Before. Behind. Between. Begin.

This was one of the best articles on characterization I have ever read and the reason, I believe, Cindy's books have become bestsellers. 


Cindy is also offering two copies of her latest release, The Scent of Cherry Blossoms, so leave a comment to be entered in the drawing. Continental U.S. residents only, please.

New York Times Bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall is an author, wife, and mother. Her real-life connections with Plain Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty years and the youngest of their sons.

Before. Behind. Between. Begin.
Finding the Four B's of Your Character

Before your character had control of his or her own life, who controlled it?

When beginning a writing project, it can feel easy to imagine a handsome or heartwarming character with an endearing personality and a couple of flaws that have the potential to get him into trouble. But is that enough insight to enable you, as the author, to know who the character really is?

The problem with not knowing your character well enough is that you won't know what he or she would say or do in certain situations. You may know what you would say or do or what your imagination could conjure up for your character to say or do, but to understand how each one would react, you must truly know who he is. When understanding any subject, it's best to start at the beginning - at the foundation - and build from there.

The lives of the characters should begin long before they were born. Who were their parents? What kind of people were they? What was the relationship like for mom and dad before they became "mom and dad?"

When your character was in his growing-up years, did Mom love to laugh, or was she void of humor? Did Dad love coming home, or did he drag himself in near or past bedtime? Was Mom fulfilled within, or did she pine her days away, remaining loyal to the family, but never psychologically embracing them or herself?

The most significant elements of parenting continue to make a difference in the heart, mind, and soul of an adult child. A drug-addicted, alcoholic or absent parent certainly leaves a mark on his or her children. But are these easily-labeled issues the only ones with power enough to show up on the written page?

Doesn't a mother or father who loves her or his life leave a totally different and equally powerful impression on a child? What about the dutiful and kind parent who is miserable?

The subtleties of your character's beginning are harder to show on the page, but if you know those nuances, such invaluable information will contribute to how your character thinks and what he or she will do or not do. How this plays out in the action and point-of-view of your characters may be as gentle as having the character show restrained disrespect for anyone he sees across a crowded room who is drinking too much or discreetly popping a pill. Such nuances will calibrate your character's response in a hundred possible scenarios that can arise in a novel.

It all matters.

How I felt about my parents' choices and decisions when I was growing up still dictates my choices and decisions today - and I have two grown and married sons. If I liked something my parents did, I did and do that for my own children. If I disagreed or hated something they did, I do the opposite for my children. But when I do things differently, what effect does it have on my children? Do they agree or disagree with my decisions? Is it harmful or helpful?

For example, when I was a child, all food put on my plate had to be eaten before I could leave the table. I gagged my way through many a meal, but I also learned to eat foods I didn't like. As a result of my own experiences, when my children hated something, I'd give them a choice of other food items with similar nutritional value. I remember going through a list of acceptable substitutes for each child at mealtime. One son hated cooked carrots, broccoli, and English peas, but he would eat raw carrots and broccoli. He's twenty-five now and still won't touch English peas. Was my method helpful or did I teach him to always look for the easy way out? Did I give the subtle message that women are pushovers and that if you don't like what their hard work has provided, they'll find another option or solution for you? Hmmm.

Knowing about your character's parents and the cause-and-effect of your characters' beginnings will determine many of his actions and responses when he is an adult.


Behind every human's life are thousands of years of DNA that have been passed down. Thanks to that DNA, what natural gifts and struggles do your characters have?

In many ways, "behind" has as much influence over your character's behavior as the "before." Many people struggle to control their desires, urges, and personalities. Think about people with a Type-A personality. His patience is taxed before anyone around him has done anything wrong. A goldfish gets on his nerves, and its fish tank probably needs cleaning, organizing, and restructuring ASAP. Type-A personalities are often labeled as "difficult" or just plain "jerks." But much concerning who they are - athletic prowess, artistic ability, attention issues, good or bad habits, etc. - was all passed on to them from conception.

You don't need to study your character's genealogy, but you do need to be aware of what traits were passed down and give some measure of weight when developing your character.

Some of the sweetest people we know were born with a disposition that is relaxed and warm and easy to get along with. I remember wondering as a preteen if those people were less sinful than others who were, by nature, challenging and difficult. Was their sweetness a lack of sin? How could that be? They may have carried more special graces, but didn't the sin nature itself claw at their hearts and minds too? We know it does, so how does that "sin" show itself on paper?

