by Roseanna White | Aug 4, 2010 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
Okay, trick question–people are still nice, which is what inspired the title. 😉
In Jewel of Persia, there’s a piece of jewelry that plays a pivotal role in the story. It’s an open bracelet (called a torc) with lions’ heads on the terminals. Much like this. My heroine receives it in the first chapter, and it maintains its importance through much of the book.
It’s crucial enough that I want it to be on the cover, perhaps even worked into the chapter headings. So Roseanna went in search of images last week. After some fruitless exploring of Google images, I find the one above. Excited to see something so perfect (though originally the one in JoP was gold), I went to the site of the jeweler, Greek Jewelry Shop.
I’ve discovered that I love Greek jewelry, and these folks have been specializing in ancient designs since 1928. Based in Athens, they’re in their 4th generation of jewelers now and still holding fast to the quality and excellence that has earned Vaphiadis Jewelery (the name of their physical store) an impressive reputation in Europe. (See, even this is historical, so totally fits my theme for the day!)
My thoughts went something like, “I’d really like to use the image of one of their bracelets . . . and can’t without permission. I’ll email them. Worth a shot, right?”
To my utter surprise, on Saturday afternoon I got an email in reply saying that, yes, my request was very unexpected, but they would be delighted if I used their design in my book cover and that he would be happy to work with the designer if the pictures online weren’t of high enough quality. He also offered the gift of whichever bracelet I used, which left me blubbering in stupefaction. People are still that generous? Really?? I am so changing the description of the bracelet in the book to be silver like this one instead of gold!
Given that I was expecting my out-of-the-blue email to these folks to be overlooked and/or ignored, I was thrilled to strike up a conversation with this very talented–and very, very nice–jeweler. It just goes to show you that no matter the century, no matter the political or economic climate, people are still people at heart. And I’m just praising the Lord because while sometimes it feels like nothing works right, even the tiniest things, at other times He leads it all perfectly into place. Little things like permission to use an image–or like finding the right cover model for the book (which my friend Dina also accomplished for me this weekend–go, Dina!) can do wonders for showing you that, yes, you’re in the Lord’s will.
In Jewel of Persia, the torc pictured above is a symbol of the hero’s love. When Kasia takes it off at one point, it’s a rejection of him. When she puts it back on, it’s a sign of forgiveness. The very act of giving it to her spurs the conflict that fuels half the story.
Although, there’s a certain irony to using a Greek design from a jeweler in Athens when it’s given by Xerxes, whose set goal in the first half of the book is burning Athens to the ground . . . hmmm. Ah, well. A Greek wrote the history, so we all know how that turned out. =)
Special thanks to Aris Vaphiadis for his generous spirit and inspired designs. I’m looking forward to working his artistry into all my promotions and pointing the appreciative back his way for that special gift of Greek jewelry. Check him out, y’all!
by Roseanna White | Aug 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
Indeed, these are the edges of His ways,and how small a whisper we see of Him!~ Job 26:14
This is the verse that begins Sandi Patty’s
The Edge of Divine. The book is one aimed at women and what we do when we reach a crossroads–an edge. Do we choose the downward path, one that might lead us straight to shame? Or do we leap over the edge into the arms of Father, into his grace and favor?
For Sandi, one of these edges came when she realized her weight had spiraled out of control and was becoming a major risk to her health and her very life. After telling herself for years that it wasn’t that bad, she must finally make a decision that she knows requires a huge life-change. But in order to make those changes, she has to first understand what pushes her toward one edge . . . and glimpse what the Lord has in store for her if she trusts in him and leaps off into his divine will.
The Edge of the Divine isn’t just a book about one woman’s weight loss surgery. It’s a book about learning to trust God with our deepest issues . . . and finding him in what seems like our darkest hours. Through stories of her life and experiences, this award-winning singer, speaker, and author paints a picture of how gentle and loving is the touch of our Maker when we walk–or perhaps leap off–into obedience.
