The Heart of Writing

Love Untamed by JoAnn Chartier and Chris Enss

2009-11-01T12:41:00.002-06:00

I've been reading several books on what life was like in the 19th Century. I wish I could read them faster and retain everything I've read. I have so many ideas for book reviews, but just can't seem to keep up to date on my reading.

My current favorite book is, Love Untamed, Romances of the Old West, by JoAnn Chartier and Chris Enss.

Some of the real life love stories in this book are tragic with no happily-ever-after-ending, however there are several that end on a happy note and these stories are my favorite.

Backcover Blurb:
In these pages you'll meet a soiled dove who longed for a fairy-tale romance but instead fell for an ailing miner; a quiet schoolmarm who risked life and limb for her adventuresome husband; a spinster who refused to reveal the secrets of her heart despite a proposal from a dashing, prominent rancher; an actress who found her true love when she needed him most; and a rich couple who lost everything except their intense dedication to each other.

The romances of thirteen couples are explored in this book and represent the variety of relationships and love affairs that added color, controversy, and commitment to the unmatched days of the Old West.

Since HEA are my favorite endings, I want to tell you about two of the romances which I adore. The first one is about a couple madly in love with one another and leave their families and friends after their wedding with all their wedding gifts and all their clothes and set off on a ship to Honeymoon on the east coast.

However, as they near the southeastern coast of the U.S.A, a hurricane pops up. The storm takes their ship. Row boats are lowered into the water and women and children are the first to board. As the new wife boards another boat, she watches as the lights from the boat her husband is on sinks deep into the blackness of the ocean during the darkness of the night. Heartbroken, she sails to their destination point a new wife turned grieved wife.

When her ships docks, she disembarks. News at the harbor suggests that another rescue boat boarded all the men from the sinking ship she and her husband had sailed on. Trying not to get her hopes too high, she begins looking for her husband. In the distance, she discovers her husband is looking for her. Together at last, they embrace grateful God had spared their lives. Together, they owned not a stitch of clothing nor any of their gifts had survived. But together they cherished the greatest gift of God...love. The couple went on to live their life to the fullest, which included a home of their and children they adored.

My next favorite story is about teenage love. A young man took a fancy to a young woman. He escorted her to a town social. At the party, he became jealous of his best friend's attentions toward this young woman. The young men challenged each other to a pistol duel. Our young man shoots and kills his best friend. He runs away leaving the young woman heartbroken, yearning for his love.

As the years pass, the young woman had many men interested in her, but refused their attentions. She determined if she couldn't have her young man than she wouldn't marry at all.

The young man left the east coast and headed for the mountains in the mid-west. He learned how to survive on nature alone...becoming a sort of mountain man.

The woman heard stories of a wild man whose personality resembled her one true love, but as she made inquiries she soon discovered that this man had died.

Fifteen years had passed and the young woman's father loads up the family and travels west. As they near Colorado they are watched by angry Indians.

Miles away the young man turned wild man hears of some travelers who are being stalked by Indians. When one of the witnesses remarks about the traveler's last name the man assumes his one true love is one of them. He and his friends rides to save the family.

As they arrive, the Indians attack, killing the father. The wild man chases off the Indians and returns to the wagon. There he finds the girl of his dreams, the love of his youth, the reason he never could allow himself to marry. The woman who held his heart.

Together, they took the family to their destination and then they married, living happily-ever-after.

I think what really amazes me about that story is how ironic it is for a man who loses himself in the woods in middle America to pop up in the nick of time to save the woman he left behind on the east coast.

Sometimes real life is better than fiction.

A Slow Burn

2009-09-28T18:23:00.005-05:00

Recently, Zondervans mailed me a copy of Mary DeMuth's latest release, A Slow Burn. This week is the book's debut and I'm participating in the book's blog tour. I'm posting an interview with Mary DeMuth. At the end of the interview, I'll add links to other sites which are also participating in the blog tour.

I pray A Slow Burn has a successful debut week and the book's message will reach and touch the heart's of many.

If you are interested in reading A Slow Burn, follow this link to Amazon.com to purchase your copy. A Slow Burn on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310278376

Backcover Blurb:

A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth.

She touched Daisy’s shoulder.

So cold.

So hard.

So unlike Daisy.

Yet so much like herself it made Emory shudder.

Burying her grief, Emory Chance is determined to find her daughter Daisy’s murderer-a man she saw in a flicker of a vision. But when the investigation hits every dead end, her despair escalates. As questions surrounding Daisy’s death continue to mount, Emory’s safety is shattered by the pursuit of a stranger, and she can’t shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy’s disappearance. Will she ever experience the peace her heart longs for?

The second book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, this suspenseful novel is about courageous love, the burden of regret, and bonds that never break. It is about the beauty and the pain of telling the truth. Most of all, it is about the power of forgiveness and what remains when shame no longer holds us captive.

Mary DeMuth's Biography:

Mary DeMuth is an expert in the field of Pioneer Parenting. She helps Christian parents plow fresh spiritual ground, especially those seeking to break destructive family patterns. Her message guides parents who don’t want to duplicate the home where they were raised or didn’t have positive parenting role models growing up.

An accomplished writer, Mary’s parenting books include Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God. Her real-to-life novels inspire people to turn trials into triumphs: Watching the Tree Limbs (2007 Christy Award finalist, ACFW Book of the Year 2nd Place) and Wishing on Dandelions (2007 Retailer’s Choice Award finalist).

Mary is a frequent speaker at women’s retreats and parenting seminars, addressing audiences in both Europe and the United States. National media regularly seek Mary’s candid ability to connect with their listeners. Her radio appearances include FamilyLife Today, Moody Midday Connection, and U.S.A. Radio network. She also has articles published in Marriage Partnership, In Touch, and HomeLife.

As pioneer parents, Mary and her husband Patrick live in Texas with their three children. They recently returned from breaking new spiritual ground in Southern France where they planted a church.

Learn more about Mary at http://marydemuth.com/.

Now for the interview:

How did you get involved in writing?

I’ve been writing since college when the bug hit me. I wrote my first short story about a missionary going to Russia (when it was firmly encased behind the iron curtain) and having to do all these clandestine things to share the gospel. I’m embarrassed to write this, but the piece started with these four words: Thump, thump, thump, thump (representing the protagonist’s heartbeat, of course).

I’ve been actively writing since 1992 when my daughter Sophie was born. I created a newsletter that helped moms manage their homes. I bought my first computer from the proceeds. I also designed and edited church newsletters, wrote homeschooling curriculum, and even wrote a script for an ultrasound training video. Soon after, short stories started flying out of me. When we moved from East Texas to Dallas for my husband to go to Dallas Seminary, I decided to get serious. I met my friend Sandra Glahn then, a professor at the seminary and a published writer. She shepherded me through the query-letter-writing process and has been an incredible cheerleader.

In 2002, I wrote my first novel. In 2003, I signed with an agent, then signed two nonfiction books. Since then, I’ve had five books published (those included), Daisy Chain being my sixth book. The first novel I wrote is yet to be published.

How do you find time to write?

I make time to write. I give myself word count goals every day. While my children are at school, I work full time. Lately I’ve been writing and promoting like a crazy woman, pulling 10-12 hour shifts. Even so, it’s a priority for me to have a sit-down dinner with my family every night. It helps that I love to cook.

What do you enjoy most about the writing process?

I love the initial flurry of words on the page where I’m uninhibited. I love fleshing out a story as it comes to me. I see my novels on the movie screen of my mind, which may account for the visual nature of my narratives.

What was the most difficult aspect of the writing process?

