Dat is fantastisch! Talking to the Dead - the Dutch Translation

Some fun stuff in the mail bag today: The Dutch translation of Talking to the Dead!

Awards! Awards!

Summer is a season of disarray, isn't it? The sun shines, we check out of the office for a few weeks vacation (hopefully), the kids are out of school - and things slip through the sandy beach cracks. Like these bits of happy news! Talking to the Dead has had a lovely run lately - starting with The Word Guild Awards held this past June, where it was announced as:

Novel—Contemporary *Winner* – Bonnie Grove of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, for Talking to the Dead: A Novel (David C. Cook)

In addition to winning the category, Talking to the Dead was named an honorable mention for Book of the Year.

This weekend, finalists for the Carol Awards (formerly ACFW Book of the Year) were announced. Talking to the Dead has finaled in the debut novel category. Hurray!

Below is the full list of finalists:

Finalists for this inaugural year of the Carol Awards (formerly Book of the Year).

Debut Author

Bonnie Grove - Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook Publishing)
Liz Johnson - The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn (Steeple Hill)
Kirk Outerbridge - Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Jill Eileen Smith - Michal (Revell)
Dan Walsh - The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Contemporary Novella

6 Finalists due to a tie
Barbara Cameron – One Child (Thomas Nelson)
Barbara Cameron – When Winter Comes (Thomas Nelson)
Debra Clopton – A Mule Hollow Match (Steeple Hill)
Susan May Warren – The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House)
Beth Wiseman – A Change of Heart (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman – A Choice to Forgive (Thomas Nelson)

Historical Novella

Victoria Bylin – Home Again (Steeple Hill)
Vickie McDonough – A Breed Apart (Barbour Publishing)
Vickie McDonough – Beloved Enemy (Barbour Publishing)
Janet Tronstad - Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill)
Carrie Turansky - A Shelter in the Storm (Barbour Publishing)

Long Contemporary

6 Finalists due to a tie
Christina Berry - The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers)
Mary Ellis - A Widow's Hope (Harvest House Publishers)
Joyce Magnin - The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Abingdon Press)
Susan Meissner - White Picket Fences (Waterbrook Press)
Marlo Schalesky- If Tomorrow Never Comes (Multnomah)
Susan May Warren - Nothing But Trouble (Tyndale House)

Long Contemporary Romance

Candace Calvert - Critical Care (Tyndale House)
Denise Hunter - Seaside Letters (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones - Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson)
Beth Wiseman - Plain Promise (Thomas Nelson)
Cindy Woodmsall - The Hope of Refuge (Waterbrook Press)

Mystery

A.K. Arenz - The Case of the Mystified M.D. (Sheaf House)
Mindy Starns Clark - Under the Cajun Moon (Harvest House Publishers)
Darlene Franklin - A String of Murders (Heartsong Mysteries)
S. Dionne Moore - Polly Dent Loses Grip (Heartsong Mysteries)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna - Pushing up Daisies (Heartsong Mysteries)

Long Historical

Deeanne Gist - A Bride in the Bargain (Bethany House)
Robin Lee Hatcher - Fit To Be Tied (Zondervan)
Maureen Lang - Look to the East (Tyndale House)
Siri Mitchell - Love's Pursuit (Bethany House)
Allison Pittman - Stealing Home (Multnomah)

Long Historical Romance

8 Finalists due to a tie
Amanda Cabot - Paper Roses (Revell)
Mary Connealy - Cowboy Christmas (Barbour Publishing)
Mary Connealy - Montana Rose (Barbour Publishing)
Laura Frantz - The Frontiersman's Daughter (Revell)
Ann Gabhart - The Believer (Revell)
Julie Lessman - A Passion Denied (Revell)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna - Love Finds Youin Poetry, Texas (Summerside Press)
Kathleen Y’Barbo - The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper (Waterbrook Press)

Short Contemporary

Debra Clopton - His Cowgirl Bride (Steeple Hill)
Myra Johnson - Autumn Rains (Heartsong Presents)
Vickie McDonough - A Wagonload of Trouble (Heartsong Presents)
Mae Nunn - A Texas Ranger's Family (Steeple Hill)
Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye - Dreaming of Home (Steeple Hill)

Short Contemporary Suspense

6 Finalists due to a tie
Jill Elizabeth Nelson - Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Sandra Robbins - Final Warning (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith - Murder at Eagle Summit (Steeple Hill)
Virginia Smith - Scent of Murder (Steeple Hill)
Jenness Walker - Double Take (Steeple Hill)
Lenora Worth - Code of Honor (Steeple Hill)

Short Historical

Lyn Cote - Her Patchwork Family (Steeple Hill)
Laurie Alice Eakes - The Glassblower (Heartsong Presents)
Laurie Kingery - The Outlaw's Lady (Steeple Hill)
Lynette Sowell - All That Glitters (Heartsong Presents)
Dan Walsh - The Unfinished Gift (Revell)

Speculative (includes Science Fiction,Fantasy, Allegory)

6 Finalists due to a tie
Kirk Outerbridge - Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press)
Donita K. Paul - The Vanishing Sculptor (Waterbrook Press)
Steve Rzasa - The Word Reclaimed (Marcher Lord Press)
Stuart Vaughn Stockton – Starfire (Marcher Lord Press)
Fred Warren - The Muse (Splashdown Books)
Jill Williamson - By Darkness Hid (Marcher Lord Press)

