My Third Baby is Due in September

Okay, it’s not a real baby. That would require a miracle… in my case, more than one miracle. But I can’t help comparing the launch of a new novel to the birth of a baby.

Crafting a book requires approximately the same gestation period as growing a fetus, often longer. During this period, an author conceives an idea and begins the exciting process of developing its plot, scenes, and characters. She gives it a working title, names its characters, shapes their personalities, and chooses carefully just the right words and phrases to paint a mental picture for the reader.

She carries her “baby” close to her heart, day after day, nurturing it with research, consultation, and advice. She pictures it in her mind, walks with it, sleeps with it, talks to it, analyzes it, brings it to a satisfying conclusion, then rests for a while. There is still much to do to prepare for the birth.

As the due date draws near, the author reads, edits, re-reads and re-edits. Now the real work begins. That’s why it’s called labor. The pains start when the author must write a synopsis and a query letter to submit to an agent or publisher. She risks rejection but pushes through the pain, sometimes again and again.

Enough of the birth analogy. Writing a novel is satisfying. Publishing a novel is risky. Marketing a novel is plain hard work. It starts with the launch. I have written and submitted my third novel to High Tide Publications. I Want to Go Home will be in print and ready to launch next month. As soon as I get a publication date from High Tide, I’ll set a launch date and location. I hope you can come. If not, please order I Want to Go Home from Amazon.com or hightidepublications.com. I think you’ll enjoy reading it.

Here’s an advance review by Sharon Dorsey, Author of Daughter of the Mountains, Tapestry, and two children’s books, Herman the Hermit Crab and Revolt of the Teacups: 

“I WANT TO GO HOME is an inspiring story for and about the times in which we live. It chronicles the struggles of an ordinary family that goes from middle class to homeless due to a chain of events that could affect any one of us. It illustrates the strong bonds between siblings and the part that faith can play in overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles. The characters are so well-drawn, they come alive on the pages. We ache with them in their low moments and cheer them on as they battle the situations in which they find themselves. Throughout, I found myself asking the question – could I have walked in their shoes and successfully emerged on the other side of the problems, defiant in my self-worth and stronger in my faith? This is a must-read you won’t be able to put down until the triumphant, heart-warming conclusion.”

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories, a novella, Diary in the Attic, and three published novels: Unrevealed, The Dark Room, and I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com

A Mountaintop Experience

Yesterday, during our annual stay in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I gazed beyond our balcony, across the valley, into the ever-changing vista and asked the question: what is it about the mountains that draws us back year after year? In August, the obvious answer is cooler temperatures. My husband and I enjoy getting away from the day-after-day, ninety-degree inferno and high humidity that characterize summers in Coastal Virginia. Here in the mountains we can hike and play tennis without suffering heat exhaustion. We can sleep with the windows open and eat our meals al fresco on the balcony. But my attraction to the mountains is so much more than the pleasant weather.

Now that the fog has lifted, and the deluge of rain has ceased, I contemplate the majesty of God’s creation. Yes, if I look to my right and my left, I see condominiums lining the ridge. At night I can spot the lights of Charlottesville, reminding me that civilization with all its stresses and complications is but a few miles away. Occasionally in the valley below, I hear indications of human interference like traffic and construction noise. But, if I focus on the splendor of God’s handiwork, I find myself filled with mouth-open awe.

The Blue Ridge with its mountains of varying sizes is painted myriad shades of blue, green, or purple depending on the time of day. The view, with its azure sky, evolving cloud formations, and periodic sightings of native creatures like hawks, butterflies, groundhogs, and rabbits, is never static or stagnant. As I follow the setting sun pulling shadows across the landscape, then disappearing below the horizon, I’m reminded of God's power and majesty.

In contrast to the vast expanse of peaks and valleys, I become aware of my own insignificance in the grand scheme of the cosmos. Yet, as I remember that the Creator of the universe loves me, even me, I am humbled and grateful. It is this spiritual reset that draws me to the mountains. As long as I’m able, I’ll return next year and the year after that.

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Coming soon from High Tide Publications: I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com 

Flat Characters

One of the greatest challenges for authors of fiction is to create characters who are multifaceted. It’s tempting to generate protagonists who are all-good and antagonists who are all-bad like the old cowboy shows where the heroes always wore white hats and the bad guys wore black hats. But life isn’t all black and white and our characters shouldn’t be either.

I’m reminded of the Flat Stanley Project in which many elementary teachers engage their students to encourage literacy. It involves the character, Stanley Lambchop, featured in a series of children’s books by Jeff Brown. Stanley is accidentally flattened and makes his way around the world in envelopes. 

In trying to give our characters personalities, authors often create individuals who are flat, predictable and stagnant. When I first started writing, I was guilty of creating flat characters who, although distinctive, were stereotypical in nature.

