Here’s an excerpt from my post:

Chances are, you’ve heard it before: if you want to sell, know your market. For some, that’s a no-brainer. Those who write romances, for example, can usually name an audience. But what if you haven’t yet settled into a niche or write across genres? If finding your target audience is a sticking point for you, believe me, I understand. I hope you’ll read more at Wordserve Water Cooler and join the conversation.

By far the greatest steamboat disaster happened just days after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. On April 27th 1865, the overloaded steamboat Sultana sank in Tennessee with great loss of life, mostly Union soldiers returning home from Confederate prison camps. Of the over 2,4000 people aboard, 1,7000 died. By contrast, the Titanic disaster claimed 1,514 lives.

Why we have forgotten the Sultana but remember the Titanic remains a mystery.

Here’s an interesting tidbit from my research for Tales of Faeraven:

The Byzantines perfected something called Greek fire, which combusted upon contact with water, for primary use in naval warfare (although it showed up in castle sieges). It burned with ferocity, even as one account claims, beneath the water. An eyewitness who saw a lighted barrel catapult toward a besieging army described it as a fireball with a long tail that lit up the night as if it were day and roared like a dragon. Not surprisingly, use of Greek fire ended more than one siege.

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

The formula for Greek fire has been lost in the mists of time. While some believe it contained naphtha or petroleum in some form, no one today knows for certain what was in it.

This week I’ve decided to move over and let a fellow-author share a message that resonates with me. Thanks, Brian!

About Brian Holers

An arborist by day and a novelist in every moment he can steal, Brian’s head is filled with stories which can’t be contained. Be it writing, blogging or ranting to friends, his voice is passionate and compelling.

Brian’s fiction is inhabited by characters who, like people everywhere, search for resolution and connection. Characters of faith appear to show God meeting people wherever they are, whether celebrating victory or learning to live with loss.  Ultimately they must, in keeping with the words of the prayer, gain the serenity to accept the things they can’t change, and the courage to change the things they can.

Raised Christian, Brian now lives in a Jewish home in Seattle, Washington with his wife and son. The family spent 2006 traveling through East Africa, Southeast Asia, Israel and New Zealand. His experiences have given Brian a lifetime of stories to tell.

Life Is Art 

A common stereotype tells us a true artist is tortured. Has us believe that, in order to create works of art from a variety of experience, to make something out of nothing, an artist must figuratively wrestle with demons, must go inside him- or herself to a dark place where anyone with sense would refuse to go; and that, by doing so, an artist is irreparably altered to the extent he or she will never function in polite society again.

It’s simply not true. Maybe tortured artists are just the ones we remember. The ones we read about in tabloids or history books, or see laid out bare, in all their tragic glory, in the movies.

It is true that self-abuse can make a person creative. We crave conflict, in life and in art (number one rule of fiction: create conflict).  Many perceive reality, ordinary daily life, as dull, and prefer dark places. When an artist wallows in torture or pity, the creation may be beautiful, or if not beautiful, then memorable. More likely it will be simply twisted or unusual, barbaric, and will draw the reader in, like reality television, only because he is unable to look away.

Writing is hard. Getting to a creative place, then staying in that place, can take many steps. A writer has these beautiful thoughts, envisions vivid scenes filled with color and symbol, then they turn to dust when a blank page or blank screen appears. The greatest impediment to art, is immersion in reality. It’s not easy to get away from ourselves. So we look for shortcuts to the exalted state of mind required to write. Alcohol. Drugs. Reimagined childhood pain.  Something comes out. The page is no longer blank. The words go together.  They sound pretty good.  Our friends read it. They say, “whoa.  Dude.”

Thus, we keep illness alive. Personally, I guess I’m lucky. I’ve always been high on life. Low at times too, sure. The type of person who can go to imaginary places will be an emotional person. We’re so drawn to the worlds that live only in our minds that we sometimes forget to develop practical skills. We have to write, or else. Or else we can’t make a living. Or can’t stomach what we do have to do to make a living. Most of what I learn, I learn from writing. My goal has always been to get to the truth. The primary ingredients for me are time and discipline. If I tried to drink and write, cry and write, abuse myself and write, uninformed art would follow. Complaining. Drivel. Victimization. Crap.

