Backstory 101 ~ Backstory Ascends Its Throne

August 24, 2010

If you'll remember from last week, we talked about how to hint at backstory (events that occur previous to chapter one) within your story. Today we will take that same example and build on it to show the importance of *knowing* your character's backstory before you begin writing. It adds depth to your character/s. Layers. Think onion.

LAST WEEK: A woman who has endured abuse in the past at the hands of her spouse is sitting at a table as he rants and raves. Remember, on paper, the reader knows nothing of this woman or of this man. They don't even know that she has been abused in the past. Yet. What we are going to do is SHOW through her actions and reactions to her spouse that she has endured violence at the hands of her husband before.

Mary focused on the vein in Larry's forehead. The one that always swelled in direct proportion to the build of Larry's anger. She gripped the edges of the kitchen chair with her hands and dared not stare down at the rough wood boards of the table.
"Listen to me!" he snapped and pounded the table.
Her spine stiffened and she purposely blanked her expression. Fear swam in the back of her throat, an oily taste that worked her gag reflex.
Larry jammed his face up next to hers. "That's the problem, you never listen to me."
He grabbed her upper arms with all the strength of a construction worker.

Today we'll add to this. Let's take one aspect of the woman's backstory, her job, and tell me how what she does for a living is going to affect her actions and reactions to yet another one of her husband's tantrums.

1)How would the woman's job as CEO of a company affect her reaction?

2)How would she react if her job was that of a janitor?

3)Same scenario, but she is a scientist?

4)What if she is unemployed?

Really give this some thought. What you're doing is seeing how one tiny aspect of a character's life, something the reader will not know about that person right off, can vary their action/reaction. Why is this, and how does it help deepen characterization?

Read More

Debut Author ~ Erin Rainwater

Erin Rainwater is a Pennsylvania native who probably should have been born in the 19th century but somehow got flash-forwarded into the 20th. There was never any question that she would be a nurse when she grew up, regardless of which century she was in. And beginning in about the seventh grade, there was no question that she’d launch that nursing career in the military.

.

The daughter of a WWII intelligence officer, she entered the Army after graduating from nursing school. That was during the Vietnam War era, and she was privileged to care for the bodies and spirits of soldiers and veterans, including repatriated POWs and MIAs. Her military experience has helped in writing parts of her novels. Her support of the military has been life long and is ongoing, and one of her favorite pastimes is volunteering at the USO in Denver. She participated in Operation Desert Swap, having “adopted” a soldier in Iraq to whom she sent a copy of her novel for reading and swapping with his fellow troops. Erin now lives in Colorado with her husband of 35 years, has four children and the four most adorable grandchildren on the planet.

Check out Erin’s web site at http://www.erinrainwater.com/. Contact information can be found there.

When did you decide to be a writer?

My only passion from childhood was to be a nurse. The urge to write only came in my early thirties.

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

Around 25 years! But keep in mind that as a wife, mother of four and a nurse, I wasn’t writing full time, or even writing to get published at first. My manuscripts sat in a drawer for a couple of years. Once I pursued publication, it took several years of rejections and rewrites before I self-published my first two historical novels. Some would say I got ahead of God’s will, but I believe the opposite. He provided the money and the peace to go along with it, and I am so glad I took that route. Then another story—which turned into three— took hold of me and I had to write again. About a year and a half later, I sold it to a traditional publisher, Torn Veil Books.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

When an idea comes, and grows, and it simply must come out, I write. That means that sometimes I don’t write for long periods, because I don’t have that spark inside that says I must. I believe that if I write something that hasn’t come from within, or I have no passion for, my stories won’t come across as powerful and personal as readers tell me they do. If that makes me what others label “undisciplined,” so be it.

What kind of activities to you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?

What’s a deadline?

What is your favorite novel (not written by you) and what made it special?

To Kill A Mockingbird. My father was an attorney like Atticus Finch—honest, intelligent, a lover of his children. He died when I was two, so I saw in Atticus a picture of my father. The story is so powerful, funny and heartwarming. I’ve been in love with Gregory Peck ever since.

How do you think reading the work of others helps you as a writer?

