I have been writing this column with the thought that it would be beneficial for senior citizens who would like to write. Again, by seniors, I'm referring to persons 50 years or older. But I do realize that much of what I and others write for WritersNewsWeekly can be useful for a person of any age. Younger people just have one advantage - - more time to pursue their dreams. That's a wake up call for senior citizens aspiring to be authors.

Many senior citizens who would love to write a novel, short story or even poetry -- if they want to succeed - - must allow time to learn. I harp on that, but it is vital. In the long run, by allowing that time, they are actually saving time. If you are a golfer, you can easily relate to this. I think of all the skin games money I could have won had I taken lessons when I first became interested in golf. Now, I think of all the money I've lost in skin games by trying to teach myself. I suffered through that, and so did my wallet. That is the same as trying to write a novel without first learning the basics.

My last column included excellent reading sources. There are many helpful sources out there. Ten years ago, I enrolled in "The Writer's Digest Novel Writing Workshop.” The workshop consisted of six worthwhile lessons and writing assignments for us to do at home. The pupil - you - is tutored by a published author. The cost was very nominal in relation to its value. The course covered, among other things: "Overview," "Objectives," "Step-by-Step Lessons," "Reading Assignments" and "Send-in Assignments." The course was relatively in-depth, meaning that everything one might need in developing and writing a novel is there for the taking.

My next column will include at least two more kinds of sources that will help you to complete a professional novel and an excellent manuscript. Publishers love "clean" manuscripts.

I was lucky to have studied writing in undergraduate and post grad courses. Yet, I surely benefitted greatly from the “Digest” course. And so will you. There were many things one just does not learn in school -- things that only come from the pros. Let me remind you to include each issue of WritersNewsWeekly in a binder or file folder for future references. And as always, let me hear from you.

Questions/Comments? Contact Jim at james@jamesfalk.net, or visit www.jamesfalk.net.

James Falk, as a teen-ager, used to dream of being a big-time racketeer. Fortunately, his dream didn't come true. A 10th grade dropout, he finished highschool after four years in the Marines and went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Communications.

By Amanda Linsmeier
In this sequel to Twilight, Stephenie Meyer has written another great novel laced with danger and mystery. Bella Swan is just your typical teenage girl with an atypical vampire boyfriend. As she grows closer to Edward and the Cullen family it becomes clear that their very presence in her life has put her in danger, either from the family or from other vampires. To protect Bella, Edward grows emotionally distant and finally forces her to believe that he doesn’t love her and leaves the town of Forks with his family. Bella becomes severely depressed and that depression escalates until she is a shadow of her former self. It is her friendship with Native American Jacob which brings her partly back to life, although she can never forget her love for Edward. Jacob and Bella’s friendship takes some adventurous turns, cliff diving, riding motorcycles and in this way Bella can bring Edward close to her, for she hears his voice of warning in her head whenever she does something reckless. As Bella and Jacob’s friendship changes, Bella learns the truth behind Jacob’s sudden growth spurt, new friends and distant attitude. While Bella once thought she new everything about the magical world now she knows that vampires were only the beginning.

I enjoyed this novel but let me be honest, it was not as good as the first. It wasn’t the writing that suffered, it was the story. I missed Edward! Sure, I was a little upset with him at first but he’s gone for the majority of the story. I wanted him there and his family as well. I was suspicious of Jacob and while he was a great friend to Bella, to me he was a poor substitute for Edward. New Moon is a very good story and a stepping stone toward the culmination of one of the best series I’ve ever read. I would definitely read New Moon again; I just would get through it a little faster so I could get to the good stuff.

Click here to read Amanda's review of Twilight

Click here to read Amanda's review of Eclipse

Click here to read Amanda's review of Breaking Dawn

Robin Jones Gunn is the bestselling, award-winning Christian author of several books aimed at teen girls, as well as Christina fiction for older women. Her works include the Christy Miller and Glenbrooke series, and the well-known Sisterchick’s books.

Q: What inspired you to write with a Christian flare?

A: Since I’m a Christian, everything I write includes that sort of “flare.” My heart is turned toward God, and that foundation very much affects everything I do. I actually started writing novels because the girls in our church youth group were reading evocative novels they checked out from the library. Some of them told me about images and thoughts that had taken root in their young impressionable heart and these girls challenged me to write the kinds of novels they wanted to read. They wanted stories that would fill them up and give them courage and hope as well as romance, of course. Those girls helped me craft the first novel in the Christy Miller series and made sure it was the sort of story they wanted to read. It took two years to write that first book. Every week, I would read what I’d written to the girls and they would tear it apart. I’d go home, work on it some more, read it to them again and they would tear it apart again. That process was the best training I could ever receive as a writer because I learned to develop thick skin as well as hear the story come together as I read out loud to the girls and watched their expressions.

