, Welcome and thank you for sharing your time with me. Those of you who signed up for my newsletter since last month, thank you for subscribing.
 This month ...
In Guest Gab: An interview with Sarah Sundin, author of A Distant Melody.
In Writing Wisdom: Stephanie Barko on your book's audience and platform.
In What Am I Reading?: Announcement of the winner of last month's book and I have another book you could win. I review Blood Game by Iris Johansen.
In Book Buzzings: Highlight of two recent novels, one by James Rubart and another by Cynthia Ruchti.
Check Inspirational Insights to read my thoughts on patriotism.
Share this newsletter with your friends and if you have any comments or suggestions about this newsletter, please email me.
You can take a look at earlier newsletters by clicking the Archive button on my website. Always remember: I value your presence here and the time you share with me.
|
| Quality Quote |
 You have to love a nation that
celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and
soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with
family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the
flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is
patriotism. --Erma Bombeck
|
|
 Book Buzzings | | Yours and Mine | This month Lucy Adams sent a list of her five favorite books, shown below. Thanks, Lucy!
MY
FIVE books I have read lately that are super.
1. NO GREATER LOVE by Kathi Macias (awesome--Fiction with a Mission-1st of 4)
2. MY SON, JOHN by Kathi Macias
(loving forgiveness for one's son.) 3. THE
SHACK by William P. Young (amazing!!) 4. WORDS
OF COMFORT FOR TIMES OF
LOSS by Cecil Murphey (powerful and small!!)
5. FEARLESS by Max Lacado (his
newest and most powerful!) Lucy
Adams
----------
Update on my novel Caney Creek: I read this in an online forum: Terry Burns, a literary agent, did a survey of over
400 multi-published authors, asking them "From the time you finished your first
book how long did it take to see it in print." He got various answers from a
year or two up to ten years or so. When he averaged all of the responses it
came out to be six years. Mr. Burns says "Getting published isn't a selection
process, it's a survival process!" So, I may have more years to wait in this survival process.
----------
This month I highlight Rooms by James L. Rubart and also They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti. Below is information about these books.
 Title: Rooms
Author: James L. Rubart Genre: Supernatural Suspense
Publisher: B&H Fiction
Release date: April 2010 Jim's websiste
Available here
A young Seattle software tycoon inherits a
home in Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast that turns out to be a physical
manifestation of his soul. The home forces Micah Taylor to decided if he'll
confront his darkest wounds, but if he does, it could lead him to a deeper
freedom than he's never known.
 Title: They Almost Always Come Home
Author: Cynthia Ruchti
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release
Date: May 2010 Cynthia's website
Available here
Libby's
husband Greg was supposed to go fishing, not missing. The investigation into
his disappearance turns colder than their marriage had grown. He found the
escape hatch before she did. She can't leave him if she can't find
him. Will the search reveal what happened to her husband, her marriage,
and her faith?
Back to Top
|
Guest Gab | Interview with Sarah Sundin
Author of A Distant Melody
Today I'm talking with Sarah Sundin, author of A Distant Melody, her debut novel and the first in the Wings of Glory series. Thank you, Sarah, for being with us and for giving me a copy of your book to share with one of our readers.
JO: Please tell us a little about yourself.
 SARAH: I live
in northern California with my husband and three children (ages 12, 14, and
17), a cat named Janie, and a yellow lab named Daisy.
JO:
What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
SARAH: My kids are in high school and middle school, so I live in my car--go, go,
go.
I also work part-time, and teach Sunday school and women's Bible studies. Thank
goodness I find writing relaxing and enjoyable.
JO:
Can you tell us any fun thing about you that might surprise our readers?
SARAH: During summer
breaks in college, I worked as a ride operator at Knott's Berry Farm (an amusement park in California).
I knew how to jump on and off of a moving merry-go-round. Don't ask to see it
now.
JO: How
did you get involved in writing?
SARAH: Oddly enough,
through a dream. Although I always read voraciously, I didn't consider a
writing career. Instead I chose a practical career in pharmacy which allowed me
to work on-call and stay home with our children. Then in 2000, I had a dream
with such intriguing characters that I felt compelled to write their story.
That first novel will never be published, nor should it, but it got me started.
JO: Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office
or a corner or nook in a room?
SARAH: For the past year,
my "work place" has been scattered all over the house. My writing materials are
in the living room, where I used to do all my writing before we got our yellow
lab. However, now I use my laptop in the family room so I can supervise the dog--but
I can't leave my materials there or she'll eat them.
