Meet Sharon K. Souza
I would like you to meet Sharon K. Souza.
Sharon is one of the lovely Novel Matters bloggers. She is also one of my writing mentors. I have to tell you, Sharon is fabulous.
Well, I’ll let you see that for yourselves. I had the opportunity to interview Sharon. Enjoy!
Susie Finkbeiner (SF): Sharon, I’m so glad you’re here today. Can you please tell us a little about your writing life? How did you get started? What has kept you going, even when it got tough?
Sharon Souza (SS): Like many writers, I’d had a desire to write long before I actually started writing. Then, the summer of 1986, I was facing my usual 3-month summer break from my job as a T.A. at a Christian high school, and decided to see how far I could get on a novel. By the end of the summer I had hand written 100 pages, and I haven’t stopped writing since. There have been a lot of years of disappointment and frustration between then and now, but two things have kept me going: encouragement from peers and other industry professionals; and a conviction that writing inspirational fiction is my calling.
SF: I, for one, am so glad that you kept on going! It’s obvious that you love to write. Can you share what your favorite thing about writing is?
SS: I love beginning a new novel and watching my characters come to life; and I love writing dialogue. I also love when inspiration strikes, usually at night as I’m falling asleep. I’ve learned to write in the dark if need be, but I also have a notebook that Debbie Thomas (also from Novel Matters) told me about that lights up when you remove the pen from its holder. What a great device!
SF: We will have to chat later about that light up notebook. That’s genius! Now, just recently you have become an Indie (independent) author. You are blazing trails, Lady! I would love to know more about that experience for you. What’s been different between Indie Publishing and Traditional (with a publishing house)? What’s better? What’s worse?
SS: As an indie author this time around I bear the full responsibility of producing and promoting the product. It’s been a LOT of work, but I’ve enjoyed most of it. It’s better in that I call the shots. It’s worse in that I’m completely responsible for the success or lack thereof. That was true to a large degree with traditional publishing, but I didn’t feel like I was out there on my own. This is a bit frightening, but it’s also very empowering. Hear me roar!
SF: I hear you roar! And I’m impressed! I’m also pretty excited about this special deal you have going on. Will you pretty please enlighten us about that?
SS: When I re-released Every Good & Perfect Gift and Lying on Sunday, making them available on Kindle for the first time, I wanted to offer them on Kindle at an appealingly low intro price, and decided to include Unraveled in the special. My goal is to garner new readers for my novels, particularly in anticipation of my next release, coming July 1.
{NOTE! These three novels are only $2.99 for the Kindle…get them TODAY (February 28)…it’s the last day for that awesome price}
SF: I have to tell you, Sharon, I love your novels. Particularly UNRAVELED. It was as if you looked right into a certain period of my life and wrote about it.
I’m so glad to have had you here on the blog today. Could you please leave us with a Fun Fact about you? What is something interesting that makes you the one and only Sharon Souza?
SS: I’d rather fish than shop. I’d rather spend a day in, say, Montana, than a day in the city.
SF: I’d love to go fishing with you sometime. I’ll let you put the worm on the hook, though! That’s a little beyond this city girl’s ability.
Friends, how about you show Sharon a little love today. Go on over and download one/all of her books. $2.99 is a fantastic price. Also, tell your friends!
History, Romance, and SPIES! A Guest Post With Roseanna M. White!
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| Benedict Arnold – Boo, hiss! 😉 |
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| A scan of a page from the Culper code book |
Saggy Middle
Just about four and a half years ago, I was large and round and splitting pregnant with twin boys. I was literally a big mama.
After delivering them (c-section, no less), I had very little left to my abdominal muscles. Going from flat on my back to sitting was nearly impossible.
I had a saggy middle.
Nobody wants a saggy middle.
Now, I’m going to be honest, if I may, my middle isn’t toned. Let’s just say, you can’t scrub your laundry on these abs. But, I have regained mobility. I’m not hard-pressed to sit up anymore.
Had I given up, after the c-section, and decided it was too much work to sit up, I would still have a saggy, useless middle. However, I didn’t let that happen…after all, I had 3 kiddos under the age of 2 at the time. I got up. Moved around. Made my middle work again.
You know, it’s the same for writing.
It is really tempting to put all of the effort into the beginning of the book. A real good invitation for the reader to enter into the story. And it’s equally tempting to put everything into the end. To leave them satisfied or changed or moved.
And it is so very easy to forget how important the middle is.
And, so, the middle gets saggy. Flabby. Immobile. Icky.
Many readers abandon the saggy story. They never get to that FLASH BOOM BANG ending because the middle was too gooshy.
