Why Writing is Like Walking on Water

with Jessica R. Patch.


Thank you, Seekerville, for having me! I’m looking forward to spending the day with you.

I’ve walked on water many times. Sometimes, only the bottom of my feet gets wet. Sometimes, I sink. And sometimes, I get sprayed by waves pretty good. 

But man, I love it. The thrill. The adventure. 

Just not so much the fear. And there is always some amount of fear when walking on water.

One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is about Jesus walking on water like it’s an everyday kind of thing. I can picture Him just rolling on up. Hair damp on His forehead, tunic clinging to His legs. “Come on, Peter!”

First, comes some fear. But then imagine Peter’s rush of excitement as he lopes over the side and gets going. He’s looking right at Jesus and he’s. walking. on. water. 

Until he takes his eyes off of Jesus and looks at his surroundings. Then things get hairy and he starts to sink.

Writing is like walking on water. It is an everyday occurrence—if you’re writing every single day. 

Expect the Initial Fear.

The call to walk on water isn’t always as expected as one might think. For me, it came out of the blue in 2008. Like that early hour of three o’ clock in the morning when Jesus came walking to the disciples. They weren’t expecting that. Neither was I. Can I do this? How do I do this? What do I do once I write the story that’s burning in my heart? I want all the answers. All the steps. But they don’t come all at once. Like walking on water, it’s one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. And you will have to walk over waves. You’ll have to squint from the salty spray that will smack you cold in the face. It’s called rejections, criticism, and doubt. Keep walking. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Because if you don’t, you will sink. You could easily drown in a sea of despair and hopelessness. You can quickly talk yourself out of the calling. You can bow to the criticism of man and not surf on the approval of God. But remember that when you sink, Jesus is right there to pull you up, hold your hand, and get you where He wants you to go. Think about this: How did Peter get back to the boat after he sunk? Me? I think he and Jesus walked right back to it hand in hand. Keep walking, friend.

Anticipate the Fun.

Anything to do with the ocean and the beach is fun. Minus sharks, jellyfish colonies, and hurricanes. Okay so maybe not anything to do with the ocean and beach is fun. But let’s just say we’ve overcome that initial fear and are trusting God to help us get through all the scary things left in the ocean. When called to walk on water, we can anticipate the fun. Because walking on water with Jesus whether it’s in writing, or any calling, should be fun! Adventurous. Jesus isn’t boring and when He plants a passion inside you, it won’t be either. I didn’t say it wouldn’t be hard. You’ll work up a sweat for sure, but we have that glorious ocean of grace and mercy to rest in and cool off. When the ideas swirl and you find a group of water-walking friends (like here at Seekerville!) this whole thing can become downright fun! Yes, you’ll battle monster waves. Colonies of jellyfish that sting. Even sharks. But nothing can hold down someone walking on water whose focus is clearly on Jesus. Make those hard times learning experiences and chances to grow closer and hold tighter, then pour them out into the stories you write! It’s a testimony. There is joy in traveling the ocean of the publishing industry (no matter which path you take—traditional, indie, small press, or hybrid). Don’t let that initial fear rob you of the fun. Keep walking, friend.

Find Your Footing in Faith. 

Once you leave land, there’s nothing but ocean. It’s all uncertain. Uncharted—for you. But there are no uncharted waters for God. He’s got the plan. He’s given you the purpose. But man, it’s tough to trust God once you get into the deep waters, isn’t it—when your feet don’t touch? It’s a struggle to remember that while you don’t know what will happen or when, God knows. It’s excruciating at times to see others who have been walking on water (maybe less time than you) make it to their destination. You see their books published and you think, “Lord, help me with my sea legs! Am I not walking fast enough? Why not me?” I’ve been there, but we can’t look at others and feel competitive. Rejoice with them! Mary believed what God spoke to her and she was blessed for believing. It came to pass. And it will come to pass for you. It almost 100% won’t look like what you expect. But tides change. Be flexible to go with the flow of God’s plan. Even when it feels like an undertow pulling you down. Stand firm in your faith. You won’t find the beauty until you’re in deep waters. 

