Ugh to the PUGS! - Part 2

Hi, Dear Blog Readers:

Jill Elizabeth Nelson here to continue our PUGS discussion. Last month we had fun exploring the P-U of the acronym. This month we'll take a peek at the G-S. 

If you missed last month, you can check back in the archives or just take my word for it--PUGS stands for Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling. Whether we are career writers or book readers who make grocery lists, PUGS is one of our favorite elements of writing. 

NOT!!

However, I'm going to attempt to make the subject at least palatable if not a tad entertaining. Let's make a game of it. If you respond to this post with the answer(s) to at least one of the challenges below, you will be in a drawing for a signed copy of Frame Up, my latest release. The challenges are highlighted in bold print.

GRAMMAR

Here’s an all-too-easy goof that will drive some of readers up the nearest tree—misusing words that have different spellings and meanings, but sound the same. An example of this faux pas that I see more often than I’d like to say is the use of  “past” when “passed” is meant, or vice versa.

Here are the parts of speech and definitions of the two words:

Past – adjective: 1. gone by; ended; 2. of a former time; 3. immediately preceding; 4. indicating an action completed or a condition in existence at a former time; noun: 1. time gone by; 2. the history of a person, group, etc.; 3. a personal background that is hidden or questionable

Pass[ed] – verb: 1. to go or move forward, through, etc.; 2. to go or be conveyed from one place, form, condition, etc., to another; 3. to cease; to depart; 4. to be accepted, approved, or tested successfully; 5. to ratify or enact; noun: 1. the act of passing; 2. a condition or situation [a strange pass]; 3. a ticket giving one permission to come and go freely; 4. a motion of the hand, such as in a card game; 5. a tentative attempt; 6. a narrow passage; 7. an overly familiar attempt to embrace or kiss; 8. in sports, a transfer of a ball

These two words are particularly tricky and interesting because each one can serve as two different parts of speech. The word “past” can be used as a noun or an adjective. The word “passed” can be a verb or a noun. Also, there are more definitions of passed or past that convey further nuances, but these are the main ones.

Read the following sentences and either mark them correct or fix them.

1. We past the creamery on the way to the hotel.

2. He should leave ancient history in the passed.

3. Something struck him on the head, and he past out.

4. Jeanine walked right passed him without a glance. 

Other words that commonly fall victim to usage errors are loose/lose, lay/lie, then/than, affect/effect, who/whom, its/it’s, there/they’re/there and the list could go on a considerable distance. And here's one my husband used this morning in a text to our daughter: "would of", instead of "would have".

Go ahead and share any additional grammar errors that bug you.

SPELLING

One of the quirks in the spelling department is that British English and American English may correctly spell the same word differently. A Brit might write "colour," while a Yank pens "color." In British English, it would be correct to write "centre," but in America that would get the editorial red ink and be changed to "center."

If such niceties aren't enough to addle your brain, English often contains counter-intuitive spellings--in other words, logic would say that a word should be spelled one way, but it's actually spelled another. For example, the word "full" is spelled with two l's, but when "full" is attached to another word, it loses an l, like so: powerful, beautiful, careful, etc. 

How about the famous "i before e, except after c" rule? Not always!

The "c" rule only works for "e/i" combinations that sound like "ee," as in "ceiling." When the "e/i" combination after "c" makes a different sound, the "i" generally goes first. "Science," for instance . . . or "efficient."

Boggled yet? Many words don't fit the rules at all, such as "their" and "weird." 

There really is no short cut to learning the spelling of words, but we can educate ourselves not to repeat errors.

Here are a few common spelling issues:

1. A lot is never alot.

2. Nor is alright ever all right.

3. Curiosity is definitely not curiousity.

4. An argument is not an arguement.

5. We bury people in a cemetery, not a cemetary.

How about sharing some of your pet misspellings? There are some doozies going around.

Remember to include your contact information in your comment on this blog post so I can reach out to you if you are the winner of Frame Up.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Can she trust a mystery man?

