Menno Air, the no-frills airline

I don't know who wrote this but it's too funny not to pass on.

 

YA SURE, YA BETCHA, DIS IS DA LATEST AIR SERVICE TO SPROUT UP IN MANITOBA, SASKATCHEWAN, ALBERTA, B.C. AND ONTARIO.....TRY IT, YOU VILL LIKE IT!!
 
If you are traveling soon, consider Menno Air, da no-frills airline. You're
all in da same boat on Menno Air, vhere flying is an uplifting experience.
Der is no First Class on any Menno Air flight.
 
Meals are potluck. Rows 1-6, bring rolls, 7-15 bring a salad,
16-21 a main dish, and 22-30 a dessert. Basses and tenors please sit in da
rear of da aircraft
 
Everyone  is responsible for his or her own baggage. All fares are by
freevill offering  and da plane vill not land until da budget is met.
 
Pay attention to your flight attendant, who vill acqvuaint you vith da
safety system aboard dis  Menno Air 599.
 
Okay den, listen up: I'm only gonna say dis yust once. In da event of a
sudden loss of cabin pressure, I am frankly going to be real surprised and
so vill Captain Wiebe and Co-captain Penner because ve fly right around
2000 feet, so loss of cabin pressure vould probably indicate da Second
Coming or something of dat nature, and I vouldn't bother with dose little
masks on da rubber tubes. You're gonna have bigger tings to worry about den
dat. Yust stuff dose back up in der little holes.  Probably da masks fell
out because of turbulence vhich, to be honest vith ya, ve're going to have
quite a bit of at 2000 feet...sort of like driving across a plowed field,
but  after a vhile ya get used to it.
 
In da event of a vater landing, I'd say forget it. Start saying da Lord's
Prayer and yust hope ya get to da part about  forgive us our sins as ve
forgive dose who sin against us, vhich some people say "trespass against
us," vhich isn't right, but vat can ya do?
 
Da use of cell phones on da plane is strictly forbidden, not because dey
may interfere  vith the plane's navigational system, vhich is seat of da
pants all da vay...  no, it's because cell phones are a pain in the vazoo
and if God meant ya to  use a cell phone, He vould have put your mouth on da
side of your head.
 
Ve're going to start lunch right about noon and it's buffet style vith the
coffee pot up front.
 
Den ve have da hymn sing... hymnals in da seat pocket in front of you.
Don't take yours vith you vhen ya go or I am going to be real upset and I am
not kidding!
 
Right now I'll say Grace..."Come Lord Jesus be our guest and let dese gifts
to us be blest. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, may ve land in Vinnipeg or
pretty close.  Amen".
 

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

Literary agent Cynthia Kane of Capital Talent Agency

Literary agent Cynthia Kane of Capital Talent Agency seeks young adult, children’s, nonfiction, memoir, commercial fiction (but no science fiction or fantasy). “Submissions should be sent to literary.submissions [at] capitaltalentagency.com. We accept submissions only by e-mail. We do not accept queries via postal mail or fax. For fiction and nonfiction submissions, send a query letter in the body of your e-mail. Attachments will not be opened. Please note that while we consider each query seriously, we are unable to respond to all of them. We endeavor to respond within six weeks to projects that interest us.”

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

your novel: literary or mainstream, & how long?

Good article on distinguishing between a literary and a mainstream novel, including guidelines on lengths of novels: http://tinyurl.com/oao9wgj .

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

illustration & First Nations kids' literature

Julie Flett, a Cree-Metis illustrator, talks here about illustration and First Nations children’s literature: http://tinyurl.com/mme7sbup

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

SUNFLOWERS endorsement & free 1st chapter critique

Robert L. Bacon, who runs a professional editorial service, wrote the following encouraging endorsement of my novel CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS. Note that Robert offers a free first-chapter critique. Details are on his website, www.theperfectwrite.com .  

 

It's with great pride that I showcase longtime Newsletter subscriber and supporter Elma Schemenauer's book CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS. Anyone who has ever struggled with the proper blend of interior monologue with dialogue can turn to any page in her narrative to witness a master at work in this regard. It requires enormous skill to not design the correct mix and also refrain from redundancy. You'll see in Elma's work that her interior monologue is always written with purpose. I'm going to write an article on interior monologue with purpose in an upcoming Newsletter, it's this important. I read a great deal of otherwise fine writing that desperately lacks the fabric which quality interior monologue provides. (I want to be certain to clarify what I mean by interior monologue. I'm referring to exposition and not stream-of-conscious ness text that is sometimes referred to as interior monologue).

