Category: Uncategorized

Give Thanks

“Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.” Psalm 150:6 (ESV) This verse has been on a constant repeat in my head this past week.

As we move into the month of November, and the holiday season, let’s take a moment to breathe and reflect on the goodness of God.

I know we are all dealing with personal issues, but if we stop for a moment, and just meditate on the blessings God has given us, everything falls into focus.

But what if my manuscript is rejected? How can I be thankful for a rejection from my dream publisher? Or worse yet, your small publisher goes out of business? This happened to me at the end of October, needless to say, I was blindsided, but God has a plan for me and my stories.

Believe me, I’ve had quite a few rejections and to see that “thanks, but no thanks” email cuts.

No one likes to receive rejections. You’ve poured your heart and soul into your story. You’ve edited, perhaps even paid an editor to help you polish your manuscript. Had others look over your story. Even sent it off to a critique group.

The hardest part for me is the waiting. And when you finally receive a response from the publisher, editor or agent, you see those dreaded words, “it’s not what we’re looking for.”

It’s disheartening, to say the least. So how do I handle rejection?

1. I will respond with a thank you email, if possible. I let them know that I appreciate their time in giving me feedback.
2. Read the feedback with an open mind. Sometimes tough things need to be said. I don’t like it and neither do you, but we must accept the constructive criticism for what it is. It’s necessary for me to grow as a writer.
3. Pray over your story. Maybe the Lord wants you to put this story aside for now. If not, work to make it better. Take the suggestions to heart and see what needs to be changed.
4. Don’t give up.
5. Find a writers group in your area. Even though writing is a solitary occupation, we all need connection with others.

Do you ever feel like you’ll never figure out who your main characters are?

When I first started writing, I struggled with this. You don’t want cookie-cutter characters, but characters who are rich, full, deep, and have flaws. Over the years, I’ve learned to create the over-arching big picture and decide what tropes I’m going to use. In Lethal Pursuit, my hero was a federal agent and happens to be the best friend of the heroine’s older brother. The heroine is a military widow, and mother who is struggling both spiritually and financially. Next, I threw in roadblocks: her brother, who is a felon, is back in town; she’s been accused of passing counterfeit money; and finally, the one person she’s supposed to trust, kidnaps her children. Whew! It’s a lot but gives me a baseline to work with.

To delve into their characters, I interview them separately.  I ask them what their names are, the meaning of their name, and what they do for a living. What is their greatest joy? What happened in their past (The Dark Moment story) that shaped their character and how they see the world? Sometimes my characters don’t want to talk, which can be extremely frustrating!

Next, I take a personality test and the Five Love Languages test as the character. After I gather all this information, it’s easier to craft a story, and discover how the character might react in different situations.  The best advice I can give you is this, do your research.

There is so much more I could say about characterization. Readers want to experience the highs and the lows that your characters experience. Developing a multi-faceted character can be challenging but necessary to crafting a story that will last.

Let me first say, I’m excited to be here, sharing what the Lord has laid on my heart over the years as I’ve pursued publication. The road to publication has been paved with lots of twists and turns. Some days, I wanted to give up! I poured my heart into learning the mechanics of a good novel, joined an on-line group, attended multiple conferences, even submitted my manuscript multiple times.

With no result.

But that still small voice whispered in my ear, “don’t give up!”

After every submission, I’ll read the comments and apply the suggestions that work for my story. As I continued to write, I found that my writing improved dramatically from when I first started writing. My first book, a Christmas short novel, was published six years after I started the journey to publication. Six. Long. Years. Those years saw a lot of queries to acquisition editors, tweaks to my manuscript and editing and rewriting my story to present the best story possible.

The one thing I’ve learned through this journey is, you must be persistent. And not only persistent but in-tune with the story God has laid upon your heart. Some readers will love your work and others won’t.

But I must remember one thing: Who am I writing for? Man’s accolades? Or am I fulfilling God’s call on my life?

Once I was able to grab ahold of that, the rest is inconsequential. God has called me to write and I rest in the assurance that being an author is my calling.

I’m not a fan of Stephen King, but do you know how many times his first manuscript, Carrie, was rejected? Thirty times.

So, dear friend, keep writing, keep moving forward. “Let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 (NASB).

Here’s a link to my interview: https://fb.watch/oLBxtDQiuI/

Want to read my Flash Fiction story, We Belong Together? click here

December 1-31, 2023

Look for book 2 in the Targeted for Elimination series, Lethal Pursuit, coming in October 2023!

I would like to thank Mandy for sharing her path to publication with us. Welcome and thanks for sharing!

Jennifer: First question, tell us a little about yourself.

Mandy: I’m a pretty generic person. A Christian, a wife, a mom, a pet owner, coffee lover, and a reader. I love coffee, reading, music, the sunshine and did I mention coffee? My family lives at the beach but we love to travel to the mountains.

Jennifer: I love the mountains too! I actually grew up near the foot of the Catskills in New York State. Tell us a little bit about your story.

Mandy: International hotel manager Ben Carter is back in Hearts Bend, TN to sale the inn he inherited from his grandparents, but things get a little sentimental when he runs into Cami Jackson, a childhood friend who is now a real estate developer wanting to purchase the inn. As a regular guest growing up, Cami has her own memories attached to the property. As they finalize the contact, Cami and Ben realize there is still unfinished business between them. When the contract is challenged, they realize it’s more than the property that at risk.

Jennifer: So what made you want to write, what was the catalyst for your interest in writing?

Mandy: I have always loved writing. I kept journals detailing my life in elementary school. Looking back on those, I realize I was just telling myself stories, and recording dreams. I’m not sure I can pinpoint the exact moment I realized I wanted to be a writer.

Jennifer: I kept a journal too, when I was younger. And reading. I’ve always loved to read and if I didn’t like the ending of a story, I would make up alternate endings! What do you do to prepare for writing?

Mandy: I head over to my favorite coffee shop. Message a few friends, clean out my email, drink some coffee and dive into my story. I’d so much rather write outside of the house, so I’m not distracted by pesky things like laundry, dishes or chores.

Jennifer: I get that. It’s super easy to get distracted with every day things and not focus on the writing process. Do you have a designated place to write? Or do you prefer to write away from your home?

Mandy: I write at a local coffee shop. They have a long bar, and I sit in the last seat, closest to the kitchen. Great music, great coffee, great company, it’s an awesome place to write.

Jennifer: Now that we know you love a good cup of coffee to go along with your writing time, are you a plotter or a pantster? Or a combination of both?

Mandy: I’m a plotter. I’d love to make a plan and stick to it. Although I know there’s room to wiggle in there.

Jennifer: Absolutely. Sometimes the characters I write don’t take the road I’ve mapped out for them! But in the end, I think if we can give our characters that wiggle room, they surprise us with a deeper story. Who was your favorite character to create?

Mandy: In You’ll Be Mine, Myrtle May was my favorite character. I loved creating her personality and quips. Giving her a dog, and having her sing some of my favorite old hymns was a bonus.

Jennifer: I loved Myrtle May! She was hilarious but knew how to drive home a point. One last question: do you have a favorite author or book?

Mandy: Robin Jones Gunn is my all-time favorite author. And really, anything she’s written might qualify as my favorite book.