THE CALL

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THE CALL

I didn’t set out with any particular calling when I first began writing fiction professionally. But as I began to write BEYOND JUSTICE, certain themes such as forgiveness, redemption, the true meaning of faith and grace, just came to me as the story unfolded. At first, my protagonist Sam Hudson was supposed to be a pastor of a church. But then, I didn’t want the book to get labeled as a Christian Market book. Nothing wrong with the latter, I love those kinds of books and enjoy reading them. But I felt the message of ultimate hope, the glimpse of eternity relative to our mortal existence in my book would be especially helpful to non-religious people. However, they probably wouldn’t pick up a book in the “religious fiction” section of Borders. (BTW, I ultimately made Same Hudson an attorney.)

I also realized that BEYOND JUSTICE might not fit completely in the Christian Fiction Market because some might not find it “religious” enough. While people of faith might find it inspiring, my book really is for all people, Christian or not.

For that reason, I’m pleased that Author Magazine made the following remarks in their review of my book:

What sets this thriller apart is the deft handling of religion.

…This could have been a clunky, preachy aspect that would have sunk the thriller elements, but it does not…

…This is not “Christian fiction” a la Left Behind.

Because of the response from my readers, who (aside from accusing me of robbing them of sleep) tell me that my book has caused them to think about life, death, and faith in a way they hadn’t previously, I have felt it my calling to write books that not only entertain, but cause people to think outside of their respective thought boxes.

So my calling is thus two-fold.

First: Entertain and deprive readers of sleep. J

Second: Challenge them to consider matters of life and faith in a way they might not have otherwise.

Will I accomplish this with every book I write? I certainly hope so.

JOSHUA GRAHAM

Joshua Graham’s debut novel BEYOND JUSTICE is taking the world by storm, one reader at a time. Many of his readers blame him for sleepless nights, arriving to work late, and not allowing them to put the book down.

Publishers Weekly described BEYOND JUSTICE as:

“…A riveting legal thriller…. breaking new ground with a vengeance… demonically entertaining and surprisingly inspiring.”

Suspense Magazine:

“This book was so much more than a mystery novel; it was an exercise in faith, understanding, joy and mercy in their purest forms.”

“…twists, turns and surprises to be found here.”

“…filled with so much in the way of emotion.”

“…Take the time to read this book. You will not be disappointed.”

Under other pen names, Joshua has been published in three Pocket Book anthologies. Joshua’s short fiction works have been also been published by Dawn Treader Press.

He's a graduate of the Oregon Professional Writers Masterclass run by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Joshua grew up in Brooklyn, NY where he lived for the better part of 30 years. He holds a Bachelor and Master’s Degree from Juilliard and a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.

He has taught as a professor at Shepherd College (WV), Western Maryland College, and Columbia Union College (MD). Today he lives with his beautiful wife and children in Southern California.

You can get your copy of BEYOND JUSTICE at Amazon.com
Keep up with Joshua:
On his blog:  www.joshua-graham.com
On facebook at www.facebook.com/J0shuaGraham
The Beyond Justice Fan Page on facebook 

Naturally Nostalgic

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Naturally Nostalgic by Bill Walker

I’ve always been fascinated by history and by the past. I guess you could say that I’m naturally nostalgic. With the future uncertain, the past beckons with a golden light that is hard to resist. That’s what motivated me to write A Note from an Old Acquaintance. I was also motivated to try something new as a writer. For the most part, my previous books tended to be more plot-driven, more in the vein of a mystery or thriller. And while this book contains a dash of those elements, the story is much more focused on the two main characters and how they meet, fall in love, and are separated by circumstances they cannot control.

Aside from being a nostalgic person, I’m also an incurable romantic. For me, the idea of reconnecting with a lost love is something very powerful–something I believe will resonate for readers, as it does for me. I also wanted to explore how two very different men, with different backgrounds and temperaments could love the same woman so intently and how dissimilar that love could be.

For Brian and Joanna, their connection is primal, spiritual, and intellectual. Each understands what it takes to create their art and each draws inspiration from the other. On the other hand, Joanna’s fiancé, Erik sees her more as an object of worship, something to put on a pedestal. What he sees in Joanna is the ultimate inspiration for his need for wealth and power.

So, what I’ve tried to do is write something that will speak to readers of every stripe, men included. Hopefully, that will be the case. For the one thing writers want is to be read and appreciated, an accomplishment that is getting harder and harder to realize.

Bill Walker
http://www.billwalkerdesigns.com

Fictional Sprinkles?

Enter To Win a Print Copy of The Ice Cream Theory by Steff Deschenes

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Would You Like Fictional Sprinkles on that Non-Fictional Sundae? By Steff Deschenes

“You don’t really write non-fiction that well. You’re a better story-telling – stick to writing fiction.” One creative writing teacher told me.

“Your fiction comes off as strained, but your non-fiction is effortless – stick to writing non-fiction.” The other creative writing teacher told me.

And that’s how my life as a writer started.

I always wanted to be a fiction writer. Nothing seemed more beautiful to me than being able to stretch the borders of my own imagination by writing stories about world’s that didn’t exist or adventures that hadn’t been taken until I personally gave life to them. And to be able to share that with others longing to escape routine or normalcy seemed like heaven to me!

