I'm working on the galleys for Courting Morrow Little so this post will be short and sweet:). I did want to tell you that in celebration of the new year I'm going to hold a book-a-day-giveaway in January. Five books (not my own) will go to readers that week. All are inspirational fiction published in 2009. If you want to be in the drawing please leave a comment between now and then. I'll post which books will be given away soon.So how are the galleys going, you might ask? Since I love the creative side of writing more than editing, I'm not a big galleys fan. But once I'm into it I lose myself in the story again and really enjoy it. Morrow is faring well, thankfully, and I'm blessed to work with a great editor at this stage who even leaves an occasional smiley face in the margin when I've overused a word or concocted some strange simile.
In the meantime my stack of need-to-read stuff grows! Books I have waiting: White Mountain Brides by Susan Page Davis, Just Jane by Nancy Moser, Mozart's Sister by Nancy Moser, and How Do I Love Thee by Nancy Moser (can you tell I'm a Moser fan?), and some research books.
I've discovered a couple of new writerly sites this week and thought I'd share them:
http://susanjreinhardt.blogspot.com
http://inkwellinspirations.blogspot.com
Do you have a favorite blog, writing or otherwise? If it's your own, please feel free to comment and list it here. Or share the joy and tell us which ones especially bless you!
Hi, Laura! How generous of you to offer this giveaway when you have some many other things going on in your busy author's life!
ReplyDeleteYou might also like:
http://seekerville.blogspot.com/
http://www.thehomesteadheart.com/
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Yours is my favorite blog by an author, Laura!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite blog that features the craft of writing is The Seekers. Five days a week they offer advice, encouragement and instruction about writing. They sponsered a Book-In-A-Week project a couple of months ago that I participated in. The contributors are a fun group of people and their writing tips are very helpful.
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/
Virginia, It's wonderful to hear from you again:). And very thoughtful of you to say what you did here. I was hoping to do the giveaway before Christmas as my Christmas present to readers but as you said, too many other things are going on! I sure love my readers and am so thankful you're one of them.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that the Seekerville blog is just great. The second one you've listed just pulls me to it as it has such a lovely title. I am going to visit so thanks for these 2 sites.
Consider yourself entered in the drawing. Bless you this Christmas and beyond! I'll be thinking of you!
Mary, You've given me two wonderful Christmas gifts today - one you don't even know about:) I stumbled across an agent's blog in which you named my book as one you loved best this year. My heart was singing! I needed the encouragement today. And now I get a double dose reading your gracious words here. Bless you, bless you, bless you!!
ReplyDeleteYou and Virginia agree so the Seekerville site must be first-rate!
Your name is going in the hat! Can't wait to draw:) And I'm off to the Seekerville site...
Laura, TFD got two mentions on that agent's favorite fiction post today. :)
ReplyDeleteHope the galley edits are going well. I don't even know what a galley looks like. What's the format? Is it hard copy?
Lori, I couldn't wait for you to come on here so I could give you a big hug via words - THANK YOU!! I saw your comment, too, and was so thrilled. Things like that sure keep me going. I'm really blessed to have writing friends like you all. I've prayed about that for a long time and it's happening:)
ReplyDeleteGood question on the galleys. I never knew what they actually looked like until they arrived for TFD last year. They are simply the typeset version of the manuscript (pub's formatting, copyright, etc.). Looks nothing like the manuscript you submit to an editor. And they're a Word e-file at this stage. The "pages" which are actual book pages come next via hard copy which I prefer as I edit better that way.
You're entered in the drawing, Lori, though I'll be hard pressed to come up with any books you haven't read:)
Oh gosh, there's plenty I haven't read. So many CBA authors I wish I had time to delve into. I just finished my first Tracey Bateman novel, Thirsty. A Christian vampire novel? I had to check that out. It read like a suspense, which I don't normally read, and I couldn't put it down.
ReplyDeleteLori,
ReplyDeleteThat's fascinating! A Christian vampire novel! I'm constantly coming across CBA authors I'm unfamiliar with and it's neat to see just how much is available. Bet we'll see some interesting trends in the years to come. I know that Baker has signed quite a few new authors for Revell/Bethany House lately.
Keep talking books:) It educates all of us!
How sweet of you to have a book give away! Have a great weekend. blessings,Kathleen
ReplyDeleteKathleen, Thank you for leaving a comment! I hope you win a book:) I'd be happy to mail one to Texas!! Praying all is well with you and this is a blessed week in all ways.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I'm happy to hear you received your galleys for CMA and have enjoyed spending time with those characters again. I'm looking forward to reading Morrow's story.
