Flash Fiction Contest Winners!

Today, I'm posting our Second Place Winner in the Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writers Flash Fiction Contest! Not certain what's going on? Read Friday's post here and get up to date!

Soraya
by Marcia Moston

Soraya Rasheeb closed her mind to the metallic stench of blood and raw meat that settled on her hair and lined her nostrils. She plunged her latex-gloved hand into the cavity of the chicken and tugged at its innards before the conveyor belt delivered the next clammy carcass.

“Listen, Sugar, this isn’t exactly the fine jewelry department at Macys. I ain’t gonna get my black butt fired cuz of you. Yank them things out of there and get goin’.”Sweat beaded on Latisha’s smooth dark skin. She was one of the women from the shelter who was thankful to have landed a job, even if it was at the chicken factory. Next to her was Lori. Both were rebuilding lives that had been shattered by drugs, men or misfortune.

Soraya nodded and pushed the chicken down the line. She remembered a time when strands of fine jewelry had slid through her fingers, when someone else cooked her meals and washed her clothes, a time when … she pushed the memory away. It was best forgotten. They were all refugees of one sort or another now.

A commotion snapped her out of her reverie.

“Hey, whatcha doin? You okay?”

A silver-haired woman stumbled away from her spot in line. Her slurred words incoherent. She swayed and then fell onto the conveyor belt, her hand catching in the rollers before the emergency switch shut down.  Blood squirted from her wrist as she lay unconscious.

A yelled, “Someone Help her!” failed to mobilize the shocked group standing there in their white paper jackets and hair nets. “Can’t somebody do something?”

Slowly, like an emerging photo in dark room, a memory surfaced, took form, propelled Soraya Rasheeb, gifted doctor from Kabul Afghanistan, to action.

“I can.”

Judging a Book by Its Cover

*by Michelle Massaro

Last week Clash of the Titles held their first ever Clash of the Covers. This fast-paced clash was different than their usual fare because instead of judging the author's story, we judged how well their cover designs matched their theme or made us want to pick up the book. There were four books to vote on, from authors Cathy, Erica, Lacy, and Maggie. The books were Marrying Miss Marshal, Spring For Susannah, A Bride's Portrait, and Deeply Devoted.
It was a VERY CLOSE race and it saw enough voter participation to max out the scoreboards!

Some of the comments included:
Spring for Susannah - Susannah is aware of the man but she looks as though she could turn away, or turn towards him.

Marrying Miss Marshall seems to speak volumes about the heroine--just in her position.

The cover of A Brides Portrait, really sells the title by having the woman with a camera on it. Caught my attention.

I love cover C...looks like the "old west"!!!

Marrying Miss Marshal. Hmm, with that rifle laid across her lap, one wonders who's daring enough to approach her, much less marry her. Intriguing.

I loved A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City - it added so many components of the story into the cover besides just a profile :)

Love this (A) - it's intriguing. I'm not sure from the picture whether she's toting for justice, revenge, or protection. Makes me curious.

The Champion Book that was voted

BEST SETTING THAT CAPTURES THE MOOD OF THE TITLE:

Springtime For Susanna, by Catherine Richmond

This week, COTT is sporting a holiday/winter theme with host Gail Pallotta. We expect it to be another huge turn-out so please join us. We'll cozy up to the virtual fireplace, egg nog in hand, and browse for books. In this case, it's okay to judge the cover. =)

We’ll be taking a break December 26 – January 6

And then come right back on January 9 with a new clash that will – literally – take your breath away! If you're an author, don’t forget to check upcoming open clashes and submit

Thursday Review—Flash Fiction Contest Winners

I purposely didn't post my Thursday review yesterday. I wanted to wait a day so you'd have the opportunity to read some great flash fiction. Our local writers group just held our first annual Flash Fiction Contest. Yesterday we announced the winners at our group's Christmas party.

If you're not familiar with Flash Fiction, it's a growing genre of micro fiction. It's an entire story told in a very short word count. The word count for our contest was 300 words. Depending on the submission guidelines, the word count can vary, any where from 100 words up to 1000. It's harder to do than you might think. But our winners did a great job!

