Meet Our Members: Leanne Wood

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 Leanne Wood

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

I am a poet, an avid reader and the author of five novels. 

With an extensive background in business, law and psychology, I said goodbye to my corporate career and have spent the last five years devoted to writing stories about life and on subjects’ people can relate, stories that evoke emotion and take readers on a journey.

I live in the Central Tablelands and I love cooking, gardening and the great outdoors. 

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

While there has been a persistent sentiment among publishers and agents in the traditional publishing world to stick to one genre, I have not pigeon-holed myself. My stories are about personal experience.

My first novel, Pages Of Your Life – The Secret Life Of Shirley Rumming was historical fiction and formed the basis for my, “Secrets Trilogy” an Australian family saga. The subsequent novels within this trilogy were mystery and suspense.

My fourth novel, Torment was a thriller/suspense while my latest novel, The Belonging was a clean contemporary Christian fiction. Why? Because stories about life are varied, stories about life can’t be pigeon-holed.

Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

I am blessed to have a wonderful international fan base. One of my greatest rewards as an author is to receive positive feedback from those who have enjoyed my work. With varied genres and a target audience of adult and young adults, I’m more than happy for anyone to read my stories.

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

My process is always slow to start, using an excel spreadsheet I detail chapter outline and character descriptions. This spreadsheet is my guide and can be modified as the characters develop. My writing is fast, yet never systematic as I pick the chapter I’ll work on according to my mood. At the conclusion of a writing session I edit. When all pieces of my puzzle (all chapters) are complete I read the complete novel and conduct full edit. Then it’s sent away to my wonderful team of beta readers. When returned I change the font style, size and colour to make any changes and re-read. Changing fonts may sound a little weird, but I was offered this advice years ago and it does assist as it reduces the chances of anticipated recognition. I also convert my novel to an audio file and listen to identify any tiny errors. Finally, it’s sent to my editor, returned for yet another revision. At this stage I employ the services of a professional cover designer and arrange advance reader copies to be distributed. Formatting and upload complete!

What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why?

My main source of reference to assist with writing style, structure and grammar is the internet, and I subscribe to various sites and blogs. My favourite being Linda S. Clare, an expert writing advisor for George Fox University.

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi has also proven to be of great assistance.

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

My shout out would be non-specific. I wish all members all the very best in all their endeavours, both within the artistic world and with personal life.

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

My writing goals for 2019/2020 are promoting my current novels and outlining ideas for my next. I’m also enjoying the opportunity to give back to others, offering my services to review and critique written creations for aspiring authors. Over the years I’ve received so much assistance from those with more experience, and I believe giving back is not only important, but extremely rewarding.

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

Faith impacts and shapes our lives in every aspect including writing. Religion plays a positive role in shaping one’s personality and morals, it provides support and help through difficult times. Faith allows one to find strength to move forward, believing delivers peace and comfort. When faced with any challenge in life, be it writing or anything else I remember what the Bible teaches us. God not only offers us encouragement when we’re in a difficult pit, but he actually enters into the pit with us to see us through.

“The Belonging” purchasing link: https://www.amazon.com/Belonging-Leanne-Wood-ebook/dp/B07TJLLBZK/

Leanne Wood is a poet, an avid reader and the author of five novels. With an extensive background in business, law and psychology, Leanne said goodbye to her corporate career and has spent the last five years devoted to writing stories about life and on subjects’ people can relate, stories that evoke emotion and take readers on a journey. Her latest work is a clean contemporary Christian fiction, The Belonging.
Leanne lives and works out of her home in the Central Tablelands of Australia, she loves cooking, gardening and the great outdoors.



SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/LeanneWoodautho

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leannewoodauthor

Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00SM1OGW2

CWD Member Interview - Meredith Resce

Each Thursday 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’s  interview is with Meredith Resce

 www.meredithresce.com

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

Hello. Well I am one of those country girls who has lived in the city since I got married 35 years ago. But you know what they say: you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. My place of origin, where I always drift back to, is Melrose, Southern Flinders Ranges South Australia. My parents still live on the farm there, so that is the place I still call home. However, I have not lived there since 1983. I’ve lived in Adelaide for 22 years in stints broken up by 6 years in Geelong, Victoria, 1 year in Bristol UK and 6 years in Melbourne, Victoria. Though I hate moving and hate being away from family, those years spent in other states and overseas has served to broaden my horizon, and I’ve found lots of places to connect with new story ideas. 

I’ve been married since 1983, have three children and two grandchildren. My husband and I have served in Christian ministry for the majority of those 36 years. My focus in ministry has been music, drama, writing and sharing the gospel through teaching and preaching—and most importantly, I have loved connecting with and encouraging people.

Personally, I love sport – playing and watching (though I stopped playing Basket Ball last year as I was getting too slow). But I’m a football (Adelaide Crows AFL) and cricket (Adelaide Strikers and Australian Cricket Team) fan. I hate shopping unless it is a bookshop, stationary shop or kitchenware’s shop. Clothes shopping makes me break out in hives (metaphorically speaking).

Question 2: Tell us about your writing.  What do you write and why?

I prefer to write fiction. I’ve tried a number of genres. The most successful has been the historical romance Christian Fiction I originally published. I’ve also tried fantasy allegory, murder mystery, crime drama thriller, contemporary romance, and a couple of non-fiction titles. The market has changed dramatically in the twenty years since I was first published, and currently, I am writing contemporary romance for the Christian Fiction market, and am hoping to break into a new market in the US.

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

 

Over the years I’ve had people of all sorts of shapes and sizes who have become fans, particularly of my ‘Heart of Green Valley’ series.   I still get requests for the one book in the series that is out of print, as folks are still discovering them and enjoying the stories.

I’ve had readers from all age groups – teens through to ninety plus. That series has been my best selling series by far.

With my change in direction, I would like to broaden my reading audience. So far it has been mainly Australian, New Zealand and English readers. However, I am aware that if I am able to gain access to the American audience, I have to change from Australian spelling and language to US spelling and language, and that is a scary prospect.

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

Getting ideas is the easiest part of the process. Turning the ideas tap off would be helpful if I knew how, so as a result, I have more story ideas than I can manage to develop. Writing is a fun process. It used to absorb and drive me twenty years ago. Now I need to be disciplined about making time to write, but I always enjoy the way the story develops, and particularly like reading it after I finished. 

My main challenges are finding time, and working against the injuries that develop from a static lifestyle. I have to get more active as writing is hurting me. Doing the recommended stretches is great, when I remember.

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

Can’t say I have one, though recently I was recommended:

 “The Word Loss Diet”

And “Understanding Show Don’t Tell (and really getting it)”

They provided some help on some recurring writing faults.

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

Editor – Iola Goulton (I never feel totally settled until Iola has cast her discerning eye over a manuscript. She’s brutal, but the product is always so much better for her honest edits.)

Writers – Paula Vince (my first Australian Christian Fiction writing buddy); Amanda Deed and Rose Dee (we collaborated on a title ‘TheGreenfield Legacy’, which I believe is an excellent piece of writing); AndreaGrigg, Narelle Atkins (we contributed to a Christmas Book set that turned out to be a lot of fun)

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

I am planning to finish the ‘Luella Linely: License to Meddle’ series. This trilogy is based on popular Regency Author, Luella Linley and her busy attempts to match make her adult children. Her novel characters are much easier to manipulate.

Ideally I would like to find a US publisher to take this series, and so I will need to think American, which may prove a challenge, given I am very Australian, and quite proud of it.

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

My faith underpins my writing in the sense that I believe God has given me the ability to communicate through writing, particularly through writing fiction. I love sharing about God, faith, hope, healing, salvation and deliverance, but I do not like to have my characters behaving in an odd way, so they don’t usually express any religious ideals unless the situation calls for it.  Much like the way I move through life. I am open to God at all times, but I don’t go all super-spiritual, religious jargon in everyday situations. Neither do my characters. My motto for my writing has long been: to encourage and inspire.

