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Interview and Book Give Away with Author Shellie Tomlinson

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By Vonda Skelton | June 24, 2008

June 24, 2008 

I knew I'd found a friend the day I found Shellie Rushing Tomlinson. She's not only the owner and publisher of All Things Southern, a website that celebrates "…the charm and heritage of the South," but she's also NOT a girly-girl. And that makes us practically sisters!

First off, let me tell you a little about my southern friend. Shellie lives in Lake Providence, Louisiana with her husband, Phil. She's is the author of four books, including Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters That the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too, recently released by Penguin Group USA. (I've read this book, and let me tell you–it's hilarious! I think Shellie must have been hiding in my closet all those years I was growing up in Small Town, SC 'cause she sure heard the same words of wisdom I did!) You'll want to be sure to leave a comment for Shellie so you'll be in the drawing for your own free copy!

Shellie's other books include Lessons Learned on Bull Run Road, 'Twas the Night before the Very First Christmas, and Southern Comfort with Shellie Rushing Tomlinson. In addition to being the owner and publisher of All Things Southern, Shellie is the host of a daily radio show and weekly TV segment by the same name. You can find a list of the twenty-two radio stations that carry Shellie's southern features on her website () and you can see Shellie each Tuesday morning at 6:30 on CBS affiliate KNOE's Good Morning Ark-La-Miss out of Monroe, LA.

When Shellie isn't writing, speaking, taping her show, answering email or writing content for the next deadline, you can find her playing tennis with Dixie Belle, the chocolate lab who thinks she is in charge of running Shellie's life.

Vonda: Welcome, Shellie.

Shellie: Thanks, Vonda. I'm proud to be here!

Vonda: Well, congratulations are definitely in order for your book, Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On! What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters That the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too. This book has been released by Penguin Group USA, one of the large houses. I happen to know that you self-published three books before this one. Why did you choose self-publishing first?

Shellie: It chose me, actually, but I don't have a prissy attitude about self-publishing like so many people in this industry. On the contrary, had I not decided to quit filing rejection slips from traditional publishers and strike out after my own dreams, I never would've had this opportunity.

Vonda: So, how did you get Penguin's attention?

Shellie: Basically, I built my own platform. I created something called All Things Southern on the web, a place where I could celebrate my passion for the South and get some of the words out of my head that were screaming to be heard. Six years later, my combined audience from the web, my radio segments, and my videos succeeded in getting them to give my agent a hearing!

Vonda: And how was your working experience with Penguin? They're not "from around here" as we like to say.

Shellie: It was a blast. We had some laughs over our cultural differences. My editor kept making two words about of "cornbread" everywhere it was mentioned in the book. And by the way­, I was personally surprised at just how many times I mentioned cornbread in one book! I had to tell the sweet thing that cornbread was one animal down here.

Vonda: Well, tell me the truth–are the people you tell stories about in the book real people? I love your Aunt Marleta!

Shellie: Oh, yes! The people I talk about either lived and breathed or are currently living and breathing. I did change some of their names so I could continue to do so, too!

Vonda: I see that you tell a lot of stories about your own mother. How does she feel about being so spotlighted?

Shellie: She takes it in stride, although she is threatening to come out with a rebuttal!

Vonda: You address faith only briefly in the book, but I noticed that one of your radio segments is an inspirational piece, and you write an inspirational column for your local Gannet-owned newspaper, Newsstar World in Monroe, LA. You seem to be positioning yourself in both markets, which can be unusual. Was this intentional?

Shellie: Most definitely. I chose not to build a "Christian" platform because I wanted to talk to the whole world. I was afraid the only people that would hear my message, stop and visit my site, or listen to my radio show would be other believers. I wanted to talk to everyone!

Vonda: That explains a lot. Obviously, you've done a good job of positioning yourself in both markets, and now we know it was intentional, but has it been hard? Did you encounter a lot of roadblocks trying to have a foot in both markets?

Shellie: You better believe it. I'd like to write another book on the word "no," how to get the best out of it without it getting the best out of you!

Vonda: You call yourself a God appetizer. Why is that?

Shellie: I believe I'm called to build relationships with people and through that relationship, to make them hungry for something in my life that they might be missing–the joy I get in serving God. It's a life that works, but I came close to not discovering it. I want to help as many people as I can to find it! Like many good little church girls, I spent a lifetime trying to figure out if I was saved. I finally resolved the issue.

