Planning Ahead: The Art of Creating a Series That Works

SANDRA D. BRICKER was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for 15+ years where she attended school to learn screenwriting and eventually taught the craft for several semesters. When she put Hollywood in the rearview mirror and headed across the country to take care of her mom until she passed away, she traded her scripts for books, and a best-selling, award-winning author of LIVE-OUT-LOUD fiction for the inspirational market was born. As an ovarian cancer survivor, she gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics and a cure. Sandie is best known for her Another Emma Rae Creation series for Abingdon Press, and has recently followed it up with the Jessie Stanton series.

Q: SANDIE, AUTHORS DON’T ALWAYS WRITE THEIR BOOKS WITH SERIES IN MIND. WHAT’S MADE YOU TAKE IT ON FOR A SECOND TIME?

 A: The Emma Rae books started out with Always the Baker Never the Bride as a stand-alone. Within a few weeks of its release, my editor at Abingdon came back to me and said she felt like we may have struck upon lightning in a bottle. We brainstormed for a bit, and came up with a few more Always… possibilities, and shortly after that she issued contracts for more Emma books. The beauty of that happy accident was that I was given this unique and wonderful opportunity to spend three years of my life with a community of fictional characters that I fell in love with right along with my readers. So when we started negotiating for a book called On a Ring & a Prayer, that same publisher came back with the idea that it might be a great chance to do it again in a completely different setting and with this wonderful lead character.

Q: TELL READERS ABOUT THIS LEAD CHARACTER.

A: Jessie is a girl I really understand. She ran away from her southern roots in Slidell, Louisiana (where I actually spent part of my childhood), and hit the mean streets of Los Angeles (which I also did) with the dream of a more exciting life. She met and married someone who looked like Prince Charming, but who turned out to be someone very, very different. By the time the polish wore off his tin crown and Jessie discovered who he really was, he was gone … and he took her entire life along with him. The first novel opens with a clueless Jessie out to lunch in Malibu with her best friend when she spots her precious BMW bouncing down the street at the end of a tow truck hook. This event is the inciting incident of a spiral for Jessie where she has everything she thought she knew stripped away and is left with nothing other than the pricey Neil Lane ring on her finger, the designer labels in her massive closet, and the pressing need to rebuild her life. It’s an age-old story that’s been done a million different ways, but there’s really nothing more appealing or fun for me as a writer than taking an underdog on a journey of redemption and (hopefully) eventual triumph.

Q: WE ASSUME THIS IS A ROMANCE, LIKE ALL OF YOUR BOOKS? WHAT CAN YOU TELL READERS ABOUT THE ROMANTIC SIDE OF JESSIE’S STORY?

A: Of course it’s a romance … with an eventual happy ending. But poor Jessie really goes through some deep doo-doo while trying to get there. Fortunately for her—and my readers—there’s this scruffy surfer guy, a private detective out in Santa Monica, who helps uncover the facts about the many layers of her creepy husband, Jack Stanton. Over the course of all three books, Danny and Jessie become more deeply entwined in each other’s lives until … Well, readers will just have to see for themselves what happens along the way!

Q: WHAT’S THE TIMELINE OF THE RELEASE OF THE THREE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES?

A: On a Ring & a Prayer came out in March, and Book 2—Be My Valentino—will be released this month. Then Book 3—From Bags to Riches—is slated for March of 2016.

Q: WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT BOOK 2, SINCE IT’S THE NEW RELEASE?

A: In the first book, Jessie opened a little store where the local wannabes could rent out her designer duds at a cost. In the second, she’s in the process of trying to build that business. Adornments is in the process of becoming the place to be for D-List stylists and wannabe celebs who can’t afford their own designer labels. But it isn’t until she dresses a VERY reluctant Danny in Valentino for undercover work at a formal affair that Hollywood takes notice of him instead of Jessie. Danny is plucked out of the crowd, snapped by photogs, and lands as the unlikely cover model on the front of a Hollywood tabloid magazine. So much for the inconspicuous life of a PI, right?

Q: IT SOUNDS LIKE FUN. HOW DID YOU STRUCTURE THE STORY IN A WAY THAT IT WOULD UNFOLD OVER THREE BOOKS?

