Writers' newsletter...plus what to do if Mom doesn't want you to publish your memoir

The Write Life monthly online newsletter helps writers hone their craft & encourages them to move forward with their writing. It sometimes includes tips on possible places to get published. The newsletter is written from a Christian worldview but includes much that's relevant to any writer. You can subscribe for FREE here. https://writelifeworkshops.com/the-write-life/ . 

I'm delighted to be featured in the Subscriber Spotlight of their November 2024 edition. 

Subscriber Spotlight Elma Schemenauer

I grew up in a Mennonite family, inspired by my relatives' stories. They told riveting tales about the "Old Country" (Russia), immigration to Canada, and early life in our farming community on the Saskatchewan prairie.   Years later, I wrote a memoir based on these stories and my own childhood experiences. I told my mother I planned to have it published.   "Oh no," she said, "you can't do that. There's too much private information in there."   "Okay," I replied, "I'll change all the names and have it happen in Montana."   "Oh, no," she said. "You can't do that. It happened here."   So, I used my memoir as a springboard for two novels, Consider the Sunflowers and Song for Susie Epp. If you'd like to know more, please visit my website. And if you've reached a roadblock in your writing career, take heart. Maybe there's a way around it.

Patricia Ochoa's review of Song for Susie Epp

Big thanks to Patricia Ochoa for this encouraging & perceptive review of my latest novel. She posted it on The BOOKLounge for Readers and Authors (Facebook group), also on Goodreads. 

Book Review

Title: Song for Susie Epp

Author: Elma Schemenauer

Genre: Christian/Women Fiction

#bookloungereviewteam

This book was a fantastic read. Sometimes with Christian fiction the hard topics which leads to difficult conversations are usually skirted about or completely ignored. Not so in Song for Susie Epps. It was refreshing to read a relatable version of marriage, family relationships, personal demons and how it was navigated. I was so heartbroken for Susie during her disillusionment but rooting for her through it all knowing she will be the better for it.

I loved Mrs. Elma Schemenauer writing style and settings. Will read more of her work as this was my first book by her.

Plot in trouble?

Is your plot in trouble? This article has interesting suggestions. https://janefriedman.com/5-plot-hacks-that-just-might-save-your-novel/

A taste of a 1974 country Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's a taste of a 1974 country Thanksgiving from my novel Song for Susie Epp.

On Thanksgiving Sunday, bouquets of ripe wheat sat on the organ in the country Mennonite church near my mother-in-law's house. Baskets of home-grown carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions decorated the steps leading up to the pulpit.

Vases of white clematis sat on the windowsills. Their sweet aroma accompanied Simon and me and our children as we proceeded up the aisle to the pew where his mother sat.

My footsteps dragged. I was tired. I had suggested to Simon that we attend the Lutheran church in town; it was only ten minutes from our house. But his mother, Adeline, had insisted we come to her Mennonite church for Thanksgiving, Erntedankfest.

But Adeline. But Adeline. These words galloped through my mind as Simon, the girls, and I sat down with her. I felt like a show horse jumping over hurdle after hurdle, all of them marked But Adeline.

On the wall behind the pulpit hung a wooden cross, shiny with varnish. I focused on it, trying to see Adeline through Jesus' eyes. He died for both of us. He loved us both so we should love each other too. I prayed for the grace to comply.

Song for Susie Epp is a 264-page novel set in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. It features a Mennonite wallflower whose faith and confidence grow as she grapples with a bossy mother-in-law and a secret that could destroy her marriage. If you're interested, ask for it in a bookstore or library. Or order from Chapters Indigo, Amazon, or another online seller.

how to write a book review

Would you like to do an author--and potential readers--a big favour by writing a book review? Not sure how to do it? There are helpful guidelines here: https://www.bookbrowse.com/blogs/editor/index.cfm/2024/9/20/How-to-Write-a-Good-Book-Review-The-BookBrowse-Guide-for-Book-Reviewers

Book CHRONICLES OF A PARKY by Ryan Oevermann reviewed by Elma Schemenauer

I had the privilege of meeting Ryan when we participated in an author panel in beautiful Sun Peaks, British Columbia on September 7, 2024. He impressed me as a humble, hopeful, humorous, loving person. These qualities and more come through in this book. I enjoyed reading it. I learned a lot about Parkinson's and the day-to-day challenges of living with the condition. We all face challenges in life. The book inspired me to face mine in a more positive way. An especially helpful lesson I learned is to take better advantage of times when I'm "on" [feeling well, clever, energetic, etc.] and patiently ride out times when I'm "off." 