Vonda: How did you s
ettle it?

Shellie: By selling out! By saying, "I'm going to seek for You until I find You. And I'm talking about an all out assault on the throne. I learned that you can't live for yourself on this side of heaven while searching for security on the other side. But I'm a witness that neither can you throw yourself at God with abandon before you find yourself sticking!

Vonda: What would you like to say to Christian writers who look at you and think, "I wish I had a platform, a ministry…"

Shellie: So many Christians spend their lives trying to figure out what kind of "ministry" they're supposed to be about for the Lord and entirely miss the fact that their lives are the ministry (II Corinthians 5). It's so freeing to understand that the gift of relationship we already have can be used to share the gospel and impact the world, while simultaneously meeting that desire everyone has to be worthwhile, to matter. When you seek Him, you'll find your ministry, but you'll NEVER find Him or your ministry if you're only seeking your ministry.

Vonda: What a good word for all of us as writers and speakers. Thank you for the reminder that this isn't about contracts or book sales or big fat royalty checks (although none of us would refuse them if God decided to send them our way, would we?). When our focus is on Him and writing what He gives us to write, we are doing the ministry we're called to do. And thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to sit with us a spell. (Wow–just being around you brings out the southern in me!)

Shellie: Thanks for having me.

Vonda: And readers, I can tell you from experience–you are going to love All Things Southern and Shellie's new book. And if you'd like a chance to get a free copy, simply leave a comment and you'll be in the running! Don't be shy. Somebody's gonna win it–it might as well be YOU!

I'd like to leave you with these words of Jesus:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Let's go out and be the light.

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart.

Vonda

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Hook ‘Em!

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By Vonda Skelton | June 16, 2008

June 17, 2008

The query letter, written by an eager new writer, was penned with hope and enthusiasm. But hope and enthusiasm were eliminated as soon as the editor read these deadly words: "I know it starts off a little slow, but…"

By the time the editor finished reading those nine little words, the decision had already been made. The rejection letter was on its way. The eager writer might as well have written, "Whatever you do, please don't publish my book."

I had to learn the hard way.

I had already had one article published in Clubhouse Magazine (Focus on the Family) and was eager to write another one. I developed a unique idea, found the perfect 12-year-old to interview, and had received the go-ahead from the editor. But my submission was quickly rejected.

And it was all because of my opening paragraph.

Here's what I initially submitted:

Have you ever had a field trip that changed your life? Lindsay Knauer has. She was ten years old when her home school group planned a special field trip to learn about fencing. "I didn't think I would like it, but I did." Like Lindsay, a lot of kids are finding out how much fun fencing is.

The editor's response was kind, but his words roughly translated to something akin to, "Y-A-W-N!!!!!!!!!!"

Lindsay and I collaborated on the rewrite and hit the jackpot:

The air is filled with the crashing and clanking of weapons. Screams of victory and cries of defeat echo all around me. Scoring machines screech high-pitched beeps that set my nerves on end. The score is four- four. The next touch determines the winner.

I have only a few seconds to plan my attack. Suddenly the director calls, "Ready! Fence!" My heart pounds. Rapid footwork takes me to my opponent. Weapons slice the air, metal cracks metal. I lunge for my opponent. Will it be victory or defeat?

Big difference, huh?

In the first example, I made many mistakes. The first was starting with a question. Think about it. If you open with a question and the answer is yes, the reader doesn't feel he needs to read on because he already knows what you're going to write about. If the answer is no, the reader believes the piece isn't of interest to him and he moves on. Either way, you lose the reader.

Secondly–and I'll try to say this delicately–it was just plain boring! And, in case you haven't learned anything else at this blog, I hoped you've learned that boring is bad. Really bad.

As you can see, the first example was generic, take-it-or-leave-it writing. But the rewrite drew in the senses, built tension, and engaged the reader through action. Senses, tension, and action are good. Really good.

In talking about opening paragraphs, I want to share with you the opening paragraph from an unpublished novel I recently read for critique at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. It's by Sherry Campbell, and yes–I have her permission to share her words and her name with you. Thanks, Sherry! 😉

Even though this is Sherry's first book, I have to admit that her opening paragraph drew me in. I read it and immediately wanted to know more. And that's exactly what I wrote on her critique. However, having now attended Blue Ridge, Sherry is hard at work applying the new techniques she learned at the conference, including making her first paragraph better.