Stranded in a blinding snowstorm, Laurel Adams must pin her hope of survival on a handsome stranger. The single mother and her teen daughter take refuge in his remote Rocky Mountain cabin. But Laurel's anything but safe when she discovers a dead body in her trunk . . . and becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Her rescuer, millionaire David Greene, knows what it's like to be accused. Three years ago, he was arrested for a crime he didn't commit--an unsolved case that still haunts him. With the clock ticking, can they stop a cold-blooded killer with deadly ties to them both?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author and writing teacher, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith. Jill is a popular speaker for conferences, writers groups, library associations, civic and church groups. She delights to bring the “Ahah! Moment” to students as they make new skills their own. Her bestselling handbook for writers, Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View, is available at http://amzn.to/IvQTkj. Visit Jill on the web at: www.jillelizabethnelson.com or look her up on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author or Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JillElizNelson. Her most recent release is Frame Up from Love Inspired Romantic Suspense. Her next book, Shake Down, releases in July 2014.

INTERVIEW WITH DR. RICHARD MABRY

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician, past Vice President of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and author of seven novels of “medical suspense with heart.” His books have been a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel, finalist for the Carol Award, two-time finalist for the Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice Award, and a winner of the Selah Award.

INTERVIEW
 
S.S: Welcome, Dr. Mabry! How long have you been writing?

For the thirty-six years I was practicing medicine, I wrote or edited eight textbooks and had over 100 papers published in professional journals. However, it wasn’t until my first wife died in 1999 that I thought about writing outside of medicine. After that book—The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse—was published, I took up the challenge of authors James Scott Bell and Alton Gansky, whom I met at a writing conference, and began writing fiction. My first contract for a novel came in 2009, and Critical Condition will be my seventh published novel of medical suspense.

S.S: Do you write full time? If the answer is no, what else do you do? If you are a full time author, what other jobs did you have in the past?

The answer here is “yes and no.” I’ve been retired from medical practice for almost twelve years, so writing is my only “paying job.” However, anyone who is retired will tell you that enough things arise during a day to completely fill our time, so I have to sneak in writing, just like a regular worker.

S.S: Tell us about the moment you finally felt like a “real author”?

I suppose it was when I held a copy of my first book. However, like most authors, I suffer from the “imposter syndrome,” constantly waiting for someone to jump out from behind a bush and tell me they know how big a fraud I am.

S.S.: Who has been your greatest supporter as an author? 

God blessed me once more with the love of a wonderful woman, and Kay has been both the biggest supporter and the most discerning critic of my writing.

S.S.: Do you write in any other genres?

Before I finally settled down to writing what I term “medical suspense with heart,” I tried my hand at cozy mysteries. That was definitely a mistake. Since then, I’ve stuck with what works.

S.S: How does your faith play into your writing?

I write from a Christian worldview, but don’t feel comfortable including altar calls and strong evangelical messages in my books. Rather, I try to portray the fact that all of us—Christian and non-Christian alike—face difficulties. The way we react to them, however, depends a lot on our relationship with God.

S.S: If you couldn’t write, what else would you want to do?

Given more talent than I currently possess, I’d want to play, coach, or manage in professional baseball.

S.S:  Tell us about your current release.

Critical Condition involves the struggles of Dr. Shannon Frasier as she deals with a drug-addict sister, a father who’s just been diagnosed with cancer, and threatening phone calls from a man who wants to know the dying words of a stranger who was shot dead on her lawn.

S.S: Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

Unlike my other novels, which sprang from specific situations or questions, this one was crafted specifically to address some of the troubles a believer faces, difficulties with which I am familiar either through personal experience or that of a close friend or relative. The more I wrote, the more real the struggles of the characters became.

S.S: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from your story?

The greater our burden, the more God helps us bear it. And we all have untapped strength when we need it.

S.S: Who is your favorite character in this book and why?

I identify with Dr. Shannon Frasier, who struggles with a professional problem I once faced as well. (That’s all I can say without spoiling the plot).

S.S: Who is your least favorite character in this book? Why?

