5 Tips for Finding Treasure in Unlikely Places

OK, the picture attracted you, right? I mean, who wants to find gold nuggets when you can have chocolate nuggets?!

Let's pretend that story inspirations are chocolate nuggets, because we really, really want them! (I know, I know, but we're writers--we have big imaginations!) So, where can we start digging for story inspirations? Where do we start looking for the next book idea? Here are 5 tips to help you start your hunt:

1. Read voraciously. I'm sure many of you already do this, but the more you read, the more you learn. If you read a lot of fiction, then you'll be surrounded by more creativity and perhaps be able to better recognize a story idea when you find one. And my roommate reminded me last night of the usefulness of history books for finding story ideas. There's so much literary "land" available for mining!

2. Study hard. As a college student, I'm taking so many interesting classes, especially the literature classes. For example, I've taken Irish Literature, 19th Century American Literature, Minority Authors, and Literature of Love; and I'm currently taking 19th-20th Century English Literature and Literature of the American West. Definitely a lot of story ideas within the backgrounds and inspiration to be found in such classes as these!

But even if you're not in high school or college at the moment, you can always take a couple of classes at the community college or just take some workshops at conferences, etc. In today's "information age," there are plenty of opportunities for learning!

3. Go fishing. Or something like that. Just go on vacation or a little day trip, and you'll be surprised by how much a change of scenery/pace will cause you to see different perspectives and perhaps think more creatively. And if you go to a place that could serve as a good setting for a book, so much the better! Just be sure to bring a little pocket notebook along in your purse or bag so that you can jot down ideas on the go.

4. Talk to people. There are so many amazing stories out there! And if you're in a place where you're doing research for your book, you can get so many ideas from the people who live there or work there. It's often the little tidbits/facts that make for an intriguing and unique story.

5. Be open to inspiration. I realize this is vague, but let me give you an example. I recently had to do an assignment for my Nature & Structure of the English Language class--a word study of 10 different words, including place names, phrases, etc. One of the place names I chose turned up some interesting information that has inspired me in my brainstorming of my second manuscript. (I don't really want to share specifics at this point, but you get the idea: even a homework assignment can yield some "treasure!")

So what are you waiting for? Pick up your shovels and start looking for those "chocolate nuggets"--they're not as rare as you might think! ;) Happy hunting!

(Picture is of a yummy candy shop in Nevada, near Carson City, I believe. Love the honeycomb chocolate!)

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Sunday Devotional

Max is a good friend. He’s steadfast and loyal, traits common to most dachshunds, but he’s also protective and loving. He shows unabashed joy when we come home and sulks like a child when we leave. It’s because of that last trait that my husband and I decided to get Max a friend. Lainey is also a miniature dachshund, but unlike Max, she is sweet and compliant. Where Max is fierce and protective, Lainey is cuddly and soft. Where Max is tireless and playful, Lainey enjoys a good nap. Despite their differences, however, she is the perfect mate for Max. They eat from the same bowl, they play together, and at times, they communicate with one another with just a subtle look. I’ve grown to enjoy watching them together. Their closeness reminds me that we all need someone to love, who loves and understands us. Even Paul, as dedicated as he was to the Lord, longed for the comfort and companionship of his good friend, Timothy. I think that’s why the Lord gives us godly friends…because He knows, better than we do, that there will come a day when having such a friend will mean the difference between continuing in the faith and falling away. 2 Timothy 1 (King James Version 1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 4Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 6Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. 15This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 16The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 18The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.

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Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

Lisa Nelson - Give the Lady a Ride by Linda Yezak

Pam (pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net) - An Eye for Glory by Karl A. Bacon

SuperMom @ What You Reading Now - People of the Book by Kathi Macias

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 so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you, Linda Yezak, Karl A. Bacon, and Kathi Macias for your generosity in providing books!

