A Huge New Release Historical Christian Romance Giveaway!

Who's ready for a book GIVEAWAY!?! Do you like historical romance? Then this is the giveaway for you! 10 authors have teamed up to bring you a fun giveaway -- just in time for your spring reading. Enter to win one of the books pictured here -- there will be 10 winners in all, each winning 1 book. You may need to log into Facebook again. This contest is not endorsed, administered, or sponsored by Facebook. Open to US residents only. GOOD LUCK! 


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Pinterest for Authors by member Dawn Crandall

I was purposefully late onto the Pinterest boat when it became all the rage a few years ago. I didn’t especially like to cook, craft, or organize ... and that was what everyone pinned about, wasn’t it? At least that was what my friends seemed to pin about. And why did I need Pinterest to save my favorite photos off the internet? I already had several years’ worth of photos saved to my laptop to feed my imagination ... a whole folder full of “book photos” to show the different aspects of the imaginary world I written about for the last few years.
 
My debut novel, The Hesitant Heiress, release on August 1st from Whitaker House Books. The second in the series, The Bound Heart, came out in November (yes, I know that's crazy, but that was what my publisher wanted to do since they were both finished at the time the book contract was signed). Once I signed the book contract, it didn’t take me long to make boards for all three of the books in The Everstone Chronicles series. When I went exploring I found everything I needed on Pinterest to make my boards just how I wanted them. 

Here are links to the Pinterest Boards for my books:

The Hesitant Heiress Pinterest Board (for the most part, completely finished chapter by chapter photo journey through the book)

The Bound Heart Pinterest Board (a work in progress) 

The Captive Imposter Pinterest Board (a work in progress)
 
Yep. As you can see (hopefully you clicked through to see what I'm talking about), Pinterest had it all. 
 
In the beginning, I primarily made my boards for myself. I love to look through them and recall the stories I spent so much time developing and finding out about. But I’ve come to realize that the people who’ve come upon my board and decide to follow it must see something of the story too, even with only little snippets of words either from the book or describing what the photo means for the story.

Here is a list of the kinds of things I looked for to include in mine:

• Photos of Back Bay Boston and Mount Desert Island, Maine
• The character “inspirations” for my hero and heroine
• Dresses that my heroine would wear
• Distinct items found in the book
• Horses, pets
• Houses, including interiors and exteriors
• Sayings that describe what the book is about
• Photos of specific scenes… if you can find them!

 
I included a few other writing related boards on my Pinterest page as well. I have an author board called “About Me” with links to my blog and twitter account. I share pictures of things that I love, and things that say a lot about me. I also add sayings that mean a lot to me and favorite Bible verses. Another one was my board for my blog, “A Passion for Pages.” Every time I blog about something I link it to this Pinterest board.

I have really come to love and value Pinterest—even if most of what is on there was pinned while I was very pregnant and having trouble sleeping at night—I sure had fun finding those photos! So far, since I’ve linked my Pinterest page to my blog, my twitter and my Facebook author page, I’ve had a pretty great turnout of soon-to-be readers who have followed the board for my debut novel. It’s basically become my favorite way of marketing… probably because it was something I was doing on my own on my laptop way before Pinterest was ever invented.

What questions do you have? Anyone else out there use Pinterest? How are you using it—for yourself (to store images) or for marketing? If you're a Pinterest user, what do you most like about it and have you ever purchased a book because you were intrigued by an author's board?

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A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education, and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn't begin writing until her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming traditionally published, he encouraged her to quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing The Hesitant Heiress. It didn't take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.

Apart from writing books, Dawn is also a first-time mom to a precious little boy (born March 2014) and also serves with her husband in a premarriage mentor program at their local church in Northeast Indiana. Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.

The Everstone Chronicles is Dawn's first series with Whitaker House. All three books composing the series were semifinalists in ACFW's prestigious Genesis Writing Contest, the third book going on to become a finalist in 2013.
 

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THE HESITANT HEIRESS

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own… and without a husband.

Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn't who she thought at all.

