timetotalk

Thursday, February 22, 2007

John Aubrey Anderson

Check out the questions and authors on John Aubrey Anderson's website: http://www.johnaubreyanderson.com/

For example:
When did you first discover that you were a writer?
It’s difficult to put my finger on the exact moment ... but if pressed, I’d have to say it became more than evident in January of 2006.During that month I was trying to get my second book, Wedgewood Grey, off to FaithWords. Abiding Darkness was back in my hands for some jot and tittle stuff, and I was behind my self-imposed schedule on And If I Die. When I heard myself telling someone about having to juggle all three novels at the same time, it came to me that a million writers would cut off a finger to trade places with me. That’s when I knew I was a writer.As a footnote to that answer, let me offer this thought ... writers who are using their time well think more about writing than they do about being writers.
Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I can only see the world through my own eyes, but I try to keep myself out of the story, mainly because I’m not an interesting person. That means I have to listen closely so that I can hear what others see. Of course, my characters’ personalities will always come from my mind, but they won’t always align themselves with my grid.There was a time when I would scoff at writers who claimed to let their characters make decisions about this or that. Well, I don’t scoff any more. After the character becomes a person, I sometimes find myself waiting to see what he or she chooses to do next.
How do you choose your characters’ names?
Good question ... with lots of answers.I picture my characters in my mind as I’m writing ... sometimes I’ll just call a new one “xxxxx” until the story develops around that individual; eventually, I’ll see or hear a name that perfectly suits the person I’ve pictured. Quite often I’ll use names that are a compilation of the names of our friends or relatives. And there’s always the school yearbook or phone book.
Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
Mostly I lean toward suspense/action/thriller/adventure things ... my preference is to get sucked into a compelling story and become immersed in tension.I read quite a bit of non-fiction, mostly to enhance my knowledge of spiritual things, and my wife reads to me when we’re riding in the car (which is often).The one book I read every day is the Bible.What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
Having looked up quirky in the dictionary (eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, strange, bizarre, peculiar, odd, outlandish, zany), I have to confess that I’m pretty much of a dud in the personality department. I’m utterly predictable, and I always have been. For instance, I’ll almost always choose vanilla ice cream ... when I feel the urge to live on the edge, I’ll get chocolate. Now, don’t let me mislead you ... I’ve done some stupid things in my life, but even when I was living the life of an idiot, I was still predictable—even if predictably stupid.

Black or White Chronicles

Abiding Darkness and Wedgewood Grey, the first two volumes of The Black or White Chronicles are a must week for Christians and non-Christians alike. The first book includes a student philosopher, and the second a federal investigator, the first is mental workout and second action packed with the southern women playing their parts well. These would make great movies with southern beauties and screams.

Where to find this book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446579505

John Aubrey Anderson, the author's website: http://www.johnaubreyanderson.com/



Wedgewood Grey is the second in "The Black or White Chronicles". Abiding Darkness is the first book in this series. I highly advise reading both books and others Anderson writes in the future. This is a great author who deals with knowing God as personal savior. He shows the forces of good and evil at war. It despicts demons and angels and shows God gives each a guardian angel and his children are special. Below is a review on the Christian Fiction Blob Alliance:

John Aubrey Anderson
John was born five miles north of the setting for Abiding Darkness, a cotton country town within a rifle shot of two rivers, a bayou, a double handful of lakes, and endless acres of woods.


After graduating from Mississippi State, he flew six years in the Air Force then twenty-nine years for a major airline. And now he gets to write.

He and his wife have been married for forty some-odd years and live in Texas—about twenty miles south of the Red River. He spends the biggest part of his time writing; she’s immersed in leading a comprehensive, women’s Bible study.

They like greasy hamburgers and Dr. Peppers, most species of warm-blooded creatures (the kind that don’t normally bite), and spending July in the mountains.



ABOUT THE BOOK:


Wedgewood Grey is the second book in the Black and White Chronicles. The first was Abiding Darkness (August, 2006).

Mississippi cotton country . . . in the spring of 1960.


The War At Cat Lake is fifteen years in the fading past . . . but the demonic beings who launched that first battle, are alive and well at Cat Lake. Waiting.
Late on a Friday night, on a muddy little road a mile east of Cat Lake, a ten-year-old black child is forced to watch while a gang of white men beat his mother to death. Aided by Mose Washington, an old black man, the boy exacts a measure of his own revenge. When the sun comes up on Saturday morning, Mose and the boy are fugitives.