I enjoyed the stories Sandi shares and learning more about her life, but what I most liked about The Edge of the Divine is seeing the many examples she shares of those times she’s on that edge, and how God has caught her and borne her up when she chose his will. She’s found a plethora of Bible verses from several versions that bring this edge to life, and I found myself rushing through the chapters just to discover another of those gems.
Fans of Women of Faith and Sandi Patty, women who share her struggle, or anyone who senses an edge approaching in their life’s walk will want to check into this book. Though I have little in common with the author at first glance, I found myself sharing her joys and sorrows and looking in my own life for evidence of this same idea. That, in my opinion, is the mark of a good book.
It seems it was good for me to go through all those troubles.
Through them all you held tight to my lifeline.
You never let me tumble over the edge into nothing.
~ Isaiah 38:16
*This book was sent to me free of charge by a publicist for review purposes.
by Roseanna White | Aug 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
Since I haven’t so much as looked at a contemporary book this week, I’m going to take today to point y’all toward a reviewing opportunity. I know many of you post book reviews on your blogs–did you know that if you sign up to be a reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, you might be able to get that book you’ve been waiting to read free, for reviewing purposes?
The CRoB is the brainchild of me and my hubby. We launched it in 2004, when finding a review of a book from a Christian perspective–or a place to find reviews of mostly Christian books, period–was nearly impossible. Since then tons of sites have sprung up, but the Christian Review of Books is still distinctive. We have over 50 volunteer reviewers, and we’ll not only review CBA books, we’ll review ABA books from a Christian perspective.
This is on my mind today because I spent my entire afternoon yesterday scanning, alphabetizing, and shelving the 289 (!!!!!!!) books that we have available for our reviewers. Needless to say, these no longer fit on the three shelves I have designated for review books. I know they’ve amassed so much in part because we haven’t added new ones to the list soon enough, but it’s also because we’ve been getting a crazy amount this summer–an average of two a day, I’d say, then there are the days when we get a box of 18 from a publisher . . .
So. Wanna be a reviewer? Request a few (dozen, ha ha) of these books? (As long as you can point me to where you’ve written a review before, you can request as many of our books as you like. If you’re only getting started, we ask that you start with a single title.) It’s soooo simple these days.
1.) Go to www.ChristianReviewofBooks.com
2.) At the top right, you’ll see “Reviewer Login | Register to Become a Reviewer.” Select whichever applies to you.
3.) If you’re new to the CRoB Reviewer list, signing up’s a breeze. Just input the necessary info so we can contact you as necessary. At which point you’ll be directed to your Reviewer Account page, which is where you’ll be taken if just signing in.
4.) The first paragraph under the greeting has a link to our new list of available books. Click on it, and you can browse by author to see what’s there. Clicking on a book cover will give you a description of the books. (Is that not the most awesome thing ever??)
5.) Email review@christianreviewofbooks.com with your list of book requests, and with the subject line of “Book Requests.” Include your mailing address please.
6.) Get the books in the mail! Woo hoo!
7.) Read them.
8.) Write up an honest review–be sure to include positives as well as negatives.
9.) Log back into your account and click “New Article”
10.) Post the review you wrote. I have to approve everything, which only takes a single click from me, and then it’ll appear on the site!
Hope to see some of you over at the CRoB!
by Roseanna White | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
Today I’m happy to welcome co-authors Anita Higman and Janice Thompson to talk about their joint book Ozark Weddings, which is a 3-in-1 collection of their Barbour novellas. I’ve had the pleasure of reading one of these three–Larkspur Dreams–and can assure you that these two weave a magical story together!
The interview’s going to be a little different form my norm–what with two authors answering and all–but the giveaway runs as usual. Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win this fun collection!
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About Janice
Award-winning
author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna. She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year, with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Her online course, “Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer” (www.freelancewritingcourses.com) has been helpful to many who want to earn a living with their writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the Joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all. You can find out more about Janice at www.janiceathompson.com or www.freelancewritingcourses.com.