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THE BOUND HEART 

One accidental kiss from Lawry Hampton. That was all it took to throw Meredyth Summercourt's world upside-down. Determined to marry the ever-elusive Vance Everstone, she simply doesn't have the time or the desire to fall for her best friend. But with Vance out of the country, and with Lawry at her side nearly every day, teaching her what the world is like through the eyes of a little orphan girl named Wynn--Meredyth can't deny that what's holding her to Vance is nothing more than a desire to redeem herself from her past.

Will she marry Vance once he returns from Europe? Or will she be strong enough to break free from the tangled web she's convinced she deserves, and accept that God's plan for her life includes redemption...and, quite possibly, Lawry Hampton? 

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THE CAPTIVE IMPOSTER (RELEASING IN 2015)

Sent away for protection, hotel heiress Estella Everstone finds herself living undercover as a lady’s companion at Everston, one of her father’s opulent hotels in the mountains of Maine—the one she'd always loved best and always hoped to own one day. Within the week, Estella discovers that her ex-fiancé is in the area and is set on marrying someone else. Reeling from her feelings of being unwanted and unworthy, Estella forms a friendship with the manager of Everston, Dexter Blakeley. She soon discovers that he is not simply the manager, but the new owner. Resentment takes hold in her heart, and she decides to sever the friendship.
When she finds herself in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue with an offer she can't refuse. Though she doesn’t want to be indebted to him, Estella sees no other choice aside from going back home to her family. Through the rebuilding of their friendship, and despite her earlier hard feelings, Estella realizes that although she’s been lying to him about her identity, she’s never been freer to be herself in her life.

Release Dates and Titles for my Debut Series from Whitaker House Books!

The Everstone Chronicles by Dawn Crandall

~ Set in New England during the Gilded Age
~ Long Inspirational Historical Romantic Suspense Series

~ Written from First Person POV

 

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*** I just had my very first look at the covers YESTERDAY—

I can't share them yet, but I will soon! *** 

 

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The Hesitant Heiress
The Everstone Chronicles, book 1
(previously known as Amaryllis Brigham)

~ Releases August 2014 from Whitaker House Books

~ 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest Semi-Finalist 

~ 2012 Clash of the Titles Olympia Contest Semi-Finalist

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy disappearing before her very eyes. Now the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: marry within the year to inherit her grandmother’s fortune. Amaryllis reluctantly takes part in her aunt’s society, intent on getting to the west coast on her own… and without a husband.

Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, whose father not only had a part in her expulsion, but whose ominous presence has haunted her dreams for a decade since her mother’s tragic death. Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been "managing her life" isn't who she thought at all.

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The Bound Heart
The Everstone Chronicles, book 2
(previously known as Meredyth Summercourt)

~ Releases November 2014 from Whitaker House Books

~ 2012 ACFW Genesis Contest Semi-Finalist

             

One accidental kiss. That was all it took to throw Meredyth Summercourt's world upside-down. Determined to marry the ever-elusive Vance Everstone, she simply doesn't have the time or the desire to fall for her friend Lawry Hampton. However, with Vance out of the country and Lawry constantly at her side, Meredyth can’t help but wonder if what’s holding her to Vance is nothing more than a desire to redeem herself from their unfortunate past.          

When Vance comes home to stake his claim on Meredyth, will she be strong enough to break free from the tangled web of deceit she’s convinced she deserves? Or will she find the strength to accept that God’s plan for her life could include redemption... and quite possibly the love of her best-friend?

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The Captive Imposter
The Everstone Chronicles, book 3
(previously known as Estella Everstone)

~ Releases February 2015 from Whitaker House Books

~ 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest Finalist
      

Sent away for protection, hotel heiress Estella Everstone finds herself living undercover as a lady’s companion at Everston, one of her father’s opulent hotels in the mountains of Maine. Within the week, Estella discovers that her ex-fiancé, Jay, is in the area and has a new fiancée who he’s rescued from a nearby brothel and plans to take West with him. Reeling from her feelings of being unwanted and unworthy, Estella forms a friendship with the manager of Everston, Dexter Blakeley. She soon discovers that he is not simply the manager, but the new owner.

