by Roseanna White | Aug 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
My goodness, it’s giveaway central here on Writing Roseanna lately, isn’t it? Lucky you. š
Today I’m so happy to welcome Ashley Weis to my blog. I met Ashley at the ACFW conference last year–we saw each other at the airport in Baltimore but didn’t realize we were headed to the same place until we got out of the SuperShuttle at the hotel together. We quickly compared schedules and realized we’d be flying home together too, so decided to sit together on the flight back from Denver.
That three-plus hour flight turned into a definite God-thing. Ashley’s husband is now the designer of the WhiteFire book covers–so kudos on the awesome image of A Stray Drop of Blood goes to him–and Ashely herself was sweet enough to model for us, so the Abigail you see on my cover is actually her. =)
Ashley’s debut book is releasing in September, and I know this is a book that digs deep into the heart. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! It didn’t take much conversation to realize that Ashley is a woman of incredible talent and passion, and I’m honored to help her in promotion.
Ashley’s offering a complimentary copy to one lucky reader. To enter for a chance to win it, please leave a comment below with an email address. You must be a follower to enter.
~*~
About Exposed
(from Ashley’s website)
Porn shreds the Happily Ever After page from the story of marriage. Then, it goes back to the beginning to tear out page after page on the way. When itās trashed all of the marriage it can, it perforates the heart and with the gentleness of a murderer ā¦ porn rips out love.
That’s the story of Jessie and Ally Graham, a married couple struggling to cope after porn rips their marriage to pieces. They are not perfect, but they are real.
As you follow the story of Jessie and Ally you will also read the story of Taylor Adams, a young girl who naively falls into the porn industry and discovers how harmful it can be.
Throughout the pages of Exposed you will see the aching truths hidden behind the porn industryās mask. Taylor’s story is not reality for every porn star, but it is for many. I have chosen to omit language and details to protect the minds of my readers, but the porn industry can be much, much worse than it is portrayed in these pages. Also, the wifeās story may seem melodramatic to some, but it is loosely based off of my story and the story of many women who write to me. No story is the same and some may be better or worse than the lives Iāve chosen to show in these pages, but for many of us ā¦ these stories are painfully real.
~*~
What’s your latest book?
Exposed: A Novel (Winslet Press) September 2010
I’m so excited about this book! What’s your favorite part of the story?
Well, ultimately Iād have to go with the ending. I love the redemptive qualities of it. But there are pieces throughout that stick with me. I love a lot of the flashbacks of Ally and Jessieās marriage. Their romance is beautiful.
Guess you can’t go into too much detail about that ending, huh? š What was the hardest part to write?
Honestly, this book flew right outta my fingers! It lived inside of me and needed to breathe, so it never gave me time to slow down. Iād say, for me, the emotional parts were difficult to write though. My critiquer (Mary DeMuth) always told me to elongate those scenes. I guess naturally I didnāt want to āgo there.ā But Mary helped bring it out of me.
Critters are invaluable like that–and if Mary critiques half as well as she writes, she’s definitely worth listening to! What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?
Truth, even when it hurts. And that there is beauty after rain and purpose in our suffering.
Ah, “Beauty After Rain” is your tagline–love that. Is there a theme to this book?
Redemption. Love overcomes all things.
What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
To write? Not womenās fiction, believe it or not! I like to write non-CBA contemporary fiction. And I like to read contemporary fiction. Iām not a huge womenās fiction fan, even though I ended up writing a novel that is 100% womenās fiction.
Just goes to show that you never know what the Lord might impress upon you, eh? What are you reading right nowāand what do you want to read next?
Actually, Iām reading nothing but the Bible. Iāve read so much lately. I just need a break to focus on Him. I just finished Mary DeMuthās beautiful novel, Life in Defiance. Gina Holmesā Crossing Oceans. Those were both amazing novels. Next, I want to read something different, something unique. Not sure what that is yet.
Have you tried Lisa Samson? I have a feeling you might like her stuff. But let’s shift it up a bit and ask a fun question: What would your dream office look likeāand what does your REAL writing environment look like?
Oddly, they are the same ā my couch!
Sweet! Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?
Mary DeMuth. =)
Can we pick her up at the local supercenter? š What lessons have you learned through the publication process that you wouldn’t have guessed as a pre-published writer?