We all struggle. It’s called being human. We all have a certain instinct, at times overpowering, to do things that aren’t good for us. Drink, dope, be lazy, abuse ourselves and those we love.  Without a plan, we fall to the least common denominator. We look for relief from the pain life has brought us, then the relief makes us stop feeling and we seek out more pain. The other choice is discipline. Personally, I’ve never been smart or energetic enough to simultaneously ruin my life and do anything productive at all. When we embrace the darkness, it may seem to open the door to creativity, assuming we have enough discipline left to write anything at all instead of just staring at the pictures in our drunken minds and saying, “I’m a writer.”  The drivel I’m able to write when I’m just letting things go, is a pale substitute for the clear, laden, beautiful prose that grows from sitting down at a chosen time in a chosen place and working. And working. And working. And unlike drivel, hard-fought art lasts. It actually matters.

Life is hard and potentially very sad. It is filled with brokenness, want and disappointment, and the potential for great melancholy. It is so hard, and so unlikely, for things to work out exactly as we want them to.  We hope and we work to carve a little corner for ourselves, and in the end we’re met with loss and tragedy. No matter what, no matter how good we are, how hard we work, how much money we have, we’ll never get out of it alive. Astonishingly little is in our control. Still, it’s what there is, and it’s a gift filled with potential beyond measure.  And underneath all of it, the one emotion that remains, and must remain, is hope.

I can’t get to that hope, to that beauty underneath, without working very hard. Writing is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do. I’m fortunate to have been uncommonly blessed. I’ve always been high on life. I’ve always enjoyed uplifting, positive stories about real people. People who struggle, as we all do, but who find a way to overcome. And not just stay lost in brokenness.

I can only write that, I can only create that imaginary world, by choosing to be positive and living soberly. The world we create when we write is elusive. So hard to get a finger on it. But in order to get it on paper, sometimes I have to stay back until it shows its face. I have to be waiting, patiently and diligently. Looking. Ready.

About the Book

Fathers, sons and brothers reconnect over tragedy in this blue-collar Southern tale of love, loss and the healing power of community and family.

Vernon Davidson is an angry man. After a lifetime of abuse and loss the 61-year-old is ready to get back at God, his co-workers, and everyone else is in his north Louisiana hometown. He drinks too much to numb the pain, shuns his friends and embarrasses himself in the community. The once-cautious Vernon spirals into a reckless mess.

Only when he is reunited with his estranged nephew Jody is he forced to confront his situation. Jody is struggling in equal parts after inflicting a self-imposed exile upon himself by fleeing the family, and thereby himself, for a new life thousands of miles away. Now his father, Vernon’s brother, is dying and Vernon agrees to retrieve him for his brother’s sake.

Jody embarks on a reluctant journey back to his Louisiana home and the two men together embark on a journey that will ultimately change their lives.

Brian Holers’s Doxology examines an impossibly difficult question: how does a man go about forgiving a God he has grown to despise after the tragedies and endless disappointments he has faced?

Get Your Copy of Doxology on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.You can also purchase Doxology for your iPad/iPod/iPhone in the Apple iBooks store.

Visit the website for Brian Holers

Photo Credit: Marilyn Holmes 2011

Sometimes victory only comes

through surrender.

About DawnSinger

book one in the epic fantasy trilogy, Tales of Faeraven 

Kai, a Guardian of Faeraven, delivers the dying High Queen’s summons to Shae, a princess of Whellein. Together they fly on Kai’s winged horse to Faeraven’s High Hold, where all is not as it seems. Visions warn Shae of danger, and a dark soul touches hers in the night. Although Kai is pledged to protect her, when Shae meets an attractive but disturbing musician, no one can save her from her own wayward heart.

To fulfill prophecy, Kai and Shae must reach the Well of Light before the Daystar completes its arc of the sky. On a perilous journey, they battle Garns, giant raptors and even the wraiths of their own regrets.

Can they find a way to release the DawnKing — and salvation — into a divided land?

