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Tuesday, March 16, 2021
FREE Memoir for Animal Lovers for St. Patrick's Day AND the Day After - Tails and Purrs for the Heart and Soul
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
My Favorite Creative Writing Books - by Lorilyn Roberts
From time to time, people
ask me what my favorite books are to learn how to write. Of course, it depends
on what kind of story you want to tell. There are hundreds of creative writing books penned by
excellent authors, and some of those books may be better than the ones I’m
going to recommend here.
That said, every author has
his or her favorites.
Most of these I’m listing are
books I read when I earned my Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. Considering
how many awards I’ve won, I believe they've helped me and would also help others.
If you have any favorites,
please add them in the comments section below, and I can do an addendum later.
First, I want to add a few insights
on writing (I can’t help myself).
1. Good writing is
rewriting.
2. No matter how many
books you write, writing is hard. You might learn a few things to improve your
craft along the way, but it takes persistence. Don’t give up. Just keep working
at it. Those paragraphs eventually turn into chapters, and those chapters
eventually turn into a book.
3. After writing your
first draft, that’s when the real work begins—editing. I’ve heard many
newbies say they hate editing. Learn to love editing. You will edit many more
hours than writing your first draft.
4. If you are writing
to make a lot of money, you might be disappointed. If you are writing because
you can’t help but write, you are a writer.
5. Read a lot, and
those books that stick with you forever, ask why. Writing is more than just a
mental activity. Writing involves the heart, the emotions, the senses, and the
intellect. Think about what made those books special—and there is no right or
wrong answer. Books are a work of art.
6. Be willing to take
constructive suggestions. In the end, it’s up to you what you do with that
“criticism.” Don’t be defensive. Just say “thank you” and move on.
7. If you write something that changes the world or improves people’s lives, relationships, or perspective, thank God He used you to make the world a better place, and give Him the glory.
Here goes my list of books in no particular order linked to Amazon:
Writing to Change the World, by Mary Pipher
The Elements of Style, By William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White
How to Write Killer Fiction, by Carolyn Wheat
Writing for Story by Jon Franklin
On Moral Fiction by John Gardner
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham (important for fiction)
If you are interested in writing a memoir, here is a link to an award-winning article I wrote:
"Writing a Memoir in Twelve Easy Steps"
I would also recommend you find a writer's group in your area and start attending. I lead the local Word Weavers International in Gainesville, Florida, so if you live near me, you are welcome to join us. There are also many other chapters across the United States as well as some online critique groups. Click on this link to learn more.
If you have any specific writing questions, post them in the comments below and I will reply as time permits.
If you would like to check out my latest book, Tails and Purrs for the Heart and Soul, click here.
In the meantime, happy writing!
Monday, February 1, 2021
Author Phyllis Sather's Book Review of Tails and Purrs for the Heart and Soul Written by Lorilyn Roberts
Reviewed by Phyllis Sather
If you enjoy animals, you need to read Tails and Purrs.
It's perfect for reading
around the fireplace on a cool evening. Wrap in a warm blanket and just enjoy
yourself.
I am so glad I read this
book. It’s a delightful way to get to know the author a bit. Instead of
somewhat boring details, she gives us peeks into her life by introducing us to
her pets. I’ve only had a couple of pets, but I could certainly relate to some of
her stories.
She brings herself and her
pets to life as she tells about their relationship. She’s very open about her
losses and attempts not to love another pet, but as is so often the case, when
you see the right animal your heart just won’t let you hold back your feelings.
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Win a Subscription to AUDIBLE + BonusPaperbacks!
Win a Subscription to AUDIBLE + BonusPaperbacks!
CLICK HERE
(2) Winners of Three-Month Audible Subscriptions
Plus various audio and paperback book winners (randomly selected) (randomly selected)
LORILYN ROBERTS HAS SOME FREE BOOKS IN THE FAIR SO DON'T MISS OUT. CLICK HERE FOR A STRAIGHT LINK TO THE FAIR AND ADDITIONAL FREE AND 99¢ BOOKS.