When characters are built from "before" and "behind," making each one's strengths and weaknesses flow onto the page will come naturally - whether they are gentle and truly sweet or easily act like a jerk.

Between conception and the start of your novel, what else molded your character? One of the interesting things about being a human is that the same exact environment could easily be created for several human beings, yet each would have a unique perspective because of the thing we call "personality." If you have a set of identical twins, each one will react differently to his or her environment. A parade or a clown may excite one toddler and terrify the other.

This is where the author can choose more of who the character is. After plotting out the "before" and "behind," you're ready to choose the personality of your characters. Does she accept the pop culture-type thinking of her day, fight against it, or quietly disagree with it? If he lost a sibling in a war, did it make him want to protest wars or join the military? After the "before" and the "behind," who did your character become in the "between?"

Begin your novel armed with the full knowledge of who your characters are - the before, the behind, and the between. Then ask yourself, what would this person do - how would he or she react - when caught in the emotional or physical destruction in which your plotting places them? Once you've completed these steps, you won't have to know the answer to how they would react when placed in different circumstances. The character - who that person is - will dictate what he or she will do in any given situation. Each character will be true to himself or herself, because you know who they are and from where they have come.

Once your research is complete, the characterization throughout your work won't be about you, the author, deciding what the character should or shouldn't say or do; it will be about the author taking accurate notes as the characters speak for themselves.

I'd like to leave you with one last "b" word, but it's not for your characters, it's for you...

Believe

I could attempt to explain the power of that one vital element, but I think all of us know of its awesome, life-changing strength first-hand. Thanks for inviting me to express some of my thoughts and ideas...may you find who your character truly is.

The Scent of Cherry Blossoms


Annie Martin loves the Plain ways of her Old Order Mennonite people, like those revered by her beloved grandfather. Retreating from a contentious relationship with her mother, Annie goes to live with her Daadi Moses in Apple Ridge.

But as spring moves into Pennsylvania and Annie spends time amongst the cherry trees with the handsome Aden Zook, she wishes she could forget how deeply the lines between the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite are drawn.

Can Annie and Aden find a place for their love to bloom in the midst of the brewing storm?

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9 Secrets to Giving a Great Interview

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author whose connection with the Amish has been featured on ABC Nightline. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Plain Mennonite and Old Order Amish families.

Cindy is the mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, and she and her husband reside in Georgia. Visit her Web site.

Interview Tips I Wish I’d Known Beforehand

I love writing! I love long days and nights in my home office with the window open and research books all around me.

I’m an introvert. I’ve heard that most fiction writers are. Being introverted is not the same as being shy, although shy people are introverted. An introvert draws strength from quietness and solitude. An extrovert draws strength from get-togethers and other people-oriented events.

The first time I realized how much of an introvert I am, I was seventeen and on a first date. I was young and athletic, and had taken the time to straighten my lengthy hair, do my nails and make-up, and had even bought an especially nice-looking outfit. Our plan was to meet up with a group of friends at someone’s home and have pizza. When my date asked if we could go to a drive-thru for dinner instead, I felt RELIEF wash over me. Right then I understood something about myself; I was a true introvert.

Until then I kept thinking that I avoided going out because I wasn’t “pulled together” enough. But it became clear that even when at my best, I preferred quiet seclusion. After going to the drive-thru, we went for a long, quiet stroll in a nearby park and tossed bread crumbs to the ducks. The only way I would have enjoyed that night any better was if I’d been alone with a pen and journal. (Too long ago for laptops to have been a part of the scene, man.)

So writing sounds like a good career choice for me, right?

Well… so far this year I’ve done segments for ABC’s Nightline and Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta, plus multiple interviews for newspapers. I’ve done numerous live radio and television interviews. I spent about eight hours with a journalist from the Wall Street Journal and four hours in my home with a journalist from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Live interviews are especially difficult because you often don’t know what the person is going to ask, and if your mind goes blank, you still have to say something.

At this point you should feel sorry for my husband, who loves my quiet temperament, especially during football season. If I can’t sleep because of an upcoming interview, or I’m walking around mumbling to myself because I’m displeased with how an interview went, he’s the one who has to deal with my angst and try to help me through it.

Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, interviews are part of being an author. I’ve been doing them for the last thirty-six months, two weeks, and eight days. I’ve had some truly great interviews and some really embarrassing ones. Here’s the good news: I survived. And along the way I’ve learned things that are equally valuable to both personalities. These tips will help the introverted prepare for things that are as tough for them as a month in solitary confinement would be for an extravert.

