Whip and decadent amounts of shredded coconut.

Must refrigerate leftovers.

Have a wonderful Saturday and one last time....


Thank you!

The Tug of the Past: A Peek at the Seekerville Historical Museum

Happy birthday Seekerville! For four fabulous years, the Seekers have been sharing the ups and downs of writing, hoping to pass along a touch of wisdom and empathy to those traveling the road toward publication. In the process, we’ve met and made wonderful friends to share the journey and our stories with. Thanks to all of you for your support! Let's party!!

I’m excited and grateful all the Seekers have left Unpubbed Island, as have a number of the Seekerville faithful! Yay!! We’re moving to new digs. Not that we won’t visit the island, especially this winter when our quaint village of Seekerville turns frigid, but I think you’ll love our new home. Check it out at

http://www.seekerville.net/

I'm also excited to reveal the cover of my January 2012 Love Inspired Historical An Inconvenient Match! Here's a peek at the story.

THE BEST OF ENEMIES

His family destroyed hers. But Matthew Cummings’s job offer—to care for his recuperating father—is impossible to decline. Schoolteacher Abigail Wilson can swallow her pride for the sake of a summer paycheck that will help her sister. And when Abigail’s employment ends, old loyalties will separate the feuding families once more.

If there’s anyone in town stubborn enough to deal with Matthew’s cantankerous father, it’s Abigail. It’s just a business arrangement—and a temporary one, at that. Her good opinion shouldn’t matter a lick to Matt. Yet their different backgrounds belie a surprising kinship. Perhaps unexpected love will be their reward for the summer’s inconvenient match.

A new book cover, a new home--life is good!

Walk with me down Seekerville's Main Street. With the changing color of the fall leaves, the quaint buildings freshly painted, Seekerville is a lovely spot with lots of shops. The Seekers are settled overhead in our apartments. I decorated mine in shades of blue and yellow, cheerful serenity, the perfect spot to write.

As curator of the Seekerville Historical Museum, I’ll give a short tour of our museum filled with antiques and mementos guaranteed to take visitors back in time to small town and rural America, the setting for my books. The museum is up the street from the Yankee Belle Café. So grab a cup of java and join me.

I’ve set up rooms to show what life was like in the 1800s. To the right is the replica of a kitchen. Among the icebox, mammoth cook stove and pump inside the kitchen, I want to point out two conveniences that made a huge difference to women.

The Hoosier Cupboard, its metal tag proclaiming this modern aid saves homemakers a thousand steps. Before built-in kitchen cabinets, homemakers loved the combination flour-bin/sifter, its drawers and funnel shaped dispensers were lined with tin to keep rodents out of flour and sugar. Other conveniences were a revolving spice rack with glass jars and pull out workspace to make and roll out biscuits or a pie crust. The wood work surfaces were later covered with zinc, aluminum or porcelain for easier cleanup. Our example is covered with zinc. Note the iron apple peeler clamped onto the end and the slop bucket positioned underneath to catch peelings, food for the pigs.

The second convenience displayed on the oak kitchen table is a collection of pattern glass. This inexpensive glass revolutionized the glass industry in America. From the mid-eighteen hundreds though early 1900s middle class families who could not afford hand-cut glass, prized press-molded glass. Hundreds of patterns were made by many manufacturers. Here you see a pattern called Art, also known as Job’s Tears, depending on the manufacturer. Note the pitcher, spoon holder, lidded sugar bowl, round covered butter dish for churned and molded butter. Cake stands, tumblers and goblets, sauce and relish dishes, cruets, compotes and banana stands are a few of the other pieces in this and other patterns.

The museum is unusual in that visitors can walk through the exhibits and get a close up view. Stay a while. Visit the parlor, bedroom and porch. If you're looking for the bathroom, you'll have to step outside. The kitchen was the hub of the house where men shaved and the family bathed in copper or galvanized tubs, often sharing the same water. Though I love antiques and find history fascinating, I’m glad I live in this modern age.