Here's the original:

The rock made a solid clunk as she placed it with the others on the mound of earth in front of her. She rose and stumbled to a tree and slid down its length to the ground, too exhausted and too weak to go any further. The air was still and stiff and so hot it was hard to breathe. Her eyes swept across the four graves before her. Each grave was a little smaller than the one beside it. In each she had buried a piece of herself.

Not bad, but here's the rewrite:

She grunted as she lifted the heavy stone from the wheelbarrow. The rock made a solid clunk as she heaved it into place on top of the others that covered the small mound of earth. The scratches and cuts on her hands left wet, red imprints of her finger tips on the stony surface. As she straightened her back a wave of dizziness overcame her and she stumbled to a tree and slid down its trunk to the ground. Sweat stung her eyes but she was too exhausted to even attempt swiping it away. The air was still and stiff and so hot she could hardly breathe. She lay there panting unable to move. Her eyes swept across the four graves before her and a small moan escaped her dry, cracked lips. Each grave was a little smaller than the one beside it. In each she had buried a piece of herself.

Sherry and I have already discussed that rewriting is an ongoing project and there will still be changes she'll want to make, but can you see the difference? While the first paragraph draws the reader in, the second one gives us a movie to watch. Now we can see that there's a wheelbarrow, we see the heaviness of the rock and that she "heaved" it instead of "placed" it. We feel the pain in her hands and decide that she's been doing this for a while. We experience her dizziness and the sting of the sweat in her eyes; we see her lying on the ground, panting for breath.

We see a movie.

We don't know where she is. We don't know what's happened. But we want to know…and we'll keep reading to find out.

So as you write your book or your article or your short story, remember to use the senses, tension, and action to draw the reader in. And chances are, you'll draw the editor in, too.

And that's good. Really good.

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Here are some great opportunities. I hope you'll consider submitting–they're looking for writers just like you! (And many of our group have been published through these announcements, so this could be your chance!)

  1. The Ultimate Series is actively looking for stories about Christmas, teachers, moms, dads, golfers, bikers, and many other topics. Some deadlines are coming soon. (Thanks for sending this along, Jo Rae.)
  2. Chicken Soup wants stories about cancer, New Year's resolutions, stay-at-home moms, and twins and multiples and more. (Thanks again, Jo Rae.)
  3. Just Between Us, a magazine for Christian women, is looking for features, interviews, and columnists.
  4. Cup of Comfort wants stories about fathers, grieving, dogs, and children with special needs.
  5. Grand Magazine is running an essay contest about grandparenting.
  6. New Christian Voices is a new non-denominational Christian humor and lifestyle website looking for humor writers.

Well, that should be enough to keep you busy for a few days. 😉

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And ladies, have I got a last-minute deal for you! You've met Theresa Garrett (AKA Pinkie the Clown). She's my cousin, a ministry leader, and internationally-recognized clown, and she always travels with us as our cook on our fall writing retreat. Well, she's opening her beachfront Garden City, SC condo (near Myrtle Beach) for 7 days (June 21-28) to ladies only. In this shared experience arr
angement, she will be your hostess and cook–complete with all meals and lodging–for only $300 per person! You can go alone and join other women, or take a bunch of friends. Call her directly for more details: .

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Well, I believe that does it for this week. I hope you've found something of worth here today. I leave you with these words of blessing from the apostle Paul:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope. Romans 15:13

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Don’t Wimp Out on Good Writing

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By Vonda Skelton | June 9, 2008

June 10, 2008

I've always considered myself a fairly strong person. After all, I've taken karate lessons, played first base on an all-boys baseball team, and been scuba diving with alligators. (Okay, I admit the alligators were a surprise, but I had bravely planned for the rest of the adventure.) But when I sat down to start writing, I turned into a real wimp…and I didn't even know it.

It wasn't until I started taking classes and going to conferences that I finally discovered one of the reasons I couldn't get published: I used wimpy verbs.

Instead of slithering or dashing or ambling or skipping, my character simply went across the street.

Instead of banging his fist into the wall or throwing a table across the room, my character was mad.

Wimpy…wimpy…wimpy.

In order to write compelling fiction, we need to find strong verbs that will create the movie we want our readers to see in their minds. If your character is going to cross the street, let us see him moving to the other side. If he's happy or sad or mad or frightened, let us see him being happy or sad or mad or frightened. Don't tell us that he is.

