Real Life is Better Than Fiction

My guest author today is Rhyannon Yates. Rhyannon began writing at the age of five with a charming story about a misunderstood girl and her pet hippo. She grew out of her pachyderm-peddling ways, and spends her time now trying to crank out the next great American fantasy novel while binge-watching Netflix. Rhyannon lives in Florida with her husband, her cat, and her two offspring. Here is an interview she did for our Indie Lights Book Parade. ILBD: What inspired you to write your first book? RY: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but Catalyst grew out of two different writing projects, one of which has early drafts that go back to my thirteen-year-old self. I was working on both projects simultaneously, and had the problem for one that I had a great antagonist, but no real problem, while for the other, I had an awesome conflict, but not defined antagonist. I ended up picking up my antagonist from one story, as well as a few of said story’s key characters, and p

Writing a book is difficult enough. Writing a series of books comes with its own set of problems. That is what my guest author today, Cheri Roman, discusses. Cheri is a writer, editor, teacher, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, in whatever order works best in the moment. Most days you can find her on her blog, The Brass Rag, or working on the next novel in her fantasy series, Rephaim. Cheri lives with her husband and Jack, the super Chihuahua. The Shoulda/Coulda/Woulda of Series Writing The realization came to me, about half way through Descent , that the story I was writing couldn’t be contained inside one book. If I tried, the book was going to have to be opened with a forklift. So, I ended Descent with a sigh of satisfaction and started Quest . By the time I finally finished Quest , all my other characters were giving me the silent treatment. I think it’s because I didn’t write their stories first. Characters can be touchy that way. Turns out they were right. I w

Tracie Roberts is my guest today. As a creative writing teacher, she has a lot of advice for new writers. She has shared some with us.  When I tell my students that I am an author, one of the remarks I get is, "I'm writing a story, too. Do you think I can bring it in and you take a look at it for me?" I always tell them yes because I would never want to crush a child's desire to write, but ultimately I find that the young writers just want me to praise them for simply getting something scratched out. I'm sure what they share with me is the best they can produce at the moment, but when I offer advice for improvement that's when the dejected looks come. I have had some students take the advice I give them and improve their writing; and that's what I want to share today--some tips for first-time writers who want to go beyond a few pages of “telling” what will happen in their stories. And since I am not far removed from being a first-time writer, I&

My guest author today is Deborah Heal. She has visited with me before. She has a new book out and wants to share it with all of you. Make sure you keep reading all the way to the bottom where there's a link to enter a raffle and win some great prizes! There were several things I really liked about these books, one of which was the history element. My parents instilled a love of history and me that I have yet to outgrow. In both of these books historical facts abound. Meredith Randall is a history professor with a secret weapon. A computer program, gone awry, allows her to witness history firsthand and she brings the reader right along with her. However, Meredith get so excited about her fines, that she has trouble not letting others know exactly how she got her info on Illinois history and genealogical history for her clients. One of her clients, Brett Garrison, is interested in winning history, but must tread lightly around his fellow professor.

My guest today is David C. Edmonds, a former Marine, Peace Corps Volunteer, Senior Fulbright Professor of Economics, academic dean and U.S. government official with long experience in Latin America. He's the author, editor or ghostwriter of seven other books, including the award-winning Yankee Autumn in Acadiana. Dr. Edmonds grew up in Louisiana and Mississippi and studied at Mississippi Southern, L.S.U., Notre Dame, Georgetown, George Washington and American University. He currently lives in lovely Tarpon Springs, FL with his wife Maria. About his book: Markus goes to war-torn Peru for one reason: to take home the woman he's loved since his Peace Corps days—Marisa with the long dark hair and sparkling blue eyes. But when he arrives in Lima, he's confronted by a general with a subpoena, agents with guns, and the startling accusation that she's a key figure in one of the most bizarre terrorist movements in the world. And they want his help in bringing her to

This is an emotional roller coaster of a week for me. I don’t usually talk about it, and I don’t plan to today. There are days in all of our lives where we just need comfort from God. I know so many people who are going through so many different situations in their lives right now. We all need to know that God hears. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Romans 8:26-27. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” These verses have helped me through many difficult days. The Song of the Week is actually a new song to me, but it is exactly what I needed to hear. God hears me and I don’t even have to say a word.

