Debut Author Spotlight ... Sherry Kyle

Delivering A Debut Novel

by Sherry Kyle

Delivered with Love is my first novel, but not my first published book. I’ve written a couple of children’s books, one being the newly released nonfiction book, The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style, for girls ages 8 - 12.

I've wanted to be a writer since taking my first writing course at the Institute of Children’s Literature in 1998, but I’ve always have had a vivid imagination. In the fourth grade, I won an award for a story I wrote titled, “Friends Can Be So Mean.”

I started writing women’s fiction in 2007. Surprisingly, Delivered with Love is my first novel. I’ve had some wonderful mentors along the way and I can’t say enough about Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference and American Christian Fiction Writers. My agent called and left a message that Delivered with Love was going to be published. I listened to it several times to make sure I heard it correctly and ran around the house screaming. My poor kids didn’t know what was happening! Honestly, seeing my novel in print makes my faith stronger. Through Christ all things are possible!

DELIVERED WITH LOVE
by Sherry Kyle

Abingdon Press, April 2011
352 pages

An old love letter found in the glove compartment of a young woman's inherited 1972 Volkswagen propels her to leave her life in Los Angeles and go to the small town of Capitola, California. There her dream of finding the writer of the letter leads her on an unexpected journey that changes her life forever.

Claire James, age twenty-three, is ready to make it on her own. When she's fired from her job as a waitress and subsequently kicked out of her sister's home, she sees it as an opportunity to start over. But even before moving, a thirty-five-year-old love letter written to her mother keeps Claire stuck in the past. Michael Thompson, a middle-aged real estate agent, wants to keep the past where it belongs - at least until his grown daughter is married. But, then a young woman comes to town . . .

Sherry Kyle is a graduate of Biola University with a degree in Communications, and a minor in Bible. She is the author of two books, The Christian Girl's Guide to Style for Tween Girls, and a contemporary novel, Delivered with Love. Sherry and her husband have four children, three biological and one by adoption. When she isn't writing, she enjoys jazz concerts, watching movies, reading and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in California. You can find her on the web at: http://www.sherrykyle.com/.

Debut Author Spotlight ... Mesu Andrews

My Journey to Publication

by Mesu Andrews

My first attempt at a novel was a mishmash novel/Bible study monstrosity on the Song of Solomon in 1999. It was AWFUL. I naively marched to my first writers' conference in Baltimore, confident I would revolutionize Christian publishing. Ugh. One agent called me a heretic. An editor laughed and said, “Stick with speaking.” A second editor said, “I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” and politely handed it back.


Mortified, I shoved my proposal and my heart into a drawer and began writing devotionals to share with family and friends. My mailing list grew through speaking engagements, and in 2005 I attended another writers' conference. This time I wrote a non-fiction proposal using the devotionals, and I secured a literary agent. She tried for three years to find a publisher but had no luck. Finally, she gave up, and we parted ways; but I continued to mail the devotionals faithfully to my readers and began a weekly blog. In 2007, a friend convinced me to rewrite the Song of Solomon novel with the writing skills I'd honed for seven years. While attending another writers' conference, an editor saw a rough gem in my reworked story. After seven months of committee meetings, Revell offered my first contract offer in November 2008. One problem…their publication schedule dictated the story of Solomon wait to release until 2012! Ugh, again! They asked if I’d write a second book in my proposal’s “Future Projects” section. Because of my long struggle with chronic illness, Job’s story was intriguing, and Love Amid the Ashes was born.

Perhaps most Christian writers give God credit for opening doors, but I feel His grace with every keystroke. I love God’s Word. And whether it’s through biblical fiction or devotionals or speaking, I humbled and delighted to share it.

LOVE AMID THE ASHES

Revell, March 2011
416 pages

Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job's life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family?

Through painstaking research and a writer's creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him. Drawing together the account of Job with those of Esau's tribe and Jacob's daughter Dinah, Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.

Mesu Andrews is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God’s Word, Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her readers in this debut novel. She lives in Washington.

http://mesuandrews.com/

Debut Author Spotlight ... Catherine West

When They Say No

by Catherine West

A few months ago, my agent Rachelle Gardner wrote this post on her blog: When An Agent Gives Up on a Project. I thought it might be helpful, even encouraging, to share my experience on this with you, and the truths I learned along the way.

