The Story Behind Too Many Visitors for One Little House by Susan Chodakiewitz

The picture book –Too Many Visitors for One Little House – is based on a true story about the crazy summer we moved into our new house in Beverly Hills and ALL THESE VISITORS came to stay.

First my sister drove in from Miami in a GIANT camper with her husband, four kids, and housekeeper. For a surprise they brought my parents and uncle from Russia.

Then I got a call from my sister-in-law in Houston. She was getting a divorce and was moving to LA.  She and the 3 kids needed a place to stay until she found a new house. She arrived with 3 children and a housekeeper.

Soon after that my mother-in-law got out of the hospital. She moved in — together with her nurse.

All together 23 people lived in our house that summer. Every evening the invaders… oops, sorry… visitors — would congregate on the front lawn. On occasion my uncle from Russia led the group in a Russian folk song. On some nights my dad joined in with Klezmer on the clarinet.

Our formerly quiet little neighborhood buzzed with music, noise from children at play, and the barking of a scraggly dog — who adopted our family that summer too. Our not-so-quiet little house began to bust at the seams. On various occasions the neighbors summoned the police to check out the “suspicious activity” at the house of the new family on the block!

I always thought I would write this story as a screen play or musical yet sixteen years later it finally manifested itself as the children’s picture book.

Susan Chodakiewitz is a writer, composer and producer. She is the founder of Booksicals Children’s Books- Encouraging the love of reading through the arts. Through her company Booksicals she has created the Booksicals on Stage literacy program which is currently presenting musical performances of the picture book Too Many Visitors for One Little House at schools, libraries, and special events.

Susan lives in Los Angeles in a lively household filled with music, three sons, a husband, a Dalmatian and lots of visitors. Susan loves picture books and when she wrote a musical based on one of her favorites, she realized it was time to start writing her own picture books. Too Many Visitors for One Little House is Susan’s debut book. You can visit her website at www.booksicals.com.

The Story Behind ‘For the Love of St. Nick’ by Garasamo Maccagnone

Over the years, I listened carefully to many of my wife’s stories. Her father was Commander Blake Field, a naval academy standout and veteran of the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf wars. I obviously patterned the commander in my story after him.

Prior to her parents’ divorce, my wife lived the typical military lifestyle, with the family moving every couple of years to far off lands. Often, her father went on secret cold war missions and I recalled listening to my wife tell me how frightened she was as a girl that her father would never return. That of course, sparked my interest and was the sentiment I built off of years later when I decided to write this story.

The other major incident, which inspired me a great deal, happened while I worked at a hospital in my early thirties. One morning after my shift was over, a priest I knew at the hospital divulged that a young mother died during childbirth the previous night. He used the term placenta previa and went on to explain what had happened and why he was told the woman passed on.

Together, somehow, over a fifteen- to twenty-year period these stories found their way to the forefront of my mind, and served as the mechanisms that launched my tale. From there, I simply needed to create the right setting and to apply my craft.

 

Garasamo Maccagnone studied creative writing and literature under noted American writers Sam Astrachan and Stuart Dybek at Wayne State University and Western Michigan University. A college baseball player as well, Maccagnone met his wife Vicki as a junior at WMU. The following year, after injuring his throwing arm, Maccagnone left school and his baseball ambitions to marry Vicki. After a two year stint at both W.B. Doner and BBDO advertising agencies, Maccagnone left the industry to apply his knowledge of marketing in a new venture in an up-and-coming industry. Maccagnone created a company called, “Crate and Fly,” and turned it from a store front in 1984 to a world-wide multi-million dollar shipping corporation by 1994.  

In the mid 90’s Maccagnone decided to fulfill the promise of his writing career, by first penning the children’s book, The Suburban Dragon and then following up with a collection of short stories and poetry entitled, The Affliction of Dreams. His literary novel, St. John of the Midfield was published in 2007, followed by his For the Love of St. Nick, which was released in 2008.  Maccagnone expanded the original version of For the Love of St. Nick and had the book illustrated for a new release in June 2009. 

Garasamo “Gary” Maccagnone lives today in Shelby Township, Michigan, with his wife Vicki and three children. You can visit Gary online at www.garasamomaccagnone.com.

