Giveaway

Some of you know from Facebook that there is going to be a giveaway for the person with the most activity on my social media including Facebook, blog and emails. I haven't revealed yet what the giveaway will be, but know that it is delicious!

Below you will find how I am coming up with the scores:
1 point for each like
2 points for each Facebook comment
2 points for each post on my wall
3 points for each share of a post or my page
3 points every time you forward an email version of my blog 

4 points for each blog comment (only 4 people have done this!!)
5 points - only 2 people have accomplished this. For each friend of yours that likes my page because of your share or referral, you get 5 points!

As of now, Janie is in the lead with 3 likes, 2 shares, and 2 FB comments. Next is Kim with 3 likes, 1 share, 1 FB comment, 1 blog comment. In 3rd place is Becky with 2 shares and one 5-pointer.

As you can see, it doesn't take much to get to the top of the list! Remember to follow this blog by email, and please comment if you feel compelled to do so!

Red Dress with Handcuffs

Does it seem a bit odd to any of you that I wore a red dress with handcuffs attached to it on the first night of the writer’s conference? If so, there’s an explanation!

At ACFW’s annual conference, the tradition is to dress up according to your genre or a character in your novel for the first dinner, also known as Genre Night. It’s not a requirement, and most people don’t do it according to what I saw a few weeks ago.

So there you got it, Red dress for Romance. Handcuffs for suspense/thriller. Like the picture?

I love comments, so please do leave one with your thoughts!

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Did That Just Happen?

Last weekend I attended ACFW's annual writer's conference. It was a success, as I walked away with requests from three literary agents as well as one editor. I know that doesn't mean much to those of you who are unaware of how things work in the publication industry. Let me just tell you that it is huge!

One thing I have to do is work on my platform, i.e. building an audience. Maintaining a blog is one of the routes I plan to take. The agents who I submit to will be looking for this. When they see I have people interested, following, and who comment, it lets them see that I’m working to promote myself. So, if you would, please comment, share, and do whatever else it is you may think of to help!

An agent who requested proposals is Linda Glaz from Hartline Literary Agency. She was super sweet and kind enough to allow me to take a photo with her for my blog. Everyone, meet Linda! 

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Deadly Transformation – Romantic Thriller all the way

     One scene in my 2^nd novel, Deadly Transformation, is based on a true event that occurred to a friend of mine on the Island of Tobago. Once a beautiful island of tranquility, drug trafficking infiltrated the culture and corrupted the youth who were raised on much higher principles. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago became the crime capital of the Caribbean, and many tourists have suffered from it. That’s all I’ll say so I don’t give anything away. That being said, my novel started out as a thriller based on this event, then developed into a romantic thriller as my imagination created the fictitious story that now lays on paper.

     I write fiction targeted for the Christian market, but have always remained open to publishing for the general market as well. In fact, one of the workshops I’m taking at ACFW’s conference in August is about the ways authors can write for the general market while still keeping their Christian values.

     Now for a comment made by one of the judges for the Genesis contest: this novel may be too much of a thriller for the Christian market. Ta da! So, for Deadly Transformation, I will indeed seek publication for the general market. One of the literary agents I have an appointment with at the conference represents authors for both CBA (Christian Book Association) and ABA (American Book Association) markets, so I look forward to seeing what she has to say about it.

     This novel will take my readers on quite a ride from beginning until the very end. I can’t wait for everyone to read it!!

 If you haven't already, 'like' my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruth-A-Taylor/112941348748036.

I Love the U.S.A.

Have you ever lived outside the United States of America? Have you had to deal with the hassles that citizens of less fortunate countries must contend with every day? Have you experienced life in a nation where the commodities we have available here are so much harder to come by?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, perhaps you served in the military or as a missionary in a 3^rd world, impoverished, or war-stricken country. Or, maybe you decided to spend a little time abroad in a land that offered certain fascinating, historical wonders we don’t have here in the U.S. Maybe you just wanted to see what other parts of the world have to offer.

If you answered no to the questions in the first paragraph, then you most likely do not appreciate our country as much as those of us who have been away for enough time to recognize how good we really have it here. I can’t imagine how our military men and women must feel when they return home from war in foreign lands, and they hear people complain about the things we don’t have enough of, or how bad things are here.

I spent two and a half years in Italy, and experienced first-hand what it’s like to live in a country ruled by socialistic laws. How about this: a salary of $600 a month for an executive assistant is considered a good wage. Have a spouse who dies? Guess what? An  unthinkable amount of the inheritance is taken away by the government. Need a procedure such as an endoscopy, colonoscopy, etc? You’re going to have to wait six months, so if you have cancer, bye-bye. Need to see your neurologist or cardiologist? Again, there’s a six month wait. Oh, and I won't mention the gas prices.

I haven’t even covered a small fraction of what it means to “have less” in a country other than this great nation. I came running back home as soon as I had the chance, and will never look back. Yes, some countries have a lot to offer, but their freedoms don’t compare.

Our nation has fallen into a sad status of grave degeneracy, and we are in danger of succumbing to turmoil much worse than what we’ve experienced over the last several years. What I will say, though, is that no matter who is elected tomorrow, I will still be grateful every day for what I have as a citizen of the U.S. If the person I vote for doesn’t win, sure, I’ll probably feel nauseated for a little while. But in the end, I’ll come back to the same conclusion:

I LOVE THE U.S.A.!

[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Latest

Just a couple, but important things to note. Good news, or bad news first? I'll do the bad news.

Really, it's not bad, but sad. I heard back from one of the agents. He just found out he has brain cancer, so he's not taking any new clients. He assured me that he was passing not due to my story concept or writing, but because he simply couldn't handle taking on any new projects right now. Needless to say, I was saddened by the news of his health situation. Forget about my writing - that's just a minor detail. If any of you would like to add him to your prayer list, his name is Lee Hough (pronounced "Huff"). The good news he gave me is that it is treatable. That treatment will obviously take quite a toll on his body. Another thing - he had a very bad form of brain cancer in 2011. He had the tumor removed and chemo (or radiation), and 6 months later he was in remission! I'm sure his body will respond well to the treatment.

The good news - I submitted the proposal for my second novel to the other agent. I actually heard from her last week. She said she is in the process of reviewing the proposal for my first novel.

We'll see what happens. If she passes, I'm totally fine with it. I know everything will happen at the right time. If she is interested, she'll ask to see my full manuscript next.

Now I'm going to get back to my freelance editorial work, which I've neglected this week in order to complete my proposal. I still need to apply everything I learned at the conference to my manuscripts, so I'll be doing that as well, but on the side.

As soon as I get more news, I'll post it!

Special Company

On Saturday night at the conference gala, my friend Becky and I were looking for a table. We apparently were on the wrong side of the room, as all the tables were reserved. Just as we started to walk in another direction, a sweet lady called us to sit at her table. Come to find out, she was one of the nominees for an award that evening! Miss Liz Johnson is her name.

So we sit down and get comfy. A cute, petite blond gal sat next to me. When Liz introduced us, I found out that the sweet lady is the Book Buyer for a large book store chain! This is the one the publishing houses go to and ask her to put their books on the shelves at the book stores.

I must say, she was probably the sweetest person I met at the conference. I told her about my two novels and she said, "I'd read them."

Anyway, meeting the author and employee of the book store chain was yet another great opportunity for connections.

Pretty soon, I'm going to have the characters of my novels start guest-posting for me. That should be fun! :-)