CROSSING THE DEEP is up for BEST YA NOVEL at the Preditors and Editors Awards! This is the last day to vote! I can't tell you how much winning this would mean to me :)
Please, if you can, go to this link http://critters.org/predpoll/novelyoungadult.shtml and vote Crossing the Deep.
I think it would be so cool if a clean/Christian book won best YA! :)
Thanks :)
Today is a real treat :) I have Marsha Ward here today to talk a little about herself, how she writes, why she writes, and if she's a pantser or a planner... How did you become interested in the Civil War?
Author Robert Newton Peck once said that every historical writer has their favorite war. While his was the French and Indian War, mine turned out to be the Civil War. I don’t know what sparked my passion for it. It could have been reading some of historian Bruce Catton’s work, or Gone With the Wind, during high school. My interest certainly did not stem from a personal or family issue, since none of my relatives fought on either side. If they had, they’ve have been Union soldiers, and my characters fought for the South.
That said, my current novels actually have post-Civil War settings, dealing with the aftermath of that great struggle, so they fit more in the classification of Western Migration novels, or Settling of the West.
Very cool. Tell us about your novels.
The Man from Shenandoahbegins as Carl Owen returns from the Civil War to find the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father determined to leave the Shenandoah Valley to build a cattle empire in Colorado Territory. Crossing the continent, Carl falls in love with his brother's fiancée while set to wed another girl, but he might lose everything if the murderous outlaw Berto Acosta has his way. Carl battles a band of outlaws, a prairie fire, blizzards, a trackless waterless desert, and his own brother-all for the hand of feisty Ellen Bates.
Ride to Ratoncontinues from there: after losing the heart of his fiancée to his brother, James Owen leaves home to make a new life for himself. The turbulent world of post-Civil War Colorado Territoryis fraught with danger and prejudice that increase his bitter loneliness as personal setbacks threaten to break him. Then James's journey brings him into contact with another wayfarer, beautiful young Amparo Garcés, who has come from Santa Fe to Colorado to marry a stranger. Through a twist of fate, their futures are changed forever when their lives are merged in a marriage of convenience. James and Amparo undertake a hazardous horseback trek over Raton Passto Santa Fe, battling their personal demons, a challenging language barrier, and winter's raging storms.
My third novel, Trail of Storms, goes back to tell the tale of a peripheral character from the first novel. Jessie Bingham and her family flee post-Civil War Virginia after her sister suffers a brutal attack, and together endure a perilous trek to New Mexico Territory. When she hears her former sweetheart, James Owen, has taken a wife, Jessie accepts Ned Heizer’s marriage proposal on the condition they wait until journey’s end to wed. But then Jessie encounters James again... and he isn’t married now!
Spinster’s Follyis the fourth book in the series, and tells Marie Owen’s story. Marie lives in a land that is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors. Her desire to get married before she winds up a spinster propels her into making hasty decisions that drive her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers.
Wow, all of those books sound like they would be great reads. How much research was necessary to make your books so historically believable and where did you conduct most of your research? Did you visit the locations where you set your novels?
I read 150 books to research my first novel. Some I bought, but most came from the library. Over the years that I’ve been writing the series, I have been able to do some on-the-ground research, and I recently took a trip back East to visit Civil War battlefields and other areas in preparation to write my next book. I’ve also been amassing books on the Civil War in the last year. Lots of books!
In the earlier years, I conducted several interviews with people familiar with the areas I wanted to learn about. Photographs were also helpful, as were the state guides produced as WPA projects during the Great Depression. I’ve found several very good online sources for research on my later books.
Are you a pantser or a planner when you write?
I definitely write by the seat of my pants, once I have an idea for a story and know who my characters will be. I’m doing more planning now than I used to, though, so I don’t spend way too much time rewriting. However, I’ll never again write a complete synopsis early-on. That doesn’t work for me, because my brain then thinks I’ve already written the book.
While I’m writing, I make various charts and spreadsheets to help me analyze the number of occurrances of different points-of-view, and events within scenes. This helps the revision process goes faster.
I now use a great writing software program called yWriter5, which allows me to focus on one scene at a time. This is important, so that I don’t become daunted by the vastness of the project. A huge upside to using it is that the software is free!
I'm a writer too, so I like to ask other writers. 'What's your writing schedule like?'
Very fragmented. I’m easily distracted, but when I’m white-hot in the initial draft, I can write for up to eight hours, broken up by short breaks. This is only possible because I live alone.
I wish I had a better schedule. Almost every writer I know wishes the same thing!
I know I do lol... actually, I wish my fingers and eyelids kept up with my brain lol. Have you held a "day job" in addition to your writing?
Yes. Through the years I mothered my children, and then worked as a journalist, an educator, and in a retail store. I’ve also volunteered with several organizations, doing websites, newsletters, and a multitude of other chores.
Something I'm always curious about... How do you promote your books?
I have a website and a couple of blogs, I’m active on Facebook and other social media venues, and I’m always looking for ways to let people know I’m an author, such as giving talks and networking with various groups. I find that word of mouth from enthusiastic readers drives the most sales, though.
Advice to anyone contemplating writing a Civil War novel?
Do thorough research, keep accessible notes, then let the fingers loose.
Finally, How would you like to be remembered?
As a kind person who could write a little.
Thank you so much, Marsha, for being on my blog today... and HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!!!!
~*~*~*~*~
(I love that book cover!!)
What exactly is Spinster's Folly? Marie Owen yearns for a loving husband, but Colorado Territory is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors, so a future of spinsterhood seems more likely than wedded bliss. Her best friend says cowboy Bill Henry is a likely candidate, but Marie knows her class-conscious father would not allow such a pairing. When she challenges her father to find her a suitable husband before she becomes a spinster, he arranges a match with a neighbor's son. Then Marie discovers Tom Morgan would be an unloving, abusive mate and his mother holds a grudge against the Owen family. Marie's mounting despair at the prospect of being trapped in such a dismal marriage drives her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers. This fourth book in the Owen Family Saga is infused with potent heart and intense grit.
