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A Writer’s Life: Bethany Turner
I’ve got a treat for you today on A Writer’s Life. I’ve made no secret that Bethany Turner is one of my favorite new authors, so when she asked me if I would maybe kind-of consider endorsing her new book, Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, my answer was along the lines of, “Um, duh? I need this book now!” It was as delightful as I expected it to be, and I know it’s going to get rave reviews, but I do kind of hope that it gets some snarky ones, simply because of what Bethany does with her one-stars on Instagram. Make sure you click through and follow her, especially if you’re a writer–her posts are refreshing and funny and can make you feel better about all those iffy reviews.
Without further ado, I turn the post over the Bethany, who has prepared a special video for us today! You’ll want to carve out 13 minutes to watch the whole thing because it’s a lot of fun. And don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom for your chance to win your very own copy of Wooing Cadie McCaffrey!
A Writer’s Life with Bethany Turner
You guys…I just have to tell you how much I adore Carla Laureano. I’ve been completely blown away by her support and encouragement, and when she agreed to write an endorsement for Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, it meant more to me than I can explain. She’s kind and genuine, and of course ridiculously talented—but you guys already know that, I’m guessing!
I’m thrilled to be on her blog today, talking a little bit about my writing process—specifically how I get inside my characters’ heads by getting into their everyday lives and living spaces. In this video, I’ll tell you more about that, as well as take you along on a trip I took to New York City, in order to spend a little time walking in Cadie McCaffrey’s footsteps.
If you’d like to see more of the trip in which I explored Cadie’s New York, go to YouTube and search for Wooing Cadie McCaffrey. In the meantime, if you read the novel, I hope that spending a little time with me in some of the places that are so pivotal to the story help it all come alive for you, just as it did for me.
Much love!
Bethany
Bethany Turner is the award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, which was a Christy Award finalist. When she’s not writing (and even when she is), she serves as the director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight.
May Reading Challenge
Hello, friends! It’s time for my May reading challenge! Actually, it’s a week past time, but somehow I didn’t get this post up on the day I should have and it slipped my mind. I blame it on the fact I actually uttered the words “After I’m finished with…things will get calmer.” You know that’s just asking for trouble.
In any case, this month’s reading challenge is a fun one, especially for you classics readers out there: Read a book written before 1969. I’ve got a number of books on my shelf that meet this criteria, but I’ve yet to decide on one. I’m reading very slowly right now, so I might need to make this one short… any suggestions?
Tell me what you plan to read in the comments…and if you’ve got one that you think I can’t miss, let me know!
Tags: classic books, reading challenge
A Writer’s Life: Becky Wade
I’m so excited to introduce my guest for May’s edition of A Writer’s Life–Becky Wade! Becky was one of the very first people I met when I joined American Christian Fiction Writers and I was more than a little starstruck at the time. Her debut also played a part in my decision to switch genres from fantasy to contemporary romance since My Stubborn Heart was one of the first books in a new generation of writers to diverge from the “super-sweet, super-conservative” mold. (It also happens to be one of my personal favorites.)
Becky is back with the third book in her Bradford Sisters series, Sweet on You. I think there was a little synchronicity at play here since Becky and I both released books involving creators of sweet treats this year. Then again, as you’ll find out below, she and I have very similar research processes, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised!
Without further ado, I’m turning over this post to Becky. Don’t forget to read down to the bottom and enter to win a copy of her new book.
The Writing Process with Becky Wade
Thank you, Carla, for inviting me to contribute to your blog!
Slowly, over time, and after much experimentation, every author I know has developed a writing process unique to her. In this video, I chat about the steps involved in my own personal process.
I think it’s important that every writer search for a method of transforming her book ideas into finished manuscripts that:
The art of balancing productivity with joy in every area of our lives is definitely a moving target, but it’s a target very much worth pursuing.
I’m grateful to you for stopping by!
Becky
Becky’s a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market before putting her career on hold for several years to care for her three children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. She loves writing funny, modern, and inspirational contemporary romance! She’s the Christy and Carol award winning author of My Stubborn Heart, the Porter Family series, and the Bradford Sisters Romance series.
Tags: Becky Wade, research process, Sweet on You, writing process
#2MinBookReview – On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
It’s not often that I read a book in one sitting with my heart in my throat, but this one did it. See why I think Angie Thomas’s sophomore novel, On the Come Up, is one of my best of the year so far.
Have you read this yet? Tell me what you thought in the comment section. Will you be adding this one to your reading list?
Tags: Angie Thomas, On the Come Up, rap, young adult fiction