For me reading books, whether well written or poorly so, is the best learning tool, far better than reading How-To books. It’s important to learn the craft and tools of the trade, things like dialogue, pacing, plot, characterization, etc., and self-help books certainly have value. But I learn and absorb those concepts better from reading than from books that reference those things. It’s like the difference between someone telling you why a movie is good and seeing the movie for yourself.

Tell us a little about your latest release, Refining Fires.

It’s unique in that it’s in three parts, each with distinct main characters, with God masterfully weaving their lives together as only He can do. The first story, “Refining Fire,” is a love story between a disfigured veteran and a nurse who applies for a job with him but can’t provide good references. He tosses her out, but she is as plucky as he is angry, and her determined efforts elicit renewed life from his body while evoking a raw yearning in his soul. “Blind Courage” introduces a young girl who must act courageously in the face of overwhelming challenges if she is to save her mother’s life. The third is the story of a “Kept Woman,” of how she got to that point, and of “Who” has been keeping her all along. Paths cross and lives intertwine, showing how God’s hand is ever on us, leading and refining.

Where did you get your inspiration for Refining Fires?

“Refining Fire,” had been in me for many years in one form or another, then I saw the Mel Gibson movie, The Man Without a Face, which added to my inspiration. “Blind Courage” was a story I originally wrote for an 8th grade English assignment. My teacher liked it so much she read it out loud to the class. I’ve never gotten it out of my head. I had no intention of writing about the “Kept Woman,” but I felt like God was asking me to answer two questions about her: What happened? and What now? I can’t explain that any further without giving away plot points, but I think readers will understand after they’ve read the book.

Which character is most like you?

Well, if I stick to the female characters, my choices are a nurse, a child, and a kept woman. I guess I’ll go with the nurse, seeing as how I’m one, too, and she and I are both Army veterans.

Who is your favorite character and why?

Leopold the butler is right up there with the best of ’em. But I’ll go with the hero, Peter Cochran. Once you get underneath his skin, and scars, he’s a truly extraordinary man. Courageous. Persevering. An overcomer. With a sense of humor held hostage. Although it takes some nudging from a good woman for him to become the man he was created to be. But I have to add that Susannah is so inspiring with her childish innocence, and is my personal hero.

Did you know how Refining Fires would turn out? Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters?

I didn’t even know it was going to be a novel! “Refining Fire” started as a short story, but my critique partners simply wouldn’t have it. They insisted I enhance it to novel length. I didn’t have that much story about Peter and Clare in me, not without adding a bunch of filler, which I hate. I was able to nearly doubled its length, and it truly is so much better. At that time I had no idea I was going to rewrite my 8th grade story, title it “Blind Courage” and weave the two together. I didn’t even want to write “Kept Woman,” but as I said, I felt God leading me to tell her story, which turns out to be one of the most unpredictable elements of the entire book. Blending these three apparently disparate stories of God’s refining hand in our lives took on a life of its own, and I was blessed with being the scribe who brought it all together.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

God said through Isaiah, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” God’s unfathomable love sometimes includes discipline, and sometimes He tests the genuineness of our faith, but the Refiner always provides the courage and tools we need to persevere and overcome.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

I have my own web site, but other than my Amazon page I don’t run a blog. So I am most appreciative of your giving me space to share my characters’ stories. I send out media releases and post cards; arrange book signings; contact libraries, local book clubs and indie stores; do local radio shows and newspaper stories when the opportunity is given. One neat thing about the publisher, Torn Veil Books, is that they satisfy the needs of readers who like reading electronically as well as those who still prefer the old-fashioned way of turning pages (of which I’m one) by releasing in both print and eBook formats. That makes it more marketable as well.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I’m working in collaboration with the producer who is turning a scene from my novel, True Colors, into a play for a showing this fall. As for novel writing, nothing is burning inside me right now, so I’m spending my days promoting and marketing Refining Fires.

.

Want more? Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Thursday for an excerpt from Refining Fires by Erin Rainwater.

Read More

Sunday Devotional

Max loves his squeaky toys…er…perhaps I should say, he loves to rip them open and tear the squeaky out. Afterward, he struts around the house with the squeaker hidden in his mouth. Now that’s a strange sight, I tell you. Unless you know what’s in his mouth, you’d have to wonder why an eight-pound dog is squeaking like that.

