The Purpose of Shame - Guest Roseanna M. White (Part Two)

As I told you last week, a couple of articles by Roseanna M. White have touched my heart and inspired me to re-post them (with permission from the author) so that you, my dear readers, may also enjoy them. Here is part two:

The Purpose of Shame

by Roseanna M. White

I'm by no means the first person to tackle this subject, and no doubt others have done it better than me. But last week when I wrote about "Actions, Reactions, and Being Better," I had an anonymous comment accusing me of "woman shaming/blaming." Another of those phrases that has been tossed around and turned into a fad, but which I think is often misunderstood.

But you know what? Part of the goal to #BeBetter is to know what shame is and why sometimes we need it.

First, let's cover where shame is bad and where you will NOT find me doing it.

Actions, Reactions, and Being Better - Guest Roseanna M. White (Part One)

Not too long ago, I read a moving article by Roseanna M. White. This article and its follow-up were important to issues prevalent in today's society. I appreciated Mrs. White's perspective and wanted to share it with you, my dear readers, so I requested permission to re-post these two articles. Thankfully, Mrs. White granted permission. What follows is the first of the two articles. The second is yet to come here on Writing to Inspire, so please revisit the blog again next week.

Actions, Reactions, and Being Better

by Roseanna M. White

One of the reasons I love writing historicals is to show that the heart of humanity has never changed. No matter whether you're talking about ancient Egyptians or modern Americans or anything in between, there are a few things that we will always seek--our dreams, our goals, our pleasures, family, love, escape from the things we fear.

But we think we've changed. Evolved. Graduated out of certain things. I wonder though. I wonder if we have.

Five Things to Do When You're Stumped on Article Ideas

Here are five things to do when you can’t think of what to write for your next blog article.

1. Cruise Twitter or Facebook or any other social media site.

Most posts are simple tidbits into random people’s lives or self-promotions about the latest books, movies, products, etc., but they can make you smile or inspire you to find words of your own. I like cruising Pinterest on occasion, and every now and then I find a new type of dessert or crock pot dish to try. Once I taste the results, if it turns out delicious, it feels like I didn’t completely waste my time online. Haha.

2. Watch classic movies on TCM.

I’ve found quite a few gems on Turner Classic Movies, and the hosts give interesting facts and trivia about movies, directors, writers, actors, etc. Some of the information is a ton more than I’d care to know, but most of the time I enjoy learning what they have to share with the viewers. It’s always fun to see some old favorites, but it’s also entertaining to find new-to-me classic movies that pique my interest and inspire me to keep plugging away at storytelling.

News Flash: Editing Update

I have exciting news to share with you. I'll be keeping this short, as I've got a persistent headache today, which is making concentrating especially difficult.

Do you recall when I shared the news about the sale of Ashberry Lane to the owners of WhiteFire Publishing? (The article may be read here.)

Well, I've been in talks with one of those owners, author and publisher Roseanna White. Earlier this month, she asked me to edit my first book with WhiteFire.

While I thought my editing career might have hit a major roadblock with the closing -- then the sale -- of Ashberry Lane, God had great plans in store for me. He has opened a new avenue to continue my editing career with both Ashberry Lane and WhiteFire.

Latest News on Ashberry Lane Publishing

Another twist to the story of Ashberry Lane Publishing took place this last week. Here's the update as shared in the AL newsletter:

We are thrilled to report that WhiteFire Publishing has purchased Ashberry Lane. They will continue the publication of our backlist, as well as new releases, under the Ashberry Lane imprint. We are excited about this development, as we did not seek it out, but it was a gift from God.  See the press release below for more information.

Press Release Announcing the Sale

Cumberland, MD (16 April 2018) - WhiteFire Publishing today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ashberry Lane Publishing. The acquisition, which is expected to close by June 2018, is subject to customary closing conditions.