Saddened by this fact, Estella severs their friendship. She manages to avoid Dexter until she finds herself fired from her position due to a misunderstanding. Coming to her rescue, Dexter offers her a job as companion to his sister. Though she doesn’t want to be indebted to him, Estella sees no other choice. While rebuilding their friendship, Estella realizes that although she’s been lying to Dexter about her identity, she’s never been freer to be herself in her life. However, when he proposes, she has to tell him the truth—a truth he isn’t happy to find out.

 

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Photo by Lauren Richwine

Dawn Crandall writes inspirational historical romantic suspense from first person point of view and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. Her debut series, The Everstone Chronicles, will release beginning in the summer of 2014 through Whitaker House Books. 

 

She is the Secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter as well as an associate member of The Great Lakes ACFW Chapter. She has a Bachelor Degree in Christian Education from Taylor University. She's been a stay-at-home-writer for the last few years, but will be taking on another new and exciting job THIS WEEK as a stay-at-home-MOMMY... as well as writer. And yes, she would value your prayers while she takes care of a newborn and edits her first three books and continues to write new ones... 

Visit Dawn online at www.dawncrandall.blogspot.com, at her Facebook Author Page or on Pinterest. Dawn hosts a book review blog called A Passion for Pages and tweet those reviews at @dawnwritesfirst. 

 

Surprised by Crazy, Fierce Love by Dawn Crandall

I thought I knew what I wanted. I really did.  

I was in my mid-thirties, had a terrific husband (of eight years), a cute house in a town not far from my hometown and family, the ability to write from home, a respected literary agent and a three book historical romantic suspense series making the rounds with the top Christian publishers in the industry. I was set. And completely convinced that I had everything I could ask for. Well, everything but the finalized book contract with a publisher, that is.

And then I went on vacation last summer. It was a good vacation. Planned at the last moment—like usual—but to generally the same location my husband and I visit every summer: a rustic cabin built by my husband’s grand-father and great-grandfather in 1948. This pine tree-surrounded cabin sits on a lake in Northern (as in WAY north) Maine. We drive up simply because my husband has the vacation time to spare, and we like to stop along the way and visit places like Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts and Moosehead Lake in Central Maine (where my third book is set). 

But for some strange reason, this vacation felt different. It was our eighth summer staying there and visiting extended family who are closer to me than my own cousins, aunts and uncles... but I was getting restless. I’d heard snippets of interest from a publisher earlier that summer, and my third manuscript was a finalist in a very prestigious writing contest. I was becoming a little obsessive in my thoughts about what was EVER going to happen with these books I’d poured the last four years of my life into. 

One night while staying at the cabin, my husband (being the Mainer that he is) asked to take me out for a moonlit canoe ride. We didn’t have to go far to be surrounded by the moon and a multitude of brightly shining stars. Usually, when I get to such a place all I can think about are my stories and how to make them real for readers... but this time, as we sat there silently staring at the sky I felt a question resound through me, to my heart. 

What do you want more than anything, Dawn?

My quick answer: 

I want my books to be published.

Does that seem like a silly answer to you? It didn’t to me. When I’d begun my first book (the one the publishers had in their hands), I’d written it for myself. Not to be published, but for something to do... because I wasn’t having babies. I’d always wanted to write a book. I just thought I’d do it after I got married (right out of college, of course—haha!), had my children, and they went off to school… much like the time-line of many of my writer-friends who are also my age.

But that night, as I sat there in that canoe, I realized I’d given up on all that. Nothing was happening. Not that I was jumping through hoops, popping pills, or getting fertility shots. I’d simply been told that there was NOTHING wrong with me. I’d spent too many years thinking, “Where are my babies?” that I just needed to stop. So I did. I pretended not to care. I forced myself into a submissive attitude, telling myself that it didn’t matter. If God wanted me to have babies, then I would have babies. If He didn’t, I wouldn’t. It was that simple.

However, my books… now there was something happening. They were SO CLOSE to publication and had gotten there relatively easily. I figured that was what I was meant to do. WRITE. And why not? There’s nothing I’ve enjoyed more than creating and writing an intensely complex love story to thrill my friends with. So yes, my answer made complete sense to me. It was what I’d come to want more than anything else. 

