by Roseanna White | May 25, 2010 | Uncategorized
A special Story Time Tuesday treat for y’all today—an interview with multi-pubbed author Robert Elmer about his newly released historical novel, Wildflower of Terezin, which looks absolutely amazing.
Robert has graciously offered a giveaway, so as usual, leave your comments below along with how we can reach you if you win. Enjoy!
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About Wildflowers of Terezin
Wildflowers of Terezin is a sweeping historical nove
l set against a backdrop of danger. A Danish Lutheran pastor’s complacent faith is stretched to the breaking point during World War II when he meets a young Jewish nurse Hanne Abrahamsen and becomes deeply involved in Resistance efforts to save Denmark’s Jews from the Nazi prison camp at Terezin, Czechoslovakia—also known as Theresienstadt.
Challenged by his activist brother and swayed by his own attraction to Hanne, Pastor Steffen abandons his formerly quiet, uninvolved life and hesitantly volunteers to help smuggle Denmark’s Jews out of the country before a Nazi roundup. Steffen finds that helping his Jewish neighbors is the most decent, spiritual thing he has ever done. As he actually does God’s work, rather than just talking about it, Steffen’s faith deepens and he takes greater risks in his sermons.
When things go terribly wrong and Hanne is sent to Terezin, Steffen finds his heart fully engaged. He undertakes protests and rescues that are more and more dangerous, never imagining where it will lead him, or the ultimate cost of his decision to get directly involved.
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About Robert
Robert Elmer (www.RobertElmerBooks.com) has written more than 50 books for youth and adults, building on his experience as a news editor and reporter, advertising copywriter, teacher, and assistant pastor. When he’s not writing (or sailing) he’s a mentor and editorial board member for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, and has spoken to young audiences across North America. Robert and his wife Ronda live in the Pacific Northwest.
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What’s your latest book?
Wildflowers of Terezin came out from Abingdon Press in May 2010.
What’s your favorite part of the story?
One of my favorite parts is… uh-oh, if I described it to you I would be giving away one of the most important plot twists. Sorry! It has to do with… oh wow, I really can’t say anything about it. You’ll just have to read the book all the way to the end to find out what my favorite part was. J (Sorry, I really wasn’t trying to be coy. But it’s true. That scene at the end where… oh, never mind.)
LOL. We’ll just say “the end,” then. What was the hardest part to write?
The hardest part was one of the scenes in the prison camp, when Hanne is taking care of a sick little girl she met. It reminded me of the quote from Robert Frost, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.” Well, I think there were tears with the writer in those scenes, and others.
Take note of this reader—a man, admitting to tears! Okay, so I admit it, I don’t think I’ve ever cried when writing . . . I’m weird. Anyway. What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?
I want my readers to lose themselves momentarily in the real world where faith matters and God is in control. Outside of my books, faith of course still matters and God is still in control. Problem is, sometimes it can get so foggy out here, it’s tough to really see. In my stories I pull away the fog and show let readers experience the world the way it’s supposed to be, whether that’s in the past, present, or future.
Beautifully put. Is there a theme to this book?
The story is about faith in the face of deadly opposition, about choosing the right thing and making love work when it’s hard. It’s a challenge to complacent faith, and a contrast between those who seek safety and those who just do the right thing, period. Where is the safest place, really? I think we can all relate to that kind of challenge, even if we’re not living in a war zone or a prison camp.
Very true. I’m currently exploring that in a WIP too. It really stretches your own faith to explore that through your characters, doesn’t it? But let’s keep going—is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?
All the months of preparation and writing that went into “The Young Underground” also went into this book. I’ve poured through stacks of old Danish books, looking for the best information from original sources. Good thing I read Danish!
I’ll say! I had a professor in college who learned to read Danish solely so he could read Soren Keirkegard’s original Fear and Trembling. That earned a big “Wow!”
from me. What lessons have you learned through the publication process that you wouldn’t have guessed as a pre-published writer?
I think there are a lot of challenges common to most authors. Dealing with schedules and the business aspect of writing is one of the largest challenges, actually. Keeping our stories fresh. That’s why I’m so excited about Wildflowers of Terezin. This is a story I’ve been dying to tell for a long time. Many writers call it the story “I had to write.”
And those are so rewarding for both writer and reader, once they finally come to reality. Do you remember where you were when you got your first or most important call about a book contract?
I was in the shower when my wife Ronda came running to me that Bethany House wanted to contract my first children’s book, A Way Through the Sea. (The editor had telephoned us.) That was in the early 1990s, and it had the same setting as my newest book! Anyway, everybody started screaming.
I bet!
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Well, thank you so much for visiting with us, Robert! Readers, you’ll want to check out Robert’s website at www.robertelmerbooks.com.
