“You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what’s burning inside you. And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.” Arthur Plotnik

Celebrated author Arthur Plotnik shared these words about the meticulous, painstaking work editors do.  And while most aspiring authors may cringe at the thought of allowing someone else to touch their manuscripts, the fact remains that a good editor can help bring out the best in your work.  The trick comes in trusting your editor’s instinct and understanding that while s/he isn’t perfect, your editor wants to help you and your story shine.

As a writer myself, I understand the apprehension in allowing someone else into the world you have created.  After all you’ve spent months—possibly years—with these characters.  You’ve stayed awake late at night outlining key chapters and living through your characters’ trials and triumphs.  In some cases you’ve gotten to know and love these people and their situations more than your own family.  You’ve argued with your characters, cried with them, cheered with them, and sighed in relief as you wrote those important last two words: “The End”.

And then, all of a sudden, a real-life person comes along and introduces himself or herself as your editor.  You watch as your editor eyes your manuscript with something akin to glee.  And you start to feel the hairs rise on the back of your neck as you realize this person actually wants to make cuts to your story.  How can you possibly leave your baby in the hands of this person, this, this…editor?

The key here is to understand exactly what an editor does.  A good editor does not want to make cuts to your manuscript simply for the sake of making cuts.  An editor’s job is to read carefully through your work.  S/he looks for the necessary elements, those essential descriptions and sections of dialogue that help your story fly.  And then s/he takes out the rest.  And if your editor has done the job right, you won’t even be able to make a distinction between your work and your editor’s careful paring of your story.

That’s not to say allowing someone else to evaluate your story is a comfortable process.  At times the edits can almost inflict a physical sensation.  Imagine a snake that has just shed its skin.  The snake has left the old skin behind, but how does it feel immediately after disposing of the unnecessary article?  The wind probably chafes and makes its body prickle.  Yet after a short period of time, the snake feels comfortable and doesn’t remember the old skin at all.

Much in the same way, editing takes away layers of writing that no longer belong to the essence of the story.  When you begin writing your manuscript, it’s important—crucial, even—to allow all the words to appear on the page.  Don’t think; just let the words come.  Keep them, and give your writer’s self a free hand to include as many words as you want.

Once the manuscript is complete, the editor has the mammoth task of searching through all the words, peeling back all the layers, to find the heart of the story.  As your editor works with you and with your manuscript, you will feel—actually feel in your skin—the words being stripped away.  The loss of the excess words will sting, but soon you’ll realize your editor’s handiwork.  And you’ll realize those words were just that—excess.

An editor is an essential member of your writing journey.  It is often said that good writing is actually rewriting.  Writing a story from the heart takes courage; rewriting that story to make it the story it is meant to be takes audacity.  And a good editor will give you the mettle to be audacious.

In The Author’s words…

Lame Excuses is the story about Emily, a southern girl who grows up in a 1960s café. Her fondest memories are of the café and the comfort she found there. Emily remembers the tickling sensation on her lips when they met the rim of a frosty bottle, the awakened taste buds from the juices from a succulent burger, and the comforting feeling of warm cheese that melted her troubles away.

Emily’s thoughts and dreams throughout life are driven by her love for food. As a young woman, Emily chooses a career in the culinary arts that will keep her close to her first love. She becomes a successful pastry chef in the rural farming community where she meets her future husband and calls home. Emily’s life and weight rolls along with ups and downs, much like most lives do.

Emily and her family aren’t prepared for the consequences that follow her passionate love for food.

After reading Lame Excuses, several readers have shared with me how much they identified with Emily. Many of us struggle with temptation when TV ads push big, juicy burgers and cool, refreshing drinks in our faces. In America, we are constantly bombarded by food for sustenance, pleasure, and entertainment. Do you think that food is an acceptable drug in our society? I sometimes think of it that way.

I know what it’s like to be a Foodie, a new handle in our age for people who are like me, and look forward to their next meal. Like Emily, I grew up in a fast food restaurant in the ’60s when eating at home fell by the wayside and people craved convenience. Like Emily, I grew up on cheeseburgers and fries. Like Emily, I had my share of Moon Pies and colas for breakfast. As a young woman concerned about weight, I swore off fast food and soft drinks and never returned to my old ways. But, I have often wondered, what if I was Emily? What if my love for the food of my childhood surpassed my desire for a healthy body? What if eating luscious pastries like Emily’s made me feel so comfortable that I ignored my body? These are the questions that compelled me to write Emily’s story.

I am fascinated by the “what if” questions in life. There are many sides to every story and every life. Exploring different views in life supports compassion and strengthens our love for those we come to know. Through my writing, I hope to explore the strengths and weaknesses that ultimately define the lives of my characters.