I am not in love with rejection.
I also don’t cherish rewriting. But it’s a necessary and important evil.
What would you say to someone who wants to become a published author?Here’s the analogy you need to memorize and internalize: Beginning the publishing journey is like wearing a sweatshirt and toting a sack lunch at the base of Mount Everest, thinking, Hmm, this should be a breeze!

In addition: know you are called. Know you have talent. Know you’re full of tenacity. All three things will help you succeed along the journey.

Another idea is hang out at The Writing Spa and its corresponding blog WannabePublished. I tackle nearly every question a new writer would have. I offer weekly free critiques and I have guest authors cameo there. I evaluate the saleabilty of a book idea. Hop on by at http://www.thewritingspa.com/.

Links of blogs participating in the blog tour:

Admissions of a Suburban Philosopher
All are welcome here
A Musing Mom Speaks
A Sandy Path Book Reviews
A Writer’s Journey
Adventures of the Duncan Six
AP Free Writing 101
Arkansas Dreams
Aspire2 Blog
Awesome God…Ordinary Girl
Be Your Best Mom
Beams of Light Ministries
Bell Whistle Moon
Blog Tour Spot
Bluebonnet in the Snow
Book Nook Club
Caregiving and Beyond
Carla’s Writing Cafe
Carly Bird’s Home
Carma’s Window
Cheaper by the Half Dozen
Cindy’s Stamping and Reviews
CommuniKate
Critty Joy
Declaring His Marvelous Work
Drive Home Productions
Edgewise
Elizabeth Bussey
Faith…Creativity…Life
Fiction for the Restless Reader
Fictionary
Five Bazillion and One
Fresh Brewed Writer
Gatorskunz and Mudcats
Heading Home
His Reading List
i don’t believe in grammar
J’s Spot
Joy in the Journey
Karen R. Evans
Kristin Early
L’Chaim
Latte with Me
Literary Fangirl Book Reviews
Merrie Destefano
Mocha with Linda
Moments with MarLo
Musings by Lynn
Musings of Edwina
My Alabaster Box
My Life Message
Net’s Book Notes
Niki Nowell
One Desert Rose
Paper Bridges
Passionate for the Glory of God
Pollywog Creek
Ranunculus Turtle
Real Hurts, Real Hope
Refresh My Soul
Restore
Scraps and Snippets
Sheila Deeth
Sherri Woodbridge
Snapshot’s Photoblog
Surviving the Chaos
The 160-acre Woods
The Gospel Writer
The Harrison Kaleidoscope
The Heart of Writing
The Stubborn Servant
The View from Here
This That and The Other
To Be Beautiful
Unreasonable Grace
Walking Daily
WhadUsay
Where Romance Meets Therapy
Word Vessel
Write 2 Ignite
Write on the Knows
Writer’s Wanderings
Writing to the heart of the matter

Remember Me

2009-09-19T12:48:00.002-05:00

~Excerpt from the Tucson Daily News, Arizona, 1892 (How the West Was Worn by Chris Enss)

This wasn't the first time Maggie Kremer had turned her face away when Ransom Diggs bent to kiss her, but she caught the pained look on his face as he planted a light caress on her smooth cheek. All the other times she had withheld her lips for the same reason -- jealousy. Not of another woman, but of his job. Ransom Diggs was Sheriff of Cold Springs, a silver mining town in Southern Arizona. His work often times took precedence over his relationship. Keeping the territory safe from desperadoes required round-the-clock dedication. It was for this reason, coupled with the fact that he might be gunned down in the line of duty, that kept Maggie, the town's school teacher, from accepting his proposal of marriage.

She tucked away a stray tendril of dark brown hair, and blinked away a tear. Ransom saddled his bronco. Neither of them said a word for a long while, then Maggie broke the silence.

"I don't see why you don't just let Charles Storms and his gang ride on to the next country," she said. "They'd be out of your jurisdiction then and you could stay with me."

"I can't do that," he told her as he cinched up the leather straps under his ride.

Maggie knew that was what he'd say and she loved him for it as much as she despised the notion of him riding off again.

"Will you be here when I get back?" he asked hopefully.

Maggie forced a smile. "Aren't I always?" she replied.

Ransom smiled back at her and mounted his horse. Maggie always thrilled a little when she watched him on a horse. He might be a bit awkward on the ground at times, but mounted, he was the handsomest man she knew. He was tall, with broad shoulders and had the narrow hips of a cowman. Looking down at his betrothed he adjusted the black hat on his head. She could see the little ducktail of straw-colored hair at the back of his neck. She wondered how much longer it would grow before she next saw him.

"I'll be home as quick as I can," he promised. The two stared a moment at each other. Maggie's eyes were pleading, but he wouldn't waver from his duty. She produced a dainty, lace handkerchief from her drawstring bag and stemmed the flood of tears breaking free. Ransom's face was filled with compassion. She walked over to him and laid her head on his leg and he stroked her long curls. Just before he announced that it was "time to ride" Maggie handed him her handkerchief.

"Don't forget me," she said jokingly. He raised the hanky to his nose, breathed in her scent, and fingered the fancy stitching around the him. "Never happen,' he assured her as he rode away.

The outlaw Charles Storms and his gang ambushed Sheriff Diggs and his posse in the mountains around Cochise Stronghold. Amount the personal effects returned to Ransom's intended nearly three mounts after he had left Cold Springs was Maggie's handkerchief. The men who found him claimed the delicate, blood-stained fabric was clutched in his hand.

If you would like to purchase one of Chris Enss books here's a link: http://www.chrisenss.com/

19th Century Fashion Research book: How the West Was Worn by Chris Enss

2009-08-20T11:47:00.007-05:00

Bustles and Buckskins on the Wild Frontier: Fashion that Shaped the Old West

Back cover blurb: Did you know that pioneer women sewed lead in their hems to keep their dresses from billowing on the trail? Or that hatless men had to wear bonnets to protect their eyes from the scorching sun?

From old familiar Levi's to the short-lived "instant dress elevator," HOW THE WEST WAS WORN examines the sometimes bizarre, often beautiful, and highly inventive clothing of the Old West. You'll learn how a cowboy's home state determined the way he wore his pants and hat, as well as how to distinguish one Indian tribe from another by their moccasins. Meet John B. Stetson, leading maker of cowboy hats; Adah Menken whose flesh-colored nylon costume left an audience gaping at her underwear; and Amelia Jenks Bloomer, the promoter of - you guessed it - the bloomer.

About the author: Chris Enss is an award - winning screenwriter who has written for television, short subject films, live performances, and for the movies, and is the co-author (with JoAnn Chartier) of Loved Untamed: True Romances Stories of the Old West, Gilded Girls: Women Entertainers of the Old West, and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon: Women Patriots and Soldiers of the Old West and The Cowboy and the Senorita and Happy Trails (with Howard Kazanjian). Her research and writing and reveals the funny, touching, exciting, and tragic stories of historical and contemporary times.

Enss has done everything from stand-up comedy to working as a stunt person at the Old Tucson Movie Studio. She learned the basics of writing for film and television at the University of Arizona, and she is currently working with Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian on the movie version of The Cowboy and the Senorita, their biography of western stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

The chapter headings are:

DRESSING FOR A GOLD RUSH

In this chapter, we learn about a San Francisco dry goods dealer named, Levi Strauss who developed a brand new material, called denim which he believed was superior to any other on the market.

CIVILIZED STYLE IN THE WILD

I found this chapter most interesting. We meet Amelia Bloomer who female underwear was named after. While she did not design the female, "bloomers" she did wear daring outfits which were a short dress that reached below the knees with a Turkish-style trousers gathered in ruffles at the ankles. Bloomers became a symbol of the fledgling women's movement.