Marsha Ward is an award-winning writer and editor who has published over 900 pieces of work, including three previous novels in the Owen Family Saga, numerous newspaper articles, and sections in books on the craft of writing. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and American Night Writers Association. Born a while ago in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, Marsha grew up with chickens, citrus trees, and lots of room to roam. She began telling stories at a very early age, regaling neighborhood chums with her tales as they snacked on her homemade sugar cookies and drank cold milk. Visiting her cousins on their ranch and listening to her father's stories of homesteading in Old Mexico and in the Tucson area reinforced Marsha's love of 19th Century Western history. After many years in the big city, Marsha now makes her home in a tiny hamlet under Central Arizona's magnificent Mogollon Rim. When she is not writing, she loves to spoil her grandchildren, travel, give talks, meet readers, and sign books. Here are links to my author pages at Smashwords and Amazon: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marshaward
http://www.amazon.com/Marsha-Ward/e/B003RB9P9Q/ And links to my Social Media sites: Website: http://marshaward.com
Author Blog: http://marshaward.blogspot.com
Character Blog: http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarshaWard Online Book Release Event at Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/333393153425853/
Well, I have been black headed for a grand total of 3 days now, and I've noticed somethings. 1. I'm not as confident. I thought I would be, but darn if I find myself wanting to run and hide so people don't see me, which is difficult since, well, I have black hair and it KINDA sticks out!
2. Old people do not like black hair on a young sprout. Of the 3 people who absolutely hated my hair, all of them were 45 and older. The younger people really loved it. Yay young people!
3. The hair has now changed to an interesting chocolate brown color. I'm liking it more and more as it goes away from gothic black. I'm a closet goth... ok, I'm not. I have no idea how to be a 'goth'. I don't really want to be. I do, however, tend to wear a lot of black and not have dark hair... so whatever that means. Maybe it was yet another phase I didn't live out in my teen years.
Ok, now to other things... it can't all be about my hair.
I said yesterday that the OC ff fans are the best in the world, and they are. I love them all, especially those who write replies... BUT there is another group of ff fans I love.. the TWILIGHTERS!!! I have been nominated for a twilight award for a story I wrote called Shades of Gray. NOW, If you are one of those people who laugh and mock FF writers, then go ahead... we do too. I sometimes find myself sitting in my chair when the kids are asleep writing about Ryan and Taylor or Bella and Edward and thing to myself, "Self, you are in idiot for writing something like this when you could be doing something important with your time." My reply to myself? "I work all day. Come home and take care of 2 kids and a DH, I deserve some me time and if it's writing a sex scene with Ryan Atwood then so be it." I have yet to write said sex scene, but you get my drift.
OH, here is the link to the Twilight Awards http://fallingstarr-mora.blogspot.com/ I'm nominated in the first catagory and like I said, the story is Shades of Gray.
**I plan on writing a whole thing sometime about how I'm going to vote in the election... but not right now. Now I'm worrying about driving to the 'big city' 60 miles away to an inservice tomorrow and I have no idea how to get there... I have my trusty map quest and that's about it. Wish me luck. I may never be back to update this blog... I may disappear and a body might wash up in the river in 3-4 years... the only way to identify it? It's unnaturally black hair!
First, I’d like to give a big thank you to Kelly for allowing me to host her blog! I truly appreciate her sharing her readers with me as I celebrate the release of my debut novel. Along the Way Home.
How a Stinging Rejection Led to a Book Contract Signing with Astraea Press wasn't a decision I took lightly. At the time the contract was offered (on my birthday!!!!!) I had six agents and three editors (Medallion Press, Tor/Forge, and a small press) reviewing requested partials/fulls, an R&R offer from an agent, and an offer pending from another small press.
I happily walked away from all of the above because I believe so strongly in Astraea Press, and the niche they’ve carved out for themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
What does that mean? Let me backtrack a bit and reveal something that happened in January of 2013 that perfectly illustrates why I chose to go with Astraea.
I was rejected by an agent who called my book lovely and sweet, raved about my writing and the storyline, but ended with the statement, “…let your characters engage in sex and describe the sex. As it stands, I’ll pass. Put the sex in and I’ll take another look.”
I assure you, I have thick skin when it comes to rejections. I’ve racked up my fair share since I began querying, and normally take them with a grain of salt (and chocolate—lots of chocolate), but this one really bothered me. I understand if a rejection is based upon my writing style, the likability of my characters, or a flaw in the storyline—but to be rejected solely on the basis that I choose NOT to include sex? That one didn't go over well.
So much so that I finally decided it was time to query the one publisher I’d had my eye on for months. A publisher that cares not only for the authors, but for the kind of work they attach their name to. I'd discovered Astraea Press before I started querying in September and really liked the stance the owner, Stephanie Taylor, took against unnecessary sex.
Bottom line, I’m proud to have my book published with Astraea Press!
I’d love to hear from you. What is a dream you never gave up on?
They lost everything but their dreams on the Oregon Trail…
Kate Davis is intrigued when her father reveals his dream of starting a horse ranch in Oregon Territory. Settlers out west value a strong woman, and though she manages the financials of her father’s mercantile her competence earns her ridicule, not respect, from Virginia’s elite society.
Jake Fitzpatrick, an experienced trail guide, wants land out west to raise cattle and crops. But dreams require money and he’s eating dandelion greens for dinner. So when a wealthy businessman offers double wages to guide his family across the Oregon Trail, Jake accepts with one stipulation—he is in complete control.
Departure day finds Kate clinging to her possessions as Jake demands she abandon all he deems frivolous, including her deceased mother’s heirlooms. Jake stands firm, refusing to let the whims of a headstrong woman jeopardize the wages he so desperately needs—even a beautiful one with fiery green eyes and a temper to match.
Trail life is a battle of wills between them until tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with an honor-bound promise to protect her from harm and Kate with a monumental choice—go back to everything she’s ever known or toward everything she’s ever wanted?
Advance Praise for Along the Way Home …author Christi Corbett unfurls an unforgettable epic romance inside of an epic Western adventure. Beautifully crafted, this debut novel is a tender journey of the heart as well as a treacherous journey of many miles. Eve Paludan, author of Taking Back Tara (Ranch Lovers Romance series)
A breathtaking account of courage and adventure along the Oregon Trail. Jillian Kent, author of The Ravensmoore Chronicles.
