Author Lynne Gentry's Hairy Writing Pals

Many writers are introverts. They are happiest when they’re squirreled away with their computer and their imaginary friends. But for the extroverted writer, like me, a day or two of solitude is about all I can take.

Shortly after my last child left home, our dog died. The quiet was deafening. It wasn’t long before I was climbing the walls. One day I suggested to my husband I wanted a new dog…a big one so I wouldn’t be lonely or afraid to stay by myself. My husband was happy with our pet-free environment, but I’m a dog lover at heart; it’s why I write a dog into most of my stories. My Carthage Chronicles series has two of them.

So I launched my “Lynne needs a dog campaign” and began to pray.

The next Sunday at church a friend approached me with a picture on her phone of this beautiful rescue dog in need of a good home.

“Part Golden Retriever, part Great Pyrenees,” she guessed. “If he doesn’t find a home today, he’ll be put down first thing Monday morning. It would be a shame if he couldn’t have one last good afternoon.” My eyes darted between her hopeful face and the sad-looking creature in the picture.

I showed the picture to my husband.

My husband shook his head. “He’s big.”

We both agreed we weren’t ready to be tied down, but giving this doomed creature a nice afternoon was kind of like giving a man on death row a good last meal. “A real Christian thing to do,” I pleaded.

“But only for the afternoon,” my husband warned.

A few hours later, a seventy-pound mutt leaped from my friend’s car. I looked at my husband and said, “He is big.” The dog galloped across the yard, skidded to a halt at my feet, sat, and cocked his head. I looked into those big brown eyes and fell in love. From that moment on, this stray was my dog.

His plumed tail reminded me of a Roman centurion’s helmet so I named him Roman. He needed

shots, grooming, and serious housebreaking. His powerful tail could clear my coffee table with one swipe. It was nothing for Roman to snatch a loaf of bread off the counter and eat the whole thing. On walks he dragged me like a plow. Despite Roman’s ill manners, the house was noisy and busy again, and someone needed me. I felt alive. Soon, I was writing better than ever.

One chilly Saturday everything changed. Roman joined us on a 5K run sponsored by the hospital where my husband works. Dogs were welcome, so we took Roman. The director of animal therapy noticed Roman (because everyone notices a dog the size of a small horse). She was so impressed by Roman’s sweet nature, she suggested I train him to become one of the medical-therapy dogs who work in the cancer center.

“You’re kidding. I didn’t know there were dogs that did this.”

She gave me her card and told me, “Studies show petting a dog can lower stress, blood pressure, and lift spirits.”

I couldn’t argue with that statistic. My whole attitude about life had changed since I adopted Roman.

“My mother died of cancer,” I told the director. “If Roman and I can ease someone’s pain, even for a few minutes, I’m on board.”

Roman and I have completed several levels of training and testing.

  

My dog and I are now certified to work in the hospitals.

Twice a month we visit the oncology wards where I watch Roman bring smiles and relief to the frightened and hurting.

On days when I’m stuck at home writing, I stroke the head of my hairy writing pal who is curled at my feet and I don’t feel so alone.

As Roman and I work together, I see God’s purpose. I thought I was supposed to rescue this dog. Turns out, this rescue dog was born to rescue not only the broken and hurting; this dog was born to rescue me.

I love how God comes into our lives and rescues us from the death sentence we deserve. That’s why the theme of rescue will always show up in my adventure stories.

About the author

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications and is a professional acting coach and playwright with several full-length musicals to her credit. She likes to write stories that launch modern women into ancient adventures, such as Healer of Carthage (2014), which was the first in The Carthage Chronicles series. Return to Exile is the second, and Valley of Decision is expected September 22, 2015. Gentry loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.

To keep up with Lynne Gentry, visit www.lynnegentry.com, become a fan on Facebook (Author-Lynne-Gentry) or follow her on Twitter (@Lynne_Gentry), YouTube and Pinterest (lynnegentry7).

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Unearthing Buried Memories by Author Lynne Gentry

Historical writers love it when their research reveals a truth that is stranger than fiction…unless the truth they discover is one of their own buried secrets. 

A few months ago, I was deep into the edits of Return to Exile, the second book in my Carthage Chronicles series. The plague in third-century Carthage was ramping up. People were dying. My frantic heroine, Dr. Lisbeth Hastings, didn’t know what to do. 

I was editing a paragraph about measles (the mysterious malady I’d chosen to inflict upon the inhabitants of this series and had researched meticulously) when it suddenly hit me. Staring at the computer screen, I broke out in a sweat.