Suspense/Thriller

Terri Blackstock – Intervention (Zondervan)
Colleen Coble - Lonestar Secrets (Thomas Nelson)
Brandilyn Collins – Exposure (Zondervan)
Harry Kraus - Salty Like Blood (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
DiAnn Mills - Breach of Trust (Tyndale House)

Women’s Fiction

7 Finalists due to a tie
Julie Carobini - Sweet Waters (B&H Publishing)
Kathryn Cushman – Leaving Yesterday (Bethany House)
Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck - Sweet By and By (Thomas Nelson)
Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay - Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press)
Deborah Raney - Yesterday's Embers (Howard/Simon & Schuster)
Deborah Raney - Above All Things (Steeple Hill)
Lisa Wingate - The Summer Kitchen (New American Library/Penguin)

Young Adult

Shelley Adina - Who Made You a Princess? (Hachette FaithWords)
Brandilyn & Amberly Collins - Always Watching (Zondervan)
Jenny B. Jones - I'm So Sure (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones - So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson)
Booker T. Mattison - Unsigned Hype (Revell)



The Carol Awards will be presented at ACFW's Conference in Indianapolis, September 17-20. There's
still time to register at www.acfw.com/conference.

Congratulations to all finalists!

It's only because I love you

Love makes us do wacky things.

Like avoid the blog and the readers I cherish -

You see, I'm writing a novel - my second novel, which releases in 2010. I'm at the tippy-tippy end, finishing up this story - and it's because I love you all so much that I'm neglecting you in order to finish the new novel which I hope you'll love.

Isn't love funny?

Know what's worse? I can't talk about the new novel for a few weeks until we get some details hammered out - like a title (titling is fun work, but it can be time consuming to get that perfect title. Lots of brainstorming with smart people).

Here is what I can tell you - it isn't a sequel to Talking to the Dead. Many of you have asked if there will be a sequel. The answer is: not so far. I've mapped out ideas on the next several books I'd like to work on, and a sequel to Talking isn't among them. But I've learned long ago to never say never. So I won't.

Some other bits I can share with you about the new book: It has alternating POV between two main characters - a man and a woman. Do you smell a love story? Hmm... hard to say. What is love, anyway?

The story is different from Talking to the Dead - but the emotional landscape is as rich and poignant. We'll cover some deep ground together in the new book - an experience I hope you will find meaningful, entertaining, thought provoking, and above all - a good read.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!

I bid you good writing.

Proverbs 31 Ministries and She Reads - Win an iPod nano!

It was my privilege to write a devotion for Proverbs 31 as the feature author of She Reads.

I invite you to read the devotion, and I hope it is a blessing to you.

Leave a comment on the She Reads blog for a chance to win an iPod nano - loaded with cool goodies like the soundtrack to Talking to the Dead, a personal message from me, and whatever other cool and crazy thing I can think of.

I bid you good writing.

Booking Signing and Reading

I had my first book signing and reading event right here in my home town of Saskatoon, at McNally Robinson Booksellers.

They do a wonderful job of setting up and welcoming the author. The book table was set up before I arrived and everything was in place, all we had to do was find a seat and enjoy the time together. It was lovely! My thanks to Nicole who set it up, did a wonderful intro and made me feel right at home.

Fun stuff, I thought I would share with you!

SheReads Winter Selections - Talking to the Dead!

I'm thrilled to announce Talking to the Dead has been chosen as a winter selection of She Reads! This wonderful book club is passionate about connecting readers with fiction they will love. It is an honor to have my novel chosen as one of three winter selections. You are invited to learn more about She Reads (info below is from their website), and, of course, you are invited to join the She Reads book club and get connected to great fiction, authors, and readers! It's about making the most of your reading experience! Here is more info:

She Reads exists to honor Christ by connecting readers with novels that:

• inspire through excellent writing
• explore deep issues of faith
• initiate change in the reader’s life

Each quarter, the She Reads book club will offer three current titles as featured selections. Readers have vast differences in taste and for this reason diverse genres and authors will be chosen, with a total of twelve books per year.

Why should I join She Reads?

Readers who join She Reads receive a number of benefits, including:

• Connection with other readers on the She Reads blog who are passionate about great fiction and uplifting stories.
• Information via the She Reads newsletter that will keep readers up to date on their favorite authors, and books, with a few surprises thrown in for fun.
• Reviews of newly released titles written by a variety of readers, writers, and industry professionals.
• Options to create a She Reads book club or bring an existing club under the She Reads umbrella.
• Relationships developed within the intimate setting of a regular book club meeting.
• Fun planned study guides with activities and interesting facts developed specifically for the She Reads book club.
• Online Community for those who can’t participate in a monthly meeting (or don’t live near an existing club), via the She Reads blog and Facebook group.
• Pre-selected novels they can trust and appreciate – an important aspect in today’s economy where every buying decision requires a second thought.
• Access to authors they love through print interviews, meet and greets, conference calls, etc. Each selected author will participate in two conference calls with the first 100 guests (per call) who sign up. This will be a free service and a chance for readers to have their questions answered by the authors themselves!
• Free books from time to time via contests, giveaways, and publisher promotions.

Who is running this thing anyway?

She Reads is an offshoot of Proverbs 31 Ministries, helping bring God’s peace, perspective, and purpose to today’s busy woman. As an organization, Proverbs provides leadership and technical support.

Writing Workshop: Show VS. Tell

I was in Edmonton last week, teaching fiction at a writer's conference. Because I am a meanie and don't provide my workshop participants with handouts (it helps us to focus on the material when we are forced to make notes, and it helps us to organize what we are learning), I promised I would post both the workshops I taught on this blog.