A dash of action! A touch of intrigue! Loads of sweet, clean romantic promise… Reid Lance Rosenthal, Winner of 15 National Awards, #1 Best Selling Author of the Threads West, An American Sagaseries.
BUY LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
ASTRAEA PRESS
About Christi
I’m addicted to coffee, sticky notes, and the Oxford Comma. I live in a small town in Oregon with my husband and our twins. Our home’s location is especially inspiring because the view from the back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territoryand beyond.
Along the Way Home is a Sweet Historical Romance. It released in ebook format on June 11, 2013 and will be available in print July of 2013. It is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Astraea Press (my publisher) and several other retailers.
When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations: Email: christicorbett@gmail.com Blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com Twitter: @ChristiCorbett
Facebook: Christi Corbett—Author
Don't forget to enter to win one of five free advanced review copies of, THE DECEPTION OF DEVIN MILLER. CLICK HERE for details...
During her junior year, sixteen-year-old Maggie Reynolds expected to shop for prom dresses not maternity clothes. Now, instead of studying for the SATs, she’s reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Maggie’s ‘Mother Dearest’ lives in fear that Maggie will somehow taint the family name, so Maggie can’t turn to her for help. Meanwhile, her father is oblivious to anything but his 9-9 job. And her boyfriend, Justin? She’s pretty sure he’ll stay by her side. While Maggie wrestles with her options, Justin offers a solution: abortion. It would solve all her problems quickly, easily, and effectively. And her parents would never know, which means they won’t throw her out and cut her off like they’d always threatened if she got herself knocked up. But an easy decision becomes difficult when Maggie’s aunt discovers her secret and sets out on a mission to stop the abortion, putting a kink in Maggie’s plan. Now Maggie must decide which choice she can live with: abortion or teenage motherhood. Either way, it’ll be a tough road to travel.
*Young Adult RONE finalist award and the USA Best Book Award finalist in Youth Issues
* Special Note: At What Cost can be purchased for 99 cents at Amazon and Barnes& Noble for this week only!
Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Astraea Press | Kobo | Smashwords | Audible
EXCERPT:
“You’re pregnant?” It was a harsh half statement, half question punctuated with clenched teeth.
“Wha—?” Maggie was too shocked to realize what had happened, but when she looked back to where she stood, she spotted a sheepish looking Lauren mouthing the words, “I’m sorry.” “Ugh.” “Well, are you?”
His grip on her tightened. “Justin, you’re hurting my arm.”
He let go and motioned for her to sit with a quick thrust of his hand toward the table, but his eyes revealed his anger. He was furious, but then she saw a hint of fear hidden behind his golden irises. In those moments, she was five years old again, the day she’d broken her mother’s favorite vase. Her mother had loomed over her, drilling her for information. Pointed and yelled.
This time, it was Justin. “Are you, or aren’t you?” His eyes crinkled, his brow furrowed, and a deep crease appeared on his forehead.
Trying to control his reactions proved to be impossible, and soon, his leg bounced under the table, and he wiped the nervous sweat on his palms off on his jeans. This still wasn’t the place to talk. The cement walls of the school were beginning to feel like a jail cell; anywhere she went, Maggie felt trapped.
“Can we talk about this after school?” Maggie said, trying to be assertive. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists.
“No, we can’t. If you’re pregnant, I need to know.”
This wasn’t how she had pictured it. She was supposed to plan the conversation and the place. Definitely not in the corner of the cafeteria with people walking by who might hear her secret, a secret she hadn’t decided how to handle. Thank you so much, Lauren!
Justin grabbed her wrists from across the table. “Maggie, it’s a simple yes or no question. Are. You. Pregnant?”
She could feel the rage rolling off him in waves, and she knew stalling was not an option.
“Yes.”
The silence grew louder, and Justin didn’t move. He stared at her, his eyes shifting across her eyes in a quick staccato. She didn’t know she could feel so uncomfortable, so she tried to ease that discomfort by looking away. When she met his gaze again, he glared at her, not saying a word. He never spoke. Not when he let go of her wrists, not when he got up from the seat across from her, not when he left the room. Not a single word.
Author Info: Jessie Andersen lives in a small town in Western New York with her husband and three kids. A former English teacher, she now spends her time writing while the kids are at school and the baby is sleeping. She volunteers at the local library and sings in the church band. You can find information about her books at her website, and you can follow her blogs at her personal blog and her book blog. You can also follow her on Twitter and on Facebook.
You still have time to enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card to celebrate the release of my new book, SAINT SLOAN. CLICK here to enter!
First of all... I chose this dress--- >
You know... from my 'What if the Grace Awards were like the Oscars' post? CLICK HERE for a Refresher...
Well, they were announced a little late, but CROSSING THE DEEP WON!!!!
Here's the link if you don't believe me... I know, it's hard to believe...
So... *IF* this was like the Academy Awards, I'd get to make a speech right about now. Since this *is* my Oscars, here we go...
" I want to thank, first and foremost, God because He put me on this wild ride. To Charlotte Kaufman for filling me in on what 'Nanowrimo' was. To the July '10 Mamas for all the encouragement! You kept me going. To the Feb. '07 Mamas for being so supportive. To Stephanie Taylor and Astraea Press. Thanks for taking a chance on me. To my family for putting up with my writing and the time it takes. I know it's not easy on you. To my sister Karen and my Mama for loving Crossing the Deep and being so excited for me. To my daddy... I wish he could have been here to see it. To K. Victoria Chase for being such a good friend to me all through this. To Megan Wille for pushing me. To Jan Christiansen for giving me priceless advice (both in writing and in life). To Wendy Knight for being such an awesome, pick me up when I'm feeling down, friend.
And to my sister, Kathy, who has read every draft of Crossing the Deep and was my biggest supporter and encourager. If it wasn't for her saying I could do it, I never would have. Thank you all!" Cue the orchestra.
I have other things on my mind besides winning the Grace Award (I still think it's pretty cool to say that... )
In no particular order, here are the top 3 things I'm wondering about right this second...
