Author Spotlight & Interview: Laurel Garver, YA Christian Fiction Novelist

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to read ALMOST THERE by Laurel Garver and participate in the blog tour. {You can find my review here!} This was a lovely YA Christian fiction novel that approached topics and questions relevant to the teen life today, yet it was handled with grace and filtered through the perspective of faith. As I mentioned in the book review, I highly recommend this book to all YA and inspirational fiction lovers.   


I've asked Laurel to stop by today to discuss ALMOST THERE and share her valuable advice for teen writers. 

Almost There is a YA novel that is relevant to the teen culture today, yet it's Christian and doesn't come across as preachy. How did you manage to accomplish this without blurring the lines?

If I’m reading your question correctly, you’re wondering how I can write about faith in a way that isn’t off-putting to contemporary teens, but feels like it’s part of normal life. I suppose it’s first understanding that a life of faith isn’t lived across a line in the sand, that this spot over here is where I have a spiritual life, and on the other side is where the rest of the world goes about its business. Real faith doesn’t need a sanitized bubble in order to exist. Real faith is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It walks with courage into dark places through the power of the Holy Spirit, and tries to act as Jesus did. He reached out to those who were at the margins, who were hurting. I write what I hope is an invitation to teens of faith to see their purpose in this way.

Preachiness in literature comes when characters aren’t given the space to “come to their senses” on their own. Jesus’ example of how to show a transformation well is the prodigal son story. Did someone come and preach at the younger brother, and tell him he had been a selfish jerk and he should just go home and apologize to his family? No, the story events led him to that conclusion. So it is with my characters. They make their mistakes and gradually learn from them. When epiphanies come, they act on them, and test their new understanding. They move from blindness to insight to realized truth.

One thing I appreciated about your book was that the family dynamics wasn’t portrayed as perfect, yet the story was hopeful rather than melodramatic. Was this intentional? Why did you feel it necessary to include the hopeful message?

Having a deeply flawed family with lots of baggage is a reality for nearly everyone I know, and yet there is tremendous stigma attached to having a less than picture-perfect family life. People become hopeless because the voice of shame says it isn’t okay to let these secrets be known, and so they become stuck. In my experience, God isn’t content to leave us in these places. He hammers at our lies and disguises so that they crumble, letting in the revealing light that will enable healing. Shame loses its power in the face of a God who pursues and loves us no matter how screwed up or rebellious we are. He’s in the business of bringing the dead back to life. To not have hope is to not yet know this God.

What initially inspired you to write YA Christian fiction?

Young adult books were what got me hooked on reading, especially the realistic fiction of Madeleine L’Engle, Paul Zindel, Judy Blume, Lois Lowry, Paula Danziger, and Ellen Conford. L’Engle in particular had characters clearly coming from a churched background, but the stories didn’t feel like they were plodding morality tales. Her brainy misfits genuinely struggled to do the right thing when it’s hard, clearly making choices informed by their faith. Those stories were very life-giving to me.  So I wanted to create books like those I enjoyed reading at that critical time in my life, especially ones about kids of faith dealing with deeply dysfunctional families.  

    

How were you able to get inside of a teen girl’s head and capture her voice accurately and authentically? 

I’m flattered that you find Dani so realistic that you imagine her to be an actual person with a head to get inside. Creating her was really a matter of tapping into my own well of memory and allowing my emotions to be as big and turbulent as they were back then. The strange beauty of one’s teen years are how very intensely one feels and how one must learn to navigate and channel that ocean of emotion. Along with big emotions come big opinions—some quite wise, some quite shallow and ignorant—and big questions. Who am I? Who do I want to be? How do I go about becoming that person?

Creating an authentic voice comes from connecting intimately with your character’s inner world. You begin to channel the attitudes and opinions she’d have in the face of certain experiences, and eventually think with her. I took extra time to develop some off-page details about my protagonist’s life –especially experiences and cultural influences—that would shape how she thinks, especially associations and allusions she makes in her speech and inner thoughts. What makes the details feel authentic is that they are interconnected—attitudes flowing from her experiences, not chosen at random.

What do you hope teens will take away from this story?

I hope that first of all, they will feel less alone in their struggles in tough family situations. The difficult people in our families often have a story behind how they’ve become that way. Learn the story, and you can begin to move toward that person with more understanding and love. Finally, I hope they will begin to grasp how God is with them and for them in places of deep pain and doubt.

Do you have any advice for teen writers?

