Moments from ACFW Conference

Today's post is a little different than usual.  It's typically my Fun in the Kitchen on Friday post.  But I really want to share some pictures with you from the ACFW conference.  Since I was having trouble getting my photos to resize and download yesterday, I'm posting them today. Next week, I'll be back to my normal schedule. 

ACFW Conference rocked! It far exceeded my expectations. I learned much, met many people, and had blessings heaped up, pushed down, and overflowing! If I tried to share it all with you, this would be the longest blog post ever. So, I'm opting instead to share a few pics with you. One never gets all the pics they want, but I was so into living in the moment and trying to take it all in, that my camera never made it out of my purse for many "Kodak Moments." Sigh. But I'll hold the memories in my heart forever. Here's a little glimspe of some special moments I had at conference.

We're driving, we're driving.......the Arch!  St. Louis! Yay!

That's my friend, Sara, at the wheel.  She's an excellent driver. 

And Susie M. (yep, another Susie) is in the front passenger seat.
Every great pilot has to have a great navigator and Susie M. is very directionally gifted.
Unlike me. I'm in the back taking the picture and being chauffeured.  Ahhh, the life. 

View from my hotel room.  Beautiful sunrise! 

One of my roomies that now lives in Hawaii!  It was 

so good to see her.  We were laughing.  Can you tell? 

Here I am with some of my "buds" from our local ACFW group at breakfast.
Lora, me, Susie, and Donna!  

The Gala!
From left to right:Ralene, Susie, me, Lora, Donna, and Barbara. 

My critique partner, Delia Latham, and me.
She happens to be one of the best buds in the whole world!  

And here I am with my FABULOUS roomies! They rock! We had so much fun. 
Ralene came from Hawaii and gifted us with beautiful leis and hair clips.  
We, of course, had to have our pic taken wearing them. 
From left to right: Stephanie Morrill, me, Ralene Burke, and Susan Mires

I just praise God for giving me the opportunity to go to conference this year.  It was my first time attending.  It was amazing and something I'll never forget!  

Every day is a gift.  Be blessed! 

Susan

COTT Winner's Post -- Delia Latham Takes the Crown

Congratulations to Delia Latham for taking the crown in last week's Staff Clash. Two anonymous COTT staffers went into the ring and readers had another hard choice to make. Some said:

• "This was a cruel choice!! LOL! They were both excellent."
•  (About Delia's excerpt): "Beautiful words expressing emotion and making the reader want more."
•  "Intense emotions on both excerpts! Great job!"
•  "Terrific excerpts!"
• (About Katie's excerpt): "I need to know Wulf better! I have a feeling he's dreamy."
• "Awesome clash with two well-written, emotion-packed scenes! Great job, authors!"

Of course, nobody knew at the time that those authors were Delia Latham and Katie McCurdy.
Both are recent additions to the staff. Delia has come on board as a Blog Alliance Correspondent, and Katie is the official Talent Scout. (Looks like COTT scouted some talent when they found these two gems.)
This fun excursion was a great interjection into the usual good times shared at Clash of the Titles. This week sees another fierce challenge with nameless authors nominated by COTT staff. Be sure to head over there and vote now!
And in just 2 weeks, the party begins! Mark your calendars for October 10th and be ready to play for extra prizes all month long as COTT celebrates it's first anniversary. Your vote will determine which of the year's winning authors will receive the ultimate honor: the Laurel Award.

* by Assistant Editor of COTT, Michelle Massaro 

Fun in the Kitchen Friday -- YOU are my featured guest!

So, if you've been following along this week at all, you know that I'm at ACFW Conference having a mahvelous time.  The food is delicious, decadent, scrumptious, and simply divine, dahling.   No PB&J sandwiches here.

So since I'm a bit occupado with the conference and all, I don't have a special recipe or a special guest with a special recipe to share with you this week


So, YOU are my featured guest. Here's your assignment, if you choose to accept it.  (And please do, I think this will be such fun!)

Is there a special recipe that you just love, but haven't made in a reaaaaaally long time?  Go dig it out and make it.  Bless yourself and your family on this fabulous Friday. 