Meet Our Members - Roger Norris-Green

Each Thursday in 2018 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's interview is with ROGER NORRIS-GREEN

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

I was born in Brighton, England and emigrated to Australia with my parents when I was 13. We settled in South Australia where I attended Unley High School. It was there that my writing career began, writing short stories for the School Magazine. After leaving school, I worked in advertising, finally owning my own agency. I married Elaine and we had four children. I undertook two years theological study at Parkin Wesley College and have been an accredited Uniting Church lay preacher for over 50 years. For a while I was Co-Ordinator of Christian Care and Share, an agency which helped people in need.  I have also served as a lay pastor and lately the member of a Lay Ministry team.

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

I commenced writing seriously soon after we were married, writing westerns for the Cleveland Publishing Company. Over the years I have written 140 published 40,000 word western novelettes including 2 self-published and one just accepted by Black Horse Westerns in England. In addition, I’ve written four Christian devotional books and six novels centred on the Copper Coast (Moonta, Kadina, Wallaroo) where I retired. There is a Christian social justice element in my novels. ‘Tipping Point’ is about climate change. ‘Redemption’ is about refugees.  I’ve also written radio plays (comedies) and one stage play on the Life of Joseph. I enjoy a variety of writing, from early settler romances to westerns. Currently I’m working on ‘Return to Sundown Valley’ then I intend to finish a political thriller titled ‘Betrayed’.

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

Strangely so, more people have read my westerns than my other, more serious books. I’ve found Christian books difficult to sell to even Christian bookshops like Koorong. In fact, I sell most of my Christian books at markets and through Facebook. Apart from westerns, many people have bought my books from local shops and markets. Like most other authors, I’d like a wider audience!

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

I always write an outline first. I learned the value of this writing westerns for Cleveland Publishing who required an outline to approve before I started writing. I guess one of my greatest challenges is to try to enter the e-book market. This is something very new to me. But if the Lord wants my books on the ‘net, He’ll help me. And my dear wife, Elaine, will help me too.

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

Many many decades ago I did a Pitman’s Writing Course. It’s still one of the best Writing Craft Books I’ve ever had. It taught me the essentials of writing that are still relevant today.

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

I’d give a shout out to ROBYN FARRELL, my daughter, who edits every one of my books and picks up my mistakes. My grand daughter, Melissa Farrell, has been the illustrator of my last dozen books. I can recommend her to any author wanting a beautiful cover. As far as a Christian Writers Downunder author, I respect and admire ROSANNE HAWKE who writes a beautiful, sometimes poignant story. She is also a fine Christian woman.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?

I aim to finish RETURN TO SUNDOWN VALLEY, my 141^st western, then BETRAYED, a social justice political thriller about a man who knows the truth about the Iraq War and is on the run. Then one day the American Far Right, which wants him dead, discover he’s living in Australia. This novel will also touch on Aboriginal land rights and mining.

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

Nearly every book I write, even westerns (the one I’m currently writing has the theme of a rich rancher destroying Indians to seize their land), has a social justice theme, either overt or in the background. My faith says I need to be active in promoting what it means to be a Christian in society.






Roger Norris-Green is the author of OUTCAST, SEAGULLS, SECRETS, TIPPING POINT, A STRANGER COMES TO TOWN, SUNDAY AT TEN TEN, REDEMPTION, LAST STAGE TO SUNDOWN, PATHWAYS and THE LONELY SHORE.

Exploring Genre: Steampunk and Gaslamp

by Alison Stegert

Historical Fantasy Sub-Genres: Gaslamp and Steampunk

Gaslamp (Gaslight) fantasy and steampunk are atmospheric sub-genres of fantasy that exploit historical features and foibles of the 19^th century, particularly in Britain and its colonies.

