What's My (First) Line?

The first sentence of a manuscript. Sometimes that first line just sits there, bland and uninteresting as oatmeal. But other first lines practically reach up from the page and grab your eyeballs and compel you to keep reading to find out what's happening.

A visit to your local bookstore provides a wealth of inspiration in successful first lines. These novel openings survived the rejections of agents and editors and made it (along with the rest of the novel) into print. I find it fascinating simply to pull novel after novel off shelves to read those first lines that successful authors used to capture readers' interest and lure them into a new story. Sound fun? Then check out these sample first lines from various authors, and then consider your own opening sentences.

"Three men watched intently as peculiar events occurred, one after the other, on opposite sides of the globe." (Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn)

"The sultry breeze carried not a single hint that the summer afternoon would give birth to the worst aviation disaster in American history." (The Note, by Angela Hunt)

"Well, now, ain't that a purty sight?" (Opal, by Lauraine Snelling)

"The swastika medallion dangled from the limb of the Christmas tree." (While Mortal Sleep, by Jack Cavanaugh)

"Down to the last day, even the last hour now." (The Testament, by John Grisham)

"He first thought of his feet." (Enoch, by Alton Gansky)

"When the tiny dart hit Pierre Sirois behind his right ear, his right hand reached up as though to swat an insect." (Mission Compromised, by Oliver North)

"Ryan was nearly killed twice in half an hour." (Patriot Games, by Tom Clancey)

"The first wave of pain seized his chest like a vice grip so that his hand flew to his heart and he gasped for breath." (Where Yesterday Lives, by Karen Kingsbury)

Each of these lines begins novels representing a variety of genres. In each case, though, the author has carefully crafted that beginning. Even before you know what's happening or exactly who is involved, these writers tease us into wondering what will follow.

Chances are, if you've read this far, you just might be a writer, too. Want to share the first line of a favorite novel? Or, is anyone brave enough to share a first line from your own work in progress?

Chapter Meeting - A Snack Between Banquets

Last Saturday I had the privilege of traveling with Ann Shrock, (author of Crossroads in The Quakers of New Garden collection) to gather with other writers, some familiar, some new to hear multi-published Travis Thrasher speak. (If you weren't there, I'm sorry.) Afterward, Ann and I spent another hour and a half discussing what we heard, how writing impacts our lives, and encouraging one another as we returned home. That is a superior and affordable way to spend a Saturday. The kind of day you sit back and say, "Now that was delicious."

There is nothing quite like interaction with others who actually "get" you and who struggle with the same challenges you do. ACFW offers wonderful online help that makes it possible to become a good writer from home. However, I would encourage you to participate in your chapter or regional ACFW group.Our Indiana ACFW president, Rick Barry, and his board work hard to move the meeting site around the state so authors can conveniently attend at least once in a year. I'm sure other officers do the same. This is a gift.

Have you ever visited a team blog such as Girls Write Out? Such sites are fun, supportive, and share the burden of blogging while drawing in others to participate. If you ask such group bloggers, they often say they attended a meeting where the love of writing and a common desire to improve was the fire that forged their friendships.With shorter agendas and less pressure, local meetings present a place to build writing relationships.

It takes effort, but in blogs, interviews, and conversations with writers one theme that has stood out to me repeatedly in the past eight months is that the road to publication involves sacrifice. It's a sacrifice of time, money, family, or leisure to attend a small writers meeting, but there are rewards, too. A local or regional  may not be the big enchilada of meetings, but it is a sustaining and satisfying meal. Think about it.

Have you attended a chapter or regional ACFW meeting in the last year? What was the take-away value?

Mary Allen lives in the Midwest with her husband and a German Short Hair Pointer. She loves God's Word which never changes and also enjoys playing with words which can be endlessly changed. She writes about God's Truth, Women's Fiction and was the La Porte County Poet Laureate from 2010-2011.

 

THREE STEPS TO MARKETING YOUR BOOK WITHOUT BREAKING INTO HIVES.

