Goodbye 2018.
You have seen so many amazing victories and new authors.
You’ve even seen a young writer like me grow.
So thank you. Thank you for all of the amazing memories.
And to you, my readers:
I pray that 2019 where you will see breakthroughs in writing.
I pray that you will come closer to God.
I pray that people will become closer to God because of your writing.
Have a great 2019
Hello everyone!
I’m hoping that you’re having a great Christmas so far!
Today, I’ll be doing a book review of Daisy’s Search for Freedom.
About the book
It’s the 1850s and Daisy, a slave girl from Alabama, is thrilled when her Mama is brought to her plantation to be the new cook. Six Oaks Plantation has been Daisy’s home for years, and the future looks bright now that she and her Mama have been reunited. The happiness doesn’t last, though, when a dangerous encounter with a notorious slave hunter endangers Daisy’s life. She has no choice but to run. Leaving behind everything she has ever known, Daisy strikes out alone on the Underground Railroad.
Daisy’s search for freedom leads her deep into the woods. Along the way she is joined by Simon, a four-year-old boy and his pet kitten. Pursued by dogs, uncertainty, and a slave tracker determined to capture them by any means necessary, Daisy starts to wonder if she will ever be safe again. Does Jesus care about runaway slaves lost in the woods?
Daisy’s Search for Freedom contains thought-provoking discussion questions for young readers.
My review:
Wow. This was tense! You never knew whether Daisy would make it safely or not. But it was amazing to read how so many people were involved trying to help Daisy, and how the slave catcher was always so close every single time!
It was a really encouraging read about faith , perseverance and how God is always in control, even if you aren’t.
How about you?
Have you read any book about the slave trade?
Hello everyone!
Happy December, and I hope that you are all well this Christmas.
November was quite exciting for me academically as I had special exams to help me choose which sixth form to go to after this year. I succeeded in those, and I’ll be starting in a new sixth form next September.
So, let’s see how I did with November’s goals:
I finished it, and I also edited most of it too 😊
I did, and I was pleased with my result!
I finished it and wrote a draft to give to someone to edit it 😃
Yes, and I’m still going 😊
I haven’t spoken it, but I have thought of some words in Romanian now and then 😊
1. Create 16 resolutions for 2019
2. Revise for mocks( my excitement is evident😔)
3. Start some experimentation with a new piece
4. Plan blog posts and create guest post form for you guys 😊
5. Start a language journal( i.e. a book where I write multiple in languages)
How are you guys doing this December?
Are you looking forward to Christmas and New Year?
Hello everyone!
Today as part of her blog tour for her new book Seek, Angela has kindly written a guest post on writing Christian Suspense.
HOW TO WRITE CHRISTIAN SUSPENSE
Christian suspense is an entertaining genre and is full of variety. There are many articles on how to write good suspense fiction and how to give your reader a wild ride (and I recommend looking such posts up on Google!). As Christians, we should thrive to portray the Lord in our fiction, too. This might seem hard to do when suspense fiction often deals with rough content and serious themes.
I firmly believe that a novel can be a real nail-biter, while still showing God’s power and mercy. If anything, having God in your story will strengthen the novel’s themes. Here are a few tips I have on how to do that!
Don’t ever forget this step! We cannot write fiction that glorifies God—no matter what genre—without prayer. Ask the Lord what you should write and ask Him to give you strength and wisdom while you write. If you are struggling with a theme, pray about it.
Suspense fiction is tricky. You’re more than likely juggling a plot and more than one subplot. In the beginning of a suspense, whatever is a stake must be shown. As you plot the story and develop the character’s motivations, this is when you decide on the story’s themes. This is when you discover what the character’s will go through and how they will grow in Jesus as the story goes on. Whether your character is a Christian from the start of the book or finds Jesus at the end, you still should have and understanding of the spiritual journey that will take place in the novel. Write down your Scripture verses for the story and characters. Brainstorm Biblical themes and morals and how they will play into the story. This is the crucial time where you develop how your suspense novel will glorify God!
You don’t know if someone besides a Christian will pick up our book. If someone who isn’t a believer picks your novel up, will they get a entertaining book with only brief Scripture verses about God? Just because we label our books Christian doesn’t mean they will have strong messages. I firmly believe if something is marked as Christian, it should be Christ-centered. God shouldn’t just be mentioned once!
When writing Christian suspense, I believe we should be bold about it. We don’t have to shy away from rough topics, instead, let’s show how God can still be found through dark times. Let’s show how God can give real peace even when life is tumbling to ruins. I know some Christians believe strongly in being subtle when it comes to portraying God in stories, but I believe we should ask God what He wants from us. If He calls us to be bold in our writing, be bold! If He wants us to be more subtle, go for it! But never let fear stop you from writing what God calls you to write.
There we have it! A few of my tips on portraying Christian messages in your suspense stories! If you would like some recommendations on Christian suspense, I personally love Dee Henderson, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, etc.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter, too!
God bless,
Angela R. Watts
Thank you so much Angela for these amazing tips!
If you want to learn more about Angela and her book, just keep reading!
Angel Cutler’s routine life is overturned when local ganglord Viktor Marino tries to kidnap her. When she finds out her adopted sister is back in town and working with Viktor, Angel has to run away with the protection of two total strangers. Can Angel have faith in God to protect her family when she can’t?
Elijah Davis has seen Viktor bleed once, and to save his family, he’ll make it happen again. But who is the One Eli can turn to when he realizes he can’t protect his loved ones alone?
Hiding from gangsters and gunfire, the trio struggle to seek God above all else and trust that His plan is greater than their own. Or Viktor Marino’s.
Angela R. Watts is a Christian fiction author who strives to glorify the Lord in all she does. She’s a homeschooled highschooler living at Step By Step Sanctuary, Tennessee, though with Gypsy and Norwegian in her blood, she tends to travel. She’s been writing stories since she was little, but also enjoys chores, painting, and watching sunsets.
Blog | The Peculiar Messenger
Website | Reveries Co.
Facebook | AngelaRWattsauthor
Twitter | PeculiarAngela
Instagram |angiewatts
Do you want to get into the blog tou even more? Why not enter the giveaway?
1st Place: A signed paperback of Seek and a mug with a Scripture verse on it!
2nd Place: An ebook copy of Seek!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/67236cd73/?
If you want to follow more of the blog tour, just have a look at the blog schedule to keep up to date😊
Saturday, December 1st
Book Spotlight | Gracelyn Buckner, Literatura
Guest Post | Abigail Harder, Books, Life, And Christ
Book Review | Loretta, Just Writing
Sunday, December 2nd
Book Review + Author Interview | Molly Anne, Qadash – Set Apart, For Him
Author Interview | Shine, HauntingGhostTown
Monday, December 3rd
Guest Post + Book Spotlight | Liz, Home With The Hummingbirds
Book Spotlight + Author Interview | Michaela Bush, Tangled Up In Writing
Tuesday, December 4th
Book Spotlight | Faith Potts, Stories By Firefly
Guest Post | Grace Maples, Proclaiming His Excellencies
Wednesday, December 5th
Book Review | Kellyn Roth, Reveries
Book Spotlight + Guest Post | John-Clement Gallo, JC’s ShadowBlog
Guest Post | Medomfo, Writings From A God Girl
Thursday, December 6th
Book Review + Author Interview | A. Kaylee Harrison, Kaylee’s Kind Of Writes
Book Review + Guest Post | Parker Hankins, Pencils And Pianos
Guest Post | Sara, R535
Friday, December 7th
Book Review | Hannah Gridley, Heart Of The Rose
Book Review | Chloe, Purely By Faith
Writings from a God Girl 