Would You Read On? hosted by Diana Flegal

Welcome to our Wednesday edition of Would You Read On?. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to stop by our blog.

Kindly comment if you would read on or return this book back to the shelf. Last weeks contributing author is revealed below this first page.

Would You Read On?

First Page:

Michael clenched the hilt of his sword—a weapon that had known only defeat.

In mounted flight, he dodged a scimitar, then veered to escape the slash of another. A pair of Centaurs flew toward him, cutting him off. Jerking the reins, Michael swerved, barely missing their curved blades.

A foray of Malakim and Centaurs filled the air above the forest of Shamayim. Whether on the ground, or in flight, the Malakim were disadvantaged, for the Centaurs were both larger and stronger, and not impeded by the head and neck of a horse.

Michael’s sword plunged through the chest of the closest Centaur. The creature’s body went rigid—a temporary happenstance of being skewered by an opponent’s sword.

Before Michael had time to relish his triumph, several more attacked in response to the felling of their comrade.

“Perhaps you could you use a hand.”

Michael turned to the voice to see his fellow lieutenant, Mardikel, fighting at his side.

“On the contrary, I enjoy lone skirmishes against our scorpion-tailed, winged-equestrian opponents.”

The words no sooner left his lips, than he impaled a Centaur coming to his right. He whirled in response to a deafening clang of steel to his left to realize Mardikel had just parried a blow that would surely have sent him not-so-gracefully flitting to the ground in rigid descent.

Michael barely had time to dip his head in thanks, before defending against the onslaught of several more Centaurs.

“If we don’t find the flag,” Mardikel shouted above the angry flapping of wings, “we’ll have to answer to the commander for breaking rank.”

“Ah, but imagine if we do,” Michael said, retrieving his imbedded sword from yet another Centaur.

Mardikel rolled his eyes. “As though you need any more accolades from our superior officer.”

Would you read on?

Last weeks contributor was author Jody Day. Stop by Jody's blog and say hello.
http://www.jodysdevotionaljournal.blogspot.com/

Writers Conference Goals by Andy Scheer

I'm not counting on finding a great writer at the conference this week.

Don't get me wrong. I hope to find a great writer. And it won't surprise me if I do. It's happened at each of the conferences I've attended since joining the Hartline team. And that's generally been my experience since I began attending Christian writers conferences back in the late 1980s.

But finding writers is not my main reason to attend.

I'm going primarily because of the people—the unique opportunity at a writers conference to meet not only writers, but writing professionals: veteran writers, acquisitions editors, and agents. These are the people who've taught me much of what I know about writing and publishing.

And after more than thirty years in the publishing world, I still have a lot to learn.

At least I have an excuse: I'm aiming at an amazingly diverse, constantly changing target. And that change is coming faster than ever. If I hope to stay on track, I need all the information and advice I can get. So anytime conferees aren't trying to learn from me, I'll be trying to learn things from the other faculty members—and also from the conferees.

You never know when the person you meet at a conference will just happen to have information you really need. Like the two writers waiting in the lunch line, talking about their works in progress. One was saying she had a problem with her suspense novel, and she really needed a source in the FBI she could ask about a procedure. It turned out she was talking to the wife of an FBI agent.

I remember at my first conference meeting Les Stobbe, who was then with Here's Life Publishers. That was twenty-five years ago. Through various career moves we're still friends, and we continue to keep in touch about what's happening in the world of publishing.

In some ways, it's a small world. If you check the faculty roster of conferences held throughout the year, you'll see many of the same names. So for me, each conference presents an opportunity to renew old friendships, and cultivate new ones.

And if the rapport I develop with an acquisitions editor just happens to pave the way for my clients' proposals, I'm sure those clients won't begrudge me the time. Even if it's a future client I'll be meeting for the first time at that conference

IT’S ROCKY WEEKEND

The TV or a DVD is always on while I’m working because I work best in noise. Actually, if truth be told, in chaos. And this was Rocky weekend. The sweating, the repetitious training, the hard work…

THE FIGHT(S)

Right from the beginning of Rocky’s “rocky” start, he kept at it. Never quitting, never allowing the other guy a chance to see his fear. Confidence, courage, David and Goliath in action. And isn’t that what writing is all about? We start at the bottom, and with the exception of a handful of extraordinarily lucky folks, we sweat, we train, we punch and sock our way to the top. Always, like Rocky, starting with prayer, never imagining defeat as our lot. More than an occasional sneak peek at the TV, the heart of the champion spoke to me this weekend. The heart of one who carried his confidence to his last fight in his sixties.

And what was the message? Perseverance. Never give up, never say die.
You never know when the win, or the publishing contract, is just around the corner.

Publishing Transition Ups the Role of Your Platform by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

History repeats itself.

I wish we could learn from our past mistakes as a society, but we seem doomed to ignore the hard lessons previous generations have learned and make them our own. It may look a bit different with new technologies, different people, places, and time--but the ultimate deal is still the same.

People are hungry for power. They work hard to build a business empire, rake in as much profit as possible, put competition out of business. They start out with excellent customer service because they have to, but once they're on top and the only game in town, they begin flexing their muscles and setting unfair prices, contracts, and percentage rates with their partners.