I’m going to have to run to the pet store again. Last night, Max tore up the last of his toys. He dug, and pawed, and ripped with a ferocity that surprised me. Fluff lay everywhere! Finally, satisfied with his prize, Max climbed up onto the couch and left the stuffing for me to clean up. While I didn’t appreciate the mess, the process did intrigue me.

What would happen if I dug into God’s word with the same ferocity? Could I claim some kind of prize like Max does? Would it please God if everyday, I scrambled to tear into His word, devouring it as though it were the last “toy” I’d every have?

I know the answer is ‘yes.’ The trick will be to discipline myself…no, to delight myself, in His Word.

Psalm 119:9-16 (New International Version)

b Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Read More

Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! This week, winners have their choice of Promise of Tomorrow, Polly Dent Loses Grip, and Murder on the Ol' Bunions.

.

Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

laura frantz
Amy Landeg
Tammy G.

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address AND your choice of book so I can forward your information to the author. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you, Sandra (aka S. Dionne Moore), for your generosity in providing books!

Read More

Weekly Drawing

Entering our weekly drawing is easy:

1. Leave a comment on Fridays or...

2. Sign up to follow The Borrowed Book. Followers will automatically be entered for a chance to win that week's drawing!

This week, The Borrowed Book is drawing THREE winners. Winners receive THEIR CHOICE of three great books:

Polly Dent Loses Grip by S. Dionne Moore ~ Polly Dent loses grip on the treadmill and takes a fatal spill that’s ruled an accident. Helping her mother-in-law move into Bridgeton Towers Assisted Living, but the scars from LaTisha Barnhart’s surgically removed bunions tell her something’s afoot. The residents’ gossip is revealing all kinds of motives for murder. Gertrude Herrman is out looking for love in the form of Thomas Philcher’s fat wallet, and Polly’s fall eliminates her competition once and for all. Otis Payne, the venerable director of Bridgeton Towers, is over a barrel when his wife demands cash, or she’ll carry on without him. Mitzi Mullins’s penchant for rhyme puts her in direct line as perpetrator of the crime, and Sue Mie’s mistake seals Polly’s fate.


Promise of Tomorrow by S. Dionne Moore ~ Johnston , PA, 1889. Jack Kelly is struggling to quell the demons of poverty he has known all his life and live down his father's drunken legacy. This ambition drives him to invent a better method of turning iron ore into steel, to guarantee himself andhis fiance a financially secure future.

Alaina Morrison, raised by her embittered mother to distrust all men,must choose between Jack, or becoming the self-sufficient woman her mother has pushed her to become.

Jack's commitment to prove himself blinds him to Alaina's needs. She walks away from their engagement. But when the storm of angry floodwaters tears apart the town, will they survive to see the promise of tomorrow?

.

.

Murder on the Ol' Bunions by S. Dionne Moore ~ LaTisha Barnhart’s bunions tell her something’s afoot as she delves deeper into the murder of her former employee, Marion Peters. When LaTisha becomes a suspect, the ante is upped, and she is determined to clear her name and find the culprit.

She’s burping Mark Hamm’s bad cooking to investigate his beef with Marion. . .getting her hair styled at a high falutin’ beauty parlor to see what has Regina Rogane in a snarl. . .playing self-appointed matchmaker between the local chief and a prime suspect. . .and thinking Payton O’Mahney’s music store lease might be the reason he’s singing out of tune when discussion of Marion’s murder arises. LaTisha’s thinking she just might use the reward money to get her bunions surgically removed. But she’s got to catch the crook first.

Winners will be announced on Saturday, 08/21/10.

Read More

Reader Excerpt ~ Promise of Tomorrow by S. Dionne Moore

One

South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club,
Lake Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1889

Jack Kelly stood cloaked in the shadow of a large tree. From this vantage point, his view of the woman he hoped to make his wife remained quite clear.

Alongside the lake, surrounded by veils of white dogwood blooms, the three Hensley children flocked around the skirts of Alaina Morrison’s day dress. Her beatific smile beamed down on their heads. Alaina’s close friend, Mary, off to the side of the group, laughed at the spectacle created as Alaina held the candy in her hand high above the shorter heads of their charges. Her voice carried to his hiding place. “Not until after supper. I promised your mother.”