There are many things that can cause an interview to go badly, but here are some tips that will help you be as prepared as possible. I don’t get it right nearly as often as I’d like, but following these suggestions helps me focus on my goal.

1.) Write out the most likely questions to be asked and write out several answers—keeping in mind that the response needs to be less than thirty seconds. Practice giving an answer with a timer in hand or your eye on the wall clock’s second hand. If your answer is too long, rework it.

2.) Remember that the transition from the interviewer’s question to your answer is the most important part to get right. Your first sentence that follows the interviewer’s question is your topic sentence for that question. Remember topic sentences from your days in high school and college? You need a topic sentence, even for a thirty-second answer.

3.) Practice the questions and answers before every interview. A live radio show does not allow time for searching your thoughts. Know the answers, but then lay your notes aside and talk as if you’re on a live stage. The idea is to give responses in a fresh and energetic manner. So study like it’s a test, and then trust that you’ll know enough to sound spontaneous. Practicing for radio interviews will not only help to prepare you for television interviews, it makes your voice sound real and personal as well as professional.

4.) Write out the questions you hope an interviewer never asks. Think of several questions you absolutely do not want to be asked, and plan for how you’ll respond if the interviewer asks those questions. Practice answering the unwanted questions in a succinct manner and with the most positive view possible.

5.) Use nouns instead of pronouns. As you do interviews, you’ll discover all sorts of issues about your speech patterns that you weren’t aware of before. For example, I hadn’t realized how much I overused pronouns. I would say “the Amish” at the start of the interview and then use the word “they.” That can be confusing for those who come in during the middle of an interview or when I’ve also spoken about the non-Amish. Don’t be afraid of using a noun too much.

Most interviews are brief and listeners don’t want to feel lost during what should be a clear and concise talk. Using nouns as much as possible is especially important during an interview that is being taped. Most producers cut out certain parts. If they find a great line they’d like to keep but you used a pronoun instead of a noun, they’ll have to either toss that segment or hope the audience can follow.

6.) Practice good diction all the time. I used to have great pronunciation of words. I even won recognition for it once. But that was thirty-something years ago, before the ways of my beloved new home in the Deep South took over. Now I often forget to put the g on the end of an –ing word. I’m not sure when that little colloquialism became my friend, but after I spoke at a women’s event, one lady approached me and brought that quirk to my attention. I sincerely appreciated her telling me that. Now I put effort into adding that elusive g and listening to my speech patterns.

7.) Practice agreeing with statements you don’t agree with. During one of my first interviews, moments before going live on a television broadcast, an interviewer heard something about me from her producer that piqued her interest. The issue was not related to my writing at all, but at the top of the show she tossed out a statement, expecting me to agree with her. I didn’t. I could either say I agreed with her and go against what I believed, or I could disagree with her on air, which would probably embarrass her and would certainly start the interview off on the wrong foot.

Unsure of what to do, I shared that I’d seen wonderful successes come out of the public school system. She felt affronted, and needless to say, it wasn’t my best interview. I don’t know that we ever talked about my books. After the interview, I asked my publicist what would have been a better way to respond. She told me to fashion a sentence that would start out with affirmation for the interviewer and end with an “on the other hand” statement. In this case, I could have said, “Yes, homeschooling has merit, and I enjoyed years of it with my own children, but I’m thankful we have the right in this country to choose what’s best for our children, because many times public school is the best route to go.”

8.) Practice getting an interview back on track. Sometimes an interviewer, like the one above, will start off on a topic unrelated to your book, expecting to bring it back around later, but that doesn’t happen. Think about phrases you can use that will help accomplish what you’re there for: to talk about your book. Using the example above, after I made my statement about homeschooling versus public school, I could have added something like this: “You know, it’s interesting that we’re talking about schooling, because the Old Order Amish have school in a one-room schoolhouse with grades one through eight, and the children begin school not knowing the English language.” With that transitional phrase, I would’ve agreed with the interviewer, shared my personal sentiments, and moved on to talking about what I came to the interview to talk about: my book.

9.) Use key phrases to turn a conversation back around. “You know, it’s interesting that you mentioned (use a word or phrase the interviewer just used), because in my (name of the novel being promoted) there is a character who is struggling to…” Or, “I love the concept of (use a word or phrase the interviewer just used), because in (name of the novel being promoted) there is a real sense of…” Or, “That reminds me of…” Or, “That’s a great point. It’s similar to (mention a character or plot thread in your book)...”