Until I got home from vacation and couldn’t write. I had my rough draft of the third manuscript finished, but there were so many things I needed to polish and add to the end of the story before it came time to go to the ACFW conference to find out the winners of the Genesis Contest in September. There I sat with the desire to write, yet I was suddenly too exhausted to think! I thought it was the fact that we’d been gone for over two weeks, which was longer than usual... but a few weeks later I had another, very odd suspicion that it was something more than that. 

My brain was in a constant fog, and I was too tired to really do anything—more tired than I’d EVER been in my entire life. And suddenly the idea of eating anything sounded disgusting?

I couldn’t fathom the truth. How could it be? It was a fact I knew all too well: Dawn couldn’t get pregnant. But slowly, cautiously, I began to really believe it. My husband took me to the grocery store that week (because I couldn’t make it on my own!) and at the end of the bread aisle I told him, “I think we need to buy a pregnancy test.”

The remembrance of the huge smile on his face when he held those two pink lines up for me to see later that evening still breaks my heart. He’d been praying and praying all those years, even after I’d given up. And suddenly, with the answer of his faithful prayers, it didn’t matter so much if my books ever got published. 

And yeah, I’d thought I knew what I wanted a month before... that week when I'd been asked, and God went into action to immediately prove me wrong.

Photo by A Portrait of a Lady Photography

I was wrong. So wrong.

I’m now six and a half weeks from my baby’s due date... AND I was finally blessed with a three-book contract with Whitaker House Books earlier this winter. I still want both—don’t get me wrong—but nothing compares to feeling the surprising, crazy, fierce love I have for this baby wiggling inside as it grows bigger and stronger.... Not even the joy of completing a 90K manuscript that a publisher actually finds worthy of publishing under their name.

Throughout this pregnancy, although I am quite nervous about the strange mixture of having a newborn baby and a three book contract to deal with at the same time, I can’t help but constantly think back to the two verses that I long ago picked out as the themes for my first book and how they ended up being not just for my heroine, Amaryllis Brigham, but for me too. 

Ephesians 3:20 ~ “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us...”

James 1:17 ~ “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change...”

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Dawn Crandall writes long inspirational historical romantic suspense from first person point of view and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. Her debut series will release in 2014 through Whitaker House Books. 

Photo by A Portrait of a Lady Photography

She is the Secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter as well as an associate member of The Great Lakes ACFW Chapter. She has a Bachelor Degree in Christian Education from Taylor University. 

 

Dawn's first completed manuscript, Amaryllis Brigham, was a 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest Semi-Finalists as well as a 2012 Clash of the Titles Olympia Contest Semi-Finalist, her second, Meredyth Summercourt, was a 2012 ACFW Genesis Contest Semi-Finalist, and her third, Estella Everstone, was a 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest Finalist. All three are part of her debut series which will release from Whitaker House Books starting in 2014.

Dawn hosts a book review blog called A Passion for Pages and tweet those reviews at @dawnwritesfirst. She also has a Facebook Author Page.

Self-editing with an iPad by member blogger Dawn Crandall

Did you know there's a way to self-edit your WIP without using ink or paper? 

I didn't think so. 

Not that I invented this or anything, but I did discover this on my own over a year ago. I just wasn't sure how it was going to work out and thought I'd run an entire book through the process before spouting off about it. 

At the time, I had a Kindle with a keyboard. Probably the coolest thing I found out about my Kindle after purchasing it was that I could send my own documents to it. Cool, right? Well, who of us can actually just read our own work? Not me. I found that as I read my WIP on my Kindle, I would find things I wanted to change... things I'd never noticed while looking at it on my computer. 

Real quick, I want to mention something. I heard once that when you do all of your self-editing, critiquing and such on a computer screen, you miss about 30% of the mistakes and changes you would otherwise have caught by either printing it out or reading it upon a device in which you couldn't simply make an easy fix. I don't know where this info came from originally, but I have found it to be 100% true. 