I hope all my readers will find something in these workshops that help them on their writing journey.

The first workshop I taught was on Showing VS. Telling in fiction writing. It introduces two components of the concept - POV and subtext. Enjoy!

Showing VS. Telling in Fiction Writing

Let’s begin at the beginning. What do we already know about Showing Vs. Telling in fiction writing?

*Fill in your understanding of the concept here: _____________________ *

Like all aspects of writing the concept of showing vs. telling has multiple layers. Showing vs. Telling is a concept we pull out of the context of the novel in order to examine it closely, but in doing so we find that it is not a simple disconnect. It is, in fact, made up of several components of writing. It isn’t a concept that can be talked about with accuracy apart from the concepts that comprise it.

So, if we look at the concept of showing vs. telling as a bubble, floating above our heads. We can grab hold of the bubble, and pull it towards us, examine it from different angels. But when we look inside of the bubble, we see it actually has several other bubbles inside. They work together to fill out the larger concept, the give the bubble shape and meaning – substance. Then, well see that this bubble called show vs. tell is part of an even larger bubble. Okay, let’s all sing Tiny Bubbles.

The purpose of this workshop is to look inside the bubble of Show vs. Tell, and discover some of the inner bubbles that give the concept it’s shape and meaning.

Myth busting 1: Showing is all about describing what a character is doing.

Our first stop, though, is to do some myth busting – the myth that showing means describing what a character is doing.

The most typical answer to the question, “What is showing vs. telling” is something along the lines of “telling is stating something happens, showing is describing what happens.” And while that definition is, in some ways, technically correct – it misses the point, and makes it easy for writers to miss the point as well. It isn’t enough to describe events in detail – there must be a purpose for both the details you are describing and the characters that are performing the actions.

Here is an example of from an unpublished work – the author will remain anonymous - that adheres well to the mythical definition that showing means “describing”:

**She hurried down the path toward the dark palace, the cloak draped over her arm. The birds over head sang their goodnight song. She shouldn't have stayed so long at her friend's house. She walked faster, picking the hem of her skirt up with her free hand. She pushed a low hanging branch out of the way as she hurried past. She reached an opening in the trees that lead to the valley that would take her to the doors of the palace. She stopped and draped the cloak over her shoulders and tied it at her throat. She checked inside the bag that was slung across her torso. Fire sticks, water, a small cloth, her Father's book of Hope and a forgotten apple.

She pulled the apple out of the bag and bit into it. She made quick work of the apple and threw the small core and stem into the forest behind her. She slapped at her dress, removing most of the dust from it's folds, then took the small cloth from her bag and wiped at the stains around the hem of her dress. She replaced the cloth and stepped into the grassy meadow. It was wet with evening dew. She picked up her skirts and rushed on toward the place gates. **

This is a great example of a writer employing the definition that “showing” is giving all sorts of details about what a character is doing. We hear some lengthy descriptions here – she is moving all over the house, doing housework – there is a hint here and there that there is some sort of reason she’s doing this. The scene mentions exposed nail heads – obviously pictures taken off the wall. Lots going on in the scene. And it talks of all sorts of movement – but for all the detail about what she’s doing, it’s still telling. It’s flat. A list of mundane activities being spelled out in succession. This is an example of why showing isn’t just description of what is happening. It mostly ends up as over explaining things the reader doesn’t need explained.

What’s missing? I’ll tell you now there are two things missing here we will be looking at in detail, two bubbles inside our larger bubble, but they aren’t the only things – What do you see in this passage that makes it “telling” instead of “showing”. (jot down their ideas) – just talk about what you see – you don’t need to use technical literary terms, that’s not what this is about. Plain English works fine.

POV as part of showing:

The author has substituted Point of View (POV) with teasing the reader.

POV is a pillar of “showing” – it’s a brace for the concept, because POV not only introduces characters to the reader, it grounds the reader immediately, creating a safe and trustworthy place for the reader. It isn’t enough to be able to picture what a character is doing – we need to care about the character, relate to her, and feel an interest in finding out more. We need POV immediately. Not only do we want to see POV right away, we, the readers, want to see deep POV.

Let me talk briefly about deep POV - The publishing industry has been moving toward deep POV for the last few years – this is in contrast with the omniscient POV of the past. A couple of important points about deep POV – you might want to make a note of this – it isn’t about first person vs. third person or if you write in present tense or past tense. Deep POV is the presenting characters in a well rounded sense, utilizing character information from their mental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects. It’s a multi-dimensional presentation of character that begins the moment the novel opens and continues to develop until the end of the book.

Another point about deep POV – it isn’t referring to just the lead character. This is a bit confusing, because we talk about a book being told from a certain POV – the main character. But all that is, is naming the protagonist. What we are talking about today is the writing skill and tool of deep POV.

But all of your characters have deep POV and they all need to explored in your novel from start to finish. Even though you won’t tell your story through the voices of every character in your book – they still have POV. All of us, in this room, have a specific POV – and all of this plays an equal part in the event we are experiencing – all of us comprise the bigger picture of this workshop.

A great article on deep POV, written by the wonderful and talented Camy Tang is found here: http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2005/11/deep-point-of-view.html

Read it when you get home – it makes bags of sense and will help you both technically and artistically understand deep POV.

Let’s get back to our example. The author of this scene tells us the character hurries and races, but there is nothing to ground us to the character – who is she? What is she thinking? Why are her actions important to me as a reader? There is no glimpse of the inner world of this character. The closest we get is the line: “Maybe it’d been a bad idea to go out of her way for the freshest green beans.”