Phew. That people arenāt always what they seem. That itās much more businessy than you initially think. How much an author is required to market their own book even with a publisher. All of it. The entire process. All of the querying, the rejections, the process the board goes through, agent detailsĀ¾all of it. Itās a whole new world, a new fantastic point of view!
Are there any people (family, writing group, editors) who you rely on when writing?
Mary DeMuth is my super woman. Susan Meissner critiqued for me as well. But no family, no writing group, no friends. Just Mary and good ol’ Sooz.
Those are some impressive critters! Aside from writing, what takes up most of your time?
Oh, I donāt know ā¦ changing diapers, feeding babies, staring at walls wondering what my name is, cleaning the floor, enjoying the invention of the Sleepy Wrap, our design business, emails from women who are healing from their husbandās sex addictions, etc. We are super busy people. We often lose our brains under couch cushions.
LOL. I know that feeling! If someone were to give you $5,000 to spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy? (No saving of gifts to charities allowed!)
An orphan.
Well sheesh, that’s a make-me-teary-eyed answer to a supposedly-silly question! What a loving heart you have, Ashley! What writing goal have you set for yourself that would be the hardest (or unlikeliest) but most rewarding to achieve?
I really have no idea. I guess Iām always reasonable. Shocking.
Do you remember where you were when you got your first or most important call about a book contract?
The time I called myself and said, āHey, self, Iām publishing your book for you.ā
Is that what you meant? Haha!
Well, knowing a bit about the actual thought process that brought to you that point, I know that probably was a big moment–when the decision was made! Any funny family stories about living with a writer?
Sure. The morbid thoughts. Always imagining life if my husband dies. Zoning out at restaurants and hearing my husband say, āAre you being a writer again?ā Oh, the list goes on.
What are you writing right now?
My grocery list. Seriously. Iām done writing for now. I need to focus on my young family and our design business. But there is a book in my heart inspired by Tupac Shakur. It would be ABA and itās about the ugliness of racism, the beauty of people throughout history, and the heart of a drug dealer. For now, though, Iām taking a break for a few years to chill out and write for enjoyment. Although I may do some non-fiction books for More than Desire, the blog I have for women healing from the shadows of pornography.
Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?
My grocery list?
LOL. Yes, be sure and publish that for us. =) Is there another author who has greatly influenced your writing?
Charles Martin. But Exposed is written in a different tone than what Iād write if it were contemporary fiction, instead of womenās. I think I have a general āvoice,ā but really ā¦ I have many, many tones and sometimes I allow myself to be more poetic than others. For my next book, from the POV of a drug dealer ā¦ itās going to be tough to make it sound all Charles Martiny. =)
~*~
Thanks so much for visiting, Ashley! As everyone can see, Ashley is a woman of great heart, great depth, and great love for what the Lord has put in her life. Please check out her website at www.ashleyweis.com.
She’s taking pre-orders for Exposed now, and you can enter into a fabulous contest she’s running if you visit www.exposedanovel.com.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Contest ends 8/23/10. Winners will have two weeks to claim prizes.
by Roseanna White | Aug 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
Hey, I’m blogging about what’s on my mind today. š I’m sitting here thinking, “Okay, I need to detatch the munchkin and go get coffee. Coffee. Coooofffffffeeeeeeeee.” But I can make this about my contemporaries. Really I can.
I grew up aware that most people drink coffee, but in a split household. My mom always had her two cups each morning (though she often has tea instead these days), but my dad does NOT drink coffee. Or hot tea. Or hot chocolate, mostly. He doesn’t drink anything hot. As my sister and I grew up, we pretty much liked it all. For a while, we drank more tea than coffee. Then more coffee than tea. I have a few friends who don’t like coffee, some who drink it like water . . . you get the point.
More often than not, when reading a book, people just drink coffee, or just don’t. It’s never a big deal, and that’s totally cool. But when I craft my characters, whether or not they’re coffee drinkers can sometimes be a huge part of their personality.
Take Davina for instance. Davina detests coffee and is so die-hard a tea fan that she has a whole ritual around tea drinking. Her best friend and the hero are both coffee drinkers, and he at one point jokes that Davina couldn’t make a decent pot of coffee to save her life, though maybe if she drank it once in a while . . . to which she replies, “Why would I do that to my poor tongue?”
