Chautona

The third book in the Aggie series has been decided.

As I near the end of the first edit of the rough draft for the second book, For Keeps, I realized that the story hasn’t ended and it’d be an even longer book than the first even if I tried to rush it. So, I had a choice. Make book two too long and unsatisfying, or finish the bulk of Aggie’s tale in a third book. Tonight the decision came. Aggie three is definitely in the works and the plot has been determined.

So… Keep Away will be added to the Summer/Fall 2010 line up!  I’m getting excited already!

So, the new covers are as follows:

I went over and over it, and as far as I can tell, it’s PERFECT.  YIPPEE!  So, it was time to DRAW FOR A WINNER…  I started by counting all entries (192) and then went to random.org… yeah, that was a nuisance.  So, instead, I printed out all questions, cut them apart, folded them up, and voila!

Then I drew for the HARDBACK….

Sorry Terran… I was really rooting for you (Sorry folks, but he won the first hardback last time!)  Then I drew again…

Ok, funny story.  Trinity has told me several times that she WON’T win, she NEVER wins, and so when that came out, I just stared.  For a second, I was tempted to fold it back up, put it back, and just draw someone else so she wouldn’t accuse me of rigging the draw.  However, I stand before you in all honesty saying that her name came out without any prompting by me.  I had no idea until it unfolded what name was on that slip.  (A part of me wants to raise my fist and say, “As God is my witness…”)

So, there you have it.  When your books arrive, ladies, I’ll get ‘em in the mail!  Um, Trinity?  If you’d rather have the first book, I’d be happy to substitute.

At midnight, at a Wal-Mart near you or down the road at Borders and Barnes and Noble, a crowd appears.  Wearing cloaks, carrying bows and arrows, and with apples in their pockets, these die-hard fans are waiting… waiting… waiting…  They know the book is coming.  They’re anxious to be the first to get their hands on it, but they will be disappointed– oh so disappointed.

Meanwhile, in a  bedroom not far away, a child falls asleep with visions of Wynnewood dancing in his head.  A half-finished book drops from his fingers while a flashlight beams, draining the batteries (let’s hope they’re rechargeable!).  The frenetic crowds jostle for the best position when the doors open, but they will not be the first to receive the book they seek.  It’s already enroute or has arrived at homes across the country– and at a discount.

The doors open.  The crazed fans rush to find pallets of books, but instead, curious employees frown at them and whisper at one another, confused.  The books aren’t there.  Disappointed, millions of eager Wynnewood fans from all over the country shuffle home, power up their computers, and send their fingers flying over the keys.  Some will find the author’s site and be disappointed to learn they missed out on a personally autographed copy at an introductory price.  Others will go to Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and then wait days for the books to arrive.  If they had only been an early bird, they wouldn’t now feel like such a worm.  You know… nobody likes me… everybody hates me… I think I’m gonna eat some worms…

Want to know how to avoid the vast disappointment?  Order  now!  I have two exciting specials to offer– one for those who have the first book and one for those who haven’t yet “met” our friends Dove and Philip!

The Pre-order price of Cloaked in Secrets is 10.50!!!  That’s two dollars off the cover price– almost 20%!!  To pre-order your copy(ies) use the paypal button below.  If you’d like to order multiple copies, email me and I’ll send you a custom invoice.

Book + Shipping Options

Book w/media shipping (13.50) $10.50 Book w/priority shipping (15.50 $10.50 Book w/international shipping (24.50) $10.50

However, for those of you who haven’t taken the Wynnewood plunge, I have a great offer for you too!  Order Shadows & Secrets and Cloaked in Secrets for a low packaged price.  Both books INCLUDING media shipping, for $25.00!  That is a total savings of $7.00!!  It’s a bargain!  Buy a set for every one on your summer book buying list or pack them away for Christmas!

Shipment Location

Introductory Bundle US $25.00 Introductory Bundle International $34.00

Sharon B-  Do you enjoy reading your books? Is it full of myself to say yes?  What I don’t enjoy is seeing what I should have rephrased, thinking of a funny line too late, and things like that.