WhiteFire Publishing is a leading small Christian publisher specializing in competitively priced e-books and print editions for authors such as Melody Carlson, Roseanna M. White, Dina Sleiman, and the late Golden Keyes Parsons. Since their founding in 2005, they’ve grown to a list of over 75 titles by over 25 authors, many of which have won various industry awards. With books across multiple genres and a young reader line to launch this summer, WhiteFire’s line embodies their motto of “Where Spirit Meets the Page.”

A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

by Andrea Renee Cox

A stuttering author and a beautiful thief. What could possibly go wrong?

Now Available!

Before I get into why I enjoyed this book, let me first share with you the two things that bothered me. Firstly, there were lots of minor expletives, words that many people wouldn’t consider bad but, in the context, quite likely are. Examples include blighted, blasted, blazes, etc. In and of themselves, not terrible words. But like I said, within the context of how they were used and intended, they were replacements for the really bad ones, which equals the same thing to me.

Secondly, there was a moment when the leading man, a Christian, “could hardly begrudge” the leading lady “mumbling and grumbling and growling words no lady should know.” This was disturbing to me. Curse words should never be okay from a Christian perspective—whether saying them or being okay with other people saying them—because they do not honor God, and a Christian’s goals should include honoring God with every word we speak or think. Since Peter was thinking that he couldn’t fault Rosemary for cussing up a storm, it seemed to me that he was okay with it, that he was condoning it. That, to me, was inappropriate and out of character of him.

Because of that bit of a faith flub, I couldn’t give more than three stars, even though I really wanted to. You see, A Name Unknown was a rich, deep, thoughtful story. Its characters were sublime—minus those couple of things I mentioned—and intriguing and complicated. The plot was delicious and kept me riveted to the pages. The pacing was spot-on, bringing fast action scenes and ebbing pauses to let one catch one’s breath. Sweet, salty, sumptuous, suspenseful, secrets… this novel had a little bit of almost everything, and it kept me guessing on most points. I particularly appreciated Ms. White’s attention to detail and historical accuracy. Those are a couple of things I have come to expect with her books, and I was delighted to see they had continued to be strong and richly written in this novel, one I’d looked forward to for months prior to its release.

Trending: eShorts

A relatively new trend in Christian fiction caught my attention recently. Electronic short stories—or eShorts—are popping up everywhere you turn. The neat thing about these miniscule books is that their authors have discovered several different ways in which to use them.

Some writers pen novellas intended for eReaders. JoAnn Durgin’s Meet Me Under the Mistletoe and Starlight, Star Bright are great examples of this type.

Others choose to give their readers a bonus book to share more details about a supporting character the readers fell in love with in a full length novel. Roseanna M. White gave us a glimpse of Isaac Fairchild’s life beyond Ring of Secrets with her eShort, Fairchild’s Lady.

In an upcoming eShort, available for pre-order now at only 99 cents on Amazon.com, You Made Me Love You delivers the much anticipated (at least by me!) bonus story of what happened to Seth Rayner after Beth K. Vogt’s Wish You Were Here.

 

Another style in this growing trend took me by surprise, mostly for its uniqueness. Joanne Bischof’s Heartfelt Recipes is part cook book, part mini-story. Both accompany her Cadence of Grace series. She’s called it a cookbooklet, which I think is a cool term.

Then there’s a series of novellas written by different authors, all with similar themes. A prime example is the Year of Weddings series. It features authors such as Deborah Raney, Rachel Hauck, Katie Ganshert, and Denise Hunter, among others.

Still another type of eShort I’ve enjoyed is the stand-alone connector. Authors of this kind use them to connect two non-series books (a.k.a. stand-alone novels). Kim Vogel Sawyer released one recently, called Just As I Am, that fits between her novels What Once Was Lost and Echoes of Mercy.

With such variety in this new trend, I’m sure authors of all styles of writing will be able to find one that works for them. And I’m sure their readers will love getting their hands on these bonus books. I, for one, am eager for the next one to come across my Kindle!

Which of your favorite authors has tested the eShort waters? Are you a fan of this growing trend? What trends have you noticed lately?



