The Reality of an Author’s Legacy – What We Will Leave Behind

Ramona Richards

Pam Meyers here with my monthly post. This month, I'm honored to have guest poster, Ramona Richards, Senior Acquisitions Editor-Fiction at Abingdon Publishing, share a behind-the-scenes look at a new release from Abingdon , Scarlett Says by Julie L. Cannon.

 

The Reality of an Author’s Legacy – What 

We Will Leave Behind

By Ramona Richards

Julie L. Cannon

Julie L. Cannon cared, deeply, about many things. Her family. Her God. Her art. In fact, she cared so much for God and the depth of her faith that she refused to take them out of her art. This cost Julie far more than many people realized, as she turned from releasing best-selling books with mainstream publishers to books written from her heart for the Christian market.

For instance, long before Nashville became a hit show, helping to turn the city into one of America’s “it” places to be, there was Twang, Julie L. Cannon’s delicious love song to the city. It’s a book I’m extremely proud to have edited. I’m also honored to have played a small part in its creation—in 2011, I squired Julie and her husband, Tom, around the city. I got her into the Bluebird Café so she could describe it accurately, fed her and Tom barbecue, and walked with them through some of the city’s landmarks. We toured the Opry House, and I requested that she include the effects of Nashville’s May 2010 flood in the book.

We had a blast, and I was astonished at how much energy she had, how far she and Tom could walk in a single evening, exploring Nashville’s downtown streets. And I still have the umbrella she left in my car when she and Tom headed back to Georgia.

Accuracy was important to Julie, whether she was writing about the heart of a singer or a young woman on the brink of changing her life. This was the topic of her second book for Abingdon, Scarlett Says. We talked about the nature of a woman trapped behind her computer screen and the steps it would take for her to emerge, finding hope for love and new opportunities. Julie’s research into social anxiety issues wound deep, and her heart broke at some of the anguish she found. She wanted that on the page.

On August 31, 2012, she delivered the first draft of the book, just short of her September 1 deadline and ready for my review. I glanced through it, then sent it to an editor for more thoughts and feedback. Julie ALWAYS “overwrote” the first draft, knowing she’d revise it. The manuscript was 20,000 words too long and revealed more about the main character, Joan, than needed to be on the page. But we knew it would all work out.

Then, on October 9, 2012, I got a frantic e-mail from one of Julie’s friends with a horrid rumor that turned out to be far too real. Julie was gone. The traumatic brain injury she’d suffered years before had taken its toll, and she’d died from a seizure.

I cried, off and on, for more than three days. She had been one of our authors, yes, but she was also a friend. When the grief settled, however, I had a problem on my hands—a manuscript that was too long to publish and would take more than editing. It needed a complete revision.

The easiest answer would have been to cancel the book, and that possibility was on the table from the beginning. No one had Julie’s voice; she wasn’t around to coach a coauthor. But I asked the editor, Jamie Chavez, not only to complete her task but to be as tough as she could. Because SHE would have to be the coach, detailing what worked and what didn’t. And she did an incredible job.

But now what? After much debate, we decided that I would do the rewrite. It took time I didn’t have, to be honest, but I knew exactly how much of Julie’s heart and soul went into Scarlett Says. This would be her final book, her legacy book, and I wanted it to shine. I carefully set aside my own writer’s voice and did my best to step into hers as I trimmed away paragraphs, rerouted subplots, and polished passages.

Sandra Bishop, Julie’s agent and friend, approved the manuscript, and I sent it off to the typesetter. Then my production editor, Susan Cornell, turned her eagle eyes on it, and we sat in her office for hours, reading sections and double-checking everything we could. SEVEN proofs later (we usually do a max of three), Scarlett Says was off to the printer.

Losing Julie is still a painful thorn in my soul, and I’ve had many folks ask me why we went through this, when canceling the book would have been simpler. I only have one answer.

It’s because of who Julie was. A writer—who put her heart, mind, and soul into everything she wrote. A Christian—who put aside worldly success to focus on faith and God. A friend—who listened and cared and prayed.

No one knows how well Scarlett Says will sell; there’s no author to interview, no champion hitting the streets with media and the gatekeepers. And while publishing is a business, it’s not always ABOUT business.

This time publishing was about the legacy of a woman who loved deeply and changed more lives than she realized. And I hope her last words live forever. 

Pam again:  Ramona has graciously offered two copies of Scarlet Says to give away. If you'd like to have your name dropped in the hat, make a comment answering either of these two questions. Have you ever faced a writing challenge like Ramona faced? Or... what would you like left behind as your legacy?

