When Two Authors Have the Same Idea

By Patricia Beal | @bealpat 

I found out on October 7 that Nicholas Sparks was within days of publishing a novel about the Kindred Spirit Mailbox. I was floored! Absolutely floored! I was working on a novel about the exact same remote mailbox.

Now what?!

I was so discouraged and exhausted that I posted the following message on A Seat at the Table, a Facebook group for Christian fiction professionals. If you fit in this category and don’t know about the group, message me to be added. It’s an amazing source of knowledge and support. But anyway—here’s the message:

The response was incredible. Turns out authors have similar ideas all the time.

Here are some highlights for your benefit:

1. This will happen. There’s nothing new under the sun.

2. Stories that may seem similar will end up being unique because we are unique individuals.

3. There’s your comparative title.

4. Not a horrible thing to trend with a famous author.

5. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote about the same things and we enjoy each perspective.

6. Some authors contacted the author who published the idea/theme first (within the Christian writing community) to talk it out and avoid misunderstandings later, and the experience has always been positive. The stories were different enough. No one was mad at anyone.

7. Remember last year’s bestseller Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate? Kim Sawyer came across the same bit of history (adoptions/stolen children) and had her book on that same theme published within months of Lisa’s.

Has that ever happened to you? What did you do?

As for writing, within hours of that October 7 post, God began doing something, and His something caused me to show up at The Art of Writing and The Christy Award Gala in Tennessee thirty days later. Crazy, right? Who shows up there after almost two years of not showing up anywhere? An ACFW event would be the usual suspect, not an ECPA event. This is how God did it...

Part 1 - The Christy Award began following me on Instagram. When I went to follow them back, this was the latest post:

Coincidence? Hmm…

Part 2 - The next morning a friend tagged me on this post:

Coincidence again? Hmm…

Part 3 - I decided I had to walk away from social media and get to my Bible study if I really wanted to get God’s opinion. This is what I read:

And this is how I responded:

As for what’s next, only God knows. It was wonderful to see writing peeps and meet bloggers who helped me launch the debut last year. I feel connected again, felt the love, and learned a ton.

I saw people who’ve since contacted their agents—agents who are now interested in seeing what I’m working on. I’m super thankful and might end up taking them up on that. But that’s not where God is leading me right now.

Right now I’m nurturing a brand-new relationship, formed “accidently/coincidentally” after meeting a stranger during a walk from one building to another at the Lipscomb University campus during the November 7 The Art of Writing/Christy events. Her name means rain and she’s a brand-new agent.

I’m working on a proposal for a brand-new story God gave me as I showered to fly to Tennessee. “Rain” has a meeting with my favorite editor at my favorite house on December 5th.

Please pray. I want to keep this glow and this faith and this joy :)

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19.

I'm the person on the left with the big face ;) Next to me is fellow Brazilian author, Valeria Hyer, with whom I stayed while in Nashville. Next to her is Sara Ella and her little man (I now know that Sara is the person behind the Christy social media presence and therefore the one who started the whole thing). Photo by Mrs. Book of the Year, Becky Wade!

About Patricia

Patricia Beal is from Brazil and fell in love with the English language while washing dishes at a McDonald's in Indianapolis. She put herself through college working at a BP gas station and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in English Literature. She then worked as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army for seven years.

She now writes contemporary fiction and her debut novel, A Season to Dance, came out in May of 2017 (Bling! / Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). A Portuguese translation came out in her native Brazil in August (Editora Pandorga). Patricia is a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. She and her husband live in North Carolina with their two children.

Goodreads - www.goodreads.com/bealpat
Facebook - www.facebook.com/patricia.beal.author
Instagram - www.instagram.com/patriciasimoesbeal
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/patriciasbeal
Twitter - www.twitter.com/bealpat
Web - www.patriciabeal.com

Dedications

One of the most special things of having a book published is having the opportunity to dedicate your book to someone. Even royalty consider such a thing an honour, so much so that Jane Austen received a 'suggestion' from the Prince Regent's librarian that she dedicate her novel Emma to him. Despite holding an unfavourable opinion of the profligate Prince, Jane knew ignoring the suggestion might be unwise, and so the first edition of Emma has a dedication that reads (somewhat sarcastically):

To 

His Royal Highness 

the Prince Regent, 

this work is,

by His Royal Highness's permission,

most respectfully dedicated 

by His Royal Highness's

dutiful and obedient humble servant,

the author.