Sharon B- Would you enjoy doing a book tour? Let’s see… new places… new friends… hotel rooms… oh yeah!  No wait, I actually have to talk to people I don’t know?  Maybe not…

Sharon B- Do you prefer a certain type of pen for autographs? I like purple.  It speaks to me.  I really want a lovely fountain pen with dark green ink.  I want it as dark green as I can get without it looking black.

Sharon B- What are some story ideas you have running around in your mind? Well, there is the “Er” series.  It’s a series of five to seven books about people in a world that doesn’t really exist.  Each book centers on a person who makes a big impact in their world in whatever way.  The first one is “The Keeper,” and he’s actually a bit of a historian/storyteller.    There’ll be the Protector, the Dreamer, the Teacher, and similar ideas.    I also have been thinking about the series I started with Prairie.  Have lots of ideas for that one.  Then, there’s the one about the woman stuck in a coma for weeks/months and learns all kinds of things about her family while they talk to her.

Sharon B- And what sewing blog were you talking about? http://patternpiece.blogspot.com

Sharon B- What authors do you enjoy? Do they inspire you in your writing? You know, the funny thing is, I don’t know how inspired I am by any particular author or not.  I do love Mindy Starns Clark, Miss Dee Henderson, LOVED the old Michael Phillips but he’s changed.  I quit reading him in the second southern book.  Sadness.  I like Stephen Bly, and Gayle Roper.  I also like John Flanagan and Gerald Morris.  Being the odd gal I am, I like Ayn Rand (have to skip trashy parts) and quite a few classics.

Sharon B- What is one thing you could NEVER write about?  Smut.  I can’t write about a kiss without wincing.  Smut doesn’t work for me.  I also couldn’t do horror.  I can do suspense, but not horror.

Sharon B- What is one thing you would love to write about but don’t feel you could? Historical fiction is not likely to be my forte.  I’d love to try true sci-fi just because my kids like it, but I am not a sci fi gal myself.

Anita M-  Which character is most like you? Probably Kari.  I just realized that I  have a lot of Alexa’s inner personality in me though.

Anita M-  Do you ever have characters that do not turn out like you thought they would when you first started writing about them?  Do you change it to make them who you want them to be or just go with it? Often.  Very often.  Usually, I go with the flow.  If they wanna be twits, that’s their problem.    I often feel like a ghost writer of memoirs…

Anita M-   Which character do you WISH you were most like? Probably Libby… or maybe Lloyd.  I love Lloyd.  Wait.  Hope.  Yeah.  Maybe Hope.

Anita M-  Which character do you admire the most in your books? Dani.  What she went through and how she handled it was amazing.  I often read that book and wonder how I ever wrote about someone so cool!

Anita M-   Will you have more books with Grace and Nolan? Grace is in Hope 101, Thirty Days Hath, and possibly Past Forward.  So yeah, there are more…  She might pop up in Aggie two also.

Anita M-   What about Lane and Matt, what are they up to these days? They’re getting a sequel.  I’ve got the first chapter or so finished.

Anita M-  Do the characters in your different books ever “collide” in your mind?  Tell me what a meeting between Lane and Aggie would be like. Well, they ARE at the same wedding in Past Forward…  My books are so intertwined that it is scary sometimes.

Anita M-  Have you met new friends either online or in real life due to them reading your books?  Is it fun to have “fans” or is it more creepy? Well, one of Kevin’s former secretaries was given two of my books for Christmas.  She found me on facebook and we became internet friends.  I’m hoping to get to know her better since she’s here in town.  I also became better friends with one of the WS gals after she read my books… as I feel I have with you!  And, as a result of these questions, a family member of one of the actors I mentioned for Aggie in the “dream cast” question contacted me wanting to know how I knew of the actor’s work and expressing an interest in reading the book.  I sent one with my appreciation.  The woman took the time to write me, and I thought that was very cool!  So, a book is zipping across the miles, and while I know Aggie would never be made into a movie, I thought the gesture was a very gracious and thoughtful one.  I like my fans.  They’re a small, select group of awesome women and how could that possibly be creepy! 

