On Writing Archive - Susan May Warren

Archive for the ‘On Writing’ Category

ACFW announces 2010 ACFW Carol Awards

Jul 29th 2010

Posted by Susan

ACFW has just announced the finalists for the 2010 ACFW Carol Awards (formerly Book of the Year). These awards recognize excellence in Christian fiction in a variety of categories, and represent fiction titles released in 2009. Totally honored to have a double nomination!

Here are this year’s finalists:

Debut Author
Bonnie Grove – Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook Publishing)
Liz Johnson – The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (Steeple Hill)
Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Jill Eileen Smith – Michal (Revell)
Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Contemporary Novella
6 Finalists due to a tie
Barbara Cameron – One Child (Thomas Nelson)
Barbara Cameron – When Winter Comes (Thomas Nelson)
Debra Clopton – A Mule Hollow Match (Steeple Hill)
Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House)
Beth Wiseman – A Change of Heart (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman – A Choice to Forgive (Thomas Nelson)

Historical Novella
Victoria Bylin – Home Again (Steeple Hill)
Vickie McDonough – A Breed Apart (Barbour Publishing)
Vickie McDonough – Beloved Enemy (Barbour Publishing)
Janet Tronstad – Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill)
Carrie Turansky – A Shelter in the Storm (Barbour Publishing)

Long Contemporary
6 Finalists due to a tie
Christina Berry – The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers)
Mary Ellis – A Widow's Hope (Harvest House Publishers)
Joyce Magnin – The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Abingdon Press)
Susan Meissner – White Picket Fences (Waterbrook Press)
Marlo Schalesky- If Tomorrow Never Comes (Multnomah)
Susan May Warren – Nothing But Trouble (Tyndale House)

Long Contemporary Romance
Candace Calvert – Critical Care (Tyndale House)
Denise Hunter – Seaside Letters (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones – Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman – Plain Promise (Thomas Nelson)
Cindy Woodmsall – The Hope of Refuge (Waterbrook Press)

Mystery
A.K. Arenz – The Case of the Mystified M.D. (Sheaf House)
Mindy Starns Clark – Under the Cajun Moon (Harvest House Publishers)
Darlene Franklin – A String of Murders (Heartsong Mysteries)
S. Dionne Moore – Polly Dent Loses Grip (Heartsong Mysteries)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Pushing up Daisies (Heartsong Mysteries)

Long Historical
Deeanne Gist – A Bride in the Bargain (Bethany House)
Robin Lee Hatcher – Fit To Be Tied (Zondervan)
Maureen Lang – Look to the East (Tyndale House)
Siri Mitchell – Love's Pursuit (Bethany House)
Allison Pittman – Stealing Home (Multnomah)

Long Historical Romance
8 Finalists due to a tie
Amanda Cabot – Paper Roses (Revell)
Mary Connealy – Cowboy Christmas (Barbour Publishing)
Mary Connealy – Montana Rose (Barbour Publishing)
Laura Frantz – The Frontiersman's Daughter (Revell)
Ann Gabhart – The Believer (Revell)
Julie Lessman – A Passion Denied (Revell)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna – Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas (Summerside Press)
Kathleen Y’Barbo – The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper (Waterbrook Press)

Short Contemporary
Debra Clopton – His Cowgirl Bride (Steeple Hill)
Myra Johnson – Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents)
Vickie McDonough – A Wagonload of Trouble (Heartsong Presents)
Mae Nunn – A Texas Ranger's Family (Steeple Hill)
Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye – Dreaming of Home (Steeple Hill)

Short Contemporary Suspense
6 Finalists due to a tie
Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Sandra Robbins – Final Warning (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith – Murder at Eagle Summit (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith – Scent of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Jenness Walker – Double Take (Steeple Hill)
Lenora Worth – Code of Honor (Steeple Hill)

