Tuesday, July 31, 2007

PLEASE PRAY FOR KOREAN HOSTAGES

As you've undoubtedly heard on the news, the Taliban have a group of Christian aid workers hostage in Kabul. I know I posted a lighthearted Blush and Cringe today, but to tell you the truth, my heart is heavy over these persecuted Christians.
 
PLEASE, PLEASE pray with all of your heart and being for them to be released..even if it has to happen like it did for Paul and Silas in Biblical times. I was saddened to hear of a second execution. I pray for no more deaths in Jesus' name and that the rest of the hostages can be brought back to their families alive.
 
Please join me in praying for these precious people as though they were someone in our families held hostage by this violent and merciless group.

--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com  www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com  www.Loveinspiredauthors.com

AUTHOR INTERVIEW---STEPHEN BLY

I am pleased to present an interview sent by Author Stephen Bly...whose book I reviewed yesterday.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

"Hap"py reading!!!



websites: www.blybooks.com, www.OneStepOverTheBorder.com



INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

One Step Over The Border, by Stephen Bly,

Center Street/Hachette Book Group USA, $12.99



It’s a romp. A road adventure. It’s CowboyLit. Rodeo cowboy Hap Bowman’s on a search for Juanita, the gal of his dreams, whom he hasn’t seen in 18 years. He seems stuck on 12-years-old and the enchanting girl he met then. And he wants to give her a small box of treasures.

An idiot obsession,” his roping partner, Laramie Majors, chides. But Laramie agrees to a final summer’s trek along the Rio Grande. If they don’t find Juanita during those months, Hap promises to drop the idea of the gal. But if they find her, will she feel the same as Hap does about their years ago interlude?



1.) WHY ARE YOU A GOOD CHOICE FOR AN INTERVIEW?

I write about the West (historic or modern) from the inside. Born and raised on western ranches, I have both the heart and mind to describe things as they really were . . and are. You’ll get a folksy, personal . . . right to the point, interview with humor and heart.



2.) YOU’RE KNOWN FOR YOUR CLASSIC WESTERNS, WHY WRITE A CONTEMPORARY WESTERN?

Well, there are those who think the frontier has long passed and with it the “code of the west.” The truth is, both are still around . . . and it’s fun to show that in a contemporary story. The West is so big, so diverse, so enchanting it’s a thrill to write about it in any era.



3.) YOU’RE A WRITER, A PASTOR, A MAYOR, AND AN ANTIQUE GUN COLLECTOR. WHAT DO THESE DIVERSE AVOCATIONS HAVE TO DO WITH OTHER?

And you didn’t even mention my fondness for Jimmy Buffet music. In every field I want to grow as a person . . . push myself . . my skills . . . my understanding . . . my spirit. I not a sit around and let life come to me person. I want to dive into life and change it . . . change it for the better if I can. Look again at that list . . . . I write a lot of fiction books . . . all from a Christian world view . . . being pastor helps me stay focused . . . I’m mayor of a town of 308 in the mountains of Idaho on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation . . . that keeps me very western . . . and I collect old Winchester rifles . . . which reflects my love of historical accuracy. (And Jimmy Buffet music? Hey, there’s not a whole lot of difference between a pirate and an outlaw.)



4.) WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT ONE STEP OVER THE BORDER?

It’s a buddy story, road romp . . . where the time tested values of cowboys rub up against contemporary values. It’s a crazy story that becomes more logical as the reader gets deeper into it. In spite of yourself, it will make you laugh and make you cry, and make you think about your own life in a fresh, new way. The characters are a little crazy . . . but the reader will make life-long friends with them.



5.) WHY DID YOU ENTER INTO YOUR CHARACTER’S SEARCH FOR THE MISSING FICTIONAL JUANITA?

What a fun project! Don’t we all have someone in the past . . . that we knew for only a short while . . . that we wish we could have known all our lives? So when Hap and Laramie ventured out on a search for Hap’s Juanita . . . I decided to invite others to go along too. I want the whole country to be searching for his Juanita. But she’s fictional, some complain. Oh, there’s a thin line between fact and fiction.





6.) WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE E-MAILS HAP AND ORDERS A “JUANITA SEARCH KIT?”