About Anita
Award-win
ning author, Anita Higman, has twenty-four books published (several co-authored) for adults and children, and she has been honored in the past as a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston. Some of Ms. Higman’s publishers are Bethany House, Summerside Press, Barbour Publishing, McGraw-Hill, Lillenas Drama, Roman & Littlefield, and Howard Publishing.
A few of Anita’s books are Love Finds You in Humble, Texas, Another Stab at Life, Another Hour to Kill, The Celestial Helix, Pokeweed and Mrs. Gasp, and Big Book of Holidays and Holy Days. She also has contributions in ten nonfiction compilations.
One of Ms. Higman’s co-authored books entitled, A Tribute to Early Texas, has a foreword by Elmer Kelton and has won a San Antonio Conservation Society Citation as well as a Westerners International Book Award. She was also named a New Favorite Author in the 15th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards.
In addition, Anita has won two awards for her contribution to literacy and has raised thousands of dollars for literacy with her book, I Can Be Anything, while serving on the board of directors of Literacy Advance of Houston.
Anita Higman has also written for radio, television, ezine, and advertising. She has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art from SNU, and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Anita has lived in Texas for the past twenty-five years, but was born and raised on a wheat and cattle farm in western Oklahoma.
Besides writing, Anita’s other interests are reading great books, going to the movies, and cooking brunch for her friends. She lives with her husband near Houston, Texas.
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Your Barbour Heartsong 3-in-1 collection is entitled, Ozark Weddings. Tell us a little bit about the three stories.
Anita: All three stories are set in Arkansas—Eureka Springs, Little Rock, and Hot Springs. Larkspur Dreams and Castles in the Air are romantic comedy, while the middle story, The Love Song, is more dramatic in tone.
Janice: Larkspur Dreams is a lighthearted, whimsical tale that will appeal to inspirational romance readers, particularly those with artistic leanings. The Love Song reaches into the depths of the reader’s soul, dealing with the topic of overcoming past hurts. Castles in the Air provides a humorous look at the way we are perceived by others, and teaches us that our prejudices (comical as they might be) often keep us from the very thing God has planned for us.
Though I’ve only read one, I can imagine the other two are just as great! Now Anita, you and Janice co-authored the three stories in Ozark Weddings. How do writers go about co-authoring?
Anita: There are a number of ways to co-author a novel. One writer might do the research and the other writer may actually write the story. Or co-authors may each choose a character and write from that character’s POV. In the three novels, I guess you could say I wrote the body and wings of the stories, and Janice helped to make them fly. She has a gift for critiquing.
Janice: Working with Anita is a breeze because she conceives and fully plots the stories then lets me add my thoughts/tidbits to give them flavor. She is so quirky and fun to work with, and I am very proud of the stories we have co-produced.
Ah, I was wondering about that–I noticed that Anita’s Love Finds You book had the same style as Larkspur Dreams. You have a very distinctive way of wordsmithing, Anita! I’ve enjoyed quite a few of your books too, Janice. Were there times when it was hard to work together?
Anita: Janice is not only talented, but easy to work with. There were a few times in one of the novels that I found myself writing in a way that strayed from the general concept of a Heartsong romance. Janice made some good suggestions, which steered me in the right direction.
Janice: I can honestly say that I’ve never worked with anyone who was so willing to accept critique and/or take suggestions as Anita. She is a precious friend and collaborative partner. I already knew she was talented (even before we began this project) but had no idea how gracious she would be. Since I’ve written for the Heartsong line for years, I was able to “teach her the ropes” (as it were) and she was a ready learner! That’s not to say she hasn’t taught me a thing or two. I’ve learned much from her throughout this process, particularly as it applies to romantic tension. She’s far better at that than I am, and I’m happy to admit it.
Aww–good to see you guys appreciate each other so much! Why did you each choose to be a writer?
Anita: Ever since I was a little girl, I had this need to express myself in some sort of artistic medium. I’ve tried a number of things: piano, painting, decorating, and acting. But I’ve never been very good at any these endeavors, except writing. I guess really then—writing chose me.