Leave a comment with your answer by Friday, April 25, 2014, to win a copy of Scarlett Says!

Scarlett O’Hara has an answer for 

everything . . . right?

Gone with the Wind’s Scarlett O’Hara isn’t perfect, but as far as 30-year-old literature lover Joan Meeler is concerned, Scarlett’s outspoken passion, strength, and 17-inch waist make up for her other shortcomings. In fact, Joan has grown quite fond of writing her advice blog in Scarlett’s devil-may-care tone. It gives her a voice and confidence she otherwise couldn’t muster. Never mind that her writing muse is a fictional character.



What would Scarlett say, for example, about Charles, one of Joan’s first and most devoted blog readers, who suddenly has Joan dreaming (and worrying) of a life—and love—outside of make-believe? Joan digs into her heroine’s mind, searching for something to calm her rising insecurities but discovers that Scarlett is surprisingly mute on the topic. Abandoned by her sole source of security, can Joan look elsewhere—even to God—to uncover the inner confidence she so desperately needs?

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago, an hour's drive away from her hometown which she visits often to dig into its historical legacy. Her novels include Thyme for Love, and Love Will Find a Way,  contemporary romantic mysteries and her 1933 historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva,Wisconsin, released in April, 2013. She is currently working on a new historical romance set in her beloved Lake Geneva area. She can often be found speaking at events around southeastern Wisconsin or nosing in microfilms and historical records about Wisconsin and other Midwestern spots for new story ideas.

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Ten Steps to a Creating a Book Launch Team

Best-selling and award-winning author Anita Higman has thirty-five books published, and her latest novels are Winter In Full Bloom (Moody Publishers) and A Marriage in Middlebury (Abingdon Press). Anita was recently a finalist for two Selah Awards, and she won a Cascade Award, as well as her second Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award.

Please visit her website at or connect with Anita on her Reader Page.

Ten Steps to a Creating a Book Launch Team

Perhaps you’re asking, “So, what is a book launch team?” It’s a merry band of readers who like your work well enough to create buzz about your new books in exchange for free autographed books, prizes, and insider information about your latest releases. Your team’s buzz can be in the form of reviews, social media, blogging, and anything else that will get the word out about your new book. Okay, now that you know what this wonderful new promotion avenue is, you can begin to travel down this road with these ten steps.

1. Setting up an Online Home

Before you can invite your guests to this ongoing book party, you’ll need to create a special hosting site to house your private group. Since I am clueless how to pull this off I hired my webmaster to create a beautiful page on Facebook that would coordinate perfectly with my website as well as my Reader Page. If you’re clever and techno savvy, which I am not, you can set it all up on your own.

2. You’ll Want a Jazzy Title

I decided to call my book launch team Backstage Pass, and I call these amazing women in my group, Backstage Beauties. And believe me, they are beautiful in every way, not just because they promote my books, but because they have become friends who are precious to me.

3. It Shouldn’t Always Be About You

I discovered that for my team to spend all their waking moments thinking about me and buzzing about me, well, it was going to get a little strange. I was at risk of becoming a narcissist. So, Backstage Pass is also about the members too. Once or twice a week I post a “getting to know you question.” And they really do participate. Also, we share prayer requests, and that has also helped to foster a caring environment. We have truly built a community of women who not only like to read my stories but who also care about each other. In fact, these women have become so important in my life that I’ve dedicated my next book to them.

4. How Many Team Members Should You Have?

Right now I have 55 members, but I intend to slowly grow the group to 100. There are some members who don’t participate, some who drop in once in a while to leave a comment or help out with some promotion, and then there are others who are committed to creating some serious buzz. I am grateful for them all. I feel honored that they would want to be a part of the group. But as far as numbers, I do think if you go over 150 members you would lose that intimate feel of community that makes this kind of group so special.

5. Make it Fun Run contest for prizes.

We celebrate every time we reach ten new members in our group. I ask a novel-related question and do a giveaway that is also connected to the book. The last prize I gave away was a silver charm bracelet festooned with a tiny musical charm, because this type of bracelet was important in my new book release, Winter in Full Bloom.

6. Ask for Input and Delegate Jobs

Team members are creative people—hey, they’re readers, aren’t they? And so ask them if they have ideas on fun ways to interact within the group. One of my team members suggested sharing recipes, which is great. Another woman acts as a head greeter when new members arrive, and she gives us a brief devotion on Sunday morning. Also, my members know of fresh ways to create book buzz—ideas that I hadn’t even thought of. So, ask your team for input. And don’t forget to delegate. God really does give everyone special gifts, and it is awesome to watch those talents bloom in a close community.

