Hello from children’s author Crystal Bowman! I love the challenge of writing for children, and I love teaching other writers the craft of writing for children. In previous blogs I’ve talked about the many different genres of children’s literature as well as sharing tips on writing for children. Today I want to give you an inside look into how I got my most recent book published.
Month: October 2015
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Tips from the Pros: Dena Dyer
Greetings from Marti Pieper in lovely Mount Dora, Florida, where October means we’ve turned off our air conditioner and opened the windows. Our weather doesn’t get cold enough to produce leaves with true autumn color, but we do have plenty of pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and the ubiquitous pumpkin spice coffee drinks to help us join the rest of the northern hemisphere in celebrating fall. Today, I’m delighted to introduce to you a friend-by-writing, Dena Dyer. I “know” Dena from several mutual friendships and of course through the Christian Authors Network, but we have yet to meet in person. Her Texas…
10 Tips to a Killer Interview
Hola from Janet Perez Eckles…Igniting Your Passion to Overcome I was excited, I was prepared, and I was grinning at God’s grace to allow me to be on radio. Sound familiar? That was a couple of decades ago. And sitting behind that microphone, I began…and didn’t stop. Maybe I took a breath, maybe not. But my host might have been gasping, annoyed with my endless gab. I thought I had a killer interview, but instead I killed the audience’s interest. Then I figured out interviews that sing over the airways, and those that prompt a second and a third invitation,…
Tips from the pros: Kathy Ide
Greetings from colorful Colorado. Davalynn Spencer here, soaking up the beauty of fall on the Front Range and thrilled to introduce author/editor, Kathy Ide. Kathy, please tell us how you got into writing. About twenty years ago, a friend from church asked me to help her with a conference she was running. She said I was so much help, she asked if I’d like to attend for free. “I don’t know. What kind of conference is it?” (Clearly I hadn’t paid much attention to the material I was stuffing into three-ring binders.) She told me it was a writers’ conference….
Picture Perfect
Jesus used words pictures to carry His message so, to follow in His example, in today’s media culture, a photo is often “worth a thousand words”. Getting a great promo shot that captures you and your brand can feel nearly impossible – especially if you have a shoestring budget. Here are a few tips for getting that W.I.N.N.I.N.G. photo: Wear what you LOVE- and what loves YOU: Test clothes ahead of time with simple snaps on your cell. You will soon see what colors, lines and fabrics look best on you. It is also helpful to know what mood or…
NEW RELEASE: AUGUST 2015 – TOBY TOO SMALL BY MARYANN DIORIO
Five-year-old Toby Michaels is small, too small to be of much good to anyone. But one day, Toby discovers that it’s not how big you are on the outside that matters; it’s how big you are on the inside.
Wrestling the Dream-killer
Wrestling the Dream-killer Dianne Barker here, wondering…have you wrestled the dream-killer? Weariness and its family—exhaustion, fatigue, disillusionment—are experts at destroying dreams. Their persuasive whispers can talk us out of doing what we believe God called us to do. Authors battle weariness on many fronts. We begin a project with enthusiasm but time and trials slay our energy and our expectation. Who hasn’t felt searing pain when an editor slashed hope of publishing the manuscript we penned in heart’s blood? Who hasn’t stumbled under the weight of marketing demands? Who hasn’t declared, “I give up!” In such a place, questioning the worth…
They Were Dropping Like Flies
Hello from Kathy Collard Miller in the Southern California desert where it’s finally cooling down! It was so hot that even the bees were dropping like flies. In our desert area of Southern California, my husband, Larry, and I get used to the soaring summer heat and we thought the insects would too. But we kept finding dead bees by our front door. We thought, “Can’t do anything about it and it can’t be anything too serious,” so we just ignored the strange phenomenon. Until we also noticed a dark spot on the wall near the ceiling—a wall that was close…
Characterization: Apparel
Happy Friday, and welcome to the CAN Blog on Writing Fiction from Gail Gaymer Martin. When writing a novel, authors can deepen characterization by adding elements to the novel that sends a signal to readers. These signals allow them to see deeper characterization by observing what a character chooses wear in a given situation. Not only can personality be seen, but often deeper character such as morals or values. Dressing Characters If your heroine comes through the door wearing baggy jeans, a large bulky sweatshirt, and a baseball cap set on her head backwards, what would a reader think? A…
Tips from the Pros: Mary Hamilton
Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the honor of interviewing Mary Hamilton, one of CAN’s newest members, an author who saw the desperate need for Christian fiction for tween boys—and filled it. Mary, how did you get into writing? How many books do you have published? I’ve enjoyed writing since I was very young, but it wasn’t until I became a stay-at-home mom that I pursued writing for publication. To start with, I wrote articles for some Christian magazines, and I wrote a Christmas play for the church I attended. When I turned to fiction and novels,…
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