I was writing about a virus I’d had as a child … and I had almost died. How could I have forgotten?

Suddenly, I was eight years old, lying on the couch and burning up with fever in our drafty old Kansas farmhouse. The sights, sounds, smells, even the foul, wet-chicken-feather taste of my blister-coated tongue came rushing back. Every lost detail was now painfully vivid.  

It was Christmas Eve. In the corner the blue lights of the tree twinkled. My mother and grandmother hovered around me. They placed a cool cloth on my forehead and tried to coerce me into drinking hot tea. Deep racking coughs ripped from my raw throat. I struggled for air but couldn’t catch my breath. Mom plastered menthol rub all over my chest while my grandmother constructed a breathing tent she made from an old sheet draped over some stretched-out coat hangers. All night my family boiled water on the stove, carried the hot pot to my bedside, and fanned the steam toward me. I could hear the adults discussing whether or not I should be taken to the hospital. I remember my mother’s frantic voice. I remember being very afraid.

How could I have blocked this memory from my mind? Even more unsettling: how could I have written nearly 300,000 words about this deadly virus and NOT remember something this traumatic? The implications left me shaking. What other memories or feelings were buried deep inside of me?

As I writer, my job is to go deep into the minds and memories of my characters; to discover their secrets and capitalize upon their fears. This incident, however, taught me an important lesson: all of my characters carry a little part of me. My fears, my dreams, my flaws show up as various traits in them. For example, in Return to Exile, Dr. Lisbeth Hastings is desperate to save those dying of measles. As I was writing, I could hear the panic in her voice. Without access to modern medicine, what could she do? In a last ditch effort, Lisbeth and her mother built vaporizer tents and placed warm poultices on the chests of those struggling to breathe. Now I know where I got the idea to research homespun medical remedies. I know why I could see the little vaporizer tents in my head.

Curious if I’d plagiarized any other memories from my past, I carefully searched my Return to Exile manuscript. I discovered the bull chase scene is fraught with the exact same terror I experienced growing up on a dairy farm. The one animal I knew to avoid was the bull. Holstein bulls have dangerous temperaments and a reputation for causing serious injuries. One day I went to the pasture to herd the cows in for milking.  Less than a hundred yards away, our bull issued a deep, braying bellow that scattered the herd. His head went down and in a split second 2,000 pounds of pure aggression charged straight at me.

I turned and scrambled toward the fence. I don’t remember how I did it but I managed to shinny up those wooden slates and hurl myself over the top board. I fell to the other side a split second before the bull’s massive head hit the fence with the force of a freight train. I stood totally paralyzed and unable to move as he rammed the fence again and again. 

An author’s experiences and memories can’t help but show up in their stories. We bring our pasts with us. This revelation into my past has taught me two important writing lessons. First, as a writer I must dig deep into my past and discover the secrets buried in my memories. Second, I can’t be afraid to live and experience new things. They are exciting fodder for future characters.

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications and is a professional acting coach and playwright with several full-length musicals to her credit. She likes to write stories that launch modern women into ancient adventures, such as Healer of Carthage (2014), which was the first in The Carthage Chronicles series. Return to Exile is the second, and Valley of Decision is expected September 22, 2015. Gentry loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.

To keep up with Lynne Gentry, visit www.lynnegentry.com, become a fan on Facebook (Author-Lynne-Gentry) or follow her on Twitter (@Lynne_Gentry), YouTube and Pinterest (lynnegentry7).

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Overcoming Defeat by Michelle Griep

Michelle Griep

Defeat is the creepy friend who slings his arm around the shoulder of every writer. Rejection after rejection. One-star reviews. Low sales numbers. Sure, all these are part of the writing game, but it’s like landing on a square that says, “Go back to start.”

That’s why I love it when God shows up and zings me ahead fifty spaces . . . and wow, do I have a story to share with you on just such a move.

A few years ago, I had a manuscript that had been shopped around to almost all the major publishers out there in Literary Land. It always came back with a, “Great writing, but the story just won’t fit with our house.” I lost hope that it would ever find a home . . . until a new venue opened up. The trouble was that my agent was gone on maternity leave, so there was no way for me to send off the proposal. Once again, defeat gave me a big bear hug.

But that’s when God stepped in. Right out of the blue, I received an email from the acquisitions editor at the new venue, asking if I had anything I wanted to submit. What?! That never happens! Yet it did. She’d stumbled across my blog (stumbled, as in I believe God directed her) and liked my style. Hence the request.