Then, be sure to leave a comment.  If it's half as good as you remembered....I'll bet your taste buds will be singing.  Be sure to include in your comment what you made and how you enjoyed it, and your email addy.  Example:  janedoe (at) wherever (dot) com.  I'll pick someone randomly (computerized selection)  and feature their recipe here next week on September 30th.  This could be so much fun and something I'd like to do every so often . Take pictures if you'd like.  Everyone loves to see pictures with recipes. I'll contact the person whose comment came up on the draw via email to get your recipe, pics, etc. from you. 

Okay, everyone, let's get cookin'! 
Blessings for a wonderful weekend and fun in the kitchen!
Susan




 

ACFW Conference Officially Starts Today!

Since I'm smack dab in the middle of the Early Bird session this morning and the rest of the conference gets underway later today......my mind is agog with all the new information I'm learning and all the awesome people I'm meeting. I'm beginning an experience I'll never forget and God is in the house! I'm being blessed heaped up, pushed down, and overflowing!


You can visit the ACFW website here to learn more about ACFW. 

Have a great day, because you can know that all of us at conference are having an amazing time!

Blessings,
Susan

Today I'm Headed to ACFW Conference and Leaving Family to Hold down the Fort.

Today my "Wednesday -- What I'm Reading Books and Blogs" has a little different spin.

I'll be reading road signs, maps, and directions as I head out to my very first ACFW conference.  I'm carpooling with two wonderful women who know I'm directionally challenged and are letting me tag along anyway.  Now that's friendship!   I am filled with excitement, but I must admit....I'm also a bit nervous.  A whole new experience awaits me, but I know it will be fabulous!

My hubby is manning the home front and will keep everything running smoothly.  My daughter will be a big help to him.  They both have encouraged me so much in attending this conference.   My heart is full.  I will miss them greatly, but I know that they will have fun, take care of everything back home, and be praying for me to learn much and enjoy myself.   

My plans ? 
  
*  To meet so many of those people whose names I've seen on the ACFW loop.

* Thank those who have offered up so much helpful advice and encouragement over that loop.  Disclaimer: I'm sure I won't come close to remembering everyone.   So thank you, everyone, for all the ways you've blessed me.

* Meet in person and hug those that have become dear friends, despite the distance and geography.  
Ain't technology wonderful!

* Meet more new people.

*Take good notes.

*Listen more than I talk.

* Soak up every tidbit of knowledge and wisdom that is shared.  And learn, learn, learn how to become a better writer.  I sure hope God adds some gigabytes to my memory, because I know there will be SO much information to absorb.

* Worship with people who have a heart for Jesus and writing like I do.

*Be honored to be a part of a wonderful time of prayer and thanksgiving.

Since I've never been, I don't really know what to expect. But I'm putting the whole thing in God's hands and hanging on for the ride.

There's two things I know for certain:

1.  I'll be blessed because I'll be with people who have a heart for the Lord and are willing to share their knowledge and experience to help me and many others improve their craft.


2.  They'll always be someone around to direct me if I get lost coming back from the bathroom.  I've been told this conference is very organized.

Have a great day, everyone!  I've already started on mine -- and it's fantastic so far!

Blessings,
Susan

Happy Anniversary Clash of the Titles!

Happy Anniversary, Clash of the Titles!

It's been almost a year since COTT opened its voting-booth doors and invited everyone in. Over the past twelve months, readers have chosen 25 Clash winners and received 48 free books. And along the way, a family formed. That family consists of the voters, authors, staff, and the 25+ blogs who have banded together in mutual support with COTT.
This is cause for major celebration! So COTT is doing it up to the nines.
Clash of the Titles' first annual Tournament of Champions begins next month! Over the course of four weeks, past winners from the previous year will compete in a series of clashes for the ultimate prize: the Laurel Award. The Laurel, COTT's most prestigious honor, is awarded by public vote to a single author among the year's champions.
Voters are expected to turn out in droves to support their favorites and participate in games just for readers. Each week, COTT sponsors—consisting of various authors and staff—will issue fun challenges to readers along with the chance to win gift cards, critique services, a business card design, and more. A dozen sponsors are lined up for the event so far. That's a lot of prizes!
Throughout the month, details and updates on the Tournament of Champions will be shared on the COTT website and featured within the Blog Alliance. To help spread the word, please grab the special Tournament Button (below) to display on your site. Then send a link to your page to: contactcott at gmail dot com to enter the special COTT Shout-About drawing. The drawing will take place during the first week of the Tournament and the winner will receive a Clash of the Titles mug.