That dubious honor goes to the villain, Walt Crosley, for reasons that will become obvious to the readers of the book.

S.S: What are you working on now?

I’m just completing the second round of editing on my novel of medical suspense, Dead On Arrival, which begins when a gunman enters an emergency room with his brother who’s been shot, saying, “Doc, fix him up. If he dies, everyone in here dies.”

S.S: Any writing goals you still hope to achieve?   

I’ve been more fortunate than I could ever imagine thus far. I suppose I just want to continue writing and sharing the stories with others.

S.S:  Now let’s get a little personal. Name two things on your “bucket list” that you haven’t done yet.   

I’d like to see a baseball game in every major league ballpark. (I’m about halfway there). And I’d like to shoot my age in golf (which I can do if I live to be 120 years old).

S.S: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

That would be agreeing to turn off life support after my first wife’s massive brain hemorrhage. And yet it was that event that started me on this road to writing, and the book that came out of it has ministered to tens of thousands of grieving individuals in the eight years since its publication.

S.S.: Where can readers find you on the Internet?

I have a web page, blog, Facebook fan page, and Twitter page. Fans can also email me at Dr R L Mabry at yahoo dot com.

S.S.: Anything else you’d like to share with us?  

Thanks for this opportunity to get better acquainted with the readers of your blog. For the writers out there, keep on working at your craft and remember for Whom you’re writing. Readers, the next time someone tells you that Christian fiction is boring, tell them about the last book you enjoyed. We’ll convince them yet.

Leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of CRITICAL CONDITION. (U.S. only, please.)

EXPLAINING GENRES

Nancy Mehl lives in Festus, Missouri with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. She’s authored fifteen books and is currently at work on a new series for Bethany House Publishing. The first book in her Finding Sanctuary series, “Gathering Shadows” will be released on May 6th.

Readers can learn more about Nancy through her Web site: www.nancymehl.com. She has a newsletter located at: www.nancymehl.blogspot.com, and is a part of another blog, The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.
 
Genres

Writers submitting manuscripts need to understand what publishers want. Sending an inappropriate manuscript to an editor is not only a waste of time, but it causes the writer to look like an amateur. 

One of the biggest mistakes newbie writers make is not understanding genres. Here is an overview of the different genres. Making certain your work fits the genre your target publisher is looking for will help you to get that first contract!

Romance: A romance usually emphasizes the heroine's perspective, and the reader should be drawn into the love story. Romances end with a happily ever after of some kind although the key to an effective romance novel must be conflict. For example, the heroine is separated from her love by an event or misunderstanding. Perhaps they are separated by war. Let’s look at some examples of romantic books and movies:

In Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice,” Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are separated by a series of misunderstandings. Conflict comes from these misunderstandings until the end of the novel when the smoke clears and they are finally able to confess their love for each other.

In one of the most romantic movies of all time, “An Affair to Remember” with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, the lovers are separated by an accident.

Let’s look at a more contemporary example. In the movie, “Sleepless in Seattle,” the main characters are separated by miles – and by their fear of taking a chance on love.

Romantic novels must follow all regular plotting procedures – but the thing that binds the characters together isn’t an event, although you can use an event to launch your story. In the end, the reason your key characters don’t walk away is because of love.

A stand-alone romance novel is normally between 80,000 and 100,000 words. A category romance novel (like those published by Harlequin) is generally shorter, and each "imprint" will have its own criteria. Be sure you know what imprint you're targeting before you start writing.

Subgenres of romance include: women's fiction, Regency, historical, fantasy/science fiction, contemporary, inspirational, time travel, paranormal, and more.

Historical Fiction: Research and attention to detail are of top importance in historical fiction. Characters must behave in accordance with the times. Plots can be "big" (featuring many strong characters and tackling big or complex issues). Some historicals are part of a saga (a series of books that covers generations within a family or many characters).

A stand-alone historical book may be 85,000 to 100,000 words. Publishing a book longer than 100,000 words is difficult (especially for first-timers), but historical novels are sometimes longer.

