Presenting Your Best Writing No Matter the Audience Size

Edie here. I'm excited to once again welcome Jennifer Slattery. The insight she shares for writers is always a welcome addition! Plus she has a new book. Be sure and take a look at the end of the post. 

Presenting Your Best Writing No Matter the Audience Size
by Jennifer Slattery @JenSlattery

Everyone’s short on time and tempted to compromise in numerous tasks and ways. Some, like opting to buy premade salad or MailChimp automate your giveaway downloads make perfect sense.

If you’re like me, you’ve become accustomed to evaluating your time based on outcome—always striving to get the highest return on your investment. 

3 Ways to Kill Your Publishing Career

Edie here. Today I'm excited to welcome back Jennifer Slattery. In addition to being an amazing author, she's an excellent teacher in the publishing industry. Since her new book, Healing Love, is about to release, I convinced her to drop back by with more insight into the writer's life. 

3 Ways to Kill Your Publishing Career
by Jennifer Slattery @JenSlattery

Perhaps you’ve sensed God’s call to write, maybe you even jumped in with passion and determination, fully convinced He’d bring your every dream to pass. But that was ten, twenty, maybe even more years ago, and you’re beginning to wonder, “Will I ever get published? Will these thousands upon thousands of words clogging my computer files ever see the light of day?”

I believe when God calls us to do something, He’s got the how and the when mapped out. Though His idea of what our writing career will look like may be different than ours, I fully believe He’s able to perfect that which concerns us and that He always has our best in mind.

3 Reasons Blogging Helps Authors Grow Readership

Edie here again. I've got another treat for you all - a second guest post this week. This one is from my friend, Jennifer Slattery. She's visited with us before and always has valuable things to share. Be sure to check out her newest book, too, Restoring Love (details at the end of the post).

3 Reasons Blogging Helps Authors Grow Readership

by Jennifer Slattery @JenSlattery

With over 152 million blogs on the Internet, why would anyone read yours? Is blogging even worth your time?

Blogging Smarter by Narrowing Your Scope

by Jennifer Slattery @JenSlattery

Edie here. Today I'm excited to welcome back Jennifer Slattery. She has a new book, Breaking Free, and I'm sure you'll want to download the free sample and give it a test run. Jennifer is an expert blogger and has some valuable advice for authors.

Blogging Smarter by Narrowing Your Scope

It’s quite possible to wear oneself out writing numerous articles and blog posts with little to show for it. Though I was hitting my target readership, I didn’t realize my scope was too broad. My topics: Christian living, because, well, I guess I figured all women between the ages of 35-70 need daily encouragement. And that worked—for fiction. The problem is, I eventually want to break into the nonfiction arena as well.

For Writers: Freedom from Fear

by Jennifer Slattery @Jenslattery

When I first sensed God’s call to write, I tried to ignore Him. The very idea seemed completely irrational. Spend my time, maybe a decade or more, pursuing an unpredictable, subjective career? One with no job security and where every contract is tentative and dependent on the sales of a previously released book.

Couldn’t I do something easier? Something more . . . productive? More lucrative?

But then the pastor of our old church gave a sermon on the managers with the talents. As I listened, I knew God was calling me out.

Making the Most of Your Marketing Time

Today I'm excited to have another amazing post from Jennifer Slattery. She's sharing some of her thoughts on marketing.

Jennifer Slattery writes Missional Romance for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. Her debut novel, Beyond I Do, is currently available for preorder at a 33% discount. You can find it here on ChristianBook.com. Connect with Jennifer on her website and through Twitter and Facebook.

Making the Most of Your Marketing Time

Clash of the Titles—Soul Gripping Heroines

*Guest post by Jennifer Slattery

When our daughter was young, I was very cautious of the television shows and movies she watched. It wasn’t just the language or violence that concerned me, but the image of women they portrayed. The media seemed to convey a constant message: “Women’s value is only skin deep.” I was probably overly cautious, but the discussion still holds merit. What do our choice of heroine’s say about our values as a society?

At the risk of sounding cliché, we’ve come a long way … in but a short period of time. The other day my daughter showed me a page from her magazine. On it, there were five models, each with different skin tones and body types.

Hurrah!

I believe the heroine’s in Christian fiction are changing, too. I’ve read novels of women with disabilities, vices they need to overcome, backgrounds they’re not fond of. I’ve read of women doctors, single moms, those facing divorce. To me, a sinner saved by grace, it’s encouraging to read of women just like me—imperfect, yet strong. Struggling, yet overcoming. Imperfect women living in an imperfect world, embraced and loved by a perfect God.

I believe our cardboard heroines from the past arose out of honorable intentions. There was a general desire to set forth perfection in the hopes that we, as readers, would strive for it. And there is much wisdom to that theory, and yet, the Bible presents a different kind of hero and heroine.