This spring has been a whirlwind of book marketing. With novellas in January and May and a trade in April, it’s taken a lot of time. A friend recently called me a networking superstar, and I almost spewed my sweet tea across my computer monitor. When it’s time to call for help marketing a book, I still would rather do just about anything except maybe walk across hot coals. So what’s an author to do? Especially in this environment that necessitates an author taking an active part in marketing?

1.    Consider the people you know across many different parts of your life. I bet you know more people that you think who would love to read your book and possibly write a review on Amazon or another online site. However, unless you ask, the idea won’t cross their mind. So spend half an hour and think of the different areas in your life. Church. Homeschool groups. Work. Neighbors. Then write down at least two names from each group and ask if they’d help. I bet you’ll be surprised.
2. Now look at your writing circles. This is where we often start, and it is important. I belong to several marketing oriented groups. Pre-write a few tweets and Facebook posts for the release of your novel and ask them to post for you. When you prewrite, it makes it so easy for them to help. Here are a couple examples of tweets to get you started:

• Lovers & Lawbreakers collide under the cherry trees in Cherry Blossom Capers from @Cara_Putman. Read excerpt here: bit.ly/Arrv
• Mackinac Island: perfect refuge til love/murder collide. Excerpt @Cara_Putman’s A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island http://bit.ly/xC4CAm

     3.  Schedule blog stops and giveaways. But be sure to spread the word through your networks and others. Then take notes of what happens at those stops. Track who gets a book and how many comments they get. Was it a valuable stop? For example, Sarah Forgrave hosted me last week and did a great job tying the topic of the interview to the setting of my book A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island. Then she does a fantastic job interacting with her commenters. They were also new to me, so it was a valuable stop. You can see how she made it such a great stop here.

One final tip. Don’t be afraid to hire help. I knew I wanted to reach new circles with A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, but didn’t have a lot of new ideas or the time to figure out how to do the new things like podcasts. So I hired Jeane Wynn. There are so many people out there who are skilled in these areas. Talk to them and don’t be afraid to spend money if that will help you reach new audiences.

Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She’s an attorney and a teacher at her church as well as lecturer at Purdue. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. She loves bringing history and romance to life.
 

Interview with Julie Cave, Author of the Dinah Harris Mystery Series

Last summer, my wife and I visited the Creation Museum (if you haven't yet, you should). In the book store, I saw several books dealing with the topic. Then, my eye landed on a set of three novels, the Dinah Harris series by Julie Cave. These stories looked up my alley and similar in emphasis to what I'm writing myself. So this month, I have the honor of interviewing Julie Cave.

JR: How did you get started writing Christian fiction? Was this a lifelong dream, or something that God put on your heart at the right time?

JC: I have always been a writer, since I could pick up a pencil and jot stories down. I wrote four novels while at high school, and all along I dreamed that one day I'd be able to write stories for a living. However, the practicalities of life got in the way. I went to college, got a job, and got married. Writing took a back seat until I became a Christian at the age of 25. As I thought about how I could serve God it occurred to me that the only real talent I had was for writing. I decided to devote this talent to God's service, and began writing Deadly Disclosures the following year.

JR: How did you become a Christian?

JC: I grew up in a Christian home but as I grew older, I began to see Christianity as a set of rules and regulations designed to curb my fun. When I went to college, I began to live my life the way I wanted. I turned away from Christianity totally, devoting my life to having fun and accumulating wealth. I even got married during this time, to a non-Christian, despite the little voice in the back of my mind that told me it wasn't a good idea. Unsurprisingly, after only a few years our marriage had deteriorated to the point of separation. We agreed to get a divorce. I realized that I had done a spectacularly bad job of running my own life. A mutual Christian friend invited us to a Bible study, in a last ditch effort to save the marriage. We agreed, and both became convicted of our sinful pride. We became Christians, reconciled and just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.

JR: I know you're from Australia. Did you do most of your research for your series -- set here in the States -- on-line? Or did you fly over here and research the old fashioned way?

JC: Both. I did the majority of my research initially online, and then visited the States for the launch of my first book. There wasn't much that was lost in translation, apart from toning down my main character's dry sense of humour.

JR: What inspired you the Dinah Harris trilogy and the creation of the main character?