So with no further ado, drumroll please!

First Place
Lori Roeleveld for
Old Soldiers Never Die


Second Place
Marcia Moston for
Soraya


Third Place
Tim Knopp
'Til Forever


And we decided to add an honorable mention because the scoring was so incredibly close:

Honorable Mention
Jen Bobo for
Her Favorite Thing


The next few weeks you'll be in for a treat as we publish some of the winners. Today we're starting with Lori's first place offering.

Old Soldiers Never Die
by Lori Roeleveld

Grandma’s been hearing critters in that attic. See anything, boy?” Howard took a step up the ladder, wincing when it creaked.

“Not one more move, Howard. Leave it to Tommy.” Alice hollered.

“Fine.” He grimaced but then Tommy’s feet appeared. “You got something?”

“No squirrels, but I found this.” He passed down a rectangular package wrapped in Christmas paper.

Howard set it down, bracing the ladder as the teen descended.

“Did I spoil someone’s surprise?” Tommy asked.

Howard sniffed, shaking his head. He folded up the ladder door.

 “What gives?” Tommy asked.

Howard put a finger to his lips and motioned him into the study where he gently unwrapped the G.I. Joe action figure. Tommy examined it then raised his eyebrows, puzzled.

“I bought it for your father when he was, I don’t know, ten.” Howard nodded toward the door.

“You know how your grandmother feels about war toys but, it was all Dennis wanted that year. I meant to surprise him.”

“What happened?”

“Got word on Christmas Eve about my brother. Vietnam was almost over but no one told the land mine that took Trevor.” Howard paused. “Guess I just forgot about it.”

Tommy ran a finger over the clear plastic window. “Dad told me Uncle Trevor’s death is what made him decide to become a missionary, did you know that?”

Howard nodded. “Losing someone young changes you. Made his mother proud.”

“Funny.” Said Tommy. “When he died in that church fire in Indonesia, Grandma said he was a casualty of war.”

“Battle for the kingdom.” Howard sighed. “Keep the toy soldier. Maybe it’ll remind you that we’re all soldiers on a vast battlefield. Always remember what you’re fighting for, Tommy.

Howard watched his grandson flip over the little tag still taped to the box.

“Merry Christmas, son. Love, Dad.”


Be sure to visit Lori on her blog, Deeper With Jesus in Rhode Island. 

The Write Conversation—Do You Pinterest?

Believe it or not, I do have interests other than writing.

I absolutely LOVE to knit. I also enjoy making jewelry. And although I tease about my idea of exercise being nothing more than turning the pages in a book, I do love the out-of-doors. Hiking, camping and especially horseback riding are all favorite pastimes.

Another hobby of mine is fashion. I admit it, I do love to shop. New shoes and new fingernail polish are particular weaknesses!

I have finally found a place to enjoy all my interests—www.Pinterest.com

This is a genius site. Once you join you can set up your own BOARDS, trolling the Internet for things that inspire you. Anything you see on the web, you can click, copy and pin to a board.

You can find boards with pictures of places to hike. Pictures of clothes (and brightly colored fingernail polish). I've even visited people who have pages of knitting. It's a kaleidoscope of possibilities—limited only by your imagination.

Now you may be asking why I'm talking about this website on my writing blog, but it's more applicable than you might think. Actually, it took me a little while to catch onto the relevance myself. But when I did, I knew I had to share my discovery with you.

When I first started playing around with Pinterest, I felt noble and wise. Here I was, so smart to be pursuing outside interests. After all, we've all been told we should take time away from our jobs, right?

Then I stumbled on the first board with a link to a blog post on it.

Yep, you read that right. I was off and running. I immediately did a little research and discovered what some of you may already know...Pinterest is a great way to connect with new readers. It doesn't matter if you're a blogger, a freelancer or an author. This is another great way to get exposure to people who get you…whatever your topic.

So I'm curious, how many of you Pinterest?

Wanna connect? I'd sure love to connect with you!

