Getting the First Page Right--Hopefully

by  Elva Cobb Martin

Recently I took the first pages of my wip, Spanish Captive, for critiquing to a writers' group hosted by Yvonne Lehman in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The writers present had some great advice. I think. I also did the same for our ACFW-SC Chapter meeting the following week. Diana Flegal in Yvonne's group suggested I start the first page with a particular sentence that I had in the middle of page 2. So, when I took the same pages to the ACFW-SC critique group, I rewrote the first page, as an alternate option, beginning with that sentence. Every member of the ACFW-SC critique group agreed that the second beginning with this new opening was best.  Here are the two pages. What do you think?

Beginning #1

Jamaica 1700’s       (Inspirational historical romance)

 Chapter 1    

Hidden deep in the ship's hold, Seema Valentin rocked her sleeping charge on her lap. If only she could keep two-year-old Joshua quiet and their presence secret for a few more hours. Once they were well out to sea, surely the captain and Lucas Barrett would not turn back to Jamaica. Would Captain Wentworth be furious she’d stowed away with his son?

Reverend Ethan Wentworth, now Captain Wentworth of his own ship, a French merchantman. Just thinking her indentured master’s name, not to mention his new status, caused Seema’s heart to jump against her ribs and her breath to catch. But the next moment, moisture gathered in her eyes and her shoulders curled. Her secret past weighed like a sack of stones upon her back.

The child whimpered and awoke.

Shaking aside her troubled thoughts, Seema looked down into the bright eyes of the toddler, his rosy face a perfect blend of his deceased mother’s and Reverend Wentworth’s. He had Hannah Wentworth’s fair skin and oval face, but his father Ethan’s startling pewter eyes, wide forehead and curly chestnut hair. Having been the child’s nanny since he was a newborn, Joshua seemed like her own.

 “Good morning, little man,” she whispered and kissed him on the cheek. “We’re on an adventure with your father and Mr. Barrett. You’re on a real ship. Your father’s own ship, as a matter of fact. Feel the movement? Hear the waves lapping the hull? Isn’t it wonderful? You’ll get to be with your father every day.”

And so will I. But what chance would a soiled piece of goods like her ever have with a man like him?

                                      ***                                                           Beginning #2  

Charles Town 1700's  

Chapter 1

My hero Captain Ethan Wentworth

Ethan Wentworth had been gone six months and seemed changed in many ways.

Cloaked in the early morning shadows of the cemetery, Seema Valentin watched him place flowers on his wife's grave. Her heart hammered against her ribs so hard, she feared he might hear. He’d left Charles Town as the grieving minister of the small Presbyterian Church. He had returned as a privateer captain of his own ship.

His bronzed face and thicker arms and torso only hinted at the greater change Seema sensed in his heart. How had he become what many would call a pirate?

Ethan turned and Seema shrank behind a monument. But he saw her.

“Seema.” His deep voice rooted her bare feet in the dew-laden grass.

He walked toward her. “I’m glad you followed me. I have something to tell you.”

Trembling, she looked into his pale grey, almost pewter, eyes. He stood a head taller than she.

“You must know how much I appreciate—and Hannah appreciated—your care for our Joshua these past two years.”

She nodded and heat climbed up her neck at his closeness. A scent of sea, leather and spice tantalized her senses. 

“However, my parents are immigrating to Charles Town, and Cousin Emma is coming too.They will take over Joshua’s care.”

Joshua. His child she'd cared for since a newborn. Her heart fell to her feet and the blood drained from her cheeks. What was he saying? 

He searched her face and hesitated. Then he laid a broad, warm hand on her shoulder. “But in no wise are you to fret about your future. I’m going to grant you freedom from any indentured obligation, and I'll also help you return to your home and family. Wherever that is.” 

Seema averted her face and tried to swallow, but her throat had gone dry. She could never return home.

                                            ***

Which beginning do you like best and why? Would love to hear your comments. This book is actually Book 2 in a series. 

Onward!

Elva Martin

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

When Spring Came

Remembering Resurrection!   by Elva Cobb Martin

Allston Family Cemetery, Brook Green Gardens  SC

There is no shouting in the grave. The raging oceans and the world's clamor are silenced. Spring never comes. Seeds do not sprout. No fruit is harvested.

Except for one grave, dug before that first Spring in stony ground for a bruised and broken Seed.

The three women who came to that grave that morning knew about death and preparation of the body. They knew nothing about Spring (not that Spring).

They brought embalming spices, and their main concern was how to move the heavy stone from the the door. Perhaps they wept as they walked along, if they had any tears left.

Perhaps relief had settled on their hearts. Relief that the agony of the Crucifixion was over. Relief that the Sabbath was over, and they could anoint the body of their Friend. Relief--even peace--from the knowledge that they had served their friend in life as they now intended to do in death. They had not saved their flowers for the grave, as some do.

But there was no joy in their hearts. In that day before Spring, only an enemy or a fool would have felt joy at a grave.

"For God so loved the world, He gave his only son." John 3:16

So they came, with their dearly purchased spices, prepared to do all they knew how for the dead. To slow the rot and curb the odor with the embalming spices.

Last at the cross, now first at the tomb, the three women, with their womanly thoughts, concerns, and fears, trudged along that garden path oblivious that Spring had come and that the first fruit of that stony ground was within their touch.

"I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, but by me."

Mary Magdalene, the Bible tells us was the first to know. Her joyful shout, "Rabboni!" shattered the silent, dark shroud that had lain over mankind through the ages.

The jars of embalming spices fell to the ground as useless as the structures man had built to reach God since the beginning of time. God had reached down to man! Spring had come at last!

After 2,000 years it is still news. It is still news because men still build useless structures, try embalming spices, or climb into trees, as Zaccheus did, to see God.

And most amazing of all, God is still passing by!

                                                           ***

Note: The above is the very first article I sold to a magazine some years ago.
Whoever dreamed a novice writer could make an Easter issue? Just goes to show, you and the Lord can accomplish great things! So keep writing.

What does Easter mean to you? Besides the wonderful spiritual meaning, I love the beautiful season of spring. Below are some photos that inspire Spring in my heart. Hope they do the same for you.

Be blessed,
Elva Cobb Martin

Cherry Blossoms

Brookgreen Gardens Old Gate , Myrtle Beach, SC

Savannah, Georgia, azalea garden square

Brittany, France coast

New Orleans garden

Georgetown, SC 

New Life

Part 2 Plotting a Novel: What to Include - The Story of Tea

by Elva Cobb Martin

My contracted romantic suspense novel, Summer of Deception (2017 release date) is set on a tea plantation. During my plotting and research I accumulated quite a bit of information about tea, most of which I didn't use in the book. I thought you might be interested in some of these facts since most of us are tea drinkers of various kinds of tea today. It wasn't always that way.

England only got into tea imports from China in the 1500's. And, of course, the love of tea later spread to America during colonization.

Tea was discovered in China in 2700 BC. Supposedly, some tea leaves fell into a man's boiling water over a fire. China became the largest producer of tea. The Chinese have a saying: "Better to be deprived of food three days than for tea one day."

Forty countries worldwide now produce and export tea (green tea, black or oolong tea and even white tea). Asia produces the most tea.

America has one tea plantation and it's in Charleston, South Carolina.

All tea originates from the same Camelis Sinensis evergreen bush that is a relative of the camellia family. I've visited the Charleston Tea Plantation and the leaves do indeed remind you of the shiny, dark green leaves of the camellia. Here is a photo I took of the flower stage. But it's the leaves from which we get our tea and it's quite a process from leaf to tea.

I do briefly describe that process in my novel during a romantic tour of the tea curing barn with my war-wounded hero and tea plantation owner, Luke Barrett, and his mysterious summer employee, heroine Rachel York.

Yep, I definitely plotted a romantic moment out of curing tea and also increased the tension between the h/h! Here's the excerpt:

            Rachel almost jumped when Luke turned his attention toward her from the dirt road on which the jeep had been bouncing along.
            “I want to show you our tea curing barn, or factory, as we sometimes call it. Interested?”

            “Oh yes, I didn’t think any tea grew stateside. I thought it all came from China or India.”

            “We are the only place it is grown in the United States.” Luke pulled up to a large structure and parked. Kristina popped out of the back seat and ran to play with one of the worker's children. 

             As they entered the cool barn interior, Luke adjusted his eyepatch. “This was Uncle Charles' dream as a young man. And now Barrett tea has a name among discerning tea consumers and restaurants.”

            Rachel tried to remember everything Luke told her as he walked her through the tea-making process on sawdust paths. She had never dreamed she would see tea leaves cured before her eyes.

            “We harvest the tea leaves by hand from an evergreen bush that is a relative of the camellia family. Then it’s brought in here and placed on these moving mesh belts we call withering beds. It sits here for eighteen hours.” 

             Luke's strong mascline voice somehow affected Rachel's peace as she watched bushels of loose leaves moving on the belts.