A good guideline is to avoid the to be verbs when possible. He was fast, she is scared, they are eager, and we were tired set you up to wimp out on good writing. Don't tell us what your character is, let us see, feel, and hear him being whatever he is.

And as I've mentioned before, attaching adverbs to wimpy verbs doesn't fix the problem, either. He sat quietly still doesn't let us see the movie of your story. What was he doing as he sat there? Twiddling his thumbs? Clenching his jaw? Falling asleep? Each description tells us a totally different story of what's going on.

weights_smallI recently taught at a writer's conference with an editor from Writer's Digest Books. She stood in front of the eager audience and said, "I hate to admit it, but I'm not looking for a reason to accept your book. I'm looking for a reason to reject it."

(Image:)

All writers make mistakes. But the repeated use of wimpy verbs will mark you as a lazy writer, and set the stage for a knee-jerk rejection.

So come on, grab your "pen" and pump some iron.

No wimps allowed! 😉

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And here's proof that these Christian Writer's Den members are not wimps! This month's congratulations go to:

  1. Emme Gannon (SC) for winning the Award of Excellence for Christian Literature at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference! Her short story, The Letter, won First Place in the short story category and then went on to win the top award for the entire conference! Way to go, Emme!
  2. Liz Welsh (SC) for her two awards at Blue Ridge: First Place in the articles category for A Heart Song for Christmas and an Honorable Mention for her Bible Study, The Power of Positive Faith. Great job, Liz!
  3. Cindy Rooy (TN), who won First Place at Blue Ridge for her devotional, The Magnifying Glass. She has also received word that she has been accepted as a faith columnist in TWO secular newspapers: The Kingsport Times-News and The Rogersville Review. Congratulations, Cindy!
  4. Darlo Gemeinhardt (AL) for wining First Place and Third Place awards in the poetry category at Blue Ridge. Way to go, Darlo!
  5. Johnna Stein (GA) for winning First Place children's category award for God's Lullaby and Second Place in the Short Story division. Also, since returning home from Blue Ridge, she received her very first acceptance letter and a check from Guide Magazine ! BUT, she says, the very next day she received a rejection from another magazine. Now, THAT'S doing the work of a writer! 😉 We're proud of you, Johnna!
  6. Terri Kelly (NC) for the publication of her devtional, He Has a Plan, in the June 9 edition of Christian Devotions. Kudos, Terri!
  7. Phylenia French responded to a writing opportunity posted here on CWD and now she has had an article accepted for the fall issue of VISTA. She says this is her first credit in a Christian publication and she is praising God! We're right there with you, Phylenia!

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thecabincovesmallAnd ladies, if you haven't decided about attending the Christian Writer's Den Fall Writing Retreat for Women, you need to read this (Thanks for sending it, Claire). This dear goof-off is Theresa Garrett (AKA Pinkie), our writing retreat cook…and my cousin! Only a couple of spots remaining and then we'll start the waiting list.

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And now I close with these words from King Solomon. I hope they encourage you this week.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart.

Vonda

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The Red Pen

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By Vonda Skelton | June 2, 2008

June 3, 2008

Well, it's been a little over a week since I returned from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and my inbox is full. The response has been everything from "Now I know how to make my writing better" to "I quit–I must not be a writer."

I can't help but smile. I could be reading my own words, spoken at different times in my writing journey. Of course, most of you are much better students than I was when I started out! I hate to admit it, but when I first began this journey, I thought anyone who saw a need for improvement in my writing was just . . . well . . . wrong!

When I wrote my first book, I wanted to show it to everybody. But not because I wanted their input or their help. Not because I wanted to make it better. Not because I wanted to learn how to write well–after all, I already WAS a great writer!

Nope, when I first started writing, I didn't want to hear anything but praise. I wanted to hear how great my writing was and how it was going to hit the literary jackpot. How it was going to revolutionize the children's book industry and how producers were going to be groveling at my feet, begging me to let them make the very first Bitsy movie!

That's not what happened.

The first time I had my work critiqued by somebody who knew what they were doing, I was shocked! Didn't they know what a good writer I was? (Image:)

Apparently not. Every page–no, every paragraph–well, actually most every line–had a red mark! What was wrong with that editor? Didn't she recognize good writing when she saw it? It was obvious to me that this person just didn't get my work.

So I moved on, sending it out to other editors and publishers. Oh, I made a few minor changes–after all, she WAS an editor, so perhaps there were a few commas or periods or phrases I might need to tweak here and there. But didn't she understand that you don't mess with someone's story? Didn't she understand that it was MY story, not HERS?