The Story Behind “Rain Dance” by Joy DeKok

From the time I was a little girl I wanted to write for kids. I was sure the stories ahead for me were the fun and sparkly kind.  I’d studied the craft, read books on writing for children, went to conferences, and was sure it was time.

Then, while cleaning house, a story line came to mind and tugged at my heart. It felt like a good idea, but I was certain it wasn’t for me to write. I tried to scrub, vacuum, and polish the idea away. Instead with every moment, it grew into something bigger. I could see the characters and heard their distinct voices.

I rebelled in part because the story involved my story. Who wanted to read about infertility and a pro-lifer who loved post-abortive women?  We’ve all been told to write what we know as well as no author intrusion. I wasn’t sure how to balance this advice so I clung to the latter. I simply could not write this novel – it was too close to home.

Ideas can be stubborn. I thought it might be cathartic to jot down the ideas to rid myself of them. This purging became a chapter and then two. As I quit resisting and released the words onto the page, a novel was born.

After the writing, re-writing, and editing, I considered putting it in a file cabinet and getting on with the real writing – kid’s books. Instead, I started the process of submitting it and receiving numerous rejections although many of them came with positive personal notes from the editors. Now I had editors, agents, established authors, and my husband encouraging me to self-publish. I hesitated to take the publishing road less travelled. I knew it was the harder path and I knew next to nothing about marketing. I was about to put the manuscript in a file cabinet in our basement when my husband brought me a check. He explained he believed the story had to be shared. His belief sparked a flame of hope in my heart.

It wasn’t until I followed the advice of the wise, the children’s books came together and I found an amazing illustrator.

After some time on the market, I approached an online writer’s group I belong to and asked them to read and review Rain Dance. It never occurred to me the woman who had started her own publishing house would be interested, however, she was.

Sheaf House Publishers released Rain Dance on August 3, 2009.

Louisa Mae Alcott once said, “Housecleaning ain’t no joke.” She wasn’t kidding. My second novel idea came while I was doing the dishes. I have no idea where this one will take me, but I’m done resisting. 

Joy DeKok and her husband, Jon, live in Minnesota on thirty-five acres of woods and fields. Joy has been writing most of her life and as a popular speaker shares her heart and passion for God with women. In addition to writing novels, she has also published a devotional and several children’s books.

Visit Joy online at: www.joydekok.com, www.raindancebook.com, www.believe4kids.com and www.gettingitwrite.net.

The Story Behind My Son, John by Kathi Macias

The story behind My Son, John is an amazing one, and I tell it quite often. 

It began nearly twenty years ago, when AIDS was just becoming known in America as a killer disease. We knew little about it, but most of us weren’t too concerned since we figured it would never touch us because we weren’t involved in the high-risk lifestyles associated with contracting the disease. 

I was busy working on a writing project and quite happy doing it—until I noticed that God was tapping me on the shoulder, trying to get my attention. Because I was perfectly content with my life as it was, I ignored Him, at least for a while. But the tapping became more insistent, until I finally had to respond or admit that I was disobeying God. 

“All right, Lord,” I said at last, “what are You trying to tell me?” 

In that moment I knew God wanted me to write a book about AIDS, which made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Surely I had misunderstood Him! But the more I listened to that still, small voice, the more I was certain of His marching orders. 

I sighed in resignation. “I don’t even know where to start, Father,” I said. “You’ll have to give me some direction here.” 

By the next morning it had become clear to me that I was supposed to write a novel about a middle-aged Christian woman (much like myself at the time) who discovers her 23-year-old son, John, has AIDS. It is her first revelation of his homosexual lifestyle. 

Wow. I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy assignment, so the next thing I did was ask God to bring someone to me who could help me understand how someone like John might feel in his situation. That night I noticed a letter to the editor in the newspaper, written by a young homosexual activist named Mark, who had AIDS and who was mad at the whole world. 

Oh, no, I thought. Please, God, don’t make me work with him! 

But of course Mark was just the one God had chosen. In fact, when I called him and told him about the book, his immediate response was, “Yes, I want to work with you on this because I want to make sure you get it right.” 

We scheduled an initial lunch meeting, and from the moment we sat down at the table, Mark began to tell me exactly how he felt. 

“I hate people like you,” he declared. “It’s because of you Christians that I have AIDS.” 