Of course, most of us these days are not coerced into writing dedications to people we don't like, which makes the selection of the people we do dedicate our books to rather important.

Some people seem to prefer the pithy "For so-and-so" kind of definition; others are renowned for writing dedications to (multiple) people that can take up half a page (each)! Personally, I think such such long 'dedications' read more as an author's note, which might be better served at the end - after all, readers want to read a story, not a lengthy dedication to someone they have never met :)

Regarding the dedications of my novels, I am trying to show my appreciation for people who have supported me on my writing journey. My debut novel, The Elusive Miss Ellison, I dedicated to my husband; my second,  The Captivating Lady Charlotte, is dedicated to my parents; my third, The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey is dedicated to my sister, with a thank you 'for sharing your Georgette Heyer books with me.' With each of these I've been conscious of balancing the content with the dedication, which is why the most romantic novel had to be dedicated to my husband :)

Of course, now my first three books are dedicated, it leaves the door open for my next novels. Hmm, whom to dedicate to. My children? Good friends? Favourite Beta readers? It's a nice problem to have.

How about you? Do you notice book dedications? Do you have particular methods for selecting to whom you dedicate your books? Do you prefer short and pithy or something more lengthy?

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked part-time as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives.

Her Regency novels are available from Amazon, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

Connect with her:        www.carolynmillerauthor.com

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Names

Writers often spend an ample amount of time figuring out which name suits a character best.

Research may include checking:

• name definitions, to see if the meaning matches the character’s traits, arc, etc.
• when the name was popular, to match it to a specific time period
• region, to make sure the name matches where the character lives

With all that goes into naming, and creating, characters, is it any wonder that sometimes people name their children after their favorite characters?

Would you ever name your child (or pet) after a favorite character, or perhaps a favorite author?

Better yet, are you named after one? Or do you know someone who is?

In case you might like to see some name suggestions, here’s a site that lists 50 names inspired by authors.
http://www.disneybaby.com/uncategorized/50-baby-names-inspired-by-writers/

Enjoy!

Eva Maria Hamilton is the author of Highland Hearts, a Love Inspired Historical novel published by Harlequin. Her novel, Highland Hearts, won 2^nd Place in the Historical Romance, as well as the Traditional/Inspirational Romance Categories in the Heart of Excellence Reader’s Choice Awards, and was an Inspirational Series Finalist in the 2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

Highland Hearts

Scotland 1748
The Battle of Culloden is over, but one Highlander’s fight has just begun…
Logan McAllister survived years of indentured servitude in the Americas to reach this moment. Now he’s returned to Scotland, ready to redeem the secret promise from Sheena Montgomery’s father – that his years as an indentured servant would earn him Sheena’s hand in marriage. But when he arrives home, he learns that Sheena’s father has died, his contract has been lost… and Sheena is engaged to another man.

To connect with Eva Maria Hamilton online, please visit her at www.evamariahamilton.com

Authors Acting

Authors – I ask you, if your book was made into a movie or TV show, would you want to do a cameo?

Readers – Do you like to see authors do cameos?

I would answer yes to both of these. I love seeing authors do cameos. There’s just something so cool about an author getting to live in the world they created.

So, do you know any films or TV shows that have author cameos in them?

Here are a few fun sites to check out if you want to see some cameos.
The first two deal with movies and the last one deals with TV shows.

Enjoy!