If you love antiques, share some of your favorites, perhaps a shaving mug that belonged to your great-grandfather, a McGuffey’s Reader with a relatives name inside or a piec of flow-blue china. If you can’t abide artifacts of the past, tell us why you’re glad you were born later in history and your favorite modern conveniences. Comment often for more chances to win daily, weekly and the grand birthday prize!

I’m serving an old-fashioned farmer’s breakfast of fried eggs, meat and potatoes, biscuits and sausage gravy and coffee. Top a biscuit with homemade apple butter or blackberry jam. Enjoy! Those who want to live in the present, a McDonald’s drive-through is just down the road.

Today I’m opening the vault and giving away a four-book set of my historical romances, Courting Miss Adelaide, Courting the Doctor’s Daughter, The Substitute Bride and Wanted: A Family. If you’ve already read my books, thank you! If not, leave a comment and tell me you’d like to win. Even if you've read the books, you can give them away, a gift for a friend or relative.

An Inconvenient Match releases in January 2012. Last Minute Bride in the Brides of the West Anthology releases in April 2012.

Janet Dean grew up in a family who cherished the past and had a strong creative streak. Her father recounted fascinating stories, like his father before him. The tales they told instilled in Janet a love of history and the desire to write. She married her college sweetheart and taught first grade before leaving to rear two daughters, but Janet never lost interest in American history and the accounts of strong men and women of faith who built this country. With her daughters grown, she eagerly turned to Inspirational historical romance. Today Janet enjoys spinning stories for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical. When she isn’t writing, Janet stamps greeting cards, plays golf and is never without a book to read. The Deans love to travel and spend time with their family. Visit Janet at her Website: http://www.janetdean.net/ and blog: http://www.janetdean.blogspot.com/

Happy Fourth of July From Seekerville

Seekerville Does ACFW Indy with MISSY TIPPENS

Hi from Indianapolis! Missy, here.

And as you're reading this we're all parting ways to head back home from the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. Several Seekers have been sending photos to Tina, and she's going to share them. I'm going to do a recap of some of the highlights of the conference.

For those who were at the conference, it was great to meet/see you! For those who weren't...we missed you and hope to meet you in the future.It's always so fun to put faces with names we see online. :)

First, we kicked off Friday with an amazing Early Bird Session presented by James Scott Bell. Really great stuff about the 6 critical factors that help us take our writing to the next level. And if they recorded it (I sure hope they did!), then you'll want to be sure to get a copy of the recording. Or better yet, buy the CD of all the workshops!

As with all our gatherings, Brandilyn Collins was an entertaining MC. Of course, each gathering is filled with a wonderful praise service. And our fantastic keynote speaker was Tim Downs. Tim had us laughing and left us inspired (again, get a recording of this if possible!).

I did an informal survey, asking what some of the favorite workshops were. I have to say mine (and also the favorite of several other people) was Michael Hauge's. I've loved his work for years. They didn't record his sessions, but you can find his books and cd's/dvd's at his website. www.screenplaymastery.com. You know I've mentioned his DVD set, The Hero's 2 Journeys on here before. It's amazing!

Ohter favorite workshops mentioned: Scene Therapy by Susie May Warren and Rachel Hauck. Marketing Your Fiction by Chip MacGregor and Jim Rubart. Inside and Acquisitions Meeting hosted by Thomas Nelson. Of course, this was just a small sampling of excellent workshops offered. (Plus, I had to turn my article in to Tina before some had even been held.) So be sure to check out the recordings when they're posted at the ACFW site.

Oh! Another meeting I had that was excellent was with media trainer Rusty Shelton of Shelton Interactive. He worked with me on a plan to make sure my website and blog are in top shape. Also helped train me on how to approach an interview. I even did a practice taping of an interview! And he gave me a plan for using Twitter. Very cool stuff. Check him out at www.sheltoninteractive.com.

Okay. Gotta run! It's been so fun to see all our Seeker friends while here! Many of our regular visitors were sighted in "purgatory", the place everyone waited for editor and agent appointments. :) So I'm hoping many come back to tell us or requests they had!