1. Contemporary 'Civil War' Zombies (See my facebook page for more information on what the heck that is about... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Martin-Author/136506059763138 )
2. If I really can get 2,000 Twitter followers (See my twitter account to help out... https://twitter.com/martieKay )
and... 3. How cool it is that I 'know' Rachel Van Dyken! Ok... I don't know her, know her. When I signed with Astraea Press, Rachel was one of the people who wrote 'welcome' on my 'official' first thread. I was star struck, let me tell you. I knew who she was and most of all, how successful she was as a writer. I was all like, "Rachel Van Dyken talked to me... " BUT, once you get to know her, you realize, that's her. She talks to everyone... and has never once acted like she was higher on the hog (Southern reference for ya... ) than the rest of us. Plus, she's an awesome writer! My mother loves her regencies, and I very much like her New Adult line. A few days ago, Rachel signed a big ole contract with a big publishing company-- livin' the dream as it were... and she's still just as sweet as ever. Here are a few of her books if you are one of the two or three people in the world who haven't bought a copy ;)
... just to name a few.
I'm so proud of Rachel and am very honored to be able to help her celebrate her success :)
SO... to celebrate Rachel's contract and CROSSING THE DEEP winning Best Young Adult Christian Novel at the Grace Awards, I've decided to do a giveaway.
Two (2) random people will be chosen from the comments of this blog. One (1) will receive one of Rachel's books (you choose) via Nook or Kindle... And one (1) will receive either of my books (Crossing the Deep or Saint Sloan) via Nook or Kindle... your choice
What should you comment? Doesn't matter. All comments are eligible to win, just please put your email address in your reply.
Ready? Let the games begin :)
Linked with: Rachel Got The Contract Blog Hop
Tomorrow, this year's Grace Awards will be announced. My first book, CROSSING THE DEEP, has been nominated for Best Young Adult Christian Novel...
I'm BEYOND excited!
Instead of writing and doing something productive tonight, I got to thinking about 'what if the Grace Awards were like the Oscars'? Honestly, I'll probably never get to go to a big awards show (though it is on my bucket list) and this Grace Award might be the only award I'm ever nominated for (let's just be real here... )
SO, I decided why not go all out and pretend I was getting to go an awards show tomorrow... what would I wear? Who would give me the award if I won? How would I react?
Well, friends... take a peak into my brain...
FIRST is the dress... the very important dress.
I'm torn..
OR
It would help if I told you that this is my favorite red carpet person...
HELENA BONHAM CARTER (LOVE HER!)
Anyway, so I'd probably pick the red dress (but covet the black and white one... )
And I'd wear this bracelet...
(I looked.. it's $45,000 from Zales.com That's more than I make in a year, btw... )
I'd have my hair styled like this...
Get the picture?
My husband would walk in with me...
OKAY, now for the awards...
First of all... these men would be announcing the winner in my category...
Being this is my 'perfect' awards show, CROSSING THE DEEP would win (yay!) and I'd be all...
Then I'd be all... HEEEEEEEEEYYYY I won!
Then the tears would come...
NO, I mean REAL tears...
It would be the BEST. DAY. EVER!!!
NOW, if I were to lose to two amazing novels I'm nominated with, I'd be a little sad--- maybe even a little crabby...
But, I'd get over it and be happy for the winner because it is TRULY...
... an honor just to be nominated :)
FINGERS CROSSED!!
CHECK out the other nominees in my category...
Chosen, The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy Volume 1 by Barbara Ellen Brink
Seventh Dimension – The Door by Lorilyn Roberts
GOOD LUCK LADIES!!!
Check out the Grace Awards Website tomorrow to see who won in all categories. You might find your new favorite novel!
I'm so excited to announce that Monday will begin a one week blog tour for SAINT SLOAN put together by the AMAZING Megan from Reading Away the Days.
I'm so excited for this tour because these are blogs I've never visited before and can't wait to find new favorite places on the web. We will have reviews and book spotlights. I haven't read the reviews yet, so it promises to be an interesting week ;)
ALSO, I'm so excited and nervous because May the 10th, the winners of the Grace Awards will be announced!! (*squee*) Crossing the Deep is up against two amazing books and it truly is an honor just to be nominated... however... I've never got to say an acceptance speech so I'd love to win and type one out to put on the blog lol. (Who am I kidding? I'll probably write one anyway ;) )
AND Crossing the Deep is #13 in Teen Religion on Amazon today!!! I nearly fell over. It has never been so high in ranks! Head over and check out what the fuss is about.
CROSSING THE DEEP ON AMAZON CROSSING THE DEEP ON B&N (NOOK)
Here is the blog tour schedule for next week! HUGE thanks to Megan for setting this up. If you have a YA book, I highly recommend her :)
Saint Sloan Blog Tour Schedule 6th May- Book Spotlight @ http://www.bethannmasarik.com/
7th May- Review @ http://www.sheiladeeth.blogspot.com/
8th May- Review @ http://www.authorstowatch.com/
9th May- Review & Excerpt @ http://www.fatedparanormals.blogspot.com/
10th May- Review @ http://www.mydevotionalthoughts.com/
11th May- Book Spotlight @ http://www.readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/
12th May- Review @ http://justinevandale.blogspot.co.uk/ Giveaway- Win a $25 Amazon Giftcard
Giveaway is open to everyone that can receive amazon giftcards
Giveaway Ends 31st May 2013
Giveaway will be put on all blog stops!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Megan McDade http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com - YA review blog http://readingawaythedaysblogtours.blogspot.co.uk/ - FREE YA blog tours available
TWITTER: @Teamwolf1988
It's been awhile since I've posted. I haven't forgotten ya'll, just got busy.
Have you ever heard of pitchmadness? Well, if not, it's a contest where you enter a 35 word pitch and the first 250 words of your novel. 'Slush readers' read the pitches and choose their favorites. Then the team captains pick 15 each (60 total). Those pitches are loaded on the websites and the participating agents get to 'bid' on the pitches (the rules will be up tomorrow).