But, in the end, it leaves us flat – it doesn’t give us an insight into the character, only that she bought green beans sometime before this scene took place. It’s just telling us some information. The reader is being spoon fed information, rather than being allowed to explore the scene, the character and the meanings behind the actions.

The excerpt demonstrates the major problem with typical surface explanations of show vs. tell is it often translates to long, detailed text describing dull things without giving the reader the “why” of what she is doing. It doesn’t let us care about the character and therefore is flat, a dull list of household chores. Showing is about helping the reader understand, care about the scene, and draw us into it through our senses by the proper use of deep POV.

Now let’s read an excerpt from Talking to the Dead.

Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove

**I rambled through the main floor of my small house that night. Earlier, the sunset had thrown prisms onto my walls, but now it was dark. The only light came from the streetlamp shining through the front window, turning my walls the color of muddy floors. Normal people were sleeping. But I wasn’t normal, not anymore. Several times that night I stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to my bedroom. I gazed up into the darkness of the second-floor hallway, but I couldn’t climb the stairs. Couldn’t lift a foot to the first step. It was as if my desolation had multiplied the power of gravity. I was stuck.

My body was somnolent, but my restive mind barked out orders to keep moving, stay awake, stay watchful. I paced on rubbery legs, longing for unconsciousness. My mind, luminously awake, sewed blindfolds of anger and forged a strong rope of despair. Bound and helpless, I spoke: “Kevin?” Only the ticking of a clock responded. I picked up a cushion from the sofa and hugged it like a lost love. “Kevin, are you there?” I waited for an eternity. I closed my eyes and concentrated on trying to hear his voice. I listened until my head hurt. The silence whistled to me. **

Can you see the difference between the two scenes when it comes to use of deep POV? What are some of the things you notice about this excerpt in relation to POV?

Write your stunning insights here: _________________________________________

The use of deep POV grounds the reader in the scene – we are no longer watching a character perform a series of tasks – although, there are still a series of tasks she performs – rather, we are “in” the scene with her, feeling the weight of sleep deprivation, of grief, of helplessness and false hope. All of this is “shown” instead of told, in part by use of deep POV, giving meaning and purpose to the actions the character performs – there is a purpose, clearly stated, for what she is doing. But at the same time builds emotional interest, and shows us something deeper is going on – in other words – it is showing.

There is one more excerpt I want to share with you – this one is to prove there are no excuses when it comes to using POV as part of showing. This is the opening paragraph from Latter-Day Cipher by Latayne C. Scott.

**There on the damp pine needles, Kirsten Young lay on her back, a serene Ophelia in her dusky pond of blood. The dark irises of her bloodshot eyes stared unseeing into the branches above her. The sun had burst through the clouds after the sudden downpour and now blazed above the canopy of conifers and aspens in Provo Canyon. Deep in its recesses, the light filtered down in vertical sheets of champagne dust that played across the body.**

Aside from being exquisitely well written, this is a fantastic example of POV in the most difficult of writing circumstances. Even though the first character we meet is dead, a body on the forest floor, we are still immersed in the scene by the skillful use of POV. The woman is dead and yet we feel her presence – even look up into the branches overhead with her.

Interestingly, as the scene continues, we find the real reason why we, the readers, are so firmly planted in this eerie place - we are viewing it from inside the POV of the killer. A wonderfully chilling bit of expert writing that moves us effortlessly into deeper and deeper POV.

Myth busters #2 – You should never use Telling.

There is a piece of “telling” in this scene, and it uses telling in exactly the right way. The author gives the name of the place we are standing, “Provo Canyon”. Latayne just tells us – just says it. But it is using telling correctly. It would have been mundane and dull if she had launched into a lengthy description of a canyon – this is a thriller, we don’t need lengthy scenery descriptions, we just need to know where we are. Secondly, the name of the canyon, “Provo” tells us what we need to know about the setting – we’re in Utah. This serves as foreshadowing, this is a novel involving Mormonism.

So that was our myth busting –

Part II

Moving to the next bubble – away from POV -

What is interesting about the excerpts from Talking to the Dead and Latter-Day Cipher is how they invoke emotion in the reader.

Emotions as subtext

Let’s talk about emotions – Emotions are the hot button in fiction. When it comes to showing vs. telling, emotions are key. This is going to lead us into the second bubble we are focusing on today – the first bubble was POV, the second bubble is subtext. But before we get into the gritty details of subtext, lets ease our way in by looking at emotion. Emotion is a good doorway into subtext.

The following is an excerpt from an unpublished work.

**The sun high in the sky. Waves of heat rising from the sand, but he didn't feel the burning. He walked, step by step over the sand. Careless interest changed to fear as he looked toward the horizon. A wave of wind and sand approached from the distance, heading toward him. He looked around him for a suitable place to hide, but found nothing but flat sand. The frightening presence of the sand storm swept closer.

Terror urged him to run - but to where? In what direction? He turned his back to the swell of sand and ran.

From somewhere—his own lips?—came a scream shrill with panic.

The wind picked up around him and his own heart’s hammering pounded in his ears. He fought to control his stark horror as he tried to out run the encroaching sand storm.

In a moment of stark horror, the storm was upon him. He cried out in agony, "Save me!" **

Focusing on emotions -What about this scene makes it “telling”?

I hope that you’ve noticed that deep POV is missing in this scene as well – the reader is left to guess at the character’s inner world and can’t make much sense of what his happening. It would be a good idea to study this later at home to help you understand deep POV.

