​A few years ago, I began writing full-time, and then discovered neighbors and other area folks who were doing the same. Writers are a quiet bunch, spending much of their time at their computer, invisible to the world around them – except by the books they create.

Author E. B. White claimed that, “Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and shape life.” He suggests that writers have a responsibility to their readers and to society that goes beyond the story being told, for he sees writers as potential change agents.

When I read White’s statement, I sat back and thought of writers who have influenced my understanding of life, and the list is very long. I thought of Harmony Kent and her masterpiece Finding Katie which addresses self-harm; I reflected on the work of Nonnie Jules, whose book Daydream’s Daughter, Nightmare’s Friend irreversibly changes how a reader sees child abuse; I considered Michael Lyons’ book There is a Reaper which chronicles the treachery of a child dying of cancer; and, I thought of John W. Howell, whose thriller series focuses on the common man manifesting uncommon valor.

Writers hold immense power if they inform and shape life as White claims. All of the writers mentioned above do just that, and I unqualifiedly recommend them to you.
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Of special note, however, is My GRL by John Howell, because today is its relaunch – new cover, fresh editing, but the story remains: a successful San Francisco lawyer buys a boat (My GRL) that has been targeted by a terrorist group. The lawyer (the common man) is at the center of the action, standing between terrorists and their mission. This is the first book of the 3-book series, and it is being offered at the introductory price of 99 cents on Kindle.
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Should you read any of the authors mentioned above, I’d love to hear your thoughts about whether they have informed and shaped life as E. B. White suggests. From my vantage point, they are the unnoticed heroes among us.

     Have you noticed that mothers mark time by the birth of their children? They remember where they lived, world events and simple things like which movies were in the theaters – by the baby they were holding at that time. So pivotal is the birth of a child, that time itself changes to a before and after experience.

The births of my children were spread across 15 years. Like all mothers, I can describe when and where I went into labor, and how I felt when my baby was laid in my arms the first time. These experiences are stored in a mother’s heart like coveted jewels kept in a safe. We retrieve them at birthdays, at family gatherings, or whenever our son or daughter comes to mind. Unlike other memories, these precious moments don’t grow dusty with time.

When I look across the terrain of my child-rearing years, I realize I lost dreams and discovered new ones, I knew despair but found faith, I was invisible and then stood in the spotlight. I lived in a dozen or so places and taught in a variety of schools – all during those important 15 years.

Nothing stands still. The before of birth with swollen belly and discomfort, isn’t the after of diapers and cries and kisses and cuddles. One extended moment and everything changes.

Moms mark time by the birth of their children, because life as they knew it irreversibly changed. In a way, birth is the quintessential example of the before and after of time, of change expected or not, of life moving forward - with or without us.
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How do you mark time? 

RAVE-WRITERS - INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, otherwise known as RWISA is a gathering of award-winning writers who are "consummate professionals, dedicated, committed and driven to continually excel at producing the best written works possible." Today, I am participating in a Blog Tour, in which I am featuring a RWISA's author: Wendy Scott from New Zealand. The interview is below, followed by Wendy's sage advice for Point of View. 
 