Don't forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Clash of the Titles!

by Delia Latham

Christine and Pamela!

A huge welcome to blogger and author Christine Lindsay! Christine is another extraordinary member of the COTT Blog Alliance. On Wednesdays she posts the COTT weekly article, and on Fridays she posts either an editorial/devotional or a review on a book.
What's her blog like? Christine wants her blog to be somewhere a reader can find a true inspirational story to encourage their faith. For example, on her blog she has in book-length the entire story of her experience as a birthmother. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, to the relinquishment of her child, and to their reunion 20 years later.

Do not miss this testimony. Her birth-daughter, Sarah, modeled for the cover of Shadowed in Silk. Take a look at how it all came together—it's well worth the read.

I asked Christine who she is outside the realm of writing and publication and all that jazz.
"I am so ordinary, it's hilarious. I used to be an administrative assistant, going off to work in suits, high heels and makeup. Now that I'm following the labor of my heart (writing) I work in my home office and wear the closest thing I can get to pajamas—sweat pants and a sweat shirt.

"But there are times I have to go out and leave my beloved laptop behind along with my cat. Then I slap on some mascara, whip a comb through my hair, put on some decent slacks and head out the door with a cup of tea in my hands. I can drive with one hand and drink my tea with the other."
What "ordinary"? That's multi-tasking!
Why is she willing to give COTT space on her blog every other week?

I find the COTT alliance an energetic group of writers that inspire me. I love the fun and camaraderie with the clashes," she said. "And it gets the word out to readers of all the great Christian fiction that's available. They are a great group of people to be affiliated with. I consider it an honor."
The feeling is entirely mutual!

Christine's blog

Christine's website

Book trailer


Meet Pamela S. Thibodeaux:

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com   

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Bayou Writers Group: http://bayouwritersgroup.com   

A great big welcome to Blog Alliance Partner Pamela S. Thibodeau. We're so pleased to have her aboard.

I asked this author and blogger where she finds inspiration for her blog, Pamela S. Thibodeaux—Blog.

"I must admit that, personally, I'm pretty burned out on topics…but I love showcasing other authors on Saturday Spotlight and hosting their virtual book tours. This helps me fill in when I can think of nothing to talk about. LOL!"

Honesty…I love it! (Also really glad to know I'm not the only blogger with this kind of problem…)

I'm always interested in why our Blog Alliance members choose to be members. Here's Pam's reason:

"I believe in what COTT is doing and frankly, any website that helps promote Christian authors—especially those who are new, unknown, small press or independently published—is a place I try to support. Doing regular posts for COTT helps me do just that."

Pamela's newest release, The Visionary, is an absolutely wonderful book, one I can whole-heartedly recommend. Without being offensively graphic, it deals with some pretty heavy issues of child abuse and its aftermath.

What are some of the challenges you face as an author?

The biggest challenge I face is not having my work accepted by the “Christian” publishers. As one reviewer said, “Though undeniably Christian, it is never dogmatic or insular; offering faith rather than religion.” (From Elizabeth Burton's review of Tempered Dreams for Blue Iris Journal) My books deal with issues in a way that is unacceptable in the traditional CBA market. Now that is not saying that my books are better than those published through traditional CBA publishers, only different. As I’ve said many times, everything that gives God glory deserves to be praised!

So true. And all I can think to say in response is a very sincere, "Amen!"

Weekend Worship—You Gotta Go Deep to Get Fed

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”Matthew 4:3

We were fortunate to spend the week of Thanksgiving at the beach. We rented a house right on the water and all our extended family spent the week together. It was a much needed family time, filled with long walks on the beach and late nights around the table playing games.

One of the things I enjoyed was sitting on the beach watching the waves. I was also entertained by the many types of birds we saw, especially in the morning and evening. Each type had its own way of foraging for food, and I couldn’t help but draw parallels between my own spiritual life and their quest for a meal.

The smallest birds were the quick sandpipers that ran along the shoreline. They appeared to almost be playing tag with the waves, alternately chasing and being chased, as they darted here and there in search of food. Getting fed seemed much more of a game than a serious quest, hence their tiny size.

