Brand New Beginnings

In the last few days I've been spending a lot of time on my marketing. I'm not that great at it, but I've been enjoying learning. 

I've recreated my Facebook Author Page, Bethany Jean: Author

Created an Author Blog, Bethany Jean: Author

and even worked on my Twitter campaign. 

All this to say that if y'all enjoy my writing at all, or would be interested in hearing about my upcoming projects (which are awesome, by the way), you should visit my blog at least! 

The first book in my Destination series, A Sure Design, is in the editing process, and will be released before the end of the year. 

I hope to see some of y'all over there!

Blockage

Recently I've been really blocked, and at first I couldn't figure out why.
I was right at the beginning of an engrossing and exciting story, barely dipping my toes in the possibilities.
I was right at a conflict. A really fun one, filled with a serial killer, his victim, and the savior. And boy, it was going to be a piece of work.
And then it was gone. The urge to write the story, the potential that was bursting all through me.
Now, I know you've probably heard that you're not supposed to let people read your story till you're done writing it. It can take all the inspiration out.
That's not the way it works for me. I let a select few read it. They're the people who encourage me. Who won't let me stop till I'm done with it.
Even after they read it I was good. Going straight at it.
All it took was a few words from someone I respect.
They didn't even have any idea they were doing it. But with just a few words they took the life out my Main Character. And they took all my belief that she could do good with it.
So now I'm faced with the problem. How do I get my story back on track? To be honest, I think it's one of the best ideas I've ever had.
And just like with any story, the way to get it back on track is to just write. I may have to make changes to my MC to make sure she's who she's supposed to be, but I can't let a story die just because she needs tweaking.
Now to force myself to take my own advice.
Wish me luck. 

NaNoWriMo

For the last two years I have been part of a glorious tradition. I like to think of it as a banding together of writers from all parts of the world, all walks of life. And I thought that surely there would never be circumstances in my life to keep me from taking part in this challenge. Now, the challenge of NaNoWriMo is, simply, to write 50,000 words in the thirty days of November. A small novel. This year, however, everything has changed. I aquired a job, started a massage therapy course, and I'm housesitting for a friend. So I won't be doing NaNo this year. I think if I tried, I'd get all stressed out, and be unable to do any of my duties well, much less write a book worth writing. And it makes me sad because I wanted to write another book this year. I guess I'm just realizing that sometimes you have to give up something you want to do in order to do something more important to prepare for your future. In my spare moments, I'm reading a book on editing and getting ready to start ripping my novella, "The Pipe Clamp Ring", to shreds. I guess I'll edit a book during NaNo instead of writing one. And for anyone else who might be doing NaNoWriMo, Good Luck! I know you can do it, and I definitely believe in you!

The Unrelenting Tide

Devynne Lang...Shania Hane. It doesn't really matter which name and identity she takes, there is still someone out there watching her.
Shania Hane is a famous movie star, but when a stalker becomes dangerous, she disappears in a plane crash, leaving behind a heartbroken following.
When a few years later, Devynne's husband is killed, she knows the stalker has found her again, and she is forced to raise her little daughter, Marissa, with a gun in her night stand drawer, and every sense on high alert.
Carcen Lang is her brother-in-law. A police officer like her late husband, Kent, Carcen has made it his responsibility to protect Devynne and Marissa from the danger that stalks their lives.
In a world where even the tide is an overwhelming reminder of her situation can Devynne find a way to keep her trust in God strong? Can they catch the man who has spent years destroying everything Devynne holds dear? And can she and Carcen find the love that is seeking them out?
This book drew me in from the get-go. Lynnette Bonner's way of manipulating words to make you feel a part of the story makes this book more than worth the read. I've read other books by her, and I'm in awe of the amount of research and accuracy she puts into each book. A very worthwhile read, especially if you like intense mysteries with a nice little side of romance.