Release date TBA

About WayFarer

book two of the epic fantasy trilogy, Tales of Faeraven

Elcon, an untried youth, assumes his duties as High King. But as trouble stirs between nations and rebellion threatens Faeraven, his position is far from secure. The Guardian, Kai, returns from the Cavern of Death without Shae, Elcon’s sister. Can Elcon trust Kai’s claim that the Elder youth accompanying him is the DawnKing of Prophecy, sent to deliver Elderland from the enemy known as the Contender?

Driven to prove himself, Elcon embarks on a peace-keeping campaign into the Elder lands, where he meets a beautiful Elder princess. But Aewen is betrothed to another, and Elcon has promised to court the princess, Arillia, upon his return. Declaring his love for Aewen would shame them both and tear apart the very fabric of Faeraven.

Elcon’s choices lead him into the Vale of Shadows, where he learns that to deliver his people, he must first find his own redemption.

Release Date TBA

Contract Signing for DawnSinger and Wayfarer, the first two books in the Tales of Faeraven epic fantasy trilogy

I stared at the email, half-expecting it to somehow morph into a rejection, but no. It was still a contract offer.  Letting out a yelp, I snatched my cell phone to call my husband.  Later that same day, after opening another email, I would call him back to share more joy. It was a writer’s dream, and it was all mine. In a single day I’d landed a two-book offer and an agent.  Barbara Scott of Wordserve Literary would negotiate the contract for DawnSinger and Wayfarer, books one and two of my epic fantasy series, Tales of Faeraven. Peace and a quiet joy washed over me. It was as if something out of alignment in my life had slid resoundingly into place.

So how did I reach this enviable position? It came through sacrifice, long hours and pain.  I had to develop a focus on writing as a career and work toward my goals no matter what anyone else thought. That’s not to say that my family didn’t support me. They did. But the sometimes-deafening silence that emerging authors hear from the publishing world sends a message, whether intended or not: You don’t matter. Against this silence, a writer can consider herself fortunate to receive a rejection. In the face of such discouragement, it’s hard to keep going, but that’s what you have to do. I can’t teach that piece of the puzzle. It has to come from within.

Would I do this all again? Yes, without a doubt. I’d tackle things differently, though. It wouldn’t take me so long to believe in myself and my writing, for one thing. I’d embrace my journey instead of pining reach the destination. I’d study the writing craft sooner. And I’d never, ever let anyone tell me what I can’t do.

Launching a writing career is not without its share of heartbreaks either. Rare is the writer who completes a successful manuscript the first time around. Considering the amount of time and effort it takes to write a novel, receiving rejection after rejection can make you want to quit. Critiques can help you grow as a writer but also reveal your shortcomings. With your self-confidence eroded, it’s easy to want to throw in the towel.

Even after you sign a publishing contract, edits arrive to humble you.  What made you think you could write in the first place? Being passed over for an award or reading a punishing review of your work can make you think longingly of flipping burgers for a living.

Ask best-selling author, Laurie Alice Eakes. After the success of her award-winning debut novel, her career tanked for a year-and-a-half before she sold thirteen books in a single year. Did she write all those books in one year? No. She wrote four of them. The rest she’d written previously. If she had given up during the hard times, she wouldn’t have enjoyed her banner year.

All of the traits I mentioned in this series are admirable, but none of them will help much if you can’t stick it out, even when success looks impossible. Writing a book takes passion, commitment, focus, dedication,  self-confidence, humility, and above all, perseverance.

 In extending herself to others, Brandilyn exhibited a quality common to many best-selling authors. Humility. When you think about it, only a humble soul will become a student in order to master the craft of writing. It takes humility to meet deadlines, accept edits, and ignore negative reviews. Since publishing thrives on  relationships and pride is so isolating, without humility a writer won’t last long.