The above devices may sound too self-promotional, but I believe the audience and the interviewer will appreciate your getting to the real topic: your book. Just don’t be too quick to use them. If the interviewer is at the top of the show and wants to mention the weather, give him or her a chance to bring the topic back around to your book before you step in with a “key phrase.” If the interviewer doesn’t bring it back around within the first few minutes, be prepared to jump in. This will not only ensure that the interview goes well, it will also increase your chances of being added to their list of authors to invite back on their show. Sorry, introverts, but our aim is to do as many interviews as possible and to end with the interviewer saying, “Let’s do this again for your next book!”

Keep in mind, interviewers want their shows to go well and be entertaining to their audiences. So ask them beforehand what types of things they would like to know (request a list of questions if they have them). Ask about their demographics (if you don’t already know) so you can structure your interview to their audience. I haven’t had much success with a request for a list of specific questions. I think that’s due in part to the spot interviewers are put in. They don’t have much prep time and they want to keep things fresh as opposed to sounding well rehearsed and staged.

As much as interviewers may want a few minutes to prepare, they usually don’t get that luxury. Many don’t even have the chance to read your book. As the person with the most at stake in this interview, you need to help them be prepared. I once heard that I should prepare a fact sheet to send the interviewer beforehand, listing facts about my books and me. But by the time the interviewer thinks about needing one, it’s often too late. I’ve found a better answer is to have a well-organized, easily maneuverable Web site. You may even want to dedicate a page of your site specifically for interviewers. List the books you’ve published, any awards earned, personal information about yourself that you’re willing to share with the audience, a brief synopsis of your current book, and a list of sample questions.

With practice using tools that connect with your audience, it won’t matter whether you’re a nervous introvert who’s uncomfortable in a crowd or a nervous extravert who loves crowds but feels unsure of yourself in an interview.

Authors usually spend six months to a year writing a novel that will connect with readers, but that connection often begins with an interview that lets people know there’s a new book on the market. Being prepared for an interview is as important as writing the book.

If you have an interview that goes badly, console yourself by watching televised interviews of politicians—local or national. Look for their bobbles, losing a train of thought, and poor word choices. Those things happen to even brilliant people, so of course it’s going to happen to regular folks like us. Knowing you’re in good company is guaranteed to help put your own interviews in the right perspective.


The Sound of Sleigh Bells

Loneliness echoes inside Beth Hertzler from the life she once had. Children’s whispers and laughter call to her from a life she only dreams of. A gifted carver holds the answer to both within his hands—but can Beth step beyond yesterday in order to embrace tomorrow?

The Sound of Sleigh Bells is a heartwarming Christmas novella where lack and abundance inside an Amish community has power for good when it’s tucked inside love.

Romantic Times 4 ½ stars for The Sound of Sleigh Bells ~ This is a wonderfully written, transformative story of two Amish families at Christmastime. It will bring sleigh-riding memories to life as readers vicariously join in this jolly and exciting holiday tradition.

To read a review of Sleigh Bells, click here.

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Reaction to Reactions

Ronie Kendig has a BS in Psychology and is a wife, mother of four, and avid writer. Her first espionage thriller, DEAD RECKONING, will be released through Abingdon Press (March 2010) and the first book in her military series with Barbour, NIGHTSHADE, will release next July. An active member of ACFW, Ronie serves as the Book of the Year coordinator, assistant appointment coordinator for the conference, and on the conference Think Tank committee. She also does speaking engagements and teaches at her local homeschool co-op. Visit Ronie at her website or her blog!


Psychology . . . I’m sorry, but I just can’t get away from it, and really, neither should any writer because it is the study of mental processes and behavior. If you don’t understand the processes, then how can you accurately portray what’s happening with your character? I think we’ll take some time to explore very basic emotions over the next few months that might give you more understanding—and possibly ammo (I am a suspense writer, after all)—for your characters and stories.

ANGER – I have to confess, this is one of my biggest pet peeves in manuscripts because I see it all the time—but the author fails to quantify or qualify the justification for the anger. Most of the time, I’m left thinking, Huh? So let’s take this month to explore anger (no, no, I didn’t say experience it).

Basically, anger is aroused in response to something that threatens our goals, our safety, our beliefs, or our family or property. Anger is a protective mechanism and a secondary emotion. Granted, psychologists and scientists often disagree on labeling basic and secondary emotions, but for the most part, anger is “masking emotion”—it hides what is really prickling your character beneath the surface. Hurt, fear, grief, etc. It’s sort of like a rebound off a feeling the character doesn’t like. Perhaps your hero has felt slighted before, and when he’s passed over for that promotion he’s sacrificed countless hours for, he tumbles into a fit of rage.