Those like Abraham, who lied, thus betraying his wife.

And Moses, a prince turned murderer turned liberator.

Those like Ruth, who had to beg, well, glean, for her next meal.

Paul, a religious tyrant who watched as Stephen the first martyr was stoned.

A sinful woman with an alabaster jar who was willing to surrender something so costly when she found something of higher value—Jesus.

Each of these characters taught us something about grace and something about ourselves. Through their struggles, God reveals our own. More than that, through their triumphs, God stirs us toward victory.

I’d love to hear from you. Has there been a heroine—in a novel, movie, or the Bible—that God used to tap deep into your heart, revealing an area of weakness He wanted to change? Tell me about her, and what God revealed through her.

 ***

*Clash of the Titles’ hostess, Jennifer Slattery, lives in the Midwest with her husband and their teenage. She writes for the ACFW Journal, Internet Café Devotions, Jewels of Encouragement, and the Christian Pulse. Her work has placed in various contests and appeared in numerous publications and compilation works. Visit her online at her devotional blog, Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com) or on Facebook at “Living by Grace,” a modern-day meet-at-the-well community. 

Clash of the Titles

Guest blogger: Jennifer Slattery

Sometimes Clash of the Titles highlights great talent. Other times we get to "discover it." This is exactly what happened with our speculative fiction unpub'bed clash. 


Join me in welcoming Chawna Schroeder to the COTT family! There's nothing like discovering great talent before it goes to print! And I have a feeling we're going to see our latest COTT champion's books on bookshelves very soon. When we do, we can all say, "We saw her on COTT first!" And this clash--a battle for best speculative fiction unpub'bed--was even more exciting because the winner has been invited to submit a full proposal to Asraea Press for immediate review! 


Her winning excerpt was pulled from the pages of Metamorphosis, a gripping tale of a Beast and her master: Once upon a time there lived a Beast… Not in a shining castle, but among a pack of dogs. For as long as Beast can remember she has lived among her master’s dogs. With them she sleeps. With them she eats. With them she fights and struggles to survive. But through hunger and cold, she dreams of one day becoming Master’s favorite, earning bones with meat and a place beside the fire. Then strangers attack. Her pack scatters. Fire eats the village. And Beast knows: Master is no more. Alone and unprotected, Beast tries to defend herself against slavers scavenging for any leftovers. But she is only one, and they are strong. Tracked by men, sold as a monster, is Beast only prey to be hunted… …or something more?

A few comments from readers: "I enjoyed both excerpts! I am curious about the world created in A, but B really got me in the gut." "Great job! Keep writing!" "God has given you a gift. Your TRUE fans will always be there for you!! Never give up and follow your dreams!!! I am sending up a prayer for you and your family!!!" Join us March 19-23 for a fun Flash Clash!

Clash of the Titles Kicks Off Tournament of Champions

Guest post by Jennifer Slattery
Last week, Clash of the Titles launched their first annual Tournament of Champions with two clashes and four talented authors. In Clash one, CS Lakin, author of Someone to Blame, and Marianne Evans, author of Heart Crossing, went head-to-head in a nail-biting, literary duel. In Clash two, our very own Gail Pallotta, author of Love Turns the Tide, competed against Clare Revell, author of A Season for Miracles. All four excerpts rocked, and this was a tough call, but you, our faithful readers chose two Tournament of the Champions' finalists.

Those finalists were Marianne Evans and Gail Pallotta.

Exciting stuff, and yet, the games weren’t done. In the next round, COTT staff cast their votes, and once again, one writer rose to the top and will advance to the next round.
That author is…
Marianne Evans!
And here’s a glimpse of what a COTT champion excerpt looks like:
“Collin Edwards stood before the funeral assembly. Heat crawled up his body. He clutched the edges of the podium where he stood and cleared his throat. The gesture was in vain. His throat constricted so much it hurt. Before the altar, just to the right, rested a flag-draped casket.
He looked down, at a piece of paper upon which he had crafted the words to a eulogy…” (Read more of Excerpt B here.)
About the novel, Heart Crossing:
Collin Edwards, a former parishioner at Woodland Church, has renounced God without apology, his faith drained away in the face of a tragic loss.
Daveny Montgomery cares deeply about her relationship with God, and the community of Woodland . Lately though, she's been in a rut, longing for something to reignite her spiritual enthusiasm.
A beautification project at Woodland seems the answer for them both. Daveny spearheads the effort and Collin assists, but only with the renovations, and only because he wants to know Daveny better. Despite his deepening feelings for her, even stepping into the common areas of the church stirs tension and anger.
Can Daveny trust in Collin’s fledgling return to faith? And can Collin ever accept the fact that while he turned his back on God, God never turned his back on him?
We’d also like to congratulate our prize-winning readers:

 Jessica R Patch! She won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Elaine Cooper.

 LoRee Peery! She won a free bookmark design from Delia Latham.

