I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
About Liz:
Liz Johnson grew up reading Christian fiction and always dreamed of being a part of the publishing industry. After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, she set out to fulfill her dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream—becoming an author. While she was writing her first book, she completed the Christian Writers Guild apprentice course and wrote articles for several magazines.
Liz lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she enjoys theater, ice skating, volunteering in her church's bookstore and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nephew and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn is her first novel. Keep up with Liz's adventures in writing through her Web site.
And now, here’s Liz!
The Beginning
I'm at the ACFW conference in Indianapolis this weekend. Three days, 600 writers, and countless beginnings. We start relationships. We start on new roads of learning. We start stories. Many of those stories this weekend are verbal, and they often start with questions. What's your family like? How did you end up living in Alaska? (By the way, that's a real question i asked this weekend.) How did you meet your spouse? My favorite spouse story this weekend is from my friend Michelle, who claims to have spiked a volleyball in her future husband's face. And the rest, as they say, is history.
But all these new starts have me thinking about how a book gets its start. What's the genesis? The germ of an idea that gets the story started? For some authors its a picture or a memory. For some it might be a character or a face, a trip or a nugget of history. Every author has his or her own starting point.
The most basic seed for my latest book, SEAL Under Siege, was planted almost ten years ago when I heard Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer speak about their captivity in a Middle Eastern prison. They'd been missionaries in Afghanastan. Thrown into prison for teaching Christianity. And ultimately rescued by US Special Forces. I loved their story from the moment I heard it. What strength and conviction it must have taken to survive months inside that prison. Months without the ability to communicate with family. Months without hope.
And yet they did have hope. In fact, they called their book Prisoners of Hope.
For years I wondered what it would be like to be in a prison and see a team of SEALs come to the rescue. That wondering led to the first chapter of SEAL Under Siege, where Tistan rescues Staci from prison. That was the seed, but the adventure that follows, well, that's all fictional.
Camy: That’s such a neat story! Thanks for being here today Liz!
Liz is also giving away a copy of her book!
by Liz Johnson
SHE'S NOT SAFE YET
When Staci Hayes is rescued from a Mideast prison by navy SEAL Tristan Sawyer, she thinks the ordeal is over. But back in San Diego, a new threat arises. Staci has information that could prevent a hit on U.S. soil, and the terrorist will stop at nothing to silence her. Tristan insists on being her bodyguard, but his constant presence makes her long for things beyond her reach. Protecting Staci is the second chance Tristan needs to put the past behind him. Yet with a spy on the naval base, anyone could be a threat. Can he offer her safety…and love?
Men of Valor: These navy SEALS were born to excel….
I (actually, Liz) is giving away a copy of SEAL Under Siege over at the Love Inspired Authors blog!
Click over to the Love Inspired Authors blog to enter.
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