Okay, back to what I was saying... I went ahead and began using my Kindle to read through my chapters as I wrote them. Before I write a book, I make a pretty extensive outline made up of scenes I already have in mind with characters I've been thinking of and getting to know for at least a few weeks and then a three-page synopsis. Once that's finished, I begin writing chapter one. However, before moving on to chapter two, I go about editing my chapter between five and ten times on my Kindle, or how ever many times it takes to get to the point that I don't want to change anything. After writing about a third of the novel, I send it to my critique partner to read. After I get it back and administered her edits, I read through the chunk of chapters again on my Kindle. Only then would I move on to write the second third of the book, and so on.    

I followed this process through most of my second book, which I finished last fall. Sadly, I was beginning to notice that my poor little Kindle just couldn't keep up with all the notes and highlights I wanted to add and would become bogged down. 

Easy fix--I had the Kindle app on my iPhone. Haha, that didn't last long. 

I really liked the compact size of my Kindle and thought that a regular-sized iPad with the FREE Kindle app was just too big for me. Fortunately, just as I needed it, Apple came out with the iPad mini... which is the exact same size as my Kindle keyboard. 

<-- As you can see from the photo to the right, this is what this article looks like in the Kindle app on my iPad mini. You have the option of highlighting in four different colors, as well as taking any number of notes. The notes can be as longs as you want, they just cannot be copied and pasted into another app on the iPad.  

Okay, so now that I have your attention, would you like to know how this all happens? 

Good, because I'm going to be the one to tell you. 

1.) Set up your Kindle or Kindle app with your Amazon account. Amazon will make an email for your kindle. It will most likely use your standard email account's name but change the handle to @kindle.com. You can look up what the email is both on your device and online at your Amazon.com account. 

2.) You'll need to go to your Amazon.com My Kindle account. Under the "Digital Content" section you'll need to click on Manage Your Kindle. 

3.) Along the left side of the screen will be a list of options, and you'll need to click Personal Document Settings. 

4.) Scroll down to the end of the website to where it says Approved Personal Document Email List and add the personal email that you'll send the document from on your computer. Remember, if you plan to have any of your friends or critique partners email you their documents, you'll need to add their email to this list as well.

5.) TO SEND: Go to your email account. Type in your Kindle email address, attach the document file you want to read or edit and push send. Easy. :)

I've never considered myself a very technologically-advanced person, but once I realized the possibilities of what the Kindle could do to help with my writing career, I worked hard until I figured it out. I live by this one-chapter-at-a-time process of editing from my iPad now and use it to edit and polish through every book I write.     

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Dawn Crandall writes long inspirational historical and contemporary romantic suspense from first person point of view and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. All three of her completed manuscripts have made it to the semi-final round of the ACFW Genesis Contest so far. She has a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University and lives in northeast Indiana with her ever-supportive husband and two cats, Lilly and Pumpkin. Dawn hosts a book review blog called A Passion for Pages at apassionforpages.blogspot.com and tweets those reviews at @dawnwritesfirst. Visit her website at www.dawncrandall.blogspot.com.

"A Noble Groom" by Jody Hedlund - A Writer's Review by Member Blogger Dawn Crandall

Jody Hedlund does it every single time.

She impresses me. Yes, Dawn Crandall, the virtually un-impressible. And yet she does it... every single time.

With that said, she doesn’t have nearly enough books out! This is only her fourth published novel (with Bethany House), and in my opinion, there aren’t too many authors out there who write half so well.

Also, before I start in on what I loved SO MUCH about the inside of this book, I have to add that A Noble Groom has THE BEST COVER EVER. I don’t often like covers with the hero of the book pictured, especially without the heroine involved at all! But this one went so well with the blurb about the book. Everything about it was perfect: the farm, the wind, the clouds, the suit, the cravat, the colors, the look on his face... everything about it matched everything inside the book to perfection.

I really don’t know how exactly Jody makes reading about two mismatched people working on a farm in the middle of nowhere Michigan in 1880/1881—speaking German (hypothetically) to one another no less—so enthralling. But like I said, she does it every time, no matter what she’s writing about.
 
You know, on second thought, maybe I do know what it is. It’s her characters. Their emotions are so true, their thoughts so amazingly accurate. The situations they find themselves in... so complexly and perfectly orchestrated.