A Bit of Background…

The European Enlightenment of the 17^th and 18^th centuries exalted Reason above all else, a focus that both ignited scientific enquiry and spawned revolutions. At the same time, the Enlightenment calcified the imagination. Two centuries of constrictive rationality created a hankering for escape and a hunger for whimsy. In other words, at the turn of the 19th century, the world was ripe for fantasy.

The Nineteenth Century

Welcome to the Romantic Era, the age of sturm und drang—intense emotion, when fairies flitted in gardens and mad scientists cooked up monsters during electrical storms. This shift of focus to emotions and intuition, myth and magic provided fodder for creatives of all types, not least writers.

The 19^th century in England was a time of incredible social change. Starting in Great Britain, the Industrial Revolution (1780 – 1840) heralded a new urban lifestyle, featuring a working class, advances in trade and business, and the mechanical manufacturing. The power of steam was harnessed for transport, textiles, iron production.

The Royal Circus

A series of formidable monarchs ruled during the 19^th century. George III’s chronic illness and mental health issues came to a head when his youngest daughter Amelia died in 1811. His intense grieve left him unfit to rule, so his son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as regent from 1811 - 1820 (aka, The Regency Period).

The Prince Regent made a right royal mess of things, running up debts, flagrantly spending, and generally behaving immorally. Upon his father’s death in 1820, he was crowned King George IV, dying ten years later after a prolonged illness.

His brother William IV took over, ruling for seven years, during which he did not produce a legitimate heir. His niece Alexandrina was next in line, ruling as Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. The British Empire grew during her long reign, and she, dour and indomitable, left an indelible mark on history.

Her son succeeded her, reigning from 1901 to 1910 as King Edward VII.

Historical Fantasy Genres

Both gaslamp/gaslight and steampunk occupy the above piece of historical real estate, Regency to Edwardian eras, but they use the space differently.

Gaslamp (or Gaslight)

Gaslamp fantasy is historical fantasy with magical possibilities. The setting is usually Regency, Victorian or Edwardian, and usually it’s placed in Britain or its (former) colonies. The name refers to the ambiance created by the gas lamps that lit the streets of the time. The nomenclature derives from the comic series Girl Genius by Kaja Foglio.

Gaslamp Hallmarks

The tropes of gaslamp differ from those of straight fantasy (e.g., Tolkien) or straight Faerie (e.g., MacDonald). Victorian times saw a spike in curiosity about the spiritual world with many people dabbling in seances and other occultic practices. These themes sometimes make their way into gaslamp fantasy. Similarly, there was a resurgence of interest in fairies and other fey creatures and folklore.

Gaslamp explores fantastical possibilities and supernatural elements, time-slip, alternative histories and parallel worlds. Its tone can range from broodingly gothic to ‘swashbucklingly’ adventurous. A librarian from the New York Public Library described gaslamp fantasy as: “Jane Austen or Charles Dickens meets Harry Potter.” It can include mystery, boarding schools, pirates, monsters, spies, and manners.

Classic Gaslamp Examples

The gaslamp classification didn’t exist at the time these works were published, but they fit. Consider:

Peter Pan and Wendy by JM Barrie – Victorian, magic, parallel worlds, magic, mythical and fey characters

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll – Victorian, magic, portal, time-slip

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – Victorian, time-slip, ghosts, eerie ambiance

Dracula by Bram Stoker Victorian, mythical character, magic, eerie ambiance

Contemporary Gaslamp Examples

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark

The Prestige by Christopher Priest

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman (Australian author)

Steampunk

While gaslamp plays up magical possibilities, steampunk emphasises the technological possibilities afforded by 19^th-century advances in steam power. Some argue that this focus on technology pushes it more toward science-fiction than fantasy. Often the technologies are anachronistic, for example, steam-powered robots or androids; or they can be ‘retrofuturistic’, for example, a reimagining of a blimp as a family vehicle or a war machine.