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56564/25-movie-cameos-authors-original-books

http://www.quirkbooks.com/post/ten-best-author-cameos-movie-adaptations

http://www.zimbio.com/Beyond+the+Tube/articles/Eb-SSPC420D/7+Authors+Made+Sneaky+Cameos+Their+Own+Shows


Eva Maria Hamilton is the author of Highland Hearts, a Love Inspired Historical novel published by Harlequin. Her novel, Highland Hearts, won 2nd Place in the Historical Romance, as well as the Traditional/Inspirational Romance Categories in the Heart of Excellence Reader’s Choice Awards, and was an Inspirational Series Finalist in the 2013 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

Highland Hearts

Scotland 1748
The Battle of Culloden is over, but one Highlander’s fight has just begun…
Logan McAllister survived years of indentured servitude in the Americas to reach this moment. Now he’s returned to Scotland, ready to redeem the secret promise from Sheena Montgomery’s father – that his years as an indentured servant would earn him Sheena’s hand in marriage. But when he arrives home, he learns that Sheena’s father has died, his contract has been lost… and Sheena is engaged to another man.

To connect with Eva Maria Hamilton online, please visit her at www.evamariahamilton.com

Interview with Lisa Harris

Today I have an interview with Lisa Harris

where she talks about writing reading and  gives a few hints about her new book Dangerous Passage. Welcome Lisa.

 

1. What comes first for you character or plot?

It’s not always the same, but in this story, Avery North played around in my mind for months before I started writing her story. I know she was a cop. I knew she was a single mom with a daughter, who’d lost her husband. The details of her life became more distinct as I began writing the story and working through the plot, but she definitely came first.

2. Was there a particular incident, place or monument that first sparked your thinking for this novel?

Several years ago, I wrote Blood Ransom, a novel that focused on human trafficking in Africa. At the time, I had no idea this was an issue in the US. With this new series, I decided that setting this story in the US, the backdrop of human trafficking would not only make an exciting story, but would also help people become aware of this very real issue.

3. Did you know how this novel would end before you wrote it? Or did you consider any alternate ending?

I usually have my stories pretty well outlined before I start writing, but I still don’t always know exactly how it will end, or sometimes even who is the bad guy. I love it when I get surprised by a turn of events that ups the stories emotional impact. With this story, I was surprised by a couple events, (I won’t give any spoilers here!) even though I stayed pretty close to my outline and didn’t consider an alternate ending.

4. Were Avery or Jackson based even loosely on someone you know or have met?

No, both characters are purely the product of my imagination.

5. What would you hope readers would take away after reading Dangerous Passage?

In the story, my main character, Avery North, struggles to balance life as a widow and a single mom with a full-time career. She has to come to the point where se realizes her weaknesses and fears and rely only on God’s strength.

In our own lives, we often feel inadequate to follow God’s call, but never forget that the God who created the universe loves us and wants to be our strength. He came to heal the empty and broken hearted, and those searching for freedom and hope. That’s what I hope readers take away from this story.

6. Where is your favourite place to write?

I’ve learned to write pretty much anywhere. In the midst of homeschooling, travelling, or just day-to-day life. Which means that anywhere that’s fairly quiet works for me, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t prefer the beach or a quiet spot outside!

7. Do you read fiction while working on a novel? Or do you tend towards reading non-fiction or poetry?

Since I always seem to be working on a novel, I read a variety of genres. No poetry, but lots of non-fiction. I also do read fiction, but not always in the genre I write. For instance, I love medieval, Tudor, and other historical settings.

8. What are you currently reading?

For fiction, I just started Rachel Hauck’s Once Upon a Prince. For non-fiction, I’m reading The Heavenly Man about Chinese Christian brother Yun which is such a fabulous, life-changing book!

9.  What is the most helpful advice about writing you have ever received?

If you want to be a writer, you need to write. Network, go to conferences, read books on writing, but write!

10. Who are some of your favourite authors?

It’s hard to narrow it down. I grew up loving Victoria Holt, enjoy Dee Henderson’s early books, and more recently, Sandra Byrd’s Tudor series, and Jill Smith’s biblical fiction.
 
