Behind the Scenes: Big Apple Atonement by Carolyn Miller

Today we go 'behind the scenes' as Jeanette (Jenny) O'Hagan interviews the fabulous and prolific author Carolyn Miller.

Jenny: Congratulations on your upcoming release of Big Apple Atonement – the fifth book in the Original Six - slightly sporty sweet romance - series. What inspired you to write this series?

Thanks so much, Jenny! The first two books I ever wrote (before any historicals) were two ice hockey books featuring Christian athletes who played for Chicago and Toronto, which just so happened to be two of the original six hockey teams in the National Hockey League of North America. I loved these books (Love on Ice and Muskoka Blue), and wanted to see them published, but because it’s a fairly niche market publishers weren’t so interested, so I decided to publish them myself as part of a series. This meant writing four other books (including a book serving as a prequel to Love on Ice, which became The Breakup Project), based in the other Original Six cities: Boston, Detroit, Montreal and New York. I’d visited four of these six cities, so I was thrilled to get the chance to showcase some of the amazing places I’d seen, such as Chicago’s Art Institute in Checked Impressions, and Montreal’s Botanic Gardens in Heart and Goals. The heroes of these books are linked by an online Bible study group, which I later discovered is a legitimate thing, where Christian hockey players encourage and support each other. I love that high profile Christian athletes (high profile in the US and Canada at least!) can have similar questions to many Christians, but with the added tension of money, fame, and other trappings of pro sports, which means each book has a slightly different focus. It’s been great to see numbers of readers have loved the books in this series too!

Jenny: Since publishing your popular Regency Brides romance series, you’ve been quite prolific with the Regency Wallflowers, the Independence Island and now the Original Six series. How do you come up with fresh ideas?

Several of these books and series stemmed from books I already had sitting in my computer, so it’s been a process of finding the right one for the right time. (I figure some of these books in my computer could be making me money!) But really, I find stories are everywhere – you just have to pay attention to the news, to your own life, to what God is challenging you about, to conversations, to people. I’ve recently started doing ballet fitness, and my instructor is a former ballet pro and shared some amazing stories about her life, so guess what? I now see a ballet book in my future.

Jenny: That should be fun 😊 What do you enjoy most about writing in the romance genre? Have other romance authors influenced your writing? In what ways?

Romance is basically the process of developing a relationship, which is what we all do in various ways every day. No, not every relationship involves romance, but the same kinds of challenges face us all: misunderstandings, learning to trust, to forgive, to not judge, etc I love that romance can reflect God’s ‘wooing’ of His children, and I do enjoy bringing faith elements into my books. Some of my fave Christian romance authors include Becky Wade, Susan May Warren, Susan Tuttle, Jaycee Weaver and Kara Isaac, all of whom create relatable characters and include faith elements in a non-preachy way, which is my hope too.

Jenny: After gaining a reputation and avid fans for your regency romances, you made the call to write in a different sub-genre – contemporary romance.  Were you nervous at the time? What challenges and opportunities did you face in making the change?

Ooh, good question! Yes, I was nervous, but because I’d originally written contemporary (and even won awards for it!) I knew I could do this, and to be honest, it’s been GREAT. Switching between genres is like a palate cleanser, so I write (or edit) a historical then go write (or edit) a contemporary, which means I’m mentally fresh. I joined the Independence Islands series (published by Celebrate Lit) as a transition step to gain some contemporary readers, as I fear some of my historical readers have pigeon-holed me in the Regency vein. It feels funny to have to reassure my readers that they’ll still find the same sorts of stories in my contemporary books (faith! relatable characters! realistic settings! humour!) that they’re used to seeing in my historicals, but hopefully time will win them over. It’s been great to meet some new readers, some of whom are now reading my Original Six series because they found me as part of the Independence Islands series. It’s also been great to connect with other authors as part of that series.

Jenny: You’ve successfully made the switch from being published by a traditional publisher to indie publishing. What motivated you to change. What pros and cons have you discovered along the way?

I write full time, and to be honest, my earnings are not nearly what I’d like them to be (ha - whose are, right?). I also found that I was feeling a little creatively constricted by just sticking to Regency. When my publishers told me in 2019 they weren’t interested in publishing my contemporaries, I knew the only way I could get my books out there was to self publish them. So, knowing that I had a Winter Olympics story, which would be perfect to release during the 2022 winter Olympics, I decided to push to create the series and write the four remaining books in 2020 and 2021.

Some of the challenges include the huge learning curve in learning what self publishing involves (hey, I’m still learning!), but I love the creative control I have, with everything from story ideas to release dates, cover design (my daughter is now designing my contemporary covers!), to editing, to links to future book series, and promotions. I’m not hedged in by other people’s expectations, so I can try things. And I’ve found that with more books out there I’m earning more money too which is awesome. (I can now pay for our mortgage!)

Jenny: Awesome! What do you know now about the craft and business of writing that you didn’t when you started?

When I first started writing it was all about the joy of creating a story. Now I know that if you want that story to be published, you need to treat this process as a business. I’ve always been pretty good at staying motivated and enjoy beating my publisher’s deadlines for edit returns and the like, and I think that’s served me well to stay productive when it’s my own self-imposed deadlines I’m working towards. So I write (or focus on writing things) most days from 9am until my kids return from school/ uni. It’s my job, not something I fluff around with when I feel like it.