Trusting God in the deep waters is what my newest book is about. This will be my fifth Love Inspired Suspense novel. I’m still walking on water. Every single day. Every book is a testimony of His faithfulness, but even when I had no book in hand, no contract, I had to trust Him and believe in what was unseen at the time. That’s faith.  Keep walking, friend.

I’m giving away a copy of Deep Waters! I’d love for you to enter for a chance to win. Leave a comment and a winner will be posted in the Weekend Edition. You can read the Prequel to Deep Waters FREE on Harlequin.com. Check out the online read Protecting the Witness here. 

Question for you: I’ve compared writing to walking on water. What would you compare it to, and do you have a favorite verse that helps you keep going?

Deep Waters

Thirty feet underwater when her oxygen tank fails, Caley Flynn fears it's been sabotaged—and she'll be the next to die. Her intern's already dead, her home breached and something's amiss at her Florida marine-life rescue center…but no one believes she's in danger. Except Shepherd Lightman. When Caley's brother asked him to check on her, the marine turned security specialist hoped it would be a case of calming down a nervous veterinarian. But the threats are all too real. Rescuing Caley and remaining alive isn't easy, but resisting his boss's sister is where the real danger lies. Because with his heart in the balance, he'll do whatever it takes to stop a killer who's desperate to keep a secret hidden.

Jessica R. Patch writes inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She is the author of the Seasons of Hope series and several Love Inspired Suspense novels including, Fatal Reunion, Protective Duty, Concealed Identity, and Final Verdict. When she’s not hunched over her laptop or going on adventurous trips in the name of research with willing friends, you can find her spending time with her family and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

Plot-Characters-Faith-The Cord of Three Strands

By Mary Connealy

We are celebrating our BIRTHDAY MONTH!

In addition to these weekly prizes and the iPad Mini grand prize, I'm doing some giveaways too!

A signed copy of my newly released Fire and Ice, also a signed copy of the novella collection (released last year as 12 separate books, so you might have read some of them) The 12 Brides of Christmas, and an Amazon Gift Certificate in the amount of $28 (get it, 28? To celebrate our 8th birthday???)

This is a Bible verse we hear a lot at weddings.
But when you think of the most fundamental building blocks of a story, in the Christian market, you realize our novels are built with a cord of three strands.

Plot. Character. Faith.

Now I’ve had those conversations before—Is your book plot driven or character driven. And I get the difference between the two a little.
But I think, fundamentally, there really is no such thing.
Plot vs Character is just one of those things authors talk about while they struggle to put into words things that are just plain HARD to put into words.
I think of Jack Reacher. Now those stories are all about plot, but the character of Jack Reacher and how he responds to the plot are what make them unique.
How do you separate the two halves of this book. Without Jack Reacher the story would be completely different. But if someone didn’t start killing people right in front of him, I think Jack would honestly be a peaceable guy. I mean it’s not like he actually goes LOOKING for trouble, right? (well, maybe he’s a bit too eager when he finds any little bit of trouble, but still…)
I've you've read a Jack Reacher book, tell me, which are those books. Honestly, bottom line, the plot and character are so intertwined that the book doesn't exist without both.

The Wilde at Heart Series with women disguised as men, now that’s honestly character isn’t it? Their reasons behind it go to backstory, motivation, why they are there, so setting. All of these character traits are so fundamental to the plot -- how do you separate the two?

I don't blame you for worrying,
sometimes, it is said, Mary never really has a point!

This leads me to the point of the day!

I think Christian fiction can be so much more powerful than secular fiction. And it’s that third strand—Faith—that strengthens it. 
Back in the olden days, like 1970—you know the ancient times—romance novels, even without saying so, were guided by Christian principles. Heroines were virgins. Heroes were upstanding and honorable by Christian standards (they rarely even said cuss words).