Well-crafted interior monologue can be utilized to present backstory, which is often overlooked when discussing flashback techniques, as dialogue is generally cited--and not what's directly contiguous to the speech runs. Any subscriber taking the time to parse Elma's text will quickly discover that she uses interior monologue to assist both her story's pacing and the pitch of her scenes. For most writers, even experienced ones, the boundary for too much, or not enough, foreshadowing is a constant battle. In my opinion, Elma's story is a perfect blend, and it's a wonderful teaching medium related to this enormously important aspect of professional writing. And, frankly, it's one element I always look at when reviewing a draft for editing, as the use of interior monologue clearly differentiates writing skill levels.

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

typewriter rising again

Weird or what? Here’s an article about people who make equipment you can use to turn a typewriter into something you can use with [or like?] a computer. Maybe I shouldn’t have given all my old typewriters to thrift stores.

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

Consider the Sunflowers on Mennonite Women Voices USA

Janice L. Dick’s review of my 1940s-era Mennonite novel Consider the Sunflowers is UP on the Mennonite Women Voices USA website. Way to go, Janice and Menno Women. The review is here: http://tinyurl.com/pcepghp .

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

for Christian Sci-Fi writers

Here’s an interesting-looking magazine designed to help Christian Sci-Fi writers: http://paper.li/E7Prophecy/1398889795

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

Canadian Aboriginal writers finding increased success

Interesting article here: http://tinyurl.com/nzdo47d

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s-era novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.  Info at http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   Order from Chapters online http://tinyurl.com/nsylp5j or Borealis Press http://tinyurl.com/lfdo9pf

 

A HERO FOR THE PEOPLE: STORIES OF THE BRAZILIAN BACKCOUNTRY by Arthur Powers: A review

Suppose a young man is shot during a gunfight and paralyzed from the neck down. And suppose you're an Evangelical pastor who has a gift of healing. You're humble about it, saying "Jesus is the healer, and I am only a tool in his hands."

<![if !vml]><![endif]>Also suppose the young man repents of his sins, believes God can heal him, and asks you to pray for him. Could there be a situation in which it would be wrong to pray for the man's healing?

Author Arthur Powers explores this question in his short story "The Healer." It's part of his book of fictional narratives titled A Hero for His People: Stories from the Brazilian Backcountry, published in 2013.

Powers, an American lawyer, spent many years in Brazil as a Peace Corps volunteer. Later he worked as a layman for the Catholic Church in Brazil. The stories in this book are based on those experiences.

In the story "The Bridge," a priest suffers from something like post-traumatic stress, apparently because his work is so demanding. The church sends him back to the United States, to a place "for people who work too hard and care too much." There is a happy outcome for this priest, though it turns bittersweet in the end.

In the story titled "Come into My House and Stay," an unprincipled or misguided person sets fire to a slum. As the slum-dwellers watch "with dead faces," a Baptist minister looms like a giant on the road. His voice booms out a single phrase: "Forgive them, God. They don't know what they're doing." The slum-dwellers echo these difficult words even as their homes burn.

Mistreatment of the poor by the rich is a recurring theme in these narratives. The story "Hate" is about a land-hungry businessman bilking an illiterate farm couple out of their few acres. When he visits the unsuspecting couple, he is greeted with the words "We have very little, compadre, but what we have is yours."

This is a customary way of welcoming guests. However, the author keeps repeating the same words in different contexts till we readers grasp their deeper meaning. The couple mean they are happy to make a cup of tea for the visitor, and share whatever they have to eat. They don't understand—until too late—the heartbreaking truth that what little they have really will become the visitor's property.

The author of A Hero for the People is excellent at description. He knows how to convey a lot in a few words. For example, he describes one man as being "stubborn as a fence post." Of nightfall, he says: "Between 5:55 and 6:30 p.m., it switches from afternoon to complete dark." Describing the Bible reading in a church service, Powers says "Slowly—in the voice of a man newly practiced in reading—he proclaims the passage."

<![if !vml]><![endif]>A number of these stories have specific religious content. Others do not. However, each story contains a message, or lesson. Powers doesn't ladle these on. He lets readers draw their own conclusions, and displays an exquisite sense of where to end a story.

Many readers will be sorry to see Powers' book end. It's a powerful document. A Hero for the People, published by Press 53, is 190 pages long. It's available from the publisher, and also at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Barnes and Noble.

