NaNoWriMo Annoucement an October Posting Schedule!

Hello All! 

I'm super excited about today's post!

First I'm going to go over what I'm posting in October, Lord willing 😅

I'm going to do two posts on two different women of the Reformation time period, I'm going to have a fellow HisFic writer, do a third one! 😀I'm not sure what the 4th week of October looks like, but we'll see! 😄 

I'd like to officially announce my current WIP (which is what I will be drafting for NaNoWriMo!) This novel is set during The Great War, now known as World War One. I've always wanted a write a story during this era, so I'm super excited about this! 

For fun, I designed a cover and have a working title! 

Working Summary: 

Kenneth is fighting for the Navy in The Great War. Jenny is a simple girl from the English countryside; longing to do all she can to help with the war effort in any way she can, like her Mother. An anxious woman, a part of the Red Cross searching for a lost husband. George is a devoted husband and father. He longs to get home to his blind daughter and worried wife. A couple with a son fighting in the war volunteer to care for a young blind girl. Allan is a soldier on his way to ANZAC. Only time will tell if he and the other brave soldiers will come out alive. A tale of bravery, hardship, and tears, On The Field, tells the story of the brave husbands, fathers, sweethearts, and brothers fighting in The Great War. 

And now for the MC's: 

Jenny Blair:

She is my most developed character so far... she has a special board thing for her: 

George and Mabel Blair:

Parents of Jenny, George joins the Marines and Mabel helps with the Red Cross. We won't talk about what author schemes I have planned for them. *evil laughter* 

Kenneth Martin:

My navy guy. I'm really excited about him for a few reasons. One, since my great-grandpa on my dad's side, had the middle name of Kenneth, and second, both Daddy and his daddy, Papa, were in the Navy.

Those are my MC's I have a few supporting characters that I'm also very excited about, but they have yet to be better developed.

That's all for now folks. Hope y'all enjoyed a peek at what I'm working on! 

Blessings,

Mattie May, The Blossoming Writer 

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Interview with Author Kellyn Roth!

 

Hello Readers! 

I'm so excited about this, I had so much fun getting to interview Kellyn and I hope y'all enjoy the interview as much I did! 

First, a little bit about Kellyn, before we get started!

Kellyn Roth is a Christian historical women’s fiction & romance author from North-Eastern Oregon who has independently published multiple novels, the most notable being The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy series. You should definitely call her Kell.

Kell lives on family-owned property outside an unmemorable but historical town with her parents, two little brothers, arbitrary cat, precious border collies, a dozen cows, and lots of chickens. She also possesses a classic, vintage aesthetic which does not at all speak to her country girl side, but such is life.

When not writing, Kell likes to blog, teach writing to her various students, have day jobs which allow her to keep her car properly insured, and spend lavish amounts of money on Dairy Queen french fries. She also likes to talk about Keira Knightley and her own books. Just … way too much. You’ve been warned.

***

~And now, for the interview!~

Mattie: What first inspired you to write?  

Kell: Honestly, there wasn't any one thing. I've been writing stories since I was seven, and before that, my family would write down stories, poems, and songs for me! So I frankly have no clue. I just always have!

Mattie: That's really neat. ^-^ 

Who has encouraged you the most in your writing journey? 

Kell: It's varied a lot from year to year! But it's always been my writing friends, whoever they are in any given season. And, of course, my "real life" friends, who wrote with me and eventually just encouraged me to keep writing. They're really awesome. To name drop - Sonja, Eva, Aimee, and my bestie Bailey.

Mattie: That's neat. My writing friends have been a great encouragement to me as well. 

Why do you write Historical Fiction?

Kell: Because modern-day life is super boring, but I'm not creative enough for fantasy! 😉 But also, I believe history needs to be shared so we don't repeat mistakes - and people need to be better understood regardless of the era.

Mattie: That's very relatable for me. 🙂 

What is your favorite period of history to write about?

Kell: I honestly struggle to pick one, but I do love the 1940s. There's something so snappy about it, from the dialogue to the intense, horrible situations. It has a marvelous chaotic energy.

Mattie: As I've been looking at your novels and short-stories, it seemed that a few were set in that time frame 😉 

Who are some of your favorite Historical fiction authors?

Kell: Well, I have quite a few, but some that come to mind are Kristi Ann Hunter, Karen Witemeyer, Tamera Alexander, Sarah Sundin, Roseanna M. White, Regina Jennings, Julie Klassen, Jesseca Wheaton, and Carrie Turansky

Mattie: I've heard of some of them, I'll have to look into the rest 🙂 

How much research do you normally do before beginning the writing process?