Speculative Fiction: Speculative fiction is generally about world building (creating alternative worlds.) Avoid clichés in your characterization, and let your major themes be strong yet subtle. Always research publisher guidelines: One publishing house states caveats such as "no time machines, please." Sub-genres of speculation include fantasy, science fiction, time travel, alternate history, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, vampire, horror, supernatural thriller, spiritual warfare, End Time, and steampunk.

Speculative fiction novels can contain between 80,000 and 150,000 words (approximately). These stories can be a little longer than other novels, and they are sometimes serialized.

Mystery: Mysteries pay special attention to plot and pacing. The crime should be revealed quickly and the rest of the story is spent solving it. Good mystery is also rich in characters that could have “dunnit” and “red herrings” abound. A “red herring” is a clue that leads readers in the wrong direction – but it must make sense! A good mystery author never lets a clue dangle for no reason. Here’s an example:

In one of my novels, my main character is trying to find out who killed a woman and left her body on the road outside of town. The killer placed a book in the dead woman’s hands. One of the people Callie suspects was seen with a copy of this same book before the murder. Yet, when questioned by the teacher of Kingdom’s small school, he denies he ever had it. My readers will naturally wonder if he is the murderer. He isn’t, but I couldn’t leave that clue hanging there without an explanation. I had to go back and make it clear that, yes he had a copy of the book, but he said he didn’t because he was afraid the teacher was going to ask him to donate it to the school. His only crime was selfishness – not murder. If I hadn’t gone back to explain what was behind this red herring, it would have angered mystery fans.

Researching forensics, criminal justice, and detective procedures lend credibility to a good mystery. Note that clues must be used to bring the plotline to a satisfying conclusion. The reader should have a chance to “solve” the mystery as they read. Mystery readers are very particular readers and don’t like novels that “hide” the truth from them. No fair using visions, dreams, angels or “Ah ha!” moments that don’t make sense. These rules apply to inspirational mystery as well. God can’t reveal the truth. The sleuth must solve the puzzle using the clues presented.

Mysteries vary in length. Stand-alone mysteries (which may have some overlap with thrillers) may be between 75,000 and 100,000 words. Cozy mysteries, like those in a series, are often on the shorter side.

Subgenres of mystery include: crime, hardboiled, true crime, cozy, amateur sleuth, supernatural, police procedural, and more.

Suspense/Thriller: Emphasis in suspense/thrillers is on strong characters, action, and fast pacing. Thrillers often show clear antagonists and protagonists. Thrillers can be graphic and gritty or somewhat tamer. Focus is always on suspense. While a mystery uses clues to bring the story to a conclusion, suspense/thriller novels use action. Sometimes, the reader will even know “who the bad guy is” at the beginning of the novel. (Think “Die Hard”.) 

Suspense/Thriller novels generally run between 85,000 to 100,000 words (loosely), but they can be a little longer as well.

Subgenres of suspense include: conspiracy, crime, action, political, disaster, legal, romance, and more.

Romantic Suspense is a very popular genre. Romantic suspense combines suspense with a romantic theme. Suspense should take first chair, however, with romance playing second chair.

As with all other genres, something must happen to plunge your main character through a doorway of no return. In a romance novel, this event might be purely emotional. But in romantic suspense, the “inciting incident” needs to be something beyond emotion, and it should throw the main character and his or her love interest through the doorway together. The resolution to the situation must be resolved for both of them. They are in it as a couple whether one of them is the suspect and the other is the person who must solve the crime, whatever that might be. They might be on good terms throughout your story, or there may be an incident that breaks them apart. However, by the end, they must be together so the call for romance is fulfilled.

Suspense, like thrillers, should be a roller-coaster ride of events and emotions that lead to an exciting climax. The reader may know who the bad guy is, or you can hide him until the end. Either way, it is up to the couple to fight their way through the difficult situation you give them until they reach a conclusion.

Horror: Fears and phobias play into the reader's emotions in this genre. There is often a supernatural and paranormal element, but as always, steer clear of clichés. Horror allows a writer to dip into ingredients of suspense, mystery, thrillers, and speculative fiction. The most important thing to remember is that your job is to scare the pants off your readers!

