Jessica Ferguson

Author, Writing Coach, Speaker

B is for Brother

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I have one sibling. A brother seven years younger.  Ironically, his name starts with a B. I can’t remember when he was little. For that matter, I can’t really remember when I was little. How much are we supposed to remember about our childhood? I don’t know. I wonder if there’s something unhealthy about not remembering.

 
Seven years is a lot. Sometimes I don’t think brother and I have much in common, then at other times, I realize we do. Often, I don’t feel we really know each other. That makes sense. He lives in one state and I live in another. He never left our hometown except when he went to college; but then again, he’s a world traveler.  

During our adult years, we’ve only spent time together during holidays. I’ve gone to his kids’ graduations and weddings. He came to my daughter’s graduation in Louisiana. And once he stayed up all night playing Nintendo with my stepson. All night. Mario Brothers didn’t have a chance!Brother even called the help hotline when they ran into a problem. He has always been … focussed.

Since the ordeal with our mom, we’re getting to know each other. It’s a little weird. I look at him and I see a grown man. It’s not like he hasn’t been grown for years—he’s in his 50s. I realize I’ve never thought of him that way. When I think of my brother, I remember the kid that constantly tried to make me throw up. I have a very weak stomach and he enjoyed grossing me out. I remember how he always wanted to touch my neck—knowing full well I hated for anyone to do that; still do. I have a lot of quirky hang-ups. I wonder if he remembers them.

A few weeks ago, I sat across the kitchen table watching my brother eat little cuties, those small clemetines that are a variety of mandarin orange, and I noticed how large his hands are, how thick his fingers. I realized he’s got our grandfather’s hands. For some reason, that brought a lump to my throat.
Here’s a picture of my brother’s hand holding my mother’s.

Have you  ever looked at your brother or sister, or mom or dad, and noticed something you’d never noticed before? How did it affect you?

A is for Ancestor

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This is the first day of the A to Z Challenge. I want to thank Arlee Bird, the founder. What an amazing, fun group and activity he has created. I feel super-special to be able to participate again this year. If you don’t know Lee, visit him at Tossing it Out and say hello. He’s as special as his A to Z Challenge.

I’ve chosen Ancestor as my A-word.

 

Many of you know I’ve been dealing with some family issues since my mother broke her hip. She’s moved into a nursing home (for lack of a better word) and I’ve been clearing out her home. Sometimes I just sit and look at pictures I didn’t know she had and read notes and letters to her from family, and people I don’t know. Every note sings her praises. I believe those notes because Mom was a nurse. A perfectionist. Someone who went far beyond the call of duty. Being a caregiver is who she was/is deep down in her heart and soul.

Not me. I’m not like that at all. I don’t think my grandmother (mom’s mom–the one on the right) was either. And that makes me wonder about my ancestors. What exactly do we get from our ancestors? I wonder what traits, talents, mannerisms of the people you see here (my maternal grandparents and gr-grandparents), are so inherent in me that, no way can I disown them.

Is there a writer somewhere in my lineage that I haven’t found yet? I’m searching. I would love to find a connection to an author—s/he doesn’t even have to be famous!

Where do you think our talent comes from? Ancestors, God, or do we create it through our passion for … writing, art … jewelry design? A combination of the three? Do you think our environment plays a part too? Our birth order?

I appreciate the complexity of genetics but oh, how I wish it were simpler.

Take a look at these interesting quotes. I love them, don’t you? Especially the first two!

 
It is indeed a desirable thing to be well descended but the glory belongs to our ancestors. ~Plutarch

No man can cause more grief than that one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancestors.
~William Faulkner
Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your thoughts? I absolutely love comments!

Upcoming Projects for Me and You

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Starting Monday, I’ll be participating in the annual A to Z Challenge. As you might know, that means I’ll be posting every day during the month of April, starting with A and going through the alphabet. I did it last year, and posted off the top of my head. I was living (and posting) in the Ignorance is Bliss state of mind. I had fun and I’ve been looking forward to this year. I had hoped to blog a book, had a germ of an idea, but never got around to organizing my thoughts or posts. Yes, procrastination is still my middle name. So, come Monday, I’ll be winging it daily and hoping to acquire a few new followers and making a little bit of sense.