Author platform why and how

Why should an author have a platform? How do you build one? Good article here. https://janefriedman.com/spontaneous-generation-and-author-platform/

Author panel in beautiful Sun Peaks, British Columbia Sept 7, 2024

book publicists

Some authors wonder how to find an appropriate person or company to help them promote their book/s. Here's an article about a few book publicists. I've never worked with one and don't know anything about these, so I can't personally recommend or not recommend them. I'm just passing along the information for what it's worth. https://marketplace.writersweekly.com/publicists/

Novella anyone?

Famous authors like Margaret Mitchell and John Steinbeck have written novellas. Maybe it's a type of story you'd like to write. Good article about novellas here. https://tinyurl.com/mr9c7hkc

Photo credit: David Branco.

Elma & books on California's Central Valley Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdxjKlvSNg Here I am with my books on Central Valley Talk in Fresno, California. Interviewer is Mike Briggs. Sorry the picture & sound go wonky once in a while, but life's not perfect, eh. Click the link above if you'd like to watch & listen.

revise, revise, revise

Most authors do a lot of revising before they're happy with a piece of writing. But what does revision look like? It varies according to the person & situation. Here's an example from my novel SONG FOR SUSIE EPP.

vulnerable versus invulnerable characters

I personally find it difficult to develop meaningful friendships with people who present themselves as invulnerable or close to invulnerable. Maybe vulnerability is something authors should consider with respect to the characters they write about. Here's an article that advances that opinion. https://janefriedman.com/when-it-comes-to-characters-we-love-vulnerability-not-likability-is-key/

Interior Authors Group Summer Social in McDonald Park, North Kamloops, August 10, 2024

We ate, talked, laughed, caught up with old friends, made new friends, shared writerly thoughts, shared other thoughts, and encouraged each other. Thanks to all who contributed to making it a good time.

Thankfully the weather was great.

Avoiding gluten? Consider making buckwheat pancakes.

ELMA'S GLUTEN-FREE BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES

These delicious pancakes work fine for people who want to avoid gluten. Despite its name, there's no gluten in buckwheat flour. It's sold in bulk food stores. Light and dark buckwheat flour look almost the same in the bins, but the light works better in my opinion.

 

Stir together in a bowl:

1 cup light buckwheat flour

2/3 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Into a large measuring cup, break 2 eggs. Beat lightly. Beat in 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Mix in enough milk to make 2 cups.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix to form batter. A few small lumps are okay.

Bake on a hot greased skillet or griddle, using about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.

 

SONG FOR SUSIE EPP Reading Is My Superpower announcement & interview

Author Interview (and a Giveaway!): Elma Schemenauer & Song for Susie Epp

POSTED JULY 18, 2024 BY MEEZCARRIE IN AUTHOR INTERVIEW, CLEAN, ELMA SCHEMENAUER, GIVEAWAY, WOMEN'S FICTION / 4 COMMENTS

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Please join me in welcoming Elma Schemenauer to the blog today to talk about her new novel, Song for Susie Epp!

Elma (Martens) Schemenauer—also known as "Elma Mary from the Prairie—grew up in a Mennonite family halfway between Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. After teaching in Saskatchewan, Montana, and Nova Scotia, she moved into a writing and editing career in Toronto.

Elma is the author of 78 books. Their topics include faith, family, Mennonites, community life, history, mystery, and adventure. Her most recent book is the novel Song for Susie Epp. One of the story's settings is a flatland prairie community like the one she grew up in. The other is a mountainous semi-desert community like Kamloops, British Columbia, where she lives now. Song for Susie Epp features some of the same characters as Elma's earlier novel Consider the Sunflowers. You can connect with Elma on her website.