Those were foundational parts of any book.

I often say that Gone with the Wind couldn’t be published today as a secular book because for all the madness swirling around in GWTG, there’s too much God in it.

The underpinning of faith gives the entire Christian book a depth. The hero is called to save the day, sure, but he has to do it with honor—as opposed to Jack Reacher making himself judge, jury and executioner—which I admit is extremely efficient.


Click to Buy

The heroine can be any type of character, a damsel in distress, a feisty lady rancher, a hard working business woman, a sweet, shy widow trying to raise two kids and hold down a stressful job, but she needs to do whatever she does with her Christian values in place (or if it’s a redemption story for either hero or heroine then they need to be moving toward their faith).

Click to Buy

And to me, the best of all is that the attraction, the sexual (<<< sorry!) tension still has power.
Remember Moonlighting? Will they/won't they? Remington Steele? Of course Christian fiction ask will they/won't they end up married so that's a little different, but still. As opposed to many books where the tension is 'will they/won't they' wait until the second date!
And you know what? Let's be honest here. There’s a huge market for secular books, I know it. I also know that many of those books have gone too far and that has created a fiction line for us.

Mary Connealy 
Who is holding off getting a 
new professional photo taken
until.......
she is thinner and younger 
and maybe a little bit smarter looking

Work for people who write books about faith. Books for people who prefer to read books that don’t go against our beliefs…in case our mothers would read it, you know? Or our children?

We write a cord of three strands

Plot—Character—Faith

And it makes for stories that are not easily broken.
Let’s talk about the faith of our characters and how that shapes your book. How would your book be different, weaker, without the faith of your characters.

Because we are giving away a RIDICULOUS number of prizes, to the point almost everyone will win at least one, I hesitate to overdo it, HOWEVER if ever there was a time to overdo things, it’s during SEEKERVILLE BIRTHDAY MONTH!
So today if you leave a comment, you’ll get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Fire and Ice, and a signed copy of The 12 Brides of Christmas. And, I'll toss in a $28 Amazon gift card. Three prizes, three winners.

Let’s talk about the faith of our characters.

When Your Plans Are Waylaid

By Carrie Fancett Pagels

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, 

but the LORD establishes their steps. 

Have you ever had your plans waylaid? My life has felt that way for a long time. I had to “retire” early from being a psychologist after 25 years because of Rheumatoid Arthritis. But God has a plan for each of us, and He has shown that to me in my writing career.

In the past four years I’ve been dealing with the inability to walk properly, without intense pain, because of Achilles tendon problems. I had surgery a year ago, which failed to correct the issue so in March 2015, I had a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) procedure that was giving me great results. I was walking more, I was coming out of my orthopedic boot, and going to events I’d not been able to attend. Just prior to that PRP procedure, I’d completed the second book in The Christy Lumber Camp Series and was in prayer about how to promote the upcoming release, The Lumberjacks’ Ball. I wanted to be obedient to God.

Psalm 94:11

The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.

I “knew” what I needed to do as far as marketing, but I kept feeling like God was holding me back, and I wanted to obey. So I needed to trust Him rather than jumping on the promotion treadmill. As the co-leader of the Tidewater North Christian Fiction Group, I was also trying to set up our Spring meeting, with a special guest photographer--but that whole plan was NOT coming together at all, either!!  I was frustrated.

But God knew what was coming.

Then came the beauty of Easter, rejoicing in the resurrected Christ, and what a delight to also celebrate my son’s birthday, too. Although my new book released, I’d been obedient to Christ and no immediate promotion had been set up. But I wanted to do so and prayed about one event for the following week. After Easter brunch, I ended up violently ill and in bed much of that week, so it was a blessing that I’d planned no promotion. Yet the book was being promoted—by others God had touched to do so.

One week later, we had finally canceled the writers’ meeting. I could make no sense of why this meeting, planned for months, wasn’t coming together. Nor did I understand why I shouldn’t set up blog visits and all the other promotion I’d normally do. 