Both Annalisa Werner and Carl von Reichart have so much to learn throughout the pages of this book; about themselves and about each other, as well as about life in general. Although they’re both German immigrants from an area called Saxony, they are from extreme opposite worlds. Annalisa is the widow of a mean-hearted peasant farmer who’s family had relocated to America six years before because of the severe work conditions in Saxony... and Carl, the wrongly-accused fugitive, who happens to (secretly) be the son of the over-bearing Baron who caused the death of Annalisa’s older brother which resulted in her entire family immigrating to America in the first place.

Talk about complex! Although I did begin reading this book the first moment I had it in my grasp (and after, literally, stalking my mailman everyday waiting for it to arrive!), I did not end up reading it quickly. Partly because I simply didn't want it to end and partly because there were so many points in the book that I just had to stop reading so I could digest what all was (or at times, what wasn’t!) going on within and between these two characters. There were also all of the times when I felt that all was lost, and I had no idea how Carl and Annalisa were ever going to end up together by the end of the book....

Sigh.

Then I finally read the last twenty percent as quickly as possible because I couldn’t stand not to any longer.

And then I sighed again, and again, and again. (Haha, that’s especially for Jody and anyone else who might have read the book already).

Now every time I see the cover of the book pictured anywhere, I simply sigh and say, “Oh, yes... that book. That wonderful book.”
 
I blessedly received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I give Jody Hedlund’s A Noble Groom 5 (million) stars. 

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Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of The Doctor’s Lady and The Preacher’s Bride. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog.  

Find out more about Jody at http://jodyhedlund.com/.

To read specifically about her tips on writing these enthralling characters of hers, click here. 

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Read all of Jody’s amazing and BEAUTIFUL books! I promise, you won’t be disappointed. 

 
 

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Dawn Crandall writes long inspirational historical and contemporary romantic suspense from first person point of view and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. All three of her manuscripts have made it to the semi-final round of the ACFW Genesis Contest. She has a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University and lives in northeast Indiana with her ever-supportive husband, Jonathan, and her two cats, Lilly and Pumpkin. 

Visit Dawn’s author page at www.DawnCrandall.blogspot.com, or her facebook author page at www.facebook.com/DawnCrandallWritesFirst.  She also hosts a book review blog at www.apassionforpages.blogspot.com and tweets those reviews at @dawnwritesfirst.

Looking Towards 2013 -- Interview with the 2013 Indiana ACFW Chapter officers

By Jeff Reynolds

Was 2012 a good year or a bad year? It depends what you're talking about, but if you're talking about the Indiana ACFW Chapter, I'd go with the good year part.

Being at the threshold of a new year, I have interviewed our chapter officers about what God has been doing through their lives and ways to make 2013 a better year for the chapter than this past year had been.

I took the liberty of color coding the officers, so it may be easier to see who's speaking. So without further ado, I'll start my interview with Rick Barry, Darren Kehrer, Dawn Crandall, and Sue Bixler.

Jeff Reynolds: Rick and Darren, thank you very much for your continued service (or for being gluttons for punishment, whichever you prefer). How are you two looking to build on what you've previously accomplished? Or is it more like a Toastmaster friend said in taking a second term for the office, to be able to do it right the second time (or in Rick's case the fourth time) around?

Rick Barry (President): How are we looking to build? First, let me say that, with the aid of our state chapter's board, I'm pleased with what we've built these past few years. Our chapter's newsletter is looking more attractive and with more content than when I took a turn producing it a few years back. Also, in 2012 we did an experiment and bumped up our number of author luncheons from three to four. Guest speakers were nationally known professionals in Christian publishing: Authors Travis Thrasher, Colleen Coble, Janet Dean, Bob Hostetler, and editor/author Holly Miller. Each of them made a good contribution to our Hoosier writers.

Concerning getting it right the second (or my fourth) time around, leadership is a learning experience in itself. After each event, I solicit suggestions for how to make the next one even better, and those who attend have offered excellent input. They might call me the chapter president, but good ideas from fellow writers help tremendously in my role.

