When Opportunity Knocks: Getting that First Publishing Contract

Milkcases, candy stores, little old ladies and murder? What could they possibly have in common? They’re all inhabitants of a street called Spyglass Lane in a town called Mystery.

I first moved to Mystery when I was about ten, and discovered a wonderful series of books about a girl name Nancy Drew. I loved the town of Mystery and as I grew older, I met many good friends. Agatha Christy, Arthur Conan Doyle, Dickson Carr and his alter ego, Carter Dixon. Sometimes I ventured to the outskirts of town and met strange, new friends such as Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. At first I was a little unsure of whether or not they belonged in Mystery, but soon the whole town welcomed them.

One day a new street was constructed or whatever they do to make streets. The signpost said Spyglass Lane. Being of a curious nature, I checked it out and found just what I’d been looking for.

I’m Frances Devine and I’m an author who loves to write, among other genres, cozy mysteries. One day as I was having lunch at my local senior center, I had a call from my daughter. She gave me news that would change my life. A new cozy mystery line was being formed by a well known faith-based publishing house.

I was pre-published at the time, although I did have one historical romance proposal out there on a publisher’s desk. But the chance to write a mystery? I didn’t have to be told twice. I went home and wrote a chapter by chapter synopsis and three sample chapters over the weekend and sent it off, breathless with fear and hope. God is good. Soon, I received an email from the editor with an offer for a contract. This was the beginning of a couple of years of extreme joy as I wrote my three Miss Aggie mysteries with one of  the best editors in the world.

Sadly, the joy didn’t last forever. The new line couldn’t withstand the sinking economy. Although the first two books of my series, The Misadventures of Miss Aggie had made it to print, book three didn’t. At least not in its original form. Some of the authors in the line didn’t see their contracted books published at all.

But you simply can’t keep a good mystery writer down. Last year, we had the opportunity to be part of a new e-book venture sponsored by MacGregory Literary Agency, and since the rights to our cozies had reverted back to us, many of us jumped at the chance to see a new home for our mysteries. So Spyglass Lane Mysteries was formed. Our books are thriving in their new home and can be found on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. In fact, they’ve done well enough that our fearless leaders have given the go ahead for new books.

You can find out about the books and their authors at www.spyglasslanemysteries.com with links for purchasing depending upon your type of electronic reader.

If you love mysteries with humor and romance, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I’ve read nearly all of them and intend to grab the ones I’ve missed. Fortunately for my insatiable appetite for more cozies, most of them are priced at 99 cents and occasionally a freebie is offered. My three titles are Miss Aggie’s Gone Missing,Miss Aggie Cries Murder, and Rest in Peace, Miss Aggie.

Oh yes, besides authors and readers, we also allow editors, publishers, designers and agents on Spyglass Lane. We all get along quite nicely.

Frances Devine, author of ten published novels and three novellas, grew up in Texas, where she wrote her first story at the age of nine. She moved to Southwest Missouri more than twenty-five years ago and fell in love with the people, the hills, the fall colors, snow, and Silver Dollar City. Frances attended Ozark Technical College and Southwest Missouri State University when she was in her fifties. She is the mother of seven adult children, has fourteen wonderful grandchildren, and is eagerly awaiting her fifth great-grandchild. Frances has always loved to read and considers herself blessed to write in one of her favorite genres, cozy mysteries, of which three have been published in both print and electronic versions.

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The Beginning of a Nation: Christian Fiction Picks for 4th-of-July Week

The Fourth of July is almost upon us - and what better time to check out some great historical-romance reads set during the early years of the United States? Below are my reviews of The Messenger by Siri Mitchell, Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna White, and The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz. If you haven't yet read these books, I highly recommend them!

Amber's Review of The Messenger

"Thought-provoking. Intriguing. Riveting. Siri Mitchell has done it again!

Mitchell does first-person POV brilliantly (as also exemplified in Chateau of Echoes and She Walks in Beauty). But The Messenger has a unique twist - first-person POV for both the hero and the heroine. And it works beautifully!

The American Revolution shakes Hannah Sunderland to the core. A British officer takes over her childhood home. Her new life with extended family - rich, Loyalist slave-owners - challenges her simple way of life as a Quaker. And her twin brother, who had his own reasons for laying aside his pacifist upbringing to fight for the revolutionaries, is suffering in jail.

Enter Jeremiah Jones - a wounded soul with a missing hand who has troubles of his own. And Hannah seems to be the only one who can help him.