God brought me through.

I was admitted to the hospital after being in incredible pain and on the date of our planned meeting, I had emergency open gall bladder surgery.  It was now the second week of my new book’s release, and here I was bedridden in a hospital. Those who have a book release know that promotion in the first 30 days is critical if you want to make the Amazon Hot New Releases list and more! But following a surgery that left me with a foot-long scar, I was still in excruciating pain and unable to do a thing, certain this whole debacle was a ploy of the enemy to thwart the release of this book. As Christian authors attempting to draw others to Christ, we often feel like a moving target, and this particular target—moi—felt like someone filleted me like a fish and gutted my plans. Why God? 

Psalms 46:10 

Be still and know that I am God. 

This particular verse is one I love. And repeatedly God told me to be still and spend time with Him. Once home, I remained in bed for the next several weeks, unable to do much of anything. Although I knew God’s hand was with me throughout the healing process, I started to wonder. But Lord, I’m supposed to promote my book—is this operation why You said not to schedule anything? 

And then I heard in my heart, “Rest. You don’t need to DO anything.” 

Really, Lord??? Look out the window. My blinds were pulled and the sun lit up my lilac tree, which had NEVER bloomed before, illuminating three heavenly blossoms. I know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have everything in the universe under control and they do care about me—but those fragrant lilacs reminded me how every good gift comes from the Lord. And my book was His to do with as He would. 

“Just be in the moment,” God whispered to my soul.

That was another gift He gave to me.  Instead of being caught up in promoting my new release, I got to spend time just in the moment and to enjoy time with Him, resting. We need to do that, to just soak in the glory of His presence!

And God promoted my book.

To my shock, the Lumberjacks’ Ball ended up on the Hot New Releases list, hitting the #1 spot — again affirming that God is in control of all things. Without efforts on my part, God mobilized others to promote my book for me, dear friends such as my Pagels’ Pals Facebook group and my precious cohorts on my blog, a blog whose theme is about overcoming with God’s help! 

He just needs us to get out of the way! And to trust Him.

During my recovery, one of the songs that really resonated with me was Steal My Show by TobyMac, which emphasizes that anything we make or do belongs to God, so why not give it to Him—your writing, your promotion, your talent. Before my book released, that was my prayer—that this work was for God and it was a gift to Him for Him to do with as He willed. And He did! 

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Lest you think I’m encouraging authors to not promote their books, that isn’t what I have intended. Be obedient to God, for He does plan to bless you. So just do what He tells you to do and don’t do what He says NOT to do.  And trust that He’s got it all under control. Because He does.

QUESTION:

Have you ever had your plans waylaid only to find that God had a reason?

GIVEAWAY:

A paperback copy of The Lumberjacks’ Ball and an MP3 download of Steal My Show by TobyMac.  Leave a comment to enter.  

ABOUT CARRIE:

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., Tagline, “Hearts Overcoming Through Time,” is the author of The Lumberjacks’ Ball (April, 215) an Amazon Christian Historical Romance bestseller. The Fruitcake Challenge (September, 2014) was a Family Fiction finalist for Book of the Year and a Selah Award finalist. Lilacs for Juliana releases in 2015 and is the third novella in The Christy Lumber Camp Series. Saving the Marquise’s Granddaughter (White Rose), releases in 2015. Her short story, “Snowed In,” appears in Guidepost Books’ A Christmas Cup of Cheer (2013). She’s the Amazon best-selling and top-rated author of Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance (2013). Her Historical Category winner, “The Quilting Contest,” is published in Family Fiction’s The Story 2014 anthology (Salem Publishing). Carrie received Honorable Mention for the 2014 Maggie Awards for Excellence. Administrates two popular group blogs: www.OvercomingWithGod.com and www.ColonialQuills.org.  Former psychologist (25 years), married mother of two.

7.1 Confessions of a Love-Writer

with guest Davalynn Spencer.