Short Historical
Lyn Cote – Her Patchwork Family (Steeple Hill)
Laurie Alice Eakes – The Glassblower (Heartsong Presents)
Laurie Kingery – The Outlaw's Lady (Steeple Hill)
Lynette Sowell – All That Glitters (Heartsong Presents)
Dan Walsh – The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Speculative (includes Science Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory)
6 Finalists due to a tie
Kirk Outerbridge – Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Donita K. Paul – The Vanishing Sculptor (Waterbrook Press)
Steve Rzasa – The Word Reclaimed (Marcher Lord Press)
Stuart Vaughn Stockton – Starfire (Marcher Lord Press)
Fred Warren – The Muse (Splashdown Books)
Jill Williamson – By Darkness Hid (Marcher Lord Press)

Suspense/Thriller
Terri Blackstock – Intervention (Zondervan)
Colleen Coble – Lonestar Secrets (Thomas Nelson)
Brandilyn Collins – Exposure (Zondervan)
Harry Kraus – Salty Like Blood (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
DiAnn Mills – Breach of Trust (Tyndale House)

Women’s Fiction
7 Finalists due to a tie
Julie Carobini – Sweet Waters (B&H Publishing)
Kathryn Cushman – Leaving Yesterday (Bethany House)
Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck – Sweet By and By (Thomas Nelson)
Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay – Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press)
Deborah Raney – Yesterday's Embers (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
Deborah Raney – Above All Things (Steeple Hill)
Lisa Wingate – The Summer Kitchen (New American Library/Penguin)

Young Adult
Shelley Adina – Who Made You a Princess? (Hachette FaithWords)
Brandilyn & Amberly Collins – Always Watching (Zondervan)
Jenny B. Jones – I'm So Sure (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones – So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson)
Booker T. Mattison – Unsigned Hype (Revell)

The Carol Awards will be presented at ACFW's Conference in Indianapolis, September 17-20. There's still time to register at www.acfw.com/conference.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS!!!!

Join me for Kitchen Chat on Friday!

Mar 11th 2010

Posted by Susan

Join me on Margaret McSweeney's Kitchen Chat on Friday at 11:00 am Central! Want to ask me a question? Call in to the show: 1-877-864-4869

To listen go here: http://toginet.com/shows/kitchenchat and click on the player in the upper right corner.

And leave a comment on my segment post here to win a copy of either Double Trouble or Sons of Thunder! (Be sure to leave your email address!)

an Occasional Weekend

Nov 10th 2009

Posted by Susan

So, did I mention I finished a book last week? And, it was a grueler, let me tell you. Not a crumb of cereal left in the house, I lived off chocolate chips for the last three days.

I have no idea how the children survived. But they’re still here, so they must have eaten something. (which makes me wonder….just what does a gal have to do to get them out of the house? No, I’m kidding. I love my tribe).

Anyway, so when I finish a grueler, I like to have a little fun on the backside.

AKA….Shopping.

And I found compatriots in a Book Club from Buffalo. I met with this group in July…and they mentioned something called an Occasional Sale. Apparently, these stores are ONLY OPEN the first weekend of the month (Th-Sun). And they’re cool stores – like home décor and antique stores, and boutique clothing stores and…..Lillian’s.

The coolest handbag store on the planet.

Did you say…handbags? Purses? Hmm….let me look at my calendar…

These fun gals put together an Occasional Sale fest for me and my traveling pal Mary. We shopped, had a slumber party and basically sorted out life.

You know, it’s what we women do, the world over.

But first – Lillian’s! Imagine a store that just sells cool handbags from across the world….at NORMAL PRICES! Knock-offs and original designs. This store is SO cool that not only do these ladies make it work only 4 days a month but….in the last 3 years, they’ve opened..wait for it… 31 STORES around the Midwest!

Here’s me with Lillian’s Founders Sue Olmscheid and Cindy Deuser.

Okay, so this goes into my “dream job when I clone myself” category.

You just have to check this store out – go to www.lilliansshoppe.com and you’ll be an addict.