In the meantime … here’s a couple of markets for you:


Fairly Wicked Tales is a new anthology being published by Angelic Knight Press. Give them your favorite Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tale with a serious twist. They want to see the well known heroes and heroines become the bad guys. What if Snow White wasn’t as pure as the new driven snow? What if Cinderella was a raging bitch and her poor stepmother did her best? What if Little Red Riding Hood was something far worse than the Big Bad Wolf? 

Submissions are still being accepted because they haven’t received what they’re looking for. Deadline is April 30th. That means the proposed publishing date has been extended too — to late June or early July. Word length is from 3000 to 8000 words. Please read the submission guidelines to properly format your subs before sending. Send all subs to angelicknightpress (at) gmail (dot) com 

For more detail, you might want to go to their home page.









Have to tell you, my favorite TV show is
Once Upon A Time. Spoiler alert: Last weekend, Regina reached into the chest of Snow White and yanked out her heart. Snow had done something bad to Regina and we all know, Snow is perfect. Well, not any more. As we looked at her heart, we could see a dark speck growing. Snow is now in trouble … from the inside out. I can’t quit thinking about these fairytale characters and how brilliant the writers are. I love Pinocchio but The Mad Hatter was fantastic too. Of course, my very favorite is Rumpelstiltskin. He’s absolutely WONDERFUL!  If you haven’t seen it, you can purchase the first season (yes, I have it!) Or watch it online.


Now …  Another Market:

Manifesto:UF is a new and exciting anthology project they are working on. Tim Marquitz is the editor of Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous, which Angelic Knight Press published last September.  Full submission guidelines for the anthology can be found on Tim’s website: http://tmarquitz.com/blog/?p=1131. All submissions should be sent to him at ufmanifesto (at) gmail (dot) com.
Hope everyone will come back to read me during the month of April.

FYI: DIGITAL INK — Best of the Best

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If you have problems with characterization, show vs. tell, POV, deep POV, then Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the E-Book Age by Bonnie Hearn Hill and Christopher Allan Poe is an eBook for you. Even if you don’t think you have problems with these things, you probably do. I wish I could hand deliver a copy of this book to each and every one of you. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say, this eBook should be mandatory reading, given to every writer by every publisher–instead of a rejection slip.

Last week, I finished my line edits. My editor pointed out problems I didn’t know I had. I’ve always spotted POV switches and show vs. tell glitches in manuscripts I critique and felt confident I didn’t exhibit those problems. Was I ever wrong! And dangling participles? No, you’d never find one of those in any manuscript of mine, and certainly not two of them!

Digital Ink: WritingKiller Fiction in the E-Book Age has every answer a writer needs to make his/her manuscript stronger and cleaner. My editing would have been so much easier had I read Digital Ink first—before doing my line editing. Even before I’d ever completed my novella. This book pin-points problems we don’t even know we have.

Best of all, there’s no fluff—no unnecessary rambling.  Just the facts, ma’am!

Digital Ink isn’t your traditional how-to-write-a-novel book, but one that points out the common problems all writers make and shows how NOT to make them.

“Problematic manuscripts almost always begin with a flimsy protagonist.” This is so true. Who knew? The authors actually prove it.

“…your character must be proactive, and your character must be sympathetic.”  Of course, we know this. Always have, but this book shows how to make our characters BOTH.

 “Your readers may not know the difference between and adverb and dangling participle, but they can spot a bad story instantly. That usually begins with poor character development.” This is fascinating stuff! I promise you.

“POV glitches are responsible for most of the problems in your manuscript. Book too short? POV. Plot too thin? POV. Problems knowing where to end a scene? POV, honey. Every time.” 

If you purchase this eBook, please, please, please do not skip one word. There’s not a boring chapter in this book. It’s a fast read and one you’ll read over and over again. Highlight the good parts, and I promise every page will be yellow!

I bought this book one evening, downloaded it to my iPhone, read into the night and finished it the next morning. It’s worth every penny.

“Learn deep point-of-view. Doing so will make you a better fiction writer. It will bring the reader closer to your characters, which is what authors should always strive for.“  Deep point of view has always been a little fuzzy in my brain. Not anymore.

