How many pages do you give a book before you decided whether or not it makes the cut? In a society so focused on instant gratification and saturated with endless sources of entertainment, the number of pages an author is granted keeps shrinking.
I will state that your brilliant hook may not need to be your focus during the writing of your first draft. If you focus too much on only your first chapter you may get sucked into the pit of first chapter rewrites never to be seen again. It can be worse than quick sand so beware.
Would the classics pass the test of today's media consumer? Maybe. It depends on the reader, I am sure. Would your first chapter be an ace? Hopefully! Let's answer a few questions to determine how well you are doing.
1. Is the voice in your opening compelling or sleep inducing, much like that of Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller's Day Off?
2. Does your first chapter read more like a travel brochure showing all the pretty places in your setting?
3. Were you so excited about the back story that your first chapter info dump is comparable to giving water to a thirsty ant with a firehose?
I did say a few questions, I don't want to overwhelm you. I am sure you are a pro at writing extremely clever openings which quickly and effectively endear your main character to the readers while simultaneously conveying the conflict and setting. I, however, have a lot of work to do... so I will leave the excuse for someone else. I am off to write.
I love reading. I love watching movies. I don't always love watching what I read at the movies. I would say almost always I prefer the book to the movie, but generally I enjoy the movie as well. I have heard many complaints about the movies not doing a book justice. On occasion it has been difficult to give up the vision in my head to accept those created in a movie.
I know some writers that think books should stay in their pure form, and that adapting a work to the silver screen is just selling out.
I am excited to get the opportunity to introduce Brian McClellan and his debut novel Promise of Blood to any of our readers who haven't heard of him yet.
Author Brian McClellan
Brian lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife, two dogs, a cat, and
between 6,000 and 60,000 honey bees (depending on the time of year).
He began writing on Wheel of Time role playing websites at fifteen.
Encouraged toward writing by his parents, he started working on short
stories and novellas in his late teens. He went on to major in English
with an emphasis on creative writing at Brigham Young University. It was
here he met Brandon Sanderson, who encouraged Brian’s feeble attempts
at plotting and characters more than he should have.
Brian continued to study writing not just as an art but as a business
and was determined this would be his life-long career. He attended
Orson Scott Card’s Literary Bootcamp in 2006. In 2008, he received
honorable mention in the Writers of the Future Contest.
In November 2011, PROMISE OF BLOOD and two sequels sold at auction to Orbit Books. Book one hit the shelves in April of 2013.
PROMISE OF BLOOD
The Powder Mage Trilogy
Book One
Field Marshal Tamas’ coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats
to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also
provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist
fanatics, and greedy scrambling for money and power by Tamas’s supposed
allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces. Stretched to
his limit Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages,
including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens
to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose
loyalty is being tested by blackmail. Now, as attacks batter them from
within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death
and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk
the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But,
the thing is, they should.
Having a series launch in April, while submitting book two keeps an author busy. Luckily I pulled Brian away from his writing and revisions long enough for an interview.
MMW: I read that you started writing about
10 years ago. Was there any particular event or story that started it all for
you?
BMc: When I was around fifteen or sixteen, I really got into
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books. I found that there was a decent online
community and I joined thousands of other fans writing and sharing fan fiction.
I went through that phase pretty quick—no more than a few
months—but it taught me that I quite enjoyed writing. My mom signed me up for a
week-long summer writing class at BYU. Everyone really seemed to love my
stories and I decided that maybe I wanted to do this for a living.
I've been working at it ever since.
MMW: Are you an outliner or a pantser?
BMc:Definitely a mix. I like to make a general outline before I
start the book, and then I work off of single-chapter outlines as I go. That
being said, if things don't feel right for the narrative I will veer off those
outlines without hesitation (and I frequently do).
MMW:How long did you allow the idea for Promise
of Blood to mature before you began writing? How long after beginning
were you ready to begin querying?
BMc:I brainstormed for several months, maybe even close to half a
year before I started writing. The writing itself took me about five months.
I actually sent out queries only a week after finishing my
first draft. This is a BIG no-no. Agents only want to see your most polished
stuff, and I knew that. My logic was that it would be several months before I
heard back from anyone and that would give me time to polish.
Imagine my surprise when I started getting partial manuscript
requests less than a week later. A week after that, I had two offers of
representation.