DRESSING FOR ROUNDUP

What I found so fascinating about this chapter was that the cowboys at a certain ranch resented their employers for enforcing them to wear uniforms. Sporting bib pull-over shirts of the same color does not sit well with the hires, even if it is marked with the (name) Ranch.

SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE TRAIL

This chapter dealt with what children wore during the 19th Century. To my surprise, I discovered that daughters didn't wear ankle length dresses. Their hems came to below their knees. Girls longed to be grown up enough to let their hems down and their hair up.

PRAIRIE STYLES

In this chapter, an excerpt from The National Wagon Road Guide, 1858 gave a listing of what men should pack for their trek across the country on the wagon train.

A LASTING EFFECT

Accessories made the woman. It could change her mundane, everyday, dress to a nice social, evening dress.

ALL DRESSED UP

Evening wear accessories, such as jewelry and popular hairstyles and hair accessories that were popular in the day.

UNDER THE CLOTHES

This was a fascinating chapter on male and female "unmentionables". I didn't know that the average person felt that underwear was such a taboo subject that they wouldn't even make their own, but preferred to order them through a catalog.

STYLE IN THE RANKS

Military wardrobe

BORROWED FROM THE LAND

Indian clothing styles

I think what I loved most about this book are several things:

1. The author uses many pictures to show exactly what she is saying. (Photographs, catalog images, and patterns)

2. Lots of white space, the readability of each chapter is easy.

3. I loved the clothing biographies of many famous people, including pictures.

HOW THE WEST WAS WORN is a definite asset to any historian or historical writer.

Texas Rangers

2009-08-16T10:24:00.006-05:00

From The Official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Musuem Website

My current manuscript has a Texas Ranger for a hero. I needed to know enlistment requirements, pay, companies, and rank. I also needed to know a little more about their behaviors and thought processes during the 19th Century.

Here's a list of interesting facts, which I found at this amazing website: http://www.texasranger.org/history/FrtBattGenOrd.htm

Pay during the end of the 19th Century: $35 a month. They were paid at the end of their 12 month enlistment or earlier for a discharge. When they received their pay, they were given a receipt, showing their name, date they enlisted, date of discharge, pay for their months of service minus the amount for a state issued rifle, a Winchester Carbine worth $30. (This information came from uploaded, scanned, original documents on the website listed above.)

During the 19th Century, Texas Rangers were called, Frontier Forces or Frontier Battalion. These peace officers referred to themselves as, "State Officers". (Information found in an e-book, uploaded on the website listed above.)

Companies were organized to protect different areas of the state of Texas. The companies were Company A, Company B, Company C, Company D, Company E, and Company F.

The rank of each company were: Captain, 1st Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant.

Enlistment requirements: "As it is expected that this force will be kept actively employed during their term of service only sound young men without families and with good horses will be received.
Persons under indictment or of known bad character or habitual drunkards will be rejected.
Captains will make temporary arrangements to supply as economically as possible for furnishing the men with bread, beef, coffee, and sugar & salt: the receipts for which will be taken up by the battalion Quarter Master."

On a side note, I did discover that during the end of the 19th Century, the Texas Rangers did muster married men for service. Married men enlisted for the War between the states. As in the account of Miles Biggs, Terry's Texas Rangers, http://www.terrystexasrangers.org/biographical_notes/b/biggs_mm.html who "According to family history, a different version of his enlistment states that during a trip to Shreveport, LA, to buy a load of lumber to be used as flooring for his home, Miles met and joined up with the Terry's Texas Rangers. He put his wagon into storage and sent his oxen back home with the message "I'll see you when the war's over." Miles was married in 1848 and enlisted in the Texas Rangers in 1862.

Badges weren't worn by all Texas Rangers. Each enlisted man was given descriptive papers to identify the peace officer and to show by the power of the state of Texas he had authority to make arrests.

For behaviors of the lawmen, I consulted the book, Lawmen of the Old West: The Good Guys by Del Cain.

Historical Research Book: The Women by Time-Life Books

2009-08-14T12:55:00.005-05:00

The Women: The Old West Series, by Time Life Books is an invaluable book to own when researching women's lives of the 19th Century.

I first found this book at the library among the entire collection, The Old West Series, which included The Gambler, The Trailblazer, The Railroad Men, The Lawmen, The Gunslinger, and many others. I had read about half of The Women when I knew I must own this book.

The first five pages of the book are black and white photos of women performing their daily tasks. These are not the only images. Throughout the book there are other photos which are in full color. There are pictures of women riding, cooking, teaching, farming, and best of all my favorite...items from the past. Such as a box mill, china, quilts, a fluting iron which pressed pleats into cotton fabric, a "choke" used to catch mice and snakes, a candle mold, and a butter mold with a pretty picture.

There are pictures of dresses plains women wore. One dress, the owner boasted she had wore all the way to Oregon without repair. This woman was so creative. When she fashioned the dress, she took her pattern pieces and sewed the cotton fabric to canvas material (the material used for tents and wagon covers). Then she pieced the dress together to sew. No wonder it made it across the country without repair! The woman knew practicality and fortitude would be needed for the journey. Another picture was of a slat bonnet. Ever heard of it? Me, neither. Apparently, for a long, arduous journey west, plain bonnets didn't protect the eastern women's faces well enough. So, the clever seamstress would sew little wooden slats into her bonnet to strengthen the bonnet against wind. Other pictures include furniture (even ones from brothels), dishes, cookingware, and documents.

The second thing I love about this book, is the multitude of journal entries. I read of a wagon train heading west. Three women, all newly weds, wrote about their journey. Each woman had a different prospective of the same trip. I felt so sorry for this one woman. All she wanted to do was please her husband. If she tried to carry on a conversation with him, he would say she talked too much. If she tried to limit her conversation with him, he would say she had ill spirits. If she tried to talk in a group setting, he would reprimand her in front of everyone. In her journal, she believed the trouble with her marriage was all her fault, well mostly her fault, one couldn't discount her husband's roaming eye. She was convinced her husband was more pleased with their neighbor's wife.

The third thing I love about this book, is its many topics. We begin the book reading of the wagon trains heading west. Then we read about the hardships of life and the reality of marriage of convenience. What I really love is how the book reveals occupations of women during the 19th century, which all seem to end in prostitution. If the woman was a laundress, she made extra money on the side. If the woman was a cook, she supplemented her income. (I can just hear the local, upright women saying, "She doesn't have no man. You know she just said she's a laundress. Why there's no telling what she does a night!") And even if the woman willingly became a prostitute, there was still money to be made by becoming an owner-operator. Madam's would make an agreement with seamstress' to allow her girls to charge to her account. Then the madam would hold the debt over the girls head, so they couldn't leave.

Whether a prostitute, an adventuress, or a woman with a cause, this book seems to to have it all. This book opened up the old west for me in ways other books could not. The only drawback to owning this book is that with it written in 1974 it is out of print. I bought it at http://www.amazon.com/ from a used book seller for $2. The shipping and handling cost more than the book.

19th Century Recipes

2009-08-14T09:47:00.002-05:00

Today, I'm posting recipes often used in Texas during the nineteenth century. The amazing thing about Texas is that it had six flags flying overhead at one time or another. That means Texas cuisine has a plethora of flavors, which still has relevance today. Of course, dominating countries weren't the only ones who left their mark on Texas. Immigrants also influenced cooking, such as the Germans.

I'm quoting from the out-of-print book entitled, The Saga of Texas Cookery by Sarah Morgan. (I have found this book on Amazon.com. Amazon doesn't carry the book, but there are several people selling used editions of this book) Each chapter, showcases the prevailing ethnicity of the states flavors. I'm posting one recipe from each chapter, a recipe which was used during the late 19th century.