There’s a lot of fun things in the kit . . . bumper sticker, magnet, bookmark, stickers, flyers, etc. It’s a whole packet of search material that will equip anyone to set out and find a “Juanita” where they live. If they send Hap an e-mail or snail mail him a picture of the fun places where they’ve stuck their Juanita signs, they’ll receive a free copy of the book. It’s all there on the website at www.OneStepOverTheBorder.com



7.) HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE STORYLINE?

Paperback writers have crazy minds. I have stories lined up to be told that are longer than the Wal-Mart line the day after Thanksgiving. I wanted a story so audacious the reader would have to laugh . . . that would become so believable the reader would have to care. This is what popped into my head.



8.) WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SCENE AND WHY? WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST?

The last scene is my favorite, because it makes the whole quest have purpose and meaning. I can’t say more or it would spoil the story. The funniest? The two cafĂ© scenes. . . one in a Mexican Cantina . . . and one in a Wyoming roadhouse. Both have me laughing no matter how many times I read them.



9.) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ‘MOST LIKELY’ READER?

WHAT ‘FELT NEED’ DOES THIS BOOK MEET?

While the book will very much appeal to both men and women readers, by sheer numbers . . . more women will read it, especially country gals with cowboy-on-their-mind kind of hearts. While people often talk of women looking for “knights on white horses” most American women have at one time in their life longed for a “cowboy” on any color of horse. So this will have some appeal there. Plus the drive to find that one girl . . . the one you can’t forget . . . has an appeal to the reader. As far as felt need . . . we all have a felt need to find the “right” person to share our life with . . . and the need to think that other person has been searching for us. In that way, it’s a satisfying (and yet surprising) story.

We have the need to be searched for and found . . . . the need to complete something we promised ourselves long ago. We have the need to do the right thing, even if no one knows it. The need to make a stand against all odds. And the need to be a friend (and have a friend) through all the struggles in life.





10.) HAP’S ROPING PARTNER, LARAMIE, CALLS HAP’S SEARCH FOR ‘HIS JUANITA’ AN ‘IDIOT OBSESSION.’ WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE GET SUCKED INTO IDIOT OBSESSIONS? AND HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE?

People grab onto “idiot obsessions” because of the goal (or perceived goal) in their mind it will accomplish something . . . it will produce something . . . . it will change something . . . and this obsession is the only way they know how to achieve that result. Have I had one? Are you kidding? Being a full time fiction writer is an idiot obsession. Most people have the good sense to avoid such an occupation.



11.) THE WHOLE JUANITA CAMPAIGN HAS ALLUSIONS TO THIS . . . IN WHAT WAY DOES YOUR BOOK ADDRESS MISSING PERSONS ISSUES OR DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL ALIENS? OR DOES IT?

This book does not deal with either subject. Juanita is not lost, kidnapped or hiding. She just hasn’t been seen by Hap in 18 years. It’s a “where is she now” kind of story, so it doesn’t deal with the heartbreaking issue of a missing person. While there is a moment of pondering about illegal aliens risking their life to cross the border . . . that subject is not dealt with. Yet, there are some contemporary issues dealt with in the book . . . from domestic abuse . . . to across the border cattle rustling . . . to marijuana growing . . . to eminent domain issues . . . to handicapped children . . . and others. The issues are not as important as how Hap and Laramie deal with such issues.



12.) WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS BOOK FROM OTHERS YOU’VE WRITTEN?

First of all, I’ve never had two male protagonists before. The point-of-view goes from chapter to chapter between Hap and Laramie. From a technical stand point, I’ve also never written a novel without some interior monologue. This has none. And, more than any before, the moral of the story gradually unfolds. It’s more subtle than others, I think . . . I never jerk the line, but just let the reader slowly swallow the bait.



13.) HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS BOOK TO IMPACT READERS?

GIVE SOME SPECIFIC BENEFITS.

Okay . . . they are going to laugh . . . and cry . . . . and shake their heads . . . then tell their friends “you need to read this book.” They will definitely want to know more about Hap and Laramie. But in the process, they will see both Hap and Laramie find completion . . . and healing . . . from the past, and that will give the reader hope for their own situation. It will encourage them to keep plugging away, because there is a way to resolve what you are struggling with.



14.) WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WRITING THIS BOOK?