We're in
the process of remodeling the den from guest room/sewing room/husband's office
to a his & hers office. I'll have my own desk and storage for all my
writing materials, books, etc.--in one room! I can't wait!
JO:
When you wrote A Distant Melody did you know the title before you wrote it or
after you finished it? Do you come up with titles for all your stories this
way?
SARAH:
I do come up with titles for my
stories as I write, but this isn't it. The title came from brainstorming I did with my publisher and agent.
A Distant Melody is a title my agent
came up with. I loved how it incorporated the music metaphor that runs through
the book and the distance separating Walt and Allie as they fall in love
through their letters.
JO:
Please tell us about A Distant Melody.
 SARAH: In A
Distant Melody, Lt. Walter Novak flies a B-17 bomber in battles over
Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, while Allie Miller serves in the Red
Cross against the wishes of her wealthy parents and controlling fiancé in
California. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and begin a correspondence. As
letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in
an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle
the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?
I wrote A Distant Melody
with adult women in mind, but I've found quite an audience with teenage girls
and men as well. Men are picking it up because of the plane on the cover and
enjoying the combat scenes and "sap-free" romance. I've had lots of couples
contact me where husband and wife are reading the same book for the first time
ever. I love that.
JO: What takeaway
value do you hope readers receive after reading your novel?
SARAH: I don't write with
a lesson in mind, but I do hope my readers learn from my characters' mistakes.
I hope they learn the importance of honesty and obeying the Lord no matter the
cost, and I hope young women will see that they don't have to be beautiful to
find true love.
JO: Where did you get the idea for A Distant Melody?
SARAH: The story came out of a "what
if" question--what if a man and woman met at an event, truly clicked, and parted
before exchanging contact info? Wouldn't it be romantic if he went through
great effort to track her down? It wouldn't work in a contemporary setting--he'd
"Google" her--but it made a sweet premise for a historical. My husband and I
watched a History Channel special on the US Eighth Air Force based in England
which flew over Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, and I was hooked.
JO: Did you need to do any research for
this book?
SARAH: Gobs. As
a reader, historical inaccuracies throw me out of the story, so I wanted my novels
to be as accurate as possible. I have to confess, I have over two hundred books
and websites in my bibliography. Yes, that's sick. Since the heroes in this series
are B-17 bomber pilots--but I've never flown a plane--I read a "How to Fly a
Plane" book, purchased copies of the actual B-17 pilot's manual and the
training film (pure gold!), and ran the flying scenes past a pilot friend. For
home front information, I use everything from Top Ten lists, to fashion style
guides, to the Time Capsule series
with extracts from Time Magazine.
Lately I've been poring over microfilm of my local newspaper for everything
from the price of a dress, to rationing updates, to the weather. Plus fun
little trivia, like how the PTA met at Mrs. So-and-So's house on D Street where
they knit socks for soldiers.
JO: How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first
book?
SARAH: I
started writing in 2000, started submitting in 2003, and received an offer for
a three-book contract in 2008.
JO: How do you find time to write?
SARAH: I make time to
write. I do the bulk of my writing when the children are in school, then while
the kids do homework, I do emails and other on-line work. I've also become expert
at using snippets of "wasted" time--I can take care of a lot of editing and
emails during karate classes and in the dentist's waiting room. JO:
What are you working on now?
 SARAH: Currently I'm doing
publicity for A Distant Melody, getting ready for the September release of
the second book in the Wings of Glory series, A Memory Between Us,
polishing Book 3 before I turn it in to my editor, and writing a proposal for
another series also set during World War II.
JO: What advice
would you give to writers just starting out?
SARAH:
1) Be
teachable and soak up good instruction. Read books on writing craft. join ACFW
(American Christian Fiction Writers), and join a local writers' group or an
on-line critique group. 2) Don't submit to agents and editors until you're ready. That means a complete manuscript, positive feedback from experienced writers, and enough knowledge of the publishing industry to know how to submit properly. You want you first impression to be stellar. There's no hurry. 3) Lastly, when you're ready, submit and keep submitting. Keep polishing your craft, and keep praying for the Lord's guidance. JO: Please tell our readers where they can get A
Distant Melody.
SARAH: Your local bookstore, or on-line at
Amazon ChristianBook.com
Barnes & Noble Borders
JO: Where can our readers find you?
SARAH: Website:
http://www.sarahsundin.com
Blog:
http://www.sarahsundin.blogspot.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/sarahsundin
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/sarahsundin
Sarah, thank you for this interview about such an interesting era of our
history. Thank you for giving me a copy of A
Distant Melody; one of our readers will
receive your book in our drawing.