The French in Texas

Golden Cream - 1887 Style

Custards, which have always been an important part of the French cuisine, took many forms in the early days of our history, The following recipe found in an early edition of The White House Cookbook (first published in 1887), is a good example of how simple ingredients were turned into an elegant dessert.

A quote from The White House Cookbook:

Boil a quart of milk; when boiling stir into it the well beaten yolks of six eggs; add six tablespoons sugar and one tablespoonful of sifted flour, which has been well beaten together; when boiled turn it into a dish and pour over it the whites beaten to a stiff froth, mixing with them six tablespoonful of powdered sugar. Set all in the oven and brown slightly. Flavor the top with vanilla and the bottom with lemon. Serve cold.

The Spaniards in Texas

Rice Breakfast Cakes

This unusual mixture of yeast and rice is seldom found anymore except in homes where the influence of the forefathers is still felt and cherished. In the early days of our history the maids in the homes would make these, deep-fry them, and then take them out on the street, while they were still very hot, and sell them!

To make 6-8 servings: The night before these cakes are to be served, dissolve 1 package yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, Mash well 3 cups of cooked, moist rice, add the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover this mixture and let rise over-night. In the morning, beat 3 eggs until light, add 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, or a little more, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and mix well. Set aside again to rise for about 20 minutes. Butter a hot griddle and drop by tablespoons, cooking as you would any griddle cake. Drain (on paper towels) and serve with bacon, ham, or syrup.

The Mexicans in Texas

The Story of Chili Sauce:

There was a time when the Mexicans, the Indians, and the early Texas settlers gave chili sauce a great deal of credit for a large number of important influences on the human race. Some of them believed that the sauce, providing it was quite hot and strong, would protect one against colds, malaria, aid digestion, and clarify the blood. There were other people who believed that it acted as a stimulant to the romantically inclined and helped to develop robustness and resistance to nature's adverse elements. Be that as it may, a basic chili sauce such as the following can serve many and varied purposes when cooking Mexican foods.

Chili Sauce

To make approximately 2-1/2 cups: Fry 4 tablespoons finely chopped onion and 1 chopped garlic clove in 3 tablespoons lard or bacon fat until tender. Blend 6 tablespoons of chili powder with 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder. Add this to the onion mixture. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups of hot water, stirring constantly. When the mixture is well blended and smooth remove from the heat. If a thinner sauce is desired add a little more water. Serve this sauce hot over meats, tortillas, tomatoes, noodles, rice or over other Mexican dishes.

The New Republic

Ash Cake, Hoe Cake, Corn Dodger

Life would have been intolerable many times for the early settlers had it not been for a basic food product, the corn. The pioneer cooks used this vegetable in countless ways and cooked it by many different methods, but one of the most satisfying and most often used ways was the bread, especially the simple and easy breads such as the Ash Cake, the Hoe Cake, and the Corn Dodger.

These three cakes are a great deal alike in that they are made of a corn meal batter, which is salted and made wet with cold or hot water.

The Ash Cake batter is cooked on either the hot hearth with hot ashes spread over the top, or out in the open spread between hot ashes. When the cake is brown the ashes are brushed off. Some of the ashes will penetrate the batter, but this only serves to enhance the flavor- or so the early settlers thought.

The Hoe Cake is the same batter cooked on a helveless (handle-less) hoe. The batter is spread on the inside of the hoe and then propped up against the open blaze or placed directly in the hot ashes until brown.

Corn Dodger is the same batter made into small or large cakes, patted into rounds or oblongs with the hands and baked inside an oven on flat tins of some type. As the settlers were able to get a variety of food supplies they added bacon fat and eggs to the Corn Dodger. And finally they added soda or baking powder or both, making a light and tasty bread.

German Noodles

The pioneer women taught their daughters to make these noodles as soon as they were old enough, or tall enough, to reach a work table. It was not hard work to them but great fun.

To make 6 to 8 servings: Sift 2 cups flour onto a pastry board and make a well in the center of the flour. Break one egg into the well, add 2 tablespoons warm water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. With the fingers work the mixture together, gradually adding about 1/2 cup warm water or just enough to make a very stiff dough, but very smooth. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll out as thin as possible. Cut into ribbons or strips and let it rest for 30 minutes. In a deep kettle have a generous amount of salty water boiling, or you may wish to use meat stock instead of the water. Drop the noodles into the liquid, a few at a time, and boil just until tender. Drain them, toss with melted butter, and bread crumbs and serve hot.

To make green noodles, add 1/2 cup spinach puree to the first mixture and as much additional flour as is necessary to make a stiff dough.

Texas Under the Confederacy

Slapjacks - 1883

The slapjack was evidently one of the many forerunners of the modern-day pancake; however, this recipe which follows could be said to be the forerunner of just about anything. I found it in The Old Confederacy Receipt Book, 1863:

Take flour, little sugar, and water, mix with or without a little yeast, the latter better if at hand, mix into paste and fry the same as fritters in clean fat.

Fortunately, for today's cooks that method went out of style years ago. For a newer version I like the following recipe for Slapjacks:

Sift 2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Scald 1 cup milk and cool. Soften 1 yeast cake, or package, in 1/4 cup warm water. Combine the mixtures. Beat in 2 eggs and let rise for 20 minutes. Stir down, add 3 tablespoons melted butter and drop 1 tablespoon at a time on a hot griddle to fry as pancakes.

How many will this recipe serve? Who knows? Try it and see - that was the manner of cookery in the days of the Confederacy.

Grandma's Pound Cake

Only Grandma or Grandma's Grandma could follow this recipe without some misgivings. However, some of the romantic sounding measurements used during this period of Texas history were really quite practical and certainly familiar to the housewife of that day. It is given here as it is said to have come down from a very old "receipt":

First, stoke the fire and lay in some wood. You'll need a moderate oven. Take 1-1/2 teacups butter, 2 blue cups sugar, 5 eggs, dropped in one at a time, and 5 handfuls flour. The cake will be fine and close with not a suspicion of any toughness or heaviness, not porous like a cake made light with gas from soda and cream of tartar.

Now, for those not brave enough to follow the old "receipt" above, here is a modern version (and I can assure you it is excellent). Beat 1 cup sweet cream butter with 1-2/3 cups sugar until smooth. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Next stir in 2 cups flour to which 1/2 teaspoon of mace, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar has been added. Stir in the grated rind of 1 lemon and blend well. Bake at 350 degrees in a well greased and floured tube pan for about one hour or until the cake tests done.

The Union Forever

Ranch-Style Beef Hash

To make 4 to 6 servings: Into 4 cups beef stock add 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh red pepper, and 2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed. Cook this mixture until the onion and potatoes are almost tender. Drop in 2 cups cooked roast beef (or stewed beef) cut and complete the cooking, about 10 minutes. Crackling cornbread goes well with this hash.

Fried Okra

Although okra is not native to Texas, it is one of the most popular of the vegetables found in our diet. It is also well known that people who like it claim to "love it" and those who dislike it say they "hate it".

To make 2 to 4 servings: Wash 1 pound of fresh okra thoroughly, by taking the pods in the hands and making sure they tiny, sticky, leaves are removed. Slice each pod into 1/3 inch rounds, snipping away the ends. Dip the pieces in a mixture of cornmeal, salt, and black pepper. Drop the slices into a frying pan of shallow hot bacon fat. Fry over medium heat, turning to prevent sticking until the pods are tender and slightly brown, about 15 minutes. Prick with a fork to test tenderness. A tablespoon of grated onion is often added to the cornmeal mixture to enhance the flavor.