I don't think I've ever told my agent that. Mostly because I
can already see the head shake she'd give me. MMW: The process of finding an agent and publish
is one of the most stressful times for writers. How did you navigate
through the process?
BMc:Finding the agent was abnormally quick for me. Everything I
had been taught was that it would take me forever to find an agent and then
forever for her to find a publisher.
So I psyched myself out for it. I went through days of
nail-biting before I managed to calm down and tell myself that it would be
months and there was no use worrying... and then I got that quick turnaround
where seven different agents asked for sample chapters.
The most stressful part for me was that my agent wanted to
edit the book with me and she really put me through the ringer. I must have
rewritten over half of Promise of Blood
by the time we were finished a year later. During that time I lost my job, was
unemployed for six months, got a minimum wage job that I hated, and then a
better job—and so I'd gone through so many highs and lows that I thought my
hair was going to turn gray.
I got through it with frequent talks with my agent and with
the loving support of my wife and family. MMW:You attended the Orson Scott Card writers
boot camp. Please share with our readers the impact this experience has
had on your writing?
BMc:It was a very good experience. I met many talented writers
that I'm still in contact with today and got to go through a rigorous week of
writing that helped prepare me to be a full-time author (even though that last
bit wouldn't come for six years).
MMW:Are there any other writing blogs,
books, conferences, or podcasts that you have found particularly helpful?
BMc:I absolutely adore Chuck Wendig's Terribleminds blog, but he
uses a great deal of very strong language. If you feel you can get past said
language he gives excellent advice for writers of all kinds.
I like to listen to the Speculate! podcast, as well as Brandon Sanderson's Writing Excuses. Both of those
are cool ways to get inside the heads of various authors.
MMW: What is your advice to our readers who hope
to see their own work in print?
BMc:Same advice I always give: keep writing. Don't give up. There
are lots of highs and lows in writing and sometimes it seems like the lows
vastly outnumber the highs. You have to push through it.
Thanks, Brian. We appreciate your time and advice.
I happily stumble upon a group of authors doing podcast, Author's Think Tank, this week. Today I listened to Episode 11 The Myth of Writer's Block. Shirley Bahlmann, one of their guest authors, very confidently says there is no such thing as writers block. After which she tells us how to get through those hard moments when you are trying to find the direction your story needs to go. But much like Kasey's post, it can all come down to positive thinking. When you say you have writer's block you are focusing on the negative. If you instead approach the moments has an opportunity to choose which direction is best for your story it becomes a much more positive experience.
If we give our thoughts over to negative mantras, "I will never get through this...." or "I cannot accomplish....", then we are setting ourselves up to fail. I often run into this same problem when I approach running. I get to a point where my mental focus is on my exhaustion, pain, and boredom. When I allow this to fill my mind, it is almost impossible for me to run any further. The negative thoughts weigh on me as if they were an hundred pound pack. When I tell myself that I can continue and I focus on a goal, then my determination carries me.
Our minds are powerful. Where we choose to set our focus will determine where we end up. Use your power for good.
Case Study: On the same day, three male students enroll in the same online course. All course work must be submitted within 12 weeks. This is the only hard deadline.
The first student, Mr. E. Z. Breezy, throws his curriculum packets into the back seat of his car with all the mail he has been meaning to get to. The packet will remain here until the middle of week 11, at which time, Mr. Breezy will attempt to complete the entire course before the 12 week deadline. When the second student, Mr. Wer Co Holic receives his curriculum packet, he returns to his apartment and begins immediately working on the course. By ignoring the needs of others around him and all other priorities, Wer is able to complete the 12 week course in the first 4 weeks. However, he has lost his part-time job, and his girl friend is now dating E.Z. The third student, Mr. Cal I Brated, also gets his curriculum packet. After he returns home from his full-time job, he kisses his wife and kids. When the kids are fed, cleaned, and resting, Cal sits down at his desk with his planner and his curriculum packet. He sets reasonable (soft) deadlines for himself, to prevent the work from becoming too overwhelming. No priorities are ignored, loved ones are properly loved, and the course is completed at the end of the 12 weeks.
All three men approached the course in a different way. Some of you may identify yourself in one of these approaches. Regardless of how you approach life, you certainly should be aware that a key skill in productivity is not procrastinating. Deadlines can be motivating, especially when it leads to bad consequences when not met. For those who write without deadlines, it can be hard to remain motivated.
