Jessica Ferguson

Author, Writing Coach, Speaker

G is for …

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The A to Z Challenge is moving along at a pretty snappy pace. That’s another way to say April is flying. I can’t believe we’re four months into 2014.

So far, my blogging through the alphabet has been a challenge–as it’s supposed to be. I’ve dealt with home renovation, deadlines and illness. Still dealing with some of it. But, others who are doing the same.. Please support the bloggers of the #AtoZchallenge by visiting, sharing or commenting.  It’s fun!

Today we’re using the letter G. And my word is a little touchy for writers. Everyone has opinions about authentic bad guys and how dialogue makes them real. I think real might be in the eyes (and ears) of the reader. And the author who uses an abundance of profanity is kidding himself into thinking he’s adding authenticity.

I interviewed and wrote an article on Steven James, a best selling award-winning, Christian thriller writer who is quite the storyteller. Talk about authentic characters! They’re chilling, and he doesn’t toss any profanity into their mouths. Sometimes reviews say he’s a little too graphic, but his dedicated fans argue that his graphic murder scenes are true to his stories. Violent reads with no profanity. Can you imagine?

I’m sure some of you can’t imagine. Many of my writer friends argue this point with me, but when there’s no profanity, yet readers are chilled to the bone, can’t sleep  at night or have nightmares, I believe the skill of the author is obviously noticeable.

You ‘re probably wondering when I’ll get to my G-word. Well, I won’t write it, but I hate it when authors sprinkle God’s name in vain throughout their books. As if that really adds anything to the mix. Nora Roberts curses liberally though for the life of me, I can’t understand why. It adds nothing. In fact, it yanks me out of the story because it seems so unnatural for these wonderful characters I’m reading about. The three heroes use profanity continuously, for no good reason, as does their mother. I think it makes them all sound alike.

But the main point is that when we take God’s name in vain, we’re breaking one of His commandments.

Exodus 20:7 states:

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” – King James Version (KJV)
If that isn’t clear enough, then see what The Message says:

 No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name.

 
Authors who take God’s name liberally are treading on dangerous ground, every time their books are read. Their words of profanity, God’s name taken in vain, are being repeated over and over again, slamming into the minds and hearts of readers everywhere. Is that causing someone to stumble?
 
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want any sins trailing behind me.
Thoughts? 

F is for Fact

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Thanks everyone who said a prayer and sent good wishes for my mom during her illness. At 90, and living in a nursing home, she’s pretty vulnerable. When I left yesterday, she was on the mend but it’s heartbreaking to see her looking so frail. Every now and then, that Arkansas spirit pushed its way through and she’d spit out some zingers to me and my brother that made us laugh. She likes to tell everyone she’s a tough old bird, but obviously,  she’s not as tough as she used to be, and that’s a FACT!

Fact is my F-word, and I should have written about it last night, but after driving five hours in horrific rain, I was just too tired to think. So, during the wee hours of this morning, I examined F-words which led me to Fact in Fiction. We’ve all heard that Truth is Stranger than Fiction. There are Facts we could put in our fiction that editors would cut because they didn’t ring true, they’d be just too strange to be believable to a reader, or they might come across too coincidental.

Back in the “old” days when romances first came on the scene, there were many strange, fun things that appeared in books that I loved. I remember one book in particular that made me laugh until I cried. I can’t remember the title, The Grass is Always Greener I think, but the author was Billie Green and the romance line was Loveswept  The heroine wanted nothing more than to win the most beautiful yard award and she worked hard getting her grass green and her flowers blooming. Her new neighbor didn’t give a hoot and his yard looked like a c-word. You know the one.  She harassed him so much about his yard that the night before the judging he bought tons of green spray paint and sprayed his yard green. It looked hideous, but the way it played out was hilarious. It’s probably been 25 or 30 years (maybe longer) since I’ve read that book, but I can’t help but smile when I think of it. I don’t know that that could really happen. Would or could anyone in his right mind purchase that much spray paint, much less walk a yard and spray it green? I’ve used spray paint. The fingers get tired of pushing the nozzle and one can doesn’t go very far. But …

When I think of Fact in Fiction, I always revert back to this particular book for some reason. To my knowledge, no one in his right mind would attempt spraying his yard green. It doesn’t sound logical or true, yet, in the book it rang true because we saw how the heroine pushed the hero to his breaking point. He wanted to retaliate and did. If the author had shown the hero winning the most beautiful yard award with sprayed on green, everything she had written would have been for nothing. Her funny little romance would have been destroyed.