Read widely and voraciously—not just what’s hot among your peers, but also poetry and literary fiction and classics and other genres that intrigue you. Copy passages that you love and study them. Experiment with lots of different styles and genres. Be intensely curious, and never pass up an opportunity to try new things and go new places. These are your apprentice years when you are filling your creative well with ideas and experiences, and developing all the foundational skills you need to become the writer you will flower into.

Finally, take advantage of mentoring relationships with creative adults you know. As a teen, I was always quick to start writing projects, only to abandon them, until a school program paired me with a favorite former teacher to create a big senior project. Mrs. Wright encouraged me to write an entire novel that year, and I did with her guidance. It was derivative and naïve, but I had so much fun and learned how to complete something large— a giant leap forward in my development.

Author Bio:

Laurel Garver is a writer, editor, professor’s wife, and mom to an arty teenager. An indie film enthusiast and incurable Anglophile, she enjoys geeking out about Harry Potter and Dr. Who, playing word games, singing in church choir, and hiking in Philly's Fairmount Park.

Connect with Laurel:

• Blog
• Goodreads
• Facebook
• Twitter

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Thanks for joining us, Laurel!

READERS: Do you have any questions for her? Leave them in the comments below!

"A Chaotic Courtship" by Bethany Swafford: Book Excerpt & Spotlight

Back Cover Blurb:

Twenty year old Diana Forester, a country bred young woman fears that her inexperience and uncertainties has driven Mr. John Richfield away. On arriving back home from London, she learns that he is already there, ready to continue their acquaintance. If Diana thought that it was difficult in London, courting takes on a whole new aspect when Diana's younger siblings become involved. She finds herself dealing with her own feelings, her sister, her younger brother, jealous members of a house party, a jilted suitor, and a highwayman as she falls in love with the charming Mr. Richfield. 

{Purchase on Amazon // Add "to read" on Goodreads}

Book Excerpt:

“You recall I met a Mr. Richfield in London, shortly after I first arrived?”

“Yes, you mentioned him several times in your letters.”

Her tone was matter of fact, giving absolutely nothing away.

“Well...” I hesitated as I sought the right words. I rubbed my palms against my skirt. “At Aunt Forester’s last dinner party, Mr. Richfield asked for my permission to come speak to Father.”

For a moment, there was silence. “What was your answer?” Mother asked, as calm as ever.

I bit my lip and found I could no longer meet her gaze. “I fear I may have spoken without thinking.” Back when I had said the words, I had been surprised. Now though, I realized just how mistaken I had been. “I said it’s always pleasant to have someone new visit.”

“I see. Do you like him?”

Ah, there was the question. “I think so.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He is respectable, at least as far as Uncle Forester could discover. No one ever had a word to say against him. I think he is a good man.”

“And yet, you don’t seem enthusiastic about marrying him.”

“I have only known him for a few weeks.” It felt good to be able to talk this out with my mother, now that the awkwardness of saying the words had passed. If anyone could help me untangle my feelings, it was her. “Is that enough time to know a person? You knew Papa your whole life before he proposed.”

Mother’s hand came over mine. “Diana, look at me.” I lifted my eyes to hers. “You are the only one who can make this decision. It is your right to refuse an offer you find distasteful. However, you need to understand it is not likely you will have the opportunity to travel again and meet other people.”

“I don’t find the offer distasteful. I just don’t think I know him well enough to accept his hand in marriage.” I sighed. “I wish I had had the time to know more of him.”

“Perhaps you will.”

I shook my head. That seemed an impossibility. “Mama, you didn’t see the look on his face when I pretended I didn’t understand. He was so disappointed. I acted as if I were a senseless, empty-headed child! What kind of man would pursue me in the face of that?”

“A man who would be understanding. Someone who would realize your shy nature.”

As soon as I pulled my hand away, I reached to pour myself some much-needed tea. “There are other, much prettier girls with better dowries than I,” I remarked, adding just the right amount of cream and sugar. “I doubt I will ever see him again.”

Of that I was quite certain. I’d had hours to consider the whole mess. I sipped my tea as I watched my mother’s face. Her smile was one I couldn’t quite understand. Why did she look so amused?

“Mr. Richfield is already here.”

Author Bio:

For as long as she can remember, Bethany Swafford has loved reading books. That love of words extended to writing as she grew older and when it became more difficult to find a ‘clean’ book, she determined to write her own. Among her favorite authors is Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer. When she doesn’t have pen to paper (or fingertips to laptop keyboard), she can generally be found with a book in hand. In her spare time, Bethany reviews books for a book site called More Than A Review.