Part of that means investing in things like conferences. I have learned so much from attending the Omega Writers conferences, and they have been instrumental in helping me write in series, learn craft, and develop author connections I deeply value now. If people are serious about being authors then they should invest the time and dollars into conferences like this. I’m so glad I did. (Find out more about the Omega Christian Writers conference here – it’s only in-person every 2 years, so this is the year to make it happen!)

Marketing is huge, whether you’re traditionally or independently published, so us more reticent types need to be okay with letting others know about our books, and joining with other authors to cross promote and find new readers. That’s my goal at the moment: find new readers, and that takes time.

I’m very thankful to have learned some of the business of writing through being trad pubbed first, and that’s helped me gain readers and connections that would’ve been harder otherwise. I’m so thankful I stepped out and trusted God (not just my agent or publisher) for my writing career, especially with stepping into writing the kinds of books I like – and that other readers seem to enjoy too!

Jenny: Now that you’re nearing the end of the The Original Six series, do you have any plans for another series in mind? What elements will be the same and what will be different from your previous series?

Yes! The sixth book in this series is Muskoka Blue which releases July 28. This was actually the second book I ever wrote (don’t worry: it’s been heavily edited and tweaked since then) and I had a loose kind of series that built on it. So I plan to have two more books based on a small town in the Muskoka region (a gorgeous lake-filled area I’ve visited, which is 2 hours north of Toronto, Canada), one of which will be a Christmas book. If I can get my act together, I hope to see them release this year (yes, this self-pubbing thing might be addictive!).


I also hope to link to another hockey series set in the North-western areas of North America, so it’ll be a similar Bible study group but for players based in Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, etc (some of these are places I’ve seen too). I LOVE writing in series, and it’s been fun to see the preorders as people move through the books, checking in on various characters to see how they’re doing 😊

I’ve also got plans for a cowboy-type series that will be part of another multi-author series releasing next year. I never thought I’d write about cowboys, but I love the fact these kinds of books are based on things I care about: relationships, the environment, faith, and the small-town factor - as I live in a small town, that works well for me!

Really, in all of my books, historical or contemporary, I’m writing about similar things: relatable characters, realistic settings and scenarios, relationships & romance, non-preachy faith threads, all mixed together with some banter and humour. I’m so grateful people have taken a chance on reading the wild imaginings of a small-town Aussie girl, and so thankful to God I get to do this amazing job!

Something to look forward too :) Thank you, Carolyn, for taking the time to share about your books and experiences.

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and LM Montgomery, Carolyn loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her contemporary romance series includes the Original Six hockey romance series, and the Independence Islands series, and her historical series include the Regency Brides and Regency Wallflowers series.


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Buy Big Apple Atonement at Amazon or Koorong

CWD Highlights - October to December 2021

Christian Writers Downunder is a diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers, illustrators. As a group we support each other through our Facebook page and blog.

Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members from October to December 2021

Jeanette O'Hagan & the Admin Team

Awards

2021 Omega Writers CALEB Awards

The winners of the Omega Writers CALEB Awards for published books were announced at the Omega Writers Dinner conference in October 2021 and included CWD members. The winners were:

Adult Non-Fiction - Sinned Against: Exploring the Scriptures by Valerie Wressell

Adult Biography of Memoir - On the way: an Australian Doctor in Yemen and Pakistan by Michael Babbage

Children’s Picture Books - Grandma’s Treasured Shoes written by Coral Vass and Illustrated by Christina Huynh

Early Reader and Middle Grade - How Not to be Popular by Cecily Paterson

Young Adult Fiction - Apprentice by Kristen Young

Adult Fiction - The Silk Merchant of Sychar by Cindy Williams

Barnabas Award  (which recognise a writer who has gone out of their way to support and encourage other writers.) - Elaine Frazer

Encouragement Award (for writers Omega Writers would like to recognise and encourage) - Jeannie Wood and Raewyn Elsegood

New Releases, Pre-orders & Cover Reveals

The Craving by J F Saxby

The Craving is a split-time YA Christian romance, by J F Saxby. What happens when two people long to be together but are worlds apart? A music concert accident results in a coma and a breath taking journey. With themes of isolation, hardship, and a search for meaning in life, this is a novel for today.

Winner of 2020 CALEB Award for unpublished YA, The Craving J F Saxby was published by Ironstone Press November 18, 2021. 

Watch the book trailer HERE and you can buy a copy HERE  


Bio: Jean is a teacher, blogger and award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction, including inspirational stories and well-being content.

https://towardsrecovery.com.au

https://jeansaxby.com.au
https://thefangs.com.au

Mirror by Elizabeth Klein

Where there’s always darkness; never daylight.

Does magic still linger in the mist-shrouded places of Scotland? With his aunt’s untimely death, Ash Wood inherits her cottage and becomes the next custodian of a mirror she always claimed belonged to Snow White’s evil stepmother.