Thanks Lisa for sharing some of your writing insights with us. Lisa has kindly offered a giveaway of

to one lucky person who leaves a comment. This is international. So do leave a comment and your email if you want a chance to win. Wish I could leave one myself.

You can find out more about Lisa and her work here
Website: www.lisaharriswrites.com

Blog: http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com

If you're not lucky enough to win the giveaway or don't want to wait you can buy Dangerous Passage here

Buy Dangerous Passage on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Passage-Southern-Crimes-ebook/dp/B00CIUJWLI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

Buy Dangerous Passage on Christian book.com http://www.christianbook.com/dangerous-passage-southern-crimes/lisa-harris/9780800721909/pd/721904?product_redirect=1&Ntt=721904&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

 

 

Originally published by Ark House Press, Streets on a Map has recently been released as an E book. It is available from Amazon. Dale also writes poetry and children’s fiction, and has written bible studies and Sunday school lessons. She is currently at work on another novel. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

 

A Humble Peg Bag

Years ago I remember my mother always had a peg bag that came into use each washing day.  It was made in the shape of a dress. Peg bags are something I have always found handy. Recently my daughter mentioned she didn’t have one and needed to buy one. So a few days later, when I saw them for sale at an Australia Day market I bought one for her which I gave her next time I saw her.

Fast forward a couple of month and it had been one of those days, or should I say weeks. You know the ones I mean, where everything that can go wrong does - where the computer mucks up and does odd things, when writing is not going well, when prayers don’t seem to be answered, when family health problems are an issue, when headaches plague the days making everything take twice as long, when shopping become a frustration or the person you have difficulty getting along with makes you roll you eyes and wish you were anywhere else but in the same room with them.  This was the scenario, when in the middle of bible study a text message came though that made me smile.

The message was from my daughter and concerned the above mentioned peg bag. She said that every time she hangs out the washing she thinks of me and is so thankful I’m her mum and for buying her the peg bag. In the scheme of things it wasn’t a huge deal but it encouraged me. I returned to the bible study feeling happier than I had before, all because of a few words of encouragement.

That’s all it takes sometimes to brighten someone’s day. It might be a phone call or a text message to let someone know you are thinking of them. It might be an email sent to your pastor or a few words after the service to tell him how helpful or challenging you found his message. Or it might be, as happened to me recently when a visitor from another church who came to our Easter services approached me and said how she appreciated the leading of the music. She also liked the choice of songs and how relevant they were to the message. I was quick to pass that information on to our music director who chooses our songs each week to fit with the sermon. Having done this job myself in a previous church, I know this is not always easy to do.

When it comes to writing it might mean letting another author know how you enjoyed their book. Recently I emailed an author about a picture book my youngest granddaughter enjoys. The author was delighted to hear the effect her words are having. Earlier today I posted a review of an author’s debut novel on Goodreads. You can find it here.  http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/527713524

What has encouraged you this week? I’d love to hear about it. Or maybe tell us where in your life you would like more encouragement.

Streets on a Map, was published by Ark House Press. Prior to that Dale has had seven children’s books and Kaleidoscope a collection of poetry published.

Along with her husband, Dale was for a time houseparent for a family of twelve boys. She has been a manuscript assessor and book reviewer and has run creative writing classes and written bible studies and Sunday school lessons. For several years she wrote about Christian living, marriage and home related topics for www.families.com. She has a BA in Literary and Australian studies. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog  http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

 

 

YESTERDAY'S TOMORROW--A Review by Christine Lindsay

I love it when I find a heart-rending and ultimately satisfying love story that captures my heart and mind for years. I found such a story in Yesterday’s Tomorrow. Debut author, Cathy West, has written a new type of Christian inspirational, and one I find refreshingly authentic. What makes it even more exciting is that this author is a fellow International Christian Fiction Writer.

The main character, Kristin Taylor is haunted by the childhood memory of her journalist father leaving to go out on assignment to Vietnam in the mid 1950’s, and never returning. A number of years later Kristin, now also a journalist, follows in her father’s footsteps.