Connect with Bethany:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Goodreads

Common Writing Mistakes & How to Avoid Them P.2 - Guest Post by SM Ford

Pin This!

TO RECAP:

Annually, I’m one of the judges for a teen novel writing contest. These teens have had good instruction and have spent nine months to a year writing their novels. They do amazing work—better than some adults—but still there are patterns of errors I see that you can learn from.

** {If you missed Part 1 of this series, written by SM Ford, please be sure to check it out here.} **

Common Writing Mistakes & How to Avoid Them - P.2 

Not So Great Word Choices

         Adverbs

If the verb is strong enough, an adverb isn’t needed.  In dialogue, the words (and accompanying actions) should be clear enough that the reader “gets” what the adverb is indicating about the dialogue, making the adverb unnecessary. e.g. “You make me so mad!” Stacie slammed the door. We don’t need, “she said angrily.”

        

         Weak Adjectives

They tell us what we already know, instead of what we don’t know. For example, we all know grass is supposed to be green, which means green grass doesn’t tell us a lot. Dry grass, freshly mown grass, sparse grass—each gives us a different picture.

        

Overuse of “as”

“As” is a word we often use to show things happening simultaneously.  Yes, in real life they do often happen at once.  However, in writing it’s easier to just think of things happening one at a time.  Sometimes you can take “as” out and break the sentence into two sentences.  Other times you might want to use another preposition, e.g. when, while, or reorder the sentence so it isn’t necessary.  You can’t “not” use it, you just don’t want to overuse it.

        

Weedy or Weasel Words

about

actually

almost

appears

approximately

basically

even

finally

just

really

seems

somehow

somewhat

suddenly

that

very

well

Danglers aka Misplaced Modifying Clauses

Clauses not being next to what they are modifying.  e.g. He clenched his fists watching their bus back to Manchester speeding away.  His fists aren’t watching, he is.  This would be clearer:  Watching their bus speeding back to Manchester, he clenched his fists. 

Passive Verbs

·      Begins/began, starts/started, verbs ending in “ing” – e.g. was walking.

·      Verbs that distance the reader from the action.  e.g. “let herself drop” instead of “dropped,” “attempted to reach” instead of “reached.”

         The FIX:

·      Use stronger verbs instead of weak verbs and an adverb.

·      Use well-chosen adjectives that create a specific picture.

·      Search and destroy overused words!

·      Check that your modifying clauses are close to the subject that is being modified.

·      Turn passive verbs into active ones.

Only Using a Few of the Five Senses

            Seeing and Hearing are easiest.

         The FIX:

·      Don’t forget Smell, Taste, Touch and the sixth sense, Temperature!

·      Aim for 3 sensory details per scene.

Overwriting

·      Intricate details of clothing probably don’t add much, unless it relates to the plot in a specific way. Use a few when necessary to establish a time period or character.

·      Taking forever to get to the point of a scene. Make sure you’re sharing what the reader cares about.

·      Burying action with description. We read for what is happening!

·      Overdone dialogue tags/attributions.

·      Too many characters.

         The FIX:

·      Tighten sentences. Remove excess words and descriptions.

·      Write a one sentence summary of a scene and make sure everything in the scene contributes to that point.

·      Interweave action and description together.

·      Don’t replace “said” or “asked” with a bunch of different creative words or add adverbs.

·      You don’t have to put a “said” or “asked” or some such attribution with every line of dialogue.  It’s often much stronger to use an action instead. This is part of showing. 

·      Is every secondary/tertiary character necessary?  Or can you combine a couple into one person?

You work on all six of these concepts mentioned in Parts 1 and 2, and your writing will improve greatly!

~ ~ ~


Which writing mistake is the hardest for you to overcome? Be sure to join the convo in the comments!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too.

When she was thirteen, she got hooked on Mary Stewart's romantic suspense books, although she has been a reader as long as she can remember, and is an eclectic reader. Inspirational authors she enjoys include: Francine Rivers, Bodie Thoene, Dee Henderson, Jan Karon, and many more.

SM Ford is a Pacific Northwest gal, but has also lived in the midwest (Colorado and Kansas) and on the east coast (New Jersey). She and her husband have two daughters and two sons-in-law and three grandsons. She can't figure out how she got to be old enough for all that, however.

She also loves assisting other writers on their journeys.

Social Media:

Website: www.smfordbooks.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMFordwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMFordBooks

ALONE is an inspirational romantic suspense novel. It released from Clean Reads in June 2016 as an ebook. 

Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job.

Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead?

BUY:

This ebook is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes.

TWEETABLE:
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