Then there’s Louisa. Louisa has never developed a taste for coffee, but she works at her mother’s inn and makes a perfect pot. She knows the science of it, the art of it, and would probably be glad to give you a few fun FYI about bean selection, how to ground it, where to store it, and the correct ratio of grounds to water. Now, she wouldn’t volunteer this info–but if you asked, she could tell you. The hero, an avid coffee drinker, when informed that she made the perfect coffee in his hands replies with, “Oh, you finally got a taste for it, did you?” Which betrays that he remembers his preferences of nine years ago, though he keeps trying to say those memories are long forgotten.
My point . . . do I have to have one of those? LOL. I think my point is simply that even things as small as whether or not a character drinks coffee, tea, or nothing at all can really play into who they are. Each small decision about them shapes who they are. And once you know them, you can have a ton of fun using those little things to make points.
by Roseanna White | Aug 16, 2010 | Uncategorized
And the winner of Tammy Barley’s
Hope’s Promise is . . .
Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D.
Congrats, Carrie! I’m sending you an email!
by Roseanna White | Aug 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
Welcome to Part II of my interview with DeAnna Julie Dodson! Today she’ll be talking about her historical trilogy and offering a copy of the first book in the series, In Honor Bound, to one lucky winner. If you’re interested in her contemporary mysteries, check out Part I!
To enter the contest, please leave a comment below with an email address–you must be a follower to enter, so be sure to click on that if you haven’t already!
~*~
About the CHASTELAYNE TRILOGY
In Honor Bound
His father will stop at nothing to keep the royal bloodline “pure” –even murder. But his sins have nearly destroyed Prince Philip and the future of his reign.
Forced into a political marriage, Philip tells his bride, “I will not lie to you, I will not be unfaithful to you, and I will not love you. My heart is pledged to another and I am not a man to break an oath.”
His one true love is a lowly serving girl. When Philip refuses to set her aside in order to form a politically beneficial marriage, his father has the girl tried on false charges and executed. He then forces Philip to marry the beautiful and nobly born Lady Rosalynde. Devastated and embittered by his loss and his father’s betrayal, Philip is determined to never love again . . . not his father, not his wife, not his God. Although Rosalynde adores him, he withholds his heart from her, refusing to let even death end his devotion to the love he lost. Despite his coldness towards her, Rosalynde is determined to love him and teach him to love her — as determined as the God he has turned his back on. As civil war rages throughout the realm, Philip faces a greater struggle within himself. Will he open his heart to love again or let his pride destroy him and his kingdom?
By Love Re
deemed
Complete strangers on their wedding day and separated by war since their honeymoon, can they find true love together?
Even though their time together has been short, Prince Tom is eager for his bride’s return. Though his love for her has grown, Elizabeth makes it clear that she considers him a stranger, not to be trusted. Not to be loved.
Certain the lavish love he claims to have for her cannot be genuine, Elizabeth turns to a deceitful friend who feeds her doubts and insecurities, poisoning her mind against her young husband. Just as Tom’s patient tenderness begins to soften her heart, he is left with a heavier burden. His brother the king receives news that threatens the stability of the kingdom and his marriage. Forced to go in secret to find the truth behind it, he leaves Tom to deal with the undercurrent of treason and treachery that lies beneath the deceptive quiet of the court. Will Tom be able to hold the kingdom together and win his wife’s heart? Or will she let a seductive stranger lead her away from his unconditional love?
To Grace Surrendered
He has learned to love her with all his heart. Now he must learn to let her go.
There is peace in the kingdom at last and King Philip wants nothing more than to spend his days watching his children grow and enjoying the company of his beloved Rosalynde. Reghed, Lynaleigh’s neighbor to the north, suffers greatly under the heavy hand of its king, the evil and demented tyrant Sarto. But Philip resists God’s urging to bring aid to Reghed’s people until the night Rosalynde is torn from his arms and carried into Sarto’s dark realm. Despite the serious injuries he sustained trying to protect her from her captors, Philip insists on following after her and finds himself face to face with the suffering he has till now turned away from. Sarto eventually captures Philip, too, determined to kill him in order to fulfill his sinister plans. Can Philip free himself, Rosalynde and the people of Reghed? Or has his disobedience lost him the love and protection of God?
~*~
About DeAnna
DeAnna Julie Dodson is the author of In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, a trilogy of medieval romances, and Letters in the Attic, a contemporary mystery in the Annieās Attic series. She is currently working on The Drew Farthering Mysteries, a new series of books set in 1930s England. A graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, she currently lives in North Texas with four spoiled cats and, when not writing, enjoys quilting, cross stitch and NHL hockey.
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What’s your latest book?