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SONG FOR SUSIE EPP by Elma Schemenauer
GENRE: Women's Fiction (Clean with mild language)
PUBLISHER: Farland Press
RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2024
PAGES: 314

It's 1970. Bashful Susie, a pill addict's daughter, sets out to build a better life for herself. Fellow Mennonite Simon loves Susie's courage—and her. He proposes. But marrying him comes with a pushy, sanctimonious mother-in-law. She manipulates Susie and Simon into leaving their beloved British Columbia grassland and moving to her Saskatchewan farming community. There, a shocking secret plunges Simon into depression and drinking. As Susie struggles to find a way forward, she gains a new resilience, empathy, and understanding of faith and freedom.

 

affiliate links used
  

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Hi Elma! Welcome to the blog!

Elma: Apples raw or in desserts with lots of cinnamon and not much sugar.

Carrie: I love a good, crisp, sweet apple!

Elma: Winter. Walking in the cold and snow invigorates me. I return thankful for my warm home and eager to start writing again.

Carrie: i feel the same way!

Elma: High craggy mountains. I also like lower, earthier mountains like what I see in my semidesert city of Kamloops, British Columbia.

Carrie: the mountains are my happy place – one of my bucket list places to visit is British Columbia!

Elma: Soup, especially Mennonite plum soup like what Susie makes in my novel Song for Susie Epp. I also enjoy cabbage borscht like what Tina makes in my novel Consider the Sunflowers.

Carrie: plum soup sounds interesting!

Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?

Elma: Revision. I'm seldom happy with the first draft of what I write. I rethink, rejig, and rewrite until it's better, hopefully.

Carrie: that can be a good – and tedious – superpower lol

Q: Tell me some good books you've read recently.

Elma: God's Not Dead by Rice Broocks. In the School of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Philippe. Wife-in-Law by Haywood Smith. The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. Down Clearbrook Road: A Girl in a BC Mennonite Village by Anne Konrad

Carrie: that's a good mix of themes and genres!

Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?

Elma: A converted laundry room. There's barely enough space for everything I've got crammed in here—desk, bookshelves, computer, printer, armchair, and little bed for naps. But I love this room. It gets lots of sunlight and overlooks my husband's flower and herb garden.

Carrie: that sounds lovely!

Q: Which of your main characters in Song for Susie Epp is most like you?

Elma: Susie. She's a wallflower who peels herself off the wall and faces challenges that encourage her to grow in faith and confidence.

Carrie: i love that!

Q: Did you have the whole plot outlined before you started writing, or did you let the characters dictate what came next?

Elma: I often let the characters dictate. Among characters who did a lot of dictating were Susie's bossy mother-in-law Adeline and larger-than-life music teacher Ross.

Carrie: the bossy mother-in-law sounds like a handful!

Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from Song for Susie Epp & why do you love it?

Elma: The following quote comes after a quarrel with her fiancé's mother causes Susie to arrive late for her wedding.

Pastor Warkentin stood broad-shouldered in a charcoal suit, his black hair silvery above his swarthy face. He smiled, gazed out over the congregation, and admitted he'd been late for his own wedding thirty years earlier. Several people chuckled, probably recalling the event or at least having heard the story.

The pastor continued. "My wife, Tina, was a believer when we got married. But I'm sorry to say I was a doubter. I didn't come to the Lord until years later." The pastor's eyes searched my face and then Simon's. "However, I think you two are both believers." He paused, waiting for a response.

Simon and I glanced at each other and nodded.

The pastor scanned the congregation. "Salvation through faith in Christ is a priceless gift." His voice rumbled through the church. "Simon and Susie's love for each other is also priceless."

I said a silent Amen.

The pastor launched into his sermon. One of his main points was that Simon and I should let our love inspire us to treat other people in a loving way. I prayed it would, especially with regard to my mother-in-law.

I like the above quote because it gives insights into Simon and Susie's relationship and beliefs. It also foreshadows conflict between Susie and her mother-in-law.

Carrie: the pastor sounds like a good man!

Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me!  Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what's coming up next for you.

Elma: I'm working on a novel about a Toronto author and editor whose fiancé fails to show up for their wedding. Why? I'm still figuring that out.

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Elma Schemenauer is offering a digital copy (epub or pdf) of Song for Susie Epp to one of my readers! (Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower's giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

What about you? What makes you want to read Song for Susie Epp by Elma Schemenauer?

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