Back to Top
|
|
| What Am I Reading? |
|
Let me know what you've read that really impressed you, tell why in about 100 words and I'll include it here. Giving your name is optional.----------It's easy to forward this newsletter to your friends: at the end of this email click "Forward Email."----------Someone asked how I select winners in my drawings. I use a computer program that randomly selects the winners. No pulling names out of a hat!!If you're a winner, the rules are simple: email me your mailing address by the 25th of the month in which you're a winner; if you don't, I'll draw another winner. You can win only once in a calendar year.The winner of last month's copy of A Case for Love by Kaye Dacus is Shirley (sna35@...).Congratulations! Please email me your mailing address by July 25 and I'll get the book to you.If you didn't win this month, see below for news about another book giveaway.
----------
This month on July 25th I'll draw a winner from all current subscribers for a copy of A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin.
----------
 I recently read Blood Game: An Eve Duncan
Forensics Thriller by Iris Johansen, St. Martins Press, October 2009, 352 pages. This is one of a series of Eve Duncan thrillers but can be read alone with no problem. This time Eve is pitted against the
most evil mind she has met up with. Kevin Jelak is the second on a list of
three suspects who might know something about her missing daughter, Bonnie.
Jelak is a vampire wannabe. His plan is to kill and feed on the blood of a
dozen people so he can become a resurrected god-man. Eve is number 12 on
his list. I've enjoyed all of Iris
Johansen's Eve Duncan novels but this one is chocked full of the paranormal.
I'll continue to be a fan of the Eve Duncan series but I hope the next one has
a bit more realism. Blood Game shows us ample blood, but more attention to
the bad guy Jelak than to Eve and her human relationships. This is the novel for anyone who
enjoys vampire thinking, blood, and suspense.
Back to Top
|
| Writing Wisdom | Your Book's Audience and Platform
by Stephanie Barko
| |
 Stephanie Barko is a regionally
specialized literary publicist based in
Austin. She works as a Supplemental Publicist to New York publishers and as an
Independent Publicist to self-published authors. For a list of services and genres click www.authorsassistant.com
(This is not an endorsement of Ms. Barko or her work. I have no relationship with her or any of her clients.)
"If you cannot define your book's Audience and
Platform, your book will never get off the ground. To market your book,
you must distill its issues and know who and where your readers are and how
they search for information. Create your log line to attract them and
prioritize your first year plan so that you fully fund and lead with the
strongest device in your platform.
"Don't end up in the slush pile! Spend time and money with some editors, a
book designer, an SEO guru, and a publicist, so your book is more likely to
remain competitive among the 200,000 titles released in America each year."
Back to Top
|
|
Clean Chuckle | |
TEXAS WATER RIGHTS
 A
Texas Department of Water representative stopped at a ranch and talked with an
old rancher. He told the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for your water
allocation."
The old rancher said, "Okay, but don't go in that field over there."
The Water representative said, "Mister, I have the authority
of
the Federal Government with me. See this card? This card means I am allowed
to go WHEREVER I WISH on any agricultural land. No questions asked
or answered. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand?"
The old rancher nodded politely and went about his chores.
Later, the old rancher heard loud screams and saw the Water Rep running for
the fence and close behind was the rancher's bull. The bull was gaining on the Water
Rep with every step.
The Rep was clearly terrified, so the old rancher immediately
ran
to the fence and shouted out.....
"Your card! Show him your card!"
|
| Inspirational Insight | Patriotism
by Jo Huddleston
It is easy to take liberty for granted,
when you have never had it taken from you. --Author unknown,
sometimes attributed to M. Grundler.  I hope our readers who live in other
countries will allow me the privilege of writing about America's birth month.
July is a month of celebrating the beginning of this country; her gift of
freedom. On July Fourth, fireworks streaked the sky around Miss Liberty's
upraised arm in the New York City harbor. From coast to coast in our great
country, people celebrated.
In the plaza of the Rockefeller
Center in New York City, the personal credo of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. is
inscribed on a plaque. One of his statements there reads: "I believe that every
right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every
possession, a duty." Today our liberty is intact.
Combining our rights, our opportunities, and our possessions with our
compassion, we could go far in making this world one of comfort and
brotherhood. With America's vast knowledge in science,
technology, and industry . . . combined with our capabilities of love and concern,
we could start clearing cobwebs of poverty, conflict, and ignorance in our world.
We have the means to reach for such a goal and we have the freedom to move toward
it. Can we remove our mental blinders
and use our liberty to help bring about a brighter future for our children and
grandchildren? Do we want to? Do we believe we can?
Back to Top
©
2010 Jo Huddleston. All rights reserved.
|
|
