Christian Book Expo

I'm going to post something about me this time, I hope you don't mind. On of my birthday presents this year was being able to attend the Christian Book Expo in the downtown convention center. Since I couldn't go all day, I chose one program to attend and that was the Authors Panel sponsored by the Christy Awards (http://www.christyawards.com/). I chose to attend that program because it was emceed by one of my favorite authors, Liz Curtis Higgs and also featured two other authors I love to read- Mindy Starns Clark and Beverly Lewis.

I learned how they write their books and was refreshed to know that each writer keeps the goal of eternity on their mind when writing their books. Mindy Starns Clark writes mysteries, which is my favorite genre, and it was interesting to hear that she actually writes two books but we only see one of the books in print. The first book is about 50 pages long and it's basically "What happened and the second book, the one we see, is "How she found out." It makes complete sense when you think about it. I did ask her a question about how big was that first book when she got done with the Million Dollar Mystery series (five books in total) and she said that was an hour-long lecture. I wish I could have heard that.

Beverly Lewis was as nice as can be. When I asked her to take a picture with me she was so nice and just threw her arm around me. She writes her books both linearly and in pieces. Since her novels tend to have two or three main characters, she writes each character individually. I wondered how she did melded her characters together so well. Beverly Lewis has basically started her own genre within Christian Fiction- The novels about Amish. I just got finished with the Annie's People series and LOVED it.

Some of the other authors that were there was Jerry Jenkins, best known for the Left Behind series with Tim LaHaye, Terri Blackstock, Davis Bunn, Bill Myers, Robert Liparulo, and Janette Oke. I have never read a Janette Oke Book, but I can't wait to read one now. The authors who wrote thriller/suspense type novels were asked how they "justify" violence in their novels and Liparulo said he writes it in mind to show that there is evil in the world and to show that "evil is evil" and not to "tittilate." Blackstock said she doesn't want her reads to feel defiled by the violence in her books and that she doesn't want her readers to so to sleep at night with blood on their mind. Both very interesting answers.

After the program was over, we got to talk to the suthors, get their autographs and get pictures with them. It was pretty cool. But the most amazing thing was that uncharacteristically of me, I sat in the very front at a table, and a lady then sat next to me with a video camera. I asked her what she did, which is also a bit uncharacteristic of me. Normally I wait until they say something to me. She maintains a website called Writer...Interrupted for people who don't write full-time for a living, but keep coming up against bumps like having children, homeschooling, and that type of stuff. It was very cool that she sat next to me because writing is an avenue I'd love to explore with my life, but would wait until Mitchell and any other future siblings were older. I'm not saying I have a plot or book in my head right now, but I do have characters. hmmmm....maybe one with a penchant for hoodies, hats, and funky argyle socks???

Beverly Lewis, Robert Liparulo, Liz Curtis Higgs, Bill Myers listen to Janette Oke.

Me with Elizabeth George

Me with Liz Curtis Higgs

Me and Mindy Starns Clark

Me with Beverly Lewis