1. How long have you been writing? In 2003, I attended a series of WEA workshops on “How to Write a Novel.” After the first 20 minutes I was hooked – I’d rediscovered my passion.
2. How many books have you authored? Seven (soon to be nine). Three of the titles are: Hieroglyph​, Fairy Dust, and Lodestone. 
3. Do you have a writing schedule? When working full-time I write at night. When not working full-time, I structure my writing time, during school hours, and also write at night.
4. You’re a member of RWISA.  Why do you think you were accepted into this exclusive group? I requested a review for Hieroglyph by the President of RRBC who has a reputation for being an honest, and “tough” reviewer, who does not lightly award her seal of approval. Receiving Nonnie’s 5 star review is one of my career highlights.
5. Modesty aside, what separates your writing from the millions of other writers in the world? Professionalism. I invest time and money into delivering quality stories.
6. If you could spend a day picking the brain of one author, who would that be? Why? C.S. Lewis, author of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.  As a child his stories fired up my imagination. I read them over and over.
7. Are you a die-hard INDIE writer who loves having complete control of your work, or, if you were offered a publishing contract today, would you sign on the dotted line? I do like control, but I would evaluate any opportunities offered.
8. As an author, where do you see yourself in 5 years? My expectation is that I will have completed at least another 7 books. I have dozens of story outlines waiting their turn.
9. What is the ONE tool that has been the most beneficial tool in the marketing of your books? Winning book awards has given my writing independent credibility. Adding award medals to the book covers and promotional material lets prospective readers know this is book worth reading.
10. Name one writer that you know of, member or non-member of RRBC, who you feel should be added to the RWISA Roster of elite members?  Why? Fantasy Author, Belinda Mellor. Literary fantasy at its finest – her stories and prose linger in your thoughts long after you’ve closed the last page.
11. What is the one piece of advice that you could share that would be most valuable for those aspiring to not only be writers, but those aspiring to be great writers? Writers write. Stop talking about writing, and actually write. Stop making excuses, and write. Find the time. Find the energy. Make whatever sacrifices required, and write.
12. Do you believe that writers who churn out several books a year are really putting out quality work? Several books from scratch within a year wouldn’t be feasible from my writing style of research, multiple drafts, edits, and proof reads. I suspect in some instances ghost writers are used, which also happens within traditional publishing. Ultimately, their readers will decide on the quality of their stories.
13. If you had promised your fans a book by a certain date only to find that your book wasn’t the best it could be, would you go ahead and publish your book just to meet that self-imposed deadline and deliver as promised, or, would you disappoint your fans and shelve the book until it was absolutely ready?  No matter your reason, please explain why? I don’t release any of my stories until they have been through my entire process. I now try to avoid mentioning any firm due dates.
14. In your opinion, what makes a book “a great book?” A story which readers struggle to put down, pulls at the heart strings, and there’s closure with the ending.
15. If you received a review of your book which stated that there were editing & proofing “issues,” what’s the first thing you would do?  And the second? I would review the stated issues, and if I agreed with them I would get the errors fixed as soon as possible.  I use several proofreaders before publishing to avoid this type of incident, as fresh sets of eyes will pick up issues an author will miss as we are too close to our work. English spelling is different between countries (US.UK, NZ), and readers may not be familiar with these differences. 

Wendy's advice about why a clear Point of View (POV) is important: 
     Point of view is the filter mechanism for each scene. Many new writers make the mistake of not structuring POV into their stories, and they "head-hop" between characters within sentences and paragraphs. This is considered by many literary establishments as "lazy writing". I'm a prolific reader and I've only found a few authors who are skillful enough to succeed with this technique. These experienced writers have consciously chosen this style, and have structured their words to avoid POV confusion.
     In particular genres, readers may expect POV in first or third person. Research the current trends for your area, especially the best sellers. Certain romance categories switch POV between the two romantic leads with alternating scenes or chapters.
     First person POV is more intimate; the reader experiences the story through the thoughts and actions of the character. All the senses are evoked: taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing, and intuition. The reader is only aware of what your character knows. Beware of starting every sentence with I ...
     Third person POV is less direct than first, using variations of he/she. There can be single or multiple viewpoints. Make it easier for your readers by inserting a scene break or new chapter between character POV switches.
     Refrain from the overuse of he/she or the character's name at the beginning of sentences.
     Contrasting POV types can be combined effectively (thrillers and mysteries).
    For clarity the author should make a conscious POV choice before scribing any scene. Decide who is going to tell this part of the story, and how this POV is going to be achieved. Evaluate other factors like tense, tone, accents, and character speech styles. Ask who has the most invested in this section, and query if they are the optimum conveyor of this information.
​     Select the POV which expresses your story best.

Thank you for supporting our RWISA (RAVE WRITERS-INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS) Members! Please follow and support the entire tour by visiting 4WillsPub. 

​      ​Years back, I worked at a private university in the Northeast. Young men and women from dominantly white Catholic families populated its classrooms. There was an easiness on campus that sameness provided. Religion was cultural, since the clear majority were born Catholic. And, race was not a consideration, because more than 90% of the student body was White. All of this was true until the comfort of sameness was irreparably disturbed on one fateful day.

On a very ordinary weekday morning, students of color and non-Christian students awakened to swastikas and death threats on their dormitory doors. “Go back to Africa,” “Puerto Ricans not welcomed,” “Jews killed Jesus,” and other such comments were scrawled across dormitory walls. 

Understandably, the targeted students were terrified and trusted no one; and, the general student population was horrified. In one stroke, everyone became aware of the invisible, non-majority students.

Local police and the FBI quickly responded. The entire campus was put on alert.

Because of the nature of my work in student affairs, I was deeply involved with the victimized students, as well as a campus of several thousand white Catholic students who grieved lost innocence and the prejudice displayed. 

Eventually, the perpetrator was identified and appropriately prosecuted, but not before there was considerable campus-wide soul-searching and intervention. My dissertation grew from this incident.

Without belaboring all that occurred, there is one point that I wish to share today. Prejudice hides in the best of people. It often is not recognized, because there hasn’t been an incident or occasion for it to be elicited. Once seen, though, it is not resolved with simple words, like Black Lives Matter or White Lives Matter or whatever; because, these words separate more than they educate.

Bridging the divide requires recognizing that we share one humanity. It requires rubbing shoulders with people who do not look like us or think like us or worship like us. And, it ultimately requires forgiving those who fail to see us as we are.

I was deeply moved by the video below, because it powerfully captures the dynamic I’ve tried to explain. I hope you have a moment to watch it, for I am pretty certain you’ll love the featured heroes. They have a message for all of us....

In just a week, it will be Valentine’s Day. For Hallmark Cards, online and local flower stores, and all vendors of chocolate, this is the day for trumpeting Love – new love, old love, healed love, remembered love. It is a time when hopes and memories meet at the hearth of life, and emerge either invigorated or scorched.

For Jan Sikes, an award-winning author, screenwriter and songwriter, love is the heart of life. She learned this the hard way, after her fiancé was incarcerated for 15 years for a crime he did not commit. When he was finally released, they married and began the difficult journey of creating a life together. Music was integral to their relationship and livelihood, and remained so until her husband passed away in 2009.

Jan has written a four-book series about her one love, Rick Sikes. In the books, she refers to Rick as "Luke" and herself as "Darlena." It was easier for Jan to write about their love through fictional names.

​The books follow the stages of their relationship. Flowers and Stone is set in raucous Texas honkytonks where Rick sang and played his guitar. The Convict and the Rose chronicles the time behind bars in Leavenworth Penitentiary. Home at Last captures the years after Rick was released from prison, and Till Death Do Us Part brings the reader to Rick’s final goodbye.

Jan is a friend and fellow member of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB. Because of Valentine's Day, she is offering a special promotion of Home at Last, during the week of February 12th through February 15th. It will be FREE on Amazon during that time. Having read the book myself, I can confidently say that you will thoroughly enjoy and be inspired by it. The hard-earned lessons, the bits and pieces of wisdom, and the deep and enduring love between the two will pull at your heartstrings. Jan and Rick are wonderful examples of love that has withstood the harshest challenges.

If you are looking for something to read this next week, I invite you to consider a real Texas love story. It will warm your heart and fill your senses. The YouTube trailer below features their music as well as offers a glimpse of the story - enjoy.  

Jan's contact information:
Website: http://www.jansikes.com/  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jansmith.sikes  
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rijanjks   
Blog: http://www.rijanjks.wordpress.com

Author John W. Howell is a successful Thriller writer and member of RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB. Recently he was asked what new writers should know. This is a re-blog of his response.

       I was at a book signing the other day, and a person asked me a question that caused me to have to think a little before blurting out an answer. The question was, “What should every new writer know?” My answer at the time seemed to satisfy the person asking but after giving it a little more thought I decided that my reply was at best adequate and at worst incomplete. Now thanks to the Mystery Thriller Week I have been given another opportunity to adequately express what I have no come to call My Advice for New Writers that Every New Writer Should Know Before Deciding to Become a Writer. I think you can tell from my title that the thought process has grown from my initial response at the book signing. Also, if you have decided to become a writer no matter what anyone tells you, I would read this anyway. At best, you may avert some pain. At worst, you might even enjoy it. So, with that introduction let’s get into it.

1.    If you want to become a writer, the most important thing you must do is write. Yes, as hard as that is to believe a writer must write. My suggestion is a writer should write every single day. Not that a bunch of words needs development every day, but a writer should write something every day. The reason for this is very simple. An established writing routine can be the key to finished work. Writing once or twice a week fosters frustration and inefficient production. Where things were left last time and where we are going this time saps the writer’s time and energy.