While trying to write the next great American novel, I honed my craft by rewriting real life scenarios I found myself in and the conversations that occurred in those moments. While completely absorbed in those real moments (trying to be involved with what was going on, but at the same time trying my hardest to remember everything people were saying, the way their faces look, the way I felt, etc.), that’s when I realized that life was already too darn fascinating, entertaining, outlandish, beautiful, and filled with strange worlds and stranger people, that I’d be wasting my time and missing out on some incredible life stories if I wrote anything but the truth.

For me, that’s how it all started. By simply participating in life and recognizing that some moments are so pure, so unplanned that they could never be created, fabricated, or forced. Despite my love of fictional stories, my calling was nonfiction. I would have been denying myself as a writer otherwise.

I’ve found that I’m a much better storyteller when recounting something. Perception is a beautiful thing – everyone perceives everything differently (because of our own intellects, state of minds, emotional journeys, etc.), which makes us all so unique and interesting as human beings. If something happens to a friend and I, he will recount the story differently than I will – probably more accurately! Over the years, I’ve stepped into my own as a nonfictional writer and have found I have the propensity to fabricate a few of the minor details (stretching the truth in a way that entertains and doesn’t hurt has become my forte; and, it allows me to stay in touch with my inner fictional writer); which makes any stories I’m recounting different every time I tell the tale.

I never thought that a self-help book that compares ice cream flavors to people’s personality traits was going to be my first book. How would someone plan for something like that? It’s not as if I woke up one morning, called my mom and said, “I’ve decided I’m gonna travel the world, meet some interesting people, break some hearts, have mine broken, go on some adventures and eat my weight in ice cream along the way to see if maybe there’s some hidden metaphor about the meaning in life in there. Cool?”

It just happened. Life just happened. And I just followed along, participating every step of the way, and trying my hardest to remember things that were said, the way people looked, and the way I felt throughout it at all.

With a little stretching of the truth to top it all off!


Bio

Despite a failed attempt at majoring in ice cream in college, Steff Deschenes is a self-taught ice-cream guru. After publishing the now eleven-time award-winning The Ice Cream Theory, she began exploring food on a more universal level. As a result, she now photo blogs daily herself at dinner and the challenges of being a vegetarian in a predominantly seafood-oriented state. Steff also writes two articles a week entitled “Maybe It’s Me” (personal essays and reflection on life and the living of it) and “Fact Is Better” (real life conversations she couldn’t make up if she tried); all of which can be found at www.steffdeschenes.com. And to learn more about her book The Ice Cream Theory visit www.theicecreamtheory.com.

Writing Advice

Enter To Win a Print Copy of Stay by Allie Larkin

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Writing Advice From Allie Larkin

Since my first novel, STAY, hit shelves, I’ve gotten asked a lot of questions about the writing process. Of course there are things to learn about story and craft, dialogue, first person, second person, third person, setting, punctuation, sentence structure and all the details that make up the elements of a book. Those details are very important, but they won’t amount to a hill of beans if you don’t actually sit down and put the writing time in. So, I think the most important writing advice I could ever give is this: make an effort to find out what works best for you. What makes you want to write and keeps you consistently putting in the time?

Some books about writing talk about how you should write every day, write first thing in the morning or before you go to bed, or that you shouldn’t stop until you hit a certain word count. If that works for you, that’s fantastic, but if it doesn’t, don’t feel guilty that you’re not doing what you’re “supposed to.” Try different things, figure out what feels right, and don’t be afraid to change up your process if something stops working.

For the longest time, I had a romantic notion of having a room of my own and sitting at a window, watching birds and squirrels frolicking outside while I composed perfect sentences. But when we first moved into our house, I set up a nice little office for myself in our spare bedroom. I painted, bought a desk to put by the window, and hung shelves on the walls, and then I realized that I absolutely hated working in there. It might sound silly, but it felt like there was too much (self-imposed) expectation on my shoulders every time I closed myself in the office and sat down at that desk. And it turns out, birds and squirrels are distracting. So, I wrote much of the first draft of STAY while lying on the couch, with my laptop balanced against my knees and infomercials blaring in the background.

By the second draft, infomercials were distracting and I had to listen only to the iTunes playlist I made specifically for my main character. I wrote at the kitchen table some days, the lawn chair in the backyard others. Some lazy Sundays I spent the day in bed with my laptop, typing away. Eventually, I switched offices with my husband, and when I do work in there, I keep the curtains closed, so I don’t get distracted by the goings on outside.

I don’t write every day. It’s one of those “supposed tos” that simply doesn’t work for me. I think things out while I’m doing non-writing tasks and then I sit down to type it all out once I have something to write. I write until I’m at a point where I’m a little stuck and I need to think things out again for a day or two, and then I start all over.

It took a long time to trust in this process. I had to put aside that “I don’t write everyday” shame. I had to give up the notion of my perfect little writing room. I had to let go and realize that whatever it takes to get the best story out of my head and on to the page is what’s important. If I’d stayed stuck in the “supposed tos” I don’t think I’d ever have finished STAY, but I would have logged many hours, in the very early morning, sitting at the desk in my perfectly painted office, watching squirrels out the window.

----------Author Bio----------

Allie Larkin lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat.

She is the co-founder of TheGreenists.com, a site dedicated to helping readers take simple steps toward going green.

STAY is her first novel.

You can visit Allie’s website at www.allielarkinwrites.com.

Allie will be giving away an audiobook version of her book, Stay.

S.M. STIRLING

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