Getting to meet Hap and Laramie . . . they changed my life. I laugh a little deeper because of them. But I love their loyalty to each other. It makes me cherish my friends even more. Also, I love the switches in the story . . .. the places when they get themselves into such a bind, I was about to give up on them . . . and then something unexpected happened . . . . and they made it a success.



15.) WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT YOU WANT TO MAKE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BOOK, ONE STEP OVER THE BORDER?

Reading ought to be enjoyable. Read One Step Over the Border for fun. Relax. In doing that, it will change the way you look at your life. A change for the better, I think.

Sometimes I think a book is merely the sub-title of life. We live our lives with triumph and tragedy . . . and a good book tells the story in print…just in case you missed the storyline somewhere. So a good book, even historical fiction, is in sync with real life. That’s what this book does.



16.) WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT THE LIFE OF A WRITER?

Incessantly long lists of interview questions.



17.) WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE STORY ABOUT THE LIFE OF A NOVELIST?

I love how readers become close friends of my fictional characters. I’ve been amazed when lady readers (and their daughters) write to me asking for the phone number of one of my fictional single cowboy characters.



18.) HOW CAN ONE STEP OVER THE BORDER BE PURCHASED?

One Step can be pre-ordered at your nearest quality bookstore, or at www.BlyBooks.com (to get an autographed copy), or from your favorite online bookstore.

Monday, July 30, 2007

RECOMMENDED READING: One Step over ther Border by Stephen Bly


Popping in here for a second to tell you about a FABULOUS book I just finished.

One Step over ther Border by Stephen Bly is one of the most delightful reads I've had in a couple years. This book reminded me SO much of my upbringing when my family lived in New Mexico. We frequented rodeos, and my dad is still a cowboy. This book brought SO many fond memories of times out West.

But even without the close-to-my-heart setting, this book will live on my keeper shelf to infinity. Well...infinity of my life, or the life of my shelves that is. LOL!

The character of Hap was so unique and differently put together, I found myself talking to him out loud in portions of the book. LOL! He became SO real. I loved, loved, loved the exchange between Hap, and his friend Laramie. The way Stephen penned the adventures of these two and their quest across the West to find a woman named Jauanita made me both feel like I was traveling with them, and made me want to go back and visit.

Hap is such a quirky character, I find myself smiling at some of his antics, and many portions of dialogue (which I could "hear" in the book as I read..thanks to Bly's excellent prose) is ringing in my head. Such rich sensory details, but the dialogue drove this book in my opinion and made this character come to life. Emotive, witty writing. Simple, down-to-earth yet like nothing I've ever read before.

Bly's choice of wording throughout the entire book had me praying that I can craft stories with such unique word pictures. Some novels read the same as other novels. I tend to see the same old beats and tags over and over in fiction. Bly comes up with stuff outside the box and it really worked to make this book one of the most special I've ever read. I'll keep it as a reader. I'll keep it as an author who wants to study how to craft an unforgettable book with characters who will stand out in my mind for decades. I won't go into the plot because I don't want to spoil things for you. Seriously one of THE best books I've ever read.

I'm getting every book this author writes from now on....and hopefully I'll be able to get his older releases too because I LOVE the prose and the characterization.

Hope you pick up your copy today. You can order it off Amazon, or go to Stephen Bly's website:

http://www.blybooks.com/

Or click the title of this blog post to be taken directly to the author's website.

"Hap"py reading. :) :) :)

PS...I love this book so much, I'm going to give away a free, new copy to someone who signs my comment page here on the blog. Be sure to leave contact info in the form of an email address. (Leave spaces before and after the "@" sign so internet spiders don't phish your email addy though.)

I will draw a winner's name on Aug 15th. So sign THIS post's comment section if you're interested in receiving a free book.

That said, this book is reasonably priced and worth the money. So pick up your copy today!

Squirrel

Wednesday, July 25, 2007





MORE IGNITE IN CHICAGO






CASTING CROWNS HANGING ONSTAGE
CASTING CROWNS DRUMMER
JOHN REUBEN READING A BOOK TO CROWD-VERY FUNNY STORY
SEVENTH DAY SLUMBER GUYS BACKSTAGE
TREE 63 PLAYING
BARLOW GIRL PLAYING
REBECCA ST. JAMES LOOKING FABULOUS AND ME LOOKING TERRIBLE WITH A CONCUSSION..LOL!
DAVID CROWDER BAND

Ignite show in Chicago


VICKI BEACHING ONSTAGE & DAVID CROWDER ONSTAGE AND TALKING WITH FANS




TRUEMOTION BAND PRAYING ONSTAGE WITH THEIR DAD BEFORE THEIR SET
----

Rebecca St. James at Ignite in Chicago


BUNK BED ON MY HEAD

No, this is not some kind of rap song in the making. LOL! I seem to be the target of freakish type accidents. On the way to the Ignite festival in Chicago, a bunk bed in the semi crashed down on my head. I have spinal compression and a concussion....killer headache.