The 2010 Genesis Winners are:

Contemporary Fiction: Lynnette Horner, The Assistant

Contemporary Romance: Janice LaQuiere, Truckload of Love

Historical Fiction: Brenda Jackson, Principle Engagement

Historical Romance: Pam Hillman, Terms of Indenturement

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller: Rich Bullock, Storm Lake/Storm Song

Romantic Suspense: Valerie Goree, Weep in the Night

Speculative Fiction: Andra Marquardt, Traitors

Women's Fiction: Jennifer Fromke, Docking

Young Adult: Stefanie Morris, Shyla, Desert Daughter/Shyla, Child of the Desert



Carol Award Winners:

Contemporary Novella: Susan May Warren, The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House)

Historical Novella: Janet Tronstad, Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill)

Short Contemporary: Mae Nunn, A Texas Ranger's Family (Steeple Hill)

Short Contemporary Suspense: Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Short Historical: Dan Walsh, The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Young Adult: Jenny B Jones, I'm So Sure (Moody Publishers)

Long Contemporary: Christina Berry, The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers)

Long Contemporary Romance: Jenny B Jones, Just Between You and Me, (Thomas Nelson)

Mystery: A.K. Arenz, The Case of the Mystified M.D (Sheaf House)

Suspense/Thriller: Terri Blackstock, Intervention (Zondervan)

Long Historical: Allison Pittman, Stealing Home (Multnomah)

Long Historical Romance: Mary Connealy, Cowboy Christmas (Barbour)

Speculative: Kirk Outerbridge, Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)

Woman's Fiction: Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay, Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press)

Debut Author: Dan Walsh, The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Congratulations to the winners and finalists from Seekerville!!


Now we end with some great conference photos!! Be sure to click on them to see enlarged.








Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan) and Mary Connealy (Barbour)








Steeple Hill Seekerville authors, Missy Tippens, Glynna Kaye and Debby Giusti holding the Seekerville ad in the ACFW Conference brochure.













Carol Winner, Mary Connealy and friend of Seekerville Kathy Hurst

Seekerville's own Cara Lynn James (Thomas Nelson) and Glynna Kaye (Steeple Hill)









Cheryl Wyatt, Janet Dean, Missy Tippens,
Audra Harders, Emily Rodmell
(Assistant Editor, Steeple Hill) Debby Giusti,
Glynna Kaye & Myra Johnson











Authors Shannon Taylor Vannatter (Heartsong Presents) and Lorna Seilstad (Revell)










Camy Tang (Zondervan & Steeple Hill)
with Gayle DeSalles
of Word Count Virtual Office Assistance (www.wordcount.biz)













Revell's Julie Lessman














The booksigning event: Steeple Hill authors Glynna Kaye and Winnie Griggs.









Julie Lessman (Revell), friend of Seekerville Anita Mae Draper and Myra Johnson (Abingdon Press, Heartsong Presents)













The dynamic duo: Erica Vetsch (Heartsong Presents)
and Mary Connealy










Friend of Seekerville Helen Gray
(our java queen),
Cara Lynn James and Glynna Kaye











Writers Alley, Friend of Seekerville Pepper Basham and Mary Connealy









Audra Harders (Steeple Hill), Pepper Basham, and Angie Dicken.












Missy Tippens & Debby Giusti (Steeple Hill)
with Michael Hauge, and Janet Dean (Steeple Hill)








These pictures just in...




Myra Johnson and Mary Connealy
at the awards banquet

Genesis winner Pam Hillman and her agent Steve Laube

Remember you can still watch the Live Blog Awards replay here .

The Substitute Bride releases tomorrow!

Seekerville is the best place to celebrate! I had a blast partying on Unpubbed Island after recent Seeker sales! I’m sure Ruthy, Tina and Audra would agree that nothing in a writer’s career is more exciting than The Call.