Let’s hold up on that rage, though. Because that’s slightly different—more intense—than anger. A hero can be angry at a politician on TV for something said, but that’s not going to provoke him into hysteria . . . unless he has been burned in the past and reached the “black moment” where enough is enough.

Recently, Cindy Woodsmall blogged here about the Four B’s of Your Character. As she so aptly pointed out, you cannot accurately portray a character’s reactions or motivations without knowing what happened before, behind, and between the scene you’re writing. There is nothing more frustrating than to read a scene where the heroine flies off the handle and yet there’s been absolutely no set-up for her reaction—if you don’t know why, we won’t know why (and this can translate into the reader not carrying, which means poor sales).

Anger has four stages: The BUILD-UP is where the initial event sets the stage. An incident threatens your character in some way, but most characters at this point can shrug it off and keeping going.

But then that’s not enough conflict to carry your story through, so you have to throw more at them. Unseat their false sense of security that everything will be fine. At this threat, the character enters the HEAT-UP phase.

Think of it as lighting the pilot on a furnace—the initial burst of fire is the incident. Now, it’s not so easy any more for the character to “let it go.” The fuel is running and they’re agitation is growing; they’re seeing red and wanting a release for the adrenaline that spikes to help protect them from letting this happen again. But somehow, they dig deep and manage to maintain control.

And then you (kind soul that you are) throw something else at them and—KABOOM! The EXPLOSION. Restraint gone, good sense tossed aside, the character does something they vowed they’d never do. There is absolutely no turning back or repairing what they’ve done.

Now, they must face the CONSEQUENCES and pay the piper—perhaps an innocent wounded in the wake of their eruption, or a person they intentionally inflicted harm on and brought about unimaginable results.

Understanding the four phases is one thing, implementing them into your story is another. Most likely, your character will have already been through some of these phases when your story opens. Perhaps all of them—and the story is about him/her not repeating those mistakes. But you still must walk us through the journey.

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Guest Blogger ~ Cindy Woodsmall

New York Times Bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall is an author, wife, and mother. Her real-life connections with Plain Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty years and the youngest of their sons.

Before. Behind. Between. Begin.
Finding the Four B's of Your Character

Before your character had control of his or her own life, who controlled it?

When beginning a writing project, it can feel easy to imagine a handsome or heartwarming character with an endearing personality and a couple of flaws that have the potential to get him into trouble. But is that enough insight to enable you, as the author, to know who the character really is?

The problem with not knowing your character well enough is that you won't know what he or she would say or do in certain situations. You may know what you would say or do or what your imagination could conjure up for your character to say or do, but to understand how each one would react, you must truly know who he is. When understanding any subject, it's best to start at the beginning - at the foundation - and build from there.

The lives of the characters should begin long before they were born. Who were their parents? What kind of people were they? What was the relationship like for mom and dad before they became "mom and dad?"

When your character was in his growing-up years, did Mom love to laugh, or was she void of humor? Did Dad love coming home, or did he drag himself in near or past bedtime? Was Mom fulfilled within, or did she pine her days away, remaining loyal to the family, but never psychologically embracing them or herself?

The most significant elements of parenting continue to make a difference in the heart, mind, and soul of an adult child. A drug-addicted, alcoholic or absent parent certainly leaves a mark on his or her children. But are these easily-labeled issues the only ones with power enough to show up on the written page?

Doesn't a mother or father who loves her or his life leave a totally different and equally powerful impression on a child? What about the dutiful and kind parent who is miserable?

The subtleties of your character's beginning are harder to show on the page, but if you know those nuances, such invaluable information will contribute to how your character thinks and what he or she will do or not do. How this plays out in the action and point-of-view of your characters may be as gentle as having the character show restrained disrespect for anyone he sees across a crowded room who is drinking too much or discreetly popping a pill. Such nuances will calibrate your character's response in a hundred possible scenarios that can arise in a novel.

It all matters.

How I felt about my parents' choices and decisions when I was growing up still dictates my choices and decisions today - and I have two grown and married sons. If I liked something my parents did, I did and do that for my own children. If I disagreed or hated something they did, I do the opposite for my children. But when I do things differently, what effect does it have on my children? Do they agree or disagree with my decisions? Is it harmful or helpful?

