Bad Writing

I'm not going to mention the title of the book I'm reading, but it's by a well-known, multi-published Christian author. And, it breaks every writing rule in the book! How can someone who's been published many times get away with pov issues, passive writing, repetition, lots of exclamation marks, and just horrible story matter? NOT FAIR! I say. I must follow the rules, say something a million ways, not use a single cliche, etc.

I'd like nothing more than to toss the book, but as I've got to read it in order to review it, I'll have to muddle along. God help me! Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.

Mega Booksigning at the Mall of America

Wow! 127 authors beneath one roof! At this year's ACFW conference in Minneapolis, Sept. 18 thru Sept. 21, Barnes and Noble, ACFW, and the Mall of America have teamed together to bring one colassal booksigning event. And I'm one of the listed authors! Is this exciting or what? If you're in the area, stop by and buy a book!

Update

I know, it's been a while. I just sent the copy edits back on Candy-Coated Secrets. Look for it in April. I sent my agent my hopeful Romantic Suspense, Deceitful Promise, and am rewriting a historical; The Trail Worth Taking. So, it isn't like I'm not busy. And that's just my writing world. I won't even go into the trials of still having a 16-year-old at home and an 11-year-old. Both boys by the way. Hope all of you are well. Don't forget to pop in at www.mainlymystery.blogspot.com. A blog I co-manage with another author. That, too, keeps me busy. God bless!

Mind Test

I visited another author's blog and took this mind test: www.mindmedia.com/braintest

Here are the results. Scarily accurate!

Cynthia, your hemispheric dominance is equally divided between left and right brain, while you show a moderate preference for auditory versus visual learning, signs of a balanced and flexible person.

Your balance gives you the enviable capacity to be verbal and literate while retaining a certain "flair" and individuality. You are logical and compliant but only to a degree. You are organized without being compulsive, goal-directed without being driven, and a "thinking" individual without being excessively so.

The one problem you might have is that your learning might not be as efficient as you would like. At times you will work from the specific to the general, while at other times you'll work from the general to the specific. Sometimes you will be logical in your approach while at other times random. Since you cannot always control the choice, you may experience frustrations not normally felt by persons with a more defined and directed learning style.

You may also minimally experience conflicts associated with auditory processing. You will be systematic and sequential in your processing of information, you will most often focus on a single dimension of the problem or material, and you will be more reflective, i.e., "taking the data in" as opposed to "devouring" it.

Overall, you should feel content with your life and yourself. You are, perhaps, a little too critical of yourself - and of others - while maintaining an "openness" which is redeeming. Indecisiveness is a problem and your creativity is not in keeping with your potential. Being a pragmatist, you downplay this aspect of yourself and focus on the more immediate, the more obvious and the more functional.

The Bone Box by Bob Hostetler

Reeling from his wife’s death, and nineteen years of being an absentee father, Randall Bullock goes to Israel to try to save his unraveling life. Archaeology seems to have lost the thrill it once held. Until Randall’s daughter shows up just as he’s uncovered the remains of “Joseph, son of Caiaphas” and a scroll depicting the ancient high priest’s involvement in the crucifixion of Christ.

The problem is, no one seems as interested in this find as Randall. Except for those he thinks needs this proof of Christ’s existence the least. In Randall’s eyes, Christ is no longer a name between the pages of a book. He lived, he died, he rose…and why can’t others see the evidence he’s uncovered?
Merging the time of Christ’s death with modern-day archaeology, The Bone Box is full of historical facts, redeeming grace, and proof of what Christ did for mankind.