When Rachelle first offered me representation, I had just completed a manuscript called Yesterday’s Tomorrow. Rachelle liked it because it was ‘different’. I agreed. I certainly hadn’t seen any books about a female journalist who travels to Vietnam during wartime. Not in CBA anyway. I was excited to finally have an agent who believed in my writing and loved my story as much as I did. After a rewrite and a few plot changes, we had a book that would sell quickly. Or so we thought.

Truth #1 - Just because your agent loves a project does not mean it will sell.

This was the fist lesson I learned. Just as Rachelle said in her post, some projects are hard sells. Looking back, I think there were numerous reasons it didn’t sell. Some editors assured us it wasn’t the writing, so we were left to assume it was the content. I had written a book that was, perhaps, a little too different.

Truth #2 – Listen to Good Advice.

Having a very wise agent is one thing, listening to and taking her advice is quite another. I’m sorry to say I was pretty set against putting this book on the shelf. I was in too deep, too emotionally invested, and I refused to accept that it just wasn’t going to happen. One of the hardest emails I’ve had to read from Rachelle was the one telling me she really felt we needed to stop pursuing publication for this particular project. (How’s that for alliteration?). I’m sure she was just as disappointed as I was, but she was looking at the big picture. I was too busy chomping sour grapes.

Truth #3 – Learn to Let Go.

This is where I get nauseatingly trite and throw the old if you love something let it go saying…in your face. But seriously. Letting that project sit on the shelf whilst working on other things was probably one of the hardest things I’ve done thus far into my writing career. But you know what? It was absolutely the right thing to do at the time. It may not always be the right thing for you, but I know it was for me. The past couple of years allowed me to grow as a writer. I’ve been fortunate to be able to go to conferences. I’ve been learning, writing new books and simply enjoying where I am on my writing journey.

Truth #4 – Sometimes You’ve Got to Go with the Gut.

They say there is a time and a season for everything under heaven. I believe that to be true. You see, that story I let go, well, it wouldn’t let me go. So I attempted one more major rewrite, and in fear and trembling approached my lovely agent with the idea of resubmitting. She agreed, and I’m happy to say my instinct on this one was right. And so was Rachelle’s. It was just a matter of timing, as she so firmly told me two years ago. I’m so glad I listened!

YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW

OakTara, March 2011
336 pages

Vietnam, 1967.

Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father's memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother's wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he's hiding something.

Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they’re forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts.

Introducing Catherine

Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine West holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. Catherine and her husband live on the beautiful island of Bermuda, with their two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of Romance Writers of America, and American Christian Fiction Writers, and is a founding member of International Christian Fiction Writers. Catherine’s debut novel Yesterday’s Tomorrow, releases March 15th, through OakTara Publishers.

Website: http://www.catherinejwest.com/
OakTara Website: http://www.oaktara.com/
Blog: http://www.catherinewestblog.blogspot.com/
Trailer: http://youtu.be/vVQUMRlYhkM

Debut Author Spotlight ... Linda Yezak

Hitting the Publication Trail

by Linda Yezak

My trail ride toward publication is a bit different from other authors. Mine is more of a “right place at the right time” tale.

The ride started out the same as everyone else’s. I made a list of agents I’d like to work with and publishing companies I was interested in, researched them like crazy, sent out my query letters, and waited. And waited. And waited.

As with many other writers, I received my share of rejections. Most of them were form letters primarily along the lines of “not what we’re looking for at the moment,” or “we’re not accepting new clients a present.” I got a rejection from White Rose Publishing that was my favorite–once I licked my wounds. The publisher wrote and let me know the weaknesses of my novel, pointing out various things to improve upon. The fact she’d read the entire submission was a terrific sign. As busy as agents/editors/publishers are, they don’t usually read past the first few pages. This one had read the entire first five chapters (the required submission for her company). Good sign.

I made repairs based on her suggestions, then hit the trail again. Amazingly, the rejection letters I received left me with the warm fuzzies. They liked the book, just couldn’t use it. For most companies, it was too short, measuring less than 60,000 words. For others, my novel didn’t follow the format they preferred. My mistake for not realizing there was a format! Oops!

So, just like everyone else, I submitted, waited, received rejection letters, submitted again. But after I received my last rejection letter, and while I was strolling the slippery slope of giving up, I got involved in an interesting venture. And that’s where my fork in the road to publication occurred.