When writing Paint Chips, I was very aware of that potential. My first draft sagged in the middle. Lifeless and lumpy. I had to tone it up. Give it definition. It took hard work. A lot of days refining and cutting and shaping. I had to learn pacing and rhythm and suspense in order to achieve a good form.
And, I have to say, the hard work proved well worth it.
I suspect that saggy middles aren’t unique to post baby mamas or novels.
50% is the hardest place to be on a journey.
Half way is where we are tempted to give up.
Have you experienced a difficult mid-point at some time in your life? A saggy middle? How did you overcome it? Who helped you through? Are you at a saggy middle right now? How are you dealing with it?
I absolutely love to hear what you have to say. Your words are valuable to me.
Have a lovely day!
I’ve Been Everywhere, Man…
This month, I’ve been so honored to be the guest on a whole bunch of blogs. Just in case you missed any of them, I thought I’d give you the links.
First, Amelia Rhodes interviewed me on her blog. Click HERE.
Next, my editor, Dina Sleiman, hosted me (TWICE!). She talked me up (and made me blush) HERE and let me write a post about my issue with anxiety HERE.
Megan Sayer added to the blushing on her blog. Click HERE.
Fellow WhiteFire author, Christine Lindsay let me write about how a friend prayed for me. Click HERE.
The super sweet Jessie Heninger wrote a review on her blog. Click HERE. She also interviewed me HERE.
Peter DeHaan interviewed me from a male perspective. Click HERE.
My publisher and editor, Roseanna White wrote more Susie-blushing words HERE.
The lovely, Ashlin Jakobson posted a video reading from Paint Chips. Click HERE.
And, most recently, Julie Hartley (who lives in my hometown of Lansing), posted an excerpt from Paint Chips which was inspired by a Lansing restaurant (her’s is a restaurant review blog). Click HERE.
Also, Kelly Haven is RIGHT NOW hosting a give away of a super cool necklace (made by me, of course). She’s talking about me, Paint Chips, and our friend Ryan Apple (who is a wicked awesome guitarist). Check that out and enter the give away HERE.
WHEW! I sure hope I didn’t miss anybody. It has been a whirlwind with more posts to come.
My point in sharing this is two-fold. First, to thank all these lovely people who have been so supportive! I could not market this book alone. It is not possible. But with the help of others, it is a joy. Second, so that you can check out their blogs. To give them a little exposure and blog love! Go on and follow them if they’re your “flavor”
Stay tuned. I’ve got a whole lot of people posting in the near future!
Ask Susie — Finding Time
Welcome to the first edition of “Ask Susie”. Have a question you want me to answer, go ahead and ask it! You can email me at susiefink[at]gmail[dot]com or just leave your question in the comments of this post. Ask about writing, Paint Chips, silly stuff…whatever! Be creative! I hope to do this each week. Thanks!
LOOK at those crazy eyes!!!
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Interview With Christine Lindsay
Today, it is my honor to welcome Christine Lindsay to the blog. She is a fellow WhiteFire Publishing author. I have been so glad to get to know her. Her newest novel ‘Captured By Moonlight’ just released for digital download. I hope you enjoy my interview with her!
Susie Finkbeiner (SF): Christine, I’m so glad you could share with us today. Now, your novels ‘Shadowed in Silk’ and ‘Captured By Moonlight’ are both set in India. I am curious. What made you choose that setting?
Christine Lindsay (CL): India has fascinated me since I was a kid. A number of my ancestors served in the British Army in Colonial India in the nineteenth century, so I grew up on those stories. Especially interesting, was a great uncle who served in the British Cavalry in the Dragoons. So magnificent in his uniform and on horseback.
And my all-time favorite books were written by the great MM Kaye who wrote epic adventure romances set in the British Raj. If I was ever to write a book, it had to be set in that era, but from a Christian viewpoint.
It was after I had already written Shadowed in Silk, Book 1 of the series Twilight of the British Raj, that I finally got to visit India. I went with a missions group and spent 10 days in the southern province of Tamil Nadu.
So, naturally, when it came time to write Book 2 of the series, Captured by Moonlight, I featured the actual areas I had visited.
I’ve walked the beach my character Laine Harkness walks in the moonlight. I’ve smelled the fragrances of Indian’s tropical flowers. I’ve seen the landscape from the very train lines that my characters travel on.
SF: Interesting. Your answer leads me to wonder about the people you met on your travels. Were any of your characters inspired by those you encountered while in India?
CL: The Indian people I met were so warm and fervent in their faith for Christ, their personalities do color my Indian characters.