I sent off my proposal, which in turn garnered a request for the full manuscript, and voila. A contract offer—for a book on which I’d given up hope. God did this all single-handedly, not that He needed my help to begin with, though. Still, the full glory goes to His credit because neither I, or my agent, had anything to do with the sale of this book. Curious about the title? A HEART DECEIVED, which mine obviously was—deceived into believing that it would never be sold.

After that victory, you’d think I’d kicked defeat to the curb, right? Wrong.

Fast forward to last year. I attended the ACFW Writers’ Conference because I had a brand new, shiny manuscript to pitch. I did all the right things: met with editors, presented a polished one-sheet, brushed my teeth and smiled a lot. No one was interested. Not even a nibble. Just like the Israelites, the great work that God had already performed flew right out of my mind.

This time defeat flattened me. I crawled home to rethink my whole, crazy writing career. For a few months, I set aside fiction and focused on simply blog writing. And then . . . guess what’s coming . . . wait for it . . . drum roll, please . . . God moved again. Once more, out of the blue, I received an email from a publisher wanting to buy the manuscript I’d pitched—without even having read it.

Why, oh why do I ever doubt God?

I know it won’t always be like this. I don’t expect magical emails to grace my inbox every time I open up Gmail. But those two times He delivered are a rock for me to stand on, one on which I can stomp defeat.

God may—or may not—work in your writing journey the same way, but I guarantee you this: He will work. Expect it. Look for it. Then sit back and be amazed.

Oh yeah, and the name of that book He sold? BRENTWOOD’S WARD, the story of a guardian watching

out for his charge. Hmm. Who does that remind you of? Here’s a blurb:

There’s none better than NICHOLAS BRENTWOOD at catching the felons who ravage London’s streets, and there’s nothing he loves more than seeing justice carried out—but this time he’s met his match. Beautiful and beguiling EMILY PAYNE is more treacherous than a city full of miscreants and thugs, for she’s a thief of the highest order…she’s stolen his heart.

Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers.

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager.

She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones.

Follow her adventures at her blog WRITER OFF THE LEASH or visit michellegriep.com, and don’t forget the usual haunts of Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.

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Sunday Devotional: Turning Blessings Into Praise

Christians talk all the time about “giving glory to God.” What does that mean, exactly?

Recently while singing along with a favorite worship song on the radio, I was convicted that the words I vow while singing don’t really line up with what I do with serious consistency.

...every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise ...

Such a simple phrase, yes? Such a simple concept.

Just ... praise Him, thank Him, let others know how awesome and amazing He is ... for every blessing He gives us.

For every little thing.

The point of that particular worship song is simple as well, but powerful—the concept of acknowledging that God is the same, regardless of what we’re going through. (Which I’ve talked about before.) Of praising Him—literally “blessing His name”—in the middle of everything.

But to focus on one facet ...

Would I even  have energy left to dwell on my pain, on all the bitterness and resentment and regret, if I truly turned every blessing back to praise?

More like, would I want to return to wasting energy on that, once I’d tasted the joy of fresh, honest gratitude?

¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. (Psalm 30, NKJV)

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Author Elizabeth Camden and the Writing Life

I had a ball doing research for my latest novel, Beyond All Dreams. The setting is at the Library of  Congress, and as a librarian, this is rather like Valhalla, or Mecca, or the Elysian fields…. chose whatever splendid metaphor you like, there is no library in the world to compare with the Library of Congress. I was dazzled from the moment I walked down Independence Avenue and caught sight of the Library of Congress in the distance. 

Here is a bit of interesting trivia: Did you know that the original Library of Congress was on the top floor of the U.S. Capitol? It outgrew its space and was moved into the glorious building we use today in 1897. This is the exact time my novel is set, so the librarians are busily packing up in preparation for their move to their palatial new building. I tried to provide a lot of behind-the-scenes of what went on during those years.

Research for what it was like to work in the U.S. Capitol in the late 19^th century was a special challenge.  I needed to know where they would have eaten their meals, placed a telephone call, or relaxed between meetings. I wanted to get the details right, but in a post 9-11 world, comprehensive floorplans of the Capitol are entirely off limits to the public. Luckily, librarians are a cooperative lot, and I was able to get in touch with librarians currently working for congress who answered many of my questions. Also, I was able to find some blueprints of the original building, and sure enough, they are labeled with everything from the cafeterias, cloakrooms, and staircases. I know the twentieth century brought huge changes to the Capitol, but the old blue prints were quite accurate for my 1890’s story. 