The truth about his aunt soon becomes far darker and more tangled than anything Ash is prepared for. The hidden world of faery waxes very real and terrifying when fae creatures invade the cottage and he becomes trapped inside the mirror’s shadowy world with no way back. Who can he trust when each decision could be his last?

Mirror was published on November 9th and paperback on November 10th.

You can buy it HERE 


Elizabeth Klein also has a short story, Dragon Gift, by Storm Cloud Publishing in their anthology Christmas Tales 6 - A collection of Christmas stories for kids 8 – 12 years. Christmas Tales 6 was published on December 1st 2021

Elizabeth Klein has written 20 books and countless short stories, plays and articles, and lives in a caravan with her husband.

Poetica Christi's Silver Linings

Jeanette O'Hagan was thrilled to have two poems published in Poetic Christi's latest anthology, Silver Linings. 

Time’s Lathe reflects on the her dad's journey with Alzheimer's while Time Reformed is a palindrome on the revolution of time. 

Silver Linings has many other wonderful poems from a wide range of fabulous poets.  It was launched on 12 December 2021. You can order a copy HERE. 

Jeanette O’Hagan has published ten books through her own imprint, By the Light Books —seven fantasy novels set in the world of Nardva, a collection of short stories and two anthologies. Many of her short stories and poems have been published in a range of anthologies. Jeanette lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Facebook |Jeanette O'Hagan Writes | Twitter | Instagram 

The fabulous cover image for Silver Linings was taken by CWD member  Eric Skattebo.

Grace Across the Miles by Christine Dillon

How can you belong when you don't know who you are?


Gina Reid is surrounded by people getting married or having babies. She's under pressure to settle down but how can she do that when she doesn't even know where she came from? Since the startling revelation that she was adopted, it's felt like there is something missing. But fear has kept her from searching for her biological parents.

What if learning the truth is worse than not knowing?


Now an overheard comment has propelled her into action. Can Gina find out who she truly is? Or will she discover that some secrets are best left undisturbed?
Grace Across the Miles is Book 6 in the Grace series (final)

Released 15 December 2021. Links in the Chain Press.  You can buy it HERE.

Christine Dillon is a Bible storyteller and trainer who works in Asia and Australia. Her book, Telling the Gospel Through Story: Evangelism that keeps hearers hungry for more (IVP, 2012) has inspired many to start telling the greatest story of them all.

Blinding Revelation by Donita Bundy

What if the Unseen was more blinding than the Seen?

The crew have survived the chaos and hardships of Sodom to arrive in Laodicea’s lap of luxury. A city ahead of its time: beautiful, pristine and enemy-free. It is the perfect place to rest, recover and regroup.

But all is not what it seems.

Something sinister lurks beneath the sterile exterior of the golden city.

How will the refugees from Sodom adjust to life in this foreign city?
With no common enemy to fight, what will hold them together?
Is this place heaven on earth, or is it the threshold of hell?

Blinding Revelation by Donita Bundy is Book 2 of the Armour of Light series. Published 12 December 2021.

Donita Bundy lives in the Somerset Shire (Queensland, not England) with her husband, two boys, her socially inappropriate cat and irrepressible red dog.

Find out more at https://www.donitabundy.com/books/

Untruth: Exploring truth in a post truth world by Ruth Embery

This book comes with a warning. If you are looking for answers or proofs for set positions, either theologically or socially, you may not find them here. Rather, the purpose is to prompt the questions we often fail to ask; to create a place where aspects of faith and culture we take for granted as truth, or are prescribed to us as truth, are opened up for discussion and examination to determine whether they actually stand up to close scrutiny.

We live in an era where many seem to be throwing out much of what we have believed as truth or culturally acceptable in the past in exchange for something new and progressive. When there are so many voices shouting that their way is the only right way, it is vitally important that we reassess our foundations. Are we really standing on what we think we are? And are these foundations actually stable or sufficient for the way ahead?

Untruth explores these questions and others to help open the way for conversation, greater understanding and increased certainty around what we do believe is truth and, more importantly, why we believe it is truth.

Publication Date: Dec 2021
Publisher: Voice in the Dark Publishing

You can buy it HERE

Ruth has a background in teaching and is passionate about shalom healing, wholeness and restoration in individuals, communities and the world as a whole.

New releases and pre-orders for Carolyn Miller

Reclaiming Hope by Carolyn Miller

“Opposites can attract, but can they last?”

Reclaiming Hope, published December 7 by Celebrate Lit, short blurb:  You can buy it HERE

The Breakup Project by Carolyn Miller

“What happens if her personal Mr Darcy is her twin brother’s off-limits best friend?”

The Breakup Project, published December 29.  You can buy it HERE 

Carolyn Miller's Pre-orders

Love on Ice, out January 27

“She wants gold; he wants to lose the player tag. Can a fake relationship come something real?” 

You can pre-order it HERE

Checked Impressions, out February 24

“Sparks fly when a hometown hockey hero meets a classy art-loving museum guide hiding a secret…”

You can pre-order it  HERE

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English teacher. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and LM Montgomery, Carolyn loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her contemporary romance series includes the Original Six hockey romance series, and the Independence Islands series, and her historical series include the Regency Brides and Regency Wallflowers series.