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Book Review by Award-Winning Author Lorilyn Roberts of Lisa J. Lickel's New Medical/Romance Thriller "UnderCut"
UnderCut by Lisa J. Lickel may be her best novel yet. The story begins with a couple who are engaged amid a backdrop of family dysfunction, emotional entanglements, medical intrigue, and dark forces out for revenge. The narrative builds into an engrossing plotline that is driven forward with authentic, engaging characters caught in the crossfire of evil.
The medical thriller never lags, and many themes dealing with complex and relevant issues concerning racial relations, adoption, and family dynamics take center stage.
More subtle topics like the intersection of faith in the midst of suffering add depth and authenticity to the characters.
I also learned more than I knew before about the world of kidney transplants and the need for more volunteers to sign up on the national register.
While the story has a good solid ending, the author left an opening for a sequel, so I look forward to reading the next book in the series if one should follow.
To order from Amazon, click here.
About Lisa J. Lickel
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Sassy Pants Learns to Take Care of Others, by Carol A. Brown -- Book Review by Lorilyn Roberts
Sassy Pants Learns to Take Care of Others is the fourth and final book in the Sassy Pants Series. You do not need to have read the previous books in the series to become quickly immersed in this book.
The language is delightful, appropriate for young kids, and written in such a way that would be fun for a parent to read to a young child, or for a slightly older child (up to thirteen) to enjoy reading on his own.
The tone and affirmations throughout the book reflect great life lessons—the virtues of kindness and caring, the sting of being selfish or insensitive, and the willingness to be taught and become wise.
The illustrations are outstanding and bring to
life the words of the story. Kids will love the artist’s creativity, especially
the facial expressions of the animals.
There is so much to like about the Sassy Pants Series. If you are looking for a great animal series
for kids for Christmas, I highly recommend it.
Your child will love the little Sassy Pants’ pig and the unexpected surprise
that awaits her at the end.
To Order from Amazon, click here
In Carol A. Brown's own words:
In addition to being passionate about reading and writing, I enjoy nature, music, and playing the piano. I also do pottery, knit, crochet, and paint. David and I live in Juneau, Alaska. We have two daughters, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
My current faith assignment is to stay close to Jesus so that I can hear what He says and write it down.
Sunday, October 11, 2020
New from Cheryl Colwell Astoria Rumors
Cheryl Colwell
Suspense
October, 2020
$3.99 ebook, 283 pp
Buy on
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08J7KJ5SH
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Astoria-Rumors-Get-Eaven-Book-ebook/dp/B08J7KJ5SH
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Astoria-Rumors-Get-Eaven-Book-ebook/dp/B08J7KJ5SH/
About the Book
She's desperate, alone and unprotected. But she will survive.
Homeless, broke, and broken, Eaven Alexander resurrects her career, but with an innovative twist. Her degrees in historical architecture and antiques attract a lucrative but questionable job offer to locate an important document for the mysterious Greg Sault.
The hunt takes her inside a decaying mansion and into conflict with Clayton Mercer, a town heavyweight and Greg’s enemy. Too late, she realizes that something insidious is lurking beneath Astoria’s idyllic façade. And that no one is who they claim to be.
Lisa’s Review
Dragging herself out of her rut might have been the most important thing Eaven has done for herself since a devastating accident robbed her of her happiness. Eyes wide shut to the crumbling decay of her comfort zone, she feels hung out to dry after her husband reveals the depth of his own despair. Waking to reality forces Eaven to face unpleasant truths about herself. Coming from high society in Charleston SC, Eaven had run as far northeast as she could to rural Washington State, Eaven decides to reclaim her former professional life as an antiques appraiser. But first she needs to build her stakes. Her first stop down the coast is Astoria, where she meets a mystery man, Greg, and becomes privy to the town’s unnerving history.
