When your Character Becomes a Christian.

When writing from your character's view point, you should never give them your mindset unless of course they have the same level of maturity as you do. If you do, you'll come across as unrealistic. For example suppose you believe that premarital sex is wrong and your character has only been a  Christian for a week.  You can't expect them to think: "Now that I'm a Christian, I guess having sex with my boyfriend is out of the question." For one thing, they still have fleshly desires. All new Christians do not come with biblical doctrine ingrained in them. It is something learned and taught. I was talking with a friend, and even she agreed that you have to  be led of the spirit or convicted not to have sex with your boyfriend. Now if your Character has matured in her faith, then yes, they should have the same mindset. They've been going to church, Bible Studies, hanging around godly friends and of course a personal time of devotion and Bible reading. I believe that if a person knows a certain action is wrong and acts on it then they are held accountable. You can't hold them accountable if they are ignorant. The Apostle Paul wrote that he acted ignorantly in unbelief yet God had mercy on him. What is ignorance?  The  word ignorantly comes from the Greek word agnoia. It means want of knowledge or perception, Unbelief  is not believing something is true.

So when a newborn Christian continues to sin and she doesn't have that conviction then she is a doing it ignorantly in unbelief. Until she  comes to the knowledge of the truth, or until someone tells her and gently restores her (Gal 6:1) she will continue to do so.  The same with  fictional characters. I know personally, it's hard for me to read about Christians swearing or acting  as if they are still in their sins, but I have to remember that they may not have the same spiritual beliefs as I do. We have to remember that the characters are not us. Now if I write a memoir or an autobiography and I say "I continue to  steal from my parents even though I know it;s wrong." You may ask "Then why do you do it if you know it's wrong?" Kind of like if I post on my Facebook  wall promoting illegal drinking or if I comment on something negative like a post against human trafficking and I give it my approval, then I would understand you questioning why I approve such things. But what I write what my characters do or say is altogether different.

Writing Blog Tour 2014

A couple of weeks ago, Allison Kohn of the Bakers Family Saga Series at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_12?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=allison%20kohn&sprefix=allison+Kohn%2Caps%2C127
                                                         
                                                                                   asked me to participate in the Writer's Blog Tour in which I said yes. The link to my Amazon site is  Ruthie Madison Books and website  The Past Hunter

1. What I am working on?
I am  working on two  manuscripts at he same time if you can believe it!  I would like very much to have my second book in my Second Chance series published by late fall if possible. The title is Baby Blues. I wanted the whole series in one genre: Christian Romance, but its turning into woman's fiction. The other is a rewrite. I'm seeing if I can improve A Second Chance at Love and maybe get some sales.
2.How does my work differ from others in it genre?
It seems to me that most of my books are a little foreshadowing of myself. I thought it was mostly wish fulfillment writing, but I saw traces of me. A reviewer once wrote that my first book was "strange."  but  the book is has some of my feelings about  my life at the time I had written the rough draft. I guess it was a way of  expressing my feelings and frustrations. My third book is not what I would normally write about. I don't want people to think I condone witchcraft. I  thought it was paranormal, but I look at other authors who wrote books with witches in and classified their books as Fantasy.
3.Why do I write what I do?
I write as a way of escape, but I want my books to bless others. I want them to see that there is a God of hope and no circumstances is too impossible to get through. Even if they start out unsaved, they end up saved.
4. How does my writing process work?
I go with the flow. I write it out as I see played out in my mind. I try to visualize each scene. Sometimes an idea will come to me when I am resting or walking. I keep it in my mind so I can implement it later.  I also learn to use techniques from my former editor. I try to implement them.
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Kiexiza Rodriquez hails from Springfield, Massachusetts, the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame. She's the eldest of many, mother of four and in love with her best friend. 
Writing, was kind of thrust upon her at the insistence of others, who felt her life trials and how she maintained would inspire others. Thus her first novel Serial was born. Five continuing novels, about five friends and life's trails, desires, betrayals and surprises. The Beautiful Mess Series is sure to please.  
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blingbooksbeauty.webs.com%2F&h=QAQHgULb6
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Pam is the proud grand-daughter of a pastor  and who was raised in the church. Her  parents helped fuel her fire for God. She always knew He had a purpose for Pam and  believed that writing  for His glory is a  small portion of it. She has two grown children and a granddaughter. She enjoys  anything creative, the great outdoors and helping other people.
Pam Funke (Her website and blog)

 Ed Stuteville was born in Louisville, Kentucky and raised in Etowah, Tennessee. For over thirty-five years, he has worked in retail management. Working his way up from cook and cashier in a fast food restaurant to the Vice-President of the company over Operations; with an eight-year break in-between where he co-owned two partnerships.