Horror will start off with a frightening event. The rest of the story is spent trying to catch the evil antagonist (human or whatever) or uncover the truth. This is one genre where “the end” may not always be “the end.” You can leave a loose end, but as a writer, you must still play fair and bring your story to a conclusion. A vague threat might remain, but YOUR plot must be resolved.

Horror novels vary in length and are generally between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

Subgenres of horror include: ghost, psychological, weird menace, occult detective, and more.

Young Adult (YA) Genre Novels Young adult (YA) fiction targets boys and girls between the ages of 12-18. The tone, style, and content of YA novels changes depending on the specific age of the target audience. The genre can tackle G-rated issues or it can be very edgy.

 Generally, YA books run between 40,000 and 75,000 words, depending on the target age group.

"Edgy" YA tackles controversial or difficult topics. Otherwise, subgenres of YA are the same as subgenres of adult fiction.

Western: Westerns should be set west of the Mississippi River and before the year 1900. Historical details must be accurate. Westerns are very specific and specialized, but be sure that you're not relying on clichés!

Westerns tend to be on the shorter side, anywhere from 45,000 to 75,000 words.

Women’s Fiction: Key elements should evoke emotion, include strong characterizations for writing a close/deep point of view, explore relationships, and use social issues to deepen your plot.

Definition by Deborah Raney: Women’s Fiction as a genre is contemporary fiction, often with a mild literary bent, that explores issues and themes ranging far beyond romance. Relationships are at the core of the plot, and not necessarily a love interest. It could involve relationships with siblings, parents, friends, society, etc. It may have a strong romantic thread, but the ending is not always happily-ever-after. It may be bittersweet or even tragic (though in the CBA it should be redemptive and satisfying).

Meet Susette Williams

Note: I met Susette Williams online over ten years ago, and over that time have learned so much from this generous Christian lady. In my opinion, she’s a book promotion and publishing genius. Today, this prolific author shares some of her secrets with us.--Ellen E. Kennedy (aka E.E. Kennedy, author of the Miss Prentice cozy mystery series)

SS:  Can you give us a little mini-bio? Background, things you've written? 
Susette: I'm a romantic at heart and love to hear how people fell in love. I also like to people-watch. Add a sense of humor and falling in love can be fun, or murder! I've always felt that laughter helps you deal with the obstacles life throws your way. Unfortunately, I instilled this in my children and has backfired on me at times. But as the mother of six wonderful children, they've always given me enough material to write about!

SS: What's your genre or genres? Which do you like best?
Susette: I have a wide variety of interest. I write children's books, inspirational romance, cozy mystery, and have a suspense started. I think I enjoyed writing my humorous cozy mystery the most because I was able to cut lose with my humor. I inevitably add humor to almost anything I write!

SS: How did you get started writing?
Susette: When I was in 7th grade, a friend wrote poetry. So I decided to try writing poetry. That was also the first year I had to write book reports. After reading nearly fifty romances in a year, I felt like I could write one. Although it was years later before I actually sat down and tried writing a novel.
When I started writing, I had six children under the age of thirteen. The twins were only ten months old, and we had another child that was only two. The other three children were in school all day, so I mainly wrote during nap time and after the children were in bed.

SS: What's the hardest thing about writing for you?
Susette: Editing! I think I am ADD. It is hard enough not to get distracted (by social media) then trying to reread stuff, over and over again, is very hard for me. I'm the same way with watching reruns on TV, or a movie I've seen before. So you can imagine how difficult it can be when you have to reread something over and over again! Hiring an editor can be very expensive, hundreds to even over a thousand dollars for a novel.

SS: Have you a message? Are you hoping to convey anything in particular in your writing?
Susette: I usually weave a subtle message for readers. Planting seeds as I consider it. I think sometimes your writing can help a reader see something differently, or think about something they maybe haven't thought about before.