Don't forget, I've recently updated my website here at Writing to Inspire. Now there's a page about the proofreading services I offer. Feel free to share it with your writer friends!

Favorite Quotes of 2013

Since we’re now in December and nearing the end of the calendar year, I’m looking back today at some of my favorite quotes from books I read during the year. Have you read any of these titles yet? If you’re looking for a great read for the holidays, any of the following would be a fabulous choice. Happy reading!

 

“The truth is always fitting.”

            Broken Wings by Dianne Price

“Some things in life don’t get better when they’re rushed. Marriage is one of those things.”

            Jennifer by Dee Henderson

“For now, just do the thing right in front of you that makes sense, and let Him take it from there. There’s going to be a way through this.”

            Jennifer by Dee Henderson

“I decided every female doctor needed a Sully.”

            Catch a Falling Star by Beth K. Vogt

“A lot of us make plans, Griffin. And then life changes.”

            Catch a Falling Star by Beth K. Vogt

“But when a single woman bought a house, it was like admitting that she was alone. Like a widow.”

            Gone South by Meg Moseley

“See, that’s the great thing about faith—the more you need, the bigger it grows.”

            Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan

“And I won’t settle—even if it means staying single for the rest of my life.”

            Lakeside Family by Lisa Jordan

“Alexia decided she much preferred the visible enemy of a good fire to murder, personal attacks, and home invasions.”

            When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason

“I always feel better when I’m ministering to someone else, even if the someone else is a cat.”

            What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer

“Dear Lord, why must I always fall short?”

            What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer

“Your driver’s license and social security card only prove your identity, but they don’t show me who you are.”

            Awakening by JoAnn Durgin

“Tell Lincoln husbands—pretend or otherwise—don’t grow on trees.”

            Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

“Because somehow saving the show meant saving herself, her identity.”

            Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

“Better a life among enemies than a noose around her neck.”

            Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White

“Women are baffling, George. Baffling. They complain if you treat them as pets but grow bored if you treat them as equals.”

            Ring of Secrets by Roseanna M. White

“Letting go can be a harder way to love than holding on.”

            My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

“One can only search for so long before you realize there are just some things you cannot outrun.”

            My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

“It’s time for you to drop your bucket deep down into the well of possibilities that you’ve been ignoring all these years. Drop it all the way down and see what you pull up.”

            Sisterchicks on the Loose! by Robin Jones Gunn

What book quotes have struck your fancy this year? Any books you recommend I add to my to-be-read list?

Fairchild's Lady - a FREE novella

Ten years after his words were used against him by a spy in Ring of Secrets, Isaac Fairchild finds himself using covert tactics in the follow-up novella, Fairchild’s Lady. When he is commissioned to find a friend’s wife and daughter and bring them safely home to England before war breaks out in France, he isn’t expecting Lady Julienne to be so beautiful with such startlingly blue eyes. Will he convince the two women to flee before it’s too late? Or will they wait for the impending proposal from a French duke? Will Fairchild suffer a broken heart for the second time?

This eBook might be short at only eight chapters and a prologue, but it carries a large dose of sweetness. I was glad to see what happened to Fairchild after the events of book one in Roseanna M. White’s Culper Ring series. Even though I wasn’t rooting for him in book one, I did grow quite attached to him. Getting a peek at what took place between Ring of Secrets and Whispers from the Shadows made me feel a little like a spy myself.

The day I was reading this book, I was on a shopping trip. One stop was a Half-Price Books store. Wouldn’t you know I’d see a section on espionage while browsing the military history section for research books for my latest novel. I giggled over the irony of reading a book about spies and happening across a whole shelf full of books about covert operations.

It only took me one day to read this book, and I enjoyed every word of it. It’s a fabulous story that enhances the series. Soon I’ll be reading book two, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing my review on it not long afterwards.

Don't forget to hop over to Roseanna White's website. She's got the links to the free novella here.

Also, Roseanna hosted me recently on her blog. Check out my article here.

Do you like novellas? Do they add to or detract from a series? I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.