Skip to main content

Guest blogger Allison Bottke

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.08.2006

Many of you know Allison Bottke from her GOD ALLOWS U-TURNS books, but Allison just released her debut novel from Bethany House, A STITCH IN TIME!

Debut novelist Allison Bottke introduces Dee Decker, a successful fundraising executive in Southern California, who is out to prove that a middle-aged Christian woman can be faithful, fashionable, and fabulous! Dee works in a world populated by highly competitive, impossibly thin, perfectly coiffed, and designer outfitted women. Dee has never felt like she fits in, but nonetheless enjoys a well-earned reputation as being cool, calm, collected, and in control. When she discovers that her husband is having an affair, Dee embarks on a journey of self-discovery (and plastic surgery) that will transform her inside and out. But it is Dee’s spiritual transformation that will bring real change to her life and the lives of her family.

In the course of one year Dee Decker . . .

. . . has gastric bypass surgery and loses 150 pound
s
. . . has plastic surgery
. . . separates from her husband
. . . buys a whole new wardrobe
. . . flourishes in her glamorous fundraiser job
. . . and becomes a Christian.

She's a new person inside and out, and the future looks bright. But then a job offer sends her life in a direction she hadn't expected. Her past and present are about to collide in a major way. Will Dee discover how to balance the fast-paced Southern California lifestyle with her new values?


And now, here’s Allison!

After twenty non-fiction books published under the God Allows U-Turns umbrella brand, my dream to write and publish fiction has finally come true. It really is like “birthing a baby,” and if I wouldn’t look like a total ditzoid, I’d wear my book on a chain around my neck like a necklace, thereby keeping it close to my heart. Okay, maybe I’m not THAT weird, but close…

I love to read all genres of fiction, particularly contemporary women’s fiction. After I had lost 120 pounds from having gastric bypass weight loss surgery (WLS), I had the idea that it might be rather unique to write a novel with a character that also had WLS. Plus, all the writers’ conferences I ever attended stressed that we should “write what we know.” I know a lot about fundraising and fashion and special events, so I figured I’d incorporate that into the book as well. I developed a chapter outline and wrote a few chapters and took an intensive fiction writing workshop at a writer’s conference. One thing led to another and A STITCH IN TIME released this month (June 2006.)

I learned to write fiction by reading it and by reading about how to write it. I am basically self-taught. I also attended writers conferences and listened to “How To” tapes and CD’s. I had no idea about all of the various POV’s (point of view) so I read a book on point of view and decided to use First Person for A STITCH IN TIME. There are several amazing authors who are also gifted teachers when it comes to generously sharing their knowledge about writing in the CBA market. I’ve learned valuable tools for fiction writing from: James Scott Bell, Brandilyn Collins, Angela Hunt, Randy Ingermanson, Tracie Peterson, and Gayle Roper.

For your readers who don’t know me or the God Allows U-Turns anthology of true short stories, you asked me to share how I came up with the God Allows U-Turns series and how it turned into the ministry it is today. I came to know the Lord at the age of 35 after living a spiritually empty life. The first 35-years of my life were filled with extreme trials and tribulation. My background includes early childhood molestation, extreme domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, abortion, divorce, and more ups and down than humanly imaginable.

Because I have always been a writer, as I walked more closely with Jesus, I found myself pouring out my life story in an epic memoir that never did get published, I mean really, who would want to read it?  But one day I was inspired to make my testimony part of a larger group of testimonies that shared how new life could be lived as a Christian … how God allowed us to turn around no matter how many mistakes we made, or how lost we were! “God Allows U-Turns” had been the name of my memoir, and I retained it as the name of my book series. I wrote a book proposal (using online resources for How to Write a Book Proposal) and sent it to a list of agents. Within one month it was picked up by one of the most respected Christian literary agencies in the country – and the rest is history.

I used to find it difficult to share personal details about my life, but not any more. At first, many years ago, it was painful to discuss being molested as a child, and then years later sharing the extreme abuse I endured at the hands of a violent husband. Sharing that you are a survivor of childhood abuse and domestic violence is never easy, but the more I talked to others about it, the less painful it became. Plus, and this is the big thing, I began to see how God used my transparency to help others through the same issues.

When I had gastric bypass surgery in October of 2000, I went from 280 pounds to 160 pounds in one year. This was life transforming in so many ways that when I began to think about writing my first novel, I wondered what it would be like to write about a career woman who also has weight loss surgery. As well known as this operation has become, many folks have no idea what goes on for many of us during that first year after surgery. Readers are telling me they are fascinated with this aspect of A STITCH IN TIME. I pray the bits of fact that are woven throughout the novel will help to paint a rich picture of Dee’s life as she transforms inside and outside.