As I focused on the important skill of character development, I began to improve the depth and breadth of my characters. In my novel, The Dark Room, I worked on developing Stella’s personality to show that, while victims of domestic abuse display a typical profile, they can grow and change as they are educated about abuse. I wanted Stella’s character to exhibit increasing confidence and independence as she began to own her power and believe in herself. Edith and Mike were able to escape their unhappy pasts and find true love in each other. The child, Jodie, began to heal after escaping an abusive childhood, and her mother, Amy, at last had the opportunity to rebuild her life and her relationships after prison.

If character development is to be plausible, it is not always positive. Since this is true in life, it must also be true in novels. Sometimes people change in negative ways. In my soon-to-be-released novel, I Want to Go Home, Abby Jordan and her younger brothers grow and mature from their experience of homelessness, but their mother, Elizabeth, is unsuccessful in overcoming her addiction to alcohol.

While I prefer to read novels with happy endings, and I like to write novels with happy endings, I’m learning to develop my characters in a variety of ways. Some will triumph over life’s inevitable challenges while others will fall flat. However, that doesn't mean the characters are flat. Effective fiction imitates real life. Effective characters imitate real people.

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Coming soon from High Tide Publications: I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com 

Public Mistakes

I often feel like an impostor because I didn’t start this crazy ride as an author until after the age of sixty. Everything I know about writing, I learned on the fly, making many mistakes along the way.

In my music career, I felt confident. I had practiced, trained, studied, and practiced some more. I had earned a degree and many certifications declaring me competent in that field, and I had a successful, satisfying career. Of course, I made many mistakes through the years, but I had the confidence to learn from them and move on.

Where writing is concerned, I compare my journey to that of a child actor who is obliged to grow up in front of the camera, immature behavior, acne, bad decisions and all. Lindsay Lohan, Macauley Culkin, Britney Spears and others made poor choices as all youngsters do, but unlike most youngsters, they made them publicly. Even if they’ve learned from their blunders and grown into responsible citizens, they are forever identified by their youthful mistakes.  

I want to become a great writer, creating works of literature that resonate with readers through the ages. When I think about some of my favorite authors: Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, C.S. Lewis, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, to name a few, I aspire to write as well as they did. I hope, with practice, to grow and improve. In the meantime, my publisher expects me to sell books. So, I must promote myself, establish my brand, and build a public platform. Unfortunately, it means I must make my mistakes publicly, risking humiliation.

One of my novels, Unrevealed, drew the attention of an online troll. Chances are, this person neither purchased nor even read the book, but posted a negative review on Amazon just for fun. Even though all the other reviews are positive, this one nasty assessment decreases the overall rating for Unrevealed. After putting so much hard work into writing a book, it’s hard not to take the one negative opinion personally. Unfortunately, it’s a risk authors take when publicizing their work.

Because I understand how challenging it is to write and publish books and to market them, I am committed to reviewing the books I read. If I don’t enjoy them, I keep my opinion to myself. If I am heartened by what I read, I post an honest assessment on Amazon and spread the word among my acquaintances.

Helping other authors become successful doesn’t threaten my success. Disparaging authors who, like me, are developing their craft, learning from their mistakes, and struggling to sell their books serves no decent purpose and only diminishes the critic. I will continue to make mistakes because I’m still learning. But when it comes to pointing out the mistakes of other authors, I prefer to keep my mouth shut.

 

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Coming soon from High Tide Publications: I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com 

Taking the Plunge

I’ve never been the adventurous type. I’m perfectly content inside my head, and don’t feel the need to take risks. The most venturesome experience of my life was the time my husband and I went snorkeling in the Caribbean. Not a lover of water sports to begin with, I worried that I’d suck the whole sea through my snorkeling tube or perhaps be eaten by a shark. But when it was over, I felt proud of myself for attempting something far beyond my comfort zone.

Once I climbed back into the boat, my life had been forever changed. I had laid eyes on a stunning part of God’s creation that I could have never imagined: living coral, vibrantly colored fish and sparkling, white sand. More importantly, I had accomplished a feat that my timid spirit hadn’t dreamed possible.

Now that I think about it, becoming a novelist has been an even more venturesome undertaking than snorkeling. All my education, practice, and experience prepared me for a career in music education and music ministry. I had a long, satisfying, rewarding career, one that God called me to. But when it ended in retirement, I realized I had always wanted to write, too. Would God sanction this new pursuit? After forty-five years focusing on one discipline, was I brave enough to jump into the water again and swim in a different direction?

Afraid of failure, I had to dig deep for the courage to pursue a new dream. In the beginning, I made a lot of mistakes and took many wrong turns. I worried about drowning or being eaten by a shark in this strange, new world. But I prayed, researched, studied, and attended workshops and seminars. I took the risk and started expressing my thoughts on paper, never imagining my words would be published.