 Larry Hammersley! He won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Author Anne Patrick.

Join us this week for more fun and prizes as four more authors jump into the ring hoping not only to advance to the next round, but ultimately reign as the Clash of the Titles’ champion of champions! Remember, every vote counts! Each vote gets your name thrown into the hat for our fab-tabulous grand prize give-away comprised of fourteen novels!

Visit our Tournament of Champions page for a complete list of prizes.

***
Jennifer Slattery is the marketing manager for Clash of the Titles. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse, and Samie Sisters and has written for numerous other publications. She also works for Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, as a professional manuscript evaluator and publicist. You can find out more about her and her writing at her devotional blog, Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud. You can find out more about her critique and publicity services at Words That Keep.

Clash of the Titles

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!

Clash of the Titles - School girl Crushes and Blushes

Guest post by: Jennifer Slattery

Do you remember those dances held during junior high and high school? How you and your friends would spend hours pre-dance talking about what you'd wear, how you'd do your hair, and...giggle, blush, giggle...who might ask you to dance? Only those dances never quite ended up how we envisioned, at least not in my school. Inevitably, the guys huddled near the far, heavily-shadowed wall while the girls spent their time crying in the bathroom or trying to comfort their near hysterical friend hiding in the stall.

At least in Junior High. High School got a little better and people actually danced, and the bathrooms were far less crowded with splotchy-faced, sniffling girls.

But reading this week's excerpts actually brought me back even further...to sixth grade.

We didn't have dances--instead, our school hosted skating parties. Do you remember those? "Elvirah" blaring from those gigantic speakers while a disco ball lit up the room, making that feather pinned in your hair really stand out. (Those have come back, btw. Seriously.) We'd do the hokey-pokey, skate on one foot, then backward...but what the girls waited for, holding their breath and scanning the glittering room for their short, waif-thin and equally shy hero, was when the DJ announced, "Find a parnter!"

Now here's where it gets really fun, and extremely embarrassing, but remember I was a stupid kid with absolutely no life....

Who knew come skating party time, a boy--maybe even the boy--might hold my hand. Oh, the very thought made my stomach twirl.

In preparation, I slathered lotion on my hands the week leading up the event--and I mean slathered. Then, I'd rub it in and hold my hand out to my mom. "Are my hands soft? Feel them."
She'd laugh and feel my hand. Then I'd slather on more. "Feel them now."

She remained patient for about three or four applications.
What about you? Any stupid, cheek-burning stories to share?
Be sure to come meet our competing authors this week on COTT

New Clash of the Titles Champion: A Familiar Evil by Anne Patrick

 *guest post by Jennifer Slattery

The next Clash of the Titles literary champion is Anne Patrick! Her her novel A Familiar Evil won the vote for Author’s Choice.

Here’s a blip of her COTT winning excerpt (excerpt B):

“Excuse me. I’m looking for Chief Russell.”

Jordan’s stomach did a nosedive at the familiar voice of her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
“You found her,” Frank answered.
Jordan looked up just as Sam smiled. “Indeed I have.” He started toward her desk.
Colleen barged through the opened door. “Chief, there’s an Agent Russell here to see…oh, I guess you found her.”
“Agent Russell,” Frank repeated. He turned back to Jordan, “Isn’t Russell your married name?” He then shifted his gaze back to Sam, “That must mean you’re her husband.”
“Not for much longer.” Jordan hurried around her desk and ushered Frank out the door. “You’ll be hearing from me.” She closed the door and looked at Sam. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here at your request.”

Read the full excerpt here.

A few reader comments: 

• I'm hooked! Loved the tension between Jordan and Sam.
• Both were really good! I Liked Excerpt B because of the rather humorous exchange between husband and wife. :-) Definitely a book I'd want to get and read!
• Love tension in Excerpt B. And there's promise of lots more!! 

After reading Anne’s tension-filled excerpt, we wanted to know how she came up with such great stories. Her answer? She writes on the fly.
“I’m a Pantser,” Anne said. “I never plan anything. As a matter of fact I didn’t know who the killer was in A Familiar Evil until toward the end of the book when he sprang out at me and said, ‘I’m your man.’ Of course I had suspected he was the one but I wasn’t for sure. There are several possibilities.”

Her plot ideas come to her just as unexpectedly. “Often times when I'm researching one book, ideas for another start to sprout,” Anne said. “Reading the paper is another good source for me. Life is truly stranger than fiction.

Read the full interview here.

What Anne had to say about her time on Clash:

"Thanks for having me here at COTT. You ladies are awesome!"

Want to join the fun? Hop on over to Clash of the Titles now to vote for our next literary champion and be entered into our drawing for a free book! And don’t forget to stop by Clash of the Titles Book Club to join our cyber-chat. We’re devouring Delia Latham’s Destiny’s Dream.

