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Archive for November, 2009
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Events of this week have really rocked my world–my writerly world, that is. The powers-that-be at my publisher have decided to open up a vanity publishing branch, Harlequin Horizons, where would-be authors are encouraged to pay to have their works published, instead of being paid for their works. Despite the very rare success story, such as THE SHACK, in self-publishing, people who pay to have their books published rarely ever achieve much besides spending huge amounts of their hard-earned money to get a basement full of books they can’t get the bookstores to carry. And my publisher isn’t the only one doing this–Thomas Nelson and B &H also have vanity press branches too.
The reprocussions of their decisions to do this are enormous to romance writers. My national writers’ organization, the ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA, has been joined by all the big writer organizations such as SFWA and MWA in denouncing this move. My publisher has already agreed to take the “Harlequin” out of Harlequin Horizons, but they need to stop this venture altogether. Until they do, or work out some negotiation satisfactory to both sides, any published writer who writes for any branch of my publisher is not eligible to enter writing contests or sign their books at the national conference, and most other contests ban books published by any other publisher who has a vanity press branch too. I feel like a medieval princess who’s been suddenly declared illegitimate. While our current status in RWA saddens me, I absolutely support RWA for taking this necessary step. Wrong is wrong, no matter how “big” the committer of it is.
I would encourage those who want to read more about vanity presses to read the statement at www.ninc.com about them. It says it all, and better than I can.
Fortunately, my security does not rest in what the world–especially the publishing world–thinks of me. I am a Christian, a child of the King. And nothing the world can do can change that. I’ll stand on that holy Promise.
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: Harlequin, Harlequin Horizons, RWA, RWA Rita contest, vanity press
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Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
 My next Love Inspired Historical (out in November 2010) has a new name–MAIL-ORDER COWBOY! And the series it starts is now called THE BRIDES OF SIMPSON CREEK. My editor asked me to change the titles from MARRYING MILLY for the book’s name and “The Simpson Creek Spinsters’ Club” as the series name. I’m not sure why about the book title, but I like the new one, and perhaps “Spinsters” was felt to be a negative term? There’s certainly nothing negative about the spunky misses of Simpson Creek, Texas! I’m just grateful that when the Love Inspired Editors ask for a change, they give the author a chance to propose alternatives. And I’m VERY grateful for the brainstorming help of my writer friends, who made the above winning suggestions.
I’ve learned to not get too attached to my titles. When I went back over past books, I saw that 6 of my 18 published books had had title changes. In several cases, I don’t remember what the original title was. Editors DO usually have a better handle on what will appeal to readers. So unless a really good title suggests itself to me from the get-go, I don’t agonize over a working title too much. In fact, would anyone like to get a jump on the next title for me–I’m guessing it won’t end up SOMEONE FOR SARAH. :) Blessings, Laurie
Tags: BRIDES OF SIMPSON CREEK, Christian fiction, MAIL-ORDER COWBOY, writing life
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Monday, November 16th, 2009
  Today I’m blogging about two books, THIRSTY, by Tracy Bateman, and TOUCHED BY A VAMPIRE, by Beth Felker Jones. I’m sorry the images I copied from Waterbrook/Multnomah’s Blogging for books site do not show the entire book covers.
I’ve always liked vampire books, so when I got the opportunity to review these books for Waterbrook/Multnomah, I jumped at the chance to see how Christian authors would handle this subject.
In THIRSTY, Nina Parker is a woman at a crossroads. As a teenager, she underwent a terrifying event that haunted her ever since, though she doesn’t clearly remember it. Now an alcoholic, she has lost the custody and the love of her daughter, Meagan, and her ex-husband wants no part of her. But when she is forced to move back to her hometown and move in with her sister, Nina seizes a chance to take her daughter along during her spring break. Meagan is interested in getting to know the parents Nina has given up on there, though she makes every moment difficult for her mother. A series of murders and animal killings leaving bloodless bodies and carcases alarm her, her sheriff sister, and the town. A mysterious neighbor seems way too interested in her. Is he a good man or does he represent danger? Can she stay away from the bottle which is calling her back to alcohol addiction, or can she trust those who love her? Should she be worried about the alluring woman who has her daughter and several other teenage girls enthralled with her yoga classes and unusual influence? Is there truly no recapturing the love her husband once had for her? Author Tracey Bateman brings this ale of obsession and redemption to a dramatic, unforgettable conclusion.