Digital Ink: Writing Killer Fiction in the eBook Age by Hill and Poe is THE BEST book on writing I’ve read in a long, long time. There’s something to learn on every page.   The authors write in their last chapter, and it’s certainly something to think about:  “Great authors and terrible authors share the same virtual bookshelf.”  Yes, definitely something to think about.

To improve your writing and make your books stand out from the crowd, read and study Digital Ink:Writing Killer Fiction in the eBook Age. What have you got to lose?

What’s the most difficult part of writing to you? Do you have a writing weakness? Share!

Do You Know What You Don’t Know?

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I’ve been doing line edits on my novella. Not fun while feeling miserable. I don’t get sick often but when I do … it’s usually a whopper. I’m on the mend though so thanks for good thoughts coming my way.

About the line edits … It’s frightening to realize how much I don’t know about POV, showing and telling, and overwriting. The most subtle observation/thought/action on the part of a character can be a point of view violation. If I dwell on these things I don’t know, I’ll find myself in the middle of writer’s block quicksand—sinking fast. Instead, I’m trying to marvel at how much stronger my story becomes when I edit, choose stronger verbs, cut unnecessary words and repair those POV problems. And I’m trying to learn. Odd that I can catch these problems in other people’s manuscripts but not mine. Why is that?

I love my story. I love my characters. Is that wrong to say? Probably, but I’m a little impressed with myself for ‘thinking up’ such a story. For so long I’ve felt creatively dead. I felt like I really stretched my brain.

My novella is called The Last Daughter and is part of the Scrimshaw Doll series by Oklahoma Romance Writers. It’s a romantic suspense and should be out later this year. Here’s an unofficial blurb:

Given away as a child, Rayna Guilbeau grew up with questions—questions about her real family and questions about how she ended up in Louisiana with a disfiguring heart branded on her chest. When she sees a sale ad for a house in Oklahoma City called Wounded Heart, she feels an instant connection. Somehow, the house holds the key to her mysterious past.

Trent Jones, an easy-going picker who’s always looking to make a few bucks, is the new owner of Wounded Heart, a three-story house filled with antiques and mystery. When an intriguing young woman shows up on his property at midnight, claiming she was born there, he knows his life is about to change.

A mysterious trash man, a gunshot through a bedroom window, and a cursed doll named Tiva spark an emotional journey into danger. Together, Trent and Rayna find answers, family, and unwavering love.

You can get to know some of my characters by following The Schrimshaw Doll blog. I contributed my second post today. You can check out both posts by clicking on the following links. Would love for you to leave a comment!

Cursed Dolls Don’t Weep–Or Do They?

 

 

Success Is A Prayer Away

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IWSG is the brainchild of our awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you want to become a part of this group or read posts by other participants, you can find the list here.

If you read my previous post, you know that I’ve been out of state cleaning out my mother’s home. I’m back now, and battling … something. Not flu—maybe a horrible cold. Headache, cough, wheezing; all I want to do is sleep. I have so much to do. I’m behind in everything but all I do is cough and sleep. Since I don’t want to be booted from IWSG for missing a post, here it is:

A thought for you:

No one stumbles into success. It comes through planning, preparing, and some of us believe, the favor of God.

Hope you’re all planning, preparing for success. If you need to study and learn, do it, but don’t quit writing even if you wonder if you’re doing it right. You learn by doing. If you believe in critique groups, then join one. If you don’t know one to join, then start one yourself: a person to person group or an online group. I believe it helps if you all write the same thing but other writers disagree. I also believe you should have some members that are a little more experienced than you are in that critique group. They can pull you up, help improve your writing, and teach you, but don’t hang your hat on them. Don’t be spoon fed. Make sure you study and educate yourself too.

My two cents except for this: there’s nothing wrong with praying for your writing. God created you. He gave you any talent you have. He also gave us freedom of choice so whether you use your talent to glorify Him is something else entirely—between you and Him.

Nothing happens by accident. You aren’t going to stumble into that three-book contract. Tell me, what are you doing to achieve writing success in your life?

 

Inheriting John Wayne

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It’s a kid’s world. At least from my perspective these days. I can remember how fun it was to run through my grandmother’s pasture chasing butterflies, digging for earthworms or trying to catch crawdads in the creek. By the time I became a teen, time stood still. I couldn’t grow up fast enough.

