Why Do We Write Romances? Guest Blog MaryLu Tyndall

God is a Romantic at heart!  By Mary Lu Tyndall  https://www.marylutyndall.com/ Posted: 16 Sep 2019 12:30 AM PDT Sometimes people ask me why I write romance. Aren't there more important things to write in these trying times? I always answer them that I write about God, and God is a romantic!  In fact, the entire Bible is one huge love story composed of a bunch of little love stories.  It goes something like this. God seeks out a bride for Himself. A people who will love Him and follow Him and be in relationship with Him. He wants a bride who will tell the rest of mankind about Him.  He chooses the Jewish people. He saves them from bondage (Egypt), marries them on Mount Sinai, and then intends to bring them into the promised land where they will live happy and free with Him.  The Jewish people cheat on God. They run off after other lovers.  God divorces them.  Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. Jeremiah 3:8 Jesus becomes a man in order to pay the penalty for everyone's sin and bring the Jews back into relationship with God.  God loves the Jewish people (all people) so much that He is willing to sacrifice His own Son in order to win them back.   The Jews reject Jesus. Jesus turns to the gentiles to seek a new bride.  God has sent His Holy Spirit to earth to call each individual member of the bride and help them get ready for her wedding!  Note:  In the end, God will save Israel when they turn to Jesus, and they will once again be His bride.. He's not done with them yet. (This is mimicked in the story of Jacob listed below) So you see, the entire Bible is a love story!. It's all about how much God loves us, how much He is willing to pay to set us free from our prison of sin, how much He is willing to lose to bring us back to Him, how much He is willing to suffer.. It's the greatest love story of all time., and embedded within it are a dozen great love stories that all illustrate and point back to the major one: God loves you with an undying, sacrificial, unconditional, immense love! And He never leaves you and never gives up on you, and He pursues you as if you were the only object of His great affection. Don't ever forget that! Look how God has woven the same story throughout Scripture! Adam and Eve What a grand love story. Adam was lonely. He needed romance in his life. He needed to fall in love. So what did God do? He brought him Eve. What is God preparing for His Son now? A Bride, which He will bring to Jesus at the rapture. Note. Jesus doesn't come down to earth. We go up to meet him in the clouds! Just as God brought Eve to Adam. Abraham and Sarah. What a grand love story!  Apparently she was so beautiful he had to lie and tell other men she was his sister so they wouldn't kill him for her. Not his best moments. Isaac and Rebekah!  Who could forget this great love story that mimics the love story between Jesus and His bride. Abraham (Father God) sends Eliezer (the Holy Spirit) back to his homeland (earth) to find a suitable bride for his son, Isaac (Jesus). Eliezer finds Rebekah, who agrees to marry Isaac. He pays the bride price and brings her willingly home to her new husband (Jesus) Joseph, who many scholars believe is a typology of Jesus, took a gentile bride from Egypt, an Egyptian princess. Just as Jesus is taking a Gentile bride (the church) Jacob, who was forced to marry a bride he did not want at first, Leah, in order to get the bride he did want, Rachel.  Sounds a lot like Jesus who is now about to marry a gentile bride, (the church), but that is not the original bride God wanted for His Son. The Jews were to be the chosen people, the chosen bride but they rejected him. However, after Jesus marries the gentile bride, the Jews will be saved during the tribulation and they will once again become part of God's family. Moses took a gentile bride. Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho who sided with the Jews. She married a Jewish man and from their union, Jesus was eventually born. David and Bathsheba - who can forget this love story, as immoral as it started out. It was through their lineage that Jesus came as well. Ruth and Boaz, one of my favorite love stories. It it the perfect analogy of Jesus and the Church. Boaz was Ruth's kinsmen redeemer, just as Jesus is ours. If you don't know the story, I encourage you to read the book of Ruth.  Esther - who doesn't love a story about a young girl who is nobody but who then becomes Queen of the Realm!   And of course the ultimate love story. Jesus, who loved us so much, He gave up everything to become nothing, who was beaten and scorched and crucified so badly, He didn't even look human. He was rejected by men, a man well acquainted with sorrows, belittled, mocked, spit on, and harassed. And He did all of that to win your love,. to save you from eternal fire. Now, there's a love story for the ages!  In fact, many of the things Jesus said are idioms for a Jewish wedding. It's a fascinating study, and I encourage you to read this article about the Jewish Wedding and Jesus And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39 Remember you are bought with a huge price--the death of the Son of God. It is the bride price God paid for you to become His Son's bride. That makes you the most valuable thing in all of creation. Highly loved and exceedingly precious!                                                                        *** Thanks for stopping by! Would love to read your comments about this post by a dear author friend, MaryLu Tyndall. Feel free to share by clicking on the icons below. Be blessed, Elva Elva Cobb Martin is Vice President of the SC Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com, Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI  Coming Nov. 12, 2019  Marisol  Book 1 in Charleston Brides           https://amzn.to/33Npc2L

First Chapter Pointers - Part 2

by Elva Cobb Martin

We shared in Part 1 that my great friend and award-winning author MaryLu Tyndall is collaborating on a book about novel writing. She is collecting samples for How to Write First Chapters.  She gave me six pointers and her examples for info we need to include in first chapters and asked me to share examples from the first chapters of my novels, In a Pirate's Debt and Summer of Deception. 




We covered the first three in Part 1 and you can find them in my post last week. Click here for Part 1 http://bit.ly/2GFyEfV 

To review briefly, they are:

1) A sentence describing the protagonist in the first chapter.
2) A sentence or paragraph describing the setting in your first              chapter.
3) A sentence or paragraph describing the situation in your first            chapter.

4) A sentence describing your character's goal, as revealed in Chapter 1. MaryLu Tyndall's example: Given no other choice, the heroine pirates the seas for enough money to keep her sisters from unwanted marriages. 
The Red Siren, MaryLu Tyndall

Travay Allston determines to make it to Charles Town to an aunt and escape the pursuit of a powerful suitor who has won her hand gambling with her stepfather.

  - In a Pirate’s Debt by Elva Cobb Martin

Rachel York takes a summer nanny position at a Charleston, South Carolina, tea plantation in hopes of getting in touch with her reportedly deceased brother's last Charleston DEA partner.
   - Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

5) A sentence describing your character's problem or roadblock as revealed in Chapter 1. MLT's example: Heroine is being sold as a white slave on the Island of St. Kitts.  The Blue Enchantress, MaryLu Tyndall

Travay on horseback takes the wrong turn toward the Caribbean instead of to Kingston, and her determined suitor in hot pursuit corners her on a cliff at the ocean’s edge.

    -In a Pirate’s Debt by Elva Cobb Martin

Rachel York arrives at Barrett Hall for a summer nanny position but no one seems to know about her job offer.

  -Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

6) A sentence describing how you ended the chapter with a bang. : MLT's example:  Heroine is kidnapped by a pirate and tossed into a cabin only to discover he intends to sell her to a Spanish Don in Columbia  
The Raven Saint, MaryLu Tyndall

After forcing her horse over a cliff into the Caribbean to escape a forced marriage, Travay is rescued but discovers her savior is a pirate—a murdering, thieving pirate.

  -In a Pirate’s Debt by Elva Cobb Martin

Rachel York meets the distrustful, handsome new owner of Barrett Hall and is told the uncle she says offered her the nanny position died two weeks earlier.

    - Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

Are these pointers helping you nail down the information you need to plot your first chapter? Don't miss Part 3 when I plan to share a first chapter to illustrate the six points!

Blessings,

Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents her. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin

        Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

First Chapter Pointers - Part 1

by Elva Cobb Martin 

My good friend and amazing author, MaryLu Tyndall, wrote me that she is collaborating on a book of how to write novels with nine other great authors. MaryLu's part is "How to Write First Chapters."  She asked me to share from my two novels some major points we need to cover in first chapters. Here are her points with her examples and  examples I gave her from my two novels, In a Pirate's Debt and Summer of Deception.

Hope these pointers help you nail down vital information for your first chapters! The how-to book she is helping write will be released in the fall. I'll let you know when!

1) A sentence describing the protagonist in the first chapter of your book(s) Here's MLT's example. 
Heroine has run away from an abusive uncle, endures a storm at sea, and is now shipwrecked on a deserted island.  The Redemption, MaryLu Tyndall

Heroine  Travay flees a forced marriage in Jamaica and falls into the hands of a pirate. 

      - In a Pirate’s Debt, Elva Cobb Martin

Heroine Rachel accepts a summer nanny job on a Charleston, South Carolina, tea plantation to discover if her brother really died in a plane crash over the Atlantic as reported by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). No one at the plantation, including the new owner, knows of her job offer.    

         - Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

2) A sentence or paragraph describing the setting in your first chapter. Here's an example of MLT's. 1692 Heroine is nervously walking through the Cat and the Fiddle Tavern, Port Royal Jamaica.

1720 Jamaica Heroine is fleeing a forced marriage on horseback pursued by the jilted suitor.

            - In a Pirate’s Debt by Elva Cobb Martin

Contemporary heroine arrives late, and unexpected, at Barrett Hall Tea Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina, for a summer nanny position.

            – Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

3)A sentence or paragraph describing the situation in your first chapter. MLT's example: Charity's Cross: Heroine has just shot and killed her husband.

When confronted with a forced marriage, Travay Allston flees her stepfather’s Jamaican plantation on horseback and dives into the sea. A pirate rescues her.

     -In a Pirate’s Debt  by Elva Cobb Martin

When Rachel York arrives at Barrett Hall tea plantation for a summer nanny job she finds the uncle who offered her the job has died and told no one about her job offer.

     -Summer of Deception by Elva Cobb Martin

Is this helping you nail down some major points we need to cover in our first chapters? Don't miss Part 2 next week for three more points! 

Thanks for stopping by. Please share on your social media by clicking on the small icons below.

Blessings,

Elva

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents her. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin

        Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

My Journey to a Book Contract - Five Vital Steps (Part 2)

by Elva Cobb Martin

For a long while my dream of securing a book contract seemed like an impossible goal- like reaching for a castle in the sky.

If you missed Part 1, you can find it in the archives.

Here's a quick list of the Five Steps that helped me finally land my first book contract. It is with Prism Book Group for my inspirational romantic suspense novel, Summer of Deception, to be released in 2017. 

Drum-m-m ROL-L-L! I have recently signed a second contract with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas for my historical, In a Pirate's Debt! So now I am into edits on TWO books at the same time. (Yes, that's a prayer request in the subtext). Selling the second book has been quicker maybe because I started writing it before I sold the first one. ( : 

Here are the five steps I listed in Part 1:

1) NEVER give up!
2) Keep Honing Your Craft
3) Importance of Conferences and Writing Groups
4) Help Other Writers
5) Learn how to Submit to Editors and Agents

Part 2  Keep Honing Your Craft!

Learn how to Plot a Novel  - 4 Ways I’ve Studied               

A) The detailed Authors Boot Camp Manual can be found at

    http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-authors-boot-camp-   manual-for-2016.html. (archived under Boot Camp)   

     There are tons of links compiled for every aspect of plotting and writing a book! And it’s all free—the best articles from some of the best authors you’ll find. 

B) The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson. Find his 10 detailed steps under Products at  http://www.advancefictionwriting.com

         
Randy, a former software architect, lists 10 Steps that he compares to a snowflake in building a novel. He has a software program on it and a detailed book you can purchase on Amazon.)

   Here are the first 4 steps briefly which he covers in detail on his site and in his book.

      Step 1 - Take an hour and write a one sentence summary of your novel idea.

         Ex. “A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the Apostle Paul.”

      Step 2 - Take another hour and expand that sentence into a full paragraph describing the story setup, 3 major disasters, and the ending.

      Step 3 – Characters: Write a one-page summary for each character telling their name, their storyline, their motivation, goal, conflict, and epiphany (Details on site)

       Step 4 – Expand each sentence in your paragraph summary into a full paragraph each. The final paragraph should tell how the book ends.

End each chapter with a cliff hanger!