My longtime goal has always been to write for the Big Screen. I long to write screenplays. I grew up at the Saturday afternoon matinees in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. I watched old RKO films on the TV every chance I could get growing up. Romantic comedy is my favorite genre, and I would love to see my debut novel, as well as my second novel, translated into films. In fact, my second novel, the one I’m working on now, started its life as a screenplay. I had an actress in mind and wrote the outline for the movie and began dialogue on this project many, many years ago. Now, I’ve picked it up, dusted it off, and I’m writing it first as a novel.

As for advice for aspiring novelists? I know it sounds so easy to say, “Never give up,” and yet that is first and foremost the advice I give. I’m fifty years old! I’ve wanted to write fiction since I was a kid. The second bit of advice I share is to never judge yourself by what others have done or are doing. We set ourselves up for failure when we do this. There’s always going to be someone better, someone different, someone yada-yada-yada … we must look at our individual talents as gifts from God and forge ahead! The third and final bit of advice I will give is to never stop learning. My bookshelves are filled with “How To” books and tapes, and CD’s, and DVD’s. I subscribe to writer magazines, attend writing workshops, and strive to stay on top of the fresh resources available to help fine tune my craft as a writer.

And last but not least … PRAY! Not as a last resort, but as the first line of defense against anything that might happen in daily life! Prayer changes things, no doubt about it!

God’s Peace!
Allison Gappa Bottke, Author of A Stitch in Time, Bethany House Publishers
www.godallowsuturns.com

Camy here: Thanks, Allison!

Popular Posts

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...

Toilet seat cover

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Update August 2008: I wrote up the pattern for this with "improvements"! Here's the link to my No Cold Bums toilet seat cover ! Okay, remember a few days ago I was complaining about the cold toilet seat in my bathroom? Well, I decided to knit a seat cover. Not a lid cover, but a seat cover. I went online and couldn’t find anything for the seat, just one pattern for the lid by Feminitz.com . However, I took her pattern for the inside edge of the lid cover and modified it to make a seat cover. Here it is! It’s really ugly stitch-wise because originally I made it too small and had to extend it a couple inches on each side. I figured I’d be the one staring at it, so who cared if the extension wasn’t perfectly invisible? I used acrylic yarn since, well, that’s what I had, and also because it’s easy to wash. I’ll probably have to wash this cover every week or so, but it’s easy to take off—I made ties which you can see near the back of the seat. And...

Tabi socks, part deux

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.25.2008 (If you're on Ravelry, friend me! I'm camytang.) I made tabi socks again! (At the bottom of the pattern is the calculation for the toe split if you're not using the same weight yarn that I did for this pattern (fingering). I also give an example from when I used worsted weight yarn with this pattern.) I used Opal yarn, Petticoat colorway. It’s a finer yarn than my last pair of tabi socks, so I altered the pattern a bit. Okay, so here’s my first foray into giving a knitting pattern. Camy’s top-down Tabi Socks I’m assuming you already know the basics of knitting socks. If you’re a beginner, here are some great tutorials: Socks 101 How to Knit Socks The Sock Knitter’s Companion A video of turning the heel Sock Knitting Tips Yarn: I have used both fingering weight and worsted weight yarn with this pattern. You just change the number of cast on stitches according to your gauge and the circumference of your ankle. Th...

Free Christian Romantic Suspense Novels by Camy Tang / Camille Elliot

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, novella) Click here to buy the FREE ebook on all retailers Alex Villa became a Christian in prison, and because of his efforts to help stop a gang producing meth in Sonoma, he has been set up for the death of a cop. Can computer expert Jane Lawton find the evidence that will prove his innocence before the gang eliminates them both? Fantasy short stories: Pixies in a Garden in Kyoto There were pixies in the garden. Since she was in Kyoto, she was certain they were not called pixies, but she didn't know what they would be called in Japanese, and they certainly looked like what she imagined pixies would look like. The King’s Daughter The trees in the King's garden were full of colored pixie lights. The...

What Is a Brutus Cut? A Regency Hair Trend Inspired by Ancient Rome

Regency Haircuts and Disguises in Lady Wynwood’s Spies In this excerpt from Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 8: Traitor , Phoebe prepares for a dangerous mission—one that requires her to disguise herself as a young man. The hairstyle she receives, called a Brutus cut, was actually quite fashionable during the Regency. Read on to find out more about this curious trend and why it suited her new identity so well. Excerpt from Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 8: Traitor : By far, the absolute worst part of Uncle Sol’s plan was that Phoebe had to cut her hair. Of the four agents, Phoebe and Mr. Coulton-Jones would be the least likely to be recognized when they entered the Ramparts building—Mr. Coulton-Jones, because of his skill in altering his facial features and his posture, and Phoebe, because she could play a convincing young man, which no one would expect. A disreputable hat would hide her long hair to an extent, but it would not fool anyone who looked closely. Also, because she would lo...