Then we stopped at a French antique store. Again, only open 4 days a month…with entirely new displays and sale items every month. I need these people to come to my house. Decorate it. Once a month will do. (See, I’m already fitting into the mold!) Thanks, Teresa! (far right) Teresa has a blog at http://theporchatelier.blogspot.com.

Oh, and the fun didn’t end there!We hung out at my new friend Deb’s cabin on the lake…They took VERY good care of me and Mary with some amazing white chili and butternut squash soup. I didn’t know butternut squash could taste that good.

We got started talking about Roller Derby (and how I’d like to write a PJ Sugar book where PJ becomes a roller girl…) and of course everyone landed Roller Names.

The Occasional Rollers – Me. (I’m not telling you my name), French Revolution, Needles Norman, The Silencer, The Icer, Sizzler, and Bloody Mary (not pictured, Patty, the ReArranger)

I think everyone should have a Roller Derby name, don’t you? Just for those moments when we get hip-checked into the boards….

Thanks for a great Occasional Weekend, ladies!

We Can Eat Next Spring …

Nov 9th 2009

Posted by Susan

When I became a career novelist, I thought…hey, I’ll run my life as if I had an office to go to everyday – “go to the office” around 8 am, “come home” around 4pm, when the kids got off the bus – perfect!

Except, that schedule sort of only works in my brain. (there’s a lot of other things stuck in there too – like the 5 ft 7, size two woman, the mini-Martha, the wanna be Beth Moore. Yeah, it’s cluttered).

The truth is, when I’m working on a book – in the discovery phase (where I do a sort of NaNoWriMo, except I do it about 3-4 times a year), or when I’m at the tail end of a book and furiously analyzing every word – I sort of get obsessed. Tunnel vision. My version of “All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy.” (only without the axe. Or the voices…okay, maybe there are voices.).

My people come into my office, where I’m nested deep in my big blue writing chair, and say things like. “Are we ever going to eat?” or “Did you want us to have cereal for supper again?” or, even “Did you know there is no cereal left?” and my favorite, “Mom, if you don’t answer me I’m going to run away with the troupe of circus performers at the front door.”

Did you say something honey?

(Personally, I don’t know why everyone is so obsessed with food).

It occurred to me this weekend, in the home stretch of editing, that maybe I should look up. Just to make sure the house wasn’t on fire.

Ah, Number 3 son doing a little leisure reading. (feeling some envy right now)

Number 2 son catching up on his NFL channel. Because clearly we don’t have enough football in this house.

Daughter on Facebook (maybe I should get online and chat with her…see how she’s doing…)

Am I ever going to eat again, Mom?

Whoops. She has no opposable thumbs. I’ll feed her.

Wait, What’s this? Hello – what happened to FALL? Not fair! I’m lodging a protest with the Life Moves Too Fast committee.

Sigh. Okay, back to work.

We can eat next spring.

Inspiration

Nov 2nd 2009

Posted by Susan

Writing is the loneliest word…(okay, there was a tune in my head there – sorry!) Seriously though – Writing is just about you, and the screen. And the voices in your head. Too many voices, sometimes. And after you’ve sat on your backside for eight hours, or more, well, sometimes you go looking for inspiration.

Like this.

Or this.

Or even this.

But really, as I sit here, staring at my words, trying not to check my facebook, twitter, email…etc. As I fight to ponder each word’s nuance and milk it for the fullest meaning, my real inspiration for getting this sentence, scene, BOOK finished is…

THIS.

Wait for mom, guys! I’ll be right there!

It’s available on Amazon!!!

Apr 2nd 2009

Posted by Susan

From the Inside Out: discover…create…and publish the novel in you

Be the first to leave a review…or better yet, buy a copy! *G*

check it out here

Rachel and I are being interviewed today!

Feb 24th 2009

Posted by Susan

Come join us at 11:30 EST as we chat with Jill from The CWAHM Network: Encouragement and Inspiration for Entrepreneurs!

