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| by Dana McNeely, President Christian Writers of the West |
I’ve been asked to participate in a “blog hop”. The
assignment is to answer four specific questions about my writing and tag three
other writers who will answer the same questions on their blogs. (Because I got
so excited, I got four writers!) Be sure to see the links at the end to their
blogs – each of them has had some exciting things happening in their lives
lately. Thanks to my friend, Laura McClellan, for challenging me to dip my toe
into the blogosphere! Laura writes wonderful women’s fiction and is a
practicing lawyer. You can find her answers to these questions at her blog, Where
Life and Grace Collide .
What are you working on?
I’m working on a couple things. First, I’m editing a
historical fiction based on the Old Testament prophet Elijah and the boy he
raised from the dead. The biblical account is intriguing but brief, forcing a
curious person like me to ask questions. What would it have been like to die, go
to the other world, and come back? What happened in his life before Elijah came
to stay with him and his mother? What was his mother like? What was the “great
sin” she spoke of when she railed against the prophet “Why have you come? To
remind me of my great sin and slay my son?” Lots of ideas came to me and I
wrote a book to answer my own questions.
Second, I’m planning my next book, which will feature a
character with whom I fell in love while writing the ‘Elijah’ story: While staying with her uncle, Miriam, a
strong and independent young girl, spends her time roaming the countryside
around Jezreel trapping birds to sell. One day, when checking her traps, she
witnesses the stoning death of her uncle, Naboth. So, I have a character, a setting, and an
inciting incident. I also have a love interest – Dov, a big bear of a soldier,
also from the previous book. And I’m
asking myself those questions again!
How does your work differ from others in its genre?
The tone of my writing may be different from some biblical
fiction. I loved ‘The Red Tent’ by Anita Diamante and ‘The Dovekeepers’ by
Alice Hoffman. I also read a lot of fantasy, dystopian, and magical realism.
That has to bleed into my work.
How does your writing process work?
I struggle to overcome confusion and chaos! I’m not
naturally organized, so I superimpose process on myself, similar to the way I
do my day job. But in writing, I start with a character and a question. I write
lists of questions and possible answers, make timelines and charts, draw maps.
I read and collect tons of research books (ask my husband!) I love Scrivener,
and use it to write from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. and, after my day job, from 7:30 to
9 p.m. two or three evenings a week.
I’ve developed rules to keep myself on track. For example, my
morning time is strictly for writing – not planning, plotting, or Facebook. I
do those in the evenings. I’m trying to teach myself to be a better planner – I
wrote the first draft of the book I’m editing by the seat-of-my-pants, and the
rework has been a painful learning experience I’d rather not repeat. So I’m
doing up-front planning for my next book.
All these rules to keep me focused are especially important
lately. This month I was pleased and
humbled to learn I’m a semifinalist in ACFW’s Genesis contest in the Historical
Fiction category. You’ll see below that Christian Writers of the West is well
represented in the Genesis and other writing contests.
Tag, You’re It!
Tanara McCauley is a semifinalist in the American Christian
Fiction Writers Genesis Contest in the Contemporary category. She’s active in
CWOW and volunteered for the second time to help coordinate our Arizona Rattler
Contest. She’s currently finishing up
her second novel. In a few days, you’ll find her answers posted at Tanara's
Blog, where you’ll want to explore some of other her heartfelt writing.
LeAnne Bristow is a kindergarten teacher who also writes
contemporary romance. She loves stories about the “bad boy” who finds his way
to God...usually through a Godly woman. LeAnne is finalist in the Fab Five
Writing contest (Wisconsin RWA) and is also a semifinalist in the American
Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Contest in the Romance category. In a few days you’ll find her answers at LeAnne's Blog, where you may also
want to look around for “bad boys”.
Rebecca Bruner is a passionate Bible teacher, author, and
speaker. Her favorite author is C.S. Lewis. She writes in several genres
including nonfiction, Biblical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. She
recently won a scholarship to the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference
through Kathy Ide's Promising Beginnings Contest. Her husband and two
nearly grown kids keep her very busy, but she loves every minute of it. In
a few days, check out her responses at Rebecca's Website .
Tina Pinson was a winner on Seekerville’s Perfect Pitch
Contest. She has also completed the
following novels. Winds Across the Rockies, To Carry her Cross, When Shadows
Fall, Shadowed Dreams, To Catch a Shadow, A Shadowed Trail, This Shadowed
Land, and The Shadow of Her Smile are serial about the civil war and the
Oregon trail. Then Came Grace, a contemporary story about a future Sept 11 type
tragedy. Trail of the Sandpiper-Betrayed, Trail of the
Sandpiper-Rescued and Trail of the Sandpiper-Avenged, a WWII series
about a missionary and spy. Learn more about the prolific Tina at Tina's Website and read her answers
in a few days at Tina's blog.