At the height of the war in Saigon, she meets Luke Maddox, a photographic journalist. Kristin isn’t really sure what Luke is doing in Vietnam, but suspects he’s more than just a photographer. As much as they’d prefer to avoid each other, events throw them together. Tension rises as they see the war from different viewpoints.

Author Cathy West drew me into this bravely written story with her amazingly researched details of Vietnam in the 60’s——the whisper of helicopters in the distance, the scents and color of the country and the people, the pathos of young American soldiers far from home. While Yesterday’s Tomorrow realistically portrays the war, it does so without using overly graphic images. But there is enough detail for the reader to grasp the emotional despair of Kristin and Luke as they watch soldiers laying down their lives for democratic freedom.

Kristin and Luke each in their own way try to salve their grief. As Kristin spirals downward in her emotional despair, she and Luke find solace in each other’s arms. But Kristin begins to wonder about Luke’s secrets, and she fears the exposé she’s written about the CIA involvement in Vietnam will tear them apart. When despair and passion leads Kristin and Luke to a level of premature intimacy, they both must deal with the guilt that brings. As Kristin’s life turns upside down, she receives the news that Luke is listed as MIA.

This story took me from New England to Vietnam to New York, and is a beautiful love story that satisfies my heart. But I love Yesterday’s Tomorrow because it’s about believable people—people like me with flaws. None of us come to the cross without the scars of sin. Once or twice, in moments of extreme stress in the middle of a warzone, some of the characters in this novel swear. Some struggle with the desire to drown the horrific images of war by drinking. Kristin and Luke’s spiritual journey as well as their emotional one, is a story that will encourage the struggling faith of readers in this decade.

Set against this very human drama is the war of Vietnam, showing the hearts of the courageous men and women who served in it. The author gives honor to these military and journalistic heroes, an honor they so rightly deserve.

Bravo, Cathy, a very brave and very deserving novel.

Leave a comment with your email address spelled out and I'll chose a winner on Sunday and contact you.

AUTHOR BIO ON CATHY WEST:


Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. Catherine and her husband live on the beautiful island of Bermuda, with their two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of Romance Writers of America, and American Christian Fiction Writers, and is a founding member of International Christian Fiction Writers. Catherine’s debut novel Yesterday’s Tomorrow, will release in 2011, through Oak Tara Publishers.

I've enjoyed writing this review for Cathy. I hope I've inspired you to read her novel. Drop by Cathy West's website Catherine J. West to find out how to purchase her book, or to her publisher Oak Tara.

And if you'd like to find out more about me, drop by my website.Christine Lindsay

GORLS is GIRLS by Rita Stella Galieh

Grafitti seen on a wall. "I like gorls." Someone saw it, crossed it out and wrote, "I like girls". Another came along and wrote, "What about gorls? They want to be liked too."

I guess we've all felt like the odd one out at times. And after writing several novels, I've discovered that my heroes and heroines often feel this way. Maybe that works well in a story by adding some inner conflict and perhaps some argumentative dialogue.

Authors study their protagonists as they need to know how they'll react in given situations. Writers who plan ahead with a plot structure laid out know this before they write. Others, known as "seat-of-the-pantsers" -of whom I am one- tend to discover how their main characters react while they're writing. Yes, characters can take on a will of their own and the novelist soon finds he or she is not true to the way their leading lady/man would perform. And they buck or sulk, depending on who they are. I can't tell you how many times I've had to revise and rewrite until my characters cooperate! I truly like this, though, as it adds some spice when they don't do the obvious. After all, you want to be surprised when you're reading, otherwise the story would be humdrum.

I'd really like to write about an eccentric who does and says nothing you'd expect, but can you imagine trying to explain that in a book proposal to a skeptical publisher? Maybe Dickens wrote his share of strange folk, but I wonder how it would go down today? Anyone read anything lately about an odd character as a main protagonist? Ooh yes, mythic, heroic, strong, virile...yet odd. Hmm, that's food for thought.

www.ritastellagalieh.com & Facebook