But what we’re focusing on here is the emotions in the scene.

The author assigns emotions to the character: Terror, panic, stark horror.

Naming emotions often translates to “telling”.

It doesn’t connect us to the event experientially – the reader doesn’t dwell inside the experience of running through deep snow – we’re simply told about it in general terms. Horror is a better genre description than emotion. Terror – what does it mean? What does it feel like? Where do you experience terror in your body?

Naming emotion usually is “telling” as opposed to showing.

Her is an example of showing emotion from Sharon K. Souza’s debut Every Good and Perfect Gift:

**Jonathan took DeeDee to her appointment on Tuesday morning to go over the results of all her lab work, while I kept the baby. My stomach churned the whole time they were gone, and I paced like a pent-up puppy.**

I like this passage for a couple of reasons – one, it is an example of effective use of telling – Jonathan took DeeDee to her appointment. . . etc.. It’s one short sentence that gives us the details we need in order to move on with the story – she doesn’t catch us up in un-needed details. Then, in the next sentence, Sharon invites us into the character’s emotions through the art of showing – she doesn’t name the emotion, but we all understand perfectly what the character is feeling.

That isn’t to say its always wrong to name an emotion in fiction.

Here is an example of naming an emotion that works:

Fallen by David Maine

**The words settled around his heart like an infection. That might have been the turning point, Cain thinks now. As he has thought many times over the years. That might have been the moment when he decided, at age fourteen, that one day he was going to have to kill his brother. Not for humiliating him, no. His father had done that. But for saying he deserved it.**

An emotion is clearly named: humiliation. But with that last short sentence “But for saying he deserved it”, gives the reader an emotional chill, it adds a dimension of something hot and boiling under the simple words – something dangerous.

And that was accomplished without naming the emotion – it’s implied and comes to the readers attention through the backdoor – it comes through subtext.

Subtext is more easily recognized by its absence - oh blah, the story is flat and clichéd - than it is by its presence -the words lingered long after I put the book down.

In his book, The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot, Charles Baxter says subtext is ". . . the realm of what haunts the imagination: the implied, the half-visible, and the unspoken." He also uses the phrase, "unspoken soul-matter".

It may sound mysterious, but it isn’t as vague as it may sound at first brush. It is the art of leaving something unsaid about the stated theme and mood of the book. Your story has a plot, setting, a theme, a message – all of which are stated in the book, through story and the things you explore.

Subtext is used to paint depth of meaning into the pages of your story. It is felt by the reader even though the subtext isn’t explicit. It is the ultimate tool of showing vs. telling.

Rather than me giving definitions of subtext – we’re going to look at one quick example and then we’ll do a short exercise.

In Gilead, Marilynne Robinson creates John Ames, a Reverend, elderly and ill who writes to his too young son about his life in hopes of imparting something of himself to the boy who will grow up without his father. Listen to all that is not said here:

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

"And memory is not strictly mortal in its nature, either. It is a strange thing, after all, to be able to return to a moment when it can hardly be said to have any reality at all, even in its passing. A moment is such a slight thing. I mean, that its abiding is a most gracious reprieve."

The themes in Gilead are forgiveness, and restoration. They are about reconciling ourselves to the truth of who we are and who other people are. But the thread of yearning for the one thing he cannot have – more time with his wife and son – runs throughout the novel in subtext. Even though he has accepted the truth – he will die soon – the faint echoes of loss and yearning are poignantly felt by the reader.

Subtext whispers the deeper or hidden things though absence, or hinting that something deeper is going on. It brings meaning to dialogue and character development, and adds dimension and interest to the story. Its one of the elements that makes the truly story compelling.

Let’s try an exercise:

A character says, “I don’t understand why you’re arguing with me.”

Imagine a scene – a snapshot in your mind where one character is saying this to another character. (get examples – look for characters, context, setting, back story). Very quickly – what are you seeing in your snapshot?

Now, think about the same line of dialogue, but add a subtext of meaning – the character says the same line, but the subtext. What the character is feeling underneath the statement is “I want you to love me.”

The character delivers the same line, but the subtext is his or her need to be loved by the other character.

What changes in your scene when you add the subtext of “I want you to love me”?

Something that would change for me would be the way the character is standing, perhaps her posture, or what she does with her arms and hands. The expression on her face changes, the tone of her voice – the way she says the words, not in the clipped tones of someone in charge, but in pleading bleats that trail off, and lack conviction.

Subtext isn’t willy nilly – you don’t grind it into a scene just because you can. It connects with your plot, and with each character. It whispers specific meanings of your overall theme – subtext ties the book together as a whole one scene at a time.

This has been a brief introduction to two components of compelling storytelling – deep POV and subtext – two bubbles inside the larger bubble of ‘showing vs. telling’. It’s a lot of information to take in in one sitting, but fear not – you have the Camy Tang article which will help you understand deep POV better – and this workshop will be posted on my blog (www.fictionmatters.blogspot.com) in the next week or so, for you to read over, print off – or ignore as you choose.

Thanks for sitting in today.

I bid you good writing.

Gifts From The Heart

Last month, I celebrated my *mumble mumble* birthday - and my husband conspired to get me an amazing gift.

It took a long time to pull it together (hence it being presented to me more than a month later), but it was so worth the wait. I wanted to share this amazing gift with you.

My husband conspired with my in-house editor at David C. Cook to create this amazing gift. Everyone who was involved in creating Talking to the Dead (from publisher to copy editor to marketing team to the amazing Amy who created the cover, to editors, to the print buyer, to project coordinators, you name it) all wrote a he

artwarming message.