Who are we talking about?

First, it was the small publishers who were ousted by the big six publishers in NY.

Now, it's the big six along with book stores, facing the threat of the powerhouse of Amazon.

As usual authors and agents are caught in the middle. We're still producing our stories. Agents are still submitting them, but we're all listening, trying to discern where the winds will lead us.

Here's one thing that won't change: 

• The old publishing model depended on an author's platform and their ability to promote themselves.
• The new publishing model will still depend on an author's platform, and more so, especially their online platform. 

Do not be discouraged or deceived. Every new follower you gain on Facebook, Twitter, and to your blog--it matters. Every new subscriber you receive to your email newsletter--it matters. Each new connection you make on Goodreads, Google+ or Pinterest--it matters. It's one more person who has the potential to hear about your books and buy them, and whoever they have the ability to influence. This is limitless. Promotion is hard and sometimes it isn't fun, but it does make a difference.

People can't buy books they've never heard of before. And even if they've heard of your books, you must give them a reason to buy your book out of all the many choices competing for their attention. Sometimes it's by allowing them a chance to get to know YOU through interviews, personal blog posts, book signings and just sharing the blessings God has given YOU to pass onto THEM. People are more willing to buy and support an author they feel like they know than from someone with whom they have no connection.

I want to leave you with a link to a blog post that will make you think.
Amazon--Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts by Kristen Lamb

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT by Joyce Hart

Suzanne Woods Fischer’s book – "The Keeper" is #9 on the CBA Fiction Bestseller March book list. Our Congratulations to her.


Joyce

I'm looking for a Llama by Terry Burns

Huh?

I just finished working the Writing for the Soul conference put on by Jerry B Jenkins in Denver. Great conference, and I enjoyed it.

Working the agent panel I responded to a question by saying that I get over 300 submissions a month. Obviously I can't take that many, nor can editors publish that many. And don't buy into the idea that it's okay because most of them are not very good anyway. A significant portion of them are good books.

That means a good book is just not good enough. Agents and editors are all looking for exceptional books, books that stand out from the crowd and are unique and compelling. I saw what that looked like on this trip, driving to Denver. Out in a field was the huge flock of sheep, and among them, two llamas. Their tall, graceful necks stood high and proud above the sea of white fleece.

Now sheep are great, Jesus often used them as a comparable to his flock, and to himself as the "Lamb of God." The old cowboy vs sheepherder war is long over. It was the visual that spoke to me, and I said, "That's what I'm looking for, I'm looking for a llama." One girl got it. Apparently it had been talked about around the conference some because came and sat down and when I asked her what we were there to talk about she said "I have a llama for you."

I talked about this good versus exceptional think at the Oklahoma Writers Conference a while back. Afterwards I had a ton of appointments and one girl came in and said, "I'm not here to pitch my book, tell me how to make it exceptional."

Good question, and wonder why nobody else asked it? I told her about a unique story and unique voice but then I added the big one. I told her a movie is shot in scenes where everything that will happen at a certain place is shot at once, no matter where it may fall in the movie. The movie is born when the director goes into the cutting room and assembles these scenes the way he wants.

A writer does a good job of writing a story and then a good job of editing it or having it edited. That's a good book. The exceptional writer takes off the author hat and the editor hat and puts on the director hat to direct their story. When I was having the opportunity to write I tended to wrap all my scenes up nice and neat like a short story. Each and every one of them was a convenient place to put the book down. There should not be such convenient places to put the book down, but I left them for the director to fix.

The director insures the story opens and gets the reader down into the story and committed to read as quickly as possible by forcing them off the first page and having them committed to the storyline by page ten. He or she insures that each scene and each chapter does not tie up with a nice red bow but pushes the reader on to the next scene and next chapter. The director ensures there are no dead spots or places where the story bogs down with exhaustive narrative or complicated sentences where it may be put down. It isn't about story at this point, it is about flow. A compelling story and flow that drives the reader through to me is the mark of the exceptional book.

Yes, that's what I'm looking for, a llama . . . no, actually . . . what I'd really like to have is a giraffe!

Would You Read On? hosted by Diana Flegal

Thank you for stopping by for today's installment of Would You Read On?. We look forward to your comments.

Chapter One

He sent the new girl in to fire me. Phoebe Waverly vamped in on those stilts she calls stilettos with a cardboard box in hand.

“Mr. Graham asked me to inform you that you are terminated, immediately.” Her attempt at a professional voice only made her sound more southern, one word leaning on another like dominoes toppling toward a period. “This box is for your things, Miss Brown. I’ll take that office key if you please.”

The heat rose on my face and I knew it was red. I decided not to acknowledge her, picked up my purse and headed for Darryl’s office. Miss blonde, fancy shmancy, high-heeled, manicured former Miss Texas tried to steal my job, looks like she succeeded.

My hand shook as I reached for the knob, stopped, squared my shoulders, straightened my navy business suit, took a deep breath and pushed open Darryl Graham’s office door.

Coward, he wasn’t there.

Last weeks contributor of a First Page was Clarice G. James. You can learn more about Clarice at the following links. http://www.claricejames.com Mug Shots Blog by Clarice James