Month: February 2015

Shot to the Heart

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Well, I suppose I can consider myself an official writer now, as two days ago, I received my first rejection email.  Oh, it was written kindly and politely, but that didn’t take the sting of rejection away.  After reading it, and this was a submission that I had expected to hear something about quite some time ago, I thought, I felt better not knowing than getting that “I’m sorry but we cannot use your story at this time”.

But the sting has gone, and I go on.  I will continue to write and submit and hope.  I cannot do anything else, because I have characters and stories inside of me fighting to get out.

Yesterday, I read this on another blog:

• Agatha Christie went through FIVE years of continual rejection before landing a publishing deal; her book sales are now over $2 billion.

• Louis L’Amour garnered 200 rejections before a publisher decided to take a chance on him; his book sales are now over $330 million.

• Janet Evanovich wrote for TEN years before getting published; she now makes millions every year.

– See more at: http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/#sthash.NH9H1wFy.dpuf

After reading this information, I had two thoughts:  1) Wow!  That’s perseverance.  I hope I have that kind of strength, determination and fortitude, and 2) I hope it doesn’t take me that long because I have started at an age where I’m not sure I would have much time to produce a lot of great stories if I had to wait that long.

How about you?  Have you received rejection letters/emails?  How long have you been plugging away at your writing waiting for your big break?

A Postponement

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I am sad to say that there will not be a Guest Post today.  I suppose that what I need to inform you of, is that there will be a Guest Post Wednesday only on Wednesdays when I can actually acquire one.  Please don’t give up on Guest Post Wednesday, as I will post a Guest Post on any Wednesday that I am able to make a connection with someone to write one, so they may not happen every Wednesday, but they will happen.

Watch for an update on my writing journey, to be posted tomorrow!

River’s Edge by Terri Blackstock

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This is Book #3 in the Cape Refuge Series.  If you remember, I already reviewed Book #4 of this series here.  I know, I seem to be reading this series in reverse, but it still makes sense and is still very suspenseful and enjoyable.  I received a copy of River’s Edge free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program.  I am not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Official Book Description

The man Lisa Jackson loved most may have betrayed her.

Another used deception to manipulate her.

But did one of them kill her?

Ben Jackson is sure to defeat Jonathan Cleary in Cape Refuge’s mayoral race, until his wife turns up missing the day before a major debate. Suspecting foul play, Police Chief Cade launches an island-wide search. But it takes a psychic’s “vision” to point police to the riverside-and Lisa’s body.

The evidence implicating Ben in his wife’s murder is convincing. But as a local scandal escalates into a national media circus, Cade’s instincts tell him to dig deeper. And he’s not the only one. Blair Owens of the Cape Refuge Journal is using her investigative skills to uncover a rat’s nest of dirty secrets-and more than one person with a motive for murder. But Blair’s methods are jeopardizing her relationship with Cade, and an unsolicited prediction from the psychic only adds to her troubles. Is the man’s so-called gift truly from God, as he claims?

Did Lisa’s murder have anything to do with the mayoral race, her husband’s alleged affair, or her decade-long struggle with infertility? Whoever the killer is, he’s about to take his evasion of justice to the next, lethal level. And someone else is going to die.

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This story is well-written and deals with some difficult issues like infertility.  It is realistic and the characters are people who will draw you into the story and make you care about them from page one.  The suspense of who killed Lisa Jackson will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end, and there are enough suspects to keep you guessing.  I love to read suspenseful novels and try to solve the crime and figure out who the guilty party is before it is revealed, but Terri Blackstock in the Cape Refuge series (the two that I have read so far) always surprises me, and to me, that says the author did a great job with the story because it was intricately woven in a way that I thought I knew who dunnit, but I didn’t.

This series also includes a recurring group of townsfolk who keep you coming back to each book of the series.  Their storylines include suspense and romance as well as real-life issues.  Blair Owens’s walk of faith is a joy to watch as it grows and she faces some of the spiritual struggles we all deal with.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a well-written story about realistic characters dealing with realistic issues.  I also recommend this novel to anyone who loves a fast-paced suspense novel, as well as a mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

My Writing Process

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1) & 2)  What am I working on and how do I write what I write?