Yes, I cried. Happy tears in public places.

I don't throw around the word "cherish". I cherish this gift. Hubby wins "Husband of the Year" award, and I have the best reason yet to adore being partnered with David C. Cook (aka best publisher EVER!)

I bid you good writing!

Weekend Peek into Bonnie's Mail Bag

Next week, we'll hear from another author about turning ideas into novels. Great stuff ahead!

But it's the LONG weekend, and I think we need something fun on the blog.

I thought it would be neat to offer a peek over my shoulder at some of the mail that's come in about Talking to the Dead. All of the following are verbatim, but are not necessarily the full content of the letter as some portions of the mail I get are people sharing their personal journey of grief. I also removed identifying information.

From a Canadian reader who won a copy of Talking to the Dead: "I have to tell one of the best novels I have ever read ! I love your writing style as it draws you in immediately. You also did a great job of making a difficult topic serious, but funny at the same time. I fell in love with the characters and wished the book didn't have to end."

From a woman who bought a copy from her local bookstore: "Thanks so much for writing this book! Your writing and characters got right into my heart for an all night healing! I couldn't put the book down and God really did a work on my heart! I will share this book with my friends!"

A reader in California wrote to say: "I am going to share the book with my daughter next. She would like to be a counselor and reads many books that may provide more insight into any of the situations she may one day become familiar with through her career."

From a friend and fellow author who had planned to read Talking to the Dead on the plane during her summer vacation: "I'm afraid I didn't read your book on the plane - because I finished it beforehand, leaving me nada to read! Not fair. Make your next book less compelling, 'kay?"

A Canadian reader shared her copy: "I absolutely LOVED it! I gave it to a friend to read who is 'against everything Christian' and she loved it!"

A US military wife wrote this: "I LOVED Talking to the Dead - it took me through a tough time of grief [. . .]. It comforted me as I grappled with my fragility, imperfections and God's acceptance - LIFE IS MESSY - how true! And God is love."

From a well read American reader: "I finished reading your book. I read over three hundred pages today. Why? Because I couldn't put the stinkin' thing down. Yes, I'm shouting! It was one of thee best stories I have ever read. Anything that can hold my attention for long, that can make me cry, get angry, and want to yank several someone's teeth out, goes straight to the top of my list as one of thee best reads in a long time."

And this last one comes from a reader in New Zealand: "I finished Talking to the Dead on the weekend and it was absolutely amazing! Easily the best book that I've read this year (and I've read a lot!) It was one of those great books where you find yourself forcing yourself to stop and put it down because it's just so magical and haunting that you don't want it to end because you know you aren't going to read another one as good for a long long time.

Your way with words and the plot and Kate and Jack and the way you pulled it all together. Wow! You should be so so proud. All those great endorsements didn't even begin to do it justice."

***

I hope you enjoyed this over the shoulder peek at my mail box. It is a humbling privilege to hear from readers and to share a bit of life with them. I answer every e-mail and snail mail myself - I simply wouldn't want to miss any of the joy that comes from hearing from, and talking with readers. It is, without a doubt, the best part of my job as a writer. For those who have written, thank you for the joy and hope and love you have shared.

If you've been thinking of dropping me a line, I hope you do. I'd love to get to know you!

And if you've read this far, you're in for a treat. Leave a comment to win a signed copy of Talking to the Dead!

I bid you good writing.

Talking to the Dead Book Plates and Postcards

Would you like a Talking to the Dead postcard - which also makes a handy book mark? E-mail me!

You can also request a book plate (my signature and a nifty little greeting from moi).

Just e-mail me at bcg (at) bonniegrove (dot) com

Let me know how many postcards and book plates you would like. Be sure to include your mailing address - and I'll pop them in the mail for you!

Oh, and another bit of news: Talking to the Dead has gone into its third printing! Thanks to everyone who has bought a copy, chatted it up, passed it on, recommended it to their library, or otherwise helped promote the book. Don't stop now! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you all.

I bid you good writing.

You Say It's Your Birthday - It's My Birthday Too!

When I was little I used to enforce 'birthday week'. No mere day was enough for me to be able to fully celebrate my grand entrance into this world (I was the youngest, and maybe - just maybe, a tad spoiled).

My family went along with it (for the most part), and I was afforded all sorts of privileges. Like, I didn't have to help with the dishes if I had a paper cut. Or, I got to go first in line at the waterslide. Or, Mom would spring for tickets to a movie I wanted to see even though it would "rot my brain".

In the grand tradition of my youthful exuberance, this is my birthday week! I was born August 5, 19-*cough*.

What's the best gift someone could get me this year? Easy. Just buy a copy of Talking to the Dead!


For those of you in BC, House of James is featuring Talking to the Dead as their Book of the Month for August. Visit them in August, pick up a copy of Talking, and browse their store. I hear it is one of the best Christian stores in Canada!

I bid you good writing.

Remiss

I've been remiss - tardy in updating the blog. There are a couple of reasons for this. One you already know about; it's summer! and the living is easy. I'm on holidays this week and next (we're having a "staycation" where we are at home enjoying the benefits of the city, it's parks, pools, and close proximity to lakes all while sleeping in our own beds. I highly recommend this mode of vacation for anyone with young children, or if you just want to truly unwind.