The punk aspect of steampunk refers to the tone of the genre, which can be irreverent, brash and disaffected. There’s a vague or overt sense of dissatisfaction with the state of affairs, often an anachronistic callousness, and sometimes a lack of optimism about the future.

Steampunk is not only a literary genre, it’s also an aesthetic. Costumes and settings are Victorian but amped up, for example, women wearing corsets as daywear or men donning thick goggles as eyewear. Clockwork and steam engines of all sizes and descriptions abound.

Variations on a Theme

Some steampunk incorporates supernatural elements such as vampires, werewolves, and witches. Although usually set in Victorian times and generally in Britain (or its colonies), a strong off-shoot of steampunk is ‘weird west,’ usually a wild west setting with gadgets and horror elements. More recent additions to the steampunk canon include non-British settings and POC protagonists.

Image Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1889_Verne_poster.jpg   

Classic Steampunk Examples

Consider the following works as forerunners to the steampunk genre. Again, the classification of steampunk didn’t exist at the time of these authors, but their works nonetheless fit:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Time Machine by HG Wells

Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Contemporary Examples of Steampunk

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

The Tremblers by Raquel Byrnes (Christian steampunk)

Maiden of Iron: A Steampunk Fable by Edie Melson (Christian steampunk)

Bio

Ali Stegert writes gaslamp fantasy adventure for children. The Temple of Lost Time, book one of The Whitherworld Chronicles trilogy, is currently in submission. Set in London’s theatre district in an alternative 19^th century, cheeky theatre child Toby Fitzroy must find his long-lost father or end up in a notorious Workhouse for Wayward Children. But his search intersects with the dying, magic-addled king’s quest for the time elixirs of the mythical Temple of Lost Time and sends him to another world…

Writing gaslamp fantasy gives Alison a playground in which to indulge in her passion for Victoriana, fairy tales, and history. A former school counsellor, Alison now cares for her elderly father-in-law and writes books for children. She lives near the beach in Australia with her husband and two naughty dogs. Find out more on her blog, Spilling Ink.

Genre Trends

by Jeanette O'Hagan

Over the last year (2017), our CWD/ACW posts have explored different genres. We have just scratched the surface and will be looking at more genres in the coming months.  However, last year Ian Acheson suggested we look at current genre trends for 2017.

Why Worry about Genre Trends?

What difference does this make? Some genres tend to be more popular. Romance is generally big, and also thrillers, mystery and crime as well as science fiction and fantasy and children’s picture books. In non-fiction, cookbooks, self-help, biographies might be popular. In recent years, there have growing trends for Young Adult and Graphic Novels. On the other hand, literary fiction may have a more limited, perhaps refined audience whereas poetry – once the Queen of literature – is often hard to sell.

And different sub-genres – Amish or paranormal romance or dystopias or Nordic noir or solar punk - may be all the rage -- often on the back of a popular block buster (Twilight, Hunger Games, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) or ongoing trend (like Amish). Or, perhaps the once favourite genre is already passé.

Of course, trending could mean either what readers buying/reading OR what agents and publishers looking for/accepting. It stands to reason that what readers want and what agents and publishers are looking for are the same thing – but not always. For instance, publishers may choose more literary titles or have particular biases and interests. And there are often big differences between what sells from the big publishing houses compared to the big sellers for Indie authors.

 Knowing which genres are trending may help in choosing or refining our target audience and the genre we write in.  Writing to a popular genre or sub-genre can make a difference to how many readers and royalties we garner. If you have more than one potential project, knowing the trends may help choose which to write next. Or maybe we can tweak what we are already writing to appeal to a specific audience. 

Even so, there is often a niche audience for most sub-genres, even obscure ones. Besides, a trend may be on its way out of a saturated market by the time it takes to write our book and get it published. And predictions are just that – predictions – at best educated guesses based on current trends, at worst just plain wrong.