Please also consider Tweeting or sharing this article on your Facebook wall.

(it only takes a second--just click the share button.)

Mark your calendars and spread the word. This BYOV (Bring Your Own Vote) party begins on October 10th!

<a border="0" href="http://www.clashofthetitles.com/p/tournament-of-champs.html" target="_blank"><img src=" http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r38/DeliaLatham/TournyBanner2.png "/></a>

ACFW Conference Coming Up!

Good morning, everyone!

I don't have a writer or author featured this week.  You'll notice that picture is missing from my sidebar.  But I have a good reason.  Many are getting ready to attend the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference that's coming up! Excitement is in the air! It officially starts Thursday. 

Please feel free to check out ACFW's Link here to learn more about this wonderful organization and info about the conference.

I also have a LINKS page on my blog that you can check out authors I've featured in the past.  Please browse around.  There's a  FEATURED BOOKS page as well.

Be blessed!
Susan

Author Keli Gwyn's Recipe for Turkey Cookies!

As thoughts turn to fall, I anticipate one my favorite culinary traditions. Each year my family and I prepare our traditional Thanksgiving dessert, one that puts a smile on many people's faces: turkey cookies. I wish I'd come up with this great idea, but that would be far beyond my culinary limitations. I did, however, write a recipe.

One of the neatest things about making these cookies is that there really is no cooking involved. I like to think of this as a craft, which sounds so much better to non-foodie me than cooking.

Turkey Cookies

Supplies:

12-14 oz. carton Whoppers

2 packages Keebler’s striped shortbread cookies (11 oz.- 32 cookies per package)

1 bag candy corn (approx 12 oz. bag–need 128 well-formed candy corns)

3 bags Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups (13 oz.)

Note: You can use York peppermint patties as bases for variety.

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

small bowls

plates

butter knives

2 cookie sheets

aluminum foil

Scotch tape

Preparation:

Empty Whopper bodies into one bowl and candy corn beaks into another.

Unwrap miniature Reese’s cup bases and arrange on plates upside down about 8-10 per plate so you have room for assembly.

Cut striped shortbread cookies in half, turning cookie so the stripes for the feathers will be diagonal if you like that look or vertical if you want them straight up and down. Note: A gentle sawing action with a serrated knife works best, otherwise the cookies can shatter. Sadly, the cookies have gotten thinner over the years, and you can expect a few to break.

Put about a half cup of the chocolate chips in a small bowl and heat in microwave for about one minute on low. Aim for a spreadable consistency but not too thin. There should be some lumps in the bowl. Stir the melted chocolate with a butter knife to work the lumps out. Melt more chips as needed.

Cover the cookie sheets in aluminum foil. Wrap excess over sides and tape to the bottom.

Assembly:

1) Mount body on base.

Spread a dollop of the chocolate on a malted milk ball using a butter knife. Mount the malted milk ball to one side on top of the upturned miniature Reese’s cup. As each batch is completed, set plate in the freezer a couple of minutes to help the chocolate set up.

2) Mount wings on body.

Spread chocolate in the curved opening of the cookie. Place the cookie with the flat part resting on the open portion of the top of the Reese’s cup, touching the malted milk body. Tilt backward at a slight angle. As each batch is completed, set the plate in the freezer a couple of minutes to help the chocolate set up.

3) Mount head/beak on body.

Spread chocolate on bottom back half of a candy corn—on the skinny side. Place on top of malted milk ball as far back as needed for balance. As each batch is completed, set the plate in the freezer a couple of minutes to help the chocolate set up.

Display:

After the cookies have set up, remove them from the plates and set them in rows on the cookie sheets. Place rows of eight across and six deep for a total of 48 cookies per tray. There will be 96 cookies on the trays with a few leftovers, which is helpful in the event that some cookies break during assembly—or you just have to perform a taste test. :-)

Eat and Enjoy!

• • •

Award-winning novelist Keli Gwyn writes inspirational historical romance and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary. Keli is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America®. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication/Print Journalism. A California native, she lives in a historic Gold Rush-era town at the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. She enjoys her frequent time travels to the 1800s, where she spends countless hours with her characters while fueling her creativity with Taco Bell® and sweet tea.

Keli’s debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, will be released by Barbour Publishing in July 2012.

Blessings Abound. Are you Wearing Your God Glasses?