I stumbled upon a useful article How to Motivate Yourself Without Hard Deadlines by Scott Young. Mr. Young lays out a path to set and meet "soft" deadlines. These are deadlines that do not hold heavy consequences. He explains the the 3 keys to being the master of your to-do list are
Set Reasonable Expectations : No too easy and too hard to meet within the time frame.
Cycling Hard and Easy Days: After hard full days, reward yourself with a slower easy day
Schedule Calibration: Train yourself to finish your to-do list no more no less.
If you can learn to follow these guidelines, you can become more productive while saving yourself much anxiety. When it is time for breaks you can relax without guilt.
Most writers have their ups and downs. One day you are on the top of the world writing the worlds best novel, the next day you are certain that pages of your writing are not even fit to wipe a bottom. It can be hard to maintain the confidence to continue. It awakes the question within us, "Why do I write?".
If you have not figured out what you are writing for, giving up is an easy thing to do. Whether we like to admit it or not writing can get messy. Sometime our first drafts would embarrass us more than messing our pants. Don't give up in the early stages.
Hopefully, the answer you will find to the "Why do I write?" question is "I love writing, it makes me happy." You will need to rely on that answer at the low moments when it is hard to press on. I hope that you will find the joy in the ups and the downs as well. Getting messy can be fun. Just because we may not want anyone to ever read our rough drafts, doesn't mean we cannot enjoy drafting them.
In writing and in life, it is quite easy to focus on the wrong things. When I should be writing, I often find myself scrolling through facebook or pinterest. Time gets away from me. When it is time to fosuc on family, I am thinking about all the cleaning that should be getting done, and when it is cleaning time I turn on the TV for background noise, which leads to me sitting down. My focus is easily pulled toward the things I should not be focusing on at that time.
This same problem can also sneak into our stories. Instead of focusing on moving the action forward, we spend too much time telling background story. Sometimes our side characters become more interesting than our main character.
Whenever we find ourselves losing focus, we must make the appropriate adjustments. It is when we can see things clearly, that we will progress forward with the things that truly matter.
This past month I spent wasted time watching an ABC series "The Taste". Chefs and home cooks alike competed to determine who could craft the best dishes. Each week the Judges had to determine who continued on by tasting one carefully crafted by from each contestant.
Perfecting any recipe requires time and thought, as well as skill. There must be balance in the core ingredients as well as the spices. I admit that I am not a culinary diva, but I do alright. However, I rarely follow any recipe with exactness. Our mealtimes have included the fair, the bad, and the tasty.
Since I wastedspent my time watching tv instead of writing, I decided to let it help me, and maybe you, to cast our stories properly.
If each character equalled an ingredient in your recipe, then some would play a more central role than others. If those characters aren't carefully crafted to reach the readers, it can be as disastrous as a bite of undercooked chicken. To prepare a bite full of depth, each ingredient must have a purpose and perform well. When casting our stories, each character must have a purpose and open up a new insight into your world. While it is important to have a large enough cast to add variety, you must be sure you aren't just adding filler. JK Rowling did this well. She had a very extensive cast, yet each character felt real, and opened up more of the Potter world.
Another thing, I learned was about writing/cooking for your audience. The panel of judges held four persons with very different ideals in what makes the best bite. The French man appreciated the bites that had a French feel, and others, preferred more exotic tastes. However, there were a few contestants that were able to find combinations that were pleasing across the board. Not everyone is going to relate to the cheerleader, not everyone will relate to a businessman. But you can have aspects of different characters that allow the readers to find themselves within your world. It is then that they are ready to sit down and take in the whole dish.
The key to a great bite or a great story isn't about overloading. It is important however, to make sure you have included enough careful selection to flesh out all aspects of your world. It is through this that you will have a robust and winning story.
Remember characters are not bought at a drive thru. Don't stereotype. If you just pick any character off the menu with out consideration will will wind up with readers regretting their order and forgetting who is who. This is why developing each character individually with backstory is important. However, don't make the mistake of thinking the entire backstory of each character must make it into the story.
Have you mastered the recipe of characters for your WIP?