Seekerville’s seventh year is slipping from the calendar, but I have just enough time to add my confessional list before 2015 pushes in with a clean slate.

Confession 1: I’ve been known to self-medicate with words.

Do you ever write fiction simply because you want to? Because you enjoy getting into a setting and meeting the characters, “watching” things unfold as if you were in a movie theatre?

As a quasi seat-of-the-pantser, I do. There is a certain freedom in writing with no deadline lurking, no publication dreams pulsing—just creating for the love of creating. In fact, it’s an almost decadent luxury, spending time immersed in a work-for-pleasure endeavor that won’t pay even the smallest of bills.

Last year after submitting the final historical installment in a three-book contract with Love Inspired | Heartsong Presents, I wanted to write a contemporary Christmas story. Just because.

One afternoon on my way home from the college where I teach, I detoured at the local diner/mini-market for a Gummy Bear fix and eased my Subaru into a parking spot. A woman in the car parked facing me sat behind the wheel ranting into her cell-phone. Assuming my best non-stalker pose, I watched while my mind hopped on the Imagination Pony.

Bam. A story. That fast. Not the whole thing, but enough of a start to get me going on the Christmas tale of a young woman running for her life.

Confession 2: Moments like that are way better than teddy-shaped confections.

At home I charged across the white wasteland of a new Word document. Characters sprang up, the story unfolded, and I knew a Christmas romance lay just around the bend of a mountainous Colorado road. Yes, this was exactly the brain break I needed, my reward for making deadline early on the other books. I was having fun.

A few days later my agent called with a request from a publisher looking for historical Christmas-themed novellas. Did I have anything?

Well, no, not really. I was in the middle of revamping a 90,000-word romance burning a hole in my virtual file cabinet. And, of course, mentally eloping with a contemporary Christmas story that was “just for me.”

I couldn’t do it all, I told myself. Stick with the plan, I told myself. One thing at a time. Okay, maybe two.

Confession 3: I didn’t want to share.

I finished the revamp, sent it off, and jumped back into my latest escape. And that’s when I heard the nudge. (Yes, you can hear a nudge.) It said:

“Take that contemporary Christmas story you started and knock it back 150 years.”

Not clever enough to think that up on my own, I pretty much knew where it came from.

Confession 4: Sometimes I forget what I’ve asked for.

One of my long-time prayers has been, “Teach me to write what You will bless.” I want to hear from Him, the master of creative expression. My personal news flash for that day: God doesn’t forget my prayers.

The knock-it-back idea was crazy enough to be fun, so I pulled up my Christmas story, opened a new document, and placed them side-by-side on the computer screen. Then I bumped the story back 150 years as I dropped it into the new document a piece at a time.

Automobiles became horses. The diner/mini-market became the train depot. The back-seat floor of an extended-cab pickup became a dusty tarp in a buckboard. And the chilling blizzard? Well that didn’t change much. Cold is cold.

My typical approach for a new manuscript is to write until I have a good feel for the story, then go back and edit, strengthen chapter hooks and hangers (beginnings and endings) and start a binder.

Confession 5: I am a binder addict.

Binders are right up there with Gummy Bears. They’ve organized my life at every level from teaching to planning my daughter’s wedding (after freaking out when she asked me) to writing fiction. Every manuscript has its own binder with character sketches, notes, a story calendar, and old-school lined paper on which I enter the chapter and page numbers for  each point-of-view character and brief notes on what’s happening in that scene. I like the whole pen-on-paper aspect, though I also have a computer file for each book with sub files for historical research, photos, deleted scenes, proposals, promotional ideas, etc. But I don’t start a binder until I’m into the story and the characters have had a chance to develop organically. By the time my Christmas story stow-away had stowed away, I was binder ready.

Confession 6: I print a fanciful book cover with a “working” title and slip it into the clear plastic sheath on front of the binder.