Do you try to make your fiction realistic? Do you believe there are satisfying ways to make unbelievable things true? Make them read like FACT. Do you remember a book or story where the author pushed the envelope? Share.

I am blogging my way through the alphabet with others who are doing the same..
Please support the bloggers of the #AtoZchallenge by visiting, sharing or commenting.  It’s fun!

E is for Emergency

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Well, here I am in Longview, TX because of an Emergency with my mom. This time yesterday I was trying to think of a D-word, never giving my E-word a second thought.

I don’t like the word Emergency. It’s never a good thing whether it’s with a loved one or a manuscript. Right? E-mer-gen-cy. It doesn’t roll off my tongue; it sort of shuffles, stumbles, feeling awkward. Such an unpleasant word.

My mom is in a nursing home and was hit with a bladder infection, a stomach virus and bronchitis. That’s enough to knock anyone for a loop, much less a little old woman who

just turned 90. So when my brother called this morning to tell me Mom wanted to go to the hospital, that she wanted her kids there and for him to find her Last Will and Testament, I hopped in the car and headed to Texas. She’s never been prone to that kind of drama! Well, maybe she has. The pic at the right was taken a few months ago. I told her my daughter and some of her friends were coming to visit her so she practiced posing.

Anyway, by the time I got to the nursing home today (a 4 1/2 hour drive), she was somewhat better, no need for a hospital–just her two kids. She perked up a little and tried to entertain us with her wit but I could tell it was an act.

So, Emergency is the word for the weekend–as much as I hate to use it. I’d certainly prefer Eccentric which sounds fascinating to me. Or Easy money which always sounds tempting but really, just a fantasy. Even Elephant sounds more delightful.

Emergency – I don’t wish my E-word on any of you. May all your friends and loved ones have a good and safe weekend, and I pray you have no Emergencies.

I’ll see you Monday with a much better word! Promise!

I am blogging my way through the alphabet with others who are doing the same..
Please support the bloggers of the #AtoZchallenge by visiting, sharing or commenting.  It’s fun!

D is for Difficult!

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D is difficult for me. I’ve thought of several words–Distractions, Death, Details, Determination, Dreams, Destination. The trouble is that I can’t think of much to write about any of those words. Maybe a little about all of them?

Daily – Do you write every day? I’d like to write a couple of hours daily or maybe four hours two or three days a week. When I start writing and it goes well, I can stay with it for several hours.

Distractions – Yes, I’m easily distracted. If I’m at the library, I can start watching people if I’m not careful. I can also be distracted by book titles if I’m sitting near the stacks. At home, in my cluttered office, I can be distracted by anything and everything: husband, TV, books on my shelves, the smell of food or a growling stomach.

Death – Don’t you think that losing sight of a goal or a dream is a little like death?

Details – I find it amazing that sometimes I’m a detail person. Usually that’s when I’m doing something for someone else, like on assignment, helping with a conference or designing a Save the Date card for daughter. I’m extremely detail oriented–sometimes. Unfortunately, my fiction is lacking. I tend to avoid that extra layering of detail that makes my story flesh and bones, gives my writing something special, a fullness or sophistication. Details make characters real.

Determination – All writers need determination. If we don’t have it, we’re whooped before we really get started.

Dreams – I know some of you turn your dreams into fiction. My dreams are usually hilarious or creepy. Sometimes my husband will wake me up because I’m laughing like a crazy woman. I’ve never gotten a story idea from my dreams.

Destination – I like the way that word rolls off my tongue. De-sti-na-tion. If you could choose one or the other, would you walk into the future or into the past?

So much for my D-words. Today, I’m sorely lacking.

I am blogging my way through the alphabet with others who are doing the same..
Please support the bloggers of the #AtoZchallenge by visiting, sharing or commenting.  It’s fun!