My newest release is Letters in the Attic, a contemporary mystery coming out this summer from DRG. That book is worlds away from my first three releases from Crossway Books, my medieval trilogy: In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered. Theyāve been out for a while now and can sometimes be hard to find, but Iām still quite fond of them.
Well, let’s chat about those! I’m a big fan of medievals, and these sound so interesting! What do you hope your readers will get out of the stories?
I hope that the vast depth and breadth and height of the love God has for all of us flows through every part of the series. The second book, By Love Redeemed, is in particular an allegory of how Christ loves and sacrificed Himself for all of us, though I believe all three books reflect that. And, of course, God chose the picture of marriage to illustrate the mystery of His union with His church. I thought the medieval setting was a particularly exciting and romantic backdrop for telling this story. People who donāt like romance probably wonāt enjoy this series.
Then I’m safe! Love romance. Am still shocked that some people don’t, LOL. What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
I enjoy so many different types of stories, itās hard to say. I like historicals best, especially medieval romance and 1920s and 1930s mysteries, though anything from the middle ages up to WWII can be very wonderful. I love stories that have something redemptive about them, something that says, despite the hardships, God is there with us and He will never leave or forsake us. Give me a well-written story, and Iām happy.
I think we’d get along just fine, DeAnna. =) What are you reading right nowāand what do you want to read next?
Right now, Iām reading Agatha Christieās Appointment with Death. Iāve been on a real vintage mystery kick lately. I love Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and the vastly underrated (and I think superior) Margery Allingham. They were the queens of mystery in the 1920s and ā30s, and I hope to learn from them for my own 1930s series, The Drew Farthering Mysteries. I love trying to solve the puzzles they present. The glorious period clothes and cars and social niceties are just icing on the cake.
Oh, how fun to submerse yourself in that! I’ve never had the ability to craft a great mystery, but the setting is one I dove into for my Mafia books. =) Looking forward to your new series! But getting back to your existing one, do you remember where you were when you got your first or most important call about a book contract?
Oh, I remember that day vividly. I had rather half-heartedly sent my query for my very first book, In Honor Bound, to Crossway Books and was amazed when they quickly asked for the full manuscript. I was even more amazed when, a couple of weeks later, I had a message on my office phone. The assistant editor who left the message mentioned that it was nearly five oāclock on a Friday, so I could call after nine on the following Monday morning. There was absolutely no way I could wait that long, so I took a chance and called right back. Thank goodness, she was still in her office and we had a nice chat about taking In Honor Bound to their publication committee. Iāll never forget it. It still makes me smile.
Makes me smile for you! What are you writing right now?
Right now Iām working on the second book in my Drew Farthering series, Civil as an Orange. In this one, Drew has to track down a killer who leaves cryptic clues pinned to the bodies of the victims, and soon Drew realizes that the murders are getting closer and closer to him. This one is about 80% finished already, though I still have plenty of work to do on it. I love this series though. Itās so much fun to write the clothes and the parties and the 1930s British dialogue. And I love the manners of the period. No, they werenāt as formal as before WWI, but gentlemen still rose when a ladies came into the room and still held doors for them and all those lovely little things that we seem to have lost these days. Readers can check out an excerpt of this and all my books on my website.
Sounds like fun!!
~*~
Thanks so much for spending the week with us, DeAnna! Readers, be sure to check out her website at www.deannajuliedodson.com/index.php. You can find her books on Amazon.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Contest ends 8/19/10. Winner will have two weeks to claim book.
by Roseanna White | Aug 12, 2010 | Uncategorized
Here it is! My one-year-anniversary (a few weeks late) giveaway celebration! (And hey, only two days before my birthday, so we’ll say I’m celebrating that too. Woo hoo!)
I am bringing you seven–that’s right, SEVEN!–awesome giveaway options. How do you get your grubby little paws on some of them? Well, here’s the deal.
1.) You must be a follower
2.) You must tell me WHICH of the options you would like to win. (Feel free to list a few in order of preference.)
3.) You must leave a comment (obviously, given the above) with an email address where I can reach you. If you’d like to include in that comment your favorite part of Writing Roseanna, it would give me a grin. š
The giveaway will last two weeks. There will be seven winners.
Ready to discover the awesomeness?? Drum roll please . . . . . . . . . . . .