You can purchase Wildflower of Terezin at Amazon or CrossPurposes.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered confirmation of your eligibility based on your local laws. Contest ends 5/31/10. Winner will be given two weeks to respond before a new one is selected.
by Roseanna White | May 24, 2010 | Uncategorized
I totally spaced putting a blog together yesterday, and I’m not gonna take a ton of time right now–instead I’ll tell you about why I’m not. 😉
One of my writing groups occasionally does a BIAW challenge. That would be “Book in a Week.” Traditionally, the idea is to put down as many words to screen as you possibly can in the course of the week, and you’re competing with the other authors participating. She who writes the most words wins. At HisWriters, we modify the rules and make it a goal-challenge. We each set our own goals for each day and strive to meet or surpass them. Some of us will be editing, some will be striving to get back into a story and so setting modest goals, some are nearing a deadline and need a lot of words written.
In the past, BIAW challenges have helped me finish rewriting A Stray Drop of Blood, type “The End” on one manuscript, put down nearly half a book I’d just started, etc. So for the next two weeks, I’m going to use it to get as close to done Jewel of Persia as I possibly can. It would take a miracle for me to actually finish the book in the next fortnight (this historical group I’m in is running it for two weeks . . . and yes, we’re all dorky enough to then call it “Book in a Fortnight” with a stuffy British accent, LOL), but I can get pretty darn close, I think.
So, off to work I go. And if you’ve read Stray Drop and wanna chat, don’t forget it’s being discussed this week at the ACFW Book Club! It’s a public group–all you gotta do is join up and start talking. =)
by Roseanna White | May 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
So I realized belatedly that my scheduled interviewee never got back to me with the info I needed for today (though I did try to get in touch a week ago–I’m not
totally absent-minded, only half!) So instead of featuring an author and a giveaway, I’ll just remind you that you can still enter Tuesday’s giveaway and point you to some awesome author friends of mine in general. =)
First, have y’all met Stephanie Morrill?? If not, you so need to check her out and pick up her books. They’re YA, so if you’ve got a teen in your life, they’re a must. And if you don’t, you’d still enjoy them. Seriously. No other YA has made me remember what it felt like to be a teen like Stephanie’s do. Some of the young adult books I’ve read made me think, “Yeah . . . this is how a mother thinks her daughter thinks.” Stephanie’s are, “Yeah–this is a real teen.” Not only do they hammer home what teens are going through these days, they make you look inside yourself and wonder if maybe Skylar lives somewhere inside. Also, if you know any writers who are teens, direct them to GoTeenWriters for advice on how young feet can get into the door of the publishing/writing world.
Next, are you guys aware of the fabulous blog called Sunnybank Meanderings?? Friend and critter Carol(in)e runs it (the parenthesis are my addition, LOL) and always has such fun, creative interviews and giveaways. Plus she posts some of the cutest/sweetest little reflections you ever did see. Hope over and become a follower if you haven’t already!
We can’t forget Mary–Mary Proctor is one of the spiritual go-to-gals in my life, one of those women I know I can go to with any concern I may have and receive the blessing of a truly insightful prayer. God has spoken to me more than once through Mary. On her blog, you can read some of her musings, some of her reviews, and get a peek into the award-winning up-and-comer.
And to round out my shout-outs to my critique partners, let’s take a minute to wave enthusiastically at Dina Sleiman, fellow client of Benrey Literary Agency and the unofficial president of my fan club (snicker, snicker–I say this because she wrote the first real review of A Stray Drop of Blood, and we discovered through that a lot of shared interests and goals. She takes every possible opportunity to give my book praise, so it’s high time I return the favor). Dina runs Awesome Inspirationals and reviews some awesome (ha ha) books there, PLUS she’s a contributor at Inkwell Inspirations. A really fun blog–if you haven’t visited before, DO THAT! There’s always something fun going down.
And oh, the other friends I could mention! But alas, other things to do, so we’ll content ourselves with my critters. =) Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday–don’t forget to come back next week, when I’ll be featuring Cynthia Ruchti and doing a giveaway of her novel.
Oh, oh, oh! (Are you still reading this??) For anyone who’s read A Stray Drop of Blood, don’t forget that discussion on it at the ACFW Book Club starts TODAY!! It’s a public group, so join up and let’s chat!
by Roseanna White | May 20, 2010 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized
This may be rambling, so we’ll have to see where I go with it–at the moment, I’m not quite sure.
There are times in life when we know absolutely what we have to do. Times when the Lord speaks so clearly, guides so strongly that we have no doubts. We recognize His hand, His touch, and when we obey, we feel His blessing.
Until we don’t. What do we do then?
I’ve come across a lot of devotions and really beautiful essays by some kick-butt believers on this subject–and none of it really helps when you’re actually in the doldrums. Without wind in your sails, you’re just paddling along, and having someone spout some lovely lyrics doesn’t always help and certainly doesn’t keep your muscles from screaming. Right? So what do we do?