For years, I worked with this attitude. And no, I'm not proud of it.

In Paul's letter to Timothy he says:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

In this letter, Paul is encouraging Timothy to be faithful to the call God had placed on his life. Earlier, Paul reminds Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God" (1:6) and to remember that "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline" (1:7). Yes, I know Paul is talking here about Timothy's call as a teacher and a discipler and a leader in the work of Christ. I know he's admonishing Timothy to apply the Scriptures accurately. But isn't that message to us as well?

Throughout Scripture, we're told to be ready to tell others about the hope we have in Jesus (1 Peter 3:15), to use our gifts to help others (1 Corinthians 12), to "trust in the Lord and do good," to delight ourselves in Him, and to commit our way to the Lord. (Psalm 37:3-6). (Image: )

If that's what we're called to do–whether we're doctors or cosmetologists or writers–then we need to be approved as a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed. In other words, we need to know our stuff. We need to be the best doctor or cosmetologist or writer we can be.

So now, when someone reads my stuff, I feel cheated if they simply say, "That's great! I love it!" In order to be an approved workman who doesn't need to be ashamed, I need to create the best quality work I possibly can. Your stamp of approval on my sloppy work would not help me achieve that goal. (DISCLAIMER: I'm talking about pre-published work here. Once it's published, there's not much I can do about it. I still cringe every time I find errors or bumpy passages in my published books. Oh, I'll still be happy to talk about them and accept your comments, but I'm really looking for thick-skinned comments BEFORE the words go to print!)

I pray that you don't waste the years I wasted, trying to convince myself that I was right and everyone else was wrong. I pray that you quickly develop a heart that yearns for correction so that your words can be words that are approved; words that you–and God–don't have to be ashamed of.

If we correctly handle the truth of our words, then perhaps we will have the opportunity to correctly handle The Truth of His Words.

And what an awesome opportunity that would be!

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Kudos Week!

Next week is kudos week, so please, please, please let us share in your successes! If you've received a new contract, had a new aticle published, a new book published, or received any kind of award, we want to celebrate with you! (Blue Ridge winners, please send me your award information, too. I can't remember who won what!) Just email me with the information and we'll recognize you next week. (Links appreciated, if applicable.)

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Blue Ridge Photos

The Christian Writer's Den met for dinner at Blue Ridge on Tuesday night. It was so good to meet some of you face-to-face for the first time. I just wish you all could have been there!

And here's a picture of some well-known "characters" in Christian publishing. That's mystery author and good friend Mindy Starns Clark with her hand in front of the camera. And that other character would be literary agent Chip MacGregor with his rabbit ears fingers on Mindy's head. Please note that I'm the only one taking the process seriously. 😉

But I also was thrilled to get to have some time with my agent and friend, Bill Jensen. Since I live on the east coast and he's on the west, we don't get to actually see each other very often. (By the way, we're hard at work on new proposal!)

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Women's Writing Retreat Filling Up Fast!

A quick reminder to you ladies who are interested in the annual fall writingthecabincovesmall retreat–Edie Melson and I can only take 12 women and we're filling up fast! We'd love for you to join us for 4 days and 3 nights of food, fun, in
struction, and inspiration. Hours of uninterrupted writing time! Quiet time with the Lord! And no cooking or cleaning up! The dates are October 16-19 in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. More information here.

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Christian Writing Cruise with Special Music and Entertainers!

I hope you and your family will join me on the first Christian Cruisers Club Writing Cruise–and it's not just for writers! March 29-April 5 we'll be sailing for seven days from Miami to San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. Free Christian entertainment is included for Christian Cruisers Club participants only! And whether you want to work on your writing or work on your suntan, the price is now the same. But space is limited for this special offering, so please respond soon!

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Book Winner!

The winner in this week's drawing is ShannonJ, who reads my blog at CelebrateMoms. Congratulations, Shannon! Please visit my bookstore and then let me know which book you'd like to receive–for free!

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Well, that's it for this week's installment of The Christian Writer's Den. I hope you found something of worth here, because that means I'm doing what I strive every week to do: encourage you on your writing journey.

I leave you with these words of Jesus, spoken as He was standing before Pilate:

…Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. John 18:37

Are we on the side of truth? Then let's partner together to listen to Him.

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts.

Vonda

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