Q: How has your writing blessed others?

A: I’ve been writing for more than 20 years. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of mail. I’m still amazed when I read a letter from a teen or a mom and they tell me of a life changing decision they made after reading one of my books. Many readers say they feel as if the characters become their friends. I think that’s why I’m now writing the Katie Weldon series as a follow up to the Christy Miller books. After taking Christy and her best friend Katie all the way through high school and most of college and up to Christy’s wedding, now the readers keep asking, “What happens next? What is Katie going to do?” Other readers who pick up some of my non-fiction books say that they felt encouraged and drawn closer to God’s heart. That still amazes me. And makes me very happy.

Q: What is a Sisterchick ®?

A: A Sisterchick® is a best friend. She is someone who laughs with you until you cry and cries with you until you can laugh again. A Sisterchick is a gift from God. Every woman wants – needs – to know and be known by that sort of friend. When we share with other women at the heart level, something lasting and important happens in the friendship and we know we’re not alone to face whatever is before us.

Q: How is marketing a Christian book different than marketing another genre? How has doing free book drawings on radio stations helped with sales?
The important first step seems to be to gather a group of reader friends who want to follow you and read your next book no matter what it is. Then it’s important for a writer to set up a way to continue to connect and communicate with those readers beyond just posting a website. I have a newsletter as well as a Facebook page. I offer giveaways for free books each time I send out a newsletter. On Facebook, I’ve been able to connect with readers by hosting a few “events” such as the virtual tea party. This gives me a chance to personally answer questions in real time as well as offer contests that allow readers to win free books and other goodies. I think the free books offered on the radio stations help with sales in that someone who wouldn’t know about the book or might not get to a bookstore has a chance to connect and dip into the story and see if they would like to read more books in that series.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.

Two other WritersNewsWeekly columnists awarded Honorable Mentions

Carlotta Holton, WNW columnist and author of Salem Pact, Touching the Dead and Vampire Resurrection (SterlingHouse Publisher) has won Best Book (for Touching the Dead) in the Anthology/Compilations Category in the New England Book Festival. To purchase Touching the Dead, click here.

Cliff Fazzolari, WNW columnist and author of numerous titles including Counting on a Miracle, House of Miracles, Nobody’s Home and Bind Spot (all SterlingHouse Publisher titles) was awarded an honorable mention for his book, Nobody’s Home, in the Fiction category. To purchase Nobody’s Home, click here.

Jeff LeJeune, WNW columnists and author of Postmarked Baltimore, was awarded an honorable mention for his book in the Genre-based Fiction category. To purchase Postmarked Baltimore, click here.

The ceremony will be held January 27, 2009 in Providence, RI. A full list of winners is available by visiting http://www.diyconvention.com/. Congratulations Carlotta, Cliff and Jeff!

By Carole Shmurak

A renowned detective whose own brother, a Duke, is on trial for murdering his sister's fiancé — that's the position in which Lord Peter Wimsey finds himself in Clouds of Witness. This was the second Lord Peter mystery and the one that brought Sayers to the attention of the British public, largely because of its famous trial of the Duke of Denver in the House of Lords. (A British lord could only be tried by his peers.)

With almost too many clues, this book starts as a routine detective story, as Lord Peter and his friend Inspector Charles Parker spend their time tracing footprints and motorcycle tracks. But when Parker follows a clue to Paris and Peter begins to search the moors near the Duke's hunting lodge, the mystery gains momentum and races to its climax in the House of Lords.

There is a lot of charm in Sayers's writing. The friendship between Wimsey and Parker is nicely developed as is Parker's growing attraction to Peter's sister, Lady Mary. Sayers also depicts, with much humor, British attitudes of the times towards French manners and customs, as well as the upper class's flirtation with Socialism (Lady Mary is member of the London Socialist Club). Some of the characters' names are outright Dickensian, especially Mr. Grimethorpe of Griders Hole, and the trial lawyers Wrinching and Glibbery. And, as in many mysteries of the Golden Age, the echoes of World War I still reverberate. (The fiancé, Denis Cathcart, lost his fortune as a result of investments in France and Russia that disappeared during the war.)

Not the best of the Lord Peter mysteries, but a good introduction to Wimsey, his family (notably Lady Mary and the Dowager Duchess), and the usual cast of Sayers’s characters, with the unusual addition of two femme fatales.