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

Christian market opportunity: Dan Balow

Literary Agent Dan Balow of the Steve Laube Agency is seeking: Mostly nonfiction for the Christian market, but represents a select number of novelists working in Christian historical, contemporary, Biblical, and futuristic genres. How to submit: Email a query to Dan through his assistant at vseem [at] stevelaube.com. A submission process and form are available at the Steve Laube Agency website at http://www.stevelaube.com/guidelines/

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

writing a memoir

Writing a memoir or thinking about it? Here are 5 useful tips: http://tinyurl.com/nj94wvg

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

Narnia: literary afghan for the soul

Interesting article about C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books: http://tinyurl.com/qf7d324

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

hybrid publishers: traditional meets vanity

I don’t know much about the following publishers but they present themselves as “hybrids.” Apparently some aspects of their work are like those of traditional publishers. Others are like those of subsidy or vanity publishers. And/or some of their books are published the traditional way, others not. Might be worth checking into if you have a book you’re looking to get published. But be careful. Don’t agree till you’re sure of what’s going to happen.

 

Promontory Press   http://www.ihpg.ca/

 

Lanico Media House  http://www.lanicoenterprise.com/lanico-media-house.html

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

subsidy ["vanity"] publishers: two categories

As we know, there are companies that will publish and promote your book in return for a financial outlay on your part. Some are legitimate and do a good job. Others aren't and don't. Here's an enlightening article on the latter group: http://tinyurl.com/ou2k8zw

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

pain and suffering

Scottish philosopher John Macmurray said: “The maxim of illusory religion is: Fear not; trust in God and He will see that none of the things you fear will happen to you. Real religion says: Fear not; the things you are afraid of are quite likely to happen to you, but they are nothing to be afraid of.” I don’t think Macmurray meant to downplay suffering. He probably had more of a Psalm 23 frame of mind: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou [God] art with me.”

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

Thomas King's THE BACK OF THE TURTLE wins GG award

Thomas King just won the Canadian Governor General’s fiction award for his novel The Back of the Turtle.

 

Here’s the publisher’s description: “This is Thomas King’s first literary novel in 15 years and follows on the success of the award-winning and bestselling The Inconvenient Indian and his beloved Green Grass, Running Water and Truth and Bright Water, both of which continue to be taught in Canadian schools and universities. Green Grass, Running Water is widely considered a contemporary Canadian classic.

In The Back of the Turtle, Gabriel returns to Smoke River, the reserve where his mother grew up and to which she returned with Gabriel’s sister. The reserve is deserted after an environmental disaster killed the population, including Gabriel’s family, and the wildlife. Gabriel, a brilliant scientist working for Domidion, created GreenSweep, and indirectly led to the crisis. Now he has come to see the damage and to kill himself in the sea. But as he prepares to let the water take him, he sees a young girl in the waves. Plunging in, he saves her, and soon is saving others. Who are these people with their long black hair and almond eyes who have fallen from the sky?

Filled with brilliant characters, trademark wit, wordplay and a thorough knowledge of native myth and story-telling, this novel is a masterpiece by one of our most important writers.”

 

It’s available from several sources including Amazon and Chapters Indigo at http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/search/?keywords=the%20back%20of%20the%20turtle&suggest=1

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

mystery & thriller fiction opportunity

Seventh Street Books invites submissions of mystery and thriller fiction: http://www.seventhstreetbooks.com/submissions.html

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

Grandmothers' Necklace: from Canadian to African grannies

Grandmothers' Necklace is an anthology of stories by and about grandmothers. New editions come out regularly. Proceeds from the sale of this book go to assist the grandmothers of Africa, aged anywhere from their 40’s to their 80’s who have lost their adult children and are raising their grandchildren, alone, under unbelievably impoverished circumstances. These children were orphaned due to the death of their parents from AIDS and AIDS-related illnesses. More info at www.valleyartisans.com/grandmothersnecklace.htm .