WELL, I'm SO Excited because my 4th novel (wow... I can't believe I've written FOUR!) was chosen to be on #thedreamteam by captain Brenda Drake! I'm OVER THE MOON! Honestly, I never thought it would go that far. I love it, but I didn't know if others would. Even if I don't get an agent, I had confidence now that this is a good book and has potential :) Fingers crossed!
In other news, Thursday is the day I lose my mind ;) (just warning you ahead of time). I've decided to do a blog tour--- but not just ANY blog tour. A ONE DAY BLOG BLITZ.
TWELVE people (you read that right) have graciously turned their blogs over to me to help get the word out about SAINT SLOAN (sequel is being plotted now... leave a comment if you are on Team Aaron or Team Ray-- *I* know who she ends up with, but you never know... I *could* be persuaded ;) )
On Thursday, I'll post the blog links as well as how I did in Pitchmadness!! It's going to be an interesting week!! (Plus, I'm getting my content edits back for B.I.G. is Beautiful! Squee!)
Here are the WONDERFUL people who have agreed to host me on their blogs:
Wendy Knight-- author of Feudlings
J.F. Jenkins-- author of The Corruption of Mila
Christi Corbett-- author of an upcoming June AP release :) (her blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com )
J. Andersen-- author of At What Cost
Felicia Rogers-- author of Labor of Love
Patricia Kiyono -- author of The Calico Heart
E.A. West-- author of Imperfect Beauty
J.L. Salter-- author of Rescued by that New Guy in Town
Sherry Gloag-- author of Vidal's Honor
Zanna Mackenzie-- author of The Love Programme
Lynn Spangler-- author of an upcoming AP release (March 28th!!) www.lynnspangler.blogspot.com.
Stephanie Robertson-- (here's her blog: www.thewritesteph.com )
*Some authors have more than one novel out... I'm just giving you a sampling. Click on their Amazon author page and learn more about their books :)*
HUGE thank you to all the authors who are helping with this! :)
One thing I would like to ask... I have a small medical test on Wednesday I'm a little nervous about. I'm sure it'll be okay, but I wouldn't mind some prayers :) I'll give you more information on it in a different post.
SAINT SLOAN and Grace Award Nominee CROSSING THE DEEP available now published by Astraea Press~ Pure. Fiction.
It's my first writing award nomination! Actually, my first ever nomination. My first book, CROSSING THE DEEP, has been nominated for the best YA category at the Grace Awards! I'm so excited! Like literally jumping up and down!!!
Now it will be read by 3 judge panel and voted on. There are 3 nominees in my category. The awards will be handed out in May (I'll have to have a cyber awards show, complete with 'dress' I'd wear, etc... )
Have you checked out CROSSING THE DEEP yet? It's getting awesome reviews (and an award nomination!) Head on over and pick up your copy :)
Also available, SAINT SLOAN, my new YA/Christian bestseller!! (you read that right... BESTSELLER!!!!! I'm officially a best selling author!!!!! SQUEE!!!!)
SAINT SLOAN
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Sloan-ebook/dp/B00BMQ9E9O/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saint-sloan-kelly-martin/1114723748?ean=2940016377308
CROSSING THE DEEP:
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-The-Deep-ebook/dp/B009NWGMMQ/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crossing-the-deep-kelly-martin/1113215706?ean=2940015565096
For a 'Sweet Saturday Sample' of Saint Sloan (my newest book, coming out Feb. 28th, 2013), click HERE.
Wanna read the Bible cover to cover? We are over at Encourage 365. Head over and check it out.
I'm thrilled to have Tanya Eavenson (author of Unconditional) on my blog today! Unconditional came out this week, and she was nice enough to give us a sample :) Unconditional is a clean, insprirational romance (my personal favorite type :) )
Blurb for Unconditional:
He will fight for her at any cost...
Elizabeth Roberts can't remember her past, and the present is too painful. She turns to nightclubs and drinking to forget her infant daughter's death, her husband's affair.
When his wife's coma wiped out the memory of their marriage, Chris Roberts found comfort elsewhere. He can't erase his betrayal, but with God's help he’s determined to fight for Elizabeth at any cost.
She wants to forget. He wants to save his marriage. Can they trust God with their future and find a love that’s unconditional?
Chapter One
Elizabeth pushed herself up from the bed. Her gaze swept the dark room and fixed on the hall nightlight. Her hand grazed over her husband’s shoulder when a thought gripped her. Katherine. The baby monitor stood silent. Darkness shrouded the red and green lights that indicated movement.
Her chest tightened. She hurled the covers away and leapt to the floor. Panic made her clumsy as she rushed to her daughter’s room. She lunged over the crib. No sound. No movement. Not even a stirring of air from her tiny nostrils.
“Katherine!” Elizabeth snatched her daughter from the mattress. The infant drew a heavy breath as her eyes flung wide open.
Lord, what’s happening?
Elizabeth’s bare feet pounded the cold tile as she ran back to her husband. “Chris, wake up! Katherine quit breathing again!”
Chris rubbed his eyes and scowled. “What is it?”
“We need to take Katherine to the hospital. She stopped breathing.”
He studied their child. “She seems to be breathing now. Are you sure?”
“Of course, I’m sure.”
“She’s fine.” Chris fell back against the pillow.
“Please—”
“We don’t have the money to take her to the hospital when there’s nothing wrong with her.”
“But there is. She stopped breathing.”
He sat back up. “You’ve been worried about her since before she was born. You’re all worked up because she hasn’t rolled over yet. The doctor said that’s normal for being early.”
She’s called a preemie. She glared into his eyes. “If you were home more often you’d know she’s not fine.”
“I’m home, Elizabeth, and she’s fine.”
Heat flushed her cheeks as tears filled her eyes. “I’m scared. Can’t you see that? I need you to pray for our daughter. I need you to hold me and tell me everything will be all right.”
“Look, she’s sleeping.” His voice softened as his hand ran down her thigh. “Come to bed.”
“How can you care so little? I’m worried about our baby.”
Chris’s hand dropped to the sheets. “Shut the door when you leave.” He turned away from her.
Elizabeth stood for a moment unable to speak. With their baby in her arms, she slowly closed the door behind her and sank her teeth into her lip to keep from crying. If tears came, it would be for her daughter, not for the stranger in her bed.
