Posted on Leave a comment

ACFW: June 2019 Indiana Meeting

acfw, indiana chapter, june 2019

First pages are challenging. Wouldn’t you rather not have to go it alone? The June 2019 Indiana Chapter ACFW meeting is here to help guide and shape the first chapter of your manuscript.

Writers, if you’re near Kokomo, IN, you’ll not want to miss getting your first page evaluated by professional editors in the industry. Kind, gentle, but honest professional advice here. Oh, and lunch beforehand is available too! Click the link below for more details . . .

ACFW IN June 2019 event announcement

Posted on 8 Comments

Author Interview: Rick Barry + Giveaway

I’m pleased to welcome Rick Barry to this month’s author interview and book giveaway. Rick recently attended the Awards ceremony for MovieGuide’s 12th Annual Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays. Rick was in the Top 10 for the Kairos Prize by Beginning Screenwriters. What an honor, Rick! Let’s take a look at the book that made the Top 10! Presenting … The Methuselah Project.

Book Giveaway and Blurb

The Methuselah Project, genuine paperback copy

In WWII, Nazi scientists began many experiments. One never ended. 

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed–until the day he’s shot down and captured.

When Allied bombs destroy both his secret prison and the eccentric genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success–but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn’t aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. A Bible becomes the only reliable anchor for Roger’s sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes the underground organization holding him in our time, the world has become an unrecognizable place. Will anyone believe his crazy story before the organization’s assassin can snuff out his long life once and for all?

Wow, what an action-packed plot!

 

You have three published novels and could have used any one of them to turn into a script. Why The Methuselah Project?

First, an author improves with experience. Because it’s my third book, I believe The Methuselah Project is my best so far. It’s also my favorite to date. I poured quite a bit of myself into it. Even as I wrote it, I pictured the scenes as a film playing before me. Also, many reviewers have declared, “This should be a movie!” So, it was my logical choice.

After such a plot as The Methuselah Project, I can see why a screenplay would be in order!

How did you get involved with the opportunity to enter the Kairos Prize?

A few years back, it was my privilege to drive Movieguide’s Dr. Ted Baehr from the Indianapolis Airport to the downtown hotel where American Christian Fiction Writers were holding their annual writers conference. During that ride, we talked about stories, and Dr. Baehr encouraged me to visit California to take his screenplay-writing class “How to Succeed in Hollywood without Losing Your Soul.” That was a terrific introduction to writing scripts for movies. (But of course, I still needed to study professional scripts and to practice writing my own.) For the past three years, I’ve entered Movieguide’s worldwide Kairos Prize competition, which exists to encourage Christian writers to develop wholesome scripts that point viewers to God. On my first two tries, I was a rank amateur and got nowhere. But, praise the Lord, my third script was my best yet, and it made the list of 10 Finalists.

Wow, what an awesome opportunity! Who influenced you for this project and why? 

Among individuals, that would be Dr. Ted Baehr, mentioned above. But in a general sense, I’ve also been encouraged to see others, such as David A.R. White and the Kendrick brothers, creating wholesome films that boldly present a God-centered worldview.

That must have been a great conversation on the way to ACFW conference that year. How has writing a script changed you as a writer? Developed you as an editor?

Novels are stories, and movie scripts are stories, but they are totally different kinds of documents. For film, each page of a script equals about 1 minute of movie time. So there’s no way to include everything in a novel in a 90-minute movie. I had to eliminate my own scenes, reduce the number of characters, and emphasize the main thrust of the story (the “through line”) with lean writing and no wasted words. In that regard, I’d say script writing has taught me–as both writer and self-editor–to focus strictly on the key elements. Never again will I watch a movie based on a novel and complain, “Hey, they left out some things that were in the book!” It’s simply a necessity of that medium.

Goodness gracious, you put a lot of time into script writing and studying a different art form. What is one lesson you learned from turning a novel into a screenplay?

It’s work. Tedious work, and not for the faint-hearted if you’re adapting your own novel, because you WILL have to axe people, lines, scenes that you love. Script writing is not for the mildly curious. You must really love your story and possess a drive to make it available for an audience. Otherwise, the work becomes drudgery, and you’ll be tempted to quit. I was tempted, too. But God has gifted me with some sense of perseverance–or stubbornness!

And that is where passion is the greatest asset in this industry. What is your desire for the screenplay? 

First, it has already accomplished what I personally needed most. By becoming one of 10 Finalists out of hundreds of submissions from 20+ countries, this script has provided some affirmation that, yes, I am succeeding in learning the ins and outs of writing screenplays. (In fact, in this journey, my script actually got further than scripts of more experienced colleague friends who have been writing them for longer than I have. That is exciting for me, but can also be a wee bit awkward.) Past the affirmation, it would be exciting if a producer decided to option it for possible production. It could still happen. We’ll see what the Lord has in store.

Thank you so much, Rick, for sharing your celebration with us! As I understand, there is a filmmaking seminar coming up! For anyone interested in the movie business, hop on over to https://www.movieguide.org/class/.