Right at this particular moment, I’m not there. But one of my dearest friends just talked to me last night about how her doctor diagnosed her with moderate depression. This didn’t totally surprise me; just made a few things click, like, “Oh, guess that’s why you said you weren’t eating . . . or ever leaving your house . . . or . . .” Still, I’m one of those that thinks often times “depression” is over-diagnosed. Not that people don’t have issues, just that drugs aren’t the cure-all for them. And this friend feels the same way. She told her doctor, “Thanks. Now that I know this isn’t something to brush off, I won’t brush it off anymore. I’ll pull myself together.”
She also realizes she can’t do it alone. She was telling me this at Bible study, which marks one of the first times she’s gotten out to a church function in months, even though every time I talk to her, she says how she needs it. She’s been going out everyday and making sure she’s eating a balanced diet. She’s praying and talking to her friends.
Will it “fix” her? I don’t know. But I know she’s doing the right thing.
But what about the problems me and my writing friends face so often? When we have one success followed by score after score of disappointments? When we know God called us to this career, when we followed His open doors, and somehow ended up here–with abysmal sales numbers and no direction for the future?
In those moments, it’s hard to believe that we were ever right to begin with. Maybe we shouldn’t have followed this path, maybe we made a wrong choice somewhere along the line. We’ve got these plans that seemed inspired, but is anything really going to help?
I don’t know. I really don’t. I think maybe sometimes God leads us to these barren places because we’re not ready for the bounty. I think sometimes it’s to teach us to rely on Him. I think sometimes it just happens because that’s the way of the world–and in those times, it’s not our part to question his leading to begin with, but to put our hand in His, close our eyes, and say, “If it’s your will, let this cup pass from me. I really don’t know how to deal with it. But still–not my will, but yours be done.”
I’m not sure about the Right way to handle these times. But I know that every time I’m in them and cry out, “God, please! Send me something!” He does. Has it been huge contracts and best-selling numbers? Um, no. But it’s been something just as good, if not better. It’s been people who let me know I matter, that my words matter.
Time and again we’re told that publishing is, when it comes down to it, a business. True. But writing is not. Writing’s between the author and God, between the reader and God.
Remembering it–that’s the Right Thing.
by Roseanna White | May 19, 2010 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
I have a thousand page book I’m reading for research. I have pages and pages of notes. I have 50 half-page sheets of scenes I need to include in my novel. And suddenly (okay, not so suddenly) it hits me: there’s just too much.
Sometimes when you’re searching for one historical fact, you can’t find it to save your life. And sometimes you have so many facts, so much history around a particular event that the novelist has a whole new plight–what should be included, and what has to be shoved aside? What can get a one-line mention later, and what has to be ignore altogether?
This can be an agonizing process, especially for someone like me who genuinely loves history. Reading Herodotus’s account of the war between Persia and Greece, I find some cool little tidbit on nearly every page that I’d love to put into my book.
But unless I want that book to be 1000 pages like Herodotus’s The Histories . . . um, yeah. I gotta get choosy.
That’s what I’ve been doing this past week. I’ve been reading and checking my notes, I’ve been underlining and crossing out. I’ve been staring at the page going, “Can I work this in? Is it worth it?” and sighing a lot as I decide, “No. It has no relevance to my story.”
I know this must be done–a novelist cannot include every single historical detail. But at the same time, I feel like I’m cheating. Like if I don’t mention this particular thunderstorm that killed 300 men, I’m going to be denying them their due–or that some crusty old history professor is going to get on the news boycotting my book because I neglected this fact. (Actually, that would be some awesome press! Oh crusty professor! Come rail at me!!)
But that leaves Historical Novelist Me with another problem–making sure I don’t err on the opposite side and leave out too much. I don’t want to overwhelm my readers . . . but I also want to keep them grounded in the setting, the time, and the events. I want them to get a full dose of what was going on. What if I choose the wrong parts, leave out something vital, and my readers go away feeling like something is missing?
Thankfully I have critters to help ensure this doesn’t happen, but still. As I’m agonizing over my notes, it’s a concern. I don’t want my book to be like history–too heavy in some things and totally missing in others. I want it to be a complete story, the thing a novel can be and history never is. Here’s praying God keeps whispering in my ear on that score, eh?
In the past, I’ve done my fair share of head-shaking when TV or novels leave out details I deem crucial, but I officially get where they’re coming from. Yes, tidbits can be cool. Yes, they can be important to history. That doesn’t make them relevant.
Unless, of course, y’all would like a 1,000 page novel?? 😉
l set against a backdrop of danger. A Danish Lutheran pastor’s complacent faith is stretched to the breaking point during World War II when he meets a young Jewish nurse Hanne Abrahamsen and becomes deeply involved in Resistance efforts to save Denmark’s Jews from the Nazi prison camp at Terezin, Czechoslovakia—also known as Theresienstadt.
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, she’s 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 books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.