Sharon B-  What do you do to overcome writer’s block? What’s that?  Oh, as in what do I do to overcome the small block of time I have to write?  I pay my kids to do my work so I can write more!   No seriously, so far, writer’s block has not been a problem.  I have the reverse problem.  Maybe in 10 years… nah!

Barbara H (Jonah)- are there any new characters? Yes!  Wait until you meet the Maete!

Barbara H (Jonah)-  Is the dragon in this new one? Yes… the papa dragon anyway.

Barbara H (Jonah)-  Do you know what Jonah looks like? Well, I know what Jonah H looks like.  The Biblical one is probably dust by now…

Barbara H (Ben)-   Will there be any monkeys in the story? I”m afraid not.  They don’t like the snow…

Barbara H-  Don’t you hate all my naggy writing questions? Not really, no.

Barbara H (Jonah)-  Is the midwife still in the story? Yes.  You get to see a little more of her this time.

Barbara H (Ben)-  Is there going to be anything scary? I think that a few parts might be a little scary for some people.

Barbara H-  That editing info just made me cry. Why?

Barbara H (Jonah)-   Are there any more assassins? What assassins?

Sharon B (Rebekah B.)-  How long does it take to write a book? It depends on the book.  I mean, some have been written in a month, others in several months, and like Aggie, she’s not complete and I started her back in 2002.  I’d say the average is about 3-4 months.

Sharon B (Mary B)-  What is your favorite part of writing? New characters.  I love meeting new characters.

Sharon B-  If you were no longer able to use a computer, would you give up writing or grab the pad of paper? I’d probably grab a mini recorder and talk to myself all day, send it to someone to be transcribed, and then finish from that.

Sharon B-  Pen or pencil? Pen, but if I was going to write entire books by hand, pencil.

Sharon B-  Does having books published freak you out? Nope.

Sharon B- What color is you laptop? Black, but the part around the keyboard is silver.  I want to find one of those cool skins you can buy for them and get a purple one.

Barb H-  what would you advise those who love writing as a hobby? Write.  Even if you think it stinks, even if you don’t know what you’re doing, and even if you aren’t ready to share it with anyone yet.

Barb H-would you consider adding the phrase “aluminum siding” in your next book? Done.  I’ll stick it in Aggie 2 today.

Barb H-when are you coming to Denver for a book signing and coffee with me? Tomorrow good for you?

Barbara H-  do you pray over your storylines? I have when I wasn’t sure if what I wanted to do was a good choice.  I pray a LOT over “Captured.”  That is such a hard one to write, that I take a LONG time to write it.

Barbara H-  do they just come naturally? Actually, for the most part, they do.

Barbara H-  what do you do when you get stuck? Well, I don’t really get stuck, but if I am not enjoying a particular section, I usually work on another one for a bit to fortify me.

Sharon B-  If you could change one thing that happened in Shadow and Secrets what would it be? Why? I’d have created a place that never existed.  I feel guilty for messing with history the way I did.  If there was an island a few hundred miles away from Ireland, it would have solved the problem, but I didn’t want to make Lord Morgan a king of sorts, so instead, I did it the way I did.

Sharon B-  Do you like your Coke over ice or straight from the can? Straight from the can, and it better be uber cold.  I haven’t had one in weeks because it’s too hot for that this time of year.  After a few minutes of being open, it goes flat and gets too warm.  I rarely keep drinking Coke all through summer.  I wait until it cools off a bit.  There’s a chance I won’t start buying again at all this year.  We’ll see.  When I’m sick, I want Coke, and once I start drinking it… well…

Sharon B-  What are your thoughts on Dr. Pepper? I try not to think about it.  *shudders*

Sharon B- M&Ms; plain or peanut? I like plain because I can suck on them and that means I don’t eat very many for the same amount of pleasure.  I like peanut when I am hungry and just want a quick tasty snack.

Sharon B-  Have you ever thought of writing a sewing how-to? Yes, I even started it.  And, I started that blog, but SOMEONE hasn’t told me what to do and where to go next with it, so it sits… and sits… and sits…

Sharon B- How often do you save your work as you type? Usually at the end of every page, but my computer is set to auto save every 30 seconds.