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

faith & novelist Dean Koontz

I’ve never read Dean Koontz’s books. They’re not my type. Faith & Family magazine warns: “Disturbing scenes include violence, gore and frightening portrayals of great evil; some sexuality.” However, Koontz’s life story is inspiring. He came from a United Church in Christ background, later becoming a Catholic. He says his Christian worldview is becoming more and more evident in his novels. Maybe I’ll read some of those books, maybe INNOCENCE or THE CITY. There’s more about Koontz at http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/2013#ixzz3JRW3pKDB

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

dashing hero

Frank Warkentin is the dashing but troubled hero of my 1940s novel CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS. Here's Janet Sketchley's "interview" with him: http://janetsketchley.ca/category/interviews-2/

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

writing & publishing news: Scout Report

 

The Scout Report

November 7, 2014

Volume 20, Number 43

 

 

A Publication of Internet Scout

Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

If you know of other great resources fitting this special edition theme, please let us know on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/InternetScout ), by Tweeting @IntScout, or by emailing us at scout@scout.wisc.edu

 

1. National Novel Writing Month

http://nanowrimo.org

 

Freelance writer Chris Baty declared November as National Novel Writing Month in the fall of 2000. Since then, the number of participants has grown from 21 aspiring authors hacking away at manuscripts to over 300,000. The project's "No Plot? No problem" slogan tells it all. No perfectionistic haute culture here. Participants are simply encouraged to put at least

50,000 words on paper between 12:00 am on November 1 and 11:59:59 on November 30. Scout readers can explore this official website via section subheadings such as, About, How It Works, Press Information, and Testimonials to find out all about the process. Signing up to participate in the challenge is easy and free, and the website will help track your progress, link you to support in your geographical area, and provide platforms to meet fellow writers in person and online. NaNoWriMo, as it's called, is a great resource for encouraging novice and veteran writers alike to work through their writer's block and delve into their creativity.

[CNH]

 

 

2. Writing and Publishing Solutions

http://www.novel-writing-help.com

 

Anyone who has ever tried to write a novel will agree on at least one basic

fact: it's deceptively difficult. This site, from novelist Harvey Chapman, provides beginners with helpful step-by-step advice. He lays it all out in simple, digestible categories including, The Writing Process, Becoming a Writer, Elements of Fiction, and How to Write. Each category includes helpful, targeted articles designed to take some of the sting out of putting words on screen or paper. For instance, How to Write a Novel Step-by-Step breaks down the novel writing process into eleven linear stages. Prose Writing 101, found under How to Write, is another great feature of the site that details the importance of writing with a clear, concise, and uncluttered style. [CNH]

 

 

3. How Writers Write Fiction

http://courses.writinguniversity.org/course/how-writers-write-fiction

 

The International Writing Program at the University of Iowa is often considered the best fiction writing program in the United States. Not everyone can dedicate the blood, sweat, and two years it takes to complete the program, but this new MOOC series allows fiction writers to engages with the material over a few short weeks. The course is free and the teachers are extremely well known literary novelists. After signing up, access to videos, transcripts, assignments, and tools will be at your fingertips. Through video lectures and various writing assignments, the series is a great way to learn about the writing process and interact with other students/writers working on their craft. [CNH]

 

 

4. Fiction Writers Review

http://fictionwritersreview.com

 

If you want to write, read. And if you want to read about fiction writing, a good place to start is the Fiction Writers Review. Completely free and jam packed with writers writing about writing, this continually updated online periodical will fill you up with ideas and images. Start with the homepage, where you can explore numerous Features, ranging from interviews to essays. Then explore Popular Posts to see what other visitors have found valuable. There is a lot of fantastic stuff on this site, and author Philip Graham's praise is quite illuminating: "I no longer much bother reading The New York Times Book Review, and your site is one of the reasons- what great work you're doing for literature." [CNH]

 

 

5. The Official SCBWI Blog

http://scbwi.blogspot.com

 

There are many great resources for those who want to write stories for adults. But what if your market is more in the seven to twelve range? Well, then this site, the official blog of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), is for you. Continually updated, blog entries offer a variety of topics ranging from interviews with award winning children's book authors, editors, and publishers to advice on innovative marketing techniques, writing, and networking in children's literature. It is a must for anyone looking to engage in the wide world of writing and publishing for kids. [CNH]

 

7. The Purdue OWL: Conducting Research

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/8/

 

Good research and good writing go hand in hand. This site from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) introduces students to the principles of conducting good research. The clear and helpful information on the site is divided into six digestible categories: Research Overview, Conducting Primary Research, Evaluating Sources of Information, Searching the World Wide Web, Internet References, and Archival Research. Within each of these categories are numerous informative subcategories, such as Research Ethics and Searching with a Search Engine. This last area is a great tool for students learning how to conduct better searches, including information on Boolean operators. [CNH]

 

18. Merriam-Webster

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary-apps/android-ipad-iphone-windows.htm

 

Every writer needs a dictionary. The Merriam-Webster app provides "America's most useful and respected dictionary," plus synonyms, antonyms, example sentences, and many other bonus functions. It's free, it's easy, and it's available for iPhone and iPad (iOS 7.0+) as well as Android (2.3.3+). [CNH]

 

 

    From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2014.

    https://www.scout.wisc.edu

 

 

debut author wins Giller Prize

A debut author writing about music just won the Giller Prize. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/n7v9wkx

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

need help writing your novel?