The book can be ordered at: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307457158
TOUCHED BY A VAMPIRE, by Beth Felker Jones, is for every parent who’s wondered if their teenaged daughter’s obsession with the TWILIGHT series is a good thing, and every reader who wants to examine the phenomen more deeply in light of Christian truth. I was particularly interested because of a granddaughter who’s been reading these books and watching the movie. The author examines whether the good themes in this book, such as the fact that true love waits for marriage, outshines the more troubling aspects of the series, such as the heroine’s utter obsession with the hero before she has ever become her own person. The book contains an overview for anyone who has not read the TWILIGHT series but still wants to understand them.
I was glad that the book examined the series without insisting on a premise that no true Christian should read these books or allow her children to do so. It’s thoughtful and thorough without being arbitrary. It’s also not an anti-Mormon treatise (the author of the TWILIGHT series is a Mormon), though it examines the series in light of Mormon themes; for example, the emphasis on family as represented by the Cullen clan.
Ultimately, I’ve come away from reading TOUCHED BY A VAMPIRE thinking that while a temporary obsession with the TWILIGHT series won’t hurt the teen who has parents who have taught her not only that true love waits, but true love does not drown individualism either, and that the love of a mythic creature such as a vampire with superpowers cannot compare with the love of God. I’m proud to say my granddaughter has such parents, so I’m not worried about her being warped by reading TWILIGHT. But perhaps the teen who has not developed her own sense of identity, and more importantly, does not understand that the One who loves her most is God, may come out of reading the TWILIGHT series looking for a magical Edward Cullen equivalent who does not exist, and come away disappointed.
The book can be ordered by linking to: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601422781
These books were provided for review by the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: Beth Felker Jones, Christian fiction, Multnomah, Stephenie Meyers, THIRSTY, TOUCHED BY A VAMPIRE, Tracey Batemen, TWILIGHT, vampires, Waterbrook
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Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
I try to get around and visit popular blogs, and I notice on many of them–I’m thinking of Pub Rants, at the moment, which I like–but they always note what new and trendy music is playing on their IPOD. Sheesh–not only do I not have an IPOD (I have an IPOD knockoff I’ve never figured out), but I don’t know what’s trendy in music because I really do love silence. I’m not one of these writers who has a soundtrack for every book. I can’t even write to music. For me, the ideal writing time is when I’m the only one in the house and Can Have It Quiet.
-Unlike my dear spouse, who is a musician by avocation, who is always humming something, rapping out some rhythm or practicing on his bass or acoustic guitars the same songs OverandOver. Even while we’re watching TV. It has to be a good show to have him lay the guitar down and concentrate. He even tries to play along with the music of commercials.
So there’s one more reason for me to feel Less than Hip. I could operate my IPOD-knockoff, I’d have embarrassingly old music on it, like the Beatles, or now-obscure singers like Gary Puckett or the Brooklyn Bridge or the Tremoloes, a hodge-podge of songs of all songs, alike only in their antiquity. I have no music on my phone.
So there you have my confession. I’m going to get back to my work in progress now while he’s eating lunch and it’s relatively quiet. 
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: IPODs, music, Pub Rants, the seasons, writing life
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Monday, November 2nd, 2009
This time I am reviewing LEAVING CAROLINA by Tamara Leigh, the first in a new series by this talented author. Once again, this was a book I might not have picked up on my own–I write Christian historical romance, so much of my reading is in that same genre. And I’m not usually fond of the trendy use of present tense to tell the story. But I’m really glad I did–I do love Southern heroines, and Piper Wick is one of the best. A Southern heroine who is doing her best to run away from her roots and marry the handsome politician for whom Piper is a P.R. consultant, Piper is compelled to return home to straighten out a family situation when her uncle decides to change his will, a move that will expose some family secrets that some Pickwick family members don’t want exposed. Piper plans to fly in, fix the problem, and get back to her L.A. life, but she becomes emeshed in the situation and captivated by her old uncle’s blue-eyed gardener, whom she fears has maneuvered her uncle.
How Piper learns to let the truth set her free–from preconceived notions, from misreading her past, and so much more is the crux of a delightful story in which wrongs are righted and the guilty parties get their just desserts. I especially liked that the elderly uncle’s values were respected even though he was edging into dementia. The Christian message is very subtle in this book–one could certainly not accuse it of being preachy. Tamara Leigh proves Southern heroines are truly made of steel under their soft magnolia exteriors. I’ll be looking for more by this talented author, and since the story hints at a spinoff using two of the secondary characters.
This book can be ordered using this link: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421661
This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Blessings, Laurie Kingery
Tags: fiction reviews, LEAVING CAROLINA, Southern fiction, Tamera Leigh, Waterbrook
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