Alle’s second novel, Railroad Man, is set in the 1930s and explores the life of Mick MacDonald, a man who loves the women in his life and strives to make them happy. Look for it in Kindle books on Amazon - only 99 cents.  Buy Book…

Once I learned that in addition to the trade paperback versions, both of my books would be available in the digital format, I broke down and bought a Kindle. Up until that point I had been one of those die-hard holdouts who swore I’d never use an e-reader. Too much like working on the computer, I said.  Yes, as the song goes, “I was blind, but now I see!”

The e-book reader advantage: 

Not only is it possible to carry around your entire library in a device that weighs less than a paperback, but you can also download free chapters of books to browse at your leisure.  For me, this is an awesome feature because I just don’t have the time to stand in a bookstore reading a chapter or two to determine whether or not I’ll like the book.  With these good-sized samples on my Kindle, I read when it’s convenient for me, decide which books I want to buy and then download the remainder of the book with a few simple clicks. The Kindle has more than paid for itself since  I’ve eliminated the purchase of books that turn sour after ten or twelve pages.

The e-book author advantage:

I can honestly say the advantages that serve me well as a reader, also serve me well as an author–new readers are downloading samples of Spare Change and Cracks in the Sidewalk, loving the story, then purchasing the book. In short, new readers are discovering my work and as an author, that’s music to my ears. Digital books also have an added plus–cost. Without the cost of paper and printing, publishing firms can offer books at a lower cost which makes the purchase of an unfamiliar author’s work less of an investment, so the customer reaps the reward and the author garners a larger audience. That’s a win-win situation. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) the big six publishing houses are not passing along this savings to the consumer, so potential readers are quicker to bypass the old standards and search out new authors with exciting voices. This has been wonderful for me and  as a result the e-book version of Spare Change (available at $2.99) is outselling the paper version by 10 to 1. The ratio for Cracks in the Sidewalk is approximately 8 to 1.

On to 2012:

With over five million Kindles sold in the month preceding Christmas, there can be little doubt that any and all future releases need to have a digital version, so Bent Pine Publishing is doing just that. In the first quarter of 2012, my first novel Girl Child will be rereleased under the original title which was The Twelfth Child and it will be available in both paper and e-book versions. As The Twelfth Child this novel won the First Place Award for Published Fiction from the National League of American Pen Women in 2007 and, although Spare Change is rapidly becoming a reader favorite, you will fall in love with Abigail Anne Lannigan, the protagonist of Twelfth Child.

Also due to be released in the first quarter of 2012 is Life in the Land of IS…the amazing story of Lani Deauville, the World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic. Lani Deauville was given that title by the Guinness Book of Records and I was fortunate enough to have the honor of writing her story.  Lani won the Florida State High School Diving Championship in 1957, and the following summer she broke her neck and injured her spinal cord by diving into shallow water. In the years that followed, Lani achieved more professionally and personally than most women ever aspire to; including adoption of a baby and the start-up of GreensPlus, a nutritional supplement company that today has a huge following. This is an exciting story–one that will awe and inspire you, so please don’t miss it.

Lastly, in the final quarter of 2012 I anticipate the release of What Matters Most the novel that won a 2011 Royal Palm Literary Award for Unpublished Women’s Fiction. This is the fun-to-read story of Louise Palmer, a woman whose life is turned upside-down when her husband decides to retire after inheriting his uncle’s shabby little shack in Florida. There are truly laugh-out-loud moments in this book along with heartwarming friendships and ‘lessons-learned’ bits of wisdom.

Right now, that’s what is on the board. As for the summer months…well, I hope to be working on a new novel and restoring the tan that has over these long months of work faded to a pasty pallor.

In addition to hosting a twice weekly radio show, Sabrina is the mother of two boys and author of children’s books, including “The Adventures of Isaiah James: Beach Boy” – she is also a business owner, Zumba lover, philanthropist, motivational speaker and literacy coach. Sabrina’s show, as many may know, focuses on philanthropic issues and, like me, she often donates a portion of her book sales to the support of such causes. When I speak at Clubs where they are involved in community issues, I support the cause with 10% of the book sales from that event. It’s a win-win situation and I can feel good for having contributed.

Although it is too late to catch the December 27th broadcast, the interview will be available on http://www.sabrinakcarpenter.com/Sabrina_UnScripted_Radio.html and it is scheduled to be rebroadcast over 107.9 FM Sunday January 1st and will air again on Tuesday January 3rd. If you miss these shows, you can listen to the complete interview on the Sabrina Unscripted website, but it will not be available for about two weeks.