For example, when I was a child, all food put on my plate had to be eaten before I could leave the table. I gagged my way through many a meal, but I also learned to eat foods I didn't like. As a result of my own experiences, when my children hated something, I'd give them a choice of other food items with similar nutritional value. I remember going through a list of acceptable substitutes for each child at mealtime. One son hated cooked carrots, broccoli, and English peas, but he would eat raw carrots and broccoli. He's twenty-five now and still won't touch English peas. Was my method helpful or did I teach him to always look for the easy way out? Did I give the subtle message that women are pushovers and that if you don't like what their hard work has provided, they'll find another option or solution for you? Hmmm.

Knowing about your character's parents and the cause-and-effect of your characters' beginnings will determine many of his actions and responses when he is an adult.Behind every human's life are thousands of years of DNA that have been passed down. Thanks to that DNA, what natural gifts and struggles do your characters have?

In many ways, "behind" has as much influence over your character's behavior as the "before." Many people struggle to control their desires, urges, and personalities. Think about people with a Type-A personality. His patience is taxed before anyone around him has done anything wrong. A goldfish gets on his nerves, and its fish tank probably needs cleaning, organizing, and restructuring ASAP. Type-A personalities are often labeled as "difficult" or just plain "jerks." But much concerning who they are - athletic prowess, artistic ability, attention issues, good or bad habits, etc. - was all passed on to them from conception.

You don't need to study your character's genealogy, but you do need to be aware of what traits were passed down and give some measure of weight when developing your character.

Some of the sweetest people we know were born with a disposition that is relaxed and warm and easy to get along with. I remember wondering as a preteen if those people were less sinful than others who were, by nature, challenging and difficult. Was their sweetness a lack of sin? How could that be? They may have carried more special graces, but didn't the sin nature itself claw at their hearts and minds too? We know it does, so how does that "sin" show itself on paper?

When characters are built from "before" and "behind," making each one's strengths and weaknesses flow onto the page will come naturally - whether they are gentle and truly sweet or easily act like a jerk.

Between conception and the start of your novel, what else molded your character? One of the interesting things about being a human is that the same exact environment could easily be created for several human beings, yet each would have a unique perspective because of the thing we call "personality." If you have a set of identical twins, each one will react differently to his or her environment. A parade or a clown may excite one toddler and terrify the other.

This is where the author can choose more of who the character is. After plotting out the "before" and "behind," you're ready to choose the personality of your characters. Does she accept the pop culture-type thinking of her day, fight against it, or quietly disagree with it? If he lost a sibling in a war, did it make him want to protest wars or join the military? After the "before" and the "behind," who did your character become in the "between?"

Begin your novel armed with the full knowledge of who your characters are - the before, the behind, and the between. Then ask yourself, what would this person do - how would he or she react - when caught in the emotional or physical destruction in which your plotting places them? Once you've completed these steps, you won't have to know the answer to how they would react when placed in different circumstances. The character - who that person is - will dictate what he or she will do in any given situation. Each character will be true to himself or herself, because you know who they are and from where they have come.

Once your research is complete, the characterization throughout your work won't be about you, the author, deciding what the character should or shouldn't say or do; it will be about the author taking accurate notes as the characters speak for themselves.

I'd like to leave you with one last "b" word, but it's not for your characters, it's for you...

Believe

I could attempt to explain the power of that one vital element, but I think all of us know of its awesome, life-changing strength first-hand. Thanks for inviting me to express some of my thoughts and ideas...may you find who your character truly is.

To win a copy of Hope of Refuge, leave a comment for Cindy.

Hope of Refuge

Can an Amish man help Cara find safety in a strange community with complex, unspoken ties to her family history?

Raised in foster care and now a widowed single parent, New Yorker Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and her daughter, Lori, away from the city toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers to mysteries from her past and a fresh start. She quickly discovers that Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, is no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God—"Be me to her"—even though doing so threatens his way of life.

Fearful of the strange Englischer woman causing turmoil for her family, Ephraim's sister Deborah tries to focus on the marriage and home she longs to begin with Mahlon Stoltzfus. Her dreams are threatened when her fiancé begins behaving oddly, withdrawing, causing concern for both Deborah and Mahlon's mother, Ada. Will Ada's vision for transforming a run-down house unite them all in a common purpose—or push Mahlon away forever?

Torn between the requirements of his community and trying to do what he believes is right, Ephraim risks losing everything, including a developing friendship with the guarded single mother. And only he knows that log-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake—secrets with the power to tear apart the home Cara is desperately trying to create.

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