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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 giving away:

Give the Lady a Ride by Linda Yezak ~ Patricia Talbert is a high-class social coordinator from New York. Talon Carlson is a rugged bull rider from Texas. He thinks she’s too polished. She thinks he’s insane. Opposites aren’t quick to attract when the lady who enters the cowboy’s world is on a mission to sell the ranch. But a box of letters changes her mission–letters of unshakable faith and a love deeper than anything she’s ever experienced. Soon, she finds his integrity appealing. Her spunk draws him in. He has the faith she craves; she may be the love he longs for. But faith and love aren’t achieved in a single weekend. To buy time to explore the possibilities between them, she issues a challenge: “Teach me to ride bulls.” From here on, they’re in for the ride of their lives.

An Eye for Glory by Karl A. Bacon ~ Michael palmer is a good man, a family man. But honor and duty push him to leave his comfortable life and answer the call from Abraham Lincoln to fight for his country. This 'citizen soldier' learns quickly that war is more than the battle on the field. Long marches under extreme conditions, illness, and disillusionment challenge at every turn. Faith seems lost in a blur of smoke and blood ... and death. Michael's only desire is to kill as many Confederate soldiers as he can so he can go home. He coldly counts off the rebels that fall to his bullets. Until he is brought up short by a dying man holding up his Bible. It's in the heat of battle at Gettysburg and the solemn aftermath that Michael begins to understand the grave cost of the war upon his soul. Here the journey really begins as he searches for the man he was and the faith he once held so dearly. With the help of his beloved wife, Jesse Ann, he takes the final steps towards redemption and reconciliation. Using first-hand accounts of the 14th Connecticut Infantry, Karl Bacon has crafted a detailed, genuine and compelling novel on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Intensely personal and accurate to the times, culture, and tragedy of the Civil War, An Eye for Glory may change you in ways you could have never imagined as well.

People of the Book by Kathi Macias ~ Will God protect and keep them safe in the midst of persecution?

Farah lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with her family, and wants nothing more than to develop a deeper devotion to her Muslim faith. She sees the month of Ramadan as her chance to draw nearer to Allah, and pursues that goal. All goes well until the prophet Isa—Jesus—appears to her in a dream and calls her to Himself. Her brother, Kareem, who has never liked her, seeks to discredit her.

Farah’s cousin, an only child, frequents an online chat. She discovers former Muslims discussing their new belief that Isa is much more than a Muslim prophet—He is actually the Son of God. She becomes acquainted with an American girl of Muslim ancestry—now a devout Christian—Sara. Sara has problems of her own due to her brother Emir’s suspicious behavior.

Each finds their faith put to the test. Will they be true to their beliefs? Will God protect them, or will they pay the ultimate price for their faith?


Winners will be announced on Saturday, 04/16/11.

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Video Interview ~ Kathi Macias

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored more than 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time buzzing around in their new ride: Al’s 2005 sunburst orange Corvette. Her current release is titled People of the Book, published by New Hope Publishers.

Kathi is giving away a copy of her book, People of the Book. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

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The Genesis Contest of American Christian Fiction Writers

For the past three years I’ve had the privilege of working as the coordinator of the romantic suspense category of ACFW’s Genesis contest for unpublished authors. This year there were 556 entries in the nine categories. The romantic suspense category had 52 entries.

There were so many good entries. It made me glad I wasn’t a judge. It was just my job to pass the entries to the judges, record the returned scores, and answer any questions the writers might have. Semi-finalists were announced last Friday, and I had the pleasure of calling those whose manuscripts would go on to the next round. I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed anything more than to hear the surprise and joy in the voices of women I’d never met but felt an instant kinship with.

For a complete list of semi-finalists, you can go to the ACFW website. Here are the ones I had the privilege of contacting.

Emily Ann Benedict

Loretta Boyett

K. Victoria Chase

Sue Harrison

Kelli Hughett

Michelle Lim

Erynn Newman

Rajdeep Paulus

Renee Ann Smith

Pat Trainum

Katie Vorreiter

Jan Warren

Talking with them brought back memories of how excited I was when I received the call that my first book was going to be published. I could empathize with their excitement over wanting to tell friends and family right away.

As much as I enjoyed that part, though, there is a part of the contest that is very difficult. That comes afterwards when entries are returned to non-finalists. There are questions about why a certain judge marked one area low while another marked another high. I don’t have the answers to those questions just as I don’t understand why one reviewer can give a book a high rating and another can mark it low.