About Rick Barry 

A longtime WWII buff, Rick Barry has a B.S. in Foreign Language Education. He speaks Russian and has visited Eastern Europe over 50 times for Christian ministry. Rick’s short fiction and articles have appeared in a variety of publications. The Methuselah Project is his third novel. In February 2018, Rick’s screenplay on the novel was one of 10 Finalists for Movieguide’s Kairos Prize.

Visit him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rick.barry.184/

Visit his website at rickcbarry.com

Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/WriterRickBarry

Purchase The Meluselah Project

Now what you’ve been waiting for: the giveaway!

Details

Open to participants over 18.
Giveaway will run March 9 to March 16.
No purchase necessary to enter.
Winners will be contacted via email and announced Friday, March 16.

Click the link below to enter the giveaway:

 

Posted on 38 Comments

January 2018 Multi Book Giveaway

chloe-ridgway-181789

When the weather’s so cold you have frost on the windows, it’s time to curl up indoors with a fuzzy blanket, burning candle, and a good book for a good, long afternoon. Check out these great reads—and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway at the end! Four books, four winners!

Author: Sharlene McLaren

sharlene maclaren daring hearts tisha martin author editor giveaway 2018 januaryBook Giveaway: Their Daring Hearts 

Blurb:
Levi Albright rebelled against his Quaker roots to fight for abolition in the Union army in the first year of the Civil War.Two years later, 19-year-old destitute orphan Josephine Winters, with chopped hair, boy’s clothes, and new name, “Gordon Snipp,” enlists in the Union army out of sheer desperation. Just over five feet tall and barely weighing as much as a newborn calf, Snipp seems to Levi to be barely old enough to hold “his” gun. But despite being teased by the regiment, Snipp quickly earns admiration for skill with a musket and unequaled bravery. When Levi explains one night that he is a Quaker leading a regiment, it leads to a late-night discussion of faith and a developing friendship. But Snipp’s secret can only be hidden for so long. After an injury forces Josie to reveal her real identity, Levi is angered by her deception. Worse, Josie is marched out of the company without a chance to explain—or even say goodbye. Will their friendship survive? Or will the hatred saturating the war-torn nation affect even the heart of a peace-loving Quaker?
sharlene maclaren author photo tisha martin author editor january 2018 giveawayAbout Sharlene:

Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree in 1971, she taught second grade for two years then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. In 1975, she married her childhood sweetheart. Together they raised two lovely, wonderful daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired in 2003 from 31-years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular, her wonderful, adorable grandchildren!

A Christian for 45+ years, and a lover of the English language, Shar has always enjoyed dabbling in writing–poetry, fiction, various essays, and freelancing for periodicals and newspapers. Her favored genre, however, has always been romance. She remembers well the short stories she wrote in high school and watching them circulate from girl to girl during government and civics classes. “Psst,” someone would whisper from two rows over, and always with the teacher’s back to the class, “Pass me the next page.”In recent years, Shar felt God’s call upon her heart to take her writing pleasures a step further and in 2006 signed a contract for her first faith-based novel; thereby, launching her writing career with Through Every Storm. With a dozen books now gracing store shelves nationwide, she daily gives God all the praise and glory for her accomplishments.

Shar has done numerous countrywide book signings, television and radio appearances, and countless interviews. She loves to speak for women’s organizations, libraries, church groups, women’s retreats, and banquets. She is involved in Apples of Gold, a mentoring program for young wives and/or mothers, and is active in her church as well as two weekly Bible studies. She and her husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan with their beautiful white collie, Peyton and their rag doll cat named Blue.

Visit her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharmaclaren

Visit her website: http://www.sharlenemaclaren.com

What is your 2018 goal?

We were just discussing this on my Facebook page the other day. My 2018 goal is to dig deeper into my daily Bible reading. Too often, out of busyness and my sometimes hectic life, my Bible reading becomes more of a task than a treat. I do too much “surface” reading and not enough “in depth”. I want to read it more for content and truly understand what I’m ready through study and concentration. I’m praying the Lord will guide me in this because I tend to get distracted by so many other things that vie for my attention.

Author: Joyce Valdois Smith

Joyce-Smith-My-Grandpa-Forgot-My-Name-Tisha-Martin-author-editorBook GiveawayGrandpa Forgot My Name (a children’s book) paperback
Blurb: Grandpa has become forgetful. Adam is sad Grandpa has to leave his farm, but he’s excited to have him come to stay at his house. Adam doesn’t understand why Grandpa is confused, however, he realizes the only thing that matters is that he loves Grandpa, and Grandpa loves him. Adam’s happy to be Grandpa’s little boy.

Joyce also has a new-releaseRomance Along the Rails releases January 23, 2018. It will be available for pre-order on Kindle this week, and you may purchase it here:

What is your 2018 goal?