A: Well, that’s the question of a writer’s career, isn’t it? The advantage I had with the Jessie books that I didn’t have with Emma was knowing right up front that I’d have to plan ahead that way. The challenge of a series is always blending the telling of an arcing story with the need for each book in the series to stand on its own for readers. I think because I started out as a screenwriter and not a novelist, I rely heavily on storyboarding. I create a sort of casting board with each of the key players on it, along with their details: A picture of who I’d cast to play their part; a list of coloring, height and weight; specific quirks or issues they have. Then I use my screenwriting software to make notes and create scene cards for each book. After that’s complete, I put them all together so I can see how the three books work for my readers.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE READERS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING RELEASE?

A: I’d love to invite them to get to know Jessie and her friends better through the launch of Be My Valentino by visiting my Facebook page between August 12th and the 16th. During that time, the characters will be taking over the page, and there will games and contests and giveaways every single day. For anyone already invested in the series, or even just thinking of reading it, the festivities will be a blast.

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Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-plus years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with their children, a Maltese Menace, and a retired military working dog in Northern Virginia. She can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction), Twitter (@roniekendig), Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/RonieK), Instagram (@kendigronie), and Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/roniek/)!

Ronie's newest release, Falcon, received 4.5 stars from RT Book Reviews: Kendig blows away fans...Falcon is a must-read!

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Advice on Writing an Author Bio from Rachelle Gardner

Writers: Are you having trouble putting together a short, concise bio for your book proposal? I hate to admit that it’s one of the greatest challenges I’ve had in recent years when preparing to pitch. How do you capsulize everything you are as a writer, and still tell enough about yourself to interest prospective editors or agents?

A while back, my agent Rachelle Gardner (Books & Such Literary Agency) put together a list of tips on this subject that I’ve found extremely helpful. With Rachelle’s permission, I’m going to share them with you now.

• Write your bio in first person for query letters, third person for most other purposes including proposals, book jackets, article bylines.
  
• Make it professional but you also need to convey personality and writing style. Don’t try too hard to be funny, but include something that makes you seem like a real person.
  
• What gives you credibility? What makes you interesting? What helps people connect with you? (When you’re on Twitter, Facebook or your blog, what kinds of posts seem to get the most comments?) These are things you can briefly include.
  
• If your book centers on something specific—the Civil War, for example—are you a member of a Civil War society? Have you published any articles in historical journals? Include that.
  
• Try not to include too much “resumé” type information–education, job history, etc. because it tends to be boring. Only include what’s relevant to the book you’re pitching.
  
• As you write a bio, consider carefully the purpose of the bio – who is the audience? Is it agents and editors? Is it your blog readers? Tailor it to this audience.

Rachelle also suggests reading the author bios in a couple of dozen books, paying close attention to the things you like and don’t like. I've done that a time or two when updating my bio. 

An additional tip that I can offer is to find the rhythm of your voice and use it in your biographical text. For instance, when writing my bio for the promotional material for a lighthearted devotional called Delight Yourself in the Lord...Even on Bad Hair Days, I added one short sentence that displayed the spirit of my writing: Sandra D. Bricker states that she hasn't seen a good hair day in more than twenty years.

Rachelle also encourages authors to compose several bios of varied lengths and save them to an author file so that they’re handy when needed. Speaking from experience, I can tell you this is a really helpful suggestion!

For additional information about nearly anything you can imagine in regard to the publishing industry, Rachelle’s blog (named multiple years by Writer’s Digest in their list of 101 Best Websites for Writers) is a wonderful source. 

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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) will conclude this spring with Always the Baker FINALLY the Bride, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon and Christianbook.

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Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS!

Every year, numerous countries hold beauty pageants, including Miss America, Miss Teen USA, Miss Universe, and many more. If you have ever watched a pageant, or perhaps the movie Miss Congeniality, you already know the answer to the interview question, “What is the one most important thing our society needs?”; it’s world peace.

While world peace is a great hope for the future, and a prayer to put in God’s hands, it is unlikely that any of us will work on world peace in our lifetimes. The easiest way to begin spreading peace is to start within yourself. 