I did my best not to show my surprise, allowing him to continue to rant while I prayed silently, hoping God might show me that I had misunderstood and Mark was not the person I was to work with on this project. But even as I prayed, Mark stopped speaking for a moment and glanced out the window. When he looked back, there was a hint of tears in his eyes, and he said, “Sometimes I wonder if people like you are right.” 

Before I could respond, he returned to his previous mode of blaming everyone but himself for his condition, but in that brief instant, God had allowed me to see the chink in Mark’s armor. 

And so we began to work together on the book, though Mark made me promise never to “preach at him.” I kept my promise, but Mark read everything I wrote, chapter by chapter. And though we didn’t have a meeting of the minds, we did have a meeting of the hearts. Mark and I became friends; we learned to care for one another, even as we acknowledged the differences between us. 

Finally, just after Mark had read the last chapter and returned it to me with his comments and suggestions, he called me. His voice was weak, as he spoke from a hospital bed at his mother’s home. 

“Do you really believe all that Jesus stuff you wrote about in the book?” he wheezed. 

“Yes, Mark, I do,” I assured him. 

“Then you have five minutes to convince me not to kill myself right now.” 

It took longer than five minutes, but before we hung up I had the privilege of leading Mark to Christ. He died a few days later. 

And the book? I couldn’t sell it anywhere. Though every publisher who saw it agreed that it was a wonderfully written story, no one was willing to offer a contract—until nearly twenty years later, when I learned that my friend Joan had launched Sheaf House and was looking for “Christian fiction with an edge.” Sounded like My Son, John to me! 

Joan agreed, though after we talked about it for a while, we decided to change the storyline from a young man who has AIDS to a young man who murders a family member. The theme of unconditional love and forgiveness would remain the same. 

The rest, as they say, is history. But oh, what I learned between the time I started writing this book and the time it finally saw the light of publication! Before I began writing My Son, John I always thought the mark of a successful book was that it got published and sold lots of copies. (And hey, that’s not a bad thing!) But I now know that My Son, John was a success long before I ever found a publisher willing to take a chance with it. And if I hadn’t found a publisher at all, it would still have been a success because I now have a dear friend named Mark waiting for me in heaven. For that reason, I consider My Son, John the most successful of all my books, regardless of the ultimate sales figures. For after all, isn’t knowing that our work has made an eternal difference in someone’s life what this “Christian writing ministry” is all about?

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley. 

Visit Kathi’s website at www.kathimacias.com and her blog at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/.  Beginning October 15, 2009, listen to Kathi as she hosts “Write the Vision” every Thursday from 6—7 p.m. (Pacific Time) via THE International Christian Network (www.theicn.com).

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF AN ONLINE INFORMATION PRODUCT by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

The release of my novel Mrs. Lieutenant (www.MrsLieutenant.com) threw me headlong into the world of online marketing.  I set out to learn everything I could about this brave new world.

In the course of this quest I decided to form a company that would share my newly acquired Internet marketing knowledge with others in an easier manner than the piecemeal way in which I’d learned.

I wanted to offer Internet marketing training at a reasonable cost, especially for book authors who often have minimum promotional funds.

The answer to this proposal seemed to be a monthly Internet marketing program in which one main topic a month would be covered.  In this way the material covered would not be overwhelming and could actually be implemented.

Then all kinds of new problems/obstacles presented themselves, such as which membership software should I use?  There were numerous possibilities, many recommended by people I trusted.  And each software solution had different capabilities.  Which ones would I need/want most?

Then there was the delivery method for the monthly information.  How best to do this as people have different learning styles?

The solution was to record a monthly “conversation” teleseminar that would be available for listening online, downloading as an MP3, or reading the transcript of the conversation.

Then later in the month there would be a live question-and-answer teleseminar on this topic with the audio replay available afterwards.

This solution then meant new recording software upon which to decide.

By now you should have an idea of the numerous decisions with which I was dealing.  And I thought to myself: Why don’t I write about these decisions for my Examiner.com column (www.InternetBizBlogger.com) to help others who may be facing these same questions?  And I did this for the month of June.

Then I thought:  It would be nice for people to be able to have the month’s worth of articles all in one ebook for easy access and learning.