Darren Kehrer (Vice-President): Jeff, thank you for allowing us to be interviewed. Well, I think our overall goal in the 2012 has been to organize, expand, and to grow our chapter membership and what we offer. We developed our website beyond what we thought it could do as well. Planning has been a large part of our mission as well. Our newsletter has grown by leaps and bounds in regards to design and content. That said, our focus for 2013 will be to expand on what we accomplished the prior year. I'm changing software (Apple Pages) in hopes of expanding what our newsletter has become.

JR: Dawn and Sue, I'm sure the Indiana Chapter appreciates you accepting the challenge of being officers. What inspired you to take the plunge, and what would you say to encourage those thinking of doing the same next year?

Dawn Crandall (Secretary): First of all, I heard about the need and knew in my heart that I was willing to fill it. I knew I would have the time in the coming year to dedicate to something like this and wanted a chance to make our Indiana Chapter everything it's able to be in the future. Being a member of the "Great Lakes Chapter" in Michigan as well as here, I have the opportunity to see firsthand what is happening within chapters around us. This also helps me get to know other writers. I've only been writing for about three years and feel very new to all this. I think being an officer for an ACFW chapter is a great idea for anyone who thinks they have the time and abilities to commit to it.

Sue Bixler (Treasurer): What inspired me to take the plunge? Someone telling me I was needed and then praying about it. Always pray and get a sense if this is what God wants you to do.

JR: How has God used your membership in the ACFW (nationally, the chapter, or both) in 
your life, and through you into the life of others?

RB: Great question. For one thing, the ACFW national conferences have greatly increased my awareness of trends in the publishing biz, plus specific do's and don'ts. Being associated with such a community of authors provides not only answers to questions, but a network to tap for advice, endorsements, etc. I recently aided a fellow writer with her chapters that take place in Moscow (that novel is now published). Certainly, it doesn't hurt my query letters when I can add "President, ACFW-Indiana" beneath my signature, and it gives extra credibility in my byline for articles. ACFW has lifted me to a higher level of skill in writing, and I in turn want to do the same for newly emerging writers. It would have been tough for me to accomplish these things working solo at home, with no author connections.

DK: Seeing the Chapter from "the Board" side has really opened my eyes on what it takes to make such a thing work. For me the biggest outcome has been the networking with other Christian writers and the friendships that have resulted. My biggest involvement has been with the local chapter (as it was my first year on the board). Nationally, still pursing  my function there.

DC: I became a member of ACFW in July of 2011 because my husband was intent on sending me to the national ACFW conference in Saint Louis that autumn. When I was about finished with "my first try at writing a novel" (after about a year of focusing upon it), he said he wanted me to find out what it would take to get it published. Ha ha – I know. The poor man had no clue how difficult an industry it is! But I wasn't about to say "no thanks" to going to conference! So I went knowing absolutely no one. However, I ended up receiving a mind-blowing paid-critique of my first 30 pages by a well-known published historical romance author and had meetings with two very reputable agents, both of which who offered me representation within a week of receiving my proposal. Essentially, I'd met and formed friendships with only about four other aspiring writers before getting an agent... and still didn't even have a critique partner. I have since found a critique partner through ACFW (and found that writing a book with one is SO MUCH easier than without!). But really, I still feel very disconnected. I don't think I've been around long enough so far that I've really been able to help anyone in reference to their writing or their career. I still feel like I'm more in need of such things than in a position to offer my own advice or knowledge to anyone else. But I do look forward to helping and encouraging other writers through our chapter meetings and gatherings in whatever way I can.

SB: How has God used my membership in the ACFW in the life of others? *smiles* Up until now, I've no idea. But hopefully as a member of the Indiana chapter board I'll be able to serve Him in a way that will be pleasing to Him and the chapter. On a personal note God has used the ACFW and my chance to work at the 2010 conference as a volunteer to meet other writers. God used the conference as a means for me to meet some of my Scribes Critique partners. It was extra special to put faces to names and get real live hugs at the conference. I think working with the Indiana chapter and getting to know the Indiana members will be the best.

JR: Scripture says that without vision people perish. What is your vision for the Indiana Chapter for 2013? Or, if you prefer, what would you like to see happen in the coming year?

