Victoria Bylin Addresses Love's Dangers and God's Grace

Dear Readers,

Today I have the honor and privilege to host author Victorian Bylin on Everything Writerly. If you're not familiar with her or her books, Victoria is a romance writer known for her realistic and relatable characters. Her books have finaled in multiple contests, including the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and RT Magazine's Reviewers Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky, where their family and their crazy Jack Russell terrier keep them on the go. Learn more at http://www.victoriabylin.com/

Thank you, Victoria, for stopping by Everything Writerly today. (Incidentally, today begins Victoria's blog tour!) Please  tell us more about your book and why you wrote it.

Dangerous Dating

"I have a real concern for what women experience in today’s dating culture. We hear a lot about personal freedom and choices, but the choices we make have long-term consequences. Some are obvious; others aren’t. Either way, people sometimes get hurt, or they hurt others.

"Someone Like You deals specifically with narcissism, the love of “self” to the exclusion of truly loving others. Narcissists feed on other people. They take whatever they want and need. This is rampant in today’s society. It’s also completely counter to everything I believe about both romance and what it means to love as a Christian.

 "The antagonist in Someone Like You (Julia’s ex and the father of her son) is a classic narcissist. He’s clever, manipulative, and the polar opposite of Zeke Monroe, a man who lives with integrity even while he struggles with his faith."

God’s Grace in the Midst of Mistakes

"I wrote Someone Like You to show how gracious God is to us even in the midst of trials. If one woman sees herself in Julia, or a Christian relates to Zeke and his struggle to honor God, I’ve done my job."

Back of the Book Blurb:

Julia Dare is trying to run her own business, raise her young son, Max, and help her widowed mother. Her biggest worry, though, is keeping Max's father from being a bad influence while still allowing the boy to spend time with his dad. When an account from her event-planning business sends her to Caliente Springs resort, she's shocked to encounter Zeke Monroe, her college sweetheart.

Zeke is determined to keep Caliente Springs running despite financial trouble. When Julia walks back into his life, he's surprised at the feelings she stirs up. As they work together on an important client's wedding, the fate of the resort soon depends on their success. With Zeke and Julia both pushed to their limits, will their history put up walls between them or bring them together?

KIMBERLEY WOODHOUSE: Layering the effects of gossip

Dear Readers-

I am so pleased to announce that Kim Woodhouse is visiting Everything Writerly. She co-authored BEYOND THE SILENCE with Tracie Peterson. The book is getting fabulous reviews.

Kim ministered to me at a conference in Texas several years ago. I have a chronic condition similar to one of Kim's family members. We discussed it at length and I realized that I hadn't been taking my condition seriously--and was suffering because of it. Now I do. God used Kim in my life in a miraculous way! 

She's also a sweet, caring person. Those of you who know Kim will agree. So it's a true pleasure to host her here on EverythingWriterly.

Kim, Please tell us how you and Tracie came up with the idea to incorporate gossip into the theme of your story.

Kim: Tracie and I have Bible study together and we pray together. It was during one of our Bible studies that the Scripture tackled the topic of gossip. After our discussion, 

we knew we wanted to layer the effects of gossip into a story because words can be so hurtful and everyone has dealt with it at one time or another.  

Andrea: How very true. And for those readers who aren't familiar with Kim and her work, here's her bio:

Kimberley Woodhouse is a best-selling, multi-published author of fiction and nonfiction. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Kim is a pastor’s wife and is passionate about music and Bible study. She lives and writes in Colorado with her husband of twenty-plus years and their two amazing kids.

Find out more about Kim, such as the book she's written with her daughter, Kayla, by logging on to her website.

MEET KIM WOODHOUSE 

Kim, thank you for stopping by for a quick visit. I wish you God's best on your story, BEYOND THE SILENCE.

AND SO IT IS CHRISTMAS

Family ties. They can bind, all right. Strangulate in some cases. With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, family members aren’t far from our thoughts.

For myself, I’m grateful for a rich family heritage. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy writing about various family dynamics. I find them strange and fascinating. Some family dynamics are painful, others annoying. Nonetheless, it begs the question: What constitutes a family?

Families don’t have to be solely blood relation. Many of us have “church families,” and “work families.” The latter is not surprising, as we spend so much time at our jobs and with our coworkers.

But I think what’s important at Christmastime is the aspect of giving. Times are tough and everyone’s wallet seems emptier this year—mine included. However, consider giving a gift of your time, like two hours, perhaps, to a harried mom in your church family who would thankfully take a little time away from the kids. Or spend an afternoon with an elderly person in your life who could use a bit of help around the house—or just good company.

In our busy world each minute seems already claimed before it even ticks by. However, reprioritizing could free up those precious moments that would cheer another person or make an unforgettable and happy memory. Christmas is, after all, about giving. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NASB).

What a precious gift!

How about you? What about the dynamics within your family, whether or not you family is blood relation? What can you give those you love this year that won’t cost a fortune but might improve someone else’s life? These questions are so very relevant as Christmas draws near.