Besides, there may be good reasons why you don’t want to write a particular genre or sub-genre, no matter how hot it currently is. It’s better to write what you are passionate about, than to slog out a book in a genre you hate because it sells (readers will notice). 

So, what are the trends?

In General

In A D Hurley’s 2017 report on Amazon sells, Romance took 66% of books, with 87% of the top 100 selling slots. Other top-selling genres go to Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Non-Fiction, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Children’s, and Literary Fiction, respectively. Whereas, for the Big 5 publishers literary fiction heads the list, then 2. Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, 3. Children’s, 4. Non-Fiction, 5. Science Fiction/Fantasy and 6. Romance.  Small press publishers might have their own preferences and specialities.

Within the broader categories, some subgenres are trending.  Hurley reports (2017) ‘LGBT books have seen a 200% increase, comic books and graphic novels — an 119% bump, and Teen and YA novels are on a 63% rise.’ 

Dena of Batch of Books suggests that YA & Children’s books with diversity (people of colour, disability, woman and LGBT), unique or strong woman characters, humour and ‘love, hope and dreams’ will do well in 2018  Other pundits suggest an increase in mystery books. While some suggest, in contrast to the pessimistic dystopian books, the optimist Solar Punk is making its mark.

Other areas that is growing, according to Lauren Wise, are novellas, anthologies, and co-authoring and book bundles. In part as marketing strategies for authors, but also because shorter fiction is easier to publish as an e-book, and readers often have less time and appreciate shorter reads.

Some of these trends provides a challenge for Christian authors, but also an opportunity.

Christian Books

Non-fiction (Bibles, devotionals, Christian living and biographies) probably dominate the Christian market. How do genre trends translate into Christian Fiction?

USA

Traditionally, in the USA, Christian fiction has been driven by romance, historical and biblical fiction – with a strong emphasis on Amish and bonnet fiction. 

For 2018, Publisher Weekly reports that some suggest Amish is waning, while others feel it is still going strong and that there may be a trend toward romantic suspense. Speculative fiction and mystery have struggled with CBA though there has been a trend for cross-over and edgier fiction with small press – such as Gilead’s acquisition of Enclave and expansive publishing model -- and a move to more realistic fiction that addresses difficult issues with some publishers.  (See also this.)

Australasia

The Australian and New Zealand markets are much smaller, especially in Christian fiction and non-fiction with limited publication opportunities and difficulty competing with big titles from across the Pacific.

Christian readers downunder often favour more realistic, maybe edgier, fiction than the America market. Once again, romance is a major player, though Rhiza Press publishes a range of genres, and Stone Table Books is actively looking for speculative fiction. Perhaps mystery and (non-romantic) thrillers are underrepresented.

The Future

Whatever the trends, God holds the future. And while it’s in some ways harder than it was a few decades ago, there are different opportunities as well. Part of our challenge is to respond the heart cries of the world with the grace and hope of the gospel - whether explicitly or implicitly. 

So over to you – What trends would you predict for 2018? What’s your favourite genre or sub-genre to write or to read? And what’s the strangest genre you’ve come across?

ACW/CWD Cross post.

***

Jeanette 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. Her Nardvan stories span continents, time and cultures. They involve a mixture of courtly intrigue, adventure, romance and/or shapeshifters and magic users. She has published numerous short stories, poems, two novellas and her debut novel, Akrad's Children. Find her on Facebook or at her webpages Jeanette O'Hagan Writes or Jenny's Thread.

Confessions of a frustrated reader

I've read more books this year than in any other year of my life. Exhausted, I've looked for easy, light reading. I've dropped every free women's christian fiction ebook onto my kindle.  I've read, or partially read most of them.

Confession 1. My phone is my favoured reading tool. (See pic on right) It's light, portable and convenient. It saves the page for me when I fall asleep.  I've read a few paperbacks but, when I'm tired, they seem heavy and ungainly.

Confession 2. Occasionally I've spent real dollars on a wanted book for my Kindle. The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller and Carry Me Home by Dorothy Adamek are two examples.