And thus was born the ebook What You Should Know About the Launch of an Online Information Product –- an ebook designed to help make it easier for others to set up their own membership sites.

Of course, the step after the creation of the ebook (and adding it to my company website www.MillerMosaicLLC.com) was to go on a virtual book tour for it with Dorothy Thompson of www.PumpUpYourBookPromotion.com as I’d done for my novel Mrs. Lieutenant.

And this brings me full circle to writing this guest post for “The Story Behind the Book.”

Author Phyllis Zimbler Miller’s company MillerMosaicLLC.com has just launched the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program to help people promote their brand, book or business.  You can learn about the program at http://www.WeTeachWebMarketing.com.  She’s also a National Internet Business Examiner at http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com and active on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ZimblerMiller .  Her new ebook What You Should Know About the Launch of an Online Information Product grew out of her Examiner.com articles about the launch of the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program.  She is also the author of the novel http://www.MrsLieutenant.com .

NO TEACHERS LEFT BEHIND by HBF Teacher

Day after day of dealing with disrespectful students, unsupportive supervisors, and rude and often demeaning parents takes a toll on even the most determined teacher.  When a teacher deals with these things for years, the teacher, once filled with an incalculable amount of passion for teaching and saving the world, begins to lose hope and becomes disillusioned and frustrated.   That disillusioned and frustrated teacher is me, HBF (Hopeful But Frustrated) Teacher.

As a child of a school teacher and the granddaughter of a teacher, I sat and watched enviously as both of my loved ones planned their lessons and graded papers.  It seemed so cool to me.  In school, I was lucky enough to be placed in classrooms with outstanding teachers who encouraged me to think outside of the box.   I adored these teachers so the idea of being a teacher rose even higher on my list of possible occupations.  A wonderful college experience moved teaching to the top of my career list.

Oh the dreams I had about my first year of teaching!   I dreamed of students who wanted to learn, the kind who read simply because they loved to read and not because you made them read.   Of course, they would be distracted like people their age, but they would easily be led back on task and never rude and disrespectful.  I imagined parents who believed in teachers and eagerly accepted a portion of the responsibility for their children’s educations.  In other dreams, there were administrators who actually provided me with the supplies and encouragement I need to be a successful teacher.

Those were dreams.  The past years have revealed the reality.  I can’t even pay most of my students to read, and the majority of my students choose to play rather than learn five days out of five.  My ideal parents are far from ideal.   If their children don’t receive high scores, then it’s always my fault.  It doesn’t matter that their children don’t do homework, don’t complete assignments and don’t study for tests.  It’s always the teacher’s fault.  At the end of the day, the “real” administrators see it the same way.

Because of this, I wrote the novel, No Teachers Left Behind.   It is my hope that after reading it, the American public will realize that the future of America relies on more than the students in schools today.   It also relies on the teachers, the ones who are truly being left behind.

HBF Teacher has been a public school Middle grades teacher for three years.  Before that, HBF substitute taught for two years.  HBF has also worked as a live-in nanny and an accounts payable representative.

Today when not nurturing young minds, HBF enjoys travel, photography, culinary arts, and the cinema.  The Cohen Brothers and Tyler Perry are among her favorite artistic contributors.

You can find more about HBF Teacher and her work online @ http://www.noteachersleftbehind.info/

WRITING AS A SACRED PATH by Jill Jepson

For many years, my life followed two threads that seemed very separate and distinct. One was writing. It was something I always did in one form or another. Even at the age of three, I would tell stories that my mother would write down. I’d love to think that I was the literary equivalent of a baby Mozart, who composed brilliant piano works at four, but my first stories don’t show a genius in the making. What they do show is a lively imagination and an early love of language – two essential qualities for a writer.

The second thread had to do with spirituality. I was a very spiritually oriented child. For a time, this took the form of a deep belief in the faith of my parents, Roman Catholicism. It went beyond simply going through the ropes because my family did. I lived and breathed the faith. It meant something very profound to me, something that hasn’t entirely abandoned me even decades after I left the church.