Success is not something handed over, it is something earned. If you are to call yourself a writer, you must write. When you only think about writing the stories; you are not a writer, you are a thinker. I admit there are times and seasons where being a thinker has helped me create deeper plots. However, the one thing that makes a writer successful is writing.
Occasionally, success in writing if found quickly, but more often success is found through hours, days, and years spent clicking the keys. Only after many "The Ends" have been written. It has been said by many, the best way to become a better writer is to write. Fill every blank page, until finally one of those pages will be discovered. Persevere. Do not expect your first story to be your ending, let it be your beginning. If being a successful writer if your dream, then set your butt in a chair, start writing, and don't stop.
I am not a runner, but for the past 6 months I have be training and running events. So far I have done a 5k and a 6k. In two weeks, I have an 8k. Regardless of all the time and money I put into participating in these races, I still hate do not love running. Running on race day is easy because the crowd inspires me to push harder. Running on my training days sucks. Some days I get a friend to run with me and that helps to keep my mind occupied. However, on days when I am alone it is easier to convince myself to give up sooner.
Recently, I have discovered that listening to Writing Excuses podcasts is a close second to running with a friend. This weekend I caught up on most of season 8. They discuss some great topics. I particularly was intrigued by Season 8 Episode 8 Writing and personal health. Robison Wells joined the group to share his struggles with mental health. And the group also talked about physical health and brought up standing desks.
The idea of a standing desk had never occurred to me. I guess I must live under a rock. For some reason the idea really intrigues me. When sitting at my desk or even in my bed with a lap desk, my back often becomes sore. Could this be the cure? Brandon Sanderson even told how he made a tread-desk. He can walk and write at the same time. How cool would that be? I would have to writing time to fit my training in.
When the muse strikes, a writer can spend hours sitting in one position just typing away. We sometimes forget that even the task of writing can bring about physical aches. It is paramount that we take care of our health, both mental and physical, so that we can be successful in using our talents.
I confess; I did not get my degree in creative writing. I did not get my degree in English either. I did not go through college pursuing my desire to write. My years in college were spent learning about marketing and advertising.
After college, life took me down roads that led me back to my love of creative writing. At first, I was very disappointed that I had wasted used my college years studying marketing instead of the art of crafting stories. There are still moments that I regret the opportunities I missed to take courses from writers I admire. However, I have realized that my education holds more worth than I originally allowed.
Marketing does not always come naturally for many of the creative types. Marketing plans, query letters, and pitches can be scarier than a bed full of snakes. It is comfortable to focus their thoughts and energy on creative. But a little knowledge of marketing can go a long way when it comes to getting your work out there.
Technology has come a long way. The publishing industry is changing. Still, I am yet to hear of a book that jumps off the shelf and sells itself. It isn't enough to write an amazing book. To get your book in the hands of the readers takes work. Whatever publishing path you choose will require work.
You have to be able to turn your book as well as yourself into a "product" you can promote. You have to have a brand of your own. You are unique, your book is unique. It is your job to tell others why they should care. Truth: not everyone will care. Rejection is part of the process. However, through hard work you will find the right audience. Then you will need to build that audience.
Do you have marketing questions or topics you would like to see discussed on Mormon Mommy Writers?
Through the ages of history, people have used different methods of record keeping. This past week my grandmother passed and it left me to ponder the importance of keeping a faithful record of our lives. People always talk about the things we cannot take with us into the next life. We often forget that the knowledge and memories which we do take with us will be lost to those we leave behind unless we have passed it along. There is so much more I would love to learn from my grandmother, a lot of it just simple things, but I can no longer do that in this life. As far as I know, other than pictures and a few recorded interviews, there is no record for me to go to receive her knowledge.
I gained a new appreciation for all Nephi did to gain the records of his father. I appreciate the dedication of the prophets who kept faithful records, and Moroni's efforts in condensing those records. I admit I have not be successful in my own endeavors at journal keeping. The diaries I have are more of an embarrassment than a source of knowledge for my posterity. However, I have gained a new appreciation for journaling and a desire to do better.
Did your ancestors keep records? How has that helped you?