I currently have two works in progress (WIP).  I have been working on an outline and character questionnaires for a story and am still working on that.  However, that doesn’t seem to quench my need to be creative.  I guess I am just too used to writing “by the seat of my pants” (pantser), which is how I have written stories ever since I started writing way back when I was in junior high school, (what many places now call “middle school”).  I do not want to give up on the one that I am working on with an outline and character questionnaires, though, because I want to see what really does work better for me — “pantsing” or “planning”, or maybe I’ll be able to find something in between.  Any suggestions for something in between?

You may be wondering, “doesn’t pantsing require extra editing”?  All I can say is “not for me”.  You see, the way that I write, I simply sit down and begin writing and let the characters introduce themselves to me, and I let the characters tell the story.  I just type.  The next time I sit down to write, (which should be everyday, but, sadly, is not), I reread all that I have typed; and, yes, I do this each and every time I sit down to work on the story I am pantsing.  Isn’t that time consuming, you may ask.  Yes, it is.  However, it serves three wonderful purposes to me.  It refreshes my mind about the story, I change things and make edits on what I’ve written each and every time I sit down and reread, and it gets ideas flowing and awakens the characters, and they continue telling me the story.  That way, if I write a scene that I feel is lame or that doesn’t fit or advance the story, I can get rid of it the next day.  I just wrote such a scene last night, and the more I thought about it after walking away from my writing, the more I decided it does nothing to advance the plot.  Therefore, when I sit down to write again, be it today or tomorrow, I will get rid of that scene.  So, yes, I also spend time thinking about my stories and characters while I am not writing, which also helps my writing process for the next time I sit down to write.

3)  How does my book differ from others in its genre?

The only answer I have for this, is that it is written by me, in my voice, with characters I created in their own circumstances.  I hope that their circumstances and the plot is something fresh and new to the genre.  I hope that my characters are characters that you come to care about quickly and that you come to love and will not want to say goodbye to at the end of the story.  I hope there is an underlying Christian theme/message that will inspire you and touch your heart.

4)  Why do I write what I write?

Because I have to.  I have a need to get these stories on paper (or computer) because they will not let me rest if I do not.  I also write the kinds of stories that I love to read, and I may be writing more than one genre eventually because I have a story idea burning inside me that was born of helping my son with one of his writing assignments for his homeschool writers’ club.  It introduced me to a new genre that I never tried writing before and didn’t think I’d want to write, but I had so much fun helping him, that I just might give it a shot when I finish the two WsIP I am currently spending my time on.

5)  How does my writing process work?

I described my writing process near the top of this post, and when I did, I alluded to the answer to this question.  I haven’t reached a definite decision which writing process works best for me yet, but I do still enjoy writing as a pantser much more than as a planner.  However, because I haven’t yet had a story published, I can’t really say that my writing process definitely works, but I do believe that whatever writing process I (or you) are most comfortable with will be the one that will work in the end because if I am (or you are) using a process that I am (or you are) comfortable with, I believe I (or you) will be more productive and produce good, if not great, work.

What is your writing process?  Is it working well for you?  Leave a comment and let me and my readers know.

Surprise! A Guest Post by Marsha Hubler

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Drum roll, please!  Yes, today is the beginning of “Guest Post Wednesday” here at Kelly F Barr.  I hope I will be able to bring inspiring and informational posts from some great bloggers and hope to be able to do so each and every Wednesday.  I am thrilled that Marsha Hubler has agreed to be my first Guest Poster.  I met Marsha last Spring at a one-day Writer’s Conference.

MyPictureforContact Page

Marsha Hubler

Author/Speaker

 When Marsha left Ashland, PA in 1964, she was headed for Bloomsburg State College, Bloomsburg, PA, and a teaching career four years later in the central Pennsylvania area. Marsha says, “Little did I know that one of my childhood dreams of writing books would become a reality beyond my wildest imagination.”

After graduating from college, she married Richard Hubler, also a 1964 graduate of Ashland Area High School. Eventually, they made their home near Middleburg, PA. They have been active members of Bible Baptist Church in Kreamer, PA, since 1972, where Marsha plays the organ and sings in a mixed quartet.