Now, looking back, I’m wondering why such a hurry?

My mother can no longer live in her home. I’ve been going through her things–trying to decide what gets dumped into a trash bag, what goes to Goodwill and what I should keep (and what my brother keeps). I think brother and I are falling all over ourselves trying NOT to step on each other’s toes. We’ve both inherited the pack rat gene since both parents had it, so I think he feels like I do–no matter who gets what, we always have access to it.

The house above was my grandparents house. My brother bought it years ago and renovated/updated it. Before the renovation, he moved it to the woods. No cable tv–no Internet. Just the sound of coyotes at night, wind whipping through the tall pines … and bugs. Lots of bugs.

See John Wayne? I bought him for my dad back in the 70s when we both enjoyed a drink or two. John was filled with something … I can’t remember what. He’s perched on the empty shelf… waiting to see who will get him. I’m tempted, but I know deep down in my gut, someone else wants him. I’ll wait … wait… wait … The empty shelves are depressing.

So… now you know why I’m not posting regularly. My head/heart isn’t in it, but I’m thinking about you.
And for those of you who truly believe it’s a kid’s world, and you write for kids, check out these two markets: 

Speeding Star is a new trade imprint from Enslow Publishers, a company known for its educational titles. Speeding Star will focus on stories geared to boys, and the editors are actively seeking submissions. Unagented writers are welcome. Fiction manuscripts should be between 5,000 and 12,000 words, written at a fourth-grade reading level. The editors are especially interested in adventure stories, mysteries, sports stories and fantasy fiction with boy protagonists. Submit the manuscript through their online submission form, found here.

Amazon.com is adding two new imprints for children’s books to its growing list of publishing endeavors. Two Lions will be devoted to children’s picture books through middle grade books, while Skyscape will focus on YA and New Adult titles. Margerey Cuyler heads up Two Lions and Tim Ditlow will oversee Skyscape. Together, the two imprints make up Amazon Children’s Publishing. Query to acp-submit@amazon.com. Attach the complete manuscript for a picture book and the first three chapters for all other works.

FREE Conference – IndieReCon

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I’m dragging when it comes to blogging, aren’t I? Sorry. Lots of things happening right now that’s zapped my energy when it comes to posting fun, encouraging info. Many of my family members are experiencing problems–physical, spiritual and emotional. Blogging seems a little self-serving. If you’re a praying person, I would appreciate prayers for my loved ones. Not necessary for you to know names–God does. If you’re not a praying person, a few good thoughts our way will be cherished.

And in return, here’s some info you might take advantage of–an online conference.

IndieReCon is an online conference that will discuss the nuts and bolts of self publishing. Bob Mayer is a guest speaker. It’s totally free. Once you go to the site using the link below, just sign up by putting your email in the left side bar to receive notifications.

IndieReCon is happening from February 19-21, 2013.

 
I’ll be out of pocket that week, but from what I understand transcripts will be available to those of us who sign up but can’t make it. Attendees from last year say it’s well worth your while.
 
Here’s the link, if anyone is interested: http://www.indierecon.org/

Insecure Writers’s Support Group: Refresh Yourself

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I love the Insecure Writers Support Group. You might want to join and take part. It is the brainchild of  Alex J. Cavanaugh, and I can honestly say, I wish I’d created it! What a wonderful brainchild!  The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of feeling foolish or weak.

Nothing encourages me more than writing (creating) something short, a piece I can begin and finish in a day or two—or a new market to submit to. Sometimes we need a break from our routine, from our long, on-going projects, don’t we? Often creating something different refreshes us.  When I want to do something different, I look at the Chicken Soup for the Soul site first. They always have call-outs.

If you’re feeling in a slump, discouraged, just down and out, try something new. Create a greeting card just for fun. What would you say to someone getting a divorce, a new college graduate, a new dad? Usually, what we would really say, we can’t find in a greeting card, right? (There’s probably good reason for that!)

I love writing short. I usually over-write, then start cutting to the specified word count. Cutting for me is so much easier than embellishing. I take a hard look at each sentence, each paragraph, then remove words that don’t work, add nothing. Cutting always cheers me a little. It’s like carefully peeling an apple, or carving a fish out of soap. It’s so wonderfully methodical. It forces me to think.