C)  MaryLu Tyndall’s basic method for historicals: Starts with research

           1) Do detailed main character sketches with photos and index cards of main characters

           2) Write synopsis of basic story line and chapter by chapter summary

           3) Write the first draft down fast in creative mode. No editing or checking research details. Get the main plot points down, about 40,000 words

           4) Rewrite/Expand adding the polish, research details, DPOV, five senses add more tension/conflict, and end each chapter with a cliff hanger.

           5) Edit for final draft

           6) She keeps three docs pulled up in computer when writing:

              a)Chapter by Chapter summary which she uses to write the first draft, (I have a Scene List doc for each chapter as I write the scenes)

              b) A To-Remember Doc which lists things she needs to keep track of like dates, back story, ancestry, research items

              c) Add-in Doc – lists all the extra ideas that she comes up with while doing other stuff that she wants to add in later

                       (In editing to cut my novel word count, I added a “Cuts” document to paste in all cuts which I may want to use later in blogs.

              Find MaryLu’s other Writing Tips at http://www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com

D) Prescription for Plotting Notebook by Carolyn M. Greene (Pass it around)

   

       A fantastic 3-ring binder with 75 pages of worksheets, forms and easy instructions to help plot your novel. Order it from:

           Carolyn Greene, P.O. Box 412, Powhattan, VA 23139 

      Send check or money order for $25 plus $5 for shipping.  Check out her site at    http://carolynpd.fortunecity.ws/

       (I highly recommend this notebook, if still available.)

Three “plots” I worked up for Summer of Deception

           

The main romance plot between heroine Rachel and hero Luke.

The suspense/mystery subplot of who is smuggling drugs on the Charleston coastline and what really happened to Rachel’s brother declared dead by the DEA.

The spiritual subplot of Luke’s struggle to regain faith and the testing of Rachel’s faith

The Spectrum for Spiritual Plots for Inspirational novels from Ron Benry’s Writing Christian Fiction

    ♦ At the High End: A conversion/redemption scene of a main character, grace in action

    ♦ The Middle Ground: Jesus at work in the lives of one or more characters  

    ♦ At the very least: Show progress in a lead character’s Christian walk or reaffirmed faith.

          OR: Challenge your protagonist’ moral beliefs. Judith Rolfs in a new mystery release by Prism Books, Never Tomorrow, has a scene in which the heroine’s moral belief in chastity is challenged by a character she has begun to think of in a romantic way and the heroine gives a great “No” answer.

My take on all this is: Weave in the spiritual plot through “parable/story style” not preachy style.

Don't miss the next blog(s) when I will share other writing skills I had to gain mastery in: Goals, Motivation and Conflict; MRU's; and How to Show not Tell. 

What has helped you most in plotting or planning your book? Please reply by leaving a comment and click and share this with friends on Twitter and FB.

Blessings on your day,
Elva Cobb Martin

Juggling Plot Plans for a Novel - Part 1

by Elva Cobb Martin 

I am now plotting my third book. Have you honed your method of plotting a new book or are you still juggling thoughts and methods to organize them? 

Here is a list of some plotting plans I've explored. I used parts of more than one to plot my books and these work for those who write by the seat of the pants or those who love outlining.

1) Authors Boot Camp Manuel from Seekerville blog

2) Snowflake method by Randy Ingermanson

3) Carolyn Greene, The Plot Doctor, "Prescription for Plotting"
4) MaryLu Tyndall’s method

1) The detailed Authors Boot Camp Manual can be found at

     http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-authors-boot-camp-manual-for-         2016.html

    There are tons of links compiled for every aspect of plotting and writing a book!

     And its all free—the best articles from some of the best authors. 

2) The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson. Find 10 detailed steps at:

       http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/

          
Randy, a former software architect, lists 10 Steps that he compares to a snowflake in building a novel. He has a software program on it and a detailed book you can purchase here Grab your copy here on Amazon. (Kindle or paper)

   Here are the first 4 steps briefly which he covers in detail on his site and in his book.

      Step 1 - Take an hour and write a one sentence summary of your novel idea. This will be your fast pitch to editors and agents.

       Ex. “A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the Apostle Paul.”

      Step 2 - Take another hour and expand that sentence into a full paragraph describing the  story setup, 3 major disasters, and the ending.