I didn’t have the difficult experiences with Catholicism that some people tell of. I’ve heard people talk about having to heal after a Catholic childhood, but mine was very benign and full of love. The problem wasn’t that I was injured in some way by the church, simply that I stopped believing. It happened very suddenly. In fact, I can remember the day. I was thirteen. I was sitting at my desk in Mrs. James’s eighth grade class, and the thought simply came to me: What if none of it’s true? What if all the stories of the church—even God Himself—is all a fairytale? It was a horrifying thought. But I was a child who believed in searching for the truth even if it was painful, so I couldn’t force myself not to think it.

That day was the beginning of a spiritual search that lasted for many years. I read book after book about the religions of the world. At college, I took classes in the meditative practices of Asia. Then I began my traveling life. After college, I moved to Japan for two years, traveled through Siberia, spent time in Europe. Later, I spent three years in India and many months in China, the Middle East, Central America, Southeast Asia. Everywhere I went, I explored the spiritual life of the people. I spoke with all kinds of practitioners—shamans, yogis, Buddhist monks, Sufi dervishes. I read, observed, and, when appropriate, practiced the rituals and rites of the faiths I encountered.

It was a wonderful adventure, and it taught me so much. But it didn’t help me find a spiritual tradition that worked for me. Nothing fit. Then the Universe gave me a good, swift kick. And that’s what opened my eyes.

I went through a terrible spell. My marriage was crumbling. I lost my job. I’d earned a doctorate in linguistic anthropology and was discovering what a non-existent career path that was. The stress made me ill, and I was in chronic pain with a disorder that went misdiagnosed for two years. I ended up moving back in with my parents, in the small farming town I’d left two decades earlier, and sank into depression.

But, as always, I still had one, perfect thing in my life: writing. I journaled and journaled. I vented all my rage and despair on the page. I started rebuilding my life through my writing. And that’s when it dawned on me. I didn’t have to search for a spiritual path. I was already on one. Writing was my path. It was as real and fundamental, as deep and resonant as anyone’s religious faith.

That was the spark that led to my book, Writing as a Sacred Path: A Practical Guide to Writing With Passion and Purpose. It took years of work after that initial inspiration. I interviewed scores of writers. I read writers’ biographies, published letters, and journals, and many works on the writing process. I developed dozens of writing exercises—I call them “sacred tools.” But the initial impulse was that sudden weaving together of two threads—writing and spirituality—that I had been spinning for years.

Jill Jepson is a traveler, professor, and transformational life coach, and the author of three books and over 60 articles. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Chicago as well as degrees in writing, psychology, social science, and Asian studies. Using her extensive travels to places as diverse as Guatemala, Syria, Siberia, and Afghanistan, her writing explores spiritual traditions, history, culture, personal growth, and the writing process. Through her business, Writing the Whirlwind, she offers coaching and online workshops for writers, activists, and others. You can visit her website at www.writingthewhirlwind.net.

DISTANT THUNDER by Christian Fiction Author and Pastor Jimmy Root Jr.

Inspiration is an interesting word with Biblical roots. It literally means that something is breathed out by God. I would not put the fictional story of Distant Thunder in that category, but its foundation of Biblical prophecy certainly qualifies. Being a life-long student of Bible Prophecy, I found it a natural transition from teaching those prophecies to creating a story with prophecy as its basis.

One of the stunning aspects of ancient Old Testament scripture is how what was predicted over twenty-five hundred years ago has, and is coming true today. Ezekiel the prophet witnessed a vision that described the re-birth of the nation of Israel. He also related how a coalition of nations, soon after that re-birth, would gather to destroy the Jewish nation. I use the word stunning because Ezekiel listed the exact nations that are headlining today’s news as being mortal enemies of Israel. Is that a coincidence? I think not and therein the idea to write a fictional story based on current events was born.

Now, in the creation of Distant Thunder and The Lightning Chronicles, inspiration comes into play. I took two passions from my personal life, Bible prophecy and the military thriller genre, and blended them into what I am calling a prophetic fiction thriller. Using what is most familiar to my own purpose I began by creating a character based on the life of a Pastor. As with my wife, many have asked if Pastor Ty Dempsey, one of the two main characters in the book, happened to be my alter ego. The answer is a resounding no. Aspects of my daily life show up simply because that is what is familiar to me. But Ty is his own man. He is an ordinary individual that is confronted with an extraordinary and frightening circumstance. He portrays how heroism is alive and well, even though that heroism might go unnoticed.

The real work came with the second main character, something that was totally apart from my personal experience. Moshe Eldan is an Israeli F-16 fighter pilot. Although the thought of flying something so powerful and dangerous as a fighter jet has always been a dream, I have never been within a hundred yards of an F-16. So, I began with a series of questions that led me deep into the research of my character’s surroundings. That included studying the advanced military weaponry and tactics used by the Israelis and other national air forces. It meant buying an F-16 flight simulator and spending hours trying to figure out how the thing worked. I confess I had a blast, plus, the aerial dogfight sequences in which fighter jets are shot from the sky became quite realistic. Thankfully, the military aspects of Distant Thunder passed muster as a 9th Air Force Combat Instructor reviewed the material and called it “spot on.” From that point, the rest of the story was easy and just exciting in the writing as it will be for the reader.

I have read of authors spending weeks outlining a storyline in order to make their book come alive. But for me, the story seemed to flow from the very start. I found myself surprised and perplexed at the actions of my characters, and that is how it should be. They were as unpredictable and conflict-driven as any normal human being. That, to me, is the greatest inspiration of all.

Jimmy Root Jr., has served as an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God since 1982, including service in Nebraska, Missouri, and a seven year term as a missionary in Colombia, South America. Jimmy is the lead Pastor of Family Worship Center of Smithville, a growing suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. Married to his wife Jean for twenty-nine years, the Roots have three grown children.

Root is a 1981 alumnus of Central Bible College of Springfield, Missouri where he majored in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Theology. He is also an alumnus of Southeastern University, Lakeland Florida, where he majored in Intercultural Studies.

A lifetime student of Biblical prophecy, Jimmy is also the Professor of Eschatology, The Study of End Times, for Berean University through the Northern Missouri District School of Ministry. He is a featured speaker at Churches and other venues, and is the host of “The Bible Uncensored” radio broadcast heard on radio stations around the country.

His writings, both in book form as well as his blog, are purposed to be a wake-up call to a sleepy American church that seems to be losing a truly Christian World View. Distant Thunder and its sequels, A Gathering Storm and Then Comes Lightning, will reveal to the adventure/thriller aficionado the reality of the coming fulfillment of Biblically prophesied events. You can visit his website at www.lightningchronicles.com or his blog at www.prophecyalert.blogspot.com. Connect with him on twitter at www.twitter.com/JimmyRootJr and Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimmyrootjr.

The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between by J.W. Nicklaus

Years ago, as is still true now, I found I would happen upon some small event or object that would practically insist that it be written about. I’ve always leaned toward short stories because of their urgency and ability to deliver a satisfying beginning, middle, and end in a short period of time.

And so I would often jot something down when inspiration hit me, then find some appropriate vehicle to convey the idea that struck me. Seems pretty obvious, right? Isn’t that what we all do? I couldn’t find the heart to let a good idea go just because it might not fit into a more lengthy format, so I’d craft a short story around it instead. Just so happened, much of what I would write centered around the very personal ideals of love, hope, desire, longing, and a host of other emotions. I didn’t know it all those years ago, but The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between was slowly evolving.

In one case (Streetlamp) I’d been tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep one night. I had a lot on my mind and my brain had apparently decided it wasn’t ready to shut down. As I lay there I suddenly recalled reading a story by Ernest Hemingway during my freshman year in college—A Clean Well Lighted Place. That one thought was the emulsifier that helped to bring together a number of other disparate thoughts and feelings. I immediately got out of bed and typed out the skeleton of the story.

There are a few instances where the story I wound up with had little or nothing to do with the initial spark that generated it. I started with a lit match then switched to the flashlight. Emissary and Winter Rose are two such examples.

The things that I think move us most are storylines and characters we can relate to. You may not get a super detailed description of what a given character looks like or what clothes they might be wearing, but if through their actions and dialogue they can compel you to feel something, then that’s the hook I’m hoping for. Once you can relate to them, then who cares what they look like—and if you care about the character then you’re naturally going to read through the story, because we’re only human, we have to know what happens. With a short story, you don’t have to wait too long. Something like the reading version of the impulse area at the checkout!

J.W. Nicklaus resides in a place not entirely fit for human habitation about five months of the year. No pets to speak of, only the apparitions from which all romantics suffer.