Greg hires her to help clean out his grandmother’s house, but his real objective is hidden in the mists of time and allusion. At the same time, one of the last town bigwigs has died, and his relative, Clayton, is looking for help getting an old moldy family mansion inventoried and hopefully ready for sale. Eaven happens to fill that need, and she’s put in a position to be able to double agent, so to speak.
A series of awkward and dangerous events, filled with clues and a curious series of historical flashbacks, flood the book until the conclusion. There’s obviously something nefarious happening in Astoria; that’s never a secret; but how the rest of the citizens, and in particular the visitors like Eaven, act on those events and that history provide an intriguing visit to Astoria. Good details engage the reader.
About the Author
Cheryl Colwell loves to travel. and loves being home with family and friends, authentic conversations, the gifts of faith and writing, and people who are as passionate about life as she is. Each new adventure, whether traveling, listening, or writing a book, reveals things she needs to know. Things she needs to share. Readers will find these adventures and insights on her Journey with Me blog. Visit www.cherylcolwell.com.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
"Peter and the Whimper-Whineys Coloring Book" by Sherrill Cannon, reviewed by Lorilyn Roberts
Peter and the Whimper-Whineys Coloring Book would be an awesome addition to any parent's library. After reading the story, children can color in the pages as they reflect on the moral presented.
I love books that tell great truths without sounding preachy, but instead, use the writer's creativity to engage the audience. Showing truth instead of "telling" is a gift of Sherrill S. Cannon. She also has a remarkable ability to write rhyming stories for children that parents love to read - over and over to their kids.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
A Delightful Book for Children with ADHD - David's ADHD by Sherrill S. Cannon, Reviewed by Lorilyn Roberts
David's ADHD by Sherill S. Cannon is an excellent read for kids who struggle with ADHD. I learned more about ADHD in this delightful kids' picture book and how to help families cope than I thought possible. Most importantly, it's written so that children can understand the challenges and develop useful strategies for impatience, frustration, and out-of-control impulses.
I believe David's ADHD would be a great encouragement for everybody involved with ADHD, and it would give me hope that I could make my own child's life better if I had a son or daughter who struggled with it.
Particular elements of David's ADHD that I liked included:
The rhyming lines, which make it fun for adults to read to their children.
The colorful and warm drawings
The book follows a three-act set-up: the problem, the journey, and the resolution.
David's ADHD is timely and relevant.
Elementary school children would be able to read David's ADHD.
Although I've personally not had to deal with ADHD, I have friends who have, and David's ADHD has given me more empathy for how ADHD affects families and encouraging ways to approach the issue with beneficial outcomes.
Monday, August 24, 2020
Christian eBook and Paperback Giveaway - August 25 Through August 31
Christian eBook & Paperback Giveaway!
(2) Winners of eBook "Gift Baskets of ALL ebooks pictured!
(31+) Winners of individual ebooks or bonus paperbacks (randomly selected)
Friday, August 14, 2020
New historical romance from Robin Fuson
Worthless to Priceless
Robin Densmore Fuson
Buy on Amazon
Ebook $2.99
Print $7.99
198 pp
July 2020
About the Book
At the tender age of thirteen,
orphaned Jenny Low decides to take matters in her own hands and runs away from
her captive life in a Ute tribe. Rescued from near death by a kindly teamster,
Samuel Baunof, Jenny is sent to live with a family in Glenwood Springs,
Colorado in 1886. She learns the truth of wickedness and runs again straight
into true evil.
Meanwhile, Samuel holds his head up while facing life's cruelty head on. A few
years later, he crosses paths with the orphaned girl he once rescued. Now a
beautiful young woman, Jenny is a God-send in his time of need. Their trials
aren’t over and Samuel finds himself tracking her through the wilderness where,
unbeknownst to him, someone else is after her too. Will he get to her in time?
Can these two people with completely different backgrounds and beliefs help
each other and those around them? Is Samuel able to rescue Jenny from the
horror her life has been drawn into? Is his faith strong enough to help her
understand that God loves her and didn’t abandon her? Jenny is challenged to
accept love and forgiveness even when she feels the world closing in.