Cari-  In Willow you mention her, but she is also a character in your Aggie stories — How did you come up with the name Cari for one of the twins?  The reason I’m asking is growing up I never met another C-a-r-i Cari and now that I’m an adult I’m seeing that name a lot more but it’s always younger people (30′s and under).  Don’t want to just assume you named her after me. When I first started writing Aggie, I found Scotch names for all of the children to go with Stuart.  I almost spelled it Stewart, but I wanted the “J.E.B. Stuart” feel too, so I left it with the alternate spelling.  One of the names I found was a mouthful that no one would ever want to read over and over, much less spell, so I just named the child that and shortened it to Cari.  The name reminds me of mine– Cairistiona.   However, I have known many Caris over the years.  I think it’s much more common on the west coast.  I remember being excited when I got to that part in Willow, because by that time, I knew you well and it kind of cracked me up that a child who seems so opposite your personality would have your name.

Kristi in AL- Have you ever totally scrapped a partially written book, because you just didn’t like it? Yes.  Actually, you’ve “met” one of the characters.  In Argosy Junction, when Lane has the allergic reaction to sheep, the man from the gun shop runs for help.  That man is the main character in the book I scrapped.  Also, I combined two books into one, so technically that might be considered a scrap.

Kristi in AL-  How about for any other reason? I’ve scrapped a lot of ideas for various reasons… including books that had up to five or six chapters already.  I almost scrapped Volition.  I did not like that book as I was writing it.  I literally almost dumped it in the bin.  It didn’t do anything for me, but since then I’ve reread it and I like it!

Kristi in AL-  Which stage of the writing process is your favorite? Conception.  I love it when I’m doing something and an idea comes in.  I love opening a new document and writing those first chapters of a story.  I also LOVE that bit when you write the last few paragraphs and realize, “It’s done!!”

Kristi in AL-  When your characters won’t behave, what do you do? Usually, I go with things their way.  Whatever they want, however they mess things up, I move with it.  However, sometimes I can’t.  When writing Thirty Days Hath, it was a nightmare, because I HAD to stick to the outline.  That was the point of writing it!  So, when Adric started to fall for the wrong people, it wsa irritating.  However, that one I had to just go with.  With NANO, you can’t wait it out until they decide to cooperate.  With Cara, she wouldn’t fight.  She had to fight.  It was necessary for her to have that moment where she said “Wait, you didn’t even ask!”  So, I waited until she decided to cooperate.  Now I have to write it.  I’m sure Michele will speak to me again if I do!

Kristi in AL- From Bethany (6yo):  have you written any little kids’ books? Yes.  I’ve completed three, and have a series based on Willow planned.

Kristi in AL- From Jeremy (16yo):  on average, how long does it take you to publish a book? Well, once the book is complete, and that varies depending on the book, then I have to edit.  The first edit, I do alone.  I reread every paragraph so I know what is coming, and then each  sentence as it stands alone.  I change words, add details, try to make it come alive.  Then I do the next… so on until the paragraph is done.  Then I reread the whole paragraph.  Usually I have to cut some stuff then because I’ve over done it.  I do that through the whole book, looking for spelling, syntax, grammar, and such.  I miss a ton.  Then I send it to my handy dandy editor.  She checks it out, figures out what it needs, and sends it back with comments.  I’m sure she shakes her head as she reads all the garbage.  I fix it again.   My edit usually takes me at least three to four weeks.  Her edit usually takes three or four days max.  I fix her edits, and she rereads, leaving me with a few more things.  While she’s working on her edits, I find a picture for the book.  That can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.  I can’t make the cover until the book is done, because the number of pages in the book determines the cover size.  Once I get the final edit back from Barbara, then I upload it to the website, get my cover template, and open Adobe CS3.  Now the fun begins.  I have a template I have to fit everything into.  I can’t go too close to the edge, can’t mess up the spine, and there’s that pesky ISBN on the back just waiting for me to put words over it.  I upload it and wait.  At this point, it’s usually been four to six weeks since I started editing.  After 12-24 hours, my manuscript is approved and I order a proof copy.  Now there’s another week waiting for it to come.  When I get the proof copy, I take it, a red pen, and mosey over to my favorite coffee shop where I drink an Italian Soda.  Yeah, I don’t like coffee, but they have comfy couches and it’s very quiet there.  It usually takes me about six to ten hours  to finish reading and editing.  I make changes in the book and resend to the publisher again.  That’s another week until it arrives.  So, usually, from the beginning of edit to final proof is a minimum of six to eight weeks.  With Ready or Not, it was a full ten weeks.  *insert banging head here*

Kristi in AL- From Jeremy again:  is it pronounced Win-wood or Wine-wood? Win-wood.  Emphasis on Win.