Mindful of the novella’s designated 15,000 words, I shortened and polished three chapters and then wrote a detailed synopsis—which I really can’t do until I’ve written something. But I must admit, I like synopses much more than I used to. Author Rachel Hauck was right when she said writing a synopsis is simply telling yourself the story, start to finish. This time, it helped me see what I needed to accomplish in a limited amount of space and time.

The following week, I shot the proposal to my agent who submitted it to the publisher … and they bought it.

Honestly, I was more astounded than when I landed the three-book deal because the whole concept was the result of obedience to a directive I found a bit strange.

Confession 7: God’s provision continues to take my breath away.

I’m convinced the Master Creator enjoys surprising us with plot twists in our everyday lives as much as authors enjoy surprising their fictional characters. The big difference in God’s manuscript—surprises are always for our benefit. And that might not mean publication. Maybe the benefit is personal growth, new perspective, strengthened faith, or simply being in His presence.

Former Thomas Nelson fiction publisher Allen Arnold led a workshop at the 2014 Colorado Christian Writer’s Conference on The Heart of the Storyteller. His bottom line? Intimacy with God. Write with Him. Create with Him, enjoy being with Him.

When I trust God enough to enjoy His presence, I realize that the author of my faith knows what He’s doing. Even if it doesn’t make sense to me at the moment.

That one bump-it-back step of faith became The Snowbound Bride and led to a June 2015 sequel, The Columbine Bride. I love surprises.

Confession 7.1: Writing for the love of it has given me some of my best stories.

For me, writing because I love it offers a no-holds-barred bliss, an emotional reprieve that reminds me why I write in the first place.

What do you do simply for the love of it?

Davalynn Spencer writes cowboy romance, a skill she’s honed since marrying a professional rodeo bullfighter and raising another. Her most recent title is “The Snowbound Bride,” one of twelve historical novellas in Barbour’s collection, The 12 Brides of Christmas. She is represented by Linda S. Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency and makes her home on Colorado’s Front Range with her handsome cowboy and their Queensland heeler named Blue. Connect with Davalynn on her website, Facebook page, Goodreads, and Twitter.





Today, Davalynn is giving away an e-copy of her novella, The Snowbound Bride to one commenter. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition!

On the run from a heartless uncle, Arabella Taube hides in Nate Horne’s buckboard just as a blizzard sweeps into Colorado. Can she find her way out of the storm—physically and emotionally—or will the handsome mountain horseman steal her heart?

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

with guest Belle Calhoune.

The road to publication is often filled with flying monkeys, tornadoes and mountains of self doubt.  Fortunately, it's also filled with encouraging Glindas, a supportive cast of characters and moments of triumph.  Much like Dorothy, we authors set forth on a publication path filled with hope, yearning and a desire to find a home for our books.  As authors we have our own journey of discovery as we navigate the rough waters of the publishing world.  

The Four Essential Ingredients on the Yellow Brick Road.

Heart.  Becoming a published author is not for the faint of heart.  It takes a lot of endurance, resilience and a willingness to embrace the process.  Most authors are compelled to write because they can't not write.  Trust me, I've tried.  Writing is so essential to our lives that we can't imagine a world in which it doesn't play a prominent role.  It is deeply engrained in our hearts.  If this is your truth, attack the world of publishing with a passion.  Give it everything you've got, withholding nothing.  Wear your heart on sleeve and proudly proclaim yourself as an author pursuing publication.  I've been in situations where I didn't want to put it out there, just in case it didn't pan out for me.  And even though it's sometimes annoying to be questioned relentlessly about when we're getting published, there's a lot to be said for owning it.  For me, it felt so empowering to lay it all out there and wear that author badge for all to see. 