This was my second novel set in Washington D.C. My first was With Every Breath, a medical romance set primarily in hospitals and government research labs, and focused on the brave men and women searching to cure tuberculosis. I love Washington novels not only because there were so many women employed in interesting government jobs, but I think you tend to find the best and worst of humanity in Washington. Many are dedicated, idealistic people, and they are given phenomenal tools and resources to tackle some of the nation’s biggest problems. I hope to do more Washington novels in the future….especially if I can manage to squeeze in another research trip!

In my office at the college

Sometimes people are curious to see where writers work. I’ve got two offices, as I work as a college librarian by day, and scribble away at my novels at night. My office at college is pristine, but my home office is cluttered, well-lived in, and within easy reach of the coffee pot!

  

Although my home office is where I do the majority of the actual

In my home office

writing, I find that the best place for brainstorming plots and ideas happens while I am running, mowing the lawn, or some other monotonous physical task where I can simply unleash my imagination.

Many thanks for inviting me onto your blog! Writing can be a somewhat solitary occupation, so I love getting a chance to meet readers…even if it is in a virtual setting like this!

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Learn more about Lizzy on her website, or or visit her on Facebook.

Also, make sure to check out the Pinterest page for her latest release, Beyond All Dreams

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Getting to Know Author Elizabeth Camden

Thanks for asking me aboard! I’m thrilled to be talking about Beyond All Dreams, as this book has a very special place in my heart because the heroine is a librarian, which is my job when I’m not a writer.

I have been blessed with two careers, both of which I deeply love. As a lifelong reader and bibliophile, perhaps librarianship was a natural career choice for me. I could think of no other job where I could spend an entire day cocooned within a library, buying books with other people’s money, and getting paid to perform fascinating research. I earned my master’s degree in Library Science from Indiana University and have been gainfully employed as a college librarian ever since. 

But the temptation to write my own novel was always there as well. I love a terrific romance story, especially if set in an interesting historical period. The road to publication was a little longer and a lot bumpier than I expected, but after around five years of trying, my first novel was published in 2011. They say that you tend to be proudest of things that are hard to earn, and this is certainly true for me. I’ve heard stories of people whose first manuscript is accepted for publication, but I wouldn’t trade my five years of struggle and slogging through the wilderness for anything in the world. For a start, it made me a much better writer. It made me humble, grateful, and also a little paranoid…which is a GOOD thing if you are a writer. I know rejection will always loom just around the next corner if I don’t keep my quality up.  

People have often asked me if I have any plans to quit my work as a librarian and become a full-time writer. Frankly, I don’t! I love being a librarian, and every day I am enriched by the variety of people I encounter and the interesting questions I’m called on to research. All of this helps nourish my writer’s soul with fresh angles and originality.

I wrote five novels before I decided to give in to temptation and feature a librarian as the heroine. Beyond All Dreams is about a librarian who stumbles across a baffling mystery of a ship that disappeared at sea. The ship and the entire crew has never been heard from again, but Anna begins to suspect the government knows what actually happened to the ship. The setting is at the Library of Congress in 1898, and when the government stonewalls her attempt to learn more about the missing ship, Anna turns to a charismatic congressman for help. As the two of them begin piecing the mystery together, they become embroiled in secrets much bigger than they ever imagined. 

Washington D.C. is a terrific place to set a historical romance, simply because there were so many women who worked for the government in the late 19^th century. I prefer to have my heroines working in professional positions, so Washington is rich with possibilities for me. Of course, there were plenty of restrictions against female workers dating fellow-government employees, so that adds another wonderful layer of tension for my characters. 

Most of all I wanted to write a thrilling, deeply romantic and heart-pounding love story.  The nature of the plot force Anna and Luke to resolve their own wounds from a difficult past before they can forge a lasting relationship.  It is a deeply emotional story, but I tried to inject notes of subtle humor, hope, and inspiration throughout the novel. 

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

Website:

http://www.elizabethcamden.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethCamden

Pinterest Page for Beyond All Dreams:

http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethcamden/beyond-all-dreams/

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Sunday Devotional: Psalm 150 ~ Praise the LORD!

The close of one year ... the beginning of the next. Through the joys, the sorrows, whatever each of us might have faced, and in whatever mixture, I pray that one thing has remained constant for each of you ... a sense of God’s presence, and the knowledge that regardless of circumstances, He is most worthy of our praises.

Psalm 150 (NKJV)

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

² Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

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