Diamonds in the Dirt by Sara Powter

Sara Powter has a new release coming up in January, on 26th, currently available on pre-order. Diamonds in the Dust is book 3 in her Lockleys of Parramatta series.
This one covers the discovery of Diamonds in NSW, but is also more about the growth of the town of Parramatta and how one family of faith can change a town.

 

DIAMONDS, LOVE AND MONEY

but there’s much more to life.

Luke, the youngest Lockley son, has completed University, and his life has no direction. No job, no money and no love. Desperately alone, he prays for guidance, and his brother Wills turns up with a suggestion. Reverend William Clarke needs assistance on a Government Mineral Survey. Would Luke be interested in joining the expedition? The challenge, adventure and their finds are life-changing for many. However, it gives Luke meaning, purpose and direction.

 
How can Luke trust God has a plan for him if he can’t even work out how to get a job? He does the only thing he can… he prays.

Within a week, life has changed... oh how it has changed! The condition of his heart problems also takes a turn. Can he walk away?

Diamonds in the Dust is available for pre order on Amazon and for order in all good bookstores in Australia from Woodslane Press. ($20)

Available on pre-order HERE

Author of two new Australian Colonial Series all set in Parramatta from 1792 to 1902.
Born and raised on NSW Central Coast, Sara loved learning about the faith of her ancestors and now weaves them into these delightful stories.


Sara Powter  spowter@bigpond.net.au

Other News

Power to Change Short Story Competition

Power to Change Australia has a vision to help people encounter Jesus today, impact Australia tomorrow and reach the nations for eternity. In a rapidly changing nation with such rich diversity this vision finds many different expressions.

Power to Change Australia is asking writers to enter a compelling short story into their 2022 Short Story Competition. The judges are looking for a fiction or fictionalised story with a link to Christian mission in contemporary Australia that reflects the theme “power to change”.

Theme: “Power to Change”

Closes: 31 January 2022

Word Limit: 3,000

Entry Fee: Free

Prize: $1,500 for first place. Writers will receive $150 for each story selected for publication.

Winners will be announced in Power to Change Australia’s ChangeMakers email, and contacted directly. First place and nine other stories will be published by Power to Change Australia in an anthology.  Find out more HERE.

Rhiza Press Short Story Submissions

Rhiza Press is looking for interesting explorations of biblical fiction, including aspects of historical fiction, and encourage participants to write about the more ‘unusual’ parts of biblical history to create unique stories.

What do you have to do?

Write a creative and exciting story that engages with our theme. Word count to be between 2000 and 5000 words.

These stories are to be fictional and appropriate for teens through to adults to read (12+ stories). This means limited swearing, stories that will be able to sell to schools. Please age and voice your characters appropriately.

Up to 17 stories will be shortlisted and included in the anthology Through Their Eyes. Successful entrants will each receive a complimentary copy of the book at publication and a $50.00 credit with Wombat|Rhiza.

Entry fee: there is none!

This year’s Rhiza Press Short Story Submissions are free entry. All we ask is that you please adhere to our requirements and terms and conditions. Entries for the Biblical Fiction theme close on September 1st, 2022. You can find out more HERE.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements and wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New Year.

CWD Member Interview – Sara Powter

From time to time we interview one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals. 

Today’s interview : Sara Powter 

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from. 

Recently retired, Ministers wife. We live on the NSW Central Coast and are waiting to see what project the good Lord has for us next. 

 Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc). What do you write and why? 

I only started writing Sept 2020. One of the ‘duties’ I had during the 1st Covid lockdown was being a person, locked down and lonely people could ring. Calls were often long. During one such call which lasted over three hours, I was flicking through my computer and saw a story that mum had written and given to me before she died. ( I had already had 3 of her books printed and knew she had another one part written. I had intentionally never read it.) So, to see if I could one day finish it, I decided to write one myself. So, I started ... ‘Hands Upon the Anvil’ was born.

I write Australian Colonial stories. And they are Sagas- so all over 100k words:- Bk 1 is 150k; Bk 2 is 170k words and the co-authored one is 110k. 

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it? 

If you like Australian History, like Eleanor Dark’s the Timeless Land; or EV Timms, Forever to Remain; Catherine Gaskin’s Sara Dane or Marcus Clarke’s, For the term of his natural life, then that’s what mine are like – but with a Christian Flavour, then hopefully you’d love there. 

They are a step back in time sort of story, but with a touch of romance. I have given copies to some of our parishioners and friends. Although they were only proofs they loved them, I’m now to this become my passion – I’m on to #9 

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most? 

 My stories ( now on book 9 – and yes I finished mum’s book) are often inspired by our family histories. I have four convicts in my family and Hubby has three. And then there are all the free settlers. Finding a story line is not hard. Stopping writing is! My biggest challenge is slight dyslexia, but for some reason writing these stories just seem to flow. My spelling is abysmal, and my grammar is worse, but I manage. Finding a professional Editor who knows what she’s doing has been great.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? I don’t what that is? 