Empowering Characters' Emotions

2009-04-06T11:54:00.003-05:00

EMPOWERING CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS

Presented by Margie Lawson

We over at Books To Write By (http://www.bookstowriteby.blogspot.com/) are avid fans of Margie Lawson's courses. Most of us has enrolled in more than one of her courses. The month of March was no different than when three of us joined the online course, Empowering Characters' Emotions.This class is a benefit to all writers who want to advance their writing skills. Ms. Lawson explores empowering emotions through her EDITS system. This system color codes your manuscript so you can actually see if your writing is layered with the essential keys to a great read.

Look forward to learning:
The EDITS System
Basic, complex, empowered, and super empowered passages
Backstory management
Kinesics, Haptics, Proxemics, Facial expressions, Paralanguage
Proprioceptive stimuli, Involuntary physical responses
Ideomotoric shifts
Mirroring, Communication Accommodation
Levels of intimacy, Love signals
Nonverbal gender differences
Emotional authenticity
Backloading
In-trancing the Reader
Writing fresh . . .
Projecting Emotion for a Non-POV character
Carrying a Nonverbal Image Forward
Objective Constructs
Empowering Characters’ Emotions Checklist

At first, I became overwhelmed with the course and I think many people did, too. However, once I grabbed my highlighters and applied the EDITS system to my own writing...I got what I paid for. I discovered that I write no dialogue cues and that I hardly ever write setting information. There are also some minor things I noticed, which needs to changed. But now I know how to correct it.

I highly recommend any of Ms. Lawson's courses. In fact, another online class is coming up in May.

Here is the information:
MAY 1 -- 30 Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More Offered by Writer University: http://www.writeruniv.com/

You want regret enrolling!

I'll see you in class.

Hard to Believe

2009-03-03T10:28:00.003-06:00

It is so hard to believe that it has been three months since my last post. I feel almost guilty. :O)

The last three months I have been plodding slowly through my current novel. I say slowly because I'm having such a hard time. I've created some really great characters and I love them! However, my plot has sagged seriously. So, after hearing a recommendation on my ACFW loop, I visited Marcher Lord Press and bought a couple of e-books by Jeff Gerke.

(http://marcherlordpress.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=18)

The one I'm reading at this moment is How to Find Your Story. I'm halfway through his system for creating adventurous plots and am feeling some better about my novel. But not completely better, because I've come to a halt in the process with trying to discover an emotional knot for my character. And then if I add the obvious one, then I'll have to begin my story all over from the very beginning and I'm not wanting to do that since I'm halfway through the story. I'd like to find another knot, but finding one isn't that easy.

I have critique coming up next week and need to really buckle down and decide on something so I can present an offering at the table of critiquers. Not that I'm trying to rush it, but I am tired of this rut I'm in. I haven't written anything in this novel for weeks.

On to good news, since my last post I am now employed. Sorta. I'm writing reviews of websites for a webdesigner. You know what that means. Yes!!! I'm actually getting paid to write!!!! Whoo-Hoo!!!

Also, I'm still loving my Christian Writer's Guild class. I'm in the second year of my Apprentice Level Course. This month we are beginning to outline an non-fiction book. I've been leary of beginning this quest because my one true passion is fiction. However, after some brainstorming I think I know what I want to do. I've always wanted to write a Bible Study, but never though I had it in me. Well, I'm going to do it! Prayerfully it will turn out well.

Since my last post, I've also reunited with my very first critique partners, Pamela and Kay. Kay Swanson is a published author who has written Contemporary Romance and Japanese Historicals with a romantic element. We have been meeting monthly for lunch. It has truly been a blessing for me to have them back in my life. I've also created a yahoogroup so we can critique online. All three of us need gentle pushing to get the creative juices flowing, so hopefully this will help.

Well, until next month...may peace and blessings flow throughout your home.

Plots

2008-04-07T10:01:00.004-05:00

This week, I've posted a review of Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell over at a blog I share with my critique partners, http://www.bookstowriteby.blogspot.com/ . Go over and check it out.

In keeping with this theme, I decided to write down 20 of the most common plot patterns for fiction. If you'd like to read along, I'm taking my information directly from the book, 20 Master Plots (and How to Build Them) by Ronald B. Tobias.

Plot Pattern #1- The Quest

A quest plot should be about a search for a person, place, or thing; develop a close parallel between your protagonist's intent and motivation and the object he's trying to find.

Plot Pattern #2- The Adventure

The focus of your story should be on the journey more than on the person making the journey.

Plot Pattern #3- The Pursuit

In the pursuit plot, the chase is more important than the people who take part in it.

Plot Pattern #4- The Rescue

The rescue plot relies more on action than on the development of characterization.

Plot

Pattern #5- The Escape

Escape is always literal. Your hero should be confined against his will (often unjustly) and wants to escape.

Plot Pattern #6- Revenge

Your protagonist seeks retaliation against the antagonist for a real or imagined injury.

Plot Pattern #7- The Riddle

The core of your riddle should be cleverness; hiding that which is in plain sight.

Plot

Pattern #8- Rivalry

The source of your conflict should come as a result of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object.

Plot Pattern #9- The Underdog

The underdog plot is similar to the rivalry plot except that the protagonist is not matched equally against the antagonist. The antagonist, which may be a person, place or thing, clearly has much greater power than the protagonist.

Plot Pattern #10- Temptation

The temptation plot is a character plot. It examines the motives, needs, and impulses of human character.

Plot Pattern #11- Metamorphosis

The metamorphosis is usually the result of a curse.

Plot Pattern #12- Transformation

The plot of transformation should deal with the process of change as the protagonist journeys through one of the many stages of life.

Plot Pattern #13- Maturation

Create a protagonist who is on the cusp of adulthood, whose goals are either confused or not yet clarified.

Plot Pattern #14- Love

The prospect of love should always be met with a major obstacle. Your characters may want it, but they can't have it for any variety of reasons. At least not right away.

Plot

Pattern #15- Forbidden Love

Forbidden love is any love that goes against the conventions of society, so there is usually either an explicit or implicit force exerted against the lovers.

Plot Pattern #16- Sacrifice

The sacrifice should come at a great personal cost; your protagonist is playing for high stakes, either physical or mental.

Plot Pattern #17- Discovery

Remember that the discovery plot is more about the character making the discovery than the discovery itself. Focus your story on the character, not on what the character does.

Plot Pattern #18- Wretched Excess

Wretched excess is generally about the psychological decline of a character.

Plot

Pattern #19- #20- Ascension & Descension

At the heart of your story should be a moral dilemma. This dilemma tests the character of your protagonist/antagonist, and it is the foundation for the catalyst of change in her character. Character and events are closely related to each other. Show your character progressing through successive changes as a result of events. If your story is about the fall of a character, make certain the reasons for her fall are a result of character and not gratuitous circumstances. Always focus on your main character. Relate all events and characters to your main character. Show us the character before, during, and after the change.

The author expounds on each one of these plot patterns and helps the burgeoning author relate each variation to their work in progress. At the end of each chapter, he list a checklist for the writer to know if he is on track with that particular plot pattern.

Also, know that you can combine each plot pattern to make it uniquely your own.

Romantic Comedy

2008-06-02T12:49:00.003-05:00

For awhile now, I've been studying the art of comedy. I've read how-to books, articles, and studied movies to figure out the whole "formula" of the romantic comedy.

Today, I'm pooling all my resources together to post what I've learned. Granted, some people are tired of formulaic plots, but if you look at all the successful romantic comedy movies you can't help but think that it works.

Often I've asked how can I make my manuscript funny? Embarrass the characters? Twist the plot with irony? Give the character a sarcastic voice?

Finally, what I've have noticed from my search is a truth when this statement is compared to all successful comedies.