Jack drank in the scene. As one child, taller than the rest, made a jump for the candy, Alaina leaned into him with her free hand and offered a tickle to his ribs.

Mary calmed the growing frenzy of laughter with a clap of her hands. “We need to be heading home.” Mary tapped the heads of two blond twins and an older girl and motioned. “Let’s go before supper is declared too cold to eat.”

“Do we have to go?” Little Lily Hensley whined to Alaina as she stood, grubby hands full of the pebbles prevalent at the lakeside retreat.

“We got here later than usual.” She touched the tip of Lily’s nose. “I’ll allow five more minutes of playtime. How does that sound?”

Reinvigorated by the news, Lily clapped Alaina around the knees and the two went tumbling into a patch of spring green grass. Alaina sat up and started a tickle attack.

Jack crossed his arms, entranced by the vision before him. Alaina’s yellow day dress did not flaunt the latest style. Plain but crisp, the material flattered her dark hair and eyes. The ease with which she laughed and smiled, accepted disappointments, and shared in fun swelled his heart, just as it had since he’d first talked to her at the store where her mother stitched clothing.

He’d seen her before that afternoon, but only at a distance. When she’d dropped three bolts of material at his feet and he’d helped to pick them up, her smile had made his heart pound and his palms sweat. He’d made the trip to the store across the river every spare moment for the past year and a half. At least until it had dawned on him that he loved her. But marriage meant he would need money.

He pushed the thought away as Alaina spread her arms wide. The smallest child of the prominent Hensley family toddled into her arms. She made a great show of allowing the little boy to help her to her feet, so much so that the two older children, Lily and Mark, pitched in to help.

With the light breeze from the lake at his back, and the promise of summer before him, Jack could no longer discount his feelings. For days he had reviewed his proposal, hesitant to say the words out loud, then unsure why he hesitated at all in asking Alaina to be his wife. But hesitate he did, and he hated himself at the end of every day he waited.

Today would be the day.

Alaina guided her small flock up the walkway toward Moorhead cottage, a large home that held little in common with its name. Built on the edge of Lake Conemaugh, the huge Queen Anne-style home, with its rounded end tower, was the summer retreat for any family rich enough to afford the rental price; a privilege Jack hoped to provide for Alaina someday. Of course, they would need to be members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club first. But he held little doubt that as soon as he completed his invention, he would make that dream come true, too.

Jack turned his head and relished the bright sunshine that cast diamonds on the lake. Several boathouses squatted along the shore, waiting for the influx of summer club members to open their creaking doors and indulge in a little boating. Again, the sting of his inability to afford such luxuries stoked his determination.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Jack squinted toward the end of Lake Conemaugh, where a wide road crossed the breast of a tall dam. The view from the dam into the valley was breathtaking, one of Alaina’s favorite spots. Satisfied with the location he had chosen, he inhaled to steady his nerves and returned his attention to the dark-haired beauty.

Alaina’s steps brought her closer to him. Lily held her left hand, the three-year-old boy her right. Behind her trailed the twelve-year-old, trying to appear aloof from his siblings and “nanny.”

Jack grinned. At twelve he would have done the same thing. He stepped out from beneath the tree and into the waning sunlight.

Thomas, the toddler, saw him first. He tugged Alaina’s hand, pointing and drawing her attention to where Jack stood.

When she met his gaze, her expression softened, and she gave him a shy smile.

Jack laughed as Lily barreled into his legs. Her small face tilted back. “You bring me candy, Jack?”

“Lillian!” Alaina frowned. “Didn’t I just say no more candy?”

“But Robert brings me candy.” Lillian pouted.

Alaina’s eyes flicked to his. She flinched, then glanced back to Lillian and held out her hand. “And you know how many times I’ve told Robert not to do that.”

Jack tensed as he watched the flush creep up Alaina’s neck. Robert. Again.

Sandra is giving away THREE books. Winners will have their choice of Promise of Tomorrow, Polly Dent Loses Grip, and Murder on the Ol' Bunions! Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win.

Read More

Author Interview ~ S. Dionne Moore

S. Dionne Moore aka Sandra Moore, is an author who writes both cozy mystery and historical romance. If you would like to learn more about her, visit her Website at http://www.sdionnemoore.com/, or order a case of her books and she'll put you on her Christmas card list and send you boring newsletters of family events every year. Aren't you glad you have a choice in this?