How much stronger would our cities be if we worked on peace in our homes and at work? Unresolved conflict leads to disputes, anger, injustice and war throughout the world. This remains true at home. When people refuse to be conciliatory, tension heightens and the conflict goes unresolved.

As children of God, we are called to love one another, which makes peacemaking more natural. A part of loving people is learning to forgive in the way God has forgiven us. While some may believe peaceful people are uninvolved and non-confrontational, peacemaking is active; it’s not silent. It means speaking up when you see a coworker break the law; it means offering amends to those you have wronged; it means forgiving the unforgivable.

In society, peacemaking contradicts the norm and you may face persecution when you work toward it. The disciples suffered endless persecution and even death to share the message of Jesus. Any time we choose Jesus’ teachings on peace, forgiveness and love, we step away from worldly ideas and upgrade our thinking. Though you may be judged, condemned and persecuted, when this occurs for the sake of righteousness, you will be blessed. 

If you want to change your life and find the pathway to the blessed life, stand up for the truth. Speak up. Pursue peace.

Matthew 5:9 (NAS): Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 

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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) will conclude this spring with Always the Baker FINALLY the Bride, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon.

Sandie leads a team of writers in creating the Living It Out daily Bible study for CedarCreek Church. Today's devotion is based on the Living It Out study on following God’s precepts in your everyday life. If you enjoyed it, feel free to check out the daily studies by e-mail or audio podcast by clicking HERE.

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Guest Blogger ~ Sandra D. Bricker

Sandra D. Bricker has been publishing in both the Christian and general markets for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 12 books in print and another slated for publication in 2011, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an author of laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the inspirational market. The Big 5-OH!, her first novel for Abingdon Press, hits shelves in February 2010. Sandie was an entertainment publicist for 15+ years, an experience that fuels her penchant for promoting her books with flare and creativity. She currently writes while working a day job as a content editor in Tampa, Florida, where she resides with a free-spirited collie named Sophie.

The Keys to Unlocking a Killer Book Proposal

In recent years, I’ve received a lot of comments on my book proposals from editors and agents. They’ve been appreciated, and sometimes praised, for their clean look, concise delivery of information, and attention to the publisher’s concerns about marketing.

To be fair, I should reveal that my proposal-creating skills stem from a background that not a lot of authors have. I was an entertainment publicist for 15+ years, and I learned during that time how to write a great press release, create media kits and organize information in a way that appeals to “skimmers” (those folks too busy to read every word; they just skim).

So, with that in mind, what makes up a great book proposal?

BREVITY. Editors have very little time. There is a picture of an editor in some dictionary out there, positioned right next to the definition of Skimmer. Bear in mind that they have anywhere from a dozen to a hundred proposals on their To Do list on any given day, and you’re only going to get a minute or so to capture their attention. The quickest way to blow it? Ignoring this tip to Be Brief.

FOCUS. Sure, you’re a fascinating individual with a ton of great experience. But try to keep your target audience in mind with each and every word on the page. Ask yourself one question: What part of my experience is MOST likely to tell this editor that I’m someone they want onboard? For me, my marketing experience is always something I try to include, even if it’s just one sentence. In addition, three readers’ choice recognitions for my first novel in the inspirational market tells them that I’m building a reader base among their specific demographic.

ORGANIZATION. Be sure to organize the information in a clean, concise way.

1. Title Page

a. Include your name, contact numbers, email address, Web site and/or blog address. If you have an agent that will be submitting it for you, be sure to include their information.

b. Give them the basics.

• The title of the novel

• The approximate word count of the finished product

• The type of book it is (mine always say something like “A Laugh-Out-Loud Romantic Comedy for the Inspirational Market”)

• A log line for the novel (for Always the Baker, Never the Bride, the log line was “They say you can’t have your cake and eat it, too; but who would want a cake you couldn’t eat?”)

• A brief overview that reads like a back cover blurb, no more than a paragraph.