Confession 3. I haven't written any reviews. This gnaws at my conscience a little, but not enough to try and string a few words together. This year I've been wordless...and reviews need words.

Confession 4. Some books I will never finish. Some are so bad I delete them before they infect my Kindle! I'm a generous reader and overlook a lot of flaws to skim through a story. However if there isn't enough connection to the characters, it gets dropped. Today I started a book but there was no hook. A quarter of the way through I closed it. Will her father suicide? Will she fall into a new age affair? Well...who cares? I have no connection to the protagonist so the book becomes meaningless.

Confession 5. I read one Amish romance, by mistake. I didn't realise what it was until I was hooked and then I wanted to know what happened. But it was so sickening, unreal and ridiculous that I won't make that mistake again.

Confession 6. I've read a lot of American authors. But mostly they aren't as good as our great Aussie authors. However I've been pleased to discover Caryl McAdoo's Texas Romance series  and Sharon Srock's Inspirational Women's fiction.

Confession 7. Most Christian fiction isn't- isn't Christian at all. Some of it is religious, relying on laws and rules for plot. Some books send their characters to church, or feature a preacher. Some start each chapter with a Bible verse that has no relevance. Very few present the person of Jesus, or a character that lives in relationship with Him. Every now and then a gem will shine through and present a person that fights against negative circumstances with the love and power of God.

I guess that is why I plow through so any books, for every now and then I discover a book that shines with real Christian faith, where God is real and helps characters with their struggles, where real life problems are tackled, where the ending is unexpected.

Jo Wanmer is a lapsed writer, a pastor, wife, mother, grandmother and the daughter of the King of Kings. She lives in Queensland with her husband Steve. Her book 'Though the Bud be Bruised' was published in 2012. Other books are coming when this season is over and she finds words again.

Why I'm a plate spinner ...

There was one vaudeville act that always fascinated me.  It wasn’t the clowns, the guy juggling the swords or the lion tamer who managed to stick his head somewhere near his pet.

The act that always fascinated me was the plate spinner. 

This was the guy who kept thirteen plates spinning on the end of thirteen poles … and none of them fell. He ran back-and-forth from pole to pole, giving the plate the slightest wobble, steadying it and giving it enough momentum to keep spinning.

It was more than skill. It was more than hand-eye co-ordination. It was a commitment to the plates, and never letting them fall. It was knowing that each plate needed to be watched and needed to have attention paid to it. It was knowing that the whole act depended on everything being kept moving.

You know, that vaudeville act is so much like writing.

If you’re a writer, you will more than likely identify with the plate spinner – keeping everything moving and not wanting to (or feeling like you can’t) let any of them fall. If any of them develop speed wobbles, we drop everything and head over to it to give it a bit more of a push, all the while hoping the other plates have enough momentum to keep going.

I was looking at my project list for my writing and all I saw was thirteen plates on the end of slowly speed-reducing poles:

1. A new blog post, which feels like it is way overdue, even though my calendar says it isn’t
2. Writing some more content to feed the hungry beast that is social media
3. Adding another 1,000 words to my current work-in-progress, because the deadline I set three months ago is getting closer, not further away
4. Editing that character in my completed manuscript to fully flesh him out because I’m starting to wonder if he’s a cardboard character with no soul
5. Writing up that idea for a new novel that broke into my head at 4am yesterday and could be the best thing I’ll ever write, but won’t be if I lose the idea
6. Following up that agent who I queried five weeks ago and hasn't troubled my inbox, even though I’ve been refreshing it every two minutes
7. Preparing a proposal for another agent who I am absolutely convinced will be ‘the one’
8. Reading two books at once to inspire me to improve my craft and because I can’t put either of them down
9. Researching other authors to see how they are marketing themselves to see what I could learn
10. Connecting with other authors on social media to check that my delusions of grandeur and massive insecurities – in equal measure – are normal
11. Dreaming about the cover of my first novel and what it might look like sitting on bookshop shelves
12. Exploring the professional development opportunities I would love to undertake if I had some money from this writing gig
13. Reading those five web articles about writing that will help my writing process improve by at least 10%

But the main skill I have to keep up is the ability to keep everything moving. Maybe this is one this you face as a writer yourself – the constant movement, the constant checking and the feeling like momentum needs to be propelling you forward.