There are so many ways to encourage ourselves, refresh our dreams—our point of view. Keeping submissions circulating is only one way, and writing shorts allows us to keep our work out there on a continuous basis. Poems, flash fiction, book reviews, recipes, greeting cards, personal essays — There’s absolutely no reason to ever give up our writing when there are so many avenues for us to take to publish.

A friend sent me a wonderful quote yesterday, one I need to post over my desk so I can look up and read it when I’m NOT feeling like a writer:

No man is born into the world whose work is not born with him. James Russell Lowell

Think about it, then get busy creating something short to get  “in the mail.”  Start with Chicken Soup. Remember, you have to go to their website to submit.
How do you refresh yourself when you’re down and out, feeling blah? Share!

Devotional Stories for Wives
One of the biggest roles that a woman can take on in her lifetime is to become a wife. It takes commitment and dedication to remain loving as the years go by, especially when children and the busyness of daily life can sometimes be overwhelming. If you have a brief true story (up to 500 words) that shows how your faith in God has shaped your journey as a wife, please share it along with an applicable Bible verse and a 2-3 sentence prayer. You will receive $100 for each published devotion ($100 due to the shorter word count than our regular books). The deadline date for submissions is February 28, 2013.

Holiday Stories
We are collecting stories for our newest holiday book. Everyone has special memories and stories to tell about Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa – from inspirational and joyous, to heartwarming and humorous. We want to hear about your holiday memories and traditions. NOTE: Please make sure that the stories you are submitting to this book are NEW holiday stories that our editors have not read before. If you have submitted stories to our Christmas books in the past, we have your stories in our database. Also, please make sure your stories are “Santa safe” as we want to keep the magic alive for the young ones. The deadline date for story submissions is February 28, 2013.

Lemons to Lemonade
“When life hands you lemons… make lemonade!” And don’t only make lemonade but squeeze every last drop of juice from that sour lemon to make the sweetest lemonade possible. We are looking for stories that show how you made the best of a difficult situation and how you turned what seemed like a negative into something positive. Did a change in your attitude help? Did a friend give you the boost you needed to get you past what seemed like a dead end? Tell us your success story and how you made it happen. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is February 28, 2013.

Messages from Heaven
We have heard many terrific stories about your own after-death communication experiences since our first Messages from Heaven book came out. It was a national bestseller so we have decided to make another edition, with the theme “Love Never Dies.” If you have a story about receiving a sign or communicating with a loved one after his or her death, we would love to consider it. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is March 31, 2013.

Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide
Moms are the busiest people in the world! They juggle kids, husbands, jobs, housework, paid work, volunteer work, parents, pets, etc. How do they do it? Sometimes they are successful and get everything done. Sometimes… disasters happen! Busy moms – here is your chance to pass along your words of wisdom, your lessons learned, your funny or embarrassing moments. Pretend you’re talking to a friend and share your wonderful stories with other busy moms. The deadline for story and poem submissions is June 30, 2013.

The Dating Game!
We’re publishing a book on dating! First dates, blind dates, group dates… we want to hear about all of them. Meeting the family, embarrassing moments, break-ups and make-ups… we want all of your war stories. Did you meet your perfect match online? Did you have an office romance or start a relationship with someone who was just a friend? How about first dates after divorce, reconnecting with a person from your past, or even simply finding your happily-ever-after where you least expected it? Tell us everything from love at first sight to dating disasters. For this book, we prefer contemporary stories. They will be favored over stories about events that happened decades ago. We are accepting stories from men and women 18 years and older. The deadline date for story and poem submissions is July 15, 2013

Speed Dating Pitch Session

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Sitting across the table from an editor and pitching an unpublished manuscript is scary. Sometimes the editor doesn’t smile back. Sometimes the agent is a little crabby. Sometimes I realize when the words come out of my mouth that the entire idea is stupid so the 250 pages I’ve written are probably stupid too.
 
Some Harlequin Love Inspired editors are doing a big “speed dating” pitch session. Have you ever pitched your book in a chatroom? Here’s your opportuity.  I’ve signed up…and now my mouth is dry, my hands are sweaty and I’m feeling a little woozy. Check it out. You may as well be woozy with me.
 
 If you’re interested, the info is here: