Saturday, January 31, 2009

Brand-Aid Contest

Christmas is over, writer’s block is stashed away with the ornaments, and I’m back to accumulating dust in direct correlation to word count.

I've been reading a lot about branding lately. For a writer, that essentially means defining your unique niche, sticking to it, and making sure all of your communications reflect that definition. It all seemed a bit claustrophobic since I’m playing around with chick-lit and women’s fiction and not sticking solely to romance. And then I stumbled upon this simple phrase: Tell the reader what emotions your stories evoke.

So simple/so profound. I can do that!

But I’m not going to...just yet. Instead, I’m going to ask you. Yes, I have a tagline I love...warm romance with dollops of faith and sprinkles of joy...but that doesn’t really describe what the reader feels. So (assuming you’ve read Beauty for Ashes, Garment of Praise, Far above Rubies, Over the Wall, Walk with Me, or a work in progress) if you’re brave enough to offer a couple emotion-filled lines, you’ll be in the running for a $10 gift card of your choosing. I’ll put all posts in a hat (well, most likely a mixing bowl...) and let one of my grandkids pick the winner on Valentine’s Day. Thanks in advance!

4 comments:

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Heart-warming would be my number description of the emotion I get while reading your mss. But don't enter me with this. Just wanted to put my two-cents in.

SRI said...

I guess when I read your stories it isn't the romance that first grabs me. I always feel reassured that no matter what the situation there's always hope. And we humans will strive against all odds if we're given hope.

Whether it's a burns victim who feels no one can ever love her, to a woman who's husband ran out on her...in your stories, you know that anything can be made right...it's just needs God.

So, I would say...making dreams and hopes come true.

The wierdest thing is my word verification for this comment is....cometru...how freaky is that?

JoAnne said...

Can your Heartsong editor leave a comment? I don't need to be in the contest. :) Based on Walk with Me, Dream Chasers, and Stillwater Promise, what I feel when I read your books is connected. You do such a great job of making your characters and their experiences real that I feel close to them and part of their story...almost like they are friends of mine, and I truly care about what's going to happen to them.

JoAnne

Patti Lacy said...

Unlikely romances with an unbelieveable God...What I love about your stories is your great depth of character and the classic (and so effective) device of pitting two seemingly opposite people in situations where only God can make the relationship work.
Think...Camela and Tommy!

Keep up the great stories!
Patti