An Arizona native, he’s been from one coast to the other, and a few places in between. College brought an AA in Journalism with a minor in Photography, and a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications. His work experience has run the gamut from Creative Director for a small advertising firm in Tucson to a litigation support bureau in Phoenix (and assuredly some awkward stuff in the mix).

Snow has been featured prominently in his stories, perhaps because of the seasonless cli-mate he lives in. Nature was meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not hidden from the senses. So to that end, he hopes someday to live amongst those who are able to live through four true seasons, and not just blast furnace and warm.

He enjoys the occasional Arizona Diamondbacks game with his son, as well as watching him grow up. The experience of being a single dad has taught him far more about himself than he ever thought possible.

Within the expanse of every waking moment, he hopes his guardian angel keeps its arms open wide and heart ever watchful, for there but for one true Hope goes She.

For more about J.W. visit www.avomnia.com.

The Story Behind the Book is part of the pre-tour package included with certain tour packages.  J.W’s tour will begin on April 1 and continue until April 30.  If you would like to visit his tour stops, visit www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in April.

KEYS TO LIVING JOYFULLY by Sheri Kaye Hoff

I envisioned writing a book for nearly twenty years. As I approached my 4oth birthday, I realized that I needed to move forward with my goal, so I quit my full time job and took a part time teaching position at a college so I could focus on building my life coaching practice and write my dream book. In the past, I started several books—which were mostly romance novels and I would stall out after the first few chapters.

Throughout my life, I was always interested in why some people were very successful and other people with the same or more potential were not successful. I read hundreds of books on leadership, motivation, and inspiration. I also experienced tragedy in my family at a young age,which left me dealing with post traumatic stress disorder for years afterwards. Though I tried very hard to create a successful, normal life-I had recurring problems with depression. I experienced remarkable positive change over the last four years in my life and felt very deeply in my heart that I wanted to reach out to other people who were trying to find happiness. I write from a Christian faith perspective, however, I also, encompass some of the concepts of positive thinking and the law of attraction. I wanted to write a synthesis of everything that helped me get better and truly experience joy—and I wanted it to be simple, workable, and easy to read. I wrote from the heart-the words just poured out of me-time seemed to stand still when I was working on my book. From the time I started writing seriously for the book, Keys to Living Joyfully: I finished in five weeks. I decided to self-publish through createspace in order to have my book available quickly. I hired a graphic designer to create a beautiful cover and found the perfect person, Michele Caron, creator of mylifecoach.com to write the Foreword. From start to finish, the whole process took five and a half months. I have accomplished one of my life dreams and am still in awe when I wake up each morning.

I make sure to reach out to my clients and readers regularly with thoughts and inspirations through my blog and weekly inspiration tips. I do this because I know that habits are hard to change and reinforcement is needed to really experience progress. My true passion is inspiring people daily to live a joyful life.

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Sheri Kaye Hoff resides in Parker, CO with her husband and three children. She is a Life Coach and owner of the Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company. She teaches college classes as an adjunct faculty member and has earned her Master of Arts in Organizational Management. Her new book, Keys to Living Joyfully,offers a way of living a meaningful, successful and joy filled life.

Ms. Hoff is a personal and executive life coach. Spirituality is a vital part of her life’s work. Prayer and meditation are integral pieces of her daily ritual, which enables her to pursue her life’s passions and live a truly joyful life.

Her words on faith are derived from her own Christian walk and spiritual self-discoveries. Her action steps mix faith and years of leadership training, mentoring, and management. Sheri Kaye Hoff suffered the tragic death of her younger brother when she was a teenager and struggled for years to rediscover the capacity to feel joy and to enjoy her successes. She has a heart felt desire to pass on her knowledge and discoveries that have led to a truly transformational life. Ms. Hoff publishes a free weekly inspiration newsletter, Coach Sheri’s Weekly Inspiration Tips. The Sheri K Hoff International Coaching Company also offers:

* Teleclasses.
* Webinars
* In person small and large group Coaching
* Corporate Training
* Keynote speaking
* Seminars
* Individual Career and Life Coaching (For a limited time- receive a free introductory one hour life coaching session)
http://www.lifeisjoyful.org

Editor’s Note: Sheri will be on a virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in March ‘09. If you would like to host her on your blog, contact her publicist, Dorothy Thompson at thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com.