When did you decide to be a writer?

Well now, it wasn't really a “I'll think I'll be a writer” moment. It started out with the premature birth of my daughter. Sitting with her in NICU through 75 days, not knowing whether she would live or die, built up such an emotional bubble that I poured out my heart on paper and posted it on my Geocities Website. Later, I joined a ring for Preemie Parents to both give and receive support. One day I was contacted by a woman who was putting together a book, Living Miracles, Stories of Hope from Parents of Premature Babies (http://www.amazon.com/Living-Miracles-Stories-Parents-Premature/dp/0312272723/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281382200&sr=8-1), St. Martin's Press. She wanted to use my “poem” as the introduction for the book. From there, my writing spiraled outward into other story ideas until I realized it was something I really wanted to do. So, I researched writing groups, joined a few, left a few, absorbed like a sponge, kept writing, learned some more. . .

At what point did you stop juggling suggestions and critiques and trust yourself (as a writer)?

Oy! I'm supposed to trust my writing abilities? I wish someone had told me. I think writing is more often than not learning to trust the critiques that you receive from others who are knowledgeable in writing.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you just write when you feel like it?

After publication there is seldom time to write when you feel like it. If you want to make a living at this that means a flurry of ideas, proposals, and synopses need to be spinning through your mind and into your computer at all times. So even in my down moments, my mind is always sorting, stacking, assessing, or creating in some way to enhance my writing.

What kind of activities to you like to do that help you relax and step away from your deadlines for a bit?

Walking on hot pavement. Laying on a hill of fire ants. Oh, wait, I read that wrong. I thought you asked me what it was like being on a deadline. Silly me.

I love to travel, sing, read, play the Wii. The problem is when I step away to do these things, I usually end up getting a great idea that takes me right back to the keyboard. I think it's a disease.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

Promise of Tomorrow is my first of three historical romances. It is May of 1889 in Johnstown, PA, a few weeks before the flood that devastated the entire town and killed more than 2K people. Alaina Morrison loves Jack Kelly, but his drive to be rich before he marries her leads her to break off their engagement. When she returns to Johnstown after the flood, she is devastated by the destruction and begins her search for survivors. . .and Jack.

Where did you get your inspiration for Promise of Tomorrow?

My husband and I visited Johnstown a couple of years ago. I was stirring around for some new ideas and seldom-used settings for a new romance series, when I realized the May 1889 disaster would be an incredible setting for such a story.

Which character is most like you?

Let's see. . .I have Jack's ferocity when it comes to detail. Alaina's heart for people. Frank's humorous, tough-talk way of getting Jack to see himself, and Alaina's mother's desire for my daughter to do well. Ha! That about covers them all, huh?

Who is your favorite character and why?

I think Jack's struggle most intrigued me. A child's view of his world is often exaggerated by immaturity. That's not to discount Jack's disappointment and grief over his father (and mother), but I think, too, that part of Jack's discovery that people are more important than things helps him let go of that which he doesn't have the power to change anyway.

Did you know how Promise of Tomorrow would turn out? Were you surprised by any of the plot twists or characters?

Oh dear. I can't remember. You see, I just finished book three and my memory isn't so good. Once I get embroiled in a new story, the details of the old one are much harder for me to retain. (sigh) Old age, I think.

I do remember one detail. . .the epilogue. The relationship hinted at in that letter seemed to evolve naturally and was totally unplanned.

What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

That our pursuit of things will never satisify as much as the pursuit of relationships, God, and the nurturing of love.

What kinds of things have you done to market this book? Have you found anything that works particularly well?

Please, please, if you are reading this, BUY MY BOOK!

Is that what you mean? :)

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

Since I just finished and turned in the third book, I'm working on two proposals, one for a set of western themed books, the other for a historical romance based on a small island in the Atlantic. Plus I'm rewriting another manuscript. No rest for the weary, I guess, but that's okay, so long as I love what I'm doing. Now. . .what am I doing?

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Writer's write. And if you're reading this you're not writing! :)

.

Want more? Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Thursday for an excerpt from Promise of Tomorrow by our very own S. Dionne Moore!

Read More