THINGS ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR OUR HEROINE!

(That means me!)

I started off NANO right on track--not too slow, and definitely not too fast. Then something happened: the story I'd been working on threw a tantrum and demanded to be finished. No longer could I ignore my big-boned and loveable heroine in favor of some newbie with strawberry blonde hair and her best friend with a flair for theatrics.

Soooo.....

I lasered in on Fit for Love and finished it off. While I still have one more read through, I can now focus my actual writing time on this new story that has yet to find a working title.

My NANO word count stands at 8432. I'll be holing up this week with coffee and ice cream bars (shhhhh, don't tell my workout buddy or my doc) and pounding out some word count. I'm quite excited. You see, there's a ginormous train wreck coming in my heroine's life, and I can't help but be a rubbernecker.

TOO TRUE FOR WRITERS!!!

ARE YOU A WINNER?!

Well, Carly sure is! She won The Bartered Bride!!! Enjoy the book and let us know what you think :D Thanks to all who entered.

PS. In accordance with the new FTC regulations I must tell you that I get free books. Ooooo, I'm sure you're all shocked! And maybe even a little astonished.

NANO UPDATE #1

3400 words and counting!

I've realized that no matter how much pre-work I do, I wish I'd done more.

Anyone else have a word count? Those of you who aren't NANO-ing, how are your Nov. goals coming? It's way more fun when we're all chugging along together :D

IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT...

...The Bartered Bride!!!!

Today I'm really excited to introduce Erica Vetsch's debut book!!! I'm certain you will all love this book as much as I do.

I've had the privilege of being Erica's crit bud for a few years now, and it's been good times. Let's just say, The Bartered Bride is only the beginning. Erica comes up with amazing heroines who are full of strength and ambition, and I've learned a lot from her about writing tight and making every scene count. This lady can plot! I'm blessed to not only call her a crit bud, but a true friend.

SOOO proud of you, my friend!

For those of you who haven't read the book yet, ENTER A COMMENT TODAY for your chance to win a copy. Drawing will be on Wednesday. Here is the blurb, and scroll down to read her fantabulous answers to my riviting questions.



BLURB:

Duluth, Minnesota in 1905 boasts more millionaires than any other U.S. city. Tycoon Abraham Kennebrae intends to marry his grandsons off to three of the wealthiest heiresses in town and allow Kennebrae Shipping to gain control of Duluth Harbor.

Tempests rage, in the board room, the ball room, and on treacherous Lake Superior. Will hearts and helms survive? Will God prove Himself sovereign over wind, waves, and weddings?

Jonathan Kennebrae, oldest of the three Kennebrae brothers, finds himself backed into a corner. Marry heiress Melissa Brooke or lose his own considerable inheritance. Can he find a legitimate reason to avoid the wedding and still keep his fortune? But as the wedding day approaches, does he want to escape?

Melissa Brooke, only heir to her father’s empire, is bartered by her parents into a marriage contract to a man she’s never met. Can she trust him with her deepest secret? Can she trust him with her heart?

INTERVIEW:

We'll start with my favorite question first :D If you were the casting director for The Bartered Bride, The Movie, who would you cast for Jonathan and Melissa? What about Grandfather?

I love this one too! No one has asked this one yet.

Jonathan Kennebrae - Dylan McDermott
Melissa Brooke - JoAnne Dru (From the John Wayne movie She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)
Abraham Kennebrae - Jimmy Stewart as he was in the movie Shenandoah.

Ooo, Dylan McDermott--great answer! Without giving anything away, what's your favorite scene in the book?

I'd have to say one of my favorite scenes is when Jonathan's brother comes home and finds out about the engagement. I had a lot of fun writing that scene, trying to capture the brotherly banter, and yet underlying care and concern they had for one another.

If Melissa were alive today, what would she be?

Wow, another good question. I would hope she wouldn't be a spoiled princess like some of the heiresses we read about in the news today. I would hope she would still be conscious of the needs of those less fortunate, and be working hard to advance their causes. Maybe she'd be a spokesperson for RIF?

Since I've had the privilege of reading your books, I've noticed that you have strong heroines who have ambitions and confidence ahead of their time. Is this on purpose, and if not, when did you start to notice the pattern?

I think it stems more from the plotting process for me than from any real purpose on my part. I like to read about heroines who have more on their minds than getting married. They have to want something, to have goals, and to be planning their lives not factoring in the arrival of "Mr. Right." That Mr. Right shows up and derails some of their plans just adds to the conflict and tension, in my opinion.

What has been your favorite part of the writing journey, and what kept you writing in the hard times (ala pre-contract)?

Every part of the journey has taught me a lot, helped me mature in areas that I didn't realize I needed growth in, and opened more opportunities. From that first draft of the first novel to holding my first published novel in my hands, every step has been harder than I thought, taken longer than I thought it would, and been better for me than I could've imagined.