When that happens to one of my books, I remind myself that you can’t please everyone, but as long as I’m doing what God wants I’m okay. Then I get to work again and try to make the next book the best it can be.

Writing is a very lonely job, and it hurts when your work isn't appreciated. When I find myself wondering if my story is going in the direction it should or whether or not I can craft a story anyone will even want to read, I look for encouragement in other places. Of course prayer can bring us peace about where God wants to lead us, but He also provides us with other means to encourage us. 

One of my favorite ways to cope is to read quotes by writers. In fact I keep some of them handy to remind myself that there are others like me who toil each day with the written word. Some of my favorites are:

The task of a writer consists of being able to make something out of an idea."
Thomas Mann

"You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like."
Phyllis A. Whitney

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
Mark Twain

To imagine yourself inside another person...is what a story writer does in every piece of work; it is his first step, and his last too, I suppose."
Eudora Welty

"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader."
Robert Frost

"Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer."
Barbara Kingsolver

"No, it's not a very good story—its author was too busy listening to other voices to listen as closely as he should have to the one coming from inside."
Stephen King

What about you? What inspires you to keep writing even when rejection comes?

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Author Interview ~ Karl Bacon

Karl Bacon grew up in the small picturesque town of Woodbury, Connecticut. After graduating from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he returned to Connecticut and found employment in manufacturing. "Just a job" turned into a professional career, much of which was spent working for a Swiss machine tool company. In 2000 he started his own business to provide services to manufacturing clients across the USA. This change also allowed time to develop his writing craft.

From youth Karl has been a serious student of the Civil War. The draft of An Eye for Glory took ten years from conception to completion. Thousands of hours were spent researching every detail, through copious reading, internet research and personal visits to each of the battlefields, so the novel might be as historically accurate and believable as possible. He lives in Naugatuck, Connecticut with his wife of thirty-three years, Jackie.

Did you see yourself becoming a writer as a child? If not, what did you dream of being?

No, I never thought of becoming a writer. In fact, I disliked writing until I started to write the first of several instructional manuals for the aforementioned Swiss firm. It seemed I had a talent for explaining things well. As a logical and analytical sort of guy I also wasn't much of a dreamer. However, I regularly questioned what God wished me to do with my life. I trusted that, if he wanted me to work at something else, he would make it clear to me.

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

It took ten years to write the first draft, from spring 1998 to June 2008. Research rabbit trails often took days or weeks to resolve. I read extensively about the history of the Connecticut regiment Michael Palmer would enlist in and detailed accounts of every battle he would have been a part of. While visiting the battlefields I visualized how the battle played out over the land. I tried to find the exact spot where Michael would have been. What would he have seen and heard and done? Sometimes I just sat still, soaking up the atmosphere of the place, so I might better bring that atmosphere to life on the page. Sometimes, after writing an intensely emotional scene, I felt drained and couldn’t write another word for weeks or even months. In time the Lord revived me, inspired me, and drove me back to the writing—he would not let me let it go.

Many of the people who follow our blog are aspiring writers themselves. Can you share your favorite writing tip with them?

I read somewhere the importance of approaching my writing from three perspectives—as writer, as character, as reader—one at a time, of course. First, as a writer I must create a compelling story and tell it in a forceful manner, using all the gifts I have been graced with to make my writing attractive to the reader. Next, I review my story as the character. Am I conveying the proper aspect of this character’s growth or decline that is needed at this point in the story? Is this person’s vocabulary fitting to his character? Are the emotions genuine and believable? Finally, I try to analyze what I have written as if I were reading it for the first time. I either read it aloud, or copy the text into my text-to-speech reader, and listen to the words. This might seem like a purely mechanical exercise, but it has certainly helped me to find errors, avoid repetition, hear the sound and flow of the words themselves, and generally improve the quality of my writing.

Now for the readers…many times, it’s easy for them to connect with the characters in a book, but not so much the authors themselves. Share something about your day-to-day life that might help a reader to feel as though they know you a little better.