C is for Career (and more)

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On this third day of the A to Z Challenge, I’m thinking C is for Career. Do you have a career? A career is a thing of the past for me. As for a writing career, it never really got off the ground. I’ve had more nonfiction success but my passion isn’t nonfiction. Really, I never visualized myself with a writing career.

With fiction, I tend to chase markets. I thought it was fun in my younger days. (Truth be known, I still think it’s fun.) But, unless on assignment, I’ve always started projects that I didn’t finish, or completed but never revised. I always took rejection too seriously, and moved around so much because of hubby’s work that any writing routine was a challenge.

Anyway, at best, I’m probably a mediocre writer. My sentences don’t sing–not even to me. Not like Elizabeth Berg’s or Nora’s.

There was a time (in my younger days) I was driven. Not so much anymore. A successful writer has to put writing first. I can’t do that. And won’t. There are people, places and things that come first in my life.

Maybe I’m just Confused. Another C-word. I look at what’s happening in publishing and sometimes, it just doesn’t seem worth the effort. I read blogs that state the market is saturated with self-published authors creating ebooks, and that no one is making any money. I read another blog that says why get an agent, they have no role in our writing lives/careers anymore. Another blog will say publishers are cheating us out of our rights, tying up ebooks forever and a day.

Yeah, I’m confused. Didn’t this used to be fun? Okay, yeah, sometimes it still is.

But, I wonder what I’d do if I was a writer just starting out, and didn’t know what I know from years and years of studying, writing, taking classes and reading the trade mags? What would my career path be? Would I take the indie route and hope some witty tweet, blog post, interview would snag attention, make me a best seller? Would I pursue an agent while publishing short ebooks and stories, and hope one helped the other? Many writers suggest we do that–both.

A friend told me years ago that she didn’t love writing enough to write for the fun of it. I didn’t understand what she meant (and remember feeling sad for her) but I think I understand now.

Creating a Career in writing is a real Challenge. Everything has Changed.

I don’t like change, even though change often brings better/more opportunities.

I like assignments. I like for someone to tell me what to do so I can just do it. Not have to think or plan. Just produce. Maybe that’s why I’ve always chased the markets. 

Do you have a career plan? Share it with me … better yet, create one for me.

I am blogging my way through the alphabet with others who are doing the same. 
Please support the bloggers of the #AtoZchallenge by visiting, sharing or commenting.  It’s fun!

B is for BOOKS! and IWSG Day!

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Day 2 of the A to Z Challenge and of course, B has to be for Books. Nora Roberts’ books. That’s what I’m reading right now. All my books are boxed to the ceiling so daughter loaned me a fun Nora R. series called The Inn Boonsboro Novels. I’ve laughed myself silly at some of the fantastic scenes with a mom and her three sons.

I’ve finished Book 1 called The Next Always and just getting started on Book 2, The Last Boyfriend. Book 3 is titled The Perfect Hope.

Now, I know what people say about Nora. She breaks all the rules, she head hops. Well, yeah, she does…but she’s Nora Roberts so she can do what she wants. Even though WE can’t get away with head-hopping and switching POV at random, we can learn from her. Her characters are fantastic. They’re REAL. And, does she ever know how to tell a story! It’s been quite awhile since I’ve read anything that was so excellently plotted. And it’s been twice as long since I’ve read a Nora Roberts book.

The Inn Boonsboro trilogy is about three brothers who are renovating a historic hotel in Boonsboro, Maryland.  And of course, there are three beautiful women–all best friends. Each book belongs to a brother and one of those heroines, but what I like best about these books is that all six characters are in each, with major roles. They’re family and friends and we see them involved in each others lives in major ways. I get to live with these wonderful characters through three whole books! You don’t have to tell me it’ll be hard letting them go. I know.

Most trilogies I’ve read don’t handle their series characters like this.  Each character has his own story, then appears briefly in the other stories, or he’s just referred to in the others. That’s not nearly as fun as the way Nora does it.

Nora Roberts is an expert in storytelling, plotting and characterization. I know many of you don’t read romance but if you ever get an itch to write a trilogy, I suggest studying The Inn Boonsboro Novels. You’ll meet some characters you’ll never forget. And isn’t that what we strive for, as writers? To make our readers love our characters and come back for more?