7. How Do You Choose Team Members?

I started with friends and relatives as well as people from my church who I knew liked my work. That got me started, but then I branched out to include women from all over the US, who emailed me, telling me how much my stories meant to them. I knew these gals might enjoy being on the team. Do remember, though, not to build your group too quickly. Make sure these are readers who like your stories and your world view and who would genuinely enjoy this kind of camaraderie and book buzz.

8. Share Your Heart, Not Just Your Books

Part of the reason readers want to be in your private group is because they will get an insider view of what it’s like to write books and carrying on with a career that is sometimes hidden to people. But when sharing, don’t just give your launch team the nuts and bolts of the writing process and your career—offer them pieces of yourself.

9. How Effective is a Book Launch Team?

Unfortunately, I don’t have any numbers to show you concerning how many books sales came directly from the buzz created by my launch team. But I do know that a grassroots, word-of-mouth effort has always had a history of selling books when mere advertising might fail.

10. What Do You Do Between Book Releases?

There will come a time when your new release is no longer new, all the buzz has been buzzed, and your next book doesn’t come out for months. What do you do with that gap in book releases? I haven’t faced that scenario yet, but when I do, I’m going to keep the community alive and close and happy by continuing to allow prayer requests and updates, running contests, and fostering even more of that wonderful heart-sharing sense of sisterhood. Then when I do have another book come out—after a season of fun and refreshment—hopefully, we’ll be ready to roll again!

* * * * * * * * * * *

A Marriage in Middlebury by Anita Higman

Charlotte Rose Hill has been serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky but beloved customers for more than 10 years. But for her, marriage seems like an elusive butterfly, always out of reach. At 18, Charlotte fell in love with a young man, Sam Wilder, but his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. She did, and then became engaged to another man, who later died before they were married. Now, more than a decade later, Charlotte finds that she still has feelings for her first love. Initially thrilled to learn that Sam has come home to Middlebury, Texas, Charlotte is devastated to learn that he’s brought someone with him: his fiancée. But all is not lost when the townsfolk decide to get involved. Will Charlotte and Sam find their way back to each other?

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Nursing the Wounds of Betrayal

I can’t believe she did that! How could she have been so thoughtless? So cruel? So…fill in the blank.

We’ve all felt it, haven’t we? The sting of betrayal is like nothing else. If a stranger had said or done the same thing, it wouldn’t have hurt quite so much. But when you’ve given someone a closer look at the deepest parts of you…shown them the soft underbelly that isn’t for the world to see…let down your guard and trusted them enough to show your vulnerabilities… You don’t expect that person to poke at those soft places in your heart. And when they do? Well, that’s a pain unlike any other.

But what do we do with the feelings that follow? The Bible speaks of the limitless grace of forgiveness.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”. –Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV)

But…How, Lord? How?

There’s something to be said for understanding your reactions, for defining the turmoil that’s going on in your heart. Much like the physical loss of a loved one, there are stages of our grief after the betrayal of a friend or loved one.

Denial. No way! She never would have said/done such a thing. I must have misunderstood. Let me look at this again because it just doesn’t make sense. She would never!

Anger. Does she really think she’s going to get away with that? How could she have said/done that!?What is WRONG with her? Doesn’t she know…

Bargaining. I don’t want to lose the friendship we’ve built, so I’m going to have to figure out a way to deal with this. I’ll wait and see what happens. If she sincerely apologizes, THEN…

Depression. The reality is sinking in now, and I can’t escape it. My friend/spouse/sister actually said/did that. I just don’t know what to do with this. How will I ever move on? It’s hopeless…

Acceptance. Well. What’s done is done. It is what it is. I’m going to have to figure out a way to forgive and move on, even if it means moving on without my friend. Help me, Jesus.

And so – at last! – we fall into the arms of grace and allow our faith to begin healing our heart and mind. In times like these, I often wonder why I had to go through the grief process, why I couldn’t have just immediately turned to Christ and tossed my burdens at his feet without facing all those demons head-on. But I’ve come to believe it’s an important part of the process. As humans, it seems we have to make our way to forgiveness. As hard as we try, we just don’t have the same capacity for love as the One who IS love, and we have to navigate toward his light in order to reflect it.

Working our way through the muck toward healing and forgiveness takes a little time. But keep your eye on the prize, my friend. And try to remember that pain, resentment, anger…these are all temporary bricks on the path that was laid to lead us through grace to eventual forgiveness. We cross over them; and quickly too, because they have a pretty rapid rate of growth. If we stand there with them long enough, they’ll eat us alive. So we fight our way over them, knowing that He’s waiting for us on the other side.