But the true-life people who inspired my characters lived and died many years ago. Three of them are actually featured as walk-ons in Captured by Moonlight. They are Pandita Ramabai, a former Hindu widow who became a Christian and created a mission compound that rescued cast-off and abused women and children.
Sundar Singh, a former Sikh, who after he came to faith in Christ, walked all over India sharing the Gospel message.
The third true-life hero is Dr. Ida Scudder, an American medical missionary who built one of the greatest hospitals in all of SE Asia. She started her hospital and college to train Indian women to become doctors.
SF: Any plans to return to India?
CL: If I had the money, I’d be buying my ticket right now.
Seriously, I think I will return. This time to visit the Ramabai Mukti Mission, especially if I can go with my birth-daughter Sarah. Sarah is the child I relinquished to adoption when she was 3 days old, and whom I was reunited with 20 years later. She is a nurse serving with Global Aid Network and the Ramabai Mukti Mission is in her sphere of care.
If you would care to donate to that worthy mission, let them know that Sarah Blaney’s birthmom sent you.
SF: You mentioned that those you met in India were strong in their faith. That leads me to my next question. Could you please discuss the Spiritual themes within ‘Captured By Moonlight’?
CL: The themes of my books are the spiritual lessons that I have learned or am learning. In Captured by Moonlight, it is learning to die to myself, to let my hopes, dreams, and ambitions, die so that Christ may let His plans and life flow through me.
This is shown when Eshana—a Christian who wants to run the medical mission in the footsteps of her mentor. But God allows Eshana to be captured by her uncle, a very traditional Hindu who is angry that she is living as a Christian.
When Eshana’s head is shaved and she is once more dressed in the course white funeral garments of a Hindu widow, and imprisoned, she cannot understand why God would allow such a thing to happen. Why would God keep her from the work she wants so desperately to do for Him?
She eventually learns—like I have learned—that we can trust God’s plans for our life. His plans and timing turn out more magnificent that anything we could ever devise.
SF: Now, the lovely and talented Roseanna White designed your covers. As gorgeous as they are, I think that the story behind your cover models is even more beautiful. Would you care to share a bit of that significance with us?
CL: First of all, the model on the front cover of Shadowed in Silk is my birthdaughter, Sarah, the young nurse who is working with Global Aid Network (above). In many ways, Sarah was the muse to get me started writing in the first place.
At our reunion when she was 20 years old, I became so broken-hearted, reliving the original loss of her as my child. Months later, my husband caught me crying, and placed a brand new journal and pen in my lap, and said, “Here, honey, write it.”
That was the beginning of my writing ministry.
When Shadowed in Silk was about to be released, WhiteFire publishing sent me photos of models for my perusal. Those photos reminded me of Sarah. So on a whim, I suggested Sarah as the model.
What a joy it was to see my debut novel released with the beautiful face of my muse on the front cover.
A while after that, I heard from Sarah that she was going into fulltime missionary work. And lo and behold she would be working with the very Ramabai Mukti Mission that was the inspiration for my books. I had never told Sarah that until that day.
You could have knocked me over with a feather at God’s goodness.
So, naturally when Captured by Moonlight was to be released, WhiteFire graciously allowed my own daughter, Lana, to be the model for Nurse Laine Harkness.
When I tell people this story I feel a bit like Mr. and Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. All I can say is, “God has been so very, very good to me.”
SF: What is something interesting that we would be surprised to know about you?
CL: I was once patted on the head (when I was a baby in my pram in Northern Ireland) by Prince Philip, consort to Queen Elizabeth.
And my great grandfather and grandfather were riveters on the building of the Titanic. And, no, my family does not accept any responsibility for the sinking of that ship.
SF: Wow! How unexpected. Thank you. And thank you for sharing with us today.
If you are interested, check out Christine’s books. You can download them by clicking on the links below.
“Shadowed in Silk” and “Captured By Moonlight”
Also, pop on over to Christine Lindsay’s Facebook page. Give her a “like”! Click HERE to visit her page. You can also follow her on Twitter and on her Blog.
Show Time!
Make sure you check out my video reading from Paint Chips. Click here to watch it!
If you’ve ever written anything, you have most likely heard the big writing rule…
Show. Don’t Tell.
If you’ve never heard that phrase or seen it in red ink on your paper…well…lucky you.
Let me explain what it means to show rather than tell.
TELL: She was hungry. She found the last doughnut in the box. She ate it. It was good.