Rachel and I will be discussing the new My Book Therapy book, From the Inside Out and talking about the Blog-A-Book book we're writing (by the way…chapter 1 is up!) and My Book Therapy services.

We'll also be talking about what it's like to work together…it'll be fun! Please join us: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/bc/cwahm and tell your friends!

From the Inside…Out: Discover, Create and Publish the novel in You!

Feb 21st 2009

Posted by Susan

I'm so excited to announce that….I wrote a writing book!!

From the Inside….Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!

Inside out small

I've been wanting to do this for a few years now, a response to so many of the basic, but essential questions that participants in my beginning writer's workshops ask. How you do you plot? How you develop characters? How you do you pitch a book? What goes into a scene? How do I craft a black moment?

And can you help me do it?

Yes! And, it doesn't have to be overwhelming! I believe that writing a book doesn't have to be agonizing, that it can come from your heart, and still be put inside a framework of proven storytelling. And this book, my method of looking inside for your plot and characters, teaches you how.

Here's a little promo that tells you more…

From the Inside….Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!

Feb 10th 2009

Posted by Susan

I’m so excited to announce that….I wrote a writing book!!

I’ve been wanting to do this for a few years now, a response to so many of the basic, but essential questions that participants in my beginning writer’s workshops ask. How you do you plot? How you develop characters? How you do you pitch a book? What goes into a scene? How do I craft a black moment? And can you help me do it?

Yes! And, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

I believe that writing a book doesn’t have to be agonizing, that it can come from your heart, and still be put inside a framework of proven storytelling. And this book, my method of looking inside for your plot and characters, teaches you how. Here’s a little promo that tells you more…

It’ll be available in May at Amazon.com…for now, you can buy it at the My Book Therapy Shop, as a hard copy or an affordable download.

Read more here, or go to the My Book Therapy shop…and start writing your novel today!

A big THANK YOU goes to my MBT co-therapist Rachel Hauck for all her input into this process too! Blessings on your writing journey!

It’s not easy to write a sequel…

Jan 20th 2009

Posted by Susan

This month's Christian Fiction Online Article: Craft Tips and Techniques from Today's Blockbusters

Back to Deep Magic of Narnia: How to Write a Successful Sequel

It’s not easy to write a sequel…

I love series books. I can’t help it-I get to know a character or a group of people and I want to stick around with them, to know them and watch them journey on. I am sure this is what made Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series a must-buy on my list. And why I flock to movies one, two, three, four, five, and six (whatever order you want to put them in) of Star Wars and Harry Potter. As soon as we hear the word “sequel,” whether to a great book or movie, we’re caught up in the magic, the images, and the emotions of our favorite books and movies. We long to dive back into that world, to be enchanted again with the story, the characters, and the fictive dream.

But sadly, we’re so often let down. How many “sequel” movies have we watched only to leave the theater with a sense of disappointment? Or how many second books have we put down, thinking, I can’t read the third?

It’s not easy to write a sequel . . . much less make it better than the first. I had mixed emotions about Prince Caspian. I didn’t love the ending, but perhaps because I knew Susan and Peter’s adventures were over. But I did enjoy the romp through Narnia a second time-so let’s take a look at the elements of a successful sequel.

Read the rest here!

Susan May Warren

Scribbles

Archive for the ‘On Writing’ Category

ACFW announces 2010 ACFW Carol Awards

Posted by Susan

Join me for Kitchen Chat on Friday!

Posted by Susan

an Occasional Weekend

Posted by Susan

We Can Eat Next Spring …

Posted by Susan

Inspiration

Posted by Susan

It’s available on Amazon!!!

Posted by Susan

Rachel and I are being interviewed today!

Posted by Susan

From the Inside…Out: Discover, Create and Publish the novel in You!

Posted by Susan

From the Inside….Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!

Posted by Susan

It’s not easy to write a sequel…

Posted by Susan

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