In her 40+ years of involvement with education, Marsha has earned her master’s degree from Bloomsburg and has co-founded two private schools, Kreamer Christian Academy, Kreamer, PA, and the Bethesda Prep School, Milton, PA, where she served as administrator in each. Since 1990 she has evaluated and tested hundreds of homeschoolers in her home where she lives with her husband and two dogs. She is a certified evaluator with three different homeschooling organizations. She speaks at writers’ conferences, parents’ and children’s events and schools.

Marsha’s “professional” writing career started in 1991. She has had numerous articles, short stories, and poems published in magazines and for greeting cards. In 2003 her first book was published. DRAW ME CLOSER, LORD is a 128-page Bible study guide that helps ladies develop a stronger prayer relationship with the Lord.

Of her 19 published books, Marsha is most excited about the best-selling KEYSTONE STABLES SERIES published by Zonderkidz. These eight girl/horse fiction books delicately deal with issues that face today’s youth, issues such as light drug abuse, foster care, special needs, and the death of a close friend. Through her stories, Marsha conveys the truths that no problem is bigger than God and that He offers salvation as a gift through his Son, Jesus Christ. Girls ten years and older will connect to this series, identifying with the main protagonist, Skye Nicholson, who appears to be as tough as nails. However, on the inside she’s a scared, insecure teen, not quite sure of anything but her own fears until God changes her heart. “My main desire,” Marsha says, “is to see young people helped, most of all spiritually, through their difficult adolescent years as they read my books.”

Marsha and her husband were foster parents from 1975 to 1987, caring for a dozen children in need of a good home. Her hobbies and interests have included horses, softball, volleyball, painting, gardening, pocket billiards, and playing the organ.

In April of 2003, Marsha attended an American Christian Writers’ Conference in Richmond, Virginia, where she was presented the “Writer of the Year” Award. She presently does freelance editing for two publishing companies and has just assumed the directorship of the Montrose Christian Writers Conference, a five-day conference that draws faculty and conferees from all over the United States.

Marsha’s life verse is 1 Corinthians 15:10a: “But by the grace of God I am what I am.…” She stands amazed at what God can do with someone who is willing to serve him at whatever capacity he calls him or her.

Visit Marsha at her website, writers’ tips blog, Facebook, and other social media sites:

www.marshahubler.com

www.marshahubler.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/marsha.hubler.3

Keystone Stables Book 1

Sisterhood Bloggers Award

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I have recently been nominated for a few blogger awards by my friend, Donna Smith.  So today, I will post about one of them.

sisterhoodoftheworldbloggersaward-graphic

First of all, I want to say “Thank you” to Donna Smith for nominating me.  You can visit Donna’s blog at here.    The rules for this award are as follows:  1)Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.  2) Put the award logo on your blog.  3) Answer the 10 questions sent to you.  4) Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer, and  5) Nominate 5 blogs.

The following ten questions are mine to answer:

1)  What are you currently reading?  I am reading two books right now — To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which I have read twice before, and River’s Edge, part of the Cape Refuge series, by Terri Blackstock.

2)  Are you doing what you love?  Yes, I homeschool two of my three children (one has already graduated from our homeschool), and I am writing — nonfiction, fiction, poetry and this blog, as well as two other blogs when I have time and a good post idea.

3)  What is your favorite movie and why?  I have several favorite movies, but one that I like to watch over and over was a T.V. movie starring Rikki Lake before she lost weight, called Baby Cakes.  I like the movie because I can really relate to the main character.

4)  What was your first job?  Well, aside from babysitting, my first “real” job was working part-time at a K-Mart store.  I began working there as a senior in high school and worked there for a total of five years.

5)  If you could be anyone else, who would you be and why?  I don’t really like this question because I am fairly happy as me and believe that I am who God means for me to be, but if I had to choose someone, I suppose it would be someone like Jody Hedlund who is a Christian, who homeschools her children, who is successfully publishing good books and writing on a personal and a group blog, and who gets to travel to interesting places to do research for her books.

6)  Do you think blog awards have too many questions?  No, I don’t mind answering the questions I find on blog awards.  I think it’s a fun way to share some things about myself to allow my readers to get to know me a little better.