Missy Parker Patterson, who as a child stood at the epicenter of the first war, is married and living in Texas. In the aftermath that follows Mose Washington’s disappearance, she goes back to Cat Lake to discover that the demonic beings have been anticipating her return . . . and so begins the second battle of The War At Cat Lake.


In 1962, an old black man and his grandson move into the country near Pilot Hill, Texas. The people in the local area are told that the old gentleman’s name is Mose Mann—his grandson introduces himself as Bill.


However, the lives of the new arrivals are not as peaceful as they seem. The unassuming old black man and his grandson are being pursued by a triad of formidable and unrelenting adversaries . . . a ruthless political leader, an enduring lie, and an invisible army allied beneath the banner of a hatred for God.


Wedgewood Grey is a story about the impact of choices that real people—people like you and me—are sometimes forced to make.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Christian writing resource

The 2007 Christian Writer's Market Guide can be ordered from amazon. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400071259

Check out Sally E. Stuart's writng guide. It is an essential reference tool for the Christian writer. Check out other resources for writers at her website: http://www.stuartmarket.com/

I have followed some of the links in the book, one did not work. I looked forward to spending hours with this book. Lots of resources, pick up a copy, and enjoy today and all year! Stuart's book has a long track record of being a reliable resource for the Christian writer. Glad to have this copy to add to my personal library and to use for my own writing this year. Thanks Sally E. Stuart for a this great resource!!!



Saturday, February 10, 2007

CFBA

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance introduces The Longing Season (Bethany House July, 2006) by Christine Schaub. It tells the story of the writer of lyrics of one of the popular hymns, we regularly sing at church each Sunday. Hand a copy to your favorite song leader, choir director, or church pianist next Sunday, and tell them it is part of a series, enjoy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Schaub is the author of the MUSIC OF THE HEART series, including Finding Anna, the “rest of the story” behind the writing of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul” (October 2005) and The Longing Season, the story behind “Amazing Grace” (July 2006) with Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Books.

In 2003, Christine won the “On the Page” screenwriting contest at Screenwriting Expo 2 in Los Angeles. Her one-page story, written on-site in 24 hours for Jacqueline Bisset, was selected by the actress as the best Oscar Wilde-type comedy for her persona.

While working in freelance corporate communications, Christine completed three feature-length screenplays, including a drama/comedy, romantic comedy, and sci-fi action/drama; developed four biopic teleplays for the stories behind the hymns; and published an online column for the MethodX website (Upper Room Ministries).

Christine honed her writing skills after more than 15 years in corporate communications for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and entertainment companies. She has also been a featured conference speaker on working with at-risk youth and changed lives in the classrooms with her creative presentation style.

Christine's love for the arts and creativity have taken her from church platforms to civic and professional stages, performing classics and dramas from her own pen.

Christine graduated from Anderson University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She has served on numerous boards and committees, usually as Communications Chair, and has received both regional and national awards in writing and design.

ABOUT THE BOOK

All of the books in the MUSIC OF THE HEART series are based on a hymns and their histories. The Longing Season is about one of the greatest redemption stories of all time: John Newton and his song, Amazing Grace.


Nature conspires against him, tossing the ship like a toy. Directionless--just like his life.
It seems his odyssey will end here, in the cold Atlantic.
Grief and terror grip his heart, but he will not surrender...not yet.
She reads the sentence again and again.
The first day I saw you I began to love you.
He'd written the words, sealed and posted them, then vanished.


She has a choice--turn toward the future, or wait, wating and hoping.


And so begins her season of longing.


Christine's website link is: http://www.christineschaub.typepad.com/

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764200607










--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducting GERM(WestBow Nov 1, 2006) by Robert Liparulo




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert's novel paints a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.



Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly. He has sold or optioned three screenplays.



Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.



He is currently working on his third novel.



ABOUT THE BOOK

If you breathe, it will find you...


The list of 10,000 names was created for maximum devastation. On it are business leaders, housewives, politicians, celebrities, janitors, children. None know what is about to happen...but all will be part of the most frightening brand of warfare the world has ever known.

The GERM...a more advanced form of the Ebola virus...has been genetically engineered to infect only those people whose DNA matches the codes embedded within it. If your DNA is not a match, you simply catch a cold. But if your DNA is a match, within days your internal organs liquefy and you die a most painful death. There is no cure.

The release of the virus would usher in a new era of power...one in which countries are left without any form of defense, where one person or millions could be killed with 100% accuracy yet result in no collateral damage to property or those not targeted.

That time isn't coming...It is now!

GERM is coming. Pray the assassins get you first.



Bob's website link is: http://www.robertliparulo.com

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785261788