Good articles here on novel-writing: http://tinyurl.com/m3kxlrt

 

 

Elma Schemenauer CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS: 1940s novel about love, Mennonites, faith, & betrayal.   http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs   http://elmams.wix.com/elma  http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/

 

Canadian books with a Christian worldview

Canadian Books with a Christian Worldview is an interesting new Facebook page for readers and writers. It’s at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1556810521217247/

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

Janet Sketchley's new novel SECRETS & LIES: my review

The men in Carol's life have caused her plenty of grief. Her aptly named husband, Skip, skipped out on their relationship, devoting himself to womanizing and a rock-music career. One of their sons died of a drug overdose. Carol's brother, Harry, is in prison for rape and murder. He claims to have become a Christian and says he prays for her. Carol isn't impressed.

Prayer hasn't "worked" for her in the past, and Harry's crimes have thrown her into serious trouble. He was wealthy before he went to prison, and the drug dealers he was involved with claim they have a right to his money. The think Harry hid it and they can lay hands on it through Carol. But she doesn't know where it is.

Carol and her sixteen-year-old son, Paul, move to Toronto to escape the money-hungry harassers. But the drug dealers soon find them, and start pestering and threatening them. Carol gets a police detective on the case, and tries to create a normal life for herself and Paul. In the meantime she meets two men who show a romantic interest in her.

One man is a deejay and reformed drug addict, Joey, who encourages her and her son to commit their lives to Christ and trust God with their precarious future. The other man, Patrick, is a sophisticated and cultured widower mourning the loss of his beloved wife.

Paul, Carol's son, prefers Joey. He tells his mother that Joey is "better than that Patrick guy….He's plastic. Nobody living inside."

Is Paul right or not? That's only one of Carol's many concerns. As his mother, she wants him to grow up to be a better man than his father, Skip. In her view that would include not becoming a musician.

On the other hand, Paul loves playing the guitar. Making music is almost as vital to him as breathing. Can he "serve his gift" without letting it take over his life in ways that hurt himself and others? Joey thinks so. He says, "You can be brilliant in one area, but if you keep your balance with the rest of your world, you can add to it instead of taking away."

Author Janet Sketchley (pictured here) has a deep understanding of keeping that balance, and explores it in this book. Also important in the book is her exploration of the virtue of trust. At one point Carol says, "If I can't trust people, how can I risk trusting God?" Her journey toward answering that question is marked by bumps, detours, and life-threatening situations. I'm glad to have shared her journey through reading the book.

Secrets & Lies is not as straightforward as Sketchley's earlier novel, Heaven's Prey. I didn't always understand why the characters acted as they did, or why things happened as they did. However, Secrets & Lies is still a good read.

One of my favourite passages begins with this advice given to Carol by one of the other characters: "'Since fear is a behaviour pattern for you, your mind will go back to it. Like a path worn in the grass. It takes time for the grass to re-grow while you wear a new path.'

"A heaviness settled in her stomach. 'So I’ll have more nightmares?'

"'Whenever you catch the fear response starting, or if you have another nightmare, remember you don’t have to surrender. Say it out loud. Things like, 'Jesus is my shepherd. I don’t have to be afraid.' Believe it’s true even if you don’t feel it, and change will come.'"

Wise words from a wise author.

Secrets & Lies is 320 pages long and sells for about $17 on Amazon and elsewhere. The e-book version, also available from Amazon, sells for about $1.12.

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

"a good word" magazine: RUMINATE

From RUMINATE MAGAZINE’s submissions guidelines: “A good word, in and of itself, can be a spiritual endeavor expressing the beauty, creativity, and ironies of the human experience. Because of this, Ruminate publishes work with both subtle and overt associations to the Christian faith as well as work that has no direct association.” They invite general submissions and run contests. They also have a critiquing program. Website http://www.ruminatemagazine.com/submit/

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

devotional-writing contest

This contest is for devotionals 400 words long and runs till December 15. If clicking the link doesn’t work, copy it and paste it into your browser. http://tinyurl.com/oj6yyv8

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

treasury of writing advice

Here’s an impressive collection of helpful articles on writing: http://writersrelief.com/writing-techniques-and-craft-tips/

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

2 new literary agents

Linda Scalissi is excited to join 3 Seas Literary as their newest agent. Linda is interested in representing authors of women’s fiction, thrillers, young adult, mysteries and romance. How to submit: E-queries only: queries [at] threeseaslit.com. No attachments; paste everything into the email.  The subject line should begin as follows: “QUERY FOR LINDA: (The title of the manuscript or any short message you would like to relay to us should follow.)” Please email the first chapter and synopsis along with a query letter. Also, be sure to include the genre and the number of words in your manuscript, as well as pertinent writing experience in your query letter.