If you mean who triggered this? Then it was when I was reading Carolyn Miller’s books, I realised I could tell a series of stories. As to who I refer to – then being dyslexic – I’ve battled with words most of my life. Reading aloud is a killer, though I found reading helped with writing. I now devour books. I don’t have a reference set of books, but I have found that my editing is still dismal. Grammarly Pro is my 2nd help. I have to often look up what things like Syntax are. I’m learning. My novels actually include a bibliography as they are historical novels, and so I use TROVE and the online Biographical Dictionary a lot. 

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be? 

 I’m loving so many of them, but Carolyn Miller is great. I have all of her historical ones. There are others too, but she’s been a great encouragement too. 

Question 7: What are your writing goals for this year? How will you achieve them? 

I have three books already out. My first two and the co-authored one with mum. I have four more backlogged at the editor, one more in the pre edit stage and another partially written. 2022 will see at least four more out- possibly even more. I do all the graphics, covers and lay out myself. Until I get a multi-million movie deal, I don’t think I’ll be making much money out of it. But I love writing the stories.

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing? 

 So much of our colonial history is told from either the Government or ‘bad’ convicts point of view. Mine are told from the view of those wanting to make something of their lives. They have normally come from squalor and are determined to help others. This is in fact what my family did. Faith has always been vital to their lives. Even before their arrival in the colony they were trying to make a difference. My faith is interwoven into many if not most of my characters. I am today who I am because of them. Their faith was strong, and they taught the importance of a firm belief in Jesus.

 

What Makes a Good Book Dedication?

 

Photo by congerdesign on Pixabay

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been giving out gift copies and review copies of my debut novel. Some readers have told me they really enjoyed the book. However, a few people have also said they loved the dedication. I’m glad they liked it, because I put a lot of thought into it, but it got me thinking about other dedications I’ve read. What makes a good one? What things do you need to consider? Do you even need one?

First, let me make a distinction between a book’s dedication and the acknowledgements. The acknowledgements page is usually the place where you thank people who have helped with the book (e.g. beta readers, editors, publishers, experts you consulted, supportive family and friends, and the nice people who let who stay in their 5-star hotel while doing research on the beach—I wish!).  A dedication sometimes includes a vote of thanks, but it is something more. In a dedication you’re saying, ‘This person is important to me and this book is my gift to them.’

Do You Need a Dedication?

Not necessarily. If you’re a podiatrist and you’ve written a book on treatments for tinea, would your loved ones want you to dedicate the book to them? Maybe, but it could give mixed messages. If you’re a prolific author and you’re up to Book #40, it might be difficult to think of something new to put in a dedication. The choice is yours. Don’t sweat it if you really don’t have a burning desire to dedicate it to someone.

To Whom Do You Dedicate Your Book?

Of course there are no right or wrong answers. Many authors dedicate books to family or friends. Some write dedications to thank people who were particularly involved in the development of the book. Sometimes the content of the book itself may give you some ideas about possible recipients of your dedication. For example, if your heroine has had to overcome a lot of obstacles to succeed in the world, you might like to dedicate it to Aunty Dot who also overcame a lot of barriers in her life. Other times, a more generic dedication might be warranted (e.g. to readers in general or to those who have had to grapple with the issues discussed in the book). Some Christians also dedicate their books to God, but I’ll say more about that a bit later.

Do You Need to Ask Permission to Dedicate a Book to Someone?

It depends. You might want to keep it as a nice surprise. That was the case with me. I wanted to dedicate the book to my parents, so I kept it secret until they could hold the book in their hands and read the dedication for themselves. However, I was also confident that my parents would be pleased. It might be worth running your dedication past the recipient ahead of time if (a) you don’t know them very well, (b) you consulted them in a professional capacity, (c) the book contains sensitive material, or (d) you’re thinking of putting some personal information in the dedication that may not be public knowledge.

Should Dedications in Christian Books Be Different?

We could have a big discussion here about what makes a book ‘Christian’. Some have obvious Christian content, while others may have a more subtle Christian message or worldview. It’s not my intention here to open that whole can of worms, but one issue of difference might be that a Christian author has to think through whether they include God in their dedication or not.

Terri Blackstock typically dedicates her books to ‘the Nazarene’, which of course is a reference to Jesus. Carolyn Miller dedicated The Elusive Miss Ellison to Joshua and ‘the Giver of the Ultimate Gift’. Karen Kingsbury also combined family and God in her dedication to Someone Like You:

 

Dedicated to my husband, David, and our beautiful family. The journey of life is breathtaking surrounded by each of you. And every minute together is time borrowed from eternity. I love you more than words. And to God, Almighty, who has—for now—blessed me with these.

Some authors also include a scripture. For example, Jeanette O’Hagan dedicated Akrad’s Children to her husband, but concluded with a paraphrase from Song of Songs 8:6-7: ‘Drenching rivers love’s flame will not quench.’

I thought long and hard about this question when I was writing my dedication, but I decided to thank God in my acknowledgements instead.

And finally, I would like to thank my Heavenly Father, who planted the first seed of an idea and watered it as it continued to grow. ‘You are He who took me from my mother’s womb and you have been my benefactor from that day. My praise is continually of You’ (Psalm 71:6b, AMP).