*Jennifer Slattery is the marketing manager for Clash of the Titles. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse, and Samie Sisters. She’s also written for numerous other publications and websites including the Breakthrough Intercessor, Bloom!, Afictionado, the Christian Fiction Online Magazine, and Granola Bar Devotions. She has a short piece in Bethany House’s Love is a Flame (under a pen name) forwarded by Gary Chapman, another piece in Cathy Messecar’s A Still and Quiet Soul, and a third piece scheduled to appear in Majesty House’s Popcorn Miracles. You can find out more about her and her writing at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud and you can catch some great writing tips at her writing blog, Words That Keep.

So You Want to Be a Writer

A guest post by Jennifer Slattery

writing

First of all, run now, while you still have a chance. Just kidding. But seriously, writing is not for the thin-skinned. And it isn’t nearly as glamorous as it might seem. In fact, most days you’ll be glued to your computer, still in PJ’s at two in the afternoon, ball cap by your side in case one of your normal, presentable neighbors happen by. Although truth be told, you probably won’t answer the door anyway. Or the phone. Until the tips of your fingers throb from pounding your keyboard and your eyes cross from hours upon hours of edits.

Then you’ll stand up to force blood into your numbed legs and glance out the window as you try to reconnect with reality. You’d love to have someone to chat with, only all your neighbors are at work. You call a friend and leave a message. You hop on Facebook and make a few random posts. You pace the room and argue with yourself (only because your dog won’t join the debate). Then you toss all thoughts of socialization aside and bunker down. But hey, you’ve always got the heroine in your latest novel. She’s your friend, right?

Actually, I totally love what I do. I can’t envision myself doing anything else. (And believe me, I’ve tried. When I’ve noticed a fatal plot error requiring a total re-write or my computer crashes halfway through a 90,000 word document.) But I’m still here, plugging away, day after day, word after word. Only now, I’ve learned to do things differently.  

• I find ways to stay connected. When I first started writing, I did it alone. It wasn’t long before I fell into a pattern of discouragement. We all experience that once in awhile, when our negative self-talk runs amuck and those fears, insecurities and frustrations bite away at our resolve. Now I’m a part of three writer’s groups and I cherish the support they offer. I’ve also taken the time to nurture deeper relationships with a few ladies I’ve met along the way. Yeah, they’re largely internet and phone relationships, but they work. My greatest resource has been the American Christian Fiction Writers network. They have an amazing online loop, numerous mature Christian authors who love pouring into the lives of newbies, and a phenomenal critique group.
• I choose my close friends wisely. The other day I listened to a writer friend talk about how someone had totally slammed on both her and her work. Not in your normal, “I think this would be stronger if…” This was all-out brutality. As she talked, I was reminded of the story of Joseph and how his brothers and father responded when he shared his God-given dream with them. They scoffed. They were so focused on who Joseph was–a runt–they overlooked the power standing behind him.
• Writing is tough. You’re going to face rejection. A lot. You’re going to have to make tough decisions and you’re going to have to overcome a lot of inner demons that threaten to keep you stagnant. You certainly don’t need naysayers dragging you down. To the contrary. You need strong Christian friends who will encourage you to keep on keeping on, with your eyes focused on the goal with unwavering determination.
• I learned to abide. (John 15:1-4) If you want to write more than mindless drivel, you’re gonna need to learn to rest. To trust. To listen. To fight the urge to do things in your own strength and wisdom as you continually lay yourself on the alter. This is a toughy, especially when you’ve got deadlines coming your way or writer’s block dragging you down. Our first tendency is to try harder and in doing so, we fail to connect with our true source of wisdom and power. 

The other day I had the task of turning nine Bible chapters into an eight hundred word leaflet. Not an easy thing to do, especially for a word lover like me. And I really didn’t have the time to fret over it. Fretting is the biggest time sapper there is! So instead of forcing a bunch of drivel onto the screen, I closed my computer, walked into the bedroom and turned on some praise music. Basically, I passed the buck. I knew God had brought me this assignment. I knew He had a plan for it. I just needed to wait for Him to share His plan with me.

After spending a few moments in prayer and quiet, I returned to my computer with clarity and finished the leaflet in a relatively short period of time. 

• Take time to get away. Those momentary refreshers are great, but they’re not enough. At least not for me. I can only rely on shout-out prayers for so long before my creativity begins to shrivel. Every once in a while I need to create my own little spiritual retreat. Normally I don’t go far. Maybe I’ll visit a hiking trail nearby or spend a few hours in a nearby park with my Pandora radio (on my iPhone), a Bible and a notebook. Sometimes the getting there is hard, especially when my tasks are mounting, but I’ve learned those are the times when I most need to get away. And once I do, once I spend those cherished moments connecting with God, I come back twice as productive as before.
• Let it go. God’s already got the whole journey figured out. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Try not to look at the day-to-day. Learn as you go, walking forward with an eyes-wide-open approach as God guides you towards the finish line.
• Take your thoughts captive. Negativity breeds negativity. And quite frankly, it’s a waste of time–time you don’t have. Make a decision, right now, not to allow discouragement to linger in your brain. If God’s got it covered, what is there to be discouraged about? So you’ve got a 60,000 word rewrite, or realized your eighth edit wasn’t enough. And? I’m not joining your pity party here. I’m waiting at the finish line with my camera ready to catch your victorious smile when you break through the tape.