Oh, but the concert was fun after I spent the first entire day in bed. I think the most painful part of the entire thing was having to explain to my doctor how this happened to me. Eeek.

"What exactly happened to you?"

"A bunk bed fell on my head."

I get the same reaction from everyone..which consists of 4 seconds of blank stare while they process what I just said, then 3-4 confused blinks, then the facial skewing that clearly shows they wonder if they heard me right.

After this post, I'll post some pics of the show with captions.

The cool thing is the concert promoter says I can sign my books in the vendor booths once they (books) start releasing. There were 7000 people approx at the first Ignite...so that's way COOL!

Hugs,

Squirrel with a headache out of this world.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

IGNITE CHICAGO

Hey all, just want to put the word out, if you're near Chicago this weekend, I hope you can drop by this music festival. Ignite Chicago Homepage.

Saturday, July 21st 2007

Alexian Field
(Home of the Schaumburg Flyers)

1999 S. Springinsguth Road
Schaumburg, IL 60193

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Casting Crowns - David Crowder - Rebecca St.James
Barlow Girl - Tree 63 - Seventh Day Slumber
John Reuben - And More!!!


As you can see, they have some great, big name Christian bands, and fun stuff for the entire family.

Oh, and did I happen to mention my cutie patootie husband is going to be there running sound?

I believe this is the first year for Ignite, so let's support it!!! We want it to go on next year and the year after...etc.

Hope to see you there!

Warmly,

Cheryl

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

BACK FROM RWA

Sorry for the lack of posting, but I just returned from a writers' conference...Romance Writers of America...in Dallas, Texas.

I'm happy to report I only embarrassed myself a few times. Like when I kept shoving my key in the slot at my hotel room door and knocking for my roommate because the key wouldn't work....only to discover I had the correct room location....but the wrong floor.

EEEK. Woke the person inside. I nearly died of embarrassment.

Some guy with no shirt and disheveled hair stumbles to the door.

Annoyed look crosses his face. "I WAS trying to sleep."

And I see that it is NOT my room. I wish the floor would now swallow me up. I apologize profusely and can hear him laughing as I flee to the elevators.

I think fatigue took its toll on me or something....I'm not usually that ditzy.

Can it in the peanut gallery.

Then another time I boarded the elevator and got so busy talking that I forgot to push the button. I rode up and down the entire vertical length of the hotel (something like 29 floors) TWICE before realizing I missed my floor for the second time.

Oh, and I nearly died in a luxurious Limo. No kidding. They were cheaper than the Taxis and I think I know why. You take your life into your hands. Our driver went SO fast around curves, our tires screeched. Three of the ladies tumbled either face first to the floor, or head over bottom. The rest of us slid across the long (stretch Limo) seat, and tumbled in a heap on top of one another in the floorboard of the car. The driver would NOT slow down or turn the music down.

So picture us SCREAMING along with speakers grinding out what was supposed to be music but sounded like a horror show soundtrack because all you could really hear was the speakers vibrating precariously with the warning, **STATIC***"I'm about to blow!"***STATIC*** We asked...okay we yelled for him to turn the music down but he would NOT turn the music down. And he closed the divider window to drown out our pleas for help. Gee whiz. But later, after we made it (intact) to the Harlequin party, it became funny.

The next day, in a workshop, I was discussing this wild ride and Krista (Steeple Hill editor) said she thought she may have had the same driver because he went the wrong way TWICE down a one way street.

EEEEE.

And did you know author Lisa Jackson rode the glass elevator with her skirt hem accidentally tucked in her panty hose with her backside to the glass facing the entire hotel? She joked about it though...gotta love a gal who can laugh at herself. The rest of the conference, after Lisa told that story during her talk, you saw women in that elevator tugging and fussing with the backs of their skirts. LOL! Probably paranoid. I said we all should have tucked our skirts in our undies just to tribute her. But I think the Herbal Life people would have been severely traumatized. Or, actually, since they would have seen the "real" us...they may have tried harder to drum up business. (they all wore these pins that said, "Lose weight. Ask me how.")