The most aggressive were the seagulls. They’d approach anyone they thought had food and we saw several instances where they dove at unsuspecting beach goers, mistaking silver hair for food. They were indiscriminate in what they ingested, carrion or fresh meat was equally appealing to these bullies. They were a scruffy bunch and I noticed the rest of the animal kingdom kept well out of their way.

The largest winged creatures were the pelicans. These majestic birds tended to stay further out from shore and found hearty prey under the sea. I was fascinated by their varied flight path, moving from grazing the tops of the water with their wings to spot their targeted meals, to a steep dive that took them completely out of sight under the water.

As my mind wandered to spiritual application I couldn’t help notice the largest and strongest birds were the ones who were willing to dive deep for the choicest food. The most delicate were those who waited on the banks for whatever tidbit was deposited within reach, while the bullies were shunned by all.

How like us they all were! I hate to admit how I could see myself in every group. I’ve lived (or tried to live) like those tiny sandpipers, living off crumbs—from books about God—instead of going to the Bible itself. I’ve also chased after many kinds of unhealthy theology, thinking being full was enough. And lately, I’ve learned to spend time in the Word, diving in and going deep. There I’ve found the abundance of what I need to live in strength and health.

Thursday Review—The Birth Order Book

A Guest Post by Lynn Blackburn.

I'm a new writer and one of my great challenges is creating characters with a unique voice.

Because after the first draft, most of them sound a lot like me.

I know me (more or less) but all you other people? I don't get you at all!

For example . . . Today is December 1^st. How does that make you feel?

• “A” —You feel compelled to double check your planner, make a list of gifts to purchase, and send an email detailing the Christmas plan to all participants. You may appear calm, but inside you're wondering where you put that paper bag the last time you hyperventilated.
• “B” —It’s no big deal. You moved to the other side of the country years ago. You may plan to enjoy the holiday with a group of friends. Then again, you may surprise the family and show up for dinner.
• “C” — So? Plenty of time! You’ll be in CVS on Christmas Eve, hoping to find a gag gift for your brother-in-law. Worst case scenario, you'll grab some gift cards and a tin of popcorn and call it done. You're looking forward to hanging out with everyone and you've got some great stories to tell.

If you had a panic attack after you saw the words “today is December 1st” then you probably answered “A” and are either a firstborn or only child. If you rolled your eyes because none of those fit you quite right you may be a middle. And if answer “C” fits you best, although you resent the implication that you're a bit of a slacker, maybe you're the baby.

Or not.

Turns out, there's a lot more to birth order than I realized. Are you the second born but the first girl? Or the baby by more than five years? Do you have a sibling with special needs? There are all sorts of variables that impact whether you are a “functional” firstborn or lastborn or whether you enjoyed being the middle child or felt squeezed by your siblings.

Dr. Kevin Leman revised and updated The Birth Order Book in 2009. His writing style is engaging and humorous and the book is full of real world examples from his own family and practice. There are great insights for parenting and how our birth order affects our marriages. You might even finally figure out why your brother or cousin or aunt are so, um, challenging!

As good as all that is, I chose this book for its subtitle, “why you are the way you are”. I thought it could be helpful as I try to create a cast of characters that behave, well, not like me.

I'm working on creating tension and conflict in my novel. And understanding what makes people—even imaginary people—tick is the best way to know how to mess with them!

Now it's your turn. Anyone care to guess my birth order? Edie's? Ever thought about how birth order influences your characters decisions?

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Lynn

Lynn Huggins Blackburn has been telling herself stories since she was five and finally started writing them down. On her blog Out of the Boat she writes about faith and family while her blog Perpetual Motion documents the joys and challenges of loving and rearing a child with special needs. A graduate of Clemson University, Lynn lives in South Carolina where she writes, reads, knits, takes care of three amazing children, one fabulous man and one spoiled rotten Boston Terrier.

Follow Lynn on Twitter @lynnhblackburn