7)  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?  I would change the fact that I procrastinate about my writing.  It’s very strange because I feel driven to write and I have several good ideas for stories, but I allow my self-confidence to stand in my way.  I lost self-confidence in my writing a long time ago because of some hurtful things that were said to me, and that prevented me from writing for a long time.  I have just begun writing again a little over a year ago but because I have submitted pieces and haven’t had success in publishing anything yet, and that causes my self-confidence to falter, and then, though I tell myself I NEED to write, I find excuses not to.

8)  What is your favorite thing about yourself?  I would say my mental and emotional strength.  I don’t let anything get me down for too long, and I have always been able to do what I felt I needed to do in any given circumstance in my life so far.

9)  How long have you blogged?  I have only been blogging on this blog close to two years, but I started blogging a little over six years ago.

10) What is your favorite hobby?  I love to read!

Now, I won’t nominate five bloggers for this award because I do not like to make anyone feel pressured to do something they may not enjoy doing.  Therefore I will simply leave an open invitation here for any of you who read my blog to feel free to consider yourself nominated, if this is something you would enjoy doing.  If you decide to post this on your blog and answer the following ten questions, please leave a comment and let me know so that I can read your Sisterhood Blogger Award post too.

My ten questions for anyone who would like to do this:

1)  Who is your favorite author and why?

2) When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up, and is that what you are?

3) Do you read everyday?

4) What was the worst job you ever had?

5) If you could be a character from a story, who would you be and why?

6) Do you enjoy receiving blog awards?

7) What is the first thing you notice about someone the first time you meet them?

8) Who is your favorite super hero and why?

9) How long have you blogged?

10) If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Next Monday I will be posting a book review, and hopefully, my new surprise posting will begin next week as well. Keep watching for it!

A New Plan and a New Poem

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I have decided to try to post twice a week this year.  I will do my best, no promises, to post on Mondays and Thursdays.  My Thursday posts will still continue to consist of writing tips, advice, or news, or information on my personal writing journey or something I have written. My Monday posts will consist of book reviews and some more personal items to allow you to get to know me a little better, and, stay tuned, there is a surprise in the works, if I can figure out how to get it working. Technology still often baffles me, so don’t hold your breath, but offer up a prayer or two because I would really like to add this item to my site.

All of that being said, I decided today to share a post of a poem I wrote today about our weather today:

Winter Wind

by Kelly F. Barr

The sun shines bright
To my delight,
But the wind fills me with fright.
As it howls and moans,
I shudder and groan;
For the wind chills straight to my bones
On this February winter’s night.

Vengeance by Cody Clark

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I received this ebook free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program.  When I read the blurb about the ebook, I thought the story would be very much like a couple of Frank Peretti’s well-know books, but it turned out to be quite different than I thought it would be.  Vengeance is a short story about spiritual warfare.  It is told in a very interesting way, moving back and forth between our known world where a man is struggling over the death of his son, and the spiritual realm where the angels and demons battle for the man’s soul, so to speak.

I enjoyed the story, though it moved more quickly than I liked, but, of course, that’s to be expected to create a short story.  In the beginning it was difficult to route for the main character. It took quite a while for me to care enough about the main character to route for him.  The battle between angels and demons is impressive.  I always struggle, though, when angels are described as having wings because the Bible doesn’t say that the angels have wings.  It speaks about angels appearing to people in the Old Testament, but wings are not mentioned in any of those passages.  It mentions heavenly host appearing to the shepherds in the fields, and, I guess because they are in the air, we assume they have wings, but only cherubim and seraphim are described as having wings, and yes, they are technically angels, but they are a certain type of angels.

I did like the story.  I cared about the angels from the very start and cheered for them, although I knew they couldn’t lose.  I did finally begin to care about the human man in the story and want him to do the right thing as well.  I really liked the ending and the way Cody Clark wrote the ending and brought it all together.  The story was very moving and inspirational.  It also challenged me, personally, in my faith and in my thoughts and attitudes toward others, especially someone who may have caused me pain.  I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good, inspirational story, and to anyone who may be struggling with the idea of forgiveness.  This story has a powerful message of forgiveness.

I am always amazed when a writer can create a great short story because good story elements require good characters and a good plot line with conflict, and to pull all of that off in a short story takes a lot of talent and hard work.  Congratulations Cody Clark on writing a good short story that includes the required elements of story.  I look forward to reading something written by you in the future.