I'll report more on the conference later, and post some pics such as the bullet car in question...our reckless and death-defying "Ride."

Later,

Squirl

Sunday, July 08, 2007

House TILT!

Um....I decided to declutter my house. I do this pretty often....at least every ten years or so. The thing is...I have jeans in my closet from high school. (BLUSH!) They range from size from 4...okay 5....to 22. No kidding. Well, there are a few 24's that I wore when prego, but that's beside the point. Point is, I have trouble throwing anything away. Yes, I'm a packsquirrel. Or I was. But now, I'm on a clothes-binging spree.

Reason?

I was pushmowing the lawn the other day even though we have a perfectly good riding mower. I love to push mow because I like to make straight lines in the grass and be very methodical about how I mow. My husband recently got me a push mower as a gift not because he's a heathen hinting that I've got a little too much cottage cheese goin' on beneath my skin, but because I'd been begging for a push mower. My rationale is more excercise means I can possibly get back into a size **.

Didn't think I was gonna tell ya on a public domain, did ya? Heeee!

Anyway, I was mowing up a sweat and noticed the end of the house where my closet rests is tilting. EEEK. Now, you have to understand my walk-in closet is no less than 18 feet long...has 6 doors, three huge shelves above the clothes...and four long racks. They are so full and packed so tightly that I can't get any clothes in or out. So to remedy this, I hung clothes on my treadmill, and on the two chairs in my room.

I'm not sure, but upon further investigation of the tilt, I concluded that I think the weight of my closet is cracking the foundation of our home. I'm really not kidding about this. I'm scared to tell my husband. He'll make me get rid of more clothes for sure. LOL!

Today, my grandmother (who is visiting from Oklahoma) asked me if I still had my 200 pairs of shoes. Well, I may have misunderstood...she may have just asked if I still had all my shoes and my brain probably logged it in as 200 since I don't doubt that at one time I easily had that many. LOL! She said it with a straight face too.

I casually mentioned that, no, I'd cut way down to around 20 pair now. LOL!

Hey....it's a start.

Back to the closet-excavation....

Squirrel

Saturday, July 07, 2007

WORDS NOT FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY

I received this from another writer friend. I am not sure who the original author is. Too bad because it's really cute and funny and the person deserves credit for writing it. Enjoy!

Definitions Not in Dictionary



ADULT:
A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

BEAUTY PARLOR:
A place where women curl up and dye.

CANNIBAL:
Someone who is fed up with people.

CHICKENS:
The only animals you eat before they are born
and after they are dead.

COMMITTEE:
A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.

DUST:
Mud with the juice squeezed out.

EGOTIST:
Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.

HANDKERCHIEF:
Cold Storage.

INFLATION:
Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.

MOSQUITO:
An insect that makes you like flies better.

RAISIN:
Grape with a sunburn.!

SECRET:
Something you tell to one person at a time.

SKELETON:
A bunch of bones with the person scraped off.

TOOTHACHE:
The pain that drives you to extraction.

TOMORROW:
One of the greatest labor saving devices of today.

YAWN:
An honest opinion openly expressed.


WRINKLES:
Something other people have. I have character lines

Friday, July 06, 2007

Plotstorm-A Soldier's Surrender

Welcome to the Plotstorm of Book 4 in my USAF PJ (Pararescue Jumper) series, two of which are contracted by Steeple Hill publishers. Book three is currently under consideration.
 
This plotstorm will be a little different, and not as intensive, as the other ones I've done. Reason being, book 4 (originally titled Stealth Surrender) was actually written years ago, at the same time as book one. I usually cannot multitask well, but I wrote those two books simultaneously, targeting Steeple Hill's romantic suspense line. When I sold, Steeple Hill asked me to revise the books for the regular romance line rather than the suspense line, so of course I abliged.
 
Since book four was already written at that time, I decided to change up the order of the PJ books. So I wrote two other PJ's stories, aiming at the romance line. I did this out of sheer procrastnation, since it is MUCH easier for me to write a new story than to fix an old one. LOLOL!  
 