He met Kathy, his wife of ten years, when they were in the third grade and all through school, they never dated. Ed and Kathy make their home in Charleston, Tennessee where they spend leisure time traveling and playing with their four granddaughters. 

Ed's first novel, Chance of a Lifetime, was published in January 2013. His new novel, Forever and For Always, was published February 16th, 2014. When he is not working or traveling, Ed is currently working on his third book, Careless Whispers, a suspense novel set in Etowah, TN. due out late 2014

You can find Ed @ http://www.edstuteville.com/    and his facebook page: Ed Stuteville Author

Interview with Cathy Jackson

Fifteen Questions for Cathy Jackson, author of

As You Wish  

I’m here with Cathy Jackson who had just released her debut book “As You Wish.”  Welcome to my blog!

Cathy:  Thank you so much for the interview!  I am honored.
Cathy, it must be exciting to finally have your first book published. Who or what is in your inspiration for your book?
Cathy:  It is exciting!  The inspiration for this book was to help others.  This book came out of a dark place for me and I wanted to use that experience to help others find hope.
What Character in your book can you relate to and why?
Cathy:  Elizabeth Seraphim.  I have a faith like hers, though not as much, and a love for my children that surpasses the love I have for myself. 
Do you have any favorite authors and if so, what is your favorite book by them?
Cathy:  I like Karen Marie Moning and Faith Marlow and Christine Feehan.  They are all excellent writers!
Tell us a little about yourself.

Cathy:  I am a mom of four children and I lead worship at our church.  Matthew Jackson is my husband and we have been married for 18 years.  I have zero dexterity and am socially awkward. 
What do you like to do for fun?

Cathy:  I love to read and hang with my family.  My true passion has become the characters in my head that nag me to let them out!
Where did you grow up?
Cathy:  I grew up in McLeansboro, Illinois.  It’s a small town where everyone knows way too much about one another.  I don’t live there now.
How much of the book is realistic?
Cathy:  Realism to me is relative in terms of this book.  *insert laugh here*  The characters in the books I have written or need to write are real to me.  As far as how much of my life did I pull from for this book, I pulled a lot of my own life for Elizabeth.  How she believes, how she views God, the faith she has.
Where did you get the idea for the book?
Cathy:  The idea of this book came to me as my other book ideas do.  They actually kind of blind side me then demand to be written down.  But it was the loss of my mother and how I used her loss, not only to draw closer to God but be able to help others who have lost someone they love to.
If a movie producer wanted to make your book into a movie and you can chose any two actors for it, who would they be?
Cathy:  David Tennant IS Daniel Templeman!  No question about it.  As for Elizabeth, I really don’t know who would play her.  I would want a shorter actress as Elizabeth is five six and a little heavy. 
How long did it take you to write this book?
Cathy:  It took me 7 days to write the book.  After 2 weeks of tinkering, I had it where I wanted it.  Then, of course, my editor, Jennifer Harshman, and beta readers came in to perfect it.
What does your family think of your writing?
Cathy:  I really haven’t asked them.  Being an independent publisher takes me away from them a lot of the time and I hate that.  But, hopefully, it will all be worth it when we are better off than we are. 
Do you have a particular writing style?
Cathy:  I was asked this in an interview.  I sit down with characters in my head already and when I begin typing, they write the story for me.  I just use my fingers to tell their story.
How did you chose the genre you are writing?
Cathy:  “As You Wish” is a contemporary Inspirational romance but I see it as so much more.  The genre chose me, I wouldn’t categorize “As You Wish” as an Inspirational.
When did you realize you wanted to write books?
Cathy:  I think I have yet to realize that I want to write books.  *insert laugh*  There are just stories to tell so I am telling them.
One last question. Do you have any advice you can give to an upcoming authors?
Cathy:  Find supportive people!  You need people behind you telling you to go on when you are ready to throw in the towel.  Those are the people who will be behind you the rest of your career.
Thank you so much Cathy for taking time out for this interview. May God grant you much success as you continue to write amazing stories! (I don’t believe in luck)

You can find Cathy’s fan page on Facebook: Cathy Jackson, Author

My Heroines

In most of my books, my Heroines are a little of me. Marge was kidnapped and forced to live with a man she didn't trust. Julie was dating a man whom she thought murdered someone so she leaves Montana. Darlene is not quite like me except that when she dates a man who is questionable to her friends, they worry about her. A little history on Darlene and that is this man wrecks her marriage by causing her to fall in love with him-- he used his spells to enchant.