Jilted and faced with returning to the battlefields of Spain, Captain Alistair Beaumaris is quite sure his life can’t get any worse. Then he mistakes a perfectly respectable widow for a female of a much more interesting variety, and discovers he was wrong—on both counts.  Incognita is the second book in the Fairchild series, which chronicles an aristocratic family in Regency England. The first book, Fairchild, tells the story of Sophy, Lord Fairchild’s illegitimate daughter, who must carve her way through a world that has no place for her. Incognita, the second book, follows Sophy’s rejected suitor, a Captain in the British army during the peninsular war: his unconventional love story and the complex web of relationships in the Fairchild family.  Here’s letter from the conflicted and lonely Lady Fairchild, not included in the novel, that she writes (but is too proud to send!) to Sophy, her estranged step-daughter, in the midst of Alistair’s troubles.  From the correspo

My guest author today is James DiBenedetto, author of Dream Student. Want to learn more about him? Keep on reading. 1. What inspired you to write your first book?   DREAM STUDENT came from asking a simple question.  Why, in most mystery stories, do average people try to solve a crime or catch a killer themselves, when most normal people would do the sane thing and just call the police? I tried to come up with an answer, and what I thought of was: maybe they wouldn’t go to the police if the only evidence was in their heads.  If they saw the crime through the eyes of the killer, and that was the only proof they had.  If they saw it in the dreams of the killer.  So there was the idea: if you could see someone else’s dreams, and that person was committing crimes, what could you do about it?  You’d have no physical proof, the police would never believe you.  You’d have to start investigating yourself, if you wanted to stop them. Sara, the main character of DREAM STUDENT, came in

When I was a child I used to wonder what heaven would be like, at least until my friend’s mother told me not to even try and imagine. That may sound like a harsh thing to say to a child, but it also makes sense at the same time. We really cannot imagine what heaven will be like. The Bible does give us some clues, but I’m sure our finite minds can’t comprehend it. This week I want you to dwell on heaven; not wondering necessarily what everything will look like, but simply meditating on the Savior and worshiping Him.

Stacy Claflin, author of Gone , is my guest author today. She  loves writing and reading a variety of genres. She's been writing and telling stories as long as she can remember. As a kid, her story telling would get her into trouble when she would try to convince other kids that her stories were real. When she's not busy writing, she spends a lot of time with her family. She runs a preschool from home and homeschools her kids. About her book: Macy Mercer only wants a little independence. Eager to prove herself grown up, she goes to a dark, secluded park. She’s supposed to meet the boy of her dreams who she met online. But the cute fifteen year old was a fantasy, his pictures fake. She finds herself face to face with Chester Woodran, a man capable of murder. Distraught over his own missing daughter, Chester insists that Macy replace his lost girl. He locks Macy up, withholds food, and roughs her up, demanding that she call him dad. Under duress from his constant

My guest author today is Lisa Buie-Collard author of "THE SEVENTH MAN". If you like mysteries/thrillers, you might want to put her books on your TBR list. She is  a writer, mother, wife, sister, and daughter. She's been a server, dental assistant, teacher, journalist, and gardener. She loves to travel and speak French. She's from north Florida, but now abide in Georgia where she writes full time and has completed six novels. "Writing is life, life is writing…" She has generously given you an e xcerpt from her new book. I hope you enjoy! Daybreak would come too soon, if the storm didn’t swallow it. “You will go first. Don’t walk on the ledge. Lean in toward the building and ignore those poor excuses for railing,” he said to her. “I’ll be right behind you, and don’t look down. From up here the landing would be unkind.” “I don’t want to go out there.” “I know. But we have no choice. Now, go now.” She scooted out the window, turned to face him,