But, I've put it off long enough. So now...I have to strip the suspense out of book four. LOL!
 
I can keep some of the action, because I feel that's part of my trademark/brand as a writer (action-driven romance). I don't usually put mystery type suspense in my stories...but I did with this book. Sigh. I shoulda stuck with the high-adrenaline. LOL! Also, this story won the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller award (First Place) in the 2006 ACFW Genesis contest. LOL! But the romance is more front & center and integral to the story than the mystery, since I love romance and a happily ever after.
 
Since the mystery is pretty heavy in this book, my word count will be too low if I simply remove the mystery thread in the story. And the story will also unravel a bit. The romance is strong though, and I'll play on that.
 
This plotstorm will deal with changes in the storyline due to removal of the mystery thread throughout.
 
I won't confuse you with details of how I remove the mystery unless I get tons of requests to do so. If that happens, I'll do an entirely seperate tutorial about "Revision: targeting a different line than the story was written for" or something similar.
 
I will focus purely on the Plotstorm.
 
Camy Tang, Robin Miller (writing as Robin Carrol), and Pamela James helped me brainstorm the changes to this book.
 
(Incidentally, if you're interested in joining ACFW- American Christian Fiction Writers), now would be a great time. Lacy Williiams is heading up an online course on Brainstorming. I'm having great fun and learning tons. Go to www.acfw.com for more info. You have to be a member of ACFW in order to get the transcripts and participate, but it is well worth the money. You get so much for the price.
 
Okay, back to the plotstorm for book 4:
 
Here's how the brainstorming convos went(after coming up with a gazillion scenarios that didn't work...we thought this one would): 
 
Cheryl: I need to figure out a new relational conflict (conflict between hero and heroine that is keeping the romance from starting or continuing) since the hero and heroine aren't going to remain in captivity as long. I also need a reason to keep them both in Refuge. (Fictional town my Wings of Refuge Series is set in.)
 
Camy: What's your heroine and hero's story goal? (Note: Story goal has to be measurable and attainable by the end of the book. Has to happen within a certain amount of time. Character goal can't just be "to win the heroine's heart.")
 
Cheryl: Ummm, his goal WAS to rescue the heroine, then keep her safe throughout the book until they find out who sabatoged her Raptor. He was to drop in behind enemy lines, allowing himself to be captured by the political group that captured the heroine, so he could free her. But since that part of the story is shortening, he needs a new goal. Her goal is to garner enough flight hours to become an astronaught. That's why she became a fighter pilot in the first place. Time is running out for her though because of her age, and the war on terror and repeated overseas deployments pushed back her dream.
 
Camy: What's keeping them together? Or forcing them to stay together in the story? Something has to be there to justify both of them staying in Refuge after her rescue. 
 
Cheryl: Oh! His goal could clash with hers. Maybe they're ordered to work together by superiors for some reason.  
 
Camy: Make him sick. Maybe he gets a virus in captivity.
 
Cheryl: Can't use that. I have that in another storyline.
 
Camy: What about PTSD? Could they have that?
 
Cheryl: YES! Maybe she gets Post Traumatic Stress Disorder secondary to being shot down and captured. Only she doesn't know it. The hero recognized the symptoms and voices concern. This causes relational conflict because all she wants is back in the air, and he doesn't think she's ready. When she pushes the issue, he goes over her head, because he fears for her safety. He was her jump instructor in flight school, and she thought he was out to clip her wings even back then...15 years ago. But he saw her potential as a fighter pilot and pushed her harder because he wanted to see what she was made of and make her the best soldier possible. There's still some residual feelings of the heroine that since she's a female in combat, she has a chip on her shoulder. Part of her epiphany is learning that a lot of times people aren't judging her or out to clip her wings as much as she expects them to be. So when he goes over her head and voices his concern about the PTSD...her superiors force her to physchological consult. She's dx with PTSD.
 
Camy: And they won't let her fly until she has a certain amount of counceling. Until she's met all her therapists' goals. Which causes relational conflcit because one of her goals is to learn to communicate and work better with others...including Nolan. So their commanders have her work in his office, and Nolan is supposed to keep an eye on her.
 