My latest reviewer couldn't read my last book. That is understandable. I would never read any books about witches not even Vampires. But I did. It was my friend's book Be Not Afraid. Except this Vampire was a demon and yes there is a good ending to her book. It is understandable that stories about a witch or a vampire is unsettling to Christians, but it isn't just a book of witches. It is about a woman who was seduced by a witch and became his prisoner found forgiveness and deliverance! I wont apologize for writing Jesus Paid It All.

I am like Marge in this way: Almost 19 years ago, I went to Washington State in hopes of living work but it didn't work out. Instead I was forced to return to Hanford. Just like Marge, I wasn't happy. You could say I had no choice to sign a contract too. Maybe like Marge, I wasn't happy. Although I am saved, I didn't have a man to make me happy. In fact, men in my past has also disappointed me. I may not have given up on love, but I wonder if I would ever find love. I am not getting younger and time is getting short. Marge became a new person in the end but that was because she was by found Jesus.

Julie is another persona of me. For one thing she was once a worldly Christian and when she moved to Montana she grew deeper in relationship with Jesus. I am kind of the same way except I don't have some handsome man pursuing me back into his life. I hope I do. I hope to see it in my own life but right now it is up in the air. I had hope we would move to Montana together but if he is married as my friends thinks he is, then I will just still pray and believe that I will meet mt handsome "cowboy" there. Yes, I still want to go to Montana. It was a promise God gave me before this man became my boyfriend. It was my dream.

I wont apologize for my books. They are the stories God had given me and if it is not your style, that is fine. I ha done man telling me he couldn't finish it because he didn't like the "Omnipresent" point of view.

I wont change my books to fit your styles and tastes. What are the guarantees you will read it? I write to please God not man so take it to the Lord.

Trying Something New

At anytime a story idea will come to me. I could be on the bus reading a book or at a church service. My genre is usually romance, but one day another kind of story idea came to me and I had it in my heart to write it out. It would be written in the first person point of view. It is a young adult fiction.

The youngest characters are teenage girls between the age of 16 and 18 and it has been a  very long time since I know what that was like, yet I wrote as the Lord leads me.  WHen I finished, I sent it to an editor and she told me I need to get to know my characters. Write everything down about them. I never do outlines and I felt stumped. What do I do? More importantly what I have gotten myself into? At that point I felt I wanted to give up yet a part of me said, "No."

I asked in a group if they can tell me what their teenage daughters are like. It's called research, but a few of the writers had other ideas: Volunteer in a youth group, get to know them. Right now I am having problems believing it could be possible because we are transportation dependant. We don't have our own transportation to get to church. If there is no one who could take us to church during the holiday season, then how will I be able to volunteer? There must be some other way to delve into a teenage's life. At this point, I am very dependant on God to help me through it.

If you are a parent of a teenage girl, would you be willing to tell me about your teenager?

About My Upcoming Book

When people hear the word "Paranormal". they think ghosts,vampires, shift changers, ghouls,and you name it. But what about witches? Witches are people who practice witchcraft--they have powers that do not come from God. I have a friend who told me he saw nothing paranormal about my story at all. So I did some research. I would advise anyone who has doubts to visit this website: Paranormal Haze .
 Just like vampires, and werewolves, witches are evil too. Of course Wiccans will tell you that they  do good, but all witchcraft is an abomination to God.  There is a lot of evil in my story. But evil is overcome.

My story is Christian. It involves a married Christian couple who becomes victims of a seduction scheme by a brother and sister who are Wiccans,but as I said evil is overcome. God offers forgiveness to the victims and redemption. My heroine gets  a new lease on life and later is able to resist succombing to witchcraft.
It wouldn't be called Jesus Paid It All for nothing, if God didn't forgive them. Jesus died on the cross for all sin except the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Redeeming Marge?

I never thought I would see the day that my redemption plan would fail. What am I talking about? A Second Chance at Love was my second chance at redeeming myself after my former publisher allowed all the mistakes and typos we both made in my book. I rewrote it and thought it was pretty good.

However, my hopes of redeeming myself were dashed: no one wanted to buy my book.

 

I have a friend one Facebook who wanted to help. Although I think my book is fine as it is, there were people who didn't. I let her look at the first three chapters and this is what I am told basically:
 

"You have two many point of views."

Okay so I have to stick with one for each section or chapter.

"Romance readers don't like the Ominscient point of views."

That means I can't let me readers know what certain characters are thinking or feeling at my given time.

Why do they have to be picky? By changing how the POV is written, I have  actually changed the whole dynamic of  my story?  It is no longer  how I have  written it but what others want.

Currently my book is selling for 11.99 but I am thinking of setting at 13.99. Why? Because I am rewriting it to please my picky readers. That book has taken me years to perfect and yet no one is satisfied with the finished product.