Agent Terry Burns once said. "The publishing industry has never failed to publish someone. People just quit too soon." I took that statement to heart. I didn't want to be a quitter. I knew I'd always regret it if I gave up my dream just because it was hard. And I really wanted to be an example to my kids not to quit pursuing a dream.

I love the quote! I'm really glad you kept going, too. Moving on, you homeschool, work in the family business, and write books. DO TELL us your secret to juggling and take us through a typical writing day.

There's a secret? ARGH! Someone should tell ME what it is!

A typical day for me looks like this:

Morning - get son started on schoolwork, take care of the bookwork for that day, get caught up on emails, read blogs and comment, etc.

Afternoon - write, plot, edit, etc.

Evenings - I try not to write in the evenings or on the weekends if I can help it. Months like November when I'm trying NaNo are the exception.

It sounds like you have your priorities in place. It's nice that you keep family time. Tell us, what's next for you?

I've got several more Heartsongs coming out this year, and I'm always working on new projects.

Parting thoughts?

Thank you, G, for featuring me on your blog. And for all you've done to help me get this far in my writing career. I'd be happy to give away a copy of The Bartered Bride to someone who leaves a comment today.

Woohoo!!! Thank you for stopping by Good Times...Good Times... !!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ERICA VETSCH is married to Peter and keeps the company books for the family lumber business. A home-school mom to Heather and James, Erica loves history, romance, and storytelling. Her ideal vacation is taking her family to out-of-the-way history museums and chatting to curators about local history. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Calvary Bible College in Secondary Education: Social Studies. You can find her on the web at http://www.onthewritepath.blogspot.com/


Remember to enter the drawing. And if you can't wait, CLICK HERE to order your copy today!

NANO EVE...

...almost!

For those of you who've known be a while, it comes as no surprise how much I loathe Halloween. Even if it didn't have nefarious beginnings, I'd still never send my kids out begging for candy, nor do I enjoy all the ugly decorations that abound. For years we've ignored the night, laying low, waiting for it to pass.

This time I'll be ready to rock it out because tomorrow night isn't just Halloween, it's NANO Eve. There are a few things I must have in place to get the month off to a great start:

*Chocolate.....check

*Caffeine in abundance.....check

*Healthy munchies.....check

*Story.....check

*Plot.....uh oh

After I get through chapter 3, I may resort to the silly and random writing prompts provided on the NANO site. Hey, it's ok if it's rough because it's a rough draft! I had also hoped to finish the project I'm working on now before tomorrow, but that, dear friends, is so not going to happen. I came close.

Here's the crazy thing--the story I'll be working on is a full length. That means instead of the 1667 words per day to win NANO, I'm really shooting for 2800-3000. This is a huge stretch for me, because on a typical good day I write around 2000. I look at it this way, the first time I did it, 1667 words was a giant leap and showed me what was possible. (Of course, the novel I produced was, quite possible, the worst piece of fiction EVER. Which reminds me, I need to find the hard copy and burn it.)

What are you favorite writing props? What do you have to have in order to pound out the words? If you write with a floppy hat, wearing pajamas and burning incense, do tell....

THIRSTY


It's taken me a while to post on this because I had to process my thoughts. I have a hard time with suspension of disbelief, so I knew going in to this book I needed to set that aside. While the vampire angle is interesting and the characters are well-drawn, what resonated with me the most are the themes of redemption and self-sacrifice. Also, I must say that Tracey Bateman did a fantastic job jumping genres.



BLURB:

There's no place like home, they say.“Hello, I’m Nina Parker…and I’m an alcoholic.” For Nina, it’s not the weighty admission but the first steps toward recovery that prove most difficult. She must face her ex-husband, Hunt, with little hope of making amends, and try to rebuild a relationship with her angry teenage daughter, Meagan. Hardest of all, she is forced to return to Abbey Hills, Missouri, the hometown she abruptly abandoned nearly two decades earlier–and her unexpected arrival in the sleepy Ozark town catches the attention of someone–or something–igniting a two-hundred-fifty-year-old desire that rages like a wildfire.

Unaware of the darkness stalking her, Nina is confronted with a series of events that threaten to unhinge her sobriety. Her daughter wants to spend time with the parents Nina left behind. A terrifying event that has haunted Nina for almost twenty years begins to surface. And an alluring neighbor initiates an unusual friendship with Nina, but is Markus truly a kindred spirit or a man guarding dangerous secrets?As everything she loves hangs in the balance, will Nina’s feeble grasp on her demons be broken, leaving her powerless against the thirst? The battle between redemption and obsession unfold to its startling, unforgettable end.

BIO: With close to one million books in print, Tracey Bateman is the award-winning author of more than 30 titles. Fan favorites include the best-selling Kansas Home historical series; Color of the Soul, a tale of race and prejudice chosen as an editor’s pick by Christian Book Distributors; and her many popular romantic novels for Heartsong Presents, which boasts more than 20,000 members. Tracey resides in Missouri with her husband and four children.

CLICK HERE to get your copy!