Jennifer Slattery

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, publicist, and freelance writer living in the Midwest with her husband of sixteen years and their thirteen year old daughter. She works for Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, as an assistant publicist and is the marketing manager for the literary website Clash of the Titles. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse, and Samie Sisters and has written for numerous other publications and websites. In 2009 she placed first in the Heart of American Christian Writers’ contest and in 2010 she was an Operation First Novel finalist, placed second in the Dixie Kane and fourth in the Golden Pen. You can find out more about her and her writing at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com. 

If you’d like to know more about her affordable marketing and ghost writing services, contact her at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com.

COTT - Shattering Reader Expectations

Have you ever dug your heels in and fought fervently for something, only to find out your sparring partner fought an entirely different battle? Some of the most irritating arguments, on and off the page, arise from miscommunications. As authors, we can use the human tendency to misread between the lines to add conflict to our stories. The interchange between J.T. Tucker and Hanna Richards in Karen Witemeyer’s A Tailor-Made Bride is a perfect example.

J.T.’s mistranslation begins with his preconceived ideas of dressmakers, fueled by his frustration over losing the shop Miss Richards purchases. Then, after experiencing J.T.’s rather curt behavior, Miss Richards performs her own faulty translation, presuming his body language and gruff behavior result from a hardened heart. The result is comical tension that reveals the inner fears, concerns, and struggles of each character.

Writers can pull this same bait and switch on their readers by setting them up for an expectation then failing to deliver. Sound contentious? Perhaps. But it will keep your reader turning pages. Here’s what I mean. Let’s go back to A Tailor-Made Bride, Clash of the Titles’ current book club novel. In one of the earlier chapters, Miss Richards notices approaching footsteps. Glancing outside, she believes Mr. Tucker is approaching. What does the reader expect? Why, Mr. Tucker to come into Miss Richard’s shop with his hat in hand, apologizing profusely for his rude behavior. Then bam! We watch Mr. Tucker disappear through another doorway, our expectations shattered. So we move on…only to be surprised yet again when Miss Richards trips over tools Mr. Tucker left outside her shop door.

Do you see how Karen set up our expectations for something, then pulled a switch?

How have you kept predictability from seeping into your novel? Any “pull-the-rug-out-from-under-the-reader” examples you’d like to share?

And if you haven’t joined our book club, there’s still time! Hop on over to http://cottbookclub.blogspot.com to join the fun! And get ready for July’s cyber-chat as we dig into Eleanor Gustafson’s The Stones.


Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, freelance writer and biblical studies major at Calvary Bible college. In 2009 she won first place in the HACWN writing contest in the book category, placed second in the 2010 Dixie Kane, fourth in the 2010 Golden Pen and third in the 2010 CWG Operation First Novel Contest. She has a short piece appearing in Bethany House's Love is a Flame (under a pen name), forwarded by Gary Chapman, another piece in Cathy Messecar's A Still and Quiet Soul, and writes for Reflections in Hindsight, Christ to the World, Samie Sisters, The Christian Pulse, and reviews for Novel Reviews. She's also written for Granola Bar Devotions, Afictionado, The Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Romantic Times Review, Bloom and the Breakthrough Intercessor. 

Why I love Charles Dickens--Diving Into the Story World

*Special Note: This week's schedule is delayed by one day due to Memorial Day




by Jen Slattery


A few years ago someone mailed me a historical fiction about.... Well, I'm not sure what it was about because I never made it that far. I tried. Oh, my, did I try, but after page upon page of life-activities, my perseverance waned and I put the book aside. I learned the heroine wore her hair in ribbons, what she ate for breakfast, and numerous other details of her daily life. To the author, perhaps these events were significant. Maybe she had fond memories of getting her hair done and thought perhaps if she outlined these details, one movement at a time, she could invoke those same emotions in her reader. But sadly, her over-abundance of minute details, void of conflict, dulled my brain.


As I read over today's excerpts again--talking of spiritual warfare, castles, and jail sentences--I realized one of the things I long for in a story is the ability to visit a place other than my own. That doesn't mean I always gravitate toward time-traveling speculative fiction, but I don't want to relive the monotony of life either.