ReplyDeletePlease don't enter me in the drawing. I've plenty of books in my TBR mountain. :)
Blessings to you this Christmas and very sweet of you to do the giveaways! :O)
ReplyDeleteKeli, I'm so glad to hear from you - I miss you when you're busy doing other things! But I know you have exciting things cooking on your end and I'm thinking about you and praying.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your gracious words about the galleys. They're a bit of a test and a time of self-doubt for me when I go over the book again and again and decide what last chance changes to make. I sure hope you like Morrow's story.
Diana,
ReplyDeleteBless you for stopping by and commenting. Please consider yourself entered in the drawing:) I hopped over to your blog and was delighted to find another to add to my list. Keep writing! And have a very merry Christmas!
Hummmmmm, if I could help you edit, I sure would. That way I could read CML! But then I wouldn't have anything to look forward to except.....your next book! I'll have to look for the books you mentioned now that I'm on Christmas break. Right now..off to babysit the grandkids!
ReplyDeletePatti,
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have you as my editor as my editor as I know you have lots of practice:) But I bet you prefer being with those grandbabies! Considered yourself entered in the drawing. I'd sure love to send a book to Kentucky!
Laura, I'm glad you have your galleys, at last and wish you well as you work on them. Do they give you a time frame for you to complete them by?
ReplyDeleteYour blog is one of my musts!
Here's a partial list of some favorite writing blogs:
Kaye Dacus -kayedacus.com
Writing Fiction Right - Gail Gaymer Martin
writingright-martin.blogspot.com
Story Sensai - Camy Tang
http://storysensei.blogspot.com/
Novel Matters - http://novelmatters.blogspot.com
Rants & Ramblings -Rachelle Gardner
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
I'd also like to mention my own blog, Writing to Distraction, http://writingtodistraction.blogspot.com and thank you for being such a regular visitor!
I would love to be entered in your drawing also Laura...I am learning more and more every day just how much work there really is to writing a book..I have a couple of pages written so far about the story (but not a book) that I told you about. I am worried now that I might be making it to long which could make it to long for a story and to short for a book "sigh" I do enjoy reading your blog and all the comments. I can see where a lot of people come and check out my blog but 99% of them do not comment.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am just making it to boring.
Hope you have a Wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year.
Hugs
Nancy
I like Nancy Moser too. I've read her John 3:16 book and have wondered about her historical books.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say, your book giveaway sounds great! But I, too, have a pile of to be read and to be reviewed books a mile high. So please let someone else can enjoy your generosity.
ReplyDeleteCarla, Love your blog list here though I know it truly is only a partial as you are so good at connecting that way! Your blog (I like all of them) but I visit WritingtoDistraction again and again as it's so original and fresh and you post such beautiful pics. I will have to visit the ones you listed here (some are familiar but not all). Thanks! I hope others will go over and visit ALL your blogs:) They're really worthwhile and I learn something every time.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy, So good to hear from you here. And consider yourself entered in the drawing! Don't take it personally if folks aren't making comments on your blogs. Most readers don't. Some of my relatives and friends say they try to post comments and can't. So I sure appreciate folks who do.
ReplyDeleteYour craft blog is wonderful and I wrapped and mailed your treasures to my Kentucky kin:) But I saved those clever bags of marbles to go under the tree for my boys. Thank you again for those!!
A wonderful Christmas to you and yours!
Adge, Everytime you write I always learn something!! I didn't realize Nancy Moser had written that one so you've stoked my curiousity there, for sure. Consider yourself entered in the drawing. Will try to take a pics of the books on giveaway today and post this coming week. Hope you and your family have the best Christmas ever!
ReplyDeleteCarla,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to answer your question:) I'm given 3 weeks to work on the galleys and make any changes. Thanks for asking!
That "To-be-read" stack sure is a monster, isn't it? I can't keep up with mine. too many books, so little time:)!
ReplyDeleteKristen,
ReplyDeleteConsider yourself entered in the drawing:) My stack is about to topple, too, and I just added a couple more research books to finish it off. So I'll be glad to add to yours!!
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoying a blessed Christmas with your family! I am enjoying reading about all of these blogs/websites. There are so many resources for someone who wants to write. I have often thought about it, but haven't felt the calling... yet!
Stacey, Bless you for checking out those writing blogs - and be ye glad that the writing bug hasn't bitten you:) I sometimes wish for a life without writing, to be honest, as it's so intense.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you know but you're entered in the book drawing coming up for reader appreciation week in January. Since you like to read - you're one of MY very dear readers, anyway! - I'm thrilled to put your name in the hat:)
Merry Christmas to you and your precious family!