True comedy is the result of the character "over-reacting" to a normal situation. They devise fantastic plots and schemes to achieve their goals.

The hero and heroine never laugh at their situation. Their plight is real and their emotions of loss and pain are great. Romantic comedies help their protagonists "cowboy-up" to face their emotions and expose them to the world. Romantic comedies are about courageous people.

There is so much to learn about the characters in these comedies. The writer will need to focus more on an internal plot, engrossing their characters in spectacular emotions. However, today I want to focus mainly on the structure of the comedy.

1. Let the audience see the introduction of the hero and heroine.

2. Allow the reader to see the protagonist's goal and conflict before the end of Act II. Slowly feed the reader the protagonist's motivation little by little.

3. Introduce the rival character after you have allowed the reader to examine the hero's personality.

4. In the middle of the book, the main character must commit to a relationship with the protagonist. This moment will be a no-turning-back moment for our hero. His/her emotions will never be the same again.

5. Always allow the reader to have superior knowledge. The reader needs to know what the character doesn't. Do not surprise your reader. Allowing the reader to know more, creates tension for the reader.

6. The wonderful romance between protagonists must end by the 75% mark of the novel. Usually, some secret or some type of deceit is uncovered. Then the trust is broken and the relationship is dissolved.

7. Characters then have the last fourth of the novel to figure out that their life is meaningless without their romantic counterpart and will go to unknown ends to find their way back into love. Most importantly, the romantic comedy always has a happily-ever-after.

Just because your romantic comedy portrays love in a light-hearted manner with outrageous, over-reacting characters, it doesn't mean that you can't layer-in suspense, history, murder, science-fiction, and any other elements that will make your novel truly unique and yours.

CWG, Shoutlife, and other notions

2008-12-08T09:45:00.002-06:00

I really can't say enough good things about the Christian Writers Guild Apprentice Level Course. I enrolled this year and am on Lesson 19. Since I began this course, I had Lesson 7 printed in our local newspaper, I have had an extremely nice rejection letter from a major magazine who requested that I submit to them again. And now Today's Christian Woman has requested my Lesson 8. So, far all my lessons have pertained to non-fiction, however my fiction has benefited greatly from what I've learned. I guess you can say this is my humble plug for CWG. If you have wondered about joining, stop wondering and just do it. I think the absolute best thing about this course is the mentor-mentee relationship. I adore my mentor, Judy Bodmer.

On to other thoughts, I recently joined Shoutlife. this is a great community. I felt really welcomed upon joining. However, the only thing I didn't like about it is being inundated with requests from people I don't know who are in the entertainment business requesting to be my friend. I felt like I was being spammed. On the flipside, I like having access to all the ACFW'ers and requesting their friendship, with the added bonus of people who are regular people who like to read wanting to be my friend. I like having something in common with people.

I'm on facebook.com also. I don't like it as well as I do Shoutlife. It's so plain. I can't seem to figure out how to dress it up. I also don't like that you can't search for people with common interests. It's only work, community, or school. What's the deal with that?

Here is a truthful fact about querying: December is the lowest month for queries. Do yourself a favor and send out some queries this month. (Information provided from: CWG)

Critique Group Idea

2008-09-08T21:40:00.002-05:00

My critique discussed and decided to jump-start our sluggish writing juices.

For the month of October, we are meeting once a week, instead of our usual once a month to critique each others work. We each are expected to bring one chapter of fiction, and or a non-fiction piece.

We are doing this on a temporarily. I am hoping I will be able to get back into the practice of writing on a daily basis.

Wish me luck!

I'm Too Old for Homework!

2008-08-26T10:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the first day of school.

I sent my children off with mixed emotions. On one hand, I am anxious to get back to my writing, excited to get back to my exercising, and thrilled to re-unite with my writing friends. On the other hand, I'm feel lonely at home and miss my kids.

As the school bell rang, Bethany eagerly met her dad and walked to the car. She had a cat-ate-the-canary smile on her face. She entered the car and proudly announced, "Guess what, Mom? You've got homework and I don't."

Now I'm thinking, yeah she's probably talking about that mountain load of paperwork I have to fill out every year.

Oh, no. She flicked out of her binder a paper, "Look Mom, you have to write an essay!"

Thank goodness, it's not math!

Writing I think I can handle.

So, I wrote a six-paragraph article on who my daughter is in my eyes. On my family blog, I will display it.

As most of you know, I still have homework. I'm enrolled in the Christian Writer's Guild Course, so I have bi-monthly homework.

However, who knew at this age I'd end up with Junior High Homework?

Query Letters and Helpful Resources

2008-07-22T09:30:00.004-05:00

One of my critique partners and I are hard at work this week, writing the dreaded query letter.

Even though my strengths are in synopsis and taglines, I'm still learning the ropes with the query. You'd think since it is so low in word countage that it'd be easy to write. Wrong! The query letter needs to hook the person reading it right off from the get-go.

Now, I've bought books on the best selling queries and such, however I'm a streamline girl. If I can find an article on how to write a great query and not have to read a 300 page non-fiction book...I'll do it in a heartbeat. I'm just being honest.

I've found an outstanding article on the Internet about the craft of writing a query. This author's ability to write a query letter has garnered the praises of leading people in the industry.

So, here is Mary Demuth's blog address where you can find her pdf nine-page article on writing a best selling query letter: http://wannabepublished.blogspot.com/.

Another great small book on the subject is Agent Noah Lukeman's short on query letters. You can go to Amazon.com and download a free book. Here is Mr. Lukeman's website, which can direct you to the downloadable link: http://www.lukeman.com/greatquery/index.htm.

New Beginnings

2008-07-07T21:03:00.002-05:00

Ah, there is nothing quite as exciting as beginning a new novel.

I am in love with my hero and heroine. I love the setting and the historical research.

There's one hitch, though.

I have no clue what is to become of the plot.

I have tried so many different plot devices, exercises, the snowflake, and outlining. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

This time I thought to myself, "Girl, you just gotta write." So, I put away all my plot helps and worked on my goal, motivation, and conflicts of my characters. I get my heroine in trouble (drawing her away from her goal) and then I get her outa trouble (drawing her closer to her goal).

Whether wrong or right I have no clue. But I'm enjoying reading what happens next.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-06-30T13:07:00.001-05:00

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-06-30T12:46:00.001-05:00

The Life of a Writer

2008-06-30T11:44:00.003-05:00

Writing is hard work.

Period.

So, when it is already hard why do we put ourselves through even more hardship by listening to harsh criticism, frustrating ourselves by learning all the rules, or convincing ourselves that we are not good enough to write?

In one of the High School Musical songs, Breaking Free, the lyrics say, "We’re soarin’, flyin’, there’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reach. If we’re trying, we’re breaking free. Oh runnin’. Climbin’. To get to that place. To be all that we can be. Now’s the time. So we’re breaking free."

I have been reading, Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer. Truely, it is changing my way of thinking, concerning writing. Before reading this book, I was a proponent of writing exercises to get those juices flowing, but now I'm seeing that a discipline regiment of writing everday provides the same boost of juices. I wished I had read this book years ago. But then maybe I wasn't ready for it yet.

I'm ready to break free and write with all liberty.

Brands and Taglines

2008-05-25T23:35:00.003-05:00

I attended a local writing group meeting this last week. I so enjoy getting together with like-minded writers. I especially love my critique partners. Somedays, I wished we met more often.

This last meeting, we discussed the importance of brands. For instance, when you think about Stephen King...what genre or brand do you think of...thrillers? We become more marketable when we zero in on one particular genre to write.

For many years, I detested the thought of singling out one genre. I felt that it would stifle my creativity. I wanted to try out all the genres and see which one fit me best. However, I have since realized that approach is a waste of time. (Truly, I never thought I'd say that!)