In times like these, while I’m hacking at the jungle between me and the forgiveness that offers my heart’s healing, a song called Losing (by TenthAvenue North) ministers to my heart.

“We think pain’s owed apologies and then it’ll stop.
Truth be told, it doesn't matter if they're sorry or not.
Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
of Your mercy and Your grace. Father, send Your angels down.

Oh Father won't you forgive them;
they don't know what they've been doin'.
Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them,
cause I feel like the one losin'.”

Pain, suffering, betrayal…These are the things that make up parts of our lives, whether we like it or not. Pleasant? Absolutely not. But no matter how broken your heart feels, working your way through the jungle toward forgiveness is the only way to the other side. And reaching the other side is imperative. There are no lessons taught, and no one suffers by your unforgiveness…except you. 

# # #

Sandra D. Bricker is a best-selling and award-winning author of laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the Christian market. Her most popular series (that started with Always the Baker Never the Bride from Abingdon Press) will conclude this spring with Always the Baker FINALLY the Bride, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon.


Connect with the author on her website or on Facebook.

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Reading, Writing...and Reading Some More

Author Barbara Cameron  has sold more than three dozen books (fiction and non-fiction) as well as three movies to HBO/Cinemax. Awards  include being a finalist for two Carol Awards (American Christian Fiction Writers Association), second and third place winner in the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, and Love chapter’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for two novellas (One Child in bestselling An Amish Christmas and When Winter Comes in An Amish Gathering), and first time winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. She has been on the CBA, CBD, and ECPA bestseller lists and is a former newspaper reporter and part-time college instructor.

# # #

Sometimes the best advice for writers is the simplest:  READ.

Yes, read! And I’m not talking about reading craft books. They are wonderful, but I’m talking about very basic, everyday reading.

Readers often comment on how real my books seem. They ask if my writing is born from real life or  imagination?

Yes.

You see, I like to do a mixture. And what I’ve discovered is writing has helped me improve my work and has also inspired some of my best work.

Not long ago, I wanted to write an Amish novel and make it different, unique, not the same old same old. That’s what editors want—fresh and different.

Nothing came at first.

Then one Sunday afternoon I was reading the local newspaper and noticed an article about a woman who volunteers to drive returning military to their stateside homes. Quite a number of times, she said she’d braked at a stop sign or traffic light and the soldier would yell at her or even grab at her arm. You see, too often that stop in Afghanistan or Iraq resulted in a bombing…

I immediately had a vision of a female television reporter who is dozing in a car as her friend drives her home from overseas duty and wakes screaming at him when he brakes at a stop sign.

I did further research on this problem and found it’s a symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We don’t always think of that as being something from which a reporter could suffer, but anyone who suffers a traumatic event may develop the syndrome. This reporter had been injured while doing her job overseas and wakes in a stateside hospital with a quilt covering her. The note attached to the quilt is from her grandmother. It says simply: Come home.

So Englisch (that’s what the Amish call us) Jenny goes to recuperate at her Amish grandmother’s home and is reunited with the boy next door. Instant conflict ensues: they went in different directions years ago but now find themselves aware that the attraction has not died. But Jenny is not only Englisch—she’s too aware of her limp and scars and PTSD flares. And Matthew is Amish.

Their story would be the first in a series I wanted to write. More reading and research ensued. I find that the more I know, the more I want to know, and so I read every Amish book—non-fiction and fiction—that I could find. I had visited Paradise, Pennsylvania, years ago, but more visits to that Amish community and others ensued. I read up on quilting and barn raisings and—well, that old voracious love of reading was in full force.

Reading a quilting magazine gave me ideas for scenes and cookbooks ideas for food and settings and the recipes readers like at the rear of my books. Reading articles and books by Amish authors helped me make my stories more authentic.

I finished that series called Quilts of Lancaster County and wanted to do more; thank goodness, the editor wanted to buy more. Along came more reading and ideas and the Stitches in Time series was born. Heart in Hand is the third and latest in the series set in a special store in Amish country.

I just signed a contract for my fourth Amish series for Abingdon Press and am loving every minute of reading for ideas and research and so much more. I can’t help thinking how reading that Sunday paper started it all years ago.

My advice for writers? Read, read, read, and then read some more. Don't copy someone else’s story or style but generate ideas, do research, figure out what works and what doesn’t. And sometimes, just read for the pleasure of reading because if you love reading you’ll be learning the craft of writing at the same time.   

LEAVE A COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THREE COPIES OF HEART IN HAND FROM THE AUTHOR.

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