Then again, I wouldn't sneeze at a cruise, either. But that's not happening. :)

The other reason I've been so quiet is because the time I'm devoting to work lately is in the form of a new novel. I'm very excited about this project, and while it will take time in the making, my prayer is that you, the reader, will find it worth the wait. The picture to the left is the book I'm using to make handwritten notes for the novel I'm working on. Without giving away any surprises, I have to say it is most apt to be working in such a fine, leather bound book with leather strap tie and punch work facing. Apt.

Before I fly off to the backyard, I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of Talking to the Dead (you've made Talking to the Dead a bestseller on amazon.ca - in the top 20!). I'm honored to you trusted me, a debut novelist, with your time and money.

Many of you have posted reviews, and many more have sent me e-mails (which I LOVE getting and always reply personally to). Your responses to Talking to the Dead have done more than you might have imagined. They have informed and helped shape me into the novelist God wants me to be. I've taken all of your reactions to heart (held them close to my heart, too) and over time each one of you has helped me understand who I am in the marketplace and what about my writing I need to focus on.

Words fail. There is simply no way I can thank you all enough. You bless me beyond all I could hope and dream for.

Thank you.

I bid you good writing.

Connect with Bonnie - Live and Online

Couple of cool things I wanted you to know about - and hope to hear from you!

Live in Alberta? On Monday, July 20 9:3o AM, I'll be chatting it up with Annette Jennings on 88.9 Shine FM. Annette loves books and hosts a book club spot on her show. The interview is in conjunction with Blessings Christian Stores - where Talking to the Dead is the July Book of the Month. If you live in Edmonton, Calgary, or Langley, BC, hop on over to Blessings and pick up a copy of Talking to the Dead. Can't make it out? You can get it through their website .

Love Twitter? Books & Such agency (my agent, Wendy Lawton is an agent with this company) is hosting "Writers' Night Out" on Twitter!
Log on to Twitter on July 22, between 7-9 CST

hash tag is #wno

You could win books (including copies of Talking to the Dead and my non-fiction, Your Best You: Discovering and Developing the Strengths God Gave You. And LOTS of other books by amazing writers (You can even win free copies of Sally Stuart's Christian Writer's Market, and How to Get Published books!), critiques (award winning authors offering to read your ms!), coaching (award winning authors chatting with you about your writing, your hopes, and how to make it happen!) & MORE!

You'll also be able to chat with authors, agents, and just have a fun time. I'll be there Tweeting and I hope to hear from you!

Until then - I bid you good writing.

Chatting about Talking to the Dead

Talking to the Dead is Blessings book of the month for July (woo hoo!!) - and there is a facebook page featuring book club like discussion for the book.

I check in on the board and am happy to chime in, answer questions, and just hang out. Hope you'll jump over and post a comment or two!

See you there!

Bless an Author. Amazon Anyone?

If you've read Talking to the Dead - I'd like to invite you to post a review of the book on either Amazon.com or Amazon.ca

How to post a review?

Go to the Talking to the Dead page on Amazon. Under my name you'll see customer reviews (a bunch of happy gold stars and a number) Click where it says the number of reviews (on amazon.com it's at 18, .ca is at 3). It will take you to a new page. At the top click "create your own review".

If you have an Amazon account, you can post your review straight away. If you've never posted a review before, it only takes a minute to set up an account (free of charge) and then you will be allowed to post a review of the book (and any other book you've been wanting to review!).

It would be a huge blessing to me if you could take some time to review the book (I know life is so busy, and small details like this can easily slip through the cracks - happens to me all the time, too).

Thanks so much! You are a blessing to me!
I bid you good writing.

Have a Listen

I was a guest on The Drew Marshall show recently. He's loads of fun to chat with. You can listen to the interview on Drew's WebSite

Click on the wee speaker, or the download icon after my name.

We chatted about Talking to the Dead, church, mental health, and we laughed way more than you'd suspect considering the topics.

Enjoy!

Things to Look for in Talking to the Dead

I'm gobsmacked by the notes and e-mails I've received from readers. It's been an honor to read your reactions to Talking to the Dead and to hear your stories about life, love, and even loss. I'm humbled. I truly enjoy hearing from readers, and be assured, I read and respond to every note - so if you feel so moved, by all means drop me a line (bcg@bonniegrove.com).

I got a note from my editor the other day with the reaction of a friend of her who read Talking to the Dead. She says, in part:

"It really struck me as a layered book written for many levels of reading: entertaining, study in psychology, but for me it was mainly a book about idolatry and the consequences of it."

I love this! She's the first person (so far, that I have heard from) that picked up on this theme,which runs throughout the book and is evident in several of the character. Have you read the book? Did you pick up this theme? Or did something else stand out for you? A different theme? I'd love to hear.

For those of you who have read the book, or are planning on it, here are a few themes you can look for and explore in Talking to the Dead (this list doesn't appear in any other blog or interview I've done - it's just for you Fiction Matters readers!)

The Waiting Room - Kate spends a fair amount of time waiting in reception areas, lobbies, foyers, and waiting rooms. As you read, explore the meaning found in the the waiting room - what does it mean to Kate?

Obsession - the ultimate anti-love emotion is obsession. Who is obsessed in the book? What does his/her obsessions to do the character(s) and his/her relationships?

Idolatry - As mentioned above, idolatry is a theme found throughout the book and is displayed in several characters. How does this play out for the various characters?

Emotional vs. Rational responses - There is a tension in the book between the emotional and the rational. Neither one comes out a clear winner - but there is a discussion that can be found in the book about balancing the two in a third arena. What is the third arena of reason? How can bring balance to the other two?