JC: I have always enjoyed reading and writing about current affairs and topics that are impacting our culture. It therefore was a natural fit to write about such topics from a Christian viewpoint. That's where the ideas for all three books originated. Dinah Harris was such an important character for me – I wanted to create a real, flawed person with a painful past and ongoing problems. I felt strongly that Dinah should resonate with Christians and non-Christians alike. A main character like Dinah can reflect the broken state of humanity, and the hope and grace of God.

JR: In a promo for a webinar you had earlier this year, you covered how you use your writing as a witnessing tool. Could you give us a summary or any pointers?

JC: My writing, as I've mentioned, covers current topics from a Christian viewpoint. I talk about issues such as alcoholism, depression, euthanasia, eugenics, domestic violence and self-harm. I talk about what God's Word says about such issues, and also that it's only in God you can find healing and restoration. I also give a reasoned defense of the Christian faith in my books. I discuss the burning questions plaguing people today: can the Bible be trusted? What about evolution? Is Jesus who He says He is? Isn't the earth billions of years old? The truth is that despite many attacks, the Bible has always stood up to scrutiny and is the infallible Word of God. There are answers to all of these questions. I also include a clear gospel message in each book, which is the ultimate goal of mine. I pray that non-Christians are challenged by my books and seek out God for themselves.

JR: One thing you've written about is the possibility of laws being passed so pastors can't address homosexuality or abortion from the pulpit let alone outside the church. A possibility, I'll add, that I consider very likely. What are things like in Australia concerning these matters?

JC: Australia is embarking on a slippery slope in this regard. A Victorian pastor was charged under vilification laws for speaking out about Islam. Eventually, the conviction was dismissed on appeal, but the erosion of free speech is happening very visibly.

JR: How has being a published author affected your life?

JC: I guess I'm certainly busier! I do feel very blessed and God's timing is perfect. As a mother of two young daughters aged three and seven months, writing is a perfect job that I can fit around my family's needs. I've also learned to develop a thick skin – putting material out for the world to read and critique is daunting!

JR: Any ideas on the burner for future novels?

JC: I have more ideas than I have time to write about them! My next book will deal with vilification laws and bullying. I'd also like to write about topics as wide-ranging as human trafficking to post-traumatic stress disorder.

JR: Thank you very much for your time, Julie.

JC: Thank you so much for hosting me!

For more information on Julie Cave, check out her website, http://www.juliecave.com

Magazine Rights, Part II

Last month I described the rights that magazines buy most often, and I promised to describe additional rights this month. And even though I'm in the middle of moving, I believe in keeping my promises. So here are other common types of rights.

One-time rights allow the magazine to publish your article or story once. If the publication wants to print it again, it must get your permission.

If you grant simultaneous rights, you are probably selling the article or story or poem to more than one publication. As the name implies, simultaneous rights allow several magazines to publish the piece at the same time. They are not the same as reprint rights since this could be the first time you sold the item.

If you don't say what you are selling and the magazine doesn't say what it is buying, it gets nonexclusive rights. This doesn't restrict your ability to sell the article or story or poem again, but it gives the publication the right to reprint the piece in subsequent editions of its magazine without further payment. You can also explicitly agree to sell nonexclusive rights.

A work-for-hire doesn't belong to you and never did. (I discussed works-for-hire in my November 25, 2010 post.) The end result is similar to selling all rights. However, there are times when works-for-hire are better than selling all rights. That's because some magazines allow the writer of a work-for-hire to publish it elsewhere. Make sure you read your contract to see what you can do.

Rights can be modified by agreement, and even if the magazine doesn't make you sign a contract, you still have one. In that case, the contract will usually combine the terms of your submission letter, the publisher's acceptance letter, and the submission guidelines. If your submission letter offers one type of rights and the publisher doesn't object, that is what you have sold. If the publisher says it will buy different rights and you don't object, then the acceptance letter governs. If both letters are silent but the submission guidelines tell you what the magazine buys, that is what you are selling. So read the submission guidelines carefully.

Because it's important to know your rights.

Kathryn Page Camp