Option 1
is for you writers out there. I am offering a 30-page critique and edit of a manuscript of your choice. And given that I’m now an acquisitions editor, you never know where this could lead, right? *grins*
Option 2
is a treat for your living room. A handmade plaque by fabulous friend Tiffany Harkleroad that will be in the style of the one pictured here, but will have the beloved scripture from Joshua “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
PLUS While I Slept, a beautiful coffee table book by Nancy Koehler, featuring a heart-touching poem and beautiful sunrise-at-the-beach photography.
Option 3
is, of course, the expected Stray Drop Gear. =) It will include a t-shirt (S, M, L, XL) which reads “One little drop to soil the garment/One little drop to cleanse the soul,” a signed copy of the novel, a bookmark, and a Companion Guide (not pictured).
Option 4
is my Teen Dream package. The complete Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt trilogy (including Me, Just Different, Out with the In Crowd, and So Over It) by Stephanie Morrill, a nice, hardback devotion for teen girls called His Princess: Girl Talk with God, and Kristin Billerbeck’s Perfectly Dateless.
Option 5
is a signed copy of The Healer’s Apprentice, due out the beginning of September! This is a young adult historical, a retelling of a fairy tale that sounds WAY too good to miss!
Option 6
is your choice of ONE of Julie Lessman’s four fabulous books: A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, A Passion Denied or the latest, releasing-in-September, much-anticipated A Hope Undaunted.
Option 7
is a B&H Suspense Pack featuring: Deliver Us from Evil and Fear No Evil by Robin Caroll, Certain Jeopardy by Captain Jeff Struecker and Alton Gansky, and Double Cross by James David Jordan
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Contest ends 8/26/10. Winners will have two weeks to claim prizes.
by Roseanna White | Aug 11, 2010 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
So I’ve had some frustration lately in the research department. Bear with me as I explain it to you.
It begins in the footnotes of my Bible. When looking at them for the Esther part of Jewel of Persia, it handily tells me that Xerxes’ successor is Artaxerxes (which I knew), who is mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah. Okay . . . cool. Said notes tell me how he’s the king who funded the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the one that Nehemiah was the cupbearer for. Okay . . . cool. This makes perfect sense, right? Artaxerxes may well have been influenced by a certain Jewish queen that came on the scene when he was a boy, so my plot-loving self just thinks this is awesome.
Until I actually read Ezra. Then I’m left scratching my head and asking, “And you get that this is Artaxerxes I how?” Here’s the thing–all the kings in the dynasty used, like, four names. And they go in this order: Cyrus (the Great), Darius I, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I, Xerxes II, Darius II, Artaxerxes II. (There’s another one in there for a few months, but I’m leaving him out for the sake of clarity.)
Now, we can see right away where this is confusing, right? But when reading Ezra, the tale goes something like this: Cyrus the Great released the captives. (Check.) They reminded Xerxes of Cyrus’s command to rebuild and got started. (Check.) But during the reign of Artaxerxes, their enemies sent him a letter whining about how rebellious these folks have been in the past, and Artaxerxes said, “Yeah, stop working on your temple, dudes. You’re causing trouble.” So construction halted until the second year of Darius. Then after these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra came up from Babylon . . .
Do you see where my issue is here? I don’t get how in the world this is during the reign of the first Artaxerxes, given that after these things. My commentators tell me he’s just talking about one thing, then jumps back to the “real” story and the king in power when the whiners wrote that letter, but I just don’t see it.
The issue could be handily resolved by outside dates, but I’m not at all sure if the dates of completion of the temple, etc., are based on the commentators’ understanding of the kings, or if their understanding of the kings is based on known dates. It makes a huge difference.
And I’m left in this weird place of wanting it to be Artaxerxes I for plot reasons, but totally not buying that it is, LOL. I might go with it anyway–I mean, I write fiction. And it would agree with all the Bible footnotes I can find. But still. The historian in me cringes and demands a better explanation than my commentators will give me.
Then I get to growling at other historians too–apparently much of the info we have on the kings and their families after Xerxes comes from a historian so notoriously unreliable that other historians have ascribed him a special ring of hell, LOL. (Seriously–it’s in some ancient satire.) So I don’t have a clue what I can trust when it comes to information on the years following Xerxes’ assassination.
Why is this important, you ask? Because my hubby/publisher said, “I want to know what happens to Esther after Xerxes is killed. Write a sequel.”
Yeah . . . if only I knew what I could accurately put in it!
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, sheās homeschooling her two kids, editing, 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. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her booksā¦to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.