Kristi in AL-From Nathan:  what is the most frustrating time in writing—beginning, middle, or end? I find the most frustrating part to be whenever I figure out the end.  Once I know what the end is, I go crazy until I can get to that part and write it.  It’s particularly frustrating when I figure out the end early into the book.

So, one of the most amazing things about writing is seeing other people get wrapped up in your work.  I love it when I get a ding from a friend online and read, “Hey, got any more ___” (fill in the blank).  It’s just the most amazing thing  to see others not just willing to read what you wrote, but ASKING to do it.

I got these pictures the other day.  Don’t they make you smile?

THAT right there, is probably the most beautiful thing an author can see.  Second to that… and barely…

First… the blog of the family of C up there…

Second… the blog of another family…

This just blesses me.

My friends Barbara and Michele run a “fan page” for me over at Facebook.  Yeah.  It’s a bit embarrassin’ but hey.  At least they changed the name… the original one, while flattering, was a bit… um… well, if you’re not a fan of all things Harry Potter, it wouldn’t make sense.

Then we discovered, that without 100 fans, someone could steal the name.  While I can’t figure out why anyone would want to do that, I decided to do a drawing to drive the numbers to that 100 mark– just to protect us from being hacked don’tcha know.

Tonight, we reached the 100 mark.  My thanks to all the friends (not to mention the husbands who stepped in and helped out) who worked so hard to get it for us!  And… then I went to Random.org and snagged us a nice number.

Ok… so here is the highly unscientific way that I chose the person who was 57.  I went to Facebook, clicked on the “See All” fans and counted… one at a time…  yeah.  It was tedious.  the reason this was unscientific was because I don’t know if that changes every time you look at it or not.  I don’t THINK so, but I didn’t check.  So, if my 57 isn’t the same as yours, that’s not my fault.  Just sayin’

Congratulations Alicia!  Just comment and lemme know what book you want.  You have the choice between…

Noble Pursuits

Argosy Junction

Annals of Wynnewood:  Shadows & Secrets

Ready or Not

OR…

Book 2 in the Annals of Wynnewood:  Cloaked in Secrets.  However, if you choose book 2, you’ll have to wait until June for shipment.

The facebook fan page is up to ninety-two fans!  Eight more and I draw for a book, any book… just because!  Talk about FUN!

So, if you’re on Facebook and you’re not a fan of Just the Write Escape, hop on over and maybe we can draw for a book this weekend!

Just sayin’.

Every time I publish a book, friends and I go out to lunch for a “Book Signing.”  This time, I came prepared.

My friends!  From left to right.  Lupe, Glenda (her husband is where I got the name Verily for Noble Pursuits),  Teresa (my partner in so many “crimes”) and me.

Signing Lupe’s book.

Signing Glenda’s book.

Proof that it’s my book….

I couldn’t stop laughing.

You see, we laugh… a lot.  Partly, because Teresa loves to embarrass me.  She threatens to set up a table by the front door and stack up books.  Then watch people come in.  They’d stare, scratch their heads, frown, tip toe past, and order their food– to go.

So, we order, we sit on those couches, and tell stories.  Laugh.  Oh do we laugh.  We talk about how different we are, how we’re so alike, and encourage each other in the Lord.  Good times.  I doubt any other authors have book signings quite like mine, but that’s ok.  I’m happy to be me.  I’m even happier to have such good and encouraging friends.

Stay tuned at the end of the interview for more information on Craig, his website, and the blog where he showcases his recent work.

What do you suggest to people who want to learn how to draw more accurately?  Are there any books you recommend?  Videos?  Online classes?  Correspondence courses?