Kell: It depends a lot on the book! Like, for some, especially if it's a continuation of a series, not much at all. For others, I'll have several books to read. But usually I do quite a bit of research mid-draft or while editing, usually for small details.

Mattie: Will you be participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

Kell: Almost certainly! I just haven't chosen a project. 😜 I really have to get on that, says I as I continue to do other things. I'll probably choose just a few days before!

Mattie: What is your current WIP/s about? 

Kell: Well, a couple things I'm working on include:

1. Book 3 in my series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, which finally have me writing about Alice as an adult!
2. A novella from that same series set between book 2 and book 3.

  3. A new novel that is a bit of a secret, but it's a Regency romance with a lot of mistaken identities, failed schemes, and ridiculous characters.

Mattie: All of those sound really neat!

What times of the day are your most productive?

Kell: Usually sometime after 10 PM. Unfortunately, I have to be getting to sleep an hour after that! So I make myself work whenever.

Mattie: How much do you plan before writing a novel? 

Kell: I'm the kind of writer who does a pretty detailed outline - I like to know exactly what the characters are going to do at all times. However, I'm not the type to fill out detailed character sheets or such - the characters can develop themselves as far as I'm concerned. It's the plot that needs a little work!

Mattie: How do you get past writer's block? Or are you one of those special people who doesn't get it?

Kell: I do get it, but I just write anyways! I always say writing is no super special creative itch that you somehow can only scratch at certain times. It's a trained skill - and it is possible to train yourself to write on command. That said, there are times when writers need a break - it's important to avoid mistaking burnout for writer's block.

Mattie: That's neat, and a good thing to keep in mind.

Could you tell us a bit about your Growing Writers Program?

Kell: Well, essentially, I'm joining with Faith Blum and Zach Sollie to offer a 12-week program for young writers looking for instruction, encouragement, and critique in the art of fiction writing. Basically, it's our way to offer an advanced course that will help beginners level up as writers. I also do writing coaching on various subjects privately.

Mattie: What would be your piece of advice to a young or beginning writer?

Kell: I'd say "stick with it and don't be prideful because we can all improve and we all need critique to do so."

Mattie: Which is your favorite novel/short story you've written? 

Kell: I think right now that'd be The Dressmaker's Secret. I'm immensely proud of my recent rewrite!

Mattie: Do you have a favorite character from your works or another's? 

Kell: I have quite a few! I adore Peter Strauss, Jordy McAllen, and from my latest project, the unannounced one, a guy named Philip Harriot.

Mattie: Is there anything in particular that makes those characters your favorites?

Kell: Well, Peter is just the gentlest, sweetest, best person on earth. I would die for him - and, probably, he'd die for the world if asked! He's also got the best thoughts on everything.

Jordy is ... well, he has the same personality and habits of my best friend, Bailey. 

Then Philip is just fun. I enjoy writing him with his carefree snark and his lack of concern for what others think of him.

Mattie: Anything else you'd like to share with us? 

Kell: Hmm, no, I think I'm good. Thanks so much for interviewing me!

Mattie: You're so welcome, I had fun!

***

That's a wrap folks, hope y'all enjoyed the interview! 

If you want to learn more about Kell check out her blog here: Lilacs and Reveries. If you'd like to learn more about her lovely books, you can check them out here: Kellyn's Books! You can buy her books on Amazon here: Amazon ~ Kellyn Roth Author.

Have a lovely rest of your week! 

Blessings,

Mattie May

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Why I Write HisFic Pt 3 + And 2 Special Announcements!

Hello Readers! 

Welcome to Why I write HisFic Part 3! 

Last week I talked about why HisFic is important, and this week I'm going to talk about why history inspires me and gives me hope!

Make sure you read to the end for two very special and exciting announcements! 

Let's get started, shall we? 

History is real. It really happened. (Oh wow, imagine that!) Other genres don't have that. Because it's real, it's easy for me to relate to, even if it took place hundreds of years ago. Because it's real, it inspires me. 

History gives me hope, and history inspires me. 

History gives me hope: 

It shows me that normal people can overcome crazy difficulties and trials. I love reading and learning about people who were the least likely, and God did amazing things through them. It gives me hope that one day, maybe I'll be able to do something. 

History inspires me:

I love to read and learn about the young men and women in history who did amazing things; they show me that as a young woman I can do things too. I might not speak five languages or tutor in a royal court, but I can do things in my own life, world, and country. 