The nightlight’s faint glow lit the hallway as Elizabeth slipped back into Katherine’s room. She laid her sleeping child in her crib. Her knees buckled and tears streamed down her cheeks.
“God, please…” ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tanya Eavenson and her husband have been in the ministry for fifteen years teaching youth, adults, and counseling. Tanya enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes for Christ to the World Ministries sharing the Gospel around the world. You can find her on Twitter at @Tan_eave and contact her at her website. Want to learn more about writing?
BUY LINKS: AMAZON BARNES AND NOBLE ASTRAEA PRESS
Endorsements for Unconditional: "Unconditional is a powerfully-gripping story of deep heartache laced with fears, yet even through the sorrow, Tanya Eavenson reminds us that nothing can separate us from God's love." ~ Alice J. Wisler, author of "Still Life in Shadows" and other novels
"Not your typical amnesia story, Unconditional tells a tale of loss, betrayal, and forgiveness. Eavenson drags her characters through the fire, then reveals God’s power through their broken lives. The writing is stellar; the emotion, raw and palpable; the cast, impeccably crafted. This author is one to be watched!" ~ April W Gardner, award-winning author
"Unconditional explores the struggles that married couples sometimes experience, and the decisions they must make after going through difficult circumstances. A powerful story of hope and healing." ~ Laura V. Hilton, Healing Love (Whitaker House)
"Unconditional is a beautiful story of God's never-ending love. Throughout its pages, Tanya Eavenson evokes a myriad of emotions in her readers, from deep despair to heartfelt praise. The characters gripped my heart, showing me the reality of man's sin but also the depth of God's grace. Unconditional is a well-written, heart-stirring novel written by a talented new author." ~ Jennifer Slattery, Novel Reviews
Today is the first Wednesday of the month so that means... INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP time!
This month, I'm insecure about being 'as good'. Let me explain, I love CROSSING THE DEEP, and apparently (from the reviews) most everyone else who has read it loves it too. It's a great thing, and I'm SO blessed to have so many great reviews! (Keep 'em coming ;) )
That said, my second novel, SAINT SLOAN, comes out FEBRUARY 28th, 2013! *HAPPY DANCE*
I love this book as well... but, you know how it is, I'm nervous that people won't like it 'as much' as the first one. It's mommy syndrome lol.
When my second child started Kindergarten, I worried that people wouldn't like her as much as her older sister. Same with my books. I'm sure it will always be that way. I'm working on Book #3 at the moment and have had to stop myself from the "This sentence isn't as good... it's not as descriptive.. yada yada yada"
It's easy to be our own worse enemy. When others see great reviews, we see the sales rank (actually, we see the sales rank of someone else... and get discouraged lol). When others see a book they love, we see how many shelves it is added to on goodreads.
It's a vicious cycle, but we can break it.
Take a deep breath.
They way I see it, I wouldn't think about things like this if I didn't care... and I do care. I care about my readers, my characters, my twitter/fb/goodreads/blog followers. Not everyone will like all of my books, and that's okay. I don't like every book I read either.
I've been a published author for two months... you'd think the insecurities would go away lol... From what I've learned they just change.
**CROSSING THE DEEP is up for a Preditors & Editors award for Best Young Adult Fiction for 2012! I would appreciate a vote :) CLICK HERE TO VOTE
Happy 2013!!!! Last year went so fast, I have a feeling I'll be writing my 'end of the year' post next week ;)
I've been reading a lot of blog posts about resolutions, and I thought I'd do the same. Maybe 'resolutions' isn't the right word, but my goals for the year.
I'm following Brenda Rodgers from Triple Braided and divided my goals up into 5 parts:
Spiritual
Tracy from My Daily walk in His Grace has graciously awarded me with the...
Award.
I'd like to take a minute to thank her SO much for not only giving me this, but for taking time to read my posts... on both sites! Ya'll Tracy is an awesome lady :)
There are some conditions I have to meet to fully be awarded this award, however...
"According to the directions, I am to share 7 things about myself. Then I pass the award on to blogger friends who in turn, will link back to me and follow the instructions again." (from Tracy's site)...
Ok... so 7 things about me:
1. I'm 30 years old, married, with 3 little ladies.
2. I'm a teacher.
3. I LOVE to write.
4. Judges is one of my favorite Books of the Bible (but my sister knew that... I tell her alot)
5. My 'big dream' that I always talk about over at http://www.encourage365.com/ is to write an actual book... More specifically, I'd really like to write Bible Studies. That's why we are doing one in Sept. on here. The Bible is full of interesting stories that I'd love to investigate and share with others :)
6. My top 5 movies are probably not from this decade (or even last decade).
7. Technology and I don't get along. My technological understanding stopped at the CD. One of my supervisors told me that they were thinking of going from laptops to iPads, and I might have blacked out for a second...
Now, on the second part. I have the honor of listing other bloggers who inspire me. Well, if I listed all of the blogs I follow and what they mean to me, we'd be here all day. Check out the 'Blogs I love' and the buttons to the right for a listing of which blogs I really love.
I decided to name 5 here. If you aren't listed, it's not because I don't love you:
1. Jennifer from Imitation by design
2. Kathi-Ann from studentmamacook
3. Laura from BeholdingGlory
4. Brenda from Triple Braided
5. Cyndi from cyndispivey.com
and one more...
Lisa from A Moment with God
And...
Cara from carebear and Co.
And...
Jenifer from ~Sweet Blessings~
(**Don't think any of you have to link back if you don't want. Just know that I love, admire, and respect all of you... INCLUDING ones that I didn't mention. I have learned so much from reading each of you :) )
Again, Tracy, thank you so much for thinking of me and my little piece of the internet. :)
Much love, Kelly
Thankful Tuesday
1. I am thankful for the beautiful sunshine.
2. I am thankful for wireless internet.
3. I am thankful for the opportunity to share God's word with others.
4. I am thankful for a reason to write (I love to write... have I mentioned that before? ;) )
5. I am thankful for smiling faces.
6. I am thankful for my husband... who surprises me every day.
7. I am thankful for the Goodwill. Surprising things come out of the Goodwill. :)
8. I am thankful that I am able to write what I am thankful for.
9. I'm thankful for YOU... yes, YOU who are reading this.
10. I am thankful for the opportunities to Guess Post.
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I'd like to thank Tracy from My Daily Walk in his Grace for giving me this 'Versatile Blogger' award :) I've never recieved one before. There are rules I have to follow now. I'll post more about that tomorrow. Anyway, thanks so much Tracy :) And thanks so much for being such a faithful reader. I really appreciate it (along with all other readers... even if this is yoru one and only time.) From the bottom of my heart, thank you :)
Ok, Thankful Tuesday will be open at 9 pm Central time.