2. Author Information Page

a. A short bio, a half page at most. Remember: Brevity and Focus. What experience do you have that makes you the perfect author to round out this particular publisher’s list?

b. Add some brief marketing information. Be sure to demonstrate a clear understanding of your readership and how you plan to reach them. DO NOT present pie-in-the-sky dreams of what you want to do; instead, present what you’ve done before, and what you will do again.

c. It’s often helpful to include what I call The Short List, a brief mention of comparable books (successful novels that generated solid sales figures) already out there. If you can’t think of any, it’s better to skip this element than to say something like, “There’s nothing out there like this! It’s completely unique!”

d. If you’re a multi-published author, this will be the spot where you’ll include some sales figures to demonstrate your ability to sell books.

3. Synopsis

a. There are many schools of thought on the length of a solid proposal synopsis, but I like to keep it to about 2-3 pages because you want to capture the editor’s attention with the least amount of words.

b. You don’t have to worry about throwing in all of the unexpected plot twists. This is an overview of your story. One of the most important tips I can give you from the feedback I’ve received from editors is this: Be sure to write your synopsis in the voice and tone of the book you’re proposing. This is a very small but important stage where you can showcase you personality as a writer. For instance, my synopses are narrated with a present tense comedic tone.

• Example: When her father shows up for the opening at the same time, Emma suspects that Jackson’s so-called Family Circus is going to look awfully tame in the reflection of the Travis Cirque de Soleil!

c. I like to propose a question at the end of a short synopsis; something that makes the editor want to know more, while revealing just a hint of where I’m headed with the story.

• Example: Can these two ill-suited players master the high-wire act and make a go of their new business venture? Or will they take each other crashing downward, without a net?

4. Sample Chapters

a. A proposal will usually include the first three chapters; however, this is not a hard and fast rule. It is dependent upon your writing style and the length of your chapters.

b. A general rule of thumb: Include the first 40-50 pages of your novel.

c. Be very certain to format and organize these pages so that your excerpt concludes at a prime point that will make an editor really want to keep reading to see what happens next.

The Big 5-OH!

Olivia Wallace can’t remember a birthday that wasn’t marked by illness, tragedy or both. And now, as she approaches The Big Five-Oh, she is determined to change her course. Better late than never, right? That’s what Liv believes when she leaves a snowy Ohio winter behind and runs away to Florida to regroup. Amidst a crazy cast of characters that include a dog with a lampshade collar, a rogue alligator and a flirtatious octogenarian, Liv finds the biggest birthday surprise of all … A second chance at love.
To read a review of The Big 5-Oh! click here.

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Guest blogger ~ Sandra Bricker

Sandra D. Bricker has been publishing in both the Christian and general market for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 8 novels in print and 5 more slated for publication through 2010, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an author of laugh-out-loud comedy for the inspirational market, and last year’s Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas garnered her three different readers’ choice award nods. Sandie was an entertainment publicist in Hollywood for 15+ years, and she is a frequent reader favorite author.

The Top 10 Reasons for Self-Editing

I remember seeing a cartoon once where a writer tells his editor that he looks revisions like he’s performing surgery; he cuts out the bad parts and then his story is cured. To which his editor replies, “I’m sorry to tell you … I think your novel died on the operating table.”

I’m often asked questions about my process as a writer. Do I edit as I go along, or do I just get it down on paper and go back through it afterward? When editing, what do I look for, and what makes it evident that a manuscript is in need of revisions? All good questions!

Taking what I’ve learned from my day job as an editor, I’ve put together a sort of Top Ten List, things I look for when polishing up a manuscript, and then I’ve gathered input from some of my favorite experts as well. I thought the writers here might find it interesting.

#10: THE DIALOGUE’S THE THING
Be sure to write your characters’ dialogue the way they would actually say it. Dialogue should be a simple window into a conversation between two people.

Charlene Patterson, Editor – Bethany House: One of my primary annoyances is expository, unrealistic dialogue. Don't use character speech to explain things the characters should already know. And don’t overuse dialogue, or let the characters ramble about topics unimportant to the story you’re telling. I need interspersed description to be able to picture the characters and their circumstances.

#9: SHOW, DON’T TELL
Tom Merino, Filmmaker – FortuneTeller Films: This is not Biblically mandated, but it should be! Wherever possible, a writer should show the story rather than telling it to the reader. Every now and then, let the reader figure something out for themselves instead of telling them how to interpret what you’re giving them. It’s just good storytelling.