            Just as she turned to move forward, Rachel stumbled and almost fell in the corridor.

             Luke caught her. In that one moment he held her against his chest, Rachel sensed fireworks going off in her head. She felt the steady beat of his heart against her cheek and smelled his manly scent. She quickly regained her footing and pulled away, trying to stop the flush climbing up her neck.

            “You okay?” He actually sounded concerned. But a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

            “Yes, thanks, I don’t know what happened. Just a stumble bum I guess.” 

            Luke led her to the next step in the process. She dared not look at him but directed her full attention to the tour and the soft walkway.

            Fifteen minutes later they stood back at the jeep. Luke dropped a bombshell. “Tell me, Rachel, was a summer babysitting job the only reason you came to Charleston?” His face held no hint of a smile. He was back in his Marine special ops role. 

             Rachel’s breath stopped and the blood drained from her face. She bent and shook sawdust from her sandals to cover her reaction. So this little plantation tour was just an excuse to pump her. She straightened and cleared her throat.  “I don’t know why you are asking this again, Mr. Barrett. I think I told you why I decided to take this position. I didn’t relish the idea of the drugstore job back in Ohio and I’d never been to Charleston.”

Do you like different kinds of tea?  I drink hot black tea in the mornings and hot green tea at lunch. I avoid all tea in the evenings because it does have some caffeine that can interrupt sleep, although not as much as coffee has.

Thanks for stopping by. Do leave a comment and share this blog if you have time.

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

Valentine's Day

You have covered me in my mother's womb. . .depart from me, therefore, you bloody men."  Psalm 139:13, 19

As this presidential race continues to heat up, please vote for a Pro-Life candidate with a proven record. We know Ted Cruz is one of them.

How do you feel about the unborn and their rights? Is it a critical issue for you?

Thanks for stopping by! And HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

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

Why I Write Christian Fiction

by Elva Cobb Martin

The beginning of a new year is a good time to remind myself that I am above all a Christian writer, endeavoring to write Christian fiction. Two opposite worldviews drive fiction today.


Jesus in John 10:10 gives a succinct description of the two "drivers" behind fiction (and life itself).

            "The thief comes not but to steal, kill and destroy. 
          I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly."

Our son Tim and grandson Samuel, both readers.

I am not writing fiction just to get books published, sold, and give readers an exciting read. A deep desire burns in my heart to also see readers and generations to come, be able find some truth that enlightens, some kernel of God's abundant life that helps them on their way.

This is not the main goal of secular fiction. Christian fiction and secular fiction are divided by two vastly different worldviews. Many believe America has lost her moral compass, so it is more vital than ever that I do everything I can to turn this tide around in my writing (as well as in my lifestyle).

Someone has said worldview can be determined by the answers to three questions:

• How did we get here and who are we?
• What went wrong?
• What can fix it?                                                                                                

The Christian world view short answers would be:  

1. God created the world and made mankind in His image to have dominion.
2. Adam and Eve sinned and brought condemnation and Satanic rule upon      mankind.   
3. Sin must be punished but God loved mankind so much He sent Jesus Christ as our substitute to defeat Satan and take our punishment so we could be forgiven and restored to God's original plan.                         

A naturalist worldview would have quite different answers to these questions and secular novels, movies and TV reflect this. This kind of story can steal one's peace and faith in God, tempt into sin, and leave one with a cynical outlook on life and the future. And it's all part of the enemy's deception to keep people in bondage. Truly, two different spirits are inspiring writers today!

In my writing I want to expose the lies and tricks of the devil and show that good does conquer evil, that God's great drama will prevail and believers can confidently look forward to a happy ever after. I want to increase hope, faith and peace in my readers. Otherwise, I'm just not interested in all the hard work it takes to write novels. 

Prayer over my writing is a vital component. I am convinced Father God is interested in getting Christian writing, including fiction, out where it can do some good. So I study, write and rewrite and rewrite some more. ( :

I believe there will always be a great market for Christian fiction because the world is looking for hope.

I think that's a big part of Downton Abbey's success. It is now touted as the best selling series in British TV history. (Sorry, Agatha, Jane Austen and Sherlock.)

Writer Julian Fellowes was asked what he thought has made the series so popular. Here's his answer: "Most of the characters are just decent people trying to do their best with the cards they've been dealt. They are just trying to live a decent life."

Christian writers have much more hope to give for those cards life may deal our characters.

Why do you write fiction? Do you believe God loves good stories that illuminate life more abundantly? Do you think America needs us to keep at it?

Thanks for stopping by and do join the conversation.

Elva Cobb Martin