As most people, I occasionally take time to reflect upon the current state of my life. I take inventory of how far I've come and whether or not it was the right direction. In such a time of reflection, I realized that I have spent much of my life, even as a small child, waiting for some loosely defined perfect time in my future. I knew when I reached this point in my life, I would have a life of ease and happiness. At one time, I knew sixteen would be the perfect age because I would be able to date and drive. What would there be to bring unhappiness? But, by sixteen there were so many other worries to focus on that driving and dating were a mere fraction of what I needed to provide me the happiness I searched. The future of ease has always been just beyond my grasp.
With a figurative magnifying glass, I have looked over the dissected pieces of my life focusing especially on all the imperfections. I say to myself, "When insert random event (all my kids are in school), I will have time for insert desire which will most certain provide me the ability to be happy (cleaning my house and writing enough stories to fill a mansion.)
Have I had moments of pure joy in my life? YES. Am I bless beyond measure? Without a doubt. I do realize these things; however, so much effort is spent worrying over things that haven't and my never happen, as well as, waiting for life to fit in a self conceived idea of perfect.
This is anything but the spirit of gratitude we are commanded to have. Why do we/I race toward the finish line without enjoying the journey? Life is not a to do list that everything must be checked off before you always yourself to be happy.
Perhaps a single lady has told herself that when she has a husband, house, and two kids she will be able to enjoy her life. A lot happens in her life to get her to that point. Enough to fill many great novels. We don't pick up a book read through its pages only to be able to enjoy it when we are through. Hopefully, we have laughed, cried, and cheered as we have read.
I hope you will resolve to enjoy your life while you live. The time to be happy is now. If you have not taught yourself to enjoy life as it come and to be grateful, then your "someday" not be a day of happiness. It fall victim to your habit of dissecting and focusing on the negative.
The
Louvre started off as a palace and today is a museum. But the art is
more than just what the building houses. The building is art itself. I
love this man sitting on the corner. He looks so deep in thought. It is a great reminder to me that we all need time to meditate and ponder our lives and the world around us.
I have been thinking some lately (don't worry I try not to do that too often.) The theme of my thoughts: the difference between quitting and failing. If you had to be a failure or a quitter which would you choose?
Since this a time of year when many are setting new goals, I thought this might be a good time to share this thought with you. There is a misconception made by many that if one fails there is no more trying. If you don't get your workout in one day or you eat something bad, then you abandon ship. If you had a set word count but got distracted by email and facebook, then you ignore the keyboard again the next day. If your marriage is lacking the luster of a new relationship, then you think there is never chance for happiness. (You get my point.) It is easy to fail and then quit. But you don't have to be both a failure and a quitter.
If
the race is on and you are in last place, wouldn't you rather cross
that finish line knowing you gave it your all, than always know you
quit?
So my thoughts as I look at the picture above is, even if you are a failure-- don't be a quitter.
If you have the time to stop and think, what are your thoughts today?
To a writer, ideas come often and the newest ones tend to sparkle a lot brighter than the ones we have been carrying around for longer. I have talked with and read advice from many writers/authors. While with writing it is necessary to focus especially when there are deadlines for projects, there are valid reasons for writing what you are enthusiastic about while you are experiencing the enthusiasm.
If you have lost that loving feeling for your current WIP, it might be time for a break. I am not saying to trash it. Sometimes a short recess is all that is needed to rekindle the spark that once had you working so diligently. When you lack the desire to write what is necessary, you are not going to be writing material that readers will be excited to read.
Do you have a process for rekindling that loving feeling when you and your WIP just aren't feeling each other?
It is a simple question. So, why do I have such a hard time answering it?
I definitely had a few extra helpings of imagination as a child. Time out was never a punishment for me; it was just more time to escape into the worlds I had created. I remember sharing stories with anyone with ears, and as I got to the exciting parts I would talk faster. I was not very accomplished at transitions, A remember a lot of And Then's... ( And then her siblings found some duct tape. And then they shoved her in the dryer, and taped it shut. And then they turned the dryer on. And then she started screaming because they didn't duct tape her mouth.) I hope I have improved some since then.
When we had to write stories for the young writers contest, my stories got selected as one of the top in my class several years. I am not sure if this celebrated the high caliber of my craft, or if there were slim pickings. I unfortunately did not save what might have been some of my best work. I do remember a story about a young boy Dominic being adopted. That may have been the entire plot, I do not recall.