Shortly after graduating from college over three decades ago, I married my lovely sweetheart Jackie. She was employed for years as a public school Kindergarten teacher, then moved to school administration. She is now principal of a primary school (grades Pre-K to 2) in East Haven, CT. I borrowed some of Jackie's many fine qualities when I developed the character of Michael's wife, Jessie Anne.

Several years ago I gave the unfinished manuscript of An Eye for Glory to Jackie to read. "Just tell me what you think," I said. Days stretched into weeks without a response. Finally I asked her about it.

"I got about a third of the way through. It's just not my cup of tea."

Admittedly, I was a little miffed, but when a measure of objectivity returned, I realized that she was probably right. I still had much to learn and work to do. Last summer, after I completed the last of the substantive edits, I gave her the manuscript again. This time she flew through it. "You know," she said, "this book could change people's lives." That was the best thing this new writer could have ever heard.

Now that you are published, do you still experience rejections? If so, how are these rejections different or similar to the ones you received before becoming published?

I'm an oddity, a debut author whose work was never rejected. In the ten years it took to write it, I never seriously thought about getting it published. So in June, 2008 I put the two binders holding the manuscript in the bookcase in my office and offered a short prayer, "Lord, if that's not where you want it to stay, please show me what to do with it."

I recalled reading that perhaps the best thing any author hoping to get published can do is attend a writers' conference. Within a few days I was a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Within a week or two I had enrolled and made reservations for attending the ACFW annual conference during September in Minneapolis. As part of the total conference experience, I signed up for an interview with Sue Brower, Senior Acquisitions Editor for Zondervan.

Sue loved the storyline and asked for a proposal. I prepared the first proposal I had ever done and sent it in the first week of October, not expecting to receive any response until after the New Year 2009. A little over two weeks after sending the proposal, Sue emailed me. She was very interested and wanted the entire manuscript. She presented it to her publication board in November and emailed me on Veteran's Day with some very good news.

Most people would call it luck, getting the right story in front of the right person at the right time, but I know that only the providential hand of Almighty God could have so correctly directed my steps. Throughout the entire process from completion of the manuscript through publication, I believed that God would make his will known, and that I would be able to rest peacefully in whatever his perfect plan held for An Eye for Glory and for me.

Tell us a little about your latest release:

An Eye for Glory: The Civil War Chronicles of a Citizen Soldier is historical fiction. It is a large story, encompassing almost two years of the war, but as the story is told in the first person, the scope of the novel is limited to what Michael Gabriel Palmer actually saw and heard and did. The story is set in the historical record of the 14th CT Volunteer Infantry and their service with the Army of the Potomac. This regiment served from August, 1862 until May, 1865 and fought in all of the eastern battles from Antietam through Appomattox.

Michael and his best friend John Robinson, both in their mid-thirties, are quite idealistic when they enlist. Both men endure great personal sacrifice because they believe God had called them to rid the nation of slavery and save the Union. For Michael, it isn’t long before this idealism is displaced by the horror and tragedy of the war. Fear and doubt and disillusionment possess him and begin to have profound effects on his character.

Eventually Michael comes to hate the enemy and sees killing as the only solution to ending the war so he can go home. At Gettysburg, during the climax of Pickett’s charge, his hatred boils over and he coldly kills one Rebel after another until the charge is broken. Then Michael jumps over the rock wall, bayonet at the ready to finish off any Confederates he can find, until he is brought up short by a man lying at his feet, a man he remembered shooting earlier. The man was dying. He held up a small Bible. He pleaded with Michael to read for him as he died. In that moment, Michael realizes he has killed a brother in Christ, and this realization haunts Michael for a long time to come.

While it is Michael Palmer’s story, it is all the story of his wife, Jessie Anne. Michael has included several of the letters which passed between husband and wife, and we learn much about how the war has affected not only Michael, but Jessie Anne as well. And as the reader will learn, it is Jessie Anne who finally sets the stage for Michael’s recovery and restoration after the war is done.

If you could only share one line from An Eye for Glory, which one would you choose and why?

