Author Interview with Karen Witemeyer

All right, I admit it. I'm one of those weird writers who actually prefers to write with her internal editor turned on. Most authors believe the editing side of their brain impedes their creativity, but not me. Editing is actually my strength. Without it, I flounder. I don't write multiple drafts of my novels. I edit as I go, polishing each chapter before moving on to the next, and when I get to "The End," it's actually the end.

Knowing this about me, you'll understand why my writing pace is slow. My perfectionistic tendencies will not be ignored. I might work for an hour just to craft the perfect analogy to describe how my hero crosses the street. I might re-write a sentence a dozen times to smooth out the flow or search four different thesauruses/dictionaries to uncover the perfect verb to use in portraying my heroine's emotions. The right word can make all the difference.

Words not only reflect the action, but the personalities of the characters. For example, in Stealing the Preacher, Crockett Archer is a minister. The heroine calls him Brother Archer. Respectful, polite, proper. Her ex-outlaw father, however, calls him a sermonizer. Can't you hear the disdain dripping from that word? It paints a completely different picture.

While I believe selecting strong words helps an author create vivid images in her fiction, I also think we have to be careful not to take our words too seriously. This was brought home to me a few weeks ago when I was sitting in church with my kids. I usually sit between my two boys (ages 11 and 13), and we all sing together. My older children sing with enthusiasm, while my youngest is much more timid. This particular day, however, Peter was eagerly getting involved in the singing. Not so much with his voice, but with his hands. You see, he was acting out the words as he sang them. His hands were close to his lap, so I did nothing to stop him. In fact, I was thrilled that he was paying close enough attention to the words to be able to pantomime them.

We sing classic hymns at our church, and on this day we were singing Victory in Jesus.

I heard an old, old story, (Peter held his hands together like an open book.)

How a Savior came from glory (Peter pointed a finger up toward heaven.)

How he gave his life on Calvary (He shaped his fingers into a cross.)

To save a wretch like me (Peter pointed to himself.) 

The pattern continued through the rest of the verse and on to the chorus. Like the proud mother I was, I smiled at him and sang out strong. "Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever, He sought me and bo't me with His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew him, and all my love is due him, He plunged me to victory, beneath the cleansing flood."

I glanced over to Peter as we neared the end of the chorus, and I saw this thoughtful look come over his face followed by a click of satisfaction as an idea formed. Have you guessed it? Oh, yes, he did. When we sang about how Jesus plunged us to victory, my son pantomimed a toilet plunger. With gusto.

Oh, my word. I was horrified and yet found it so hilarious I burst into quiet laughter while grabbing his hands at the same time to get him to quit. I tried to explain to him later that there were different meaning for the word plunge and this one had nothing to do with plumbing, but he was so proud of getting me to laugh, that I don't think he cared about the semantics.

This episode served to remind me that in my search for the perfect word, I should never take myself so seriously that I forget to have a good time. Authors get paid to play with words, after all, and the results should be fun for everyone. 

Come back Friday for a chance to win a copy of Karen's newest book, "Stealing the Preacher."

Two-time RITA® Finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author, Karen Witemeyer, writes historical romance fiction for Bethany House, believing that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com. 

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Layering in the Six Senses to Bring Your Story to Life by Deb Raney

One of the final things I do with every first draft before I send it in to my editor is to go through each page to make sure I've layered in the six senses. I believe this one thing enriches the novel more than anything else I do as a writer.

I'm (finally) learning to weave more of the senses in as I lay words down for the first time. But even so, that final pass through the manuscript is crucial. 

Here are examples of how I used the senses in After All, the third in my Hanover Falls Novels series. 

SOUND

Have you given each character's voice a distinct quality and a tone that fits his mood?

FROM AFTER ALL: “Hey… Cut that out right now.” Pete’s voice was gentle, but his words were firm. “I see where your mind is going.”

She winced. “Okay, okay… Busted.”

And don't forget, background noises are every bit as important as dialogue in setting the tone of a scene, and helping the reader experience it. 

FROM AFTER ALL: They stood in silence watching their fishing lines float like gossamer over the black water, the red-and-white bobbers rolling with the gentle current. The slosh of the water lapping at the rocks was the most soothing sound Susan could imagine.

SIGHT

Before characters ever speak (or at least very early in each scene) we need to be able to visualize them in their setting. "Paint” a backdrop and set the stage. Then, everything that follows will play like a movie in your reader's imagination.

FROM AFTER ALL: So this was the place Dave had called home. Morning sun streamed through clerestory windows high on the wall and turned the space into a jewel box of colors. Had that well-worn recliner in the corner been his?

SMELL

Think how many places you could identify by smell alone. Use that fact to add even more realism to each scene. And don't forget to show how the smell affected your character.

FROM AFTER ALL: She noticed he carried a big lantern along with the fishing gear. They came upon the river, and the scents of mud and fish and water hung in the heavy summer air. It was a good smell. Reminded her of her childhood.

TASTE

Taste conveys not only pleasure, as in the mouth-watering taste of food or the refreshment of a cool drink, but it can also express emotion.

Other than to describe food, the sense of taste is probably the most neglected sense in literature. Infuse your scenes with deep emotion by layering in tastes in ways that reflect more than the obvious.

FROM AFTER ALL: She swallowed another swell of tears and winced at the bitter taste that filled her throat.  

TOUCH

Adding literal texture to your scenes helps your novel become a figuratively textured piece of work as well. Adding in tactile sensations gives depth to your scenes and often becomes a metaphor for the emotion you wish to portray.

FROM AFTER ALL: When Ferris Park’s fireworks fizzled away, Pete's arm tightened around her and he reached up with his other hand to brush her hair away from her face. She wanted him to kiss her. There was no denying that. But she put a hand on his smooth cheek and gently held him off. "It's been a wonderful evening. Let's just…go slow, okay?"

THE "SIXTH SENSE”

The sixth sense, perhaps more than the other five, is what makes our characters most vivid and real to our readers. In the inspirational market, this sense is often considered to be that “still, small voice” of the Holy Spirit. If you write fantasy or paranormal, that sixth sense might take the form of mental telepathy, etc. In mystery or suspense novels, it could be the ultra-keen instinct of a detective. In matters of romance, it might be labeled “woman’s intuition.”  

That sixth sense infuses any story with deeper levels of complexity, intensity and mystery.

FROM AFTER ALL: She rummaged in her purse for her keys and held them at the ready before letting herself out. She was thankful she’d parked next to the building. But as she walked to her car, a shiver went through her. She wasn’t given to premonitions, but she had the oddest feeling someone was watching her.

A PINCH OF THIS, A PINCH OF THAT

Like seasoning in a fine stew, too much of one spice might overpower the more important one, but with a judicious edit, purposefully sprinkling the various senses throughout your manuscript, you can breathe new life into your story.

FROM AFTER ALL: Susan made her way across the dark parking lot. The air smelled like fresh-mown grass and though the thermometer had hit eighty today, the night air was chilly. She shivered in her short sleeves and rubbed a thumb over the teeth of her car key.

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched her writing career after 20 happy years as a stay-at-home mom. Her books have won numerous awards including the RITA, the Carol Award, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Deb's newest novel released from Howard/Simon & Schuster in May. She and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy the wildflowers and native grasses in the Kansas prairie garden in their backyard. They also love traveling together to teach at conferences, and to visit four children and four small grandchildren who all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the Web at www.deborahraney.com.

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