Lisa's review
Heart-achy love story between a young girl, brutally abused on the old west of Colorado, and a widower searching for someone to care for his young children.
It’s a familiar trope well-retold by a master storyteller. Fuson’s tales are always dramatic and life-changing no matter where or when they’re set.
Jenny has an almost True Grit aspect to her life, though she needs to kindness of others to help her escape the desperate circumstances she is in. After escaping from one horror and jumping into the next, this girl just can’t get a break until her life circles around to meet with the rescuer who thought he’d done a good deed.
Samuel has a good position as a teamster in Colorado; it’s just that he’s on the road for days at a time and when his wife passes away, he has three young tots to care for. Life is funny when it leads him back to the young girl he rescued from the desert. Horrified to learn the couple who took her in failed her dreadfully, and the next troubling circumstance she entered was even worse, Samuel was more than determined to see her safe.
Nicely told from both sides of gritty realism, romance readers will enjoy Fuson’s latest story.
About the Author
Robin recently moved to Tennessee
with her husband Jimmy. Together, they celebrate with seventeen grandchildren.
An award winner for romance and flash fiction. Robin is multi-published and
writes stories on her blog for children. Robin is a member of ACFW, Vice
President of ACFW Colorado Western Slope, and member of John316 Marketing
Network. She enjoys leading a Bible study group and singing in two community
choirs. Robin loves company and challenging her young guests to discover the
many giraffes in the obvious and hidden nooks and crannies of their home.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
New Book Release - Gripped Part 4: Smoke & Mirrors, by Stacy Padula - Book Review
In the fourth installment of Stacy Padula’s Gripped Book Series, the stakes are higher as Taylor Dunkin struggles to save himself and protect the ones he loves. He never knew that a slippery slope could cause him to fall into such a pit of despair. As he tries to pull himself out, however, he begins to realize that he may not be able to escape the mess of his own creation.
*~*~*~*
Taylor’s two younger brothers, Jordan and Marc have been at odds for years, but they are drawn together to try to decipher the mysterious clues Taylor is leaving for his whereabouts. As secrets are revealed, the relationships between the Dunkin boys may change forever, and their town of Montgomery Lake along with them.
Stacy Padula’s masterful control of a bifurcated storyline keeps the reader intrigued in two chronologies of events. The characters grow richer with each passing novel, and the depth of the relationship between them approaches reality.
A
five-star review for Gripped 4: Smoke and Mirrors.
- Mackenzie Wells,
University of Georgia
To purchase a Smoke & Mirrors from Amazon, click here.
To learn more about Stacy Padula, visit her Amazon Page by clicking here
Friday, June 26, 2020
NEW RELEASE by Award-Winning Author JIM BATON - Hope Trilogy #3
NEW RELEASE by award-winning author JIM BATON
Hope Trilogy #3
June 16, 2020
In the HOPE Trilogy, teenagers Kelsey and Harmonie solve mysteries, fight for justice, experience the supernatural, and find their place in God’s destiny for their town of Hope, Colorado.
From the back cover:
The tension in the town of Hope builds to a climax in this thrilling conclusion to the Hope Trilogy. A major setback for those pursuing a citywide transformation drives them back to the House of Prayer and opens them to new partnerships with others. Change begins to infiltrate the spheres of business, education, media and the arts, resulting in all-out war with a corrupt government. Teenagers Kelsey and Harmonie are once again at the epicenter of shaking their city as they investigate a murder and fight for social justice, determined to see their town finally come into its destiny.
The Hope Trilogy is written for those who are hungry for God’s revival and transformation of their communities.
“Jim Baton is a master storyteller…Every one of these books is a page-turner.”
–Carolyn Klaus, Christian book reviewer
JIM BATON has spent the last 20 years in the world's largest Muslim nation, building bridges between Muslims and Christians who both desire peace. His speaking and writing call people out of fear and into authentic friendships that can change the world.
Books In This Series (3 Books)
Complete Series
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