But a very close, so close it’s not really second, is the release of a book. Today I’m celebrating that The Substitute Bride, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical, releases tomorrow. I have yet to see the book in stores, but sightings have been reported. I will go looking Tuesday, just to hold that hot-off-the-press book in my equally hot little hands, to see Janet Dean on the cover, even at the top of each page. Seeing the book on the shelves is one of the ups in all the ups and downs of this wild, wonderful, wacky business of publication.

The Substitute Bride was a fun story to write—with a mail-order bride, disgruntled groom and a small town filled with quirky characters. Here’s a peek:

They Struck a Bargain for Marriage

Fleeing an arranged marriage, debutante Elizabeth Manning exchanges places with a mail-order bride bound for New Harmony, Iowa. Life on the frontier can’t be worse than forced wedlock to pay her father’s gambling debts. But Ted Logan’s rustic lifestyle and rambunctious children prove to be more of a challenge than Elizabeth expects. She doesn’t know how to be a mother or a wife. She doesn’t even know how to tell Ted the truth about her past—especially as her feelings for him grow. Little does she know, Ted’s hiding secrets of his own. When their pasts collide, there’s more than one heart at stake.

Why was Ted disgruntled?

When he and Elizabeth are about to speak their vows, the bride suggests one teeny change—the name on the marriage license. A clear sign trouble lies ahead for this couple.

As a homemaker and mother, Elizabeth Manning is definitely a "fish out of water." Poor Ted. Yet no matter how inept she is, Elizabeth perseveres. She manages to find unique ways to handle the children and her new and very challenging life on the farm. I admire her spirit and fortitude—the same attributes that enabled women to survive the challenges of the West.

Ted is a dreamboat with a Call of his own. And a past he fears will raise its ugly head. Elizabeth is carrying a secret too. Life is never dull in New Harmony, Iowa.

In my quest for information to write this story a friend suggested I read Hearts West: True Stories of Mail-Order Brides on the Frontier. The book explained that throughout the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s a weekly newspaper, The Matrimonial News, printed in San Francisco, California and Kansas City, Missouri, facilitated matchmaking. Men and women seeking a mate placed advertisements, giving physical description, their financial situation and whom they sought.

Hearts West makes fascinating reading and I recommend it to anyone interested in mail-order bride stories. Author Chris Enss relates stories of men and women, who wed often sight unseen. My husband and I dated for 2½ years. After we married, it didn’t take long to discover we still had things to learn about one another. All good of course. LOL Can you imagine the surprises in store for couples who may have exchanged a few letters or a picture and often never met until the wedding day?

Why did these women leave behind everything and everyone they knew to take the amazing step of marrying a stranger? Some were motivated by the fear of spinster-hood. Others desperately needed life’s necessities and hoped marriage would give them a better life.

Arranged marriages may sound odd to us, but a high percentage of marriages are still arranged today, a norm for many cultures. Though I have no idea how many of these marriages occurred, the accounts of some in Hearts West prove these mail-order bride matches varied from wedded bliss to divorce. But for those that flourished, these wives not only made a home for their husbands and children—establishing families, but also founded institutions like churches, schools and libraries, which brought civilization to the frontier.

Elizabeth, my heroine in The Substitute Bride traveled only as far as Iowa but compared to her debutante life in Chicago, an Iowa farm was the frontier. Still she managed to add a touch of civilization of her own to the town of New Harmony.

To make up for going on and on about my release, I’ve brought Starbucks coffee and Earl Gray tea with all the fixings, along with pans of hot from the oven flaky, crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle biscuits with honey. I’m serving biscuits today in honor of Elizabeth, a woman who never gave up until she got those biscuits right, and in memory of Lois, my husband’s mother, whose cookbook with the biscuit recipe somehow surfaced in Ted’s kitchen.

Captain Jack even agreed to make personalized omelets today. Let him know what you want, but ask nicely. He’s a bit surly this morning.

While we’re munching biscuits, please share any stories of your ancestors who married for convenience. Or perhaps you have a funny wedding incident you could relate. Or just say hello for a chance to win a copy of The Substitute Bride.