Q:    I understand that you grew up on a farm, did that life enable you to create a more realistic setting for The Reindeer Keeper?

A:    I was fortunate to have grown up in the country. There were 4 houses in a row all full of relatives. The old farmhouse where my grandparents raised 6 daughters and farmed the surrounding fields was the hub. My cousins and I were always outside playing and pretending. All those surroundings-the fields, the creek, the pine grove, the old barn and farmhouse-the smells and sounds and starkness and beauty of the seasons, especially winter-have remained a part of me. As I wrote the story I was able to tap back into a winter backdrop and my grandfather’s barn and farmhouse with all my senses-creating characters able to do the same; writing a story that enabled readers to feel the cold of winter; hear the wind and snow sifting through the pines as if they were standing there and embrace the characters as if they were dear, old friends-all lending to a story they could not put down.

Q:    In the Story, Abbey and Steve meet at a sock hop, fall in love and ultimately get married; is that scenario reflective of your own life?

A:    Actually-No. It was taken from a couple I remember in high school. They were older than I was. I thought they were the neatest couple ever. He was a senior. She was a sophomore. They went steady. He was the football player all the girls thought was the hottest and she was a cheerleader with a ponytail to do die for-and the looks to match. They were the couple. When they danced slow dances at sock hops my friends and I watched their every move! They graduated; later married and years later-they’re still married. They have no clue the impact they’ve made on me nor how they wove their way into this book.

Q:    Describe Abbey and Steve’s relationship.

A:    When the story begins they’ve been married 30 years. Their marriage remains a good one. They are the best of friends. They communicate; have a give and take that continues to work. They are supportive of each other; still find great pleasure in each other.  They also find pleasure in little things and enjoy spending time together. They’ve had ups and downs; loss and sadness but they faced the challenges together. Much of what they have together stems from the fact that Abbey’s father was a funeral director who by example taught Abbey about life and living and what truly matters and to enjoy each day for tomorrow is no guarantee.

Q:    In this book Abbey faces a number of crisis involving not only her health, but also her family, describe how she deals with these things.

A:    Abbey is a spiritual woman with deep insight and wisdom, lending to the way in which she’s dealt with her cancer now in remission. To go back to the fact that her father was a funeral director-she grew up living above the funeral home where she was constantly reminded of the thin line between life and death. She considers obituaries as individual mini-stories of people and how they lived their lives. She always tells her boys that while none of us have control over the dates in our obituaries we do have say over the middle part. She doesn’t get caught up in the small stuff. Life is too short for her. She’s a woman of insight. Yet deep down, despite trying to come to terms with it, she still resents her mother dying and leaving her at a young age. As the story unfolds she comes to terms with these feelings as the wonder of the Season surrounds her.

Q:    The big-box store coming to town is something many merchants are now dealing with. Do you think Steve addresses this problem realistically and does it influence his relationship with Abbey and his sons?

A:    Steve built his lumberyard up from scratch. When he first started out the only one who believed in him was Abbey. Every expansion has been done carefully. All along he’s kept up with trends and the competition. He understood the potential impact of the internet early on and readied his business accordingly. He’s read about what has happened to whole communities when some big-box stores move in. He’s researched how they operate; has built a solid sales force and through all of it Abbey has remained his biggest supporter. This doesn’t mean Abbey doesn’t worry. It keeps her awake some nights but she keeps this to herself, feeling Steve has enough to worry about. With the boys coming home for Christmas they decide to keep the worry of the big-box to themselves but because their boys know them so well, they sense something is going on. Once they understand the situation, both boys are there for their parents. It’s how they’ve been raised. The threat of the big-box only brings them closer as other worries resurface-testing them as a family like never before.

Q:    In The Reindeer Keeper, Abbey inherits not only a farm, but also a herd of reindeer and a mysterious old man who tends the reindeer; when you first conceived this plot did you envision it as a child’s Christmas story or was it intended to be adult fiction?

A:    From the moment the idea for this story came to me, it was intended for adults. When I sat down to write it all I had was the title and the image of an old barn based on my grandfather’s. I wanted my characters to ignite that feeling we felt as children while dealing with life as adults. As the story unfolded I found I was but the instrument for Abbey and Steve to tell their story-a story of love and loss; belief and Wonder-a story I felt needed to be written for adults.

Q:    This story is reminiscent of how we believed as children, is there a message to be told here?

A:    The message to be told is simple-Don’t let life defeat you. We all have our problems and worries. We’ve all experienced loss and pain yet Life remains good and Wonder of it still exists within us if we tap back into the idea of pure belief we felt as children.

Q:    What came to mind in your creation and description of the old man who tends the reindeer?