Janice: Like Anita, I’ve always been artistic. As a youngster, I sang, danced and played the piano. I was also very involved in theater as a young person. I’ve been writing since childhood. I wrote my first novella in 6th grade, then went on to write musical comedies for the stage before turning to books in the mid-90’s. Like Anita, I can truly say that I didn’t choose writing; it chose me. Or, perhaps I should say that God chose it for me, as a gift.
When did you have your first success as a writer?
Anita: After several years of writing, I had some gradual success—books for children, books of one-act plays, and nonfiction for women. These successes were enough to keep me going toward my ultimate goal, which was to write novels.
Janice: This may sound a bit silly, but my first real writing “success” happened my senior year in high school, when I was chosen to help write the senior production. I had a blast, and the scene I crafted (a 1930’s/Busby Berkeley-esque “The Show Must Go On” scene) was a huge success. I can’t tell you what fun I had, or how great it felt for people to respond as they did.
Do you have any special methods of getting into the writing zone, such as favorite scents, music, or certain foods?
Anita: In the past I used to go to a French café, order coffee and scrambled eggs, and then write a rough chapter. The noise, music, and bustle always energized me creatively. But now I’m more of a homebody, so I sit for long hours in my office, working on my stories.
Janice: An “ideal” writing situation for me would involve someplace like Starbucks (or otherwise) with a cup of my favorite hot beverage in my hand (to be discussed below). Ironically, when I’m at home, I can’t stand having music going. I find it terribly distracting… something about the “beat” drives me nutty. Having the television on is okay, but it’s often muted. Crazy, I know. I’m a fanatic about my Diet Dr. Pepper and several flavors of hot tea. I particularly love Earl Grey and Chai Latte, among others. And I’m nuts about hot chocolate in the wintertime. I’m also crazy about my puppies. I have two red mini-dachshunds named Sasha and Copper. They usually settle in next to me on the sofa, Sasha on my right, Copper on my left. When we’re all in place (with a cup of tea or a Diet Dr. Pepper on the end table, depending on the season) I’m ready to begin. Of course, I usually have to weed through several emails (clearing a path) before I can actually start writing. Whew! Sounds like quite a process, doesn’t it?! It’s a wonder I get anything done at all!
And yet you do! I keep longing to be one of those go-to-a-cafe writers, but alas. Very few cafes around here, and hard to pull off with a kid on each hip. =) What is your best advice for aspiring writers?
Anita: If you feel called to write, don’t let people discourage you. I’m sure they don’t realize the impact of their words, but negative remarks can undermine our courage and Joy. Comments similar to: “Maybe you weren’t really meant to be published.” Or, “Are you making any money at this yet?” Perhaps you’ve heard, “Why can’t you write like my favorite author?” Honestly, I could go on and on here. Writing is a great and honorable profession—one that can challenge, inspire, and change people’s lives. If you love words and love arranging them into stories, then don’t let the battering influence of dispiriting comments shatter your dream. Keep pressing on!
Janice: I often say this to young/new writers: Learn the craft, but don’t necessarily write what the publishers/agents/houses tell you to write. Trends change. Stick with the stories God places on your heart and if He intends them to be published, He will find the right publishing house in the right time.
What are your writing plans for the future?
Anita: I’d love to just keep doing what I’m doing. But I think I’d also enjoy writing novels for the young adult market.
Janice: I’m open to whatever God wants (and I really mean that). If He shifts me in a new direction (women’s fiction, for example) I’m following His lead! If He asks me to lay the writing down for a season in order to accomplish a different task, I’m open to that, too.
We’d love for you to visit our websites at www.anitahigman.com and www.janiceathompson.com. If you’re interested in our Heartsong collection, Ozark Weddings, it can be purchased in bookstores or ordered online at www.amazon.com.
Thanks for inviting us to your blog!
~*~
Thanks for visiting, guys! Hope everyone enjoyed getting to know these two lovely ladies, both of whom have a ton of books available for your reading pleasure.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Contest ends 8/5/10. Winner will have two weeks to claim book.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. Having successfully launched two homeschool grads, she now spends her time writing fiction, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, as well as a fantasy series and contemporary mysteries and romances. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.