 

New The Seymour Agency agent Julie Gwinn is seeking: Christian and Inspirational Fiction and Nonfiction, Women’s fiction (contemporary and historical), New Adult, Southern Fiction, Literary Fiction and Young Adult. How to submit: E-query julie [at] theseymouragency.com. Be sure to include: genre/target audience, word count, contact information, references (conference, recommendation, etc.). No attachments, please. All of The Seymour Agency agents ask that you paste the first five pages of your manuscript into the bottom of your email. “Simultaneous submissions are acceptable for queries and partials. However, we only review complete manuscripts on an exclusive basis.”

 

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

juvenile fiction tops Canadian charts

Interesting article here, especially for those writing for younger readers: http://tinyurl.com/njwonmb

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

poetry festival coming to Nanaimo, BC

Major arts festival coming to Nanaimo in 2015: April 30–May 3

The Cascadia Poetry Festival is coming to Nanaimo. The third in an annual festival series that originated in 2012 in Seattle, CPF3-2015 is expected to bring more than four-hundred visitors to eat, sleep and soak up some great poetry in this Vancouver Island city.

Cascadia began as the brain-child of poet and arts activist Paul Nelson, through an organisation called SPLAB (the Seattle Poetics Laboratory). It started out small, with about one hundred poets and attendees from both sides of the border. By its second bout in 2014 that number had quadrupled. Canadian poets have participated from the outset, but this will be the first time the CPF has come to Canada.

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

wholesome, inspiring, entertaining books: opportunity

Write Integrity is a print on demand publisher open to a range of wholesome, inspiring, entertaining fiction and non-fiction: http://www.writeintegrity.com/

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

seven deadly sins of book promotion

Good article here on temptations to avoid when promoting a book: http://tinyurl.com/qg4p964

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

literary agent especially interested in "guy" reads: Alec Shane

Literary agent Alec Shane of Writers House is aggressively building his list. On the nonfiction side, Alec would love to see humor, biography, history (particularly military history), true crime, “guy” reads, and all things sports. “What I’m looking for in fiction: mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, historical fiction, literary fiction, and books geared toward young male readers (both YA and MG). What I’m not looking for: Romance (paranormal or otherwise), straight sci-fi, high fantasy, picture books, self-help, women’s fiction, food, travel memoir.”

Submission guidelines:  I accept e-mail and snail-mail queries (although email is preferable), and will usually respond within 4-5 weeks. Please send the first 10 pages of your manuscript, along with your query letter, to ashane [at] writershouse.com with “Query for Alec Shane: TITLE” as your subject heading – no attachments please! If sending via regular mail, please include a SASE with proper postage.

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

marketing your e-book

Book Baby’s free guide to marketing your e-book is available here: http://tinyurl.com/pqw2tzm

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

new contest for Catholic literary works

The Washington Post has an article here about a new contest for Catholic literary works. The category seems to be defined quite broadly: http://tinyurl.com/lo2rhq5

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

sorry, wrong url

Sorry, re writing memoir or novel, I gave the wrong address. Here’s what I hope is the right one: http://tinyurl.com/nerr6pw

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

should you write a memoir or a novel?

Can’t decide whether to share your personal experiences by writing a memoir or a novel? Leslie Lehr has a good article on this at: http://tinyurl.com/ltluqg3

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

new literary agent: Cassie Hanjian

New Agent: Cassie Hanjian of Waxman Leavell Literary

Cassie is seeking: page-turning New Adult novels, plot-driven commercial and upmarket women’s fiction, historical fiction, psychological suspense, cozy mysteries and contemporary romance. In nonfiction, she’s looking for projects in the categories of parenting, mind/body/spirit, inspirational memoir, narrative nonfiction focusing on food-related topics and a limited number of accessible cookbooks. Cassie does not accept submissions in the following categories: science-fiction, fantasy, paranormal, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Children’s, literary fiction, poetry, and screenplays.