Now I’m writing every day—sometimes all day—and loving it. I’m meeting whole new groups of people: publishers, editors, fellow authors, and readers who enjoy my short stories and novels. Best of all, I know that God has led me in this new direction, and I’m trusting the outcome to God.

Not that being an author is easy. In fact, it requires a good deal of work. But like teaching and performing music, writing is fulfilling, often cathartic, and a true blessing. Like snorkeling, writing is an adventure I never could have imagined. I’m glad I took the plunge.

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Coming soon from High Tide Publications: I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com

Going Home

More than most family occasions, weddings and funerals take us home. I’ve lived over six-hundred miles away from my childhood hometown of Palermo, New York for fifty-one years, but it’s still “home.” My husband and I have made our way up Route 81 to Central New York many times through the years. By car, the journey takes twelve hours or more, a fact that distressed our children when they were young. In those days, there were no electronic devices to keep them entertained.

As I write this blog, my husband and I are headed back to Williamsburg, Virginia after attending our nephew’s beautiful wedding in Skaneateles. In case you’re wondering, let me assure you I’m not operating the vehicle.

Now that my parents are deceased, we no longer return to the homestead in Palermo where I grew up. Rather, we stay with one sibling or another. With the change in venue, the experience is quite different, but home will always be home.

Lately, I’ve been writing a memoir consisting of vignettes about my childhood on our dairy farm. During our stay with my sister and brother-in-law, I asked my sister to read some of the stories and verify the accuracy of my recorded memories. Later, I’ll submit them to my brothers for review.

In some cases, my sister and I, only two years apart in age, remembered the events quite differently. In other cases, we shared a similar perspective. Whatever the extent of our recall, we enjoyed reminiscing about people, places and events that characterized the life to which only a sibling can fully relate.

Going home is unique to each person, and it isn’t always a positive experience. In my upcoming novel, I Want to Go Home, Abby and her brothers run away from all that is familiar. While they are on the run, they long to go home. Yet, home is nothing like it once was. Their father has died, they have lost their house, and their mother has succumbed to alcoholism. Yet, as they experience homelessness, hunger, and fear they yearn to go “home.” The desire to return to our roots seems to be instinctive, even if those roots have changed significantly from what we once knew.

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com

I Hate Marketing

I know marketing is an important aspect of writing novels. It’s a necessary part of the process if I hope to sell them. My publisher encourages her authors to publicize our books actively and often through launches, shows, signings and social media. Otherwise, our books would remain on a shelf in a dark closet, and neither the author nor the publisher would benefit.

My problem is that, like many authors, I’m an introvert. Unlike extroverts who are energized by interacting with other people, we introverts gain our energy and inspiration from solitude. Being alone with our thoughts recharges our emotional batteries. This fact is made clear to me every time I participate in a book fair or other author event. After several hours of being “on,” sharing my elevator pitch with 50 to 100 people, trying to grab their attention and gain their interest in my stories, I’m totally exhausted and ready for a two-day nap.

Yes, the profit margin is important. My books are products, after all. But more important to me is that I have spent the better part of a year spilling my guts onto the page, agonizing over every sentence and word choice, getting inside my character’s personalities and motives, rewriting, checking syntax, grammar and plausibility, and rewriting some more. Hoping to write something worthwhile, I allow myself to be vulnerable, often exposing my own fears, weaknesses and insecurities. After all that effort, I want to share my work. 

When I write in my journal, I intend the words for my eyes, only. Journal writing is an exercise in catharsis. I don’t fret over grammar, punctuation or spelling. The purpose of a journal entry is to liberate strong emotions, especially those of the negative variety. Novel-writing can also be therapeutic, but publishers aren’t interested in my personal therapy or emotional health. They are in the business of selling books for profit.

So, I will continue to market my novels. I’ll drag my introverted self to book shows and signings. I’ll promote my “author brand” because I want my publisher, who has placed a good deal of trust in me, to profit from the sale of my novels. More importantly, I will continue to market because I’m convinced my books, while entertaining fiction, can be helpful to my readers. I tackle tough issues like child abuse, battered women, alcoholism, and homelessness. My characters, like Stella, Edith and Mike in The Dark Room, Allison, Jack and Jack’s mom, Sylvia in Unrevealed and Abigail and her brothers in I Want to Go Home are relatable. The reader will care about them and desire positive outcomes for them. If I make a profit selling books, so much the better.

Cindy L. Freeman is the author of two award-winning short stories and three published novels: Diary in the Attic, Unrevealed and The Dark Room. Coming soon from High Tide Publications: I Want to Go Home. Website: www.cindylfreeman.com; Facebook page: Cindy Loomis Freeman. Her books are available through amazon.com or hightidepublications.com