The easy answers are keep a sketchbook and draw all the time and learn to see.  80% of drawing is seeing and not everything you see translates to the page so get out there and start drawing from life.  You will learn something new nearly every time and usually more from your mistakes than anything.

As for books and stuff, for kids I can’t speak highly enough for “Commander” Mark Kistler.  He had a show on PBS but I think you can find his stuff online.  It’s drawing basics like perspective, foreshortening, shading, etc. and making it fun.  For older students who are interested in figure drawing there is no reason to go any further than George B. Bridgeman.  It’s volumetric anatomy for Artists and not Anatomists.  His “Complete Guide to Drawing from Life” is probably the most used book on my shelf. It will change how you see.

What is your dream project?  What would make you just go wild with excitement if you had the opportunity to do anything you wanted?

Ooooo that’s a rough one to nail down.  I guess it would be the opportunity to get my hands on some of the iconic characters of literature.  Someone like a Peter Pan, Long John Silver, Ebenezer Scrooge, Little John, Tin Woodsman, Pigsy, The Monkey King, etc would be a dream to tackle.  I guess to be able to add something to that experience for a reader or a viewer would be amazing.  To be able to really inhabit those characters in their worlds for a while is really why I prefer story related art.

What is the “downside” to art?  Policemen hate paperwork… what do artists hate?

That’s kind of a small question with a big explanation; I’ll try to keep it brief.  It’s the looks you and your family get sometime when someone either first meets you or asks about you and say, “ahh he/you is/are an artist.”  It’s the same dismissive look people give when talking about the deranged or hard of thinking.  Part of that is our fault really, Art has done more to talk to itself than it has to talk to others in the recent past and they just can’t relate.

The other thing that I am sure most everyone can relate to is when people disrespect your time, your talent and the difficulty of what you do.  My theory as this relates to Art is: once upon a time everyone use to draw, and it was fun.  Then at some point they stopped for lack of interest or discouragement or whatever but they retained the memory of drawing, coloring, painting, sculpting = play.  So when they have to deal with those of us that kept “playing” they think most of what we do is easy and basic goof-offery which leads to 5PM on a Friday projects due at 6PM that same day, a client asking for the moon and expecting it and the dreaded work on speculation.

What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Well first two things that pop in my head are both from the same person my Mother-in-Law, Beverly.  When I graduated college she gave me a business card case with “Illustrator” engraved on it, something about that meant a lot.  The second comes from a conversation my wife told me about where Bev had come to the realization that I see things differently because I am an Artist.  Her attempt to put herself in my shoes and that she was I guess impressed in some way I took as quite a compliment.

What question do most non-artistic types forget to ask in these kinds of interviews?

Seeing as how I don’t get interviewed, well ever, I guess the thing I hear the most is more of an observation than a question.  “I can’t even draw a straight line.”  To which I reply, “Neither can I that’s why I use a ruler.”

Craig shares a blog with several of his artist buddies  Sketch-of-the-Day.  There’s a lot of amazing work on this blog… I always love stopping by to see what he and his friends have done lately.  However, I have to give you a warning.  Not everything on this site is appropriate for children.  While there is nothing pornographic, a few of the images are of a more sexualized nature and therefore not appropriate for everyone.  So, consider yourself warned.

Craigs Posts

His Sketches of Dove

And his website!  C.B. Worrell . com!

Stay tuned for his work in Cloaked in Secrets!  The itsy bitsy bits of what I’ve seen coming are so EXCITING.  I’m almost as thrilled, if not more,  as I am about my book!

Now, on a professional note, working with Craig has been incredibly rewarding.  He has just enough professionalism to give you confidence in his work even before you see his ideas on paper.  However, he’s not so “all-business” that you wonder if he’ll sterilize your characters or if you wonder if he’s being tortured to do the work.  Just listening to him, you can hear the passion for what he does as he talks about things.  It’s truly a wonderful experience, and I recommend him heartily.  Now, if I could just win the lottery so I could give him an amazingly huge tip… that’d be cool.

He even did a portrait of me… sight unseen.  I’m just so impressed…