The Power of Round Table Conversation

In preparation for conference season, let's remember a very important factor. Round table talk. It's like a tonic to those of us who are not extroverts by nature. Round table talk at conference meals is the best way to get to know an agent or editor that you hope to target. For one, the weight of carrying the conversation is distributed to all those present. Two, you get a feel for what others are offering the agent or editor, and three, their questions to the guest-of-honor will help you formulate your own and might even answer some you didn't know you had.

Still having a hard time? If you can't think of a way to begin conversation, remember that these editors and agents are as human as you. They want small talk too. Is the meal delicious? Have you especially enjoyed a class you've attended, or even made a new friend? These are great conversation starters. Your target will probably take a great breath of relief when they discover you are not going to ambush them with your great one-liners or shove another story idea in their faces.

If you're an absolute wreck of nerves, stay quiet and absorb the information around you. Don't feel pressured to say something if you don't have anything to share. Be relaxed and have a great time.

Just make sure you wipe your chin between bites.

S. Dionne Moore resides in Cumberland Valley with her husband of almost 23 years. An avid lover of history, it makes sense that she writes historical romance. Her latest book, Promise Brides, is set in various locations within Pennsylvania, including Johnstown, Greencastle/Mercersburg and Gettysburg, and includes the 2011 Carol Award Silver romance, Promise of Tomorrow.

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Those Good Ol' College Days

At this point in my life, what better subject to post about than my subjects in school? In any case, I figure a list of my classes will at least give you an idea of where I might be going with my "Where the Past Meets the Present" posts. ;)

I think it's fitting that my last semester of college before I graduate with my Bachelor's degree includes a veritable smorgasbord of subjects -

• American Military History I (We'll be studying the Revolutionary War through Reconstruction after the Civil War. I actually took a Civil War class last semester, but I love history! Perhaps some of the research might translate into a future novel...?)

• Stats and Probability (Since I needed one more math or science class, I figured stats would be helpful should I ever pursue a career in the publishing industry.)

• C.S. Lewis (Would ya'll be interested in seeing some WTPMTP - "Where the Past Meets the Present" - posts featuring Lewis' work? I'm thinking I'm going to love this class!)

• Ruth and Esther (I love going to a school where we can take a whole class dedicated to certain books of the Bible! I'm excited to study the stories of Ruth and Esther in depth.)
  

• Johannine Theology (This class focuses on the theology of the books of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation. It sounds challenging, but also very rewarding!)
  

• 17th-19th Century English Literature (I'm hoping I'll get some good material for my WTPMTP posts from this class, as well! We'll be reading Northanger Abbey, Gulliver's Travels, and much more throughout the semester.)

• Birds and Botany of Western Oregon (It's my last semester at Corban University - so I've got to take a fun class, right? Not saying that my others classes won't be fun, but this one's a bit out of my English-major league, and it sounds great!)

OK, thanks for letting me share my class list with ya'll! (Not like you really had a choice, but I'll forego the evil laugh if you'll go along with it...) Now, here are my questions for you:

• If you're still in school, do you have a favorite subject you've studied recently? If you're done with school, what was one of your favorite classes from high school or college?

• Is there anything you'd specifically like to see me post about in the future regarding my classes and writing/research?

(Note: While I'm pretty sure I'm not going to change my class schedule at this point in the game, I thought I'd better note that my schedule is subject to change should any circumstances require it. Thanks again for indulging me today!)

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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:

renee - Daddy's Little Matchmakers by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

Congratulations, renee! 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, and you have several chances to win. Here's how - instead of leaving a comment, 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!

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 Kathleen Y'Barbo and her newest release, Daddy's Little Matchmakers.

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Kathleen Y'Barbo Interview

I'm welcoming Kathleen Y'Barbo to The Borrowed Book today. RITA and Carol Award nominee Kathleen is now the best-selling award-winning author of more than forty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad, and her books have been translated into Dutch, German, and Spanish to name a few. Her latest release is a contemporary Texas beach series for Love Inspired. The first book in the series, Daddy's Little Matchmakers is in stores now.

A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen has a daughter and three grown sons. She recently added her own hero in combat boots and is proud to be a military wife even if it did mean giving up her Texas drivers license.

Welcome, Kathleen. I've been hearing a lot about your new release Daddy's Little Matchmakers. Please give us a short blurb about the book.

Veterinarian Eric Wilson is confounded by the classified ad his three young daughters have placed. The handsome widower is not in the market for a bride! But when the story of his little matchmakers hits the papers, would-be brides start swamping his waiting room. Despite them all, Eric finds himself drawn to the temp worker at the classifieds office: adorable free spirit Amy Spencer. Amy's been running for a while, and it's time she planted roots. Together, can Amy and Eric realize that trusting in God's plan is the sweetest surrender of all?

Your hero Eric Wilson sounds like he has his hands full with three daughters and trying to get a vet business started. How does he cope with all that's going on in his life?

Yes, Eric definitely has his hands full, but he gets alone with God aboard his sailboat when he can. He's also a member of a widowers small group at his church, and through that group he learns how to cope with his new life in Vine Beach.

Then there's your heroine Amy Spencer. What kind of person is she?

She's the eternal optimist with a bit of wanderlust thrown in for good measure. Amy believes in love, and she's sure that someday the Lord will bless her with just the right man. Until then, she's determined to follow her heart and the road out of Vine Beach.

Vine Beach sounds like a nice seaside town to live in. How did you come up with the setting?

Vine Beach is an amalgamation of the small Texas beach towns I grew up around. Because I needed to make the location fit the story, I had to create my own city. However, a good part of the inspiration for the town of Vine Beach comes from Crystal Beach, Texas, where I spent many happy hours over the years. I recently returned to Crystal Beach and am thrilled to see how they're bouncing back from the horrific results of 2009's Hurricane Ike.

Will there be other books in this series? If so, what are their titles and when do they release?

Book 2 in the series, a Christmas themed story titled Her Holiday Hero, releases in November.

I know you are a multi-published author. Is this your first book with Love Inspired?

Yes, it is.

What are you working on now, and when will it release?

Right now I am working on edits for the next Love Inspired book. After that, I'll be turning my attention to the next historical in the queue.

What message for the new year would you like to leave with our readers?

I'm continually humbled at the response I get from readers. Thank you so very much!

And thank you, Kathleen, for being out guest on The Borrowed Book today. Kathleen's book Daddy's Little Matchmakers is available in bookstores and online now. If you want a delightful read, check it out.

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Field Trip Feature ~ Louisiana

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Christian Fiction vs. Mainstream: The Why Of It

Many Christians enjoy Christian fiction, praising it for its cleanness, quality and the challenging questions raised by plot and character. I've heard people express what a relief it is to read a book that doesn't ooze graphic sexual content or pop a curse word every sentence. Yet there are those who think Christian fiction is too light-weight in subject matter, too unrealistic. This puzzles me, for don't we read to escape the realities of a dull economy, high unemployment and constant headlines sensationalizing Hollywood drama stars whose antics prove they have about as much integrity as a Dorito? Isn't a book a way to leave the worries of life behind? And wouldn't it be natural for a Christian to choose books that showcase the religion and values they embrace?


There are some mainstream authors whose works are relatively clean. Are those the authors a Christian fiction lover gravitates to on the mainstream side?


What lures you to choose Christian fiction over mainstream? Do you agree that Christian fiction does not deal with themes that are current or relevant?

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