If you have tips on how you make your characters real … or have a favorite author you study, share with us.

Hope you’re having a great A to Z day 2!

___________________

I can’t keep up with the days here lately, and was thinking it was Tuesday. Almost missed Insecure Writer’s Support Group. As you probably know, it was started by Alex Cavanaugh. It’s a great encouraging group. While this blog post will serve as an A to Z/IWSG combo, I wanted to share a guest post Alex did for me. I think you’ll enjoy it.  Check it out on my other blog, BE A REAL WRITER.

A to Z Challenge 2014: A is for Acknowlegement

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This will be my third A to Z Challenge. I’ve been waiting for it all year! To prove it, while living in Oklahoma I asked a friend to make me a purse representative of this A to Z crazy thing I love. See! The A & Z are bookends and she sewed Writer, Editor, Blogger in red, blue and yellow. Love it!

Yes, April is here but it has arrived right in the middle of my busy life! Daughter and I are planning her wedding for August. My house is being totally renovated, and hubby and I are feeling somewhat overwhelmed and homeless since we often search for a place to spend the night to get out of dust and paint fumes. I lost my voice for three weeks–it’s just now coming back. Still a little froggy.

How will I ever keep up with this Challenge? I never plan? I just write off the top of my head. With all I have going, this year will definitely be a challenge, but here goes:

Today is A for Acknowledgment. My A-word hit me this morning when I browsed a Mary Higgins Clark book called Daddy’s Gone A Hunting. I bought it a couple weeks ago but haven’t had time to read it yet. Opening to the acknowledgement, MHC writes: As always the journey can sometimes be smooth. Other days as I stare at the computer I ask myself, Whatever made you think you could write another book?

I had to read it again … and again. Did Mary Higgins Clark just ask herself that frightening question we all ask? Obviously, she sat down and wrote … she didn’t wring her hands and moan and groan…and procrastinate!  That’s what we have to do: just sit down and write.

My tip for the day is, always read the Acknowledgment page. There are wonderful little gems of encouragement tucked away there.

Happy A to Z Challenge 2014, everyone! Don’t forget to check out the other several hundred bloggers! And good luck!

(Remember, I have to approve all comments.)

CFBA Introduces Maybelle In Stitches

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I haven’t posted in so long, I’ve almost forgotten how to maneuver around my own blog. I have a lot going on, as you know from my last post. I don’t know why I thought I’d get a lot of writing done during this home renovation project. Fortunately, I have been able to read. Last week I finished Maybelle In Stitches. I chose this particular novel because I wanted to get a taste of the time period, the WWII era. Playing around with genealogy and reading some of the journals of my late father-in-law has whetted my appetite for … something different.
 
The heroine in Maybelle in Stitches is a likable young woman who doesn’t know a lot about much of anything. I sort of identified with Maybelle. Her mother did everything for her so no wonder she couldn’t do things … especially sew. My mother didn’t do everything for me, she just found it easier to do it herself. That way, she could do it HER way and do it fast. When I tackled a sewing project for my home economics class, I had the same experience Maybelle had. She sewed a zipper in the neck of her dress. I sewed the skirt of my dress together. As much as I’d love to learn how, I still can’t sew.
 
Maybelle In Stitches was a pretty fast read. Learn more about it below:

 

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Maybelle In Stitches
Abingdon Press (March 18, 2014)
by
Joyce Magnin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from the Author:

I am the author of seven novels. Five adult novels and two middle grade readers. I never wanted to do anything else but write and every day I wake up astonished that I get to do what I always dreamed about. My days are filled with words and images along with the usual family stuff. I have three children, Rebekah who is married to Joshua. They have three of the most adorable boys on the planet, Lemuel, Cedar and Soren. My daughter Emily Kate is a lovely young woman anthropologist and my son Adam is fourteen and a student–he’s a genius who loves frogs and lizards and fish and plants. He amazes me.

I have never eaten a scallop. I love cream soda. Drink way too much coffee. I do not like elevators but I do enjoy needle arts and of course books. I prefer jazz over country (no offense), milk chocolate over dark, but not roller coasters although my life has often resembled a roller coaster ride.