Much Love, Kelly
by David Farland @DavidFarland
I would like to welcome David Farland to my blog today. He often teaches writing workshops, and has trained a number of people who went on to become international bestselling authors—people like Brandon Sanderson in fantasy, Brandon Mull in middle-grade fiction, and Stephenie Meyer in young adult fiction. In addition to being an author of adult fantasy, he has just released his YA fantasy novel, Nightingale (blurb at the end of post).
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Here’s an exercise that I use to help teach authors how to handle an opening scene.
1) Especially at the beginning of a tale, use “resonators” to better tie into your audience's subconscious. "Resonators" are often words that identify your piece as belonging to a particular genre, such as fantasy, romance, or horror. They are part of the secret language that is used within a particular genre to give the writing more power by referring to previous works written in that genre.
2) Avoid the use of “to be” verbs in the opening of your tale. In particular, if you describe an inanimate object, try to do it using only active verbs. It is all right to use metaphors and similes to create motion. For example, “hoary pines guarded the hillside, while an ancient rock brooded at its top.”
3) Appeal to all of the senses--sight (don’t just describe the colors of things or their shapes, but also their textures), sound, smell, taste, touch (hot/cold/wet/dry/ firmness/softness). A great rule of thumb is that if you want to bring a thing to life, really get the reader to focus on it, you need to describe it at least three times, preferably using different senses so that you don’t become repetitious.
4) Create a sense of physical motion in your description. There are several ways to do this. For example, you can have physical motion as mentioned in point two. But you can also have motion nearby. For example, if I were to continue describing the hill, I might place crows flying up from the pines, or a stiff wind that makes the boughs sway.
5) Add a sense of temporal motion in your description. For example, in describing a car you might describe how it has changed over time—from the moment that it was bought new in the showroom, to what it looks like now, to what it might look in another twenty years.
6) Add emotive motion to your description. Describe precisely what your protagonist feels about the place or thing that he is seeing, but pay particular attention to how that emotion changes. It is all right to use internal dialog.
7) Use precise language. That means that if you are describing a person, consider using his name. If you want your reader to envision a pine forest, let them know that it is a pine forest, not just a forest, lest they imagine oaks or palms.
Here is a sample of the opening description from my novel Nightingale (available as an enhanced novel on the iPad, complete with its own illustrations, soundtrack, animations, and author interviews). I didn’t try to use all of the tips listed above, just enough to bring the scene to life. Never make yourself a slave to all good advice:
She raced through a thick forest, gasping in the humid air. Sweat drenched her, crawling down her forehead, stinging her eyes. Dogs barked a quarter mile behind, the deep-voices of mastiffs. Her vision reeled from fatigue, and she struggled to make out a path in the shadows.
Fireflies rose from the grass ahead, lugging their burden of light, lanterns in shades of emerald and citrine that pushed back against the gathering night. Eighty thousand stars wheeled through otherwise empty heavens. Without even a sliver of moon or the glow of a remote village, the stars did not shine so much as throb.
She could run no faster. With every stride, Sommer stretched her legs to the full. A mastiff keened, not far back now. It was almost upon her.
Her pursuers were faster than any human, and stronger than she. At nineteen, Sommer was in the prime of her life, but that made no difference. A desperate plan was taking form in her mind.
The dogs were trained to kill. But she knew that even a trained dog can’t attack someone who surrenders. Nature won’t allow it. And when a dog surrenders completely, it does so by offering its throat.
That would be her last resort—to lie on her back and give her throat to these killers, so that she could draw them in close.
She raced for her life. To her right, a buck snorted in the darkness and bounded away, invisible in the night. She hoped that its pounding would attract the dogs, and they did fall silent in confusion, but soon snarled and doubled their speed.
The brush grew thick ahead—blackberries and morning glory crisscrossing the deer trail. She heard dogs lunging behind her; one barked. They were nearly on her.
Sommer’s foot caught on something hard—a tough tree root—and she went sprawling. A dog growled and leapt. Sommer rolled to her back and arched her neck, offering her throat.
Three dogs quickly surrounded her, ominous black shadows that growled and barked, baring their fangs, sharp splinters of white. They were huge, these mastiffs, with spiked collars at their throats, and leather masks over their faces. Their hooded eyes seemed to be empty sockets in their skulls.
They bounded back and forth in their excitement, shadowy dancers, searching for an excuse to kill.
I can still get away, Sommer thought, raising a hand to the air, as if to block her throat. By instinct she extended her sizraels—oblong suction cups that now began to surface near the tip of each thumb and finger. Each finger held one, an oval callus that kept stretching, growing.
Though she wasn’t touching any of the dogs, at ten feet they were close enough for her to attack.
She reached out with her mind, tried to calm herself as she focused, and electricity crackled at the tips of her fingers. Tiny blue lights blossomed and floated in the air near her fingers like dandelion down. The lights were soft and pulsing, no brighter than the static raised when she stroked a silk sheet in the hours before a summer storm.
She entered the mastiffs’ minds and began to search. They were supposed to hold her until the hunters came, maul her if she tried to escape. Their masters had trained the dogs well.
But a dog’s memories were not like human memories, thick and substantial.
Sommer drew all of the memories to the surface—hundreds of hours of training, all bundled into a tangle—and snapped them, as if passing her hand through a spider’s web.
Immediately all three mastiffs began to look around nervously. One lay down at her feet and whimpered, as if afraid she might be angry.
“Good dogs,” Sommer whispered, tears of relief rising to her eyes. “Good!” She rolled to her knees, felt her stomach muscles bunch and quaver. She prepared to run.