How to submit: Send a query letter only to cassiesubmit [at] waxmanleavell.com. Do not send attachments, though for fiction, you may include five to 10 pages of your manuscript in the body of the email.

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

writers of books for kids & young people: opportunity

Literary Agent Tina P. Schwartz started The Purcell Agency in July of 2012 after spending twelve years writing and marketing her own work, along with helping several others get published. You can read her blog here.

She is seeking: Chapter books (all kinds except fantasy); Middle Grade (contemporary/realistic, sports, mystery, humor, multicultural, issue driven [no fantasy]); Young Adult (edgy, issues, contemporary/realistic, light romance, sports, mystery [no fantasy]). Tina is also seeking nonfiction Chapter books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult – all topics. She is not seeking: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Paranormal or Picture Books submissions at this time.

How to submit: TPAqueries [at] gmail.com. Mention if you are a member of SCBWI. 

To submit nonfiction for a teen or grade school audience: Table of Contents + Intro and sample chapter, author's credentials. To submit fiction: Query, 1st three chapters + synopsis. No attachments. Include sample work in body of e-mail.

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

new Toronto Christian store: Agape Marketplace

New Christian store AGAPE MARKETPLACE just opened in Toronto near where I used to live. Here’s the info currently posted. More available later.

Address and contact info:
3232 Steeles Ave West
(On the north side of Steeles, just west of Jane St.)

Phone: 905-597-LOVE (5683)
Email: us@ThatAgapeShop.com
Facebook: fb.com/ThatAgapeShop

Website: http://www.thatagapeshop.com/

Hours:
Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm
Thursday & Friday 9am to 8pm

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

almond flour pudding cake, grain-free

A friend gave me Italian blue plums from their tree. Among other things, I made this grain-free pudding cake. It turned out delicious if I do say so myself.

 

-4 to 5 cups fruit of your choice, prepared and sweetened to taste [e.g. plums, peaches, cherries]

-3 eggs, separated

-3 Tbsp cold water

-1/3 cup sugar

-½ cup arrowroot starch [or cornstarch]

-5/8 cup almond flour [sometimes called almond meal]

-½ tsp baking powder

 

-In large bowl, beat egg whites and cold water till soft peaks form. Continue beating, adding the sugar gradually, until the mixture is stiff.

-In small bowl, beat egg yolks till thick and lemon-colored.

-In another small bowl, mix starch, almond flour, and baking powder.

-Fold the egg yolks into the egg-white mixture.

-Then fold in the dry ingredients from the third bowl to form a smooth batter.

-Put the fruit into a large casserole dish. Pour the batter over the top.

-Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour or until toothpick comes out almost clean.

 

 

 

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

getting your website to rank higher on search engines

Good article here: http://tinyurl.com/kzyspbj

 

 

Elma Schemenauer "ELMA MARY OF THE PRAIRIE," author of 75 books, editor of many more, elmams.wix.com/elma , elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca

 

state of publishing & book-selling in Canada

 

Informative, comprehensive article here: http://tinyurl.com/p8ym8rv

 

 

Elma Schemenauer, author of 75 books, editor of many others, elmams@shaw.ca, http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/, http://elmams.wix.com/elma

 

 

HEAVEN'S PREY by Janet Sketchley: a review

Janet Sketchley's novel HEAVEN'S PREY demonstrates and celebrates the power of God over evil including pornography and abuse of women. Set in present-day Nova Scotia, this book is the first in her Redemption's Edge series.

The main character, Ruth Warner, a forty-something Christian, persistently prays that God will save Harry Silver, a rapist and killer of young women including her niece. One evening, as Ruth returns from a prayer meeting, she's mistakenly abducted by none other than Harry himself instead of his intended victim, an attractive young blond.

What follows is a long psychological, physical, and spiritual battle between Ruth and Harry. He takes her to a remote cottage, where he abuses her though not to the point of rape. Ruth isn't his type: too old, wrong hair. However, he plans to rape her eventually, fueling his passion with the hard-core pornography he's addicted to.

Author Janet Sketchley

Ruth prays that God will help her escape. She also keeps praying that her captor will come to faith in Christ. The first part of her prayer seems to be answered when Harry becomes so ill that he no longer knows she's there. She slips away from the cottage, only to be caught by Harry's accomplices, drug dealers who have been watching the place with WebCams.