SS: You have quite a few self-published books. How did you get into self-publishing?
What would you say was the main benefit and main pitfall of self-publishing?
Susette: I have 16 self-published books now in various genres. I began self-publishing after I received my first royalty statement from my publisher and realized I was making less than $.07 per book that sold. That meant the only type of marketing I could do was free because there was no way I could recoup my cost if I paid for marketing. It would take 7 sales just to pay for 1 stamp if I mailed out a postcard or any other advertisement, which isn't counting having to pay for whatever form of mailer I would send out.

The benefits to self-publishing are that you make a higher royalty rate, you don't have to wait for someone else to approve your book before you know if it will be accepted for publication, and you can publish it immediately. No waiting months, or a year, until it is released! 

The main pitfall for most authors would be having to be a jack-of-all-trades! You either have to learn to edit, create a book cover, publish on various platforms, and market your own work or hire other people to do the things that you are not able to do yourself.  

Through self-publishing, I've learned marketing comes more natural to me. I didn't know the first thing about using PhotoShop except for very minor things my husband taught me to help him for his work. They were simple, repeat steps that I think I even wrote down on a piece of paper. I had to learn a lot on my own and I can assure you, PhotoShop is not an easy program to learn. You can however learn a lot by watching YouTube tutorials!

(A list of Susette’s books is included at the end of the interview.)

SS: If you won the lottery tomorrow, would you quit writing?
Susette: If I won the lottery would be a miracle since I don't play! lol. But no, if I came into a windfall of money I wouldn't quit writing. I enjoy entertaining people with my stories. From children on up to adults. I'm hoping that one day I have enough stories written that children can start out reading my picture books and continue reading the rest of my work as they get older.

SS: Have you some advice for new writers?
Susette: Don't rush the process! Learn all the rules you would have to learn if you went the traditional publishing route so that you learn to turn out quality work. Don't just ask advice from 'yes' people in your life, and don't take it personally if the people you ask don't always tell you what you want to hear. If you are going to publish your books, your readers will have their own opinions and they will leave them in the form of reviews. Your colleagues are there to help you make your work better. When you accept that, you can begin to learn and grow as a writer.

SS: Is there any other question that you would like to answer? Something more you'd like us to know about Susette Williams?
Susette: Authors are real people, too. I have had people say they were surprised that I wrote them back when they sent me a message through my website. Some of my fans have become readers for me. I appreciate having their help in reading and reviewing my stories.

Now, if you want to know my favorite foods: carrot cake, crab legs, fried zucchini, and my husband's rigatoni ala carbona.

Books I've Self-published:

Mystery: MAID FOR MURDER: DEADLY BUSINESS www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1U6WI8

Romance:
ACCIDENTAL MEETING www.amazon.com/dp/B008X7AJX0
FALLING IN LOVE (Seasons of the Heart series)  www.amazon.com/dp/B0094ONQXQ
WINTER CHILL (Seasons of the Heart series) www.amazon.com/dp/B0099AIHOI
SCROOGE FALLS IN LOVE (Typecast Christmas series) www.amazon.com/dp/B00FD6RTL4
SOMETHING ABOUT SAM www.amazon.com/dp/B00FGDKCTU
HONORABLE INTENTIONS www.amazon.com/dp/B00GAXULZK
SHADOWS OF DOUBT www.amazon.com/dp/B00GPJCLQQ

Nonfiction:
31 Devotions for Writers www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1511DK
Self-Publishing Tips & Marketing Resources www.amazon.com/dp/B00DC9WBJE

Children's Books:
WACKY WISHES www.amazon.com/dp/B00CAHCP4U
THE DAY MY PARENTS GOT LOST www.amazon.com/dp/B00EHZ4B86
THE CAMERA SHY MONSTER www.amazon.com/dp/B00H6VZBFU
SARGE GETS A TIMEOUT (Sarge in Charge series) www.amazon.com/dp/B00FB4KIWA
THE 'IN' CROWD (Life With Stef series) www.amazon.com/dp/B00A9YQXQW
YOU CAN'T SCARE ME (Life With Stef series) www.amazon.com/dp/B00AHPRLV4