Janet
http://www.janetdean.net/
http://www.janetdean.blogspot.com/

Giving--the Secret to Success

Only ten days until Christmas Eve! Giving is such a big part of the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Some would say too big. You may agree, especially if you’re like me and don’t have your shopping finished. LOL But Christmas began with a gift. The Gift. God gave His only Son. So it’s only natural that we show our love with gifts, both the wrapped kind and less tangible variety involving our talent and time.

The best part—giving isn’t just appropriate at Christmas. In fact I believe giving may be the secret to success.

As writers, we have our individual goals. How will we achieve them? What sacrifices will we make? What efforts to grow and learn will we take? What agonies will we overcome? Every single one!

Why?

We have something to give. The goal isn’t just getting. Getting that manuscript published, getting money and recognition, getting on the New York Bestseller list. Though we might be working our butts off to get there, let’s face it, we can’t control whether we get our goals.

But we can control giving. I'd like to suggest the following ways we can give that will make this world a better place and just might bring us success.

Giving ourselves to God. Putting Him first. Building a relationship with Him. Using our time and talent for Him.

Giving our undivided attention to others. Not pretending to listen while we plot or write, but living in the moment, sharing ourselves. Glynna talked about Living Intentionally in her November 25 Seekerville post. It's well worth a second read.

Giving to ourselves. Holing up to write is essential. After all books don't write themselves. But we need exercise, healthy food, rest, spiritual food, fun. Make time for you. If you don't re-charge your batteries, you won't have anything left to give.

Giving to others. Using our time and talent to help others along the way. We can help other writers by mentoring, judging contests, critiquing or something as simple as a word of encouragement.

Giving our innermost selves to our craft. Pouring our hearts onto the page is hard, but when we do, we will give our readers a story that lifts, heals, strengthens and entertains. A lofty goal, it’s worth every ounce of our blood, sweat and tears. Let’s not be stingy by holding back.

Giving ourselves a chance to succeed. Dream big. Set goals. And work hard to achieve them. Don't waste the talent God gave.

I believe Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Sounds like give is spelled L-O-V-E

In keeping with the theme, I’m giving away a copy of my February release The Substitute Bride.
Fleeing an arranged marriage, debutante Elizabeth Manning exchanges places with a mail-order bride bound for New Harmony, Iowa. Life on the frontier can’t be worse than forced wedlock to pay her father’s gambling debts. But Ted Logan’s rustic lifestyle and rambunctious children prove to be more of a challenge than Elizabeth expects. She doesn’t know how to be a mother or a wife. She doesn’t even know how to tell Ted the truth about her past—especially as her feelings for him grow. Little does she know, Ted’s hiding secrets of his own, and when their pasts collide, there’s more than one heart at stake.

Leave a comment to enter the drawing. Perhaps you’d like to share how someone has helped you or some strategies prioritizing your life so you have time to give.

And speaking of giving, I can’t tell you what it means to me to come to Seekerville and find familiar faces, our dear friends and followers. Thank you for taking the time to come and to share your thoughts and yes, even your cyber goodies. You bless the Seekers each and every day!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Janet

Memories.....

Every now and then we have to have a blog post that doesn't instruct, motivate or encourage.

Today we just want to remember all the great times we've had at conferences past and tell our friends in Seekerville that we look forward to seeing you at the RWA and ACFW conferences or perhaps at M & M, Desert Dreams, or ICRS, where you can count on finding at least a few of us hanging out, laughing and being totally inappropriate.

Please feel free to comment today on your memories of conferences past and/or Seeker sightings. And if you find yourself in any of the photos please let everyone know and your name will be added to the randomizer for a chance to win a SURPRISE! Seeker gift. Winner will be announced this weekend. If you aren't in a photo but you can identify someone (besides a Seeker) who is, we'll throw your name in the hat for that too.

ACFW 2008

RWA 2008

RWA 2008

ICRS 2008

ACFW 2007

RWA 2007





















ACFW 2006

























RWA 2006















































ACFW 2005




























































RWA 2005

RWA 2004 (below)

Miscellaneous Conference Photos!