If you struggle to obtain humility, don’t despair. Just identifying the problem helps. Here are my tips on conquering the pride monster:

• Acknowledge that you’re self-focused and resolve to change.
•  Confess your prideful attitude and ask those you have wounded for forgiveness.
• Remember that there will always be those with more experience than you and those with less.
•  When someone else’s success makes you jealous, promote that person.
•  When you’re tempted to look down on someone else, remember your own humble beginnings.
•  Deal with others at eye-level.
• Don’t buy your own publicity.
• Build your self-esteem in positive ways. People who postulate lack confidence.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. ~ John Wooden (American basketball player and coach)

Related Posts:

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #5 How to Get Editors, Agents and Readers to Believe

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #4 Where the Rubber Meets the Road

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #3 The Elusive Ingredient in Writing Success

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #2 Where Most Writers Stumble

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #1 Author, Know Yourself

Editors and agents are no different. They must believe you can write well, and that you’ll reach readers from an established platform. Readers also need to see that you believe in your writing. Show them any signs of uncertainty, and they’ll give you as much confidence as you give yourself.

The pilot in my example might have aced every exam and flown without incident for 20 years. It doesn’t matter. If he or she hesitates, you’re trust is lost.  But you might never question the experience of a trainee who exudes confidence.

Best-selling authors have to be brave. It takes courage to win a book contract in the first place, make it through edits, launch the book, weather a barrage of reviews, and of course monitor rankings and sales. Courage is not fear’s absence but rather carrying on despite it. As an example, best-selling author Jody Hedlund blogged about her “terror” at release of her debut novel, but then went on to write her second book.

Virtually every best-selling author of which I’m aware exhibits self-confidence.  If you lack this quality, here are some tips:

• Study the craft of writing until you could teach it yourself.
• Engage in a critique group both to build your confidence and to help you take constructive criticism.
• Either study self-editing or hire a professional editor you trust to go over your manuscript, and then learn from the advice you receive.
• Enter writing competitions like ACFW’s Genesis contest to sharpen your skills and to receive notes for improvement.
• Join Toastmasters or another group that helps you gain confidence in front of others.
• Develop online and in-person friendships with other writers.
• Edit any negative self-talk.

Believe in yourself and others will believe in you too.

Please leave more ideas to help others in the comments.

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7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #4 Where the Rubber Meets the Road 

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #3 The Elusive Ingredient in Writing Success

7 Traits of Successful Writers: #2 Where Most Writers Stumble

7 Traits of Best-selling Authors: #1 Author Know Yourself

I once worked in a Seattle skyscraper, chained to my virtual desk for long overtime hours. As I tackled impossible daily quotas, I had to work fast and accurately. With the computer monitoring my productivity, if I wanted my job I couldn’t slack.

While my employment as an assistant underwriter is behind me, those years taught me the same techniques best-selling authors use. Passion, commitment and focus are only part of what it takes to win as a writer. It also takes dedication. That’s a nice concept, but how do you apply it to every day?

1. Check your hat at the door. Whatever puzzles life brings your way should remain outside the work arena. If you bring them to your desk with you, they’ll only slow you down. When you sit down to work, forget all that.  This time, right now, is set apart for your writing and nothing else. Or as Mark Twain put it: “Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

2. Set goals.  Whether you strive for a particular word count or to complete specific scenes, aim a little higher than you think is possible. You may surprise yourself. Even if you don’t reach all your goals, by focusing on them you’ll probably accomplish more than you would have otherwise. “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”  ~T.S. Eliot

3. Schedule your time. Writers love to quote Mary Heaton Vorse: “The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.” Some abbreviate this method to BIC (butt in chair). It’s harder than it sounds. It’s entirely possible to work hard all day and get nothing that you needed to do done. By keeping a schedule, you take control of your time and can switch rapidly from one task to another without taking time to consider. If even a schedule you set makes you rebel, work down a prioritized To Do List instead.

4. Monitor your computer use. While computers are useful tools, they also distract us. With no one looking over your shoulder, it’s easy to look at “just one” video or peek at Facebook. Now I’m not against rewarding yourself for completing tasks, but if your reward is an hour on a favorite video game, there’s a problem. In Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer, Best-selling author Jeff Vandermeer relates that his wife hides his modem in a different place each day. After he calls and tells her he’s completed his writing goals for the day, she tells him its location. If you don’t have such a cooperative spouse, I suggest installing Rescue Time, a program that allows you to track your computer use. If you need the help, it can even be set to regulate your Internet use.

I can’t guarantee that you’ll become a best-selling author, but following these techniques should increase your chances.

*Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links she provides.