“Where do you think you’re going?” a deep voice asked.
There are more dangerous things than mastiffs, Sommer knew. Of all the creatures in the world, the man who spoke now was at the top of the list.
Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.
Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!
Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.
Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."
"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose. --Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Facebook
Nightingale Website
David's Website
Falling 4 Fiction is having a bloghop. Sign up, and post your last sentence from three or more chapters, for a chance to win two fabulous prizes.
Here are the Hangers from my YA contemporary novel, Shot in the Dark:
Anything to keep from slipping back to the horrific memories of the night I’d rather forget.
If things had been so serious between Travis and Isabelle, what the hell happened to make her dump him?
“Surrender yet?” (This ended the scene before the one that begins with Daniel's muscular thighs, which were feature on my Monday post.)
“The battery must be dead!”
Do you struggle writing the final line of your chapters?
<<<3
Hope everyone has a great July. I’m leaving later this week for the RWA nationals in Anaheim. I even bought a fancy dress and shoes (2 ½ inch heels) for the award ceremony. Now, I just have to practice walking in them. I’m more of a sneaker kind of girl. Hopefully, I don’t fall on my ass in front of an agent or editor. That’s not the lasting impression I want to make. *grins*
Once upon I time, I queried a big time agent and landed a partial request*. A month later, a rejection landed in my inbox. My characterizations were weak. After bawling into a box of Kleenexes After deciding the agent was the most wonderful person alive (because not only did she not send me a form rejection, she was right), I searched for ways to make my characterizations kickass strong.
During that time, I fell in love with several craft books on the topic:
Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins.
I’ve blogged about this book before. My favorite chapter (the first one) contains an exercise to help you get to know your characters better. Better than by simply filling in a questionnaire or conducting an interview. It’s not a quick exercise, and you really have to think. But it will help you delve deeper into your characterizations. It’s a technique used by award winning actors when preparing for a role. And for those of you who aren’t plotters, you can do the exercise after your first draft.
Breathing Life Into Your Characters: How to Give Your Characters Emotional & Psychological Depth by Rachel Ballon
This is another book I’ve blogged about. It, too, is filled with advice and exercises to help you create rich characters (including the bad guys).
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Mass.
The first part of the workbook contains twelve through-provoking chapters with exercises to ensure all your characters are dimensional. They can be done either before you start the first draft or afterwards. Check out thispost for an example of the type of exercises you can expect from the book.
There isn’t one book I prefer over the others. I use all three when creating my characters. I truly do believe they made a huge difference.
(*this book was eventually shelved for good reason)
<<<3
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .
Three books for kickass characterizations,
Tons of yummy chocolate,
AquaNotes, so you can brainstorm in the shower,
And Margie Lawson’s awesome lecture notes.
*Cringes at how awful that would sound when sung*
Do you have a favorite technique for creating characters?
One of the workshops I attended during the RWA (Romance Writers of America) national conference dealt with adding emotion to your story.
Author Jennifer Greene explained that not all conflicts will give you an emotional story. When you create conflict, make sure it’s not one your character can escape or walk away from, and make your character as miserable as possible. Only then will your conflict have the greatest emotional impact.
For example, a tornado isn’t a conflict if your characters can hide in a tornado shelter. In the movie Where the Heart Is, a severe storm rapidly approaches Natalie Portman’s home. She and her three-year-old daughter rush over to the neighbor’s house to hide in the storm cellar. However, Natalie’s friend (the woman who took Natalie and her newborn baby in when they had no place to go) left a short while ago to deliver soup to a sick friend. Natalie’s frantic and stays above ground, waiting for Stockard Channing to return. And then the worst happens: a tornado develops. Natalie waits for as long as she can before she has to seek cover. But as she climbs down the stairs, before she has a chance to close the storm door, the wind tries to suck her away. Natalie is left clinging to the railing.
Scared and upset at what’s happening to her mom, Natalie’s daughter tries to go to her, despite the neighbor’s attempt to stop her. The strong wind catches her and pulls her out of the storm cellar. Her mom manages to grab hold of her at the last second. Fortunately, the door then slams shut, saving them both.
But that’s not the end of the heart pounding moment. Stockard Channing is still missing. Unfortunately, the news is not good. She doesn’t survive. The emotional moment is brought to its climax with Natalie taking photos of her daughter holding onto the skinny trunk of the (symbolic) buckeye tree while surveying the devastation. The award winning photo is a heartbreaking reminder of what was lost that day.
Now, that’s emotional conflict.
(And yes, I cry every time I watch the move.)
How about your story? Can your protagonist escape/walk away from the story problem or conflict? If so, maybe now’s the time to brainstorm ways so she can’t.
When I was twelve, I entered my first photography contest. Because the theme was nature, I had aspirations of submitting an awesome close-up shot of a squirrel nibbling at his hoard of nuts. You know, a picture worthy of National Geographic. Unfortunately, said squirrel didn’t have the same aspiration.
Out of frustration, I lay on my back, looked up at the sky, and took a picture. That photo landed me an honorable mention in the contest. So what was the award winning shot? A wintered tree, with Spanish moss dangling from it, set against the deep blue sky. Simple but really cool.
It’s so easy to get locked into seeing things from one perspective (true with both writing and photography). But look at the world of possibilities you can discover when you try to look at things differently.
The above shoot is a simple picture of a tree. Nothing wrong with that, right?
For this photo, I lay on the ground and looked up, then moved the camera around until the star bust showed up in the LCD screen. It’s the position of the opening in the leaves in relation to the sun the forms the cool effect. Also, if you can, adjust the aperture (AV) to the largest number. Don’t worry if you can’t do that. You might still be able to get the same effect.
In this shot, I slowed the shutter speed (TV) so that the camera captured the movement of the wind through the tree. You want to make sure it isn’t too bright outside, or else your picture will be overexposed. There’s only so much a point & shoot camera can compensate for. SLR cameras (like what a professional uses) are better able to handle the brighter lighting.
So, there you go. Take risks and you’ll discover all kinds of amazing things you might have otherwise missed. And I’m referring to both your photography and your writing.