Thursday's Thoughts:

I think we can all agree that sometimes life can become routine. Maybe even monotonous at times.  It can range from busy to hectic to (gasp!) downright overwhelming.  But even if "our plan" gets out of control -- you can rest assured that God's got a better one.  Do you ever think your timing is less than ideal? I can testify to the fact that mine has been known to give "bad timing" new meaning.  Well, God's timing is perfect.  Isn't that exciting?

Sometimes when things don't seem to be going how I think  they should and something seems out of kilter, I have to stop and ask myself, "Am I wearing my God glasses?"  I might think I am, but do they need cleaned?  Have I let the smudges of the world dirty up the lenses so I can't see clearly?

These glasses are technically invisible because they're worn in the heart. But they can drastically change your vision.  And not only you will reap the benefits of these amazing lenses -- they're so strong, in fact, that when used properly, others around you can see God as well. You never need a new pair, because God continually changes the prescription for you.  If they get dirtied up, God's provided a way to clean them.

Cleaning Instructions:  Read God's Word and spend time in fellowship with Him through prayer.

Digging into God's Word and reading what He has to say, gives us so much clarity.  It's our instruction manual for life. Do I always run to Him when life seems to put obstacles in my path?  I'm ashamed to say that, on occasion, I think I can handle it myself. I'm not proud of that.  But it's happened that I get so ferdoodled over the situation that I forget to run to Him immediately. I beat myself up or worry about it first, then I run to Him.  Tsk. Tsk. Then I wonder "What was I thinking?"    

I know that no problem is too big or too small to take to God.  He wants to know the tiniest details of our life. And here's the big newsflash-- He already knows what's on our heart!  But I happen to believe that He wants to hear it from us directly.  That way we know that we need Him.

The fact that God has a plan just for me is amazing. He created me to be unique, special even, so I can do the things He's set before me.  Sometimes when I'm in whiner mode and I'm not happy with how I've done something, how I look, or whatever -- I forget that He knew me in my mother's womb.  I forget that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I forget that He created me -- to be me!

We don't need to compare ourselves to others.  We need to polish up those lenses -- get in God's Word, spend time with Him, and our vision will clear to see the path He's set before us.

Will we still have struggles and hardship?  Absolutely.  We live in a fallen world.  But it's how we deal with those struggles and hardship that makes the difference. It's how God can mold us and make us into who He wants us to be - for His glory.

Today God showed me through someone that blessings abound. We just have to be willing to see them. If we're not wearing our God glasses, we might look right past them.

This new friend shared some insight with me today that I know was part of God's plan.  You need to be who God wants you to be, not what someone else thinks you should be.  Rejoice in how God made you!  It's okay to make mistakes. It's what we do with the knowledge gained that's important.   

This brother in Christ said, "I love Grace!"  I'm so grateful he shared that bit of wisdom with me today.  It made me focus on the really important stuff and out of it came many things.  Including this blog post. (Thanks, Peter!)  

God loves me so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross to forgive my sins, that I might have eternal life ... with Him in Heaven.  His Grace is sufficient for thee.  All things are possible through Christ Jesus.  Compared to that, everything else pales.  Now that's exciting!

So, polish up your God glasses and make sure you're wearing them, because you don't want to miss out on one single blessing that God might have in store for you.  It saddens me to think of how many times I let the smudges of the world dim my vision of the beauty and blessings around me. And don't be too quick to judge -- sometimes blessings come in disguise.  But through thoughtful contemplation, prayer, and getting in God's Word, you can see things as they really are -- not what the world wants you to believe.

Everyday is a new day. I hope that on this new day, you will be blessed.
Susan
 

Snappy Dialogue Champion, Sarah Sundin (COTT Article)

The other day my daughter orally lamented a previous conversation. “I always think of my best come-backs too late.” I know how she feels, although I’m probably on the other end of the spectrum—I often wish I hadn’t said X or Y once the conversation is done. At least in writing we can carefully craft our words, which should make it easier, right? Not necessarily. Writing effective, authentic, snappy dialogue is a skill that must be honed. And yet, when done well, it plunges the reader deep into the story and provides vivid characterization.

This last week two authors threw their “chatty-keyboards” into the Clash of the Titles' ring and although both excerpts were phenomenal, Sarah Sundin, author of A Memory Between Us, wowed readers with her printed banter.