#8: HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
Don’t try to force the reader to “catch up” by jamming the first 10 pages with back story. Begin your story … then fill in as you go forward. If absolutely necessary, use a SHORT prologue; but only if it’s imperative. The sad truth is that most editors don’t read beyond the first page unless you give them a compelling reason to do so. Don’t open your story with the heroine looking at herself in the mirror. Start with a killer opening line, and build from there.

#7: POINT OF VIEW
This is not a reference to general head-hopping! Don’t shift into someone else’s eyes to tell the story.

Dianne Larrea – Freelance Editor: Every so often, I’m stopped in my tracks as I’m reading because of point of view. How does a character know that his eyes are puffy and bloodshot unless he’s looking into a mirror?

#6: DEHUMANIZATION
Marian Miller – Freelance Reader: Don’t deny the reader the experience of discovering a character’s flaws. Too much perfection makes for a really boring read. Maybe your hero isn’t going to move in on his best friend’s girlfriend … but you and I both know he’ll at least think about it. Let me see his inner scoundrel, if only for a moment.

#5: HAMMERING HOME A POINT
Don’t tell me half a dozen times what you can say in a few words.

Tamela Hancock Murray, Agent – Hartline Literary Agency: I often see people over-describing a character’s attributes to drive home the point. Okay. I get it. He’s horrible. Don’t keep telling me again and again.

#4: KEEP TRACK OF YOUR REFERENCES
If you use a Scripture reference in your masterpiece, be sure to add the Bible version you used. Don’t make the editor have to go looking.

Connie Troyer, Editor – Summerside Press: Give the information to your editor up front. The more the author does, the less I have to remember to check, and a cleaner manuscript is the result. The more confidence I have in my author, the less neurotic I am.

#3: KNOW YOUR BASIC GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION
It’s basic Respect 101. Respect for the editor, and respect for your own material. Many writers don’t realize how distracting a misplaced comma or misspelled word can be.

Susan Downs, Editor – Summerside Press: Probably my biggest peeve is when writers use possessive apostrophes when they shouldn't (for instance, it's/its or 1960's instead of 1960s.) Also, many authors need to be reminded not to separate a subject from its verb with a comma. I prefer to use a comma after the final item in a series preceding the and, even though the practice of abandoning it is becoming increasingly common.

#2: WRITER VOICE VS. CHARACTER VOICE
Remember that you are not starring in your book. Each of your characters is a unique individual on their own, and each of them will walk, talk, react and act out in a different way than the others.

Rachel Meisel, Senior Editor – Summerside Press: I just hate it when all the characters have one voice—the voice of the author. Your characters are not you; they should each have their own unique voice, full of quirks and idiosyncrasies. They should use slang and idioms unique to them, for if they all sound like you, the reader becomes instantly aware that she’s not in the character’s head but in your head.

AND THE #1 REASON FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SELF-EDIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT: Because your editor wants you to!

Barbara Scott, Senior Editor – Abingdon Press: If I can’t figure out what an author is trying to say, how will the readers get it? If an author turns in the absolute cleanest manuscript possible, it can shave off weeks of stress time. When you multiply 20 manuscripts per year times the number of hours needed to clean up sloppy writing, you can see how it would make my life easier. Rather than spend time on convoluted sentences, I could make in-depth suggestions to an author to help make a story stronger.

LOVE FINDS YOU IN HOLIDAY, FLORIDA

Bostonian Cassie Constantine is only in Florida long enough to use her Christmas break to get the vacation house that she’s always despised ready for the real estate market. But her widow status is like a target on her back, and the elderly matchmakers around town manage to sidetrack her mission at every turn. Holiday is a land mine of golf tournaments, ballroom dancing competitions, shuffleboard and day trips. But the biggest obstacle of all? Nope, not Sophie the crazy Collie. It's Richard Dillon, the stuffed shirt she’s paired with on the dance floor, that makes her heartbeat tap faster than the rhythm of The Quickstep.

For a review of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida, click here.

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