Renovating Becky Miller

by Sharon Hinck

Becky Miller's guide to Home Repair
Budget the gross national product of a small country--then double it.
Never, ever invite your mother-in-law to stay with you during a remodel.
Figure out how to heat the living room before inviting your Bible study group over.
Stock up on Tylenol and chocolate and sandbags.
Hire a professional to fix the plumbing.
Sometimes renovation is an inside job.

In addition to being a young mom, Becky Miller is a daydreamer. Most recently she's been envisioning herself in the happy endings she sees during her weekly movie nights with husband Kevin. But her real life feels more like a broken filmstrip, spinning out of control.

When Becky and her family decide to purchase a rundown farmhouse, Becky pictures a slower, simpler lifestyle in the pastoral countryside. Of course, it doesn't quite work out like she imagined....

Pammer here: What a fun book! Even if you didn't read the first Becky Miller book, you will be totally immersed in this one in a matter of seconds. It's fast paced and funny, but it teaches too.


I invited Sharon Hinck her with us today. If you have been following her blog tour she's answered alot of questions. I just asked her to share something she wanted to share.

Here's Sharon:

Where Do Stories Come From?
By Sharon Hinck

In “The Door Within”, Christian author Wayne Thomas Batson writes, “Adventures are funny things. They may creep out of holes, appear down a seldom trodden path, fall out of a tree, or even arrive in an envelope, but they always start the same way. Adventures always begin with the unexpected . . .”

1. Choosing the Doorway
Each writer finds his or her own doorway into a story. A sound, a scent, an image, a past experience, coupled with the wonderful question, “What if?”
Some writers begin with a character. They imagine someone into life, forming the shape, the voice, the attitudes from the clay of creativity. Then they breathe life into the character and place them in a setting and give them interaction with other characters.
Other writers are gripped by a setting. They imagine a vast fantasy landscape with involved histories and epic battles – or a rose-covered cottage in the English countryside with lowing cows outside and a fire in the hearth. They want to live in this universe for a time, so they people it with characters and develop stories to happen in the setting.
Other writers with complex and nimble minds develop a plot first – actions that lead to reactions that lead to more conflicts and blind alleys and intertwined storylines. Then they choose the best kinds of characters to insert in the story, and the best place to set the story.
What makes your pulse race more? Daydreaming about the setting for your story? Thinking about one central character and who that person is?

Devising a plot full of twists and turns?
2. Turning the Knob
A compelling story begins at the point where something changes. Mr. Batson says adventure begins with the unexpected. Readers want to come in to the story at the point that a choice is going to be made, or a new step taken, or the character (and reader) is surprised and confronted.
In “Renovating Becky Miller,” I write about a young mom who is feeling overwhelmed by daily life, her part-time work at a church, and her inner craving to serve God more effectively. For her, the adventure begins when her husband comes home and says, “I’ve found it. The perfect house.”It’s a simple change. A small wrinkle in their lives. But it triggers a whole series of events, including some deep internal conflicts.
Once you have an opening scene in mind – what happens that is unexpected in that scene? What changes for the character? What will grab my interest so I want to keep reading to see what happens next?

3. Trying a New Door
Sometimes, a writer begins a story but then loses interest. The characters don’t develop into people the writer cares to spend time with. The storyline feels too predictable or too improbable. The setting just . . . sets.Instead of pushing forward and straining to complete a story, recognize that false starts are part of the creative process.
If the writer has lost enthusiasm, the reader will, as well.Madeleine L’Engle (in “Sold Into Egypt”) wrote, “When I study the working processes of the great artists I am awed at the hundreds and hundreds of sketches made before the painter begins to be ready to put anything on the canvas.
It gives me fresh courage to know of the massive revision Dostoyevsky made of all his books—the hundreds of pages that got written and thrown out before one was kept. A performer must rehearse and rehearse and rehearse, making mistakes, discarding, trying again and again.”Are you excited about this story? Are you curious to see what will happen next? Or is it time to try something new? Could you use part of this opening, but come at it from a different direction?
And here are a few questions to stir up new directions to explore:
What are three favorite books from those you read last year?
What are three things you love to do?
What are three things that make you mad?
What is an occupation that fascinates you?
Where would you love to travel if money was no object?
Can you develop a new character, plot, and setting from some of those favorite interests?
Each writer can find his or her own key into a new story.

The good news is that powerful stories can come from different directions – directions that fit the unique interests and artistic traits of the author. Happy writing!

Tagged!

I was tagged by Cheryl Wyatt at:

http://scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

I am supposed to tell you six weird things about myself.

1. I'm addicted to baby carrots.

2. I get some of my best writing ideas during church.

3. I like helping my kids with their math. :)

4. I love forensic....stuff. The shows, the fingerprint kits, just stuff.

5. I'm a gun fan. A new .357 is on my wishlist.

6. I've been married for 19 years. I don't know if this is weird, but it certainly bears mentioning.


I'm so boring. Can't think of anything exciting about me accept my imagination, but you can read that in my books when they get published. :D

I tag these six people:

Robin Miller - http://robinswritingworld.blogspot.com/
Ronie Kendig : http://supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com/
Margaret Daley: http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com/
Michelle Sutton: http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com/
Aimee : http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=aimeeanne
Brandilyn Collins : http://www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/

Pray for Phil

and all our soldier and troops overseas trying to save our freedom.

God bless our soldiers!

Winners!!

The winners of my February book drawing are:

(drum roll please bumtsssssssssssssssssssttttttt)


See No Evil by Gayle Roper - Cherie Japp

and

Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy - Hilary Ashe

Yay!

Stay tuned for next months titles. It's not too early to sign up.

If you haven't been in a while I'm made some BIG changes.

http://www.pamela-james.com