By Amanda Linsmeier
Good Grief (Grand Central Publishing, 2007) the debut novel by Lollie Winston, is amazing. The novel begins at a grief meeting where Sophie Stanton is just one of many in the group. At just 36, Sophie is a widow after just three years of marriage. Her husband Ethan died three months ago of cancer. Sophie is trying desperately to deal with her loss but doesn’t know how to cope. She is falling behind at work, eating everything in sight, hiding out in her house and avoiding friends and family. Sophie has a complete breakdown one day, even showing up to work in her bathrobe and slippers, greasy hair and all. At the suggestion of her friend Ruth, Sophie decides to move. She sells her house, the one she shared with Ethan, quits her job in public relations and moves to Oregon. Unable to let go of Ethan, Sophie brings with her not only memories, anger and guilt but also boxes of his belongings.

Once in Ashland, Oregon, Sophie signs up to become a Big Sister. The agency places her with Crystal, a 13-year old pyromaniac with a penchant towards cutting. Crystal swears, sasses the adults in her life and smokes Marlboros. Sophie doesn’t know if she can handle Crystal when she can barely handle herself. Determined to make a difference in this young girl’s life, Sophie sticks with her. The more she helps Crystal, the better she feels. Sophie quits her job at a restaurant and opens her own bakery. As the one year anniversary of Ethan’s death looms closer, Sophie’s life is bustling with many hopes and promises; her heart full of questions. From feeling like she couldn’t fall any lower to reaching for the stars, Sophie has to deal with not only grief but her own business, difficulties with her family and friends and possibly love.

Good Grief is a wonderful story. The book is sad, funny and honest. I cried, I laughed and I ached right along with Sophie. It was beautifully written with plenty of wit and sincerity. I felt deeply for the characters in the novel and was so proud of Sophie for rebuilding her life and showing that type of courage. Good Grief was a novel I won’t ever forget.

If you are a senior and really interested in becoming a writer, then keep a file on the Falklore’s that have appeared and those that will appear. If you want copies of prior columns, let me know at james@jamesfalk.net

Let’s start thinking about things that can be of help in your writing quest. No matter what your level of writing is, seek a writers’ club and start attending its meetings even if you are a novice. Remember, club members who publish were novices once. You'll learn a lot. Attend writers’ conventions if possible. I'm a good musician, a trumpeter in fact, and good enough to have played at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Geneva, Switzerland at the age of sixty-eight. During a half century of music, I kept learning from others and also helping others. Good musicians enjoy sharing knowledge. It is the same with writers and authors. The point is that no matter where you are as a writer, do not be afraid to join a club. Our club, Pen to Paper Writers Club in Tecumseh, Michigan, is small but knowledgeable, and we work on every facet of writing from novel ideas to short stories to poetry. Our only requirement is sincerity. It all is very helpful for whatever genre one decides to follow. We meet for two hours the first and third Tuesdays. We have all kinds of writing activities and also home assignments. Good groups work on writing concisely, using action words, proper grammar, characterization and a ton of other things and sources you might never have heard of before, but will be of tremendous help. So keep getting your work space and your schedule in order, keep writing and remember that your goal will not be a snap, but reaching it will be one of the most satisfying experiences you'll ever have. My next column will outline some of the activities that our club does. I have a lifetime of writing in different professional areas but I've still learned a ton from my Pen to Paper pals.

Questions/Comments? Contact Jim at james@jamesfalk.net, or visit www.jamesfalk.net.

James Falk, as a teen-ager, used to dream of being a big-time racketeer. Fortunately, his dream didn't come true. A 10th grade dropout, he finished highschool after four years in the Marines and went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Communications.

Anne Perry is a British author of historical detective fiction. She has published nearly 70 books including her World War I novels, her Christmas novels and two sets of Victorian detective fiction. Her story "Heroes" won the 2001 Edgar Award for Best Short Story.

Q: Critics have said your Victorian novels attain the societal sweep of Trollope or Thackeray. What is your response?

A: They are the masters of the art. I never thought of myself like that, but I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s a nice complement.

Q: What is it about the Victorian era that led you to write in that time frame and what about it fascinates readers?

A: I began writing mysteries set in Victorian London on a suggestion from my stepfather as to whom Jack the Ripper might have been. I have loved the two series – William Monk and Thomas Pitt – because in a way it is the end of history and the beginning of the modern world.

We in England are less interested in the era than other countries. My books fare better in France, Spain, Germany and the United States. There was optimism prevalent, unlike the grey cynicism of today. There is an endless variety in the capital of the Empire, the largest post in the world, and the immense energy of optimism. It has been the center for everything and anything and anybody who was anybody. The Victorian era had energy of invention which was vital and led to tremendous literature.