A few years ago, a new writer joined ChristianWriters.com, a free community site for Christian authors of all kinds. This lady wrote poetry. As a rule, I’m not overly fond of contemporary poetry. I have one favorite, a gnarly Brit with a heart for Christ, and other than his, I don’t generally read poetry. But she wrote a poem in the old style, instead of today’s free verse, that caught my attention, and the content made me laugh out loud long enough and hard enough, my husband had to see what was up. This woman, Chila (Maggie) Woychik, later bought Port Yonder Press and has been wrangling it from its sea of red ink ever since.

Over time, I’d critiqued some of Chila’s work, and she critiqued some of mine. She was fond of my writing style and was very supportive of me. In March or so of 2010, I asked her if she could use some editing help at PYP. She did, and took me on immediately.

While I waited for my rejection letters, I worked for Chila as a consulting editor. So when that last rejection letter came in, and I was inches away from giving up, I asked Chila if she’d be interested in publishing Give the Lady a Ride. She said something akin to, “Are you kidding me? Of course, I’d like to publish it!” Talk about pulling me from the precipice! Her reaction truly was uplifting and encouraging.

After that, it was a wait to get my publication date. The novel was supposed to come out in October of 2011, but something happened and Chila wrote me in late January of this year. “Do you think your book is ready to go?”

“It’s been ready since 2009.” (What was I gonna say--no? It was so ready!)

After a quick review by her other consulting editors, she set me up with a March publication date, and well–as the dreaded cliche goes, the rest is history.

The Lord creates opportunities and nudges us into them. I believe this was one of his nudges!

GIVE THE LADY A RIDE
by Linda Yezak

SkySail Books, March 2011
254 pages

Patricia Talbert is a high-class social coordinator from New York.

Talon Carlson is a rugged bull rider from Texas.

He thinks she's too polished.

She thinks he's insane.

Opposites aren't quick to attract when the lady who enters the cowboy's world is on a mission to sell the ranch. But a box of letters changes her mission--letters of unshakable faith and a love deeper than anything she's ever experienced.

Soon she finds his integrity appealing. Her spunk draws him in. He has the faith she craves; she may be the love he longs for. But faith and love aren't achieved in a single weekend.

To buy time to explore the possibilities between them, she issues a challenge: "Teach me to ride bulls."

From here on, they're in for the ride of their lives.

Introducing Linda

Two-time ACFW Genesis finalist Linda Yezak resides in the state of Texas where tall tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. Aside from being a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she also belongs to Women Writing the West (WWW) and The Christian PEN. She lives in the heart of a forest with her husband, three cats, four ducks, and a pond full of fish.

AuthorCulture
777 Peppermint Place

2011 Christy Award Nominees Announced

For those of you who love to read exceptional fiction, the 2011 Christy Awards Nominees were announced this morning. This is one awards list I anticipate seeing as I do believe the Christy Award honors the best in Christian fiction.

It's always interesting to note which books I've already read (11 of them), which ones need to go on my gotta read list, which nominees I agree with (or disagree), and which books did they miss?

I'm thrilled to see A SEASON OF MIRACLES, one of my favorite books for 2010, on the list twice: once for Contemporary Standalone and once for First Novel. ALMOST HEAVEN by Chris Fabry and THE BISHOP by Steven James are two other titles I'm rooting for.

I'm disappointed that Lisa Samson's RESURRECTION IN MAY and River's Jordan's THE MIRACLE OF MERCY LAND failed to make the list. In historical romance, I would have loved to see Laura Frantz's COURTING MORROW LITTLE nominated. All exceptional novels.

The one category I wish they'd change or, rather, diversify, is Contemporary--and I say this for book awards across the board as most are guilty of the miscategorization (in my opinion). I'll never understand how Amish fits into Contemporary. That's like comparing apples to cucumbers. Right now there are enough Amish books and authors to create its very own category. If Amish had its own category, perhaps there would have been room for true contemporaries such as Resurrection in May and Mercy Land.

I'd love to know your thoughts. How many of the Christy Awards nominees have you read? What are your favorites? Which do you still want to read? Did they miss any of your favorite novels?

Debut Author Spotlight ... SHADOWED IN SILK by CHRISTINE LINDSAY

A few months back when the Debut Author page was born, one cover stood out to me among all the other terrific covers: SHADOWED IN SILK by Christine Lindsay. I'm not certain what drew me to this cover, whether it was the color blue, or the silk...I just knew that I loved it.