Courage.  Being a writer is one of the few professions where the solitary aspects of our career can allow fear and doubt to set in.  I'm reluctant to admit how many years I sat on manuscripts out of a deep rooted fear of failure.  What would it feel like, I wondered, if a publisher (or several publishers) rejected my work?  For some reason I held on to my writing dream and clutched it tightly to my chest, allowing no one or nothing to shatter the dream.  But, in doing that, I held myself back.  I wasn't making any forward strides.  I was just treading water.  Only in putting your work out there can an aspiring author truly become an active participant in their journey.  It's inevitable to come across stumbling blocks on the road to publication, but if you arm yourself with courage, you can surmount those obstacles and emerge victorious on the other side.

Brains.  Before I submitted my manuscript to Emily Rodmell (now my Love Inspired Editor) for the Speed Dating Pitch on the Harlequin forums, I did a lot of research on the line.  I read and read and read.  Knowing what is selling in the particular line or imprint you're targeting is crucial.  Having your finger on the pulse of the business is not only a savvy move for aspiring authors, it actually puts you one step closer to publication.  The easiest way to do this is to read newly released books and study them as if you're taking a college course in it.  Writing for the Inspirational Romance Market 101.  Take notes.  Study the rhythms and the dialogue, the character arcs and the black moments.  Watch for pacing of the first kiss and the levels of intimacy that are appropriate for the Inspirational market.  Focus on all the elements that add up to a marketable, entertaining read.  Then write the very best novel you can.

Belief.  This is probably the most important factor in becoming a published author.  This is the ingredient Dorothy possessed the whole time she was in Oz.  As a writer you have to believe that you can accomplish your goal.  Sometimes this boils down to visualizing your name on a book cover, writing the last line in a manuscript or hitting the send button and putting your book out there in the universe.  Believing in your talent and your ability to write and sell a novel is crucial to success.

In the end, we alone possess the power to put words on the page that will move readers and encourage Editors and publishers to want to buy our novels.  Writing can be filled with self doubt and way too much introspection.  In order to overcome these moments of self doubt we have to believe in our talent,  our storytelling ability and the work we've created.  We must be unwavering in our belief that our work is meaningful and will touch the hearts of readers.

While writing my latest novel, “Forever Her Hero,” I had a few moments of self doubt.  Writing a love story involving a grieving widow is a little out of my comfort zone.  In creating the story I was walking a fine line between grief, loss and budding romance.  Was it too depressing?  Could I pull it off? As a way of snapping out of those moments I developed a mantra.  I would ask myself the question, “Why are you writing this? Why does this story have to be told?”   Asking myself that question allowed me to focus on the story, the character arcs and my own belief in the importance of the work.  Every single time I emerged feeling stronger and more determined to see this book on store shelves.

My favorite quote from the Wizard of Oz comes from Glinda the Good Witch when she tells Dorothy, “You had the power all along, my dear.”  As writers, we possess the power to turn words into published novels.  It lies within us.  That's a mighty thing indeed.

Don't forget to comment today for a chance to win one of two copies of Belle's latest release, Forever Her Hero. Winners announced in the Weekend Edition.

A Time to Heal  

Coast Guard officer Sawyer Trask left  Cape Cod with a big regret—never confessing his true feelings to his childhood friend Ava. Now a widow with two young children,  Ava needs him more than ever. He once promised to watch over her and the kids,  and he's going to honor that—even though he harbors a secret that could tear them apart. Ava could always count on Sawyer through thick and thin, so having him nearby is a huge comfort. But his presence is also stirring her heart in unexpected ways. Can Sawyer and Ava move beyond their past hurts to find their happily ever after?

Author Bio

Belle Calhoune grew up in a family of five children in a small town in Massachusetts. She attended Syracuse University and majored in English with a minor in French.  After graduating from college she became a Federal Investigator with the EEOC in Boston, Massachusetts. She now lives in Connecticut with her husband, two daughters, one mini poodle and a chocolate lab.   Writing for the Love Inspired line is a dream come true.  Working at home in her pajamas is one of the best perks that come with being a writer. Belle enjoys spending summers in Cape Cod, traveling, exercising on the Elliptical machine, watching movies and reading.  She's now working on her fourth book for the Love Inspired line.