Here’s a snippet of her COTT competing excerpt:

Jack made out Ruth’s shapely figure coming down Northgate Street. She couldn’t afford the new olive drab uniforms some of the nurses wore, but she sure looked smart in the dark blue jacket and medium blue skirt.

Jack stepped back around the corner. He unzipped his lightweight leather flight jacket, made sure his shirt collar was open, and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his olive drab trousers. Had to look casual.

He let Ruth pass, then fell in behind her. “‘One misty moisty morning.’”

Ruth looked over her shoulder and smiled.

“‘When cloudy was the weather, I chanced to meet an old man clothed all in leather. He began to compliment and I began to grin. How do you do? And how do you do? And how do you do again?’”

Amusement crinkled her eyes. “It’s afternoon.”

“Yeah, but it’s misty and moisty. Life in England has taught me what that means.”

“No misty moisty mornings in California?”

“In January, not August.” Jack proceeded down the flagstone sidewalk. “And look, you chanced to meet an old man clothed all in leather.”

***
Gotta love that phrase, “Misty, moisty morning,” an example of great dialogue and fun alliteration!

The story it came from is about a determined soldier on a mission to win a woman’s heart:

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge--until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth's heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.
As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch, Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?
From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

Sarah Sundin is the author of A Distant Melody. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Romance, tough, rugged men, and rich history make this novel a must read!

Want to nibble on a few more COTT winning excerpts and win great prizes in the process? Make sure to join us for the ultimate literary challenge where COTT winners go head to head in our Tournament of Champions on October 10^th to November 4th! What better way to launch the Holiday season than with a stash of great books won in our tournament give-away?

*Jennifer Slattery writes for Christ to the World Ministries, Samie Sisters, Afictionado, the Christian Pulse, and is the marketing manager of the literary website, Clash of the Titles. She also co-hosts (with five other authors) the Facebook faith community, Living by Grace, a modern-day “meet at the well” experience where believers around the globe can unite, fellowship, and be refreshed. Visit her devotional blog, Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud to find out more about her, her writing, and the ministries she writes for.

And make sure to hop on over to Clash of the Titles to help determine our next literary champion!

3 Steps to Take Before You Dig into Your Revisions -- Guest Post by Author Keli Gwyn

How do you approach revisions? With delight or dread?

I'm no stranger to rewrites and revisions. In fact, I've learned how rewarding they can be.

I wrote five stories and rewrote one of them once and another twice before I began to get good feedback from contest judges and requests from publishing pros.

When I received my offer of representation, I floated on Cloud 999 for six glorious weeks before receiving revision notes from my brand new agent. I'd unknowingly released the tension one-fourth of the way into my story. Talk about feeling deflated.

The fix? I had to delete the final three-fourths of the story and start over. My job was to make the end of the story match the beginning that had taken first place in several contests and garnered that offer of representation. I embarked on the third rewrite determined to make the story better and prove to my agent that her faith in me was justified.

With a hopeful heart, I sent the new version of the story to my critique partners six months later and learned that I wasn't done yet. I had a sagging middle on my hands, requiring me to perform a major revision.

Step One: Don't Do Anything

While I was eager to tear into the story, I didn’t.

I took the advice of Yosemite Sam instead. I backed off.

Yup! I set the story aside for two weeks to get some distance. I'd spent nine months on the rewrite and revisions and was too close to the story. I lacked the objectivity needed.

Step Two: Do Two Different Things

When I returned to the story, I didn't just fire up my Mac and dive in. I took a new approach.

• I printed out a hard copy. I'd grown used to seeing the words on screen, but reading them on paper changed things for me. I changed the font from Courier to Times New Roman, which gave a whole new look.

• I read the story out loud. I'd been used to letting my eyes do the work, but reading aloud enabled me to make use of another sense. Missing words, repetitions, and the overuse of proper names became evident. I noticed where dialogue or description dragged, where long sentences slowed the flow, where the action came to a halt and made me want to skim.

Because I worked on a hard copy, I jotted notes and kept reading. Had I been working on computer, I'd have been tempted to stop and fix things.

Step Three: Develop a Plan

Once I'd completed the read, I took a good look at the notes I'd made and figured out what needed to be done to eliminate the weaknesses and strengthen the story. I assessed each scene and listed the changes I wanted to make.

Only then was I ready to dive in and attack my revisions with a clear picture of what was needed and a renewed sense of enthusiasm.