RB: I'd like to continue last year's success in bringing in top-notch pros to speak to our writers to provide education, inspiration and motivation. I invite suggestions from our group on what they would like to see us try next. I also want to see more first-time novelists get contracts among our own ranks. (Incidentally, this happened again just recently. One of our ACFW-Indiana authors signed a first publishing contract with a major publisher in December. I won't steal that announcement here, but I'm so glad to see a dream come true!)

DK: 1.) Our membership to grow

      2.) More members willing to blog on Hoosier Ink

      3.) The possibility of doing a mini-conference (sponsored by the Indiana Chapter)

      4.) To see more of our members get published.

      5.) To get those interested in possibly holding an office asking questions now.

DC: I would like to see many more meetings, perhaps even a small day-long conference-type gathering in Indianapolis with our own published authors as speakers sharing from their good and bad experiences in the publishing industry. Perhaps we could offer a small number of agent and editor appointments at this gathering.

SB: I'd like to see our meeting attendance grow and also to see MORE meetings, especially a meeting in the southern part of the state.

JR: Thanks to each of you for your time, and I'm looking forward to seeing how God works in our chapter through the four of you.

AND DIRECTED TO THE REST OF YOU: I hope you didn't miss Darren's last item on the final question. I had the privilege of serving as secretary last year. Hopefully, this will encourage some of you to consider office. It would be great to see more people wanting to serve than there are offices next year. You can click on the board tab of this page (between membership and contact) to find out the responsibilities. And if you have any questions, I'm sure any of the officers would be glad to answer questions.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you this coming year.

Jeff Reynolds

A Writer's Review of “The Tutor's Daughter” by Julie Klassen ~~ by member blogger Dawn Crandall

There are so many good things to say about Julie Klassen’s newest book, The Tutor’s Daughter, which released on the first of this month.
 
First of all, it takes place in a large English manor on the rocky coast of blustery Cornwall, England. Secondly, it’s set in the Regency Era—one of my favorite genres ever. Thirdly, in my honest opinion, Julie Klassen is one of the best authors out there writing for the inspirational market. And fourthly, it was absolutely perfect in every way.

Emma Smallwood is the tutor’s daughter. A good number of the characters in this book have known her since they were all adolescents together, she having acted as her father’s assistant at his Smallwood Academy (a boy’s school) for most of her life.  With the death of her mother still fresh in her father’s heart, he hasn’t been as active in securing students for the school—so when he’s invited by the Weston family to come to their home in Cornwall to teach the youngest of their sons. He goes quite readily, taking Emma with him and springing her right back into the lives of two of her father’s favored students from the past: Henry and Phillip Weston, the two elder sons. 

I loved that Emma was so prejudiced toward Henry because of the pranks he’d played on her during his time at her father’s school, and so very caught up in Phillips easily-offered friendship and flirtations. Of course, she knows she could never marry either one of them; not when their father is a Baronet and she was merely the tutor’s daughter.

I loved the array of characters in this book. There were quite a few of them, but they each one of them were needed for the intense, mysterious story to play out to perfection. It was a very complex plot of characters and happenings which culminated into a most sigh-worthy end.

I was given a paperback copy of this book by Bethany House in order to read and give my honest review for a LitFuse Publicity Blog Tour (which I will be participating in sometime during January). I was also given an eBook version by NetGalley for the same reason.

I give Julie Klassen’s The Tutor’s Daughter 5 Stars.

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Books by Julie Klassen

     

Julie Klassen's The Girl in the Gatehouse is FREE today for Kindle and Nook devices.

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Dawn Crandall writes long inspirational historical romantic suspense from first person point of view and is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. She has written two books which are on submission as part of a series, and is working on the third. Soon after finishing her first book and becoming a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) in July 2011 she attended the ACFW national conference where she gained literary representation and soon-after became a 2012 ACFW Genesis Contest Semi-Finalist. She has a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University, writes full-time and lives in northeast Indiana with her ever-supportive engineer husband, Jonathan, and their two cats, Lilly and Pumpkin. Dawn co-hosts a book review blog called A Passion for Pages at apassionforpages.blogspot.com and tweets those reviews at @dawnwritesfirst. To find out more about her, visit her author webpage at dawncrandall.blogspot.com or her Facebook author page: facebook.com/DawnCrandallWritesFirst.