A:    Thomas-the odd little man who tends to the reindeer-was purely from my imagination. He developed as I wrote the words. The more I wrote-the more I understood his importance to the storyline. Thomas became the link between everyday life and the Wonder we felt as children. He and Abbey become best friends; share both magical moments and times of sadness.

Q:    I loved the picturesque descriptions of snow, hot chocolate and warm fires; were those descriptions taken from your own experience or created in a writer’s imagination?

A:    Without a doubt, winter remains my favorite season. I absolutely love snow. A field covered in untouched, freshly fallen snow is, to me, breathtakingly spiritual. My cousins and I would play outside all winter despite the temperature. My grandfather’s old barn would creak and sway as the wind and snow pushed through cracks in the weathered boards while we played and pretended. We’d skate atop the frozen creek even at night. Lying atop the ice we’d talk and laugh under the stars-then go home to the hot chocolate and warmth of the fireplace. I’d say my own experiences were richly enhanced by my imagination-making them all the more amazing!

Q:    Do you see this as a Christmas story or is it one that carries a far deeper message?

A:    What started out as a Christmas story turned into a Christmas story that has truly touched both women and men in ways that have brought them back to that pure Belief felt as children and rekindled within them a deeper sense of that Wonder once felt but lost when slipping into adulthood. It’s started conversations; ignited Hope and has people asking me for yet another such story of Christmas. Honored as a Mom’s Choice Awards Gold Recipient in Adult Fiction confirms to me that Abbey and Steve have impacted their readers in immeasurable ways

Barbara Briggs Ward has been published in Highlights for Children, Ladies Home Journal, McCall’s, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Ward has also written and illustrated three children’s books. For more information: www.thereindeerkeeper.com

The most memorable occasion was the Christmas before hubby and I were married. He had given me gifts of jewelry during our courtship and they were always wrapped in the same paper with a shiny gold tassel tied on top. Since we’d already set the wedding date, I expected him to give me an engagement ring for Christmas and sure enough, under the tree was small package with the Jeweler’s gold tassel glimmering in the twinkle of Christmas lights.

Our tree was a twelve-foot high spruce that we had chopped down and carted home from the tree farm; underneath the tree were dozens upon dozens of beautifully-wrapped presents. My eye went directly to the gold tassel; “Oh, you’ll have to open that one last,” my soon-to-be hubby said. So I waited as the rest of the family unwrapped shirts, sox, bathrobes, picture frames and knick-knacks galore. Finally it was my turn. The box felt heavier than I’d expected, but slowly I peeled back the gold paper, then my jaw fell… “a watch?” I sighed, removing it from the box. My disappointment was quite obvious, but future hubby was smiling.

The smile turned to a full-out grin. “Well,” he said, “there is one more gift for you, but I think Santa’s hung it on the tree.”

My most wonderful ornament with this year's note & my engagement ring

He expected it to take a good hour or so for me to locate the little red lacquer ball hidden in the branches of the gigantic tree…but as I said earlier, I come from a family who specializes in Christmas and I knew every ornament on the tree. Each and every bauble meant something to me—many were hand-made, clothespin dolls and felt angels with pipe cleaner halos, snowmen, Santa’s and bells tied atop the packages of Christmases gone by, ornaments that were gifts from friends, some from people long departed… everything on the tree was rooted in family tradition. It took five minutes to find the red lacquer ornament and less than a heartbeat to open the ball and find a beautiful diamond ring that was precisely my size.

That was twenty-five years ago. This year hubby and I will celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. As for the red lacquer ball that held my ring…it still hangs on our tree every year only now it comes with a new tradition, one that warms my heart more than words can say. Each year before I hang the ornament on the tree I open it up and inside is a new love note from the man I am so happily married to.

It’s a fun look into Ethan Allen’s way of thinking – check it out    http://tinyurl.com/3kwplwa

“Cracks in the Sidewalk,” is a thoughtful and remarkable novel! The book covers over twenty years and every human emotion imaginable. Lust, hate, unrequited love and unending love, all wrapped together into this novel from a spiritual and extraordinary writer, Bette Crosby. The story includes both a deeply troubled marriage with an almost perfect marriage and everything in between. In the beginning, the author slowly weaves her tale about relationships gone haywire. After reading the first third of the book, I couldn’t put it down until I finished the last two thirds, smiling and weeping along the way.
Written in both first and third person perspectives, I’ve never read a book quite like this before. The character’s dialogue and descriptions are immaculate and allows one to completely enter the mind and thoughts of the specific characters. As Ms. Crosby writes, “Life is a sidewalk to Heaven with cracks along the way.” If you like books about undying love for family, this novel is absolutely for you!