Tips for Writing a Dedication

It can be short and sweet, but think about the wording. Apart from the cover and title, this is the next impression someone will have of your book. I always feel a little disappointed if I read a beautifully-written, well-plotted book, but the dedication just says something like ‘For Anne’. Really? After 80 000 words of beautiful prose, you couldn’t think of anything better to write?

Think about the mood you want to convey. Humorous? Heartfelt? It’s often a good idea to match the mood of the book with the tone of the dedication. If you’ve written a gut-wrenching book about childhood trauma, it’s probably not a good idea to write a flippant dedication. However, a touch of humour can also show the reader something of your personality. What do you want readers to think or feel when they read your dedication?

Can you somehow tie the dedication to the themes in the book? This isn’t always necessary, but it’s a nice touch if relevant. For example, in her book Unnoticed, a revisioning of the Cinderella story in an Australian historical context, Amanda Deed dedicates the story ‘to lovers of fairy tales and of happy ever afters’.

Don’t leave it until five minutes before your deadline. A good dedication takes some thought. Put the same effort into it as you would a beautiful passage in your book.

Finally ...

Do you write dedications for your books? What dedications have you read that left an impression on you? I’d love to hear your examples. Here’s what I wrote in my inspirational historical novel Scattered:

For my parents, Lex and Dawn Wildermuth, who’ve nurtured me from infancy; 

and my English birthmother, Monica Hope Sewell (Monny), who died ten years before I started searching for her. 

You have all helped make me the person I am today, and I am forever grateful.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine (aka Nola Passmore) wrote her first mystery story in primary school. She used the word ‘suddenly’ five times and Mr Cuskelly circled every one of them. She’s come a long way since then, with more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. Her debut novel Scattered will be released on 20 October 2020. She is also the co-editor, with Jeanette O'Hagan, of the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light. When she’s not tinkering with her own writing, she’s assessing and editing other people’s manuscripts through The Write Flourish, a freelance business she and her husband Tim run from their home in southeast Queensland, Australia. She has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. 

To find out more, please visit her author site: https://www.nolalorraine.com.au

She’d also love to connect with you on social media:

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/nolalorraine

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/nolalorraine1

Pinterest:         https://www.pinterest.com.au/nolalorraine1

 

 

 

CWD Member Interview – Carolyn Miller

Most Thursdays in 2019 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today interview: Carolyn Miller

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from. 

I’m a wife and mother of 4 (3 of them teens – pray for me!), I’ve worked as a high school English teacher, and I live in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW.

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

I’ve been a big fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer for many years, so after experimenting with a few contemporary stories (based mostly in Australia, with Aussie characters) I tried my version of a Pride and Prejudice-type story, but with a strong God thread woven through. This first historical novel of mine became The Elusive Miss Ellison, which was published in 2017. Since then I’ve seen 8 Regency-era books published, with my ninth, Misleading Miss Verity, releasing next week (available for preorder now!). I love this era of the Regency period (1811-1820) because it was a time when England was experiencing so much social and technological change, with wars, exploration and scientific discoveries leading to a treasure trove of fascinating stories waiting to be discovered. Plus, the allure of a certain Mr. Darcy character can never hurt, can it? ☺

 

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

I’ve had lots of different people read my work, from teenage girls to elderly grandfathers, which is certainly a surprise as I didn’t expect older men to be a part of my audience! But it’s lovely to see how stories that some might dismiss as mere romance actually have enough grit and realism to appeal to a wider readership. My first two books have been translated into German and Dutch, so I guess that means there must be people in those countries who have read them, which is pretty surreal to this small-town Aussie girl! 

Who would I like to read it? Anyone, everyone! I was speaking at a ladies end-of-year gathering last week, and mentioned some of the themes of my books, and one lady asked for ‘the book about social anxiety,’ (The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey) so I hope (and pray) that people who need to connect with some of these themes, whether it be miscarriage, infertility, family dysfunction, or reconnecting with God, will find these truths wrapped up in fiction through reading these books.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Story sparks happen anywhere: news items, things people share, whatever intrigues me enough to want more. Eg my family and I were travelling to church one day talking about tongue twisters, and I had to google the story behind ‘She sells seashells by the seashore’ which led me to Mary Anning, and early 19^th century fossil hunters, something which I incorporated into a story that ultimately became A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, which released earlier this year. I love how random things can lead to stories! 

I’m not a huge plotter, so once I’ve got my idea I like to try and write down the scenes springing to mind, to not lose the freshness of them – it’s often where some of my best dialogue exists. Usually I’ll have an idea of the opening scene, and what major plot points need to happen, and the ending is not hard (hello, I write HEAs!), so I like to delve into writing to get the first draft out in a few weeks. This isn’t always easy, as I have to juggle family responsibilities (even more so as my hubby often works away from home for up to ¾ of the year), but I do love the sense of flow that uninterrupted writing time gives me – which usually occurs between 9 and 3 when my kids are at school.

I love quiet, so I can talk aloud to myself (well, my characters can ‘speak to me’), and hear the rhythm of words as they flow. Quiet is a valuable commodity!