My 2018 goal is to finish the manuscript for my second novel, (working title, Accepted in the Beloved). Romance Along the Rails is the first of a series of 4 books entitled The Harvey House Legacy. The first is set in 1885, the second in 1900. I also want to publish another children’s book in 2018.
What was your favorite holiday memory?

My favorite thing about the Christmas Holiday was spending time with family and friends. We had Christmas dinner at our house with two of our daughters and their families including six grandchildren, then we traveled to Columbia, SC to spend a week with our son and his family, two more granddaughters.

joyce-smith-january-2018-giveaway-tisha-martin-author-editorAbout Joyce:

Joyce Valdois Smith is the wife of Bob, mother to four married children and grandmother to twelve amazing grandchildren. She is a retired public health and school nurse Writing has been her longtime passion. Joyce is an author of Christian historical and contemporary fiction as well as children’s books. She is active in her church. She lives with her husband and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Lady Catherine (Katie), in Southwest Missouri.

Facebook: Joyce Valdois Smith
Twitter: @JValdoisSmith

Author: Daisy Townsend

perf5.500x8.500.indd

Book GiveawaySarah’s Legacy, an e-book

Blurb:  Exuberant, 18-year-old Polly Dye is torn between wanting to please her mother and wanting to please Garrett, the man she is dating. To add to Polly’s unsettled feelings, she and her family move into a house that evokes a chilling sensation as she steps over the threshold. Polly can’t decide whether this disturbing feeling means that something bad has happened here or that something bad is going to happen.

Soon Polly discovers the diary of the original owner of the house, Sarah Davis. She hopes that by reading it, her questions about the apprehensive feelings she has in the house will be answered. Instead, she finds herself wrestling with the many losses that Sarah experienced while still maintaining her faith in God. What good is a God who doesn’t protect one from pain, Polly’s utmost goal in life?

As Polly experiences losses of her own and learns through the mistakes that Sarah made, Polly realizes it’s not enough for her to have faith in her mother’s faith.   Will Sarah’s legacy enable Polly to make that faith her own and will her questions about the house be answered?

Daisy TownsendAbout Daisy Townsend:

Daisy Beiler Townsend has been published in magazines and periodicals more than eighty times. Researching the history of their home in Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, in 1998 led to beginning a historical novel inspired by the lives of  former residents of their home in the late 19th – early 20th century. In 2014 Daisy published her first book, Homespun Faith, an autobiographical devotional, and then completed  Sarah’s Legacy. She and her husband, Donn, live in  Pennsylvania and have three children and six grandchildren.

Follow Daisy on social media:

www.homespunfaith.com

https://twitter.com/DaisyDonaisy

https://www.instagram.com/daisybeilertownsend/

https://www.facebook.com/DaisyBeilerTownsend/

What is your 2018 goal:

My 2018 goal is to finish the first draft of the second book in the Sarah’s Legacy series. That’s what I’m working on now.

Buy Links for Daisy’s Books:

ttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sarahs-legacy-daisy-l-townsend/1127572697?ean=9780692989555

https://www.amazon.com/Sarahs-Legacy-Daisy-L-Townsend-ebook/dp/B077W16NCS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1516210570&sr=1-1&keywords=sarah%27s+legacy+

Author: Pegg Thomas

Book Giveaway: 

Cvr_BouquetofBrides.inddA Bouquet of Brides Collection (my story being “In Sheep’s Clothing”) I’d be happy to give away the winner’s choice of paper or ebook—but to U.S. residents only. If outside the U.S., an ebook.
Blurb:
Peter Maltby might be all good looks and charm, working in the new mill fulling wool, but Yarrow Fenn fears he is the Crown’s agent in disguise who will destroy the only livelihood she has.
It released January 1st.

What is your 2018 goal? 

I’ve now sold four novellas to Barbour for their collections. My 2018 goal is to sell a full-length novel.
What did you enjoy most about the holiday season?
What I enjoyed most was family. We don’t make a big to-do about the wrappings of Christmas. We love to spend time together, play board games, watch old–as in black and white–movies, and visit with friends.

About Pegg: 

PeggThomasHeadshot2017-resizedPegg Thomas lives on a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. They raise sheep and chickens, keep a few barn cats, and Murphy the spoiled rotten dog. A life-long history geek, she writes “History with a Touch of Humor.” Pegg is published in the Barbour historical romance collections. In March 2017, Pegg took on the mantle of Managing Editor of Smitten Historical Romance, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When not working or writing, Pegg can be found in her barn, her garden, her kitchen, or sitting at her spinning wheel creating yarn to turn into her signature wool shawls.

Giveaway Details!

Runs from Friday, January 19, 2018, to midnight CST Thursday, January 25, 2018.

Ebooks open to lower 48 US and worldwide. Print books only open to lower 48 US states.

Winners will be announced the following Friday.

No purchase necessary to enter, but if you like what you see, we’d appreciate a few follows and likes on our social media pages!

Click link below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the News:: Coming up next Friday: interview with the characters from WWII author Liz Tolsma’s latest novel, The Melody of the Soul! — and includes a giveaway!

Be sure to come back next week!