I must tell you since I know my brand now, I am much happier. Perhaps you are like me and don't know where to start, trying to figure out what you write? Well, I can certainly steer you in the right direction today. This little exercise is what I used to help me figure out what type of writer I am. Are you ready? Let me give you what I wrote. (If you use this example, please link it back to my blog or use my name)

First, list your top five favorite books and genre:

1. Men of the Saddle Series by Lori Copeland Historical Romantic Comedy
2. Yellow Rose Trilogy by Lori Wick Historical Romance
3. Yellow Rose Bride by Lori Copeland Historical Romantic Comedy
4. Bride Most Begrudging by Deanne Gist Historical Romantic Comedy
5. Courting Trouble by Deanne Gist Historical Romantic Comedy

(Some of these books may not be listed as comedy, but they made me laugh out loud.)

Second, list your top five favorite movies and genre:

1. Pride and Prejudice Historical Romance
2. Emma Historical Romance
3. Support Your Local Sheriff Historical Romantic Comedy
4. Bringing Up Baby Historical Romantic Comedy
5. Counterfeit Countessa Romantic Comedy

Third, list the genre most commonly found on your list.

Historical Romantic Comedy

Fourth, list favorite words that describe this genre:

Historical: antique lace, treasure, days of old, dusty, ancient
Romantic: love, interest, fondness,
Comedy: giggles, laughter, grins,

Last, take these favorite words and dream up a tagline. Here is mine. I've chosen to use words from historical and comedy adding in a word to describe my Christian market.

Grins, Grace, and Antique Lace

Now it's your turn!

If you get stuck and need help...post a comment with your email addy and I'll contact you.

So, go find your brand!

In Between

2008-04-28T16:37:00.002-05:00

Ah, man...I don't know what to write.

I'm like in between a rock and a hard place. I've started rewriting two older manuscripts of mine, but now I've lost my desire to continue.

I'm thinking I need to let go of them and continue moving forward. What do you think?

I keep mulling over possible plots and themes, but none of them excite me. Is it just me or have you gone through this too?

I love historicals, but am in no mood to research one. So, that leaves contemporary. I want to create some characters, throw in some conflict, and sit back and watch them react.

I've done the normal beginning stuff...looking through newspapers, reading magazines, watching sensationalized TV, and journaling ideas. Still nothing.

I'd be more than happy to entertain your thoughts. Post me some ideas or email them to me whichever. (((shrug)))

Perhaps next week, I can post I have a start of something?

What Concerns You?

2008-04-04T09:47:00.002-05:00

I've had the opportunity to write an essay on what concerns me globally and then I had to write a piece on my local concerns.

Sometimes, I find this hard because I seldom read the paper and only watch the news to get the weather. However, when you look through news article, magazines ariticles, and internet news you will find certain subjects will leap out to you.

Write what concerns you and then you can submit these pieces to the op/ed of your local newspaper or donate them to a magazine. In this way, you can earn by-lines for yourself and thicken your portfolio.

Here is my latest offering:

The article entitled, First Catholic Church Opens in Qatar, Sparking Fear of Backlash Against Christians, By Sonia Verma, concerns me. I wonder what will happen as Americans continue to cover the Arabian nations with our missionary efforts. Will this provoke an already much touted tolerance message here at home? Will we be force-fed Muslim doctrine on our televisions, newspapers, and schools?

Reciprocity is the word used to describe this new movement. Among Muslim leaders, the idea of mosques accepted in the west should encourage their governments to accept Christian churches in the east. If this movement happened in any other country, and involved any other religion, I would applaud this great missionary success. However, I wonder will Americans be pulled into a religious war not unlike the wars of the past? Will Muslim militants seize Christian church buildings, murder priests, pastors, or teachers, igniting rage in the west?

During the crusades, English men of great courage fought the Muslim armies to regain control of Jerusalem. Twelve crusades and thousands of deaths later, the English retreated. How did this cause benefit them? It didn’t. Women lost not only their fathers and providers, but also 15,000 children died while they marched to Jerusalem. The fighters who returned infested their country with non-Christian beliefs much to the dismay of the papacy.

I understand that missions work must persist if we are to see our Lord’s glorious appearing, my caution is to be wary of the tolerance message. Our missionary efforts will be tainted in whole if we do not protect our gospel message at home. Great steps toward above ground churches are taken daily in such places as the Arabian nations and China. We need to not allow these advances to soften our domestic missions by allowing other religions to persuade us to accept their beliefs as truths. For we know the truth lies in knowing the one God, the one cross, and the one peace giver.

Dangerous Curves Ahead

2008-03-29T10:09:00.005-05:00

Sensory writing elevates the emotions in a story. Readers turn pages to feel the next emotion. Observing sensory perceptions in daily living will intensify every story told.

Every morning, much to my body’s dismay, I enter the gym. Music blasts me awake as I hear an electronic woman’s voice say, “Please change stations now.” I slide my membership card under the red light, hearing a high pitched beep. I’m clocked-in with the computer nagging me to weigh-in.

I find my favorite station. As I run in place, I feel my jiggles wiggle, and for a brief moment, I appreciate a gym with no mirrors. Looking around the circuit, I’m relieved to find other women in pursuit of replacing their winter coat.

Change stations, please…oh, thank ya, Jesus. My thighs ache from the squats. My heart pounds in my throat. My breaths are shallow. What’s that smell? I look to the lady next to me doing sit-ups. Could she have released a frog? I frown and hold my breath; surely it will pass in a moment.

As I move to the next station, the circular fan dries my wet skin. The odor is back. I quickly look around the room to see if anyone watches me and then I wipe my face with my t-shirt. I hope no one notices me sniffing myself. Oh, the horror of it all. No frogs were released. Mental note…stay away from the fans.

Second time around, the torture is over. I find a trash can and spit out my cardboard tasting gum. I stumble, reaching for pure refreshment, my water bottle on a shelf. Cold, crisp, liquid seeps down my throat. I wonder how something with no taste can taste so good? I pop a new stick of cinnamon gum in my mouth and head for the stretching circuit.

I grip the rubber handrails and stare at the second hand. I’m quite relieved I’m the only one stretching. I extend my legs. Three women attack the jungle gym. All of us monkeys clamor for more space. Someone ahead of me is not watching the clock. I now place my hand on my soft, velvety, sweats and wait. Their incessant talking irritates me. C’mon with it girls. Get a hitch in your giddy up. I’ve got things to do. Namely take a shower…I think the lady next to me is sniffing for frogs…in my direction.

Who's Head is it Anyways?

2008-03-27T20:52:00.003-05:00

I recently spoke with someone having trouble with point of view. So, I decided to post my response to her email on my blog because maybe there were other writer's out in cyberland who would benefit from this information.

Imagine yourself at a party holding a video camera. Everything you film is what your two hands move the camera to capture. Your voice is the only one speaking into the microphone. No one else can film your party like you. You film what you want, say what you want, and zoom in on what you want.

And then you pass the video camera to your husband. Now he films what he wants, says what he wants, and zooms in on what he wants. His story and everything he captures will be nothing like yours. The only way we can go back to your point of view is if the camera is handed back to you.

Now imagine you have two characters and their scene is their camera. They have to pass a scene back and forth between them so, the audience can understand their side of the story.

Sara, the heroine, begins the book in her POV. Everything she feels, sees, hears, tastes, thinks, and touches are written here. If anyone interrupts her internal monologue with their five senses or thoughts will throw her point of view off. Because it's all about her and her thoughts and her emotions and her five senses. No one else is allowed.

Sara, pass the camera, please...next scene.