Merry Christmas!

Look for my latest releases online or at your favorite bookstore. Books make fabulous Christmas gifts.

 A THOUSAND SHALL FALL 
(Historical fiction with romance)
Click on the above link to purchase

SEASONS OF LOVE 

(Contemporary Novella Collection, romance)

Click on the above link to purchase

A Chat with Author/Editor Susan Beganz

I first met Susan at the WisRWA (Wisconsin chapter of RWA) Conference years ago. She came as one of the editors taking appointments, as Susan works for Prism Book Group. She accepts romantic fiction, Christian and "clean" or "sweet" romance. We got along great. She and began carpooling to the ACFW-WISE meetings (our local ACFW chapter), and we've become good friends. On a ride home one night, I began telling her about three novellas I wrote, she asked to see them--and contracted them, much to my delight. The "Seasons of Love" collection will release this December.

So now Susan is not only my friend, she's my editor at Prism Book Group.

Susan is also a gifted author. Below is an interview with Susan about her latest release, "Pesto and Potholes" (Prism).

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Why romance fiction? How long have you had the passion to write?

I’ve always enjoyed sweet romances. In my late teens early twenties, I was enamoured of Georgette Heyer and Marion Chesney’s Regency romances. Clean stories without the explicit sex. I guess you could say I’m a romantic at heart and I long for that. My characters get the love and romance I don’t.

What made you choose writing? What keeps you writing? What motivates you?

I believe God led me to writing by telling me in a dream to do write for National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) in 2009. I think I had always been afraid to try and once I started the dam broke and I found out how much I love the process of writing a story. I haven’t stopped. Once the characters start forming in my mind and that first scene or general story concept and I start writing, I can’t stop until I’ve come to the end.

Which writers inspire you?

I admire the wit and whimsy of writers like Jen Turano, Mary Conneley and Karen Witemeyer, Brooke Williams, Sandi Bricker and Jan Thomson. I love the characters that Dee Henderson, DiAnne Mills, Ronie Kendig paint in her writing. Combined with suspense is amazing. Becky Wade and Lisa Lickel . . . I wish I could write like all of them, but I’ve had to learn that I have my own style and I need to be okay with that.

How is fiction writing a reflection of your Christian faith?

I love to encourage others. Jesus told parables and there is power in telling stories that can show the process of sanctification which I hope my characters will go through. I also believe we need to grow emotionally as well as spiritually. I hope I encourage others to persevere in their own journeys, spiritually, emotionally and relationally. And hopefully they see biblical truths in a new light based on the journey of the characters to motivate them to persevere through the trials that come our way.

What inspired the idea for your debut novel "Pesto and Potholes"?

For Pesto & Potholes I actually started with the concept of the potholes based on a concept I learned in my undergraduate studies. The idea that healing—whether emotional or physical—can be a rocky journey out of the pit and not necessarily an upward smooth trajectory.

For the entire Orchard Hill series, for which Pesto & Potholes is the first book, I wanted to explore one of the things I didn’t understand early in my faith journey was why the church was so important. Especially when so many young adults walk away. Beyond worship and teaching, I realized it was about the relationships. While I agree that the theology of origins and understanding how science support Scripture is important, but I believe the disenfranchisement of younger adults is deeper than that.

Peter Scazzerro wrote a book called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality and he posits that when we come to Christ we are born into a new family and need to learn the new rules. Not the “do’s and don’t’s” but how to relate to others in a way that honors God and His other image-bearers. Many times the way we’ve been raised has not been as healthy as the design God has for us in relationships. So . . . I hope that my stories show the value and importance of the new “family” how valuable those relationships are for us to grow up in Christ as well as cope with the ups and downs of life.

How is your writing different from others? What is it similar to?

I’m not trying to write like anyone else no matter how much I admire other writer’s style.

I’m a bit more honest in my writing about sexual tension while keeping my stories clean. I think in our culture the reality of sexual promiscuity and the fall-out of that is very real so trying to encourage purity in the midst of a culture that doesn’t value that, is a core part of my character’s struggle. I love romance, but I don’t want to downplay the very real physical attraction and desire that can be part of a relationship. I push the envelope while keeping it clean. My characters struggle with the temptation of desire but not always acting on it because of a higher principle of seeking to honor God.

When you have spare time (just kidding) who do you enjoy reading? Who's your favorite author? What type of books do you like to read other than your own?

Sometimes I go back to previous books I’ve loved and enjoyed. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade, Healing Grace by Lisa Lickel, The O’Malley Series & Uncommon Heroes series by Dee Henderson. The Discarded Heroes Series by Ronie Kendig. Lady in the Briars by Carola Dunn. And then there are always new books coming out by authors I contract that I have the privilege to read first.

I have so many authors I enjoy for a variety of reasons, so it rather depends on my mood at the time, the reason I need to escape.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Write, write, write. Write short, write long. Flash Fiction. Short Stories. Novellas. Write long. Read a lot.