History shows that even in the darkest moments, God is still there. God still cares, and God is going to work through the toughest situations. He's still on the throne. It inspires me to keep trusting and keep living because I have hope.

***

I hope you've enjoyed reading this series as much as I have in writing it. In case you were starting to feel sad that it was going to come to an end... as all good things must. It is not the end... yet. I'm very excited to announce that I will be interviewing author and writing coach Kellyn Roth! 

I recently found her through an email I got about her recently started Growing Writers program (which ya'll should totally go check out at this link: Growing Writers Program.) 

If you want to learn more about Kellyn and her lovely books, you can visit her website here: kellynrothauthor.com! 

And now, for the second announcement! *insert drum roll* 

Everlasting Gold is back on Amazon! It's finally done! Such a relief. Check it out and see the slightly revised cover here: Everlasting Gold paperback

And that's all, for now, folks, have a lovely rest of your week! 

Blessings,

Mattie May

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Why I Write Historical Fiction Pt. 2

 

Hello Readers! 

This post is part of a short series I'm doing on why I write HisFic. Today I'm focusing on why it's so important. 

Let's get started, shall we? 

I heard a most concerning conversation while swimming at my Grandparent's pool a couple weeks ago. Two kids were talking, I'd guess they were in their early teens. The kids were talking about school starting up with COVID and what it's like, then they moved to their favorite subjects. Neither one liked history. The younger of the two asked if the older one if they knew who the sixteenth president of the US was. Neither one knew. Neither one cared. It shocked me. 

Most kids these days don't like history. I honestly don't blame them. What they teach for history in the public schools these days isn't what really happened. History today has been twisted to fit the agenda of those who want us to forget God, forget what really happened, forget that socialism is a bad idea. 

Daddy said that as a kid, history was boring, nothing new, or exciting. Just as one character in the audio drama by Heirloom Audio put it: "History is nothing but dead men and dates." That might be one way to look at it, but as I've dug deeper and deeper into the history of the world, I'm always finding new things. I'm always learning about a new person, place, or event. In my opinion, history is far from boring. 

History is the key to the past, if we don't understand what really happened all those years ago we are going to repeat mistakes over and over again. 

I write historical fiction because I want to know what happened. Most writers shy away from this genre because the amount of research is scary, takes too much time. Why do that when you could create your own world? 

Historical fiction is important to me because I want people to know about the brave men and women who took a stand for what was right. I want people to know of the battles fought, won, and lost. I want people to know that even when things couldn't get any darker, there was a light. There is hope. 

Blessings,

Mattie May 

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Why I Write Historical Fiction Part 1

 

Hello Readers! 

In my first post on writing terms, I explained that I wanted to do a series of posts during September on why I write Historical Fiction. I'm not sure how many posts I'll manage, but I'm thinking around three. There are several reasons I write HisFic, so I'll try to focus on a different reason each time. Let's get started! 

Write what you know. 

This is often the first piece of advice given to beginning writers. This advice was given to me when I started writing. Without even thinking, I took it. When I was twelve, I made my first real attempt at a HisFic storybook. It featured a brother and sister during the signing of the Magna Charta in 1215. I wrote it for Daddy's birthday since it was shortly after the 400th anniversary of its signing. It wasn't great, but I was very proud of it. This was also when Daddy first brought up the idea of me publishing a book before finishing Highschool.

Growing up momma and daddy read my sisters and me stories that took place long ago. They read us stories of a boy and his dog during WWII, missionaries of long ago, and tales of ancient times. These times contain some of my fondest childhood memories. 

Daddy always taught us that History was important. When he was home from work, we'd often get an impromptu history lesson. History has always been a part of my life. And it will continue to be. 

I hope you all have a lovely week! 

Blessings,

Mattie May

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Writing Terms Explained Part 2

 

Hello Readers! 

I decided to go ahead and do a Part 2 of different writing terms! 

Let's dive in, shall we? 

Alpha Reader: Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. An Alpha reader is the first person who gets to read your book after you've written it.

Beta Reader: A Beta Reader is like an editor, but not. A beta reader would be the person you give your book to after it's had some preliminary edits. They look for things like plot, character arcs, and general grammar. (The readers are human, not fish.) 

Novel: A work of fiction that is at least 50,000 words in length. 

Novella: Shorter than a novel, longer than a Novelette. (You're welcome 😉)

Novelette: A short and sweet novel. 

I'm sure you all can tell that I am wonderful at defining things 😂. But hey, I tried. 

Hope y'all have a lovely week! 

Blessings,

Mattie May

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