I love books that raise the stakes, introduce me to unique settings and unique characters, and allow my mind to drift from the day-to-day. One of my favorite authors is Charles Dickens. Upon first glance, I might conclude this is due to his "other-than" settings, but I believe it's more than that. His use of language creates images so vivid and emotive, he manages to turn a walk through the city into a unique experience. And yet, somehow he does this without losing the human element--the universal emotions we all share. So basically, he creates a world that is unique enough to grab my attention and propel me into the story, but he does it in such a way that I deeply connect with the characters.


This week's excerpts captured my attention with their unique settings and story-lines. The shuffle of monotony in a high school is intensified by the presence of evil. In excerpt B, I'm introduced to the magnificent Hearst Castle, and the world of antiquity. In both, I realize much more is at stake than castle restoration and chemistry class.


What about you? What are some things you look for in a story? Think back to a story you've particularly enjoyed. What was it about that novel that grabbed you? Is it a slightly quirky character or a castle shrouded by clouds and hidden behind a patch of trees?


(If you haven't already done so, read over both excerpts. And remember, there are numerous ways to be entered into our drawing for the book give-aways: leave a comment on any of the articles posted over the next week, fb share us, tweet us, or subscribe. Remember to shoot us an email letting us know you've shared, tweeted, or subscribed.)


To our blogging readers, if you'd like to join the COTT family as a blog alliance partner, shoot us an email at contactcott(at)gmail(dot)com. We'd love to tell you more.

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, freelance writer and biblical studies major at Calvary Bible college. In 2009 she won first place in the HACWN writing contest in the book category, placed second in the 2010 Dixie Kane, fourth in the 2010 Golden Pen and third in the 2010 CWG Operation First Novel Contest. She has a short piece appearing in Bethany House's Love is a Flame (under a pen name), forwarded by Gary Chapman, another piece in Cathy Messecar's A Still and Quiet Soul, and writes for Reflections in Hindsight, Christ to the World, Samie Sisters, The Christian Pulse, and reviews for Novel Reviews. She's also written for Granola Bar Devotions, Afictionado, The Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Romantic Times Review, Bloom and the Breakthrough Intercessor. 

Contact Jennifer: slattery07(at)yahoo(dot)com

Jennifer's Blog, Facebook

Clash of the Titles Conquerors!

Elaine Marie Cooper

by Jennifer Slattery

Last week we met Elaine Marie Cooper, author of The Road To Deer Run.  As the publishing industry, technology and our economy continue to change, more and more authors are opting for self-publishing. For some, self-publishing is akin to swimming endlessly against the current. For others, it has enabled them to launch their dreams. Today, Elaine shares her experiences with self-publishing.

The downward spiraling economy, and a personal tragedy, motivated her to try a non-traditional approach to publishing. “When my manuscript was complete in 2009, the publishing industry was in the throes of distress,” Elaine says. “I had spent over two years of my life researching, writing, submitting my work to editors and readers, and getting enthused about a project that was near and dear to my heart. But when I inquired of a friend who was an executive at a large Christian publisher about suggested avenues to pursue, he was bluntly honest: For an unknown author to be published at this time was pretty much akin to parting the Red Sea (my words not his). Since then, numerous of his colleagues have been laid off–confirmation of his astute observations.”

The death of her daughter also had a huge impact on her decision. “Seeing my own daughter pass away from cancer at the age of 24 [made me realize that] life was far too short and uncertain to put off dreams indefinitely,” she says.” So I chose to publish independently without ever sending out a query or submitting my manuscript to a traditional publisher.”

However, this has not always been the easiest route to take. “One of the biggest challenges is getting word of my book out to the public,” Elaine says. “With a traditional publisher, you (sometimes) have a great backing of publicity as well as an “in” with Christian bookstores. While my local bookstore has been very supportive, I have to supply my own copies of books for their shelves. They are limited in the publishers that they can order from directly.

“The other challenge has been the attitude of many towards independently published books. Many assume that anything that is published by an author without the blessing of an agent or traditional publishing house is not worthy of the time of day. While I know that there are self-pubb’ed books that have not been through good editing, I have seen bad editing from regular publishers as well. It would be beneficial for all readers (and other authors) to judge a book by the pages in between the cover, and not by the logo of the publisher.”

Clash of the Titles has determined to do just that. Recently we have expanded our submission guidelines to include self-published books. At first, we were leery to do this for fear of inappropriate content we know CBA editors weed out, but Senior Editor, April Gardner, found a way to alleviate this concern. (This is explained in our on our site.) By removing that barrier, we have allowed the reader to determine which stories they prefer, based on the content and not shelf placement, cover design or amount of money spent on advertising. Elaine’s novel was the first self-published book to compete under our new guidelines. At the end of her clash, our readers crowned her the next Clash of the Titles’ conqueror.