So, I sent Christine a note telling her how much I loved it and she wrote back with this amazing story.

Warning: have tissues handy.

THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER

(reprinted from InkspirationalMessages.com)

Many would say there are disadvantages to being published by a small press. WhiteFire may be small—and I certainly am—but that means we need to lean on God all the more. From my past, I’ve learned that the Lord doesn’t forget about the small individual, and He’s proven this to me again by how He arranged the front cover of my book, SHADOWED IN SILK.

I have to go back 32 years to when I gave birth to a little girl. Not married at the time, I felt God compel me to relinquish her to a Christian couple unable to have children. I named my baby Sarah in the hope that one day I would see her again.

Twenty years later Sarah and I were reunited. But though our reunion was a good one, I began to relive my original loss of relinquishing her. My husband encouraged me to work out my emotional pain by writing. Later the Lord urged me to write out the emotional healing He had given me in fictional stories to help others.

And now my debut novel about the British Raj in India will be released this May 2011—a story that has nothing to do with adoption (well not much anyway). But the Lord had something special in store for me, more than I had ever dreamt of.

As WhiteFire and I discussed the design of the cover, I suggested the model wear the sari material I had purchased in India on a missions trip. WhiteFire loved the idea but said to hold off on mailing the silk across the country as it was pretty heavy with gems and beading.

It was then I noticed that the model they suggested for my main character, Abby, resembled my birth daughter. On a whim I suggested Sarah for the model and WhiteFire agreed. Sarah was shy at first, but she pitched in on this step of faith with me, even though she had to travel 300 miles to participate in the photo shoot.

I began to panic though. What did I know about arranging a photo shoot for my own novel? But the Holy Spirit who urged me to trust my child into His hands all those years ago, urged me again to trust Him with the labor of my heart.

WhiteFire wanted 2 costumes—a western one for 1919 and the sari that Abby wears in the novel. A friend loaned me a straw boater hat, and I was sure I had a tan linen skirt in my closet. But when I went to look . . . it was gone. I’d forgotten that when we moved last year, I’d given the skirt away to a charity. On another whim I decided to go to the local second hand store to search for something similar.

As I walked across the parking lot I prayed the Lord would help me find the perfect skirt. I was not 5 minutes in the store, when I found my very own skirt which I then purchased back for $9.99.

I could go on and on about the details—there are so many. I’d asked the Lord to put His fingerprints all over the cover, and He did.

It wasn’t until later that I realized—that without my ever planning or imagining it—He had not only inspired me to write through the loss of my first child to adoption, but He then blessed the fruition of that faith with the beauty of the very child I had relinquished to Him.

Only our Heavenly Father could do something so intricately tender.

We serve a God who delights in working with little people and small things—a shepherd boy and a few smooth stones. A child with a lunch of bread and fish for one. A babe in a womb that rocks the world.

If you’d like to read more about my journey as a birth mother, and that of Book One of my series, Twilight of the British Raj, then drop by my website: http://www.christinelindsay.com/

SHADOWED IN SILK

She was invisible to those who should have loved her.

After the Great War, Abby Fraser returns to India with her small son, where her husband is stationed with the British army. She has longed to go home to the land of glittering palaces and veiled women . . . but Nick has become a cruel stranger. It will take more than her American pluck to survive.

Major Geoff Richards, broken over the loss of so many of his men in the trenches of France, returns to his cavalry post in Amritsar. But his faith does little to help him understand the ruthlessness of his British peers toward the India people he loves. Nor does it explain how he is to protect Abby Fraser and her child from the husband who mistreats them.

Amid political unrest, inhospitable deserts, and Russian spies, tensions rise in India as the people cry for the freedom espoused by Gandhi. Caught between their own ideals and duty, Geoff and Abby stumble into sinister secrets . . . secrets that will thrust them out of the shadows and straight into the fire of revolution.

SHADOWED IN SILK will be released in 2 stages: First as an eBook May 1, 2011, and the printed version Sept. 1. This book can be purchased at all locations where eBooks are sold—Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobel, Kobol, Borders . . .

Christine Lindsay writes historical inspirational novels that have strong love stories, and she doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. Her debut novel SHADOWED IN SILK is set in India during a turbulent era. Christine’s long-time fascination with the British Raj was seeded from stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in India. SHADOWED IN SILK won the 2009 ACFW Genesis for Historical under the title Unveiled.