The first sentence of the first chapter is "General Reno’s corpse was the first I saw during the war." Not bad for a first line. It plunges the reader into the Civil War and reveals one of the protagonist's core conflicts: death. The astute Civil War buff will know that Gen. Reno was killed at South Mountain on September 14, 1862—time and place, although I reveal this directly shortly after. I believe it also conveys the tenor of the story to follow. If you were looking for a sweet Civil War romance loaded with victor's laurels and gallant chivalry, you will probably be disappointed, because An Eye for Glory is a true to history, realistic, and unflinching portrayal of one man's experiences. Still, I wrestled long and hard with that first line, not so much with the wording of it, but with the decision to use such an obvious hook line to start a literary novel. It seemed to go against the first-person matter-of-fact style of Michael Palmer's storytelling, but everything I had read and heard begged for a powerful first sentence. I conceded the point and I think I made the right decision—and I haven't lost any sleep over it.

Writers often put things in their books that are very personal—like a funny story that happened to them, a spiritual truth they learned through difficulty, or even just a character trait that is uniquely theirs. Is there something in An Eye for Glory that only people close to you know is about you or someone you know?

I grew up playing baseball, and the position I played most often was catcher. In the snowball fight scene (Chapter 16), the throwing motion I described is the method I learned for throwing the ball accurately from home plate to second base. And come autumn, when unpicked apples fell from the trees, I would often see how many tree trunks I could hit with them.

Readers often talk a lot about the hero and heroine of a story, but today I’d like to know something about your villain. Does he or she have a redeeming quality? Why or why not?

Have you ever thought or said, "I'm my own worst enemy?" There is no human villain in An Eye for Glory, no person you can point to as the antagonist. While the elemental conflict of man against man is present on the battlefield, it is not the most pressing conflict for Michael Palmer. Many times during the story, Michael gives vivid details about what he has seen, and often these descriptions are terribly graphic. The horror takes up residence within his soul to the extent that, as lowering clouds obscure the warm, life-giving sun, so Michael’s ordeals hide God’s tender mercies from him. As the story develops, Michael comes to see God as more enemy than friend, let alone as his Heavenly Father. Michael is lost in his temporary afflictions, and loses all sight of the eternal glory that can be his, both in this life and the next.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book? Can you share some articles or website links you found particularly helpful?

I didn’t keep a log, but thousands of hours were spent on research, with reading occupying most of that time. My Civil War library grew from half a shelf to an entire bookcase. I found a few key volumes at my local and state libraries. The Internet proved invaluable as well, especially the Library of Congress digital collection of historical maps. The address is: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html. I also visited all of the battlefields depicted in the story (www.nps.gov), some two or three times, in an effort to walk where the men of the Fourteenth Connecticut walked and fought. A complete bibliography can be found on my website at www.kbacon.com. I have also posted a few links to get you started if you are interested in attending one of the many events planned in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I have started another Civil War novel titled Until Shiloh Comes. It is completely different in terms of scope, a more localized and personal story, rather than a saga like An Eye for Glory. My second novel will deal with the changes that take place in a southern Tennessee family in the aftermath of the battle of Shiloh.

The most common thing I hear when people learned I’ve published a book is, “I’ve always wanted to do that.” Faced with this statement, what advice would you give to someone just starting out in this business?

First, be brutally honest and question yourself. “Is this what God would have of me at this point in my life? Is it His calling or my desire?” Both would be best. “If I pursue writing, will other and perhaps more necessary duties to family or employer or church go undone?” Second, when you write, do it only for the glory of God and honor Him with the gift you have been given. Third, no matter what stage your writing career’s at, attend a writers’ conference, preferably a Christian one. Opportunities for learning about writing and the publishing business abound, friendships develop, fellowship with others of like precious faith and gifts enriches you, and you have the opportunity to rub elbows with other writers, published authors, agents, and editors from many Christian publishing houses.

What is the one question you were afraid I would ask…and how would you answer?

Did the institution of slavery cause the Civil War?

Yes, in my opinion. In spite of all that has been said and written about states having the right of self-determination within their borders, and the right to dissolve their federal bonds, it was only the slavery issue that so totally divided and polarized this nation into two opposing camps that were willing to shed rivers of blood to resolve it.
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Karl is giving away a copy of his book An Eye for Glory. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

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