Elaine offers a few words of advice for those of you who would like to follow in her footsteps.” I would first encourage any aspiring author to pray,” Elaine says. “Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance. Then find a writer’s group in your area to give you feedback on your ideas. Attend regional writer’s 

conferences. If your words are well received and you feel encouraged, complete your manuscript. Get in touch with an editor... If you see a company that looks interesting, try to obtain an actual example of one of their publications.”

Learn your options, stay in community with other writers, and seek God’s guidance. Who knows, maybe God will lead you to follow in Elaine’s footsteps.

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, columnist and freelance writer living in the Midwest with her husband of fifteen years and their thirteen year old daughter. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, Samie Sisters, the Christian Pulse and Reflections in Hindsight and is the marketing representative for the literary website, Clash of the Titles. Visit http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com to find out more about her and her writing, visit http://www.clashofthetitles.com to find out more about this fun literary website where authors compete and readers judge and visithttp://www.deerrunbooks.com to find out more about Elaine and her COTT winning novel. 

Clash of the Titles Conquerors!

Elaine Marie Cooper

The publishing industry is rapidly changing. Large bookstores are closing while Mom and Pop chains grow. Books are also changing. Hard copies are making way to e-books and audios and traditional molds are bursting to give way to a wide variety of plots, genres and styles. Suddenly shelf placement is not nearly as important as a great opening hook and back cover blurb. As the industry changes, one thing becomes clear—story is king! As cyber-space opens the door for a greater number of authors to reveal their work, the competition becomes fierce. Those with compelling plots, dynamic characters, and page-turning prose are taking the literary world by storm.

Now more than ever independent publishers are stepping forward, shattering America’s pre-conceived ideas of indie and self-publishing. Our latest Clash of the Titles’ conqueror, Elaine Marie Cooper, is a perfect example. She went straight from our site to a prestigious awards ceremony held in Los Angeles, California, where her COTT winning novel, The Road to Deer Run was honored in the romance category.

Think back to your childhood fantasies. Did you watch Cinderella and Snow White longingly, envisioning yourself in the beautiful gown? Or were you Belle, swept off her feet by a strong, yet tender hero who would do anything to prove his love? What is it about these stories that touch us so deeply that they are able to transcend from one generation to the next? I suspect they reveal a deep need in the woman’s heart—the need to feel cherished. We want strong protectors who will fight for us.

 See if you can’t notice “protector” qualities in the following excerpt.

Mary began to relax. Daniel’s voice was soothing to her spirit. By the time the brush had reached the crown of her head, she was closing her eyes, the tension falling from her face.

Daniel smoothed her soft locks with his hand. “There. Your hair is lovely.”

When he put the brush down, Mary turned to look at him. She noticed the dried blood on his right cheek, a reminder of his encounter with the intruder’s knife. She touched his face, which made him wince. She furrowed her brow and stood up, walking to the medicine cabinet. When she returned, she cleaned off the blood and applied slippery elm to the long but shallow knife wound.

Daniel took her hand and kissed her palm slowly.

“Thank you, Mary. I’d quite forgotten it was there.”

Mary looked at him with a deep pain filling her eyes. “I should not have opened the door,” she said finally, her lips trembling and the tears flowing.

“What?”

She took a deep breath in between her sobs.

“The door,” she said. “It was locked and I thought it was my mother returning. I should not have opened it.” Her tears spilled forth like a river flowing over a burdened dam. Daniel looked at her with tenderness.

“You did not know, Mary. How could you know? This was not your fault.”

He held her closely and let her sobs slowly subside. When she was finished crying, he looked at her and wiped her tears with his linen shirtsleeve.

“Come sit with me, Mary,” he said. He led her to the chair by the fire. It was the same chair that he had held her in when she had been so ill with the influenza. It was the same place of comfort when she could not get warm. He sat on the wooden seat and held out his arms to her. She gingerly crawled onto his lap and curled up in his arms.

“Rest your head on my shoulder,” he whispered. She found the familiar notch in his neck that seemed as if it were made just for her. She placed her hand on his chest. He once again covered her long fingers with his large hand.

Without lifting her head, she spoke for the first time without crying. “I love you, Daniel.”

The young man struggled to contain his own emotions as he answered her in kind. “I love you too, Mary.”

The exhausted couple closed their eyes and rested for the first time since last night.

Daniel was finally able to relax. He knew deep in his heart that Mary would one day be able to put aside the horror of the intruder’s heartless touch. She would instead remember the tender embrace of the man who loved her.

Next week Elaine will share her journey to publication with us. Why did she choose self-publishing? Does she regret it? Has anything surprised her? Would she do anything differently if she had it to do all over again?

Jennifer Slattery is the marketing representative for Clash of the Titles, writes for Christ to the World and Reflections in Hindsight. Find out more about her and her writing at her website. And stop by Clash of the Titles to join the fun! 