But the one big lesson for writers actually came from a plate spinner I once saw. One of his plates dropped.  The audience gasped and sighed in collective sympathy as they saw a failed act.

I looked at those remaining twelve poles and saw a guy who had managed to keep twelve plates going at once.  That was amazing.

And it’s a lesson I continually remind myself when I comes to keeping my own writing plates spinning.

The feedback I value the most

by David Rawlings 

I sat back from the laptop with a satisfied sigh. Zipping dialogue that revealed a dishonest character’s unexpected intentions and tight action that left the reader hanging from the cliff with my main character.

The chapter I’d just finished was golden. Or was it?

 

Writers live in a bubble.  We disappear into a world of our own creation all times of the day or night at our characters' beck-and-call. We pull the strings in that world, making characters' lives easier or harder with a keystroke or wish scenery into existence with the stroke of a pen.

We live it. We breathe it.

Allowing someone else into that world can sometimes be difficult, but it's very, very necessary. It can be hard to disassociate yourself from the work you've put together - particularly if you've poured your heart into it - and it can be very hard to be objective about it.  In fact, it's impossible.

Getting feedback on what we write is important. It helps us to bask in reflected glory of the soaring highs and points out those flat spots or plot points that need work.

But getting the right feedback is even more important.  I've spoken to writers for whom this is the struggle - to find the right person who can provide feedback to improve the work, not just stroke the ego of the writer or destroy their fragile confidence.

I have a number of people who I have drafted into my writing process to ensure that my writing gets the best feedback it can. While they are chosen because they reflect the reader I'm ultimately trying to reach, there is one key thing I ask of them so that the feedback they provide gives me the one thing I value the most.

Honesty.

Honest feedback is a gift. As I tell my reading group, if the writing doesn't work, I'd much prefer to hear it from you than a publisher or an agent. 

But honesty can be hard – for both giver and receiver.

I've been on the other side of the fence, providing feedback to other writers and hoping not to crush their hopes and dreams when I tell them their work didn't grip me or lost me at times. But at this point I've realised that if I'm not up front with the writer, then the feedback isn't that valuable. (I'm quite sensitive in how I deliver my thoughts.  It’s not feedback all guns blazing off the hip ...)

It can be harder to hear that what you’ve just poured onto the page needs some work. But, with the right feedback, it can fill holes, bring out underplayed story elements and take the writing to the next level.

And dealing with honesty also can drive a temptation to change everything to suit everyone. I’m still learning the fine art of balancing feedback, and to recognise that gnawing feeling in your gut that the reader might be right. And to follow up all honest feedback with a 'why?' to ensure I can see why something may not work.

There is one story about taking honest feedback that truly inspires me. When James Rubart received his Carol Award at this year’s ACFW Conference for The Five Times I Met Myself, his acceptance speech covered the fact that when he completed his first draft, the publisher told him it wasn’t working and he needed to start again. An author with a host of novels under his belt needed to start again. So he did. And his improved version was voted as novel of the year.

So honesty is what I value. 

Oh, and was my chapter golden? Partially. It was less of the huge gold nugget I imagined it was and more of a prospector’s pan with gold flecks at the bottom. But at least now I know which parts are valuable as I polish up the rest.

Pen in hand, tongue in cheek, David Rawlings in writing contemporary Christian stories that explore God, faith, 21st century church and our modern society. 

He was a finalist in the 2016 ACFW Genesis competition, blogs at www.davidrawlings.com.au and, like 99.5% of the Western world, can be found on Facebook.