2.    If you want to become a writer, there needs to be an established way to measure success on a regular basis. Waiting for the end game of being published does not motivate. Writing is a solitary act, and since a writer works alone, the writer must be able to recognize a good day from mediocre. As a result, I always recommend writers think regarding output and establish concrete production goals. My goal is one thousand words a day. No matter what I’m doing for a day, I don’t start any activity until I’ve written one –thousand words. There is no magic in a thousand other than in ninety days I can have a first draft of a novel. A page goal is also good. I do caution writers that once the goal is achieved that should mark the end of the writing day. Most say, “The hell with that if I’m on a roll then I’ll write all I want.” I’m in it for the long haul, so I say after three books published and five written, “Once I hit a thousand, I move on to something else.”

3.    If you want to become a writer, remember what Ernest Hemmingway said, “The first draft is shit.” The idea is to finish the first draft and then worry about making it a Pulitzer Prize winner during the editing phase. Too many new writers think they must craft beautiful work the first time around. Believe me; it just doesn’t happen. I believe about thirty percent of everything I write isn’t worth reading. This percentage doesn’t bother me at all, and I don’t over rotate on the words as I write them. The important part is getting them down and then finishing whatever it is that was intended. A writer who pauses to edit and correct the work courts the prospect of never finishing the manuscript. I do know some writers who edit as they go along, but I do not recommend it especially for new authors.

4.  If you want to become a writer, do not show family, friends, neighbors, or your bartender your work until complete. I know, I know. Everyone wants to be a part of a critic circle to keep themselves on track with the story and characters. Yeah, critical groups are fine for your short stories, poems, and whatnot. For your manuscript critique groups and especially your family represent an opportunity for you to get discouraged and quit the piece you on which you are working. The only time to show your work is once you finish the first draft. Then you can show it to an editor, beta readers or the postal delivery person for all you should care. Before though keep it to yourself. I’ll give you an example. Say you have a partially completed manuscript that your spouse has been reading as you write it. So far they love it and think you have a New York Times bestseller. All of a sudden you need to write in sex, murder, torture, fight, seduction, terror, bomb (pick one) scene. Your spouse reads what you have written and then asks the penetrating question, “Where did you learn about this?” That manuscript is now deader than a doornail. You will find it tough to continue with the same confidence that you had in the beginning. A high level of confidence is one of the few tools that a writer has that can die immediately. The death of confidence is very true if the source of criticism is loved ones.

5.    If you want to become a writer, finish your manuscript before you start querying agents and publishers. Never think that an agent or publisher is going accept you before you finish your manuscript. Maybe Stephen King could send a query letter to an agent and get representation even without a manuscript. You can’t. Also, there is no more of a demoralizing process than querying agents and publishers. If your document isn’t complete, you may make an unfortunate and inaccurate assumption that your work is not okay. If that happens, you will never finish the manuscript. (Notice my main point is to finish the manuscript)

6.    If you want to become a writer, you must understand the realities of today’s publishing world and be ready to accept them.
 
Reality 1. Readers have no idea who you are. You need to market yourself and your books. You need to understand social media, marketing, selling, and general good business practices. Today’s publishers no longer have the resources to offer large advances and giant promotional budgets for new book launches. So even if you are represented by an agent and with a traditional publisher, you need to understand how to market your book.

Reality 2. Agents and publishers will not offer contracts to self-published authors unless there is evidence that you can sell a lot of books. So, if you absolutely must have an agent, don’t publish until you get one. If you must be published by a traditional publisher, do not publish until you have a contract with one.

Reality 3. Most published authors make less than one-hundred dollars a year. If you believe you will be making tons of money writing, then also understand the odds are slim and plan accordingly.

Reality 4. If you are not writing because you love it, you are not writing for the right reasons, and you are setting yourself up for a lot of pain.
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Reality 5. You will get a negative reaction to your work. All readers are not created equal, and some won’t get what you are trying to say. You need to be able to handle negative opinions with grace and dignity. I always believe that if someone doesn’t like my work, then my work is not for them. I never try to make an accommodation in my writing to forestall another negative reaction. I imagine if I received a lot of negative reactions that would be a different matter. The reality is, there will be a negative reaction to your work. How you handle those reactions marks the difference between a professional and a hack.