      Step 3 – Characters: Write a one-page summary for each character telling their name, their storyline, their motivation, goal, conflict, and epiphany (Details on site and in book)

       Step 4 – Expand each sentence in your paragraph summary into a full paragraph each. The final paragraph should tell how the book ends.

3) Carolyn Green, the Plot Doctor "Prescription for Plotting"  This is a great workbook full of plotting information and forms to fill in. This has been a great help to me. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to find a web site for this
workbook, but you can google her name and find some information about her.


4)  MaryLu Tyndall’s basic method: (Start with research)

         
  1) Do detailed main        character sketches, add photos and index cards with basics

           2) Write synopsis of basic story line

           3) Write the first draft down fast in creative mode. No                   editing or research details. Get the main plot points                     down. 

           4) Rewrite/expand adding the polish: research details,                    sharpen deep point of view, 5 senses,more conflict,                  end each chapter with cliff hanger. 

           5) Edit for final draft

           6) She keeps three docs to pull up in computer:

                   a)Chapter by Chapter summary which she puts                           together with the first draft

                   b) A To-Remember Doc which list things she                                needs to keep track of like how long was                                  someone married, or deceased. What battles                            they fought in. What year did their brother,                              mother, or dad die, etc.

                      c) Add-in Doc – lists all the extra ideas that she                            comes up with while doing other stuff that                                 she wants to add in later.
           MaryLu's writing advice has been a real help to me.

                Find her great Writing Tips at her site                           http://www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com

Don't miss Part 2 when I'll share how I am plotting my work in progress, using a mixture of the above methods.

How do you plot your books? Hope this information has helped you choose a method if you don't have one. Do leave a comment and share this blog.

Blessings on your plotting!
Elva Cobb Martin

My Review of MaryLu Tyndall's Charity's Cross

MaryLu Tyndall is one of the most satisfying writers I know of historical romance and adventure, not to mention inspirational historical romance which puts her out front of most historical authors I read. 

Her just released historical romance, Charity’s Cross, underscores this assertion in many ways from the engrossing hook in the first line to the wonder-if-it’s-gonna-to- happen HEA ending on the last page. I’ve read most of Tyndall’s romances, and Charity Westcott and Elias Dutton may be her best drawn hero and heroine ever. In Charity’s Cross you’ll not only get an exciting read of romance on the high seas, which is one of Tyndall’s trademarks, but you’ll also rejoice to see two flawed, vulnerable people struggle their way to God’s complete forgiveness, restoration, and a new beginning.

For writers, Charity’s Cross is a fresh work of fiction to study how the major plots of inspirational romance are played out and meshed into a great novel—the romance plot, the spiritual plot, and what I call the mystery plot or surprises (good and bad). Tyndall is a master of GMC (goals/motivation/conflict) for her characters which makes you burn the midnight oil to finish the story. She is also creator of unique details like Charity repeating verses of a nursery rhyme, as a mantra, to translate her away from something terrible happening that she can’t control, like the abuse of her former husband.

I am happy to give five stars to Charity’s Cross and advise all you romance readers and writers: Get the book! Share it.

   

Thanks for stopping by. Please share your comments.

Elva Cobb Martin

Review of MaryLu Tyndall's Abandoned Memories

In this Book 3, Abandoned Memories, in her Escape to Paradise series, MaryLu takes us back to the Brazilian colony of Southerners who left the South after the Civil War.

The colonists have found their escape most definitely has not landed them in paradise where the living is easy. Their lives are filled with hard work, many dangers, natural enemies, and not a few supernatural ones. In fact, this book reminds me of the spiritual warfare we found in This Present Darkness.

Despite all the dangers, labor and spiritual warfare in Abandoned Memories, we still find a sweet love story between two very human and broken people, James Calloway and Angeline Moore. Not only do they have to combat all the various terrors that attack the colony, including huge army ants, they have to overcome their own past failures to find true love.

This is a great read if you love adventure laced with courage, romance, and mighty spiritual principles.

I found the Epilogue and Author’s Historical Note at the end of the story most satisfying and another confirmation of MaryLu’s diligent research she always puts in her novels.

I have no doubt this whole series would make a great movie. Bring it on!