These are a few of the themes explored in Talking to the Dead. There are others as well. I'd love to hear what you've pulled out of the text and how it unfolded for you. Let's dish!

I bid you good writing.

Winner!!

Update on where you can win a copy of Talking to the Dead (in addition to right here on Fiction Matters)!

Enter to win at Susan Meissner's blog Edgewise (until Friday only!). She is the author of The Shape of Mercy, a book I love and highly recommend! She has an interview with me posted as well.

David C Cook is featuring an interview with me and giving away a copy of the book!

And the lovely Lena Nelson Dooley has an interview posted and is giving away a copy of the book on her wonderful blog.

***
Steena Holmes come on down! You're the next winner!!

You can email me at bcg@bonniegrove.com with your snail mail address and I'll pop it in the mail!

Woo Hoo! I hope you enjoy it! And if you do, be sure to tell your friends about it.

Didn't win? Don't despair! It's Monday - and that means another giveaway!

Here is a taste of the book - Not chapter one which you can read on my web site. But a different section of the book:
***

Singing my mother’s favorite song with Kevin in our kitchen reminded me that I hadn’t spoken to her since the day she brought me the stack of books, over a month ago. She wouldn’t contact me first, I felt sure. After Dad died, she made it clear to Heather and me that she would let us know when she was ready to talk, that she needed some space to adjust.

So the next morning I grabbed the keys to Kevin’s car, and the stack of books I didn’t read, and went to see her. Standing in the kitchen of the house I’d grown up in, I held a small, heavy object that looked exactly like a flat brown rock. I looked at my mother. “What’s this?”

She glanced at my hand. “It’s a baking stone. It promotes even cooking.”

“You just stick it in there with the bread or cake or whatever?”

“No, dear,” she said. “First you have to heat it up in the oven. Then you put whatever you are baking on top of it.”

I cocked my head to one side. Who was this woman who heated rocks? I couldn’t imagine her doing this when I was growing up. “How long does it take?”

She folded, unfolded, and then refolded a dish towel. “It really shouldn’t take more than forty-five minutes or so.” She threw me a quick glance that seemed to say, “Please don’t tell your dead father.” Dad would have never understood his wife’s desire to cook rocks. I
could almost hear him sputtering, “Waste, that’s what it is! Running the electric bill sky-high just to heat a rock. Ridiculous.”

“It’s good for pizza, too,” she said, running her hand over the round, flat surface.

I put the stone down. “You like pizza now?”

“No.”

I looked around the kitchen. I knew it like I knew my own childhood. But things weren’t the same here. There were changes I’d failed to notice when I first came in. Changes since Dad died. Beside the baking stone sat a new recipe box with the words BITE ME stamped on the top. The artificial roses that had sat perennially on the kitchen table had been replaced with massive, living gladioli from the garden. The faded lace curtains had been replaced with cotton ones the color of butter. The wallpaper—a blue and purple riot of tiny flowers I had long ago stopped noticing—was now a clean wall of paint, a soft, hazy green that drifted before my eyes like a summer memory. My father’s presence was nowhere to be seen. If he walked in now, he
would look out of place.

“Are you cold, Kate?” my mother said.

My hands were running up and my arms, warming them in the already too warm kitchen. I dropped them to my side. “Is it going to get better?”

She took a long breath, and then let it out. She knew what I was talking about. “It’s going to get different.”

“I know life is different now, Mom. I meant—”

She raised a hand in a “shush, I’m talking” gesture. “I don’t mean ‘life is different.’ I’m referring to the way you’re feeling. About losing Kevin. About grief and loss and sadness. It changes.” She stared down at the counter as if searching there for some lost secret. “It seems to me that feelings are the most unreliable things.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know. I don’t mean to be vague.” She took in a long breath. “When I lost your father, I felt like my life was over. Literally. That’s what it felt like. But it wasn’t true. My life wasn’t over. It kept going. It keeps going.” She shrugged one shoulder and turned away from me. “I feel differently today than I did in those first weeks after losing your father. I feel like my life has possibilities.”

I traced a pattern on the countertop with my finger. Possibilities sounded better than questions and a memory filled with gaping holes. Better than a future that could not be fathomed or understood. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

She turned and looked at me for a long moment. “Is it? My feelings when your father died turned out to be wrong. My life wasn’t over. Who’s to say these new feelings will turn out to be right?”

“You mean—”

“I mean the one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t trust your feelings.”

“So what can you trust?”

“Kate, honey, I honestly have no idea.”

***

I bid you good luck, and good writing!

Review of Talking to the Dead

Just wanted to share the jaw dropping news (I'm still stunned and amazed!) about the review in the Romantic Times:

4 1/2 stars - Talking to the Dead is the top pick for mainstream inspirational fiction!

"Grove's fiction debut is amazing. The stellar plot, exquisite character interactions and outstanding spiritual truths are alternately gut-wrenching and faith-building. Kate's first-person point of view allows an intimate glimpse into her life and works incredibly well with the story."

Woo Hoo!

I'm humbled.

I bid you good writing.

It's Monday! Must be Time To Give Away a Book!

Some of you have already e-mailed me with your entries for this week's give away (early birds and worms and all that - good stuff!)

This week is the second give away!

All you need to do it leave a comment with your e-mail address (or, if you don't want to post your e-mail address, you can e-mail me with it).

Last weeks winner was still needs to check in with me so I can mail your signed copy of Talking to the Dead to you!

You can read chapter one at bonniegrove.com (hit the "home" tab above") under the "fiction" tab. 

I bid you good writing (and reading!)