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

I have found The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi to be really good in delving into the experience of emotions. Characters are the portal through which we experience a story, so it’s important to show not just tell their emotions, so the reader can more fully sympathise with the character, and hence engage with the story. 

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

I first met Jenny Glazebrook at the Omega Conference in Melbourne in 2015, where I knew no one in the Aussie Christian writing scene. I’m SO glad I went, and discovered other Christian writers who had voices in their heads that simply had to be written down! Jenny’s warmth and solid Christian faith and encouragement helped this shy, unpublished newbie feel at home, and we have developed our friendship over the years to the point I’d call her one of my best friends. 

I also want to give a shout out to Narelle Atkins who also spoke at that conference about writing a series – something I’d never really considered before, but after her session could suddenly see how the various historical stories I’d already written could be moulded into a series, which has ultimately led to the publication of three (linked) trilogies, and the ideas for more. 

Go to conferences like the Omega Writers conferences – it can totally lead to God=things.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2019/2020? How will you achieve them?

I’ve signed another contract for another 3 book historical series (The Wallflowers) with my publishers, Kregel, which will see a slower pace of one Regency being released per year rather than three. This allows room to develop other story ideas, such as dipping my toe into the contemporary market, which I’m doing through my involvement with the Independence Islands novella collection, which will see five 50,000 word novellas release in the next 2 ½ years. It’s so fun to write contemporary, and not have to worry whether a particular word or phrase was around 200 years ago! I’ve written the first draft of my contemporary novella, Restoring Fairhaven, and this week I’m back to editing the first draft of my historical novel, after which I hope to edit the first draft of my Christmas Regency novella which will be part of a novella collection releasing next year. I work well with deadlines, and knowing Christmas is coming (plus school holidays that won’t allow so much time to write) means I’ve had to knuckle down and get drafts done. So, I’m busy, but I’m also loving it – God is good!

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

My husband and I pastored a church for ten years, and it was really through the challenges and the aftermath of that experience that I learned so much about God’s grace and forgiveness and love, themes I incorporate into my stories. I write unapologetically Christian fiction, so my characters pray, look to the Bible for answers, attend church, and wrestle with some of the God challenges  along the way – just like I do. I want readers to be encouraged and inspired (as well as entertained) by my words.  

The whole process has been a God journey, from praying about whether to enter particular online writing contests, to the agent who ‘just so happened’ to write Regencies, to the publisher who ‘just so happened’ to want to expand into a new genre – historical romance, to the various authors and reviewers and readers who have been kind enough to support my stories and bring them to a wider audience. 

I’m so encouraged to receive emails that say how my fiction has made readers dig deeper into their own spiritual walks, such as the reviewer who said “I am so grateful for the novel Underestimating Miss Cecilia. Carolyn Miller has penned something more than just a Regency-era novel, she has crafted a fictional place that allows the reader the opportunity to wrestle with various internal struggles and hopefully come out the other side stronger in relationship with God. Yes the plot is engaging, yes the characters are well written and endearing, yes the happily ever after is satisfying, but it is the timely themes that make this novel stellar.” That is why I write. I may not be pastoring anymore, but I see my writing as my ministry. I really want readers to come away inspired by the hope that is found in God, and know that He loves them, has good plans for them, and that He is always trustworthy and faithful.

:: GIVEAWAY ::

Misleading Miss Verity comes out next week! I am giving one away to any Australia-based commentator. The lucky reader will be randomly selected by me from those who comment below.

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. 

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, Winning Miss Winthrop, Miss Serena's Secret, The Making of Mrs. Hale, A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh, and Underestimating Miss Cecilia, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

Connect with her:        website | facebook | pinterest | twitter | instagram

CWD Highlights

Christian Writers Downunder is a diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers, illustrators. As a group we support each other through our facebook page and blog. Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members in the first half of 2017

New Releases:

Ruth Bonetti - From the Midnight Sun to Southern Cross

In May 2017 Ruth Bonetti released Midnight Sun to Southern Cross: Those who go and those who stay - the follow-on from Burn My Letters.


In the tradition of great family migration stories, Midnight Sun to Southern Cross continues the saga of the Back brothers' flight from Russian occupied Finland to Australia as the nineteenth century turned into the twentieth. From frozen Finland to the lush rainforests of northern New South Wales, to the dry and dusty sheep country of western Queensland, Ruth follows the highs and lows of their new life under the Southern Cross as well as exploring the lives of the siblings who stayed in Finland.

WA's granddaughter Ruth contrasts his and KJ's formative years in Finland with her own upbringing in outback Queensland. Her voyage of discovery and self-discovery uncovers research in Finland and Australia, and interweaves her own transformation from shy bush girl to speaker and musician.

Bio: Musician, teacher, author, performance coach, Ruth Bonetti is the author of dozens of books including Speak Out Don't Freak Out and Practice in Not a Dirty Word and more recently her historical-memoirs Burn My Letters and Midnight Sun to Southern Cross. Ruth initiated Omega Writers in 1991.

Carolyn Miller - Regency Romance

Carolyn Miller has had her first two Regency historical romances published this year by US Christian publishers Kregel.