Clash of the Titles - A Word of Encouragement

by Jennifer Slattery

About a month ago, I sent out a “word of encouragement” email to my critique group with an offer for prayer. Since then, my prayer list has ballooned. I’ve come to realize what writers need most is encouragement. And yet, the best encouragement comes from within ourselves. In Free At Last, Tony Evans says, “We will always act in accordance with who we think we are.” What that means is, if you think you are a gifted writer, you will act like one. If you believe you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, you will view obstacles as training, not hindrances. 

The mind is powerful. Our thoughts affect our feelings and our feelings in turn affect our actions. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Last summer, I competed in various triathlons. Before each race, I evaluated everything in terms of efficiency. Shoelaces slowed me down, so I opted for elastic ones instead. I chose the lightest bike, lightest clothing and most energy-efficient fuel.

We need to approach our writing with the same diligence. According to the Bible, God has a race mapped out for us. He doesn’t ask us to win, but He does expect us to finish, and finish well. We are to run with perseverance, throwing of everything that slows us down. Negative thinking slows us down. Discouragement is one of the greatest time-sappers there is. It will rob you of your creativity and weaken your resolve. And quite frankly, it has no place in your life.

When I first started writing, I struggled with discouragement. I played the “maybe I’ll quit” card, and “God show me Your will”. As if lack of results meant lack of direction. After I’d thrown my pity party, God always lovingly drew me back, but only after I’d wasted days, weeks, maybe even months, moping around. I finally decided either I believed God was in control or I didn’t. Either I believed I was His workmanship and that He had a plan, or I didn’t. And if God is in control, then what is there to be discouraged about?

That isn’t to say I don’t struggle with negative self-talk occasionally, but now I throw it out and focus on truth instead.

What about you? Have you allowed negative self-talk to sap your joy and steal your productivity? You have control of your thoughts. The Bible tells us to take every though captive and make them obedient to Christ. The question is not can you, but will you?

Jennifer Slattery is the marketing representative for Clash of the Titles, writes for Christ to the World and Reflections in Hindsight. Find out more about her and her writing at her website. And stop by Clash of the Titles to join the fun! 

Clash of the Titles Conquerors!

Karen Witemeyer 
Clash of the Titles Conqueror
by Jennifer Slattery

Creating authentic, dynamic, yet admirable characters is perhaps the hardest part of writing. This is especially true of Christian fiction. Let’s be honest, how many novels about Pollyanna have you read in the past year? And how realistic were they? Perhaps they inspired you to act better, but did they reach to your gut? Did they tap into the deep recesses of your heart or did they skim the surface 

labeled as “clean entertainment” but not life-changing?

So how does Clash of the Titles Conqueror, Karen Witemeyer solve this problem? She falls in love with her heroes.

“I’m afraid I’ve had a crush on all my heroes,” Karen says. “After all, what would be the fun in creating a romantic male lead if I didn’t find him attractive myself?”  But that doesn’t mean she pastes Mr. GQ on her page. “I’m not just referring to his broad shoulders and dark hair. No, it’s the man behind the rugged exterior that makes me sigh.”

So what are some heart-pounding, yet non-gagging characteristics heroes should have?

Tenderness without sappiness. Strength without dominance. Christ-likeness without perfection. It’s a fine balance that makes the difference between a page-turner and campfire kindling. Characterization is deepened when it stems from personal experience. (Yes, I am giving you permission to become your neighbor’s/co-worker’s/grocery store clerk’s stalker—but if you get caught, I will deny it implicitly!)

As Karen crafts her story, she relives moments from her past. “There’s something so refreshing and fun about remembering what it was like to fall in love. The butterflies cavorting your stomach, the spark of attraction, the vulnerability of trusting another with your heart.”

These emotional memories add vitality to the text. They take characters from dull, one-dimensional puppets to authentic humans learning to depend on grace. Many authors are afraid this will turn their reader away from their characters, but in reality, it does just the opposite. It draws them to them on a deeper level by showing their humanity, their vulnerabilities, and their need for Christ.

Think about it for a moment. Pause to remember a time when you’ve felt closest to your spouse or a dear friend. With my husband, although I am attracted to his strength and steadfast character, it is often his moments of weakness that touch me most.

By incorporating your hero and heroine’s weaknesses into your story, you enable the two to complete each other, as demonstrated in Karen’s novel, A Tailor Made Bride.

“Hanna stirs Jericho’s heart like no other woman. Being with her softens him in a way that makes him feel stronger instead of weaker.”

She softens him, and in so doing, makes him stronger.

Or as Genesis puts it, the two shall become one. If we were complete, we wouldn’t need each other.

Visit Karen’s website to find out more about her debut novel, A Tailor Made Bride, then hop on over to Clash of the Titles to get to know our next two competitors.

Jennifer Slattery is the marketing representative for Clash of the Titles, writes for Christ to the World and Reflections in Hindsight. Find out more about her and her writing at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com. And stop by Clash of the Titles to join the fun!