Junior high and high school years marked the majority of my poetry phase. Lots of angst-filled poetry. I think I was a sad version of Dr Seuss. My junior year, I took a creative writing class. My teacher praised my prose and poetry and told me not to give up on it. I even won a scholarship to my very first writer's conference. Sadly, I did not learn all that I should have because I was way to boy crazy to care about being a good writer.
In college, I put aside my desire for writing for a more marketable major; Communications with an emphasis in Advertising and Marketing. For a brief moment, I considered a minor in psychology, but it didn't stick.
I am not sure why I throw my writing desire under the bus. Fortunately, a couple years after graduation, a good friend of mine mentioned that she had written a novel. She was on her first round of edits. She provided the breath that ignited the long forgotten embers that still burned within me. Most days I thank her inwardly. Some days I am sure she only succeeded in awakening my crazies. But since that day, I have known. I want to be a writer. Since then it has been up to me to be a writer.
Have you experienced persistent promptings when our Heavenly Father has a message he needs you to share? It is a lot of pressure. I have had that feeling about today's post. I know the topic I am supposed to share today. Yet I spent half of the morning trying to find a conference talk to say it for me. During my search the website went down for maintenance. I assumed that meant I needed to do this with my own two hands, and type the words He has been drilling into my heart.
Stop getting down on yourself for not having a house out of the Pottery Barn catalog. Stop berating yourself for not looking like the girls in the Victoria's Secret catalog. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else.
If you want to know your worth get on your knees and He will show you. If you find yourself far from the path you should be traveling,He will be your GPS. We are not expected to be perfect, not even on a part-time basis. However, we are expected to be perfecting on a full-time basis.
When our time is spent in self-doubt and self-loathing, the Spirit is drawn away from us. I suggest you give yourself a gift this Christmas: a break. You would not hold others to the incredibly high standard you set for yourself. When you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders open your scriptures, pray for guidance. Our Heavenly Father is eager to bless you, come to Him.
Since a young age, I have LOVED the library. I love the smell, the sounds, and the books. Libraries are AWESOME. It is my goal to share this love with by kiddos. I have taken both of my little ones to participate in baby/toddler/preschool story time programs. Each week, I let my little man pick new books, while I find chapter books for his sister. His enjoyment brightens my day. One of his first phrases: "My book." Why yes, I am a proud Mama. I can see them acquiring the love I have for libraries. YAY!
However, in all of this I have my jeers. Each time we bring home a new batch of books I remind the kids that they must NOT run off with the books and lose them. My words are always in vain. Every week it is a mad book hunt, and I am the only willing huntress. This past week is a hunt that has me stumped. We are missing a book. I dread going back to the library to tell them that the chaos that is my house has devoured one of their lovely books.
Are you a library book worm?
Does your family have a special way of keeping track of your library treasures?
Behind the scenes at Mormon Mommy Writers there has been a flurry of emails all leading up to the announcement of the winners of this years writing contest. I was on an extended maternity leave from the blog last year during the preparations for our first publication, so it has been exciting for me to be involved in the experience.
This year we had three categories: Poetry, Short Story, and Essay. Entries were judged by a panel of seven people and scores were compiled to determine a first, second, and third place in each category.
Prizes:
1st - $10 gift card from winners choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble
One free e-copy of the publication once it is ready for release
Publication in Mormon Mommy Writers' upcoming book
2nd - $5 gift card from winners choice of Amazon or Barnes & Noble
One free e-copy of the publication once it is ready for release
Publication in Mormon Mommy Writers' upcoming book
3rd - One free e-copy of the publication once it is ready for release
Publication in Mormon Mommy Writers' upcoming book
Now on to the announcement of the winners.
Poetry
1st Place: Mother's Roundelay by K.L. Morgan
2nd Place: A Daughter by Vickie S. Ericksen
3rd Place: Buoyant Faith by Vickie S. Ericksen
Short Story
1st Place: There Can Be Laughter by Marianne B Ball
2nd Place: Unintended Consequences by Tiffany Page
3rd Place: Home Security by Jessica Guernsey
Essay
1st Place: My Children, My Teachers by Karen Pellet
2nd Place: Choice, Sacrifice by Jeanna Mason Stay
3rd Place: A Blessing from God by Robert Quackenbush
I would thank all those who took the time to enter. We all enjoyed the submissions. We will be sending feed back to all those who entered. Thank you again.