• • •

Award-winning novelist Keli Gwyn writes inspirational historical romance and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary. Keli is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America®. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication/Print Journalism. A California native, she lives in a historic Gold Rush-era town at the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. She enjoys her frequent time travels to the 1800s, where she spends countless hours with her characters while fueling her creativity with Taco Bell® and sweet tea.

Keli’s debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, will be released by Barbour Publishing in July 2012.

Suzanne Hartmann's Recipe for Light Easy Cheesecake

I can't believe it's Friday already! Time for some fun in the kitchen. I'm so glad Suzanne stopped back by again to share one of her favorite recipes. Thanks, Suzanne! Enjoy! And have a great weekend, everyone!
-Susie
--------

Here's my recipe for Light Easy Cheesecake. It can't get much easier, AND it's low fat!

1 pkg. light powdered Dream Whip
1 small pkg. sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
8 oz. light or no-fat cream cheese
2 cups skim or 2% milk
1 graham cracker crust

Mix Dream Whip in a small bowl with 1/2 cup milk. Mix instant pudding in a large bowl with 1 1/2 cups milk. Add Dream Whip to pudding. Cut cream cheese into small cubes. Use mixer to blend a few cubes of cream cheese at a time into the Dream Whip/pudding mixture. Blend until all cream cheese is added and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for several hours.

YUM! Makes me want to go make some.

Thank you for featuring me this week, Susan.
Suzanne :o)

Dialogue--Snappy Dialogue, That Is

Coming Up at Clash of the Titles, October 10-November 4, 2011

The first annual, Tournament of Champions! 

Over a FOUR week period, SIXTEEN previous COTT champs will face-off in EIGHT different mini-Clashes.

Only ONE will take home The Laurel Award.

With Clashes, games, and prizes galore, you won't want to miss this month-long celebration!

********

*Guest post by Lisa Lickel

Dialogue lets your characters be heard. It’s their voice; their conversation amongst themselves. It’s how they tell their story. Dialogue is talk. Discussion. Arguments. Jokes. Questions and answers. Foibles. Mystery. Mesmerism. It’s the muscle on the skeleton of the story.

The writer’s ability to conquer natural dialogue comes out of how well we know our characters. The reader’s ability to hear natural-sounding dialogue comes from the depth from which he is drawn into the story.

      Using dialogue in a book helps readers see that characters spend time with each other for a reason, even if they’re stranded on desert islands. Tom Hanks had Wilson in the move Cast Away, after all. Dialogue is more than internal mutterings or their revelations to the reader. It needs to be heard, not just read. The words need to translate immediately to sound in the reader’s inner ear, and thus be natural, no matter the setting.

What can we deduce from these two small pieces of the excerpts in this Clash? Are you in time, in story, in the character’s emotions? Can you cheer for them? Figure out exactly what will happen next, or are you eager to turn the page for more?

“Would you mind if I walked with you?”

      “As long as we’re not together.”

      “All right.” He strode into the street and spread his arms as wide as his grin. “There. We’re not together.”

     “Jack!” she cried…. “Get back up here.” Ruth motioned frantically. “Don’t make me fix you up again.”

OR

    
“Perhaps you cannot wait for the wedding night?”

      Her brown eyes simmered. “Why you insufferable cad!” She raised her hand to slap him.

He caught it and lifted it to his lips for a kiss, eyeing her with delight.

She studied him then released a sigh. “You tease me, sir.” Snatching her hand from his, she stepped back. “But what would I expect from you?”

In a novel, talk must have a purpose. A conversation shouldn’t be talk for the sake of filling time or space. Readers have only until the last page to spend with people in a book, so writers must not waste time. Dialogue is meant to reveal something useful, important to the story line—passion, motive, or confession.

Why Snappy? Characters must speak true to their nature. While snappy it might not describe the personality, it implies action, tension, perhaps a slip of the tongue or a revelation that might even surprise the character, but certainly should surprise the reader.

Clash of the Titles hopes you are intrigued by these little snippets of story and want to find out more about the books and authors. Stop by and you’ll get that chance! Meet the authors and leave comments to enter the drawing for a free book.
*Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives with her husband in a hundred and fifty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. Surrounded by books and dragons, she has written dozens of feature newspaper stories, magazine articles, radio theater, and several inspirational novels to date. She is also the senior editor at Reflections in Hindsight.