Learn what you can about writing. Attend a writer’s conference! I also recommend On Writing by Stephen King and The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell. Connect with the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) or some other writing group to find other writers who can help you grow.

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Keep in touch with Susan:

Read more about her by logging onto her website: http://susanbaganz.com/about/

LIKE Susan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanMBaganz

Follow Susan on Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SusanMBaganz

Meet My Friend Becky Melby!

Becky Melby and I have known each other for many years. She's another Wisconsin author. We both began our careers writing stories for Heartsong Presents (Barbour). I will always be grateful to that publishing company for giving me my start and Becky is still writing for Barbour's trade line. 

For those unfamiliar with Becky's work, here's her bio:

Becky Melby has been married to Bill, her high school sweetheart, for forty years. They have four married sons and twelve grandchildren. Becky has co-authored nine books and Heartsong Presents and has had stories in two novella collections. Her Lost Sanctuary Series—three contemporary stories each with a historical thread—releases in 2012, as well as Contest of Wills, a novella in Cedar Creek Seasons. Becky’s favorite pastimes are spoiling grandkids and taking trips with Bill in their RV or on their Honda Gold Wing. To find out more about Becky visit http://www.melby-wienke.com/.

Here's the blurb of Becky's latest book.

Emily’s fractures have mended and her scars have faded, but she can’t forgive herself for the accident that stole a young girl’s dreams. Before she can allow herself to live again, she needs to make restitution. The first step toward her goal is flipping a house built in 1847, but Jake Braden, her contractor, doesn’t share her vision. Jake has bigger battles to fight as he tries to gain guardianship of his late sister’s twins. When they discover the house was part of the historic Underground Railroad, they uncover clues about an old love story...and God’s plan for their future.

Note: Becky will be giving away a copy of her book, so at the end of her interview be sure to leave a comment. You'll be entered into the drawing which will be held on Thursday!

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And now my interview with Becky!

1.What genre do you write in? (Historical, contemporary, romance, etc.)

            Contemporary Romance

2. What motivates you?

I’m passionate about what I like to call spiritual Cinderella stories. I love to hear and tell accounts of how God intervenes in the lives of ordinary people. These are the kinds of stories I want to write to show people that a relationship with Jesus Christ is a wondrous adventure. Even though we all face trials and shattered dreams, and life rarely ever plays out the way we plan, God uses all of the things he allows us and empowers us to endure for His Greater Good.

3. How does your faith affect your daily life?

I genuinely can’t imagine going through each day without Someone to lean on and talk to about everything. I love to start my day with alone time with God—reading, praying, praising (out loud if I’m alone in the house!) and I try to continue that interaction throughout the day. I will admit that sitting still and listening is hard for me, and of course I have days when I allow my to-do list to take priority over that precious time. At the end of those days I generally reflect on the lack of direction I felt all day. I make enough blunders as it is, I can’t imagine trying to run my life without God’s guidance. And it saddens me to see the purposelessness in the lives of those who haven’t yet experienced this incredible relationship.

4. What message do you hope to convey to readers, either in this latest book or in all your books?

            That God is the author of second chances. He takes our tarnished dreams and refinishes them—repurposing our desires to fit His.

5. Do you believe there is evil in the world and, if you do, how do you portray it in your novels (or do you portray evil in your novels?

            I do believe there is evil in the world. Most of my books have an antagonist who is out to thwart my hero and heroine. I try to give a glimpse into the reason this person was susceptible to evil acts. It’s a sad fact that hurting people hurt people and we are called to pray for those who lash out. They are desperately in need of the grace and mercy of God.

6. How do you deal with rejection letters or an irate reader?

            I consider it grace practice! Thankfully, I’ve never received a letter I’d label “irate,” but I recently received an email from a reader who was offended by the negative way I portrayed my antagonist in Tomorrow’s Sun. This character is seen through the eyes of the twelve-year-old step children he is mentally and physically abusing, and they use some very derogative names for him. This reader felt I was being disrespectful to all people who share one of this man’s physical traits. That couldn’t be further from my intentions, and at first I was shocked and a bit defensive, but after praying, giving it some time, and trying to see the issue through the reader’s eyes, I was able to sincerely thank this person for taking the time to share those concerns and promise I will keep that in mind in future stories—and I will.

7. What’s next for you as an author? Any books in the hopper?

            I recently sent my agent two proposals. One is for a contemporary series with historical parallel stories going back to the nineteen-forties, -fifties, and -sixties. This one may require a trip that traces the original Route 66 and will stretch me by forcing me to crawl into the mind of a footloose hippy on fire for the Lord, an actress who chooses her career over the love of a soldier, and a small-town Midwest nurse driving to Hollywood in a 1949 Chevy. I already feel like I know these characters and can’t wait to write their adventures.

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Thank you so much, Becky, for making an appearance on Everything Writerly! 


To my readers, please be sure to leave a comment so you're name is entered into the drawing for Becky's latest novel, Tomorrow's Sun!