Now after we space down a couple of times, we introduce our hero, Sam. This scene is told from his side of the story. His thoughts, his emotions, his five senses are recorded here. However, if Sara jumps in and her internal monologue appears, telling the reader her five senses, thoughts, or emotions while it's Sam's turn...she should feel guilty and be banished for the next 20 pages. Because as our mommas always told us it is rude to butt in on someone else's business. Besides, it's Sam's turn with the camera/scene.

This is called a purist point of view, because it is one scene - one point of view.

My critique partner made the claim that when you write like this the reader doesn't get to experience both the hero and heroine's emotion...for instance, when they share their first kiss. But this is not so. Sam tells his story about their chance kiss in his cynical way. There was nothing to the kiss. It was just a peck, one he'd give his own sister. He brushes the thought aside. There's more important things to think about...like Gary at work and how he always spys on Sam.

But wait, the next scene opens in Sara's loving point of view. She feels she has met her knight in shining armour. His lips were soft against hers and his hand pressed ever so gently against the small of her back. The kiss is obviously the beginning of a relationship.

Same kiss-two scenes-two points of view gives the reader even more insight into the character's goals, motivations, and conflicts. We know even more now than had we had one scene and only the descriptions of each character's emotions during the kiss.

If your not sure what omniscient point of view is...let's take it one step further.

Well, let's introduce one more character...the narrator. If Sam and Sara pass the camera back and forth, so the reader can see each side to their emotions, thoughts, and five senses, the narrator is the producer in the private sound room. The narrator tells the story, but sometimes she steps over her boundary and she spies and she exposes their private thoughts on a T.V. reality show.

However, this omniscient character is worse than the producers of any show. Because she is aware of Sam's and Sara's emotions, thoughts, and five senses and intrudes on their privacy by exposing what she knows, which is okay for a reality show, but is awful for fiction. Readers want to discover the characters on their own without someone telling them what is going on in the story.

Try this:

First Person Exercise

Write about Sara calling Sam for a date in first person. Using the word I and the verb is and be sure to include her five senses, her emotions, and her internal monologue (what she thinks).

Third Person Exercise

Write about Sam's reaction to the phone call in an internal monologue, entirely in third person. Using the word He and the verb was and include his thoughts, emotions, and five senses.

Omniscient Exercise

Write another scene this time about Sara arriving at Sam's apartment to ask him why he won't date her. Include both their thoughts, emotions, and five senses in this one scene.

My Talent

2008-03-20T11:26:00.002-05:00

As I was studying my devotion for the day, I read about how God gave men in select tribes of Israel, a talent. He did this in order to accomplish His goal of building a temple.

A man from Judah and a man from Dan were given such Godly wisdom and knowledge in craftsmanship they were able to construct anything. However, the scripture, which struck a chord in me was not only did God give these two men the ability to build, but they were also given the ability to teach their skills to others.

This led me to think...what is my God-given talent? And how can I share this skill with others?

What must I do to find my talent or skill? Or perhaps I already know and need God to confirm His word in me?

When I was 14, a man I had never met before ask to pray with me. While he was praying, he began to tell me things I had never told anyone before. When he ended his prayer, he held my hands and said, "This day God is placing a talent in your hands that you will use for His glory."

Now through the years, this has bugged me. I tried everything to figure out what this talent was...like playing music. I can honestly say playing the piano is not my gift. My brain seems to wake-up and realize the math involved in playing and then shuts down. I also tried playing the alto saxophone, I played decently, but not great. Cross music off my list.

Then I tried floral arranging. I love flowers. I have made bouquets, corsages, pew bows, and floral archways for many weddings. I enjoyed working in floral shops. However, within the last couple of years I have developed allergies to flowers. The kind of allergies that send me to the ER. Today, it's silk or nothing at all. Not to mention my wrists hurt from working in this industry. Probably from doing the same movements day after day, year after year. Cross floral design off my list.

About four years ago, I had this brainstorm that maybe...just maybe my talent might be writing. However, as I learn the craft of writing and offer my projects up as a sacrifice, I find only rejection and insult.

Not that I think that any talent God gives will be met with glorious approval and contracts, but a little encouragement would go a long way. Which is why I enrolled in the Christian Writer's Guild Course. So far, the encouraging words my mentor sends me ignites my creativity. I am working on articles and novels. And I haven't written anything, since the last writer's conference I went to several months ago.

With the encouragement of my critique partner, Janet Brown, and my daughter, I am now considering re-writing some of my manuscripts for the YA market. Possibly this is what I'm meant to do?

In researching the YA market, I came across this list. Look it over and see where you are...me? I think I'm somewhere between 6 & 7. (This is from Writing for Young Adults, by Sherry Garland)

Stage One - Dreaming. You read voraciously, love words and language, an admire authors. You have great ideas that might make good (young adult) books but, for one reason or another, you haven't written anything down. You are "thinking about writing a book."

Stage Two - Planning. You finally get some words down on paper and tinker with them off and on. You subscribe to writer magazines, read how-to books, join a writers group and even attend local writers conferences. You enjoy writing and the companionship of writers, but you do not try to sell your material.

Stage Three - Hopeful. Your friends say you are talented. You work diligently on your book for weeks, months or even years until you feel it is perfect. With your heart racing, you send off your first manuscript. You anxiously check the mail. As you tear open the self-addressed 9 X 12 manila envelope, you envision how you'll spend the advance.

Stage Four - Depression. You receive your first rejection. Then your second, third, and fourth. You shout at the absentee editor, or cry, or eat a box of chocolates and commiserate with your writing friends. Every item you send out is rejected, usually with no more than a form letter. Self-doubt soars.

Stage Five - Withdrawal. You convince yourself that you are totally untalented (or that the editors of the world do not appreciate you.) You shelve your manuscripts in the attic or garage and tell the rodents to enjoy them. You hate all successful authors, especially R. L. Stine.

Stage Six - Rejuvenation. At the bookstore you notice a (young adult (YA), romance, historical, contemporary, or whatever genre you write) bestseller that's eerily similar to your manuscript. You think that your name could have been on the spine. You dig out all the old dust-covered boxes, renew your subscription to writers magazines, join another writers club, attend more conferences, meet writers and editors and take a writing course. This time you set goals.

Stage Seven - Persistence. You set aside time for writing, usually late at night, early in the morning or on weekends. You experiment with techniques and styles until you find the one that feels right. You research the market and send out professional-looking work.

Stage Eight - Breakthrough. You sell your first short piece. It's for a regional publication or a children's magazine and you only receive ten dollars for it, but you celebrate anyway. Rejections still come, but they are personalized, encouraging and does not paralyze you.

Stage Nine - First Big Sale. An editor makes an offer on your manuscript. One year later, it is published. The future looks rosy.

Stage Ten - Sink or Swim. You sell more articles or maybe even another book. You stash away money until you have enough savings to survive for one year, and then you quit your day job. You write every day and keep several manuscripts in the mail. You are hard-working and dedicated, knowing that if you do not sell, you will have to return to your dreary job.

Stage Eleven - Career Author. Your income derives solely from writing and speaking engagements. As a published author, you are now a business with all the ramifications that it implies. The pressure of meeting deadlines, coping with bad or inaccurate reviews, balancing school visits with research, writing and family, keeping tax records and handling promotion can turn your hair gray. But you keep going; the rewards outweigh the headaches.

Did you recognize yourself at any of these stages? I did. And it makes me feel better to know that if I keep trying there are still stages ahead to recognize.

So, the questions hitting me today are: What is my talent? How can I play my talent forward and bless others by teaching them? What are my goals? How can I make the successful leap from stage six to stage seven?

What questions plague you? How can you find your answers?