SHOW: Her stomach growled. Something caught her eye. A box on the counter. She slid her hand across the smooth cardboard of the box. Lifting the lid, she breathed in the aroma of fried dough, sugar, and grease. A tiny line of drool rolled from the side of her mouth. One lonely doughnut, sitting among the crumbles and powdered sugar of the rest, long ago departed. She raised the doughnut to her lips, the chocolate frosting smashed into her fingernails. As she bit into the confection, a low, satisfied groan escaped from her mouth. Devouring the pastry, letting frosting and crumbs and cream filling stick to her chin, she smiled.
Okay. So, that was silly and now we’re all hungry. Sorry about that. But, do you see what I’m saying?
Anyway, I am a stickler for “showing” rather than “telling”. Just ask the poor people in my critique group. It is almost always better to show than tell.
I was thinking about this today. And I realized that this isn’t just a writing principle. It is important in life, too.
I can tell someone all day long that I love them.
It is more powerful if I show them. Send a card. Bake them cookies. Listen when they’re having a bad day…or even when they’re having a good day!
I can tell someone that I appreciate them.
But it is more meaningful if I do something to serve them.
I can tell my children that I think they are wonderful.
But it will impact them more if I give them my time. Listen to their jokes. Read to them. Give them the gift of discipline (when they need it).
Telling is good. It gets the point across. But showing is better. It proves that what I say is true.
How can you show love today?
Reading ‘Paint Chips’
Hi, Everybody!
I’ve been croaking my way through laryngitis for the last few weeks. I sounded like a man/frog/space alien for long enough that I almost forgot what my normal voice was.
Sad day.
Well, now it’s back, Baby. I thought I’d celebrate by recording another video reading from “Paint Chips”. Enjoy. Share with a friend. Feel free to go on ahead and read the book if you haven’t yet. I sure would appreciate it!
Paint Chips is available from the following sites.
eBookIt (for other digital devices)
J is for Jot
Real quick, before you read this post…check this out. Roseanna White (my editor and publisher extraordinaire) is hosting a give-away on her blog. Go over and comment for the chance to win a digital download of PAINT CHIPS or a necklace from my Etsy shop. Fun, huh? Don’t miss out! Click HERE to go to the give-away.
Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the premier Jot Writers Mini-Conference. Four gentlemen (a writing group known as The Weaklings) planned, hosted, presented, and encouraged a whole bunch of Grand Rapids area writers. One evening, 15 minute sessions, no cost mini-conference. The idea was crazy. But it worked.
Andrew Rogers, Josh Mosey, Bob Evenhouse , and Matthew Landrum spoke about such things as Flash Fiction , 3 Things Publishers Like to See on Book Proposals, Novel Writing/Drafting , and Finding Your Material. At the conclusion of the evening, Josh interviewed Chad R. Allen, editorial director of Baker Book Publishing. Chad answered questions about the publishing world. They even talked about Amish Vampire Novels. No really. (Go ahead and click on the titles to watch the presentations on YouTube).
I was impressed that the evening worked. That nearly 60 people attended (The Weaklings anticipated 20). That the content was so rich, especially for a free event. That, even though each presenter spoke from a different genre, the entire evening was applicable to different types of writing. They made the evening relevant. I truly appreciated that.
I am eagerly anticipating the next Jot event. I love spending time with other writers.
Lovie Dovie
Congratulations to Darcie Apple! She won The Book Monster! And Congrats to Anne Ferris! She won the Paint Chips MUG!
A stack of printable, color-able, cut-out-able paper hearts on my desk. Bag of conversation hearts and little jar of red sprinkles on the kitchen counter. Valentine’s Day Bingo Cards waiting to be played.
{Sigh} Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.
And {sigh} love is in the air.
So, I thought I’d write a little about this guy…
This is my hubby. His name is Jeff. Yesterday, it was confirmed by my 6 year old that he is, indeed, my Valentine.
I’m a lucky girl, huh?
Well, you should know that he is more than the sum of his handsome face. He, my friends, is a good man. A godly man. And he sure does love me.
I like being able to brag on him.
When I wrote Paint Chips, I needed to write two good men into the lives of Cora and Dot. Men who would help them to heal. Men that could show how really great a man can be. These characters were Steven and Paul.
Many of the qualities in both characters were modeled after Jeff. Sense of humor, confidence, readiness to help out, integrity. Desire to seek God’s plan. Desire to provide for family.
My husband has been one of the ways that God shaped my life. Jeff is a gift, a blessing, and beyond what I imagined a husband to be.
He is my very best Valentine ever.
Tell me, who is your Valentine? Now, I don’t necessarily mean a spouse or romantic thing…but someone who is a blessing in your life. Someone you might say is a blessing from God?
It’s almost Valentine’s Day. It’s okay to gush over the people we love!
susiefinkbeiner.com 