'The Elusive Miss Ellison' released in February 2017

“Can the not-so-meek reverend’s daughter and the reluctant Earl of Hawkesbury look beyond painful pasts and present prejudice to see their future?"

Available at Koorong

'The Captivating Lady Charlotte' in June 2017

“Romance, responsibility and true love…
Can a widowed duke ever learn to trust the high-spirited Lady Charlotte when her heart demands the opposite of duty?”

Available at Koorong

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer's Regency era, Carolyn Miller lives in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God's grace in our lives.

Jeanette O'Hagan - Blood Crystal

Jeanette O'Hagan released Blood Crystal, the sequel to Heart of the Mountain 30 June 2017

YA Fantasy Adventure in the lost realm Under the Mountain – Book 2

The underground realm is under attack from mad Overseer Uzza and the Crystal Heart is failing. As things become desperate, Twins Delvina and Retza must brave a treacherous journey to seek help from Zadeki and his people.

Will they find the answers they seek before it’s too late? Is the blood of Uzza’s children the only way to restore the Crystal Heart? What are the twins prepared to do to save their realm and those they love from certain destruction?

Available from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073H83F42.

Bio: Jeanette O'Hagan started spinning tales in the world of Nardva at the age of eight or nine. She enjoys writing secondary world fiction, poetry, blogging and editing and has published several short stories and poems and a novella, Heart of the Mountain. She has four short stories due for publication this year. Jeanette loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends, pondering the meaning of life and communicating God’s great love. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Jeanette Grant-Thomson - Healing Song

New edition of Healing Song - Merrilyn Billing with Jeanette Grant-Thomson was published in June 2017 (initially released in 1998 as Hear my Cry, Oh God!). It has a new title, new cover, a huge amount of editing, formatting by Lilly Pilly Publishing .

A True Story.

An electric shock caused many years of terrifying and crippling 'storms' in Merrilyn's brain. Desperate, she reached out to God and her sister . . . and embarked on a roller coaster healing journey.

Dramatic and inspiring, this true story has keys for people with long term problems.

Merrilyn is now Senior Pastor of Zions Hill Church, Launceston.

Buy from directly from Jeanette Grant-Thomson- jeanettegt@optusnet.com.au

Bio: A Moreton Bay Region author, Jeanette currently writes biographical works, novels and short stories.

Awards:

Lynne Stringer - Once Confronted

Lynne Stringer's Once Confronted (published October 2016 by Rhiza Press) won an Silver Award in Literary Classics (College Fiction section) on 1st July 2017

After a normal day turns disastrous, Madison Craig tries to put her life back together. She’s jumping at shadows and finds even familiar places terrifying. Can she forgive the men who hurt her? 

Her friend Evan Mansfield sees no need to do anything but hate their assailants. He struggles with bitterness, but Maddy wants to move on. What will she do when one of the men asks for forgiveness?

Buy link: http://www.rhizapress.com/once-confronted

Bio: Lynne Stringer has been passionate about writing all her life, beginning as the editor of a small newspaper (later magazine) for seven years, before turning her hand to screenplay writing and novels.

Susan Preston - Hold the Faith

In November 2016, Susan went to Miami because her novel Hold the Faith had won a Finalist award in the Christian, historical fiction section. Hold the Faith was published in 2014, and is the first book in a series of five books.

The series is self-published. It is set in the late first century AD and although sub-titled the ‘Apostle John Series’. Though important, the apostle John is the main focus of the books. The series focuses on the challenges and day to day life of the early Christians and the people whose lives they impact. (John’s fictitious great-grandson is a link through all the books.)

Susan Preston is a Scot transplanted to Western Australia, and now a widow. This and the loss of a stepson has given depth to my writing that it wouldn’t have otherwise.

The books are available on Amazon and although each is standalone it is a much better experience to grow with the people of the books.

Hold the Faith – Amazon link https://goo.gl/UBGtPE

Launches:

Kaye Hollings - Shaped launch

SHAPED - Is your life pear-shaped or purpose shaped?

By Kaye Hollings

Launch: 27 August 2017 at Mosaic Baptist, Mudgeeraba, QLD

Genre: Non-fiction; mind, body, spirit.

What shape is your soul?

Shaped is the story of the fashioning of my soul and filling that space with purpose and peace. How do you go from writer to Psychiatric Chaplain to Funeral Director? What a journey! I invite you to come and retrace my steps with me and perhaps discover your own revealed path emerge from the confusing maze of life and find yourself in the safe hands of the Divine Potter. 

Who or what is shaping you now?

The clay of our lives is pliable and can be moulded into many forms. It has been said that every person is born with a God-shaped hole, a void on the inside that only he can fill. This vacuum is the inbuilt desire of the human heart for something more, something transcendent, something spiritual that will last forever and give meaning to our existence. Have you discovered that vital connection between personal well-being and development of the inner life? 

About the author

Kaye has worked as a writer for the Church Missionary Society and Wesley Mission in Sydney, and has had many human interest stories and poetry printed in magazines and other publications.

She has authored two books of inspirational fiction – Dawn of Hope published in 2013 followed by the sequel Kept by Love in 2014. Shaped is the non-fiction prequel to the first two books and completes the story.