One of my life’s desires is to meet Amy Grant so I can tell her she saved my life.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it. At first, it’s just a way to fill the lonely nights while her husband, staff sergeant Holden Kanzinzki, is away fighting in World War II.

Yet when Maybelle discovers that the quilt is made from scraps of material that can be traced back through her family heritage, the project is suddenly much more important. Then word comes that Holden is missing in action, and with little else to do, Maybelle clings to the quilt as much as to the hope that her husband is still alive. As neighborhood friends gather around Maybelle to help her through the unknown days and nights ahead, it is the quilt that becomes a symbol of her unflagging belief that Holden will return—to her, to their home, and to their quilt-covered bed.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Maybelle In Stitches, go HERE.

Thanks to Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Abingdon Press for my copy of Maybelle In Stitches. I received my copy free in return for an honest review and/or comments.

IWSG Day: Writer in a Box

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Today is Insecure Writers Support Group day. It was started by Alex Cavanaugh. Here’s a list of all the participants. I hope you’ll check them out because there are some interesting people out there in IWSG land.  
This month I’m  covered up with way too many things to post a worthwhile message for you. On  Thursday, house renovation begins. Hubby and I have been boxing up everything, trying to get ready for new floors, new paint, new cabinets and more. Our wet bar is being demolished and we’re adding floor to ceiling bookshelves. Hopefully, it will be a nice little reading nook. We’re amazed at how much “stuff” we have–especially books. Because of the wall to wall, floor to floor book cases in my office, and my huge desk, that room will not be painted or get new floors so we’re stacking boxes of books from other rooms there. Here’s what my office looks like today:
While the house is being revamped, I hope to go to the library to write. My plan is to read over The Groom Wore Blue Suede Shoes, make a few changes then bring it out as an ebook. I hope I can read through it fast because there are other things I want to accomplish. I need to finish Circus Girl. The completed manuscript was requested by an editor last year, but I didn’t get it finished. I don’t know if I should contact her again or not. I’m sure she’s deemed me a slacker. What would you do? Then the next project is A Bad Guy Forever. I’m almost finished for the LAST time! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rewritten that book. Everyone seems to be writing and publishing so fast and I just poke a long. I’m also working on two NF books. One is moving slowly–the other, almost finished. 
 
 
So, that’s my plan. Hope I can stick to it.
 
Just in case I can’t make it to the library, I’ve left a path through all these boxes to my desk. Maybe I can plug in the earbuds, listen to something interesting and drown out the hammering. The workers will be here for seven or eight weeks–maybe longer. I need to make every day count.
 
Keep your fingers crossed for me and share any advice you have. Without a doubt, I need all the help I can get!
 
 

A Pen and a Phone

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Today is IWSG day.  IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here  and on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have an active Facebook page.

Our purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.

I’m not feeling insecure, but I’m not accomplishing much in the way of writing since we’ve moved from Oklahoma back to Louisiana. Maybe I’m feeling a little weak. I can’t really put my finger on why I’m not writing. I’ve turned in my assigned articles to Southern Writers Magazine simply because I always meet my deadlines. But when  it comes to sitting down and reading through two manuscripts for final edits before submissions, I haven’t done it. I have two nonfiction books in various stages but so far, not motivated enough to finish them. Sure, when I sit down and force myself, I get excited about them all over again, but it’s the actual sitting down to work that seems to be the problem. There are so many other things that need to be done.

I’m on the 2014 Bayou Writers Group conference committee, trying to line up speakers for approval, but that’s like breathing to me. I don’t mind researching speakers and sending invites.

It’s the day to day stuff that interferes with my writing life.

We’ve been pulling wall paper off the kitchen and bathroom walls. Yeah, okay, I know, we’re the only people in the country who still have wall paper; so we’ve been told. Anyway, we’re starting the renovating process and trying to do some of the mindless, hum-drum work ourselves. Our contractor will oversee the new floors, baseboards, new showers, kitchen counter tops and appliances and paint throughout, along with a few other improvements.

Add to that … daughter is engaged. We’re planning an August wedding.

No wedding planner for us. I’m calling florists, venues, photographers, bakeries.
And, writing checks.
Yes, I have a pen and a phone and I’m using both.

Any tips on how to juggle writing, weddings and home renovations? Your thoughts are appreciated!