Cheryl: Have to see what kind of work he could be assigned to that would keep him on base though. Maybe he got a little virus or something and is put to desk duty for a few months. Although I hate to make him have a medical issue since the book they just bought has a wounded hero. PTSD is relevant for today too with the war. I need a little something to keep him in the office so they work together. Maybe they teach a flight class together.
 
Camy: That could  keep them in Refuge long enough to cause conflcit. And so his goal is to keep watch over her, and observe her for PTSD.
 
Camy: What's his spiritual flaw?
 
Cheryl: He's a new Christian and doesn't think he's qualified to be of use to God.
 
Camy: I think you need more. That's not strong enough. Make is stronger without wimping him out.
 
Cheryl: I'm on it. I'll figure that out later. SO for now, his story goal is established. He's ordered to work over her and observe her and she doesn't want to work with him. She wants back in the sky and he won't clear her for takeoff. LOL! That'll put tension on every page, at least while they're working together.
 
Camy: Have the counselor give her goals...and she has to meet them all before she can fly again.
 
Cheryl: Yeah.
 
Camy: Maybe you could leave in some of the mystery. Maybe they don't know for sure who sabatoged her plane. Maybe she thinks they're working together due to the PSTD but really, their commanders want Nolan to protect her because maybe someone is still out to kill her and they don't know who. So he's protecting her too.
 
Cheryl: But wouldn't that make the conflict be based too much on misunderstanding? Of course if he's protecting her...but I'm thinking that's too suspensy for the LI line. I may be okay with what we have since the word count guidelines are lower now.
 
Camy: yeah, try this. Do your scene index and see where you are word count wise and go from there. You need a reason why she doesn't like Nolan.
 
Cheryl: I know but the problem is...she'll look like a hag if she hates him after he risked his butt to rescue her. It's a fine line between having a character who's flawed enough for readers to identify with, yet not so flawed readers don't connect or hate them. LOL!
 
Camy: LOL! True. Um, let's see. Focus on the PTSD thing. See what you get with that. Drag it out. She needs early intervention for PTSD. Nolan's going to know that. Play on that. Think of a stronger spiritial conflict for him. Maybe he's a little arrogant about his abilities.
 
Cheryl: Dunno. Nolan's pretty humble. He's known for his compassion, yet he's a spec forces soldier. Used to be a SEAL in the Navy..now he's in the Air Force... a PJ.
Cmay: Maybe he cares about people but has too much faith in his own ability to help them. He doesn't realize yet that God is the one who helps them.
 
Cheryl: Maybe this also causes relational conflict since he tries to help her and only God can help her completely.
 
Camy: yes. Maybe he used to be cocky but not anymore, but struggles with his old way.
 
Cheryl: Actually, he WAS cocky as an instructor when she knew him 15 years prior. That's how she remembers him so this'll play in nicely.
 
Camy: Maybe he has too much faith in his ability to right wrongs.
 
Cheryl: He has to realize it's God doing it through him. God does the work. Nolan does always feel the need to fix things.
 
Camy: And he can't fix her. And she can't fix herself even though they want to. God has to do it.
 
 
 
That's as far as we got that convo. There were several others over the course of several days.
 
By the way...if you want to make 100% sure the structure of your stories is sound...I highly recommend Camy Tang's Story Sensei...VERY reasonable. Camy is awesome at synopsis too. www.camytang.com There should be a link there for more info on her story structure. My storylines and character GMC's are much stronger because of her structural editing. You can see a little sample here of how to figure out teh GMC of your characters.
 
G-character's goal, dream, etc. (what they want.)
M-motivation. (why they want it. What drives them. My characters' motivation often originates from something in their childhoods)
C-conflict. (what keeps them (repeatedly) from attaining or reaching it)
 
 
Okay, 'nuff plotstorm for today.
 
Hope you found something helpful.
 
Warmly,
 
Squirl
 

--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com  www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com   www.Loveinspiredauthors.com

Monday, July 02, 2007

ROCKIN' GIRL BLOGGER AWARD


I'm pleased to announce author Robin Miller (writing as Robin Caroll www.robincaroll.com ) has awarded Squirrel's Treehouse a Rockin' Girl Blogger Award!!!
 
What's a Rockin' Girl Blogger Award? Don't feel bad...I didn't know either. LOLOLOL!
 
Check out Girls Write Out http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com/ Friday, June 29 blog entry, or Robin Lee Hatcher's blog  http://robinlee.typepad.com/  June 26, 2007 blog entry for further details.
 
THANKS ROBIN!
 
 
 
 
--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com  www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com   www.Loveinspiredauthors.com




I'm supposed to now bestow the Rockin' Girl Blogger award to five other blogs I like. So here goes:

I hereby bestow the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award to these blogs:

http://www.maryanndiorio.com/blog/
http://cballan.wordpress.com/
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
http://www.tinarusso.com/
http://angiepoole.blogspot.com/

CONGRATS LADIES!!!

Rockin' Squirrel

SQUIRREL'S STORY STARTER FOR JULY

As always, write a 500 word scene using one of the three Scene Starter Sentences. Be sure to use at least 5 of the 10 Prompt Words below. Email your story to me IN THE BODY OF AN EMAIL please. No attachments.

Deadline for entry is the last day in July. Winner will be notified the first week in August and will receive a new Steeple Hill release of their choice. All entrants will be entered in the annual contest that runs 12 months.

Winner of the annual contest will receive a (paid for by me) six month subscription to any Steeple Hill line of their choice through the Harlequin Book Club.

The annual contest ends this September. Then I will take a three month hiatus off and start another annual contest with monthly prompts resuming in January of 2008. Prompt contests will then run Jan to Jan.

Entrants retain all rights to their work. I do not publish or post them anywhere. Those are Da Rulz.


Below is this month's Story Starter prompt:


Scene Starter Sentences:

"I never shoulda' got outta bed this morning."
 
"This is the second best day of my life!"
 
"Hey, cops are surrounding the McCloud home across the street."


Prompt Words:
secrets
deadly
old flame
invitation
missing
sneaker
crickets
spawn
odor
Internet
 
Email all entries to anavim4him @ gmail.com (lose spaces before and after "@" sign)

Happy Writing!


Squirrel

--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com  www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com  www.Loveinspiredauthors.com

Sunday, July 01, 2007

ATTACK OF THE MOLE-GROWING BEE!

Yes. Really.
 
According to my child.
 
This evening, I was standing in front of the mirror after an excursion at Wally World. We'd gone there earlier so I could find some foundation. Sheesh. Who'd a thunk it would have taken me two hours to find one I like? Since I don't usually wear the stuff, I had a hard time figuring out the right tone and brand. With summer's arrival, we've been outdoors nearly all day, everyday doing something. If we're not in the pool, we're at the beach, etc. So despite using 60 SPF sunscreen I now have an eruption of freckles on my face. Anyhoo, in the pool the other day, a bee divebombed my face. Didn't sting me at first.
 
At first.
 
My husband always says, "Don't swat at them and they won't sting you."
 
Welllll, it's kinda hard not to swat when, hours before, one of my children was stung by a wasp while minding her own business.
 
So this bee is smacking into my face repeatedly and my hand automatically reflexes up to smack my own face. THEN the bee stung me. Right in that tender spot of the temple beside my right eye.
 
My dumbdom didn't stop there. I came home, applied insect bite ointment and a band-aid.
 
Forgetting that I have a terrible latex allergy from working in healthcare for 15# years.
 
So now I have a moderately sized crater growing on my face where my skin reacted from the band-aid.
 
Fast forward to a few moments ago.....I'm standing in front of the mirror trying to figure out how to best apply the newly purchased foundation to the place on my face where it looks like a comet landed, and one of my children meanders in the bathroom.
 
"Whatcha doin?" she asks.
 
"Covering up this thing on my face," I say.
 
"Let me see it," she says.
 
I kneel down. She leans in and her eyes boing open.
 
"Mom! Oh no! Mom! You know what happened to you? You got stung by one of those mole-growing bees!"
 
I try not to look as perplexed as I am as I ask, "Mold-growing bees?"
 
"NO! MOLE! You have a mole up and growing on your face only it's growing in instead of out. That's what those mole-growing bees do. They bite ya and you get moles."
 
"What does a mole-growing bee look like?" I ask.
 
"It looks like a giant flying mole. It has like a bullnosed stinger and it likes to bite. It stings bloody snakes and eats baby guinea pigs and it flies and likes to tear up rainbows. And it likes to eat people's hair that's growing on the ground. One of those bees."
 
Oh-kay.  
 
I think we have another future fiction writer in da house.

--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com   www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com  www.Loveinspiredauthors.com