What now? The story hurtles from crisis to crisis, hope to disappointment, suspense to catastrophe, and finally to a bittersweet ending.

Author Janet Sketchley is a strong writer. She's sure of her message, no wavering. Her story is crystal clear.

Sketchley is excellent at letting readers in on her characters' thoughts and feelings. Examples: "Ruth had only one...anchor against the rising tide of fear. But even prayer took a conscious act of will." Ruth's husband, frantic with worry after she's abducted, thinks "Face this alone? How could he face it at all?"

The story includes several flashbacks, all well written and well placed, though some are too long for my taste; for example, the account of how Harry began his career as a racing car driver. On the other hand, this account allows Sketchley to do one of the things she's best at: write about action. Throughout the novel, her action scenes are exciting and authentic.

Sketchley doesn't shy away from describing evil. She's particularly strong when portraying the hold that pornography can have on a person. In one flashback, Harry is invited to spend three days on a yacht with friends. He decides he can't go because he "couldn't face three days cut off from his porn." Sketchley is equally frank about domestic abuse, as well as the effects of illegal drugs.

Some of what her characters think and say regarding their Christian faith is predictable. But some of it is so fresh and moving, it made me cry. Examples: Harry's mother talking to the boy Harry about the beatings she endures at the hands of her husband: "Jesus puts his arms around me. If not, I couldn't make it." Ruth's pastor being interviewed on TV about the abducted Ruth: "He faced directly into the camera and raised his hand, palm forward. 'Harry Silver, I command you, in the power and the name of Jesus Christ, to leave His servant Ruth alone. You have no authority over her, and you will not harm her in any way.'"

Does Harry heed the pastor's words? Does he even hear them? You'll need to read the book to find out. I look forward to Book Two in Sketchley's Redemption's Edge series. It's titled SECRETS AND LIES. Here's an excerpt, quoted with the author's permission:

"The afterimages of her dream burned in her

imagination. Her sixteen-year-old son, larger than life on

a brightly-lit stage, arms raised to embrace the crowd’s

cheers, electric guitar draped low across his hips. An

oversize brown leather jacket hung open over his faded

tee-shirt and jeans.

She knew that jacket: Butter-soft Italian calfskin,

steeped in beer and Old Spice, ruggedly nicked and

scraped here and there, with a cigarette burn inside the

left cuff.

Skip’s jacket. Paul’s father.

In her dream she’d stood beside her son, but Paul only

had eyes for his fans. An almost palpable energy radiated

from his body—the same power trip that used to sweep

Skip away whenever he performed. With the same cost to

those who loved him."

HEAVEN'S PREY is available on Amazon. Here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/lvvsyhp

Elma Schemenauer, author of 75 books, editor of many others, elmams@shaw.ca, http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/, http://elmams.wix.com/elma

prairie blizzard & ethics in publishing: Chuck Klosterman

Chuck Klosterman wrote the novel DOWNTOWN OWL, which features one of the best accounts of a prairie blizzard I’ve encountered. I was pleased to see he’s also an expert in ethics relating to the current publishing/book-purchasing scene. Here’s a NEW YORK TIMES article by him http://tinyurl.com/osbr5m5

 

Elma Schemenauer, author of 75 books, editor of many others, elmams@shaw.ca, http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/, http://elmams.wix.com/elma

 

 

literary agent Julie Gwinn open to Christian fiction & nonfiction, women's fiction, etc., etc.

Literary agent Julie Gwinn has joined The Seymour Agency. She’s open to Christian and Inspirational Fiction and Nonfiction, Women’s fiction (contemporary and historical), New Adult, Southern Fiction, Literary Fiction and Young Adult. How to submit: E-query julie [at] theseymouragency.com. Be sure to include: genre/target audience, word count, contact information, references (conference, recommendation, etc.). No attachments, please. All of The Seymour Agency agents ask that you paste the first five pages of your manuscript into the bottom of your email. “Simultaneous submissions are acceptable for queries and partials. However, we only review complete manuscripts on an exclusive basis.”

 

 

Elma Schemenauer, author of 75 books, editor of many others, elmams@shaw.ca, http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/, http://elmams.wix.com/elma

 

 

pitching a self-published book to an agent

Have you self-published a book? Been selling it yourself but now hope to find an agent to represent it and you to publishers? This article may give you some ideas: http://tinyurl.com/o3qe2lx

 

Elma Schemenauer, author of 75 books, editor of many others, elmams@shaw.ca, http://elmasalmanac.blogspot.ca/, http://elmams.wix.com/elma