Hannah and Jeremiah are wonderful characters to befriend and to watch develop in their understanding and maturity, and their interactions with the complex secondary characters (and each other) provide poignant opportunities for such growth. The setting, centered around the jail, offers a harsh, authentic backdrop to the drama as both of these characters deal with issues of identity, beliefs, and love. The Messenger is a well-told story of a tumultuous time in American history, while still dealing with important, timeless topics.

Mitchell's latest historical romance is deeply satisfying - not to be missed!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*"

Amber's Review of Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland

"Lark is a young woman living in the newly independent United States who is tired of being stifled and ignored. So when the man she's long planned on marrying is found in a compromising situation, Lark finally flies away to test her own wings and find her own voice. When her fiancee eventually finds her again, will he see the treasure he took for granted and be given a second chance at loving Lark for who she really is?

As lovely and sophisticated as the cover, this story is a treat for lovers of historical romance! The pace is mostly gentle, and while not overly emotional, the plot is intellectually stimulating and quite sweet. The tension between Lark and Emerson make for some really engaging scenes as the story unfolds. The characters are charming, and White does a great job of taking a rather irritating man and making him into a sympathetic hero to cheer on in his daunting task of reclaiming his bride-to-be. And Wiley is just wonderful - all that a girl could ask for in an older brother. He has great hero potential for his own story!

Misunderstandings and a yearning for independence mark this well-constructed book, making Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland a meaningful and enjoyable read.

*With thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*"

 Amber's Review of The Colonel's Lady

"The Colonel's Lady is another wonderful showcase of Laura's exquisite and exceptional writing. The story is draped in all shades of blue - from the deep and sorrowful blue of winter to the brilliant blue of the hero's and heroine's eyes, and even to the gorgeous dress on the front cover. Powerful and poignant emotions are explored within these pages, and conflict is found at every turn.

From the moment Roxanna meets Colonel McLinn, secrets become inevitable. The Colonel is guilt-ridden and at war with his own sense of duty. Roxanna is falling in love, but the Colonel embodies everything she cannot hope for, nor understand. And they're not the only ones with secrets in the prison that is Fort Endeavor...

With grand imagery, a well-crafted plot, and an endearing example of the lengths to which true love will go, The Colonel's Lady does not disappoint. Although long-time fans of Laura's work might still be smitten with a certain hero of Courting Morrow Little fame, Colonel McLinn is a charming, handsome hero in his own right and his (and Roxanna's) story is an engaging one full of romance and spiritual growth. A delightful historical romance not to be missed!

*With thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*"

Can you think of any books you would add to this list?

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Winners!!

Happy Saturday, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming! This week's winner is:

Melissa Lemon - After All by Deb Raney!

Congratulations, Melissa! Please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your email address. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive. Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book!

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Weekly Drawing

It's fun Friday at The Borrowed Book!
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To enter:

Follow Us! Followers are automatically entered. Or...

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzle in the comments section. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!
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Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. :-)

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Deb Raney and her newest release, After All.

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Write Right~Phone Call Prices in 1957

An author or history buff can mine a wealth of information from the media of the time period in which they’re interested. I happen to be interested in all time periods, and I collect vintage books, magazines, and newspapers whenever I can.

Recently I bought a Woman’s Day magazine from April, 1957—the year and month I was born. (Yes, now our readers know how old I am.) I discovered some interesting things, among them, the prices of a phone call. Wow! Prices sometimes DO go down! Here’s the ad:

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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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Book Spotlight: Veil of Pearls

About the Book:

"An Epic Romance of the Old South

It is 1811, and the prosperous port city of Charleston is bustling with immigrants like Adalia. But she has a secret: her light skin belies that she is part black and a runaway slave from Barbados. She lives in terror that her owner will come looking for her. Instead Morgan, the son of a plantation owner, finds her. He is handsome, charming, bored—and enamored of the beautiful Adalia. Soon she is swept into his glamorous world, a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin her—and Morgan. This epic romance reveals the beauty and tragedy of the Old South."

Book Trailer:

 

 About the Author:

"MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award Finalist, and best-selling author of the Legacy of the King's Pirates series is known for her adventurous historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before testing the waters as a writer. MaryLu currently writes full time and makes her home on the California coast with her husband, six kids, and four cats. Her passion is to write page-turning, romantic adventures that not only entertain but open people's eyes to their God-given potential. MaryLu is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. For more information on MaryLu and her upcoming releases, please visit her website at http://www.mltyndall.com or her blog at http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/"

You can pre-order the book now on Amazon.com - to be released July 1, 2012!

Amber's review of Veil of Pearls will be coming *hopefully* soon!

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