Guest Post by Author Suzanne Hartmann

 AUTHOR BIO

Suzanne Hartmann is a homeschooling mother of three and wife to a wonderful, supportive husband. When not writing or homeschooling, she loves to scrapbook and do Bible studies, and of course, reads voraciously. She is the author of the upcoming e-book, Write This Way: Take Your Writing to a New Level, scheduled to release in September. She is also the author of The Race that Lies Before Us , a Christian suspense novel available next year through Oak Tara. On the editorial side, Suzanne is a contributing editor at Port Yonder Press and operates the Write This Way Critique Service.

 

WRITE THIS WAY: TAKE YOUR WRITING TO A NEW LEVEL

For years, I have been a resource person for our local homeschool group. If someone has a question about a particular curriculum or teaching style, I have most likely used it, seen it, read about it, or know someone who has information about it.

After I’d been writing for a couple of years, I found myself slipping into the position of resource person again. I had gained so much knowledge from others, made so many mistakes, and learned from finding and fixing those mistakes (over and over and over), that I could answer most questions about grammar or fiction writing style or knew where to look up the answer.

Because so many others helped me along the way, I wanted to give back. So I wrote blog posts to , pass along the many lessons they had taught me. Over time, I wrote over a hundred articles, but because there are so many that it takes effort to sift through them to find everything available about a specific topic. This  realization birthed the idea to consolidate the articles into an easy-to-use e-book so authors could have all of the information at their fingertips as they write and revise.

In Write This Way: Take Your Writing to a New Level, I cover everything from basic issues such as dialogue formatting and punctuation to the deeper issues of point of view and showing vs. telling to overarcing issues such as character goals and motivation. The end result is a book that guides the new author along the path of writing a novel and a resource book for more experienced writers.

It is my hope and desire that authors will grow and learn from the advice they find in Write This Way, and that they too will make their way to publication. For more information, please click here: WRITE THIS WAY: TAKE YOUR WRITING TO A NEW LEVEL

In keeping with the theme of helping other authors, I am offering to each person who comments a free copy of the Revision Checklist from Write This Way, so please include your e-mail address in your comment. As a special offer, I am also offering to anyone who pre-orders the e-book a free 2-page evaluation of your writing (no money pre-payment necessary). Just mention this in your comment.

Thank you for hosting me here, Susan. I appreciate your dedication to your blog and helping other writers through your posts on the craft of writing.

Penny Zeller shares her recipe for Gluten-Free Delicious No-Bake Cookies!

Penny is back for my "Fun in the Kitchen on Friday" post.  She is sharing her recipe for "Gluten-Free Delicious No Bake Cookies".  Whether your health necessitates that you be gluten-free or not, these sound ...... well, simply delicious!  They must be -- delicious is in the recipe title, after all.  And if cookies aren't enough of a treat ... there's even a funny story to go along with the recipe.  Sweet! 

Welcome back, Penny!  I love having company -- especially one that feels comfortable and welcome enough whip up a yummy recipe while we have a good chat.  I'm so excited to be featuring another gluten-free recipe.  I want to be able to provide my friends who are celiac or are gluten intolerant with a special treat once in a while.  This is just the ticket! 

 

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 Gluten Free Delicious No Bake Cookies

Combine in a large pan and boil for one minute the following ingredients:

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. rice milk (we use Rice Dream)
1/4 c. cocoa (gluten free/dairy free brand)
1/2 c. butter

Add until smooth -

1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. peanut butter (if you have peanut allergies, use sunbutter instead)

Remove from heat and and add – 

3 c. oatmeal (gluten free brand)

Stir and drop by tablespoon on a cookie sheet. Cool in the refrigerator before enjoying. 

Yield: 18-20 cookies.

And now for a funny story that correlates to the above recipe…
Recently, I made my husband, Lon his favorite cookies - the above-referenced no-bakes. I didn’t realize he had a checkup at the doctor’s office that day to renew his CDL. Needless to say, Lon had to go back and have a blood test before they would issue the CDL because his sugar levels were off the charts. Hmmmm. After some prodding, he admitted to me that he ate 14 no-bakes in the couple hours before his physical! 

 

I love to connect with my readers at my website www.pennyzeller.com, 

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on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pennyzeller, and

on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959?ref=ts where I post updates about new books, giveaways, events, and Just-for-Fun Fridays.