Blog Tour: Ten Questions

Blog Tour: Ten Questions

This writers' blog hop simply asks ten questions about your
current story, and then you tag five other writer-blogger
friends to participate next week. Katelyn Shear over at
The Life of a Teenage Writer  tagged me. Thanks Katelyn! 

It took me a little while to decide which story I wanted to
post about today. But I finally decided on A Light From
The Shadows. It's my latest fantasy story that I'm

 working on editing right now. It's also the second book
 in my fantasy series.


1: What is the working title of your book?
A Light From The Shadows


2: Where did the idea come from for the book?
Well, I already knew the MC for this book was going to
 be a minor character from the previous book, Darcy Vatain.
So I was thinking about her character and what she's like,
and this story just came up. I know the idea of someone
being physically injured in anger, especially by their father is
something that would tear her up. So I decided that an old
enemy would come back with plans to kill those who 

thwarted him, and some seriously personal problems as well.


3: What genre does your book come under?
It's fantasy with a nice twist of romance in it.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your 
characters in a movie rendition?
I've thought about this, and searched. I finally found
Jenna Bryant for my MC, Darcy. Her eyes are 

the tiniest bit too dark, but otherwise she's just about
 perfect. :)

I actually already had figured out who the hero would be.

 A battleworn hero named Randon. Definitely best played 

by Richard Armitage. 

 For the young girl who is abused by her father, I chose

 Emilia Clarke. She has the perfect delicate look that Rayish 

needs.

These are all the characters I've found so far. I haven't
really thought about finding actors for the rest of them yet. 

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? 

I don't really have a good one, but this is what I've come
up with:

A lonely innkeeper and a heartbroken man of war must
form an alliance to protect those closest to them from the
man who would take their lives.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an 
independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

It's not published yet, but it will be self published. 

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of 
your manuscript?

It took me all of the month of February to write it. And that's
 the fastest I've ever written a book. 

8: What other books would you compare this story to 
within your genre?

I would compare it to The Dragonriders of Pern, and maybe
C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. It's basically a tale of
good versus evil, where evil has the best chance of winning. 

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

 In the past few years I've been shown how girls who were
 raised in Christian homes can be so easily led astray.
Seeing these girls, who have so much potential in their lives,
throw it away in destructive ways really hurts. So I wanted to
 write a story to show them a better way.

10: What else about your book might pique the 
reader’s interest?

It's got dragons in it. If that doesn't pique your interest, I'm not
 sure what will. It's a story of a girl who has spent the last while
 of her life blaming herself for her father's death, and how she
learns that it was no one's fault, and she has to let it go, and
allow herself to love other people again.

Now I need to tag five more people. First, Sheila Hollinghead
with Rise, Write, Shine!, Kathryn C. Lang with
 Successful Freelance Writer, Cara Bedford with
Hope to inspire..., Emily Smith with My Random Life,
and Tommie Lyn with
Mountains in My Heart...Sand in My Shoes.

People

The other day my sister and I were on town, and we noticed that to either side of the sun, stretching wide across the sky were two fire clouds. They looked like rainbows in everything but shape. They're kind of rare, so we took our time looking at them, and I had to marvel over God's creation.
Especially when I looked around. No one else seemed to even notice them. Everyone was bent on getting where they needed to be, and no one looked around for the supernatural that filled the air above us.
It kind of made me sad. These people are missing out on so much they could be seeing. I wish I could somehow help them all see how God can be a part of every minute of every day.

Rainbows

Rainbows? They mean different things to different people. I really like rainbows. They're like a promise of new hope, and maybe just a preview of Heaven.

Today we got a good rain, and just as Hannah and I started out to Worship Practice, the rainbow came out. It was a double rainbow. On the way to church, we saw its end. It was right in the middle of a field just south-east of our house. Shimmering, and glistening. Of course it moved as we got closer, but it was fun to see the end of the rainbow for just a few seconds. Does a rainbow have any special meanings for you?