Q: Regarding your two series featuring William Monk and Thomas Pitt, how do you manage to keep the characters consistent and yet fresh?

A: I change; the world changes, and the characters are given different challenges.

Q: How much research is required to combine history with mystery?

A: I’m not sure how to measure the amount of research. I outline a plan in my mind and research to see if it will work. I ask myself, could it really have happened? As far as the writing goes, it’s easy to get carried away with adding lots of historical information, but actually one can get away with doing less. The key is the reader needs to feel they are there. By addressing medical and domestic issues in that time it can work well. For example, you want to know how they traveled, what fabrics were worn in the time, how did they refrigerate foods, those kinds of things. Of course, the story is about people and there are some emotions that are timeless, but there are others that are dependent on the time we live. For example, what embarrassed the Victorians might not embarrass us today.

Q: How did you depart from your Victorian series to writing your four Christmas novels?

A: I wanted to do a Christmas short story, but my agent said it wouldn’t make it. I put it to the editor who agreed and the novel came about. It did far better than we expected. I took one subsidiary character from the series and created a story around them. The books have not done badly here and done well in France, Germany and Spain.

Q: How different is it for new writers in England vs. America? What advice do you have for new writers?

A: It’s a very different economy in America. In Britain authors have an advantage in that each time a book is checked out of our libraries a small sum goes to the author. There is a ceiling of 9,000 pounds an author could receive which is enough to pay a mortgage. That’s not the case in the states. Authors receive nothing when their books are checked out of libraries. There is such competition and the profits must be shared by the bookstore, the publisher and the distributor.

As far as writing suggestions, study your plot very carefully. You must care about it and put passion into it. Luciana Pavarotti practiced every day; writers must practice their craft as well. I highly recommend reading “Writing the Great Breakout Novel,” by Donald Maass.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.

By Amanda Linsmeier
Julie Garwood, one of the reigning queens of romance has hit a home run with the book For the Roses (Pocket, 1996.) For the Roses begins in New York City in 1860. It is there where we meet a gang of young boys, orphans and misfits. There’s Adam, the eldest, a runaway slave; Douglas, a pickpocket; Cole, the tough one and Travis, the youngest. The four boys have turned to each other in rough times, living in the streets and figure their future won’t be much different until they find a basket someone threw in the trash. Inside is a baby girl. The boys decide then and there to become the Clayborne brothers and to adopt this baby as their little sister. What they want most is a better life for her. Fast forward several years and Mary Rose, their little sister, is now a woman, breathtakingly beautiful and as kind as she is attractive. Besides winning the hearts of everyone in their small, western town of Blue Belle, Mary Rose soon wins the heart of Harrison, a lawyer from Scotland. What the Clayborne family doesn’t know is that Harrison has a hidden agenda and what he reveals to the family, and to Mary Rose in particular will change them all forever. Added to this drama is Adam’s misfortune to be charged with the murder of his former slave master. With plenty of thrills, a couple of gunfights, a murder trial and lots of romance, For the Roses is a great story about love, family and the ties that bind us to one another.

Thanksgiving is past and I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope you do too. My life has been full; a great mother who alone during the Great Depression raised seven kids that taught me the true facts of life, having been a Marine of which I'll always be proud, excellent education--not easily achieved, athletic, successful marriage, a beautiful wife, six sons and ten grandchildren, and now, as a senior, reaching another goal in life -- that of writing successfully.

A most important thing in writing, especially as a senior citizen, is learning from others. To augment what you have achieved by writing every day, take advantage of what many others can offer.

Read - - not just anything, but read everything you can about writing, especially about the genre (which simply means the area in which you are interested).

Following are several excellent sources:
Handbook of Novel Writing (Writers Digest); Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing, by David Morrell, author of "First Blood"; Writing Aerobics I (excellent exercises for the beginning novels) by Sterling & Davidson; A Writers Reference, by Diana Hacker. It's got an answer for everything.

If you are interested in writing in the first person, read my novel, Sitting Duck, that will be out sometime in December. A fellow author thought "it was phenomenal. (I like her). Get a hold of a good Grammar text for reference since one of the most important requisites in submitting manuscripts is good grammar. Whatever you do, don't put off reading. Any, or all of the above, along with reading (make it bedtime) published novels will certainly get you onto the right path to success.

Questions/Comments? Contact Jim at james@jamesfalk.net, or visit www.jamesfalk.net.

James Falk, as a teen-ager, used to dream of being a big-time racketeer. Fortunately, his dream didn't come true. A 10th grade dropout, he finished highschool after four years in the Marines and went on to earn a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Communications.