An Author at Work

There are times when I wish that I could make writing my career...

I have often found it difficult to make real progress with the novels I have started, since I have to schedule writing in between my other commitments. However, I have recently realized that sometimes all that is needed is a little nudge - or push - in a certain direction.

The first book in my series "Journeys of Faith" was published earlier this year, and I still have not completed the e-book format for it. The second book in the series has been in progress for at least a few years, but I have not worked on it actively for quite a long time.

Part of the reason was because I wanted to complete the first book, but I was also somewhat "stuck." And now, I have suddenly found the catalyst and inspiration I needed!

A couple of weeks ago, I gave a copy of "A YIELDED HEART" to my neighbour and she loved it so much that she bought the copy! Not only that, but based on the Author's Note at the end which asks the readers to "stay tuned for the sequel," she told me she wanted to order 2 copies of each for Christmas gifts!!

I told her that the second book wasn't ready yet, but she is very eager to read it and share it with others ... and suddenly I knew that I could not let this opportunity pass. I realized that if I had an author's contract with an established publishing company, I would be given a deadline for completing my books.

So even though I am self-published, I have a responsibility to be somewhat consistent in completing my writing projects. Not wanting to disappoint my friend, I promised her that I would strive to finish the sequel by the end of November so that it would be ready for Christmas.

And now I have been making significant progress in the story development and writing. It seems that having a deadline was all the nudge I needed. I have scheduled time in during the week to work on my writing, because I have about 20 chapters still to write,

So without further ado ... it's back to the writing board!

More updates to come soon.

Update from Darlene

Hello again!
This is well past-due again ... but better late than never.

A YIELDED HEART - the 1st book in my series "Journeys of Faith" was published in January 2016. It is the story of a young man and his journey of discovering what his purpose in life is and what true faith really means.

The e-Book format of the book will be available hopefully by the end of May.

I have also recently published a book of my poetry writings over the years - it is called "Garden of Treasure: A Collection of Poems on Life and Faith."

I am working on the sequel - titled "PATH OF HEALING" - but I cannot promise when it will be completed and ready for publication. It is partially completed, but the parts already written require a lot of editing and re-writing.

I also have 2 other projects in the works:

- a trilogy (3 novels) called "Joanna's Legacy" and
- a book entitled "Interwoven" (4 short novels in one book)

I am hoping to have the 1st book in the trilogy completed by the end of the summer, and possibly more, but I don't want to promise something and not be able to fulfill it.

As much as I love writing, I do have a full-time job and other responsibilities, and so I often don't get as much accomplished as I would like to. I am learning, however, that there are ways I can make it happen - it just requires a little more planning than I am used to. Ideally, I'd like to just be able to sit down and write, but the likelihood of that happening is slim to none except on a long weekend or a holiday.

Being a writer is a journey of growth ... I started writing stories when I was very young, and have had a lot of life experiences since then, but there is always more to learn and ways to grow. As I learn and change, so does my writing, and I believe that I am a better author now than when I started to work toward this goal.

Thank you for checking in and reading my blog!

A HUGE THANK YOU also to those who have purchased copies of the books I have already published, and I hope they encourage you and keep you interested for more!

My goal in writing and publishing books is to share the gift of writing that God has given me and I trust that the stories are an encouragement and blessing to everyone who reads them.

Stay tuned for more updates ...

New Happenings!

Hello!! I realize that it has been a very long time since I posted anything on my writing blog, but that is about to change for the better!

A few months ago, I finally got myself in gear and finished re-formatting my first published novel, "What Christmas Really Means" into an e-book. It has been reviewed and completed and is available online at the Lulu bookstore, the Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble NOOK, and Kobo.

I am also working on several other projects at this time, including final edits on the very first novel I completed in 2006 but which I haven't published yet. My goal is that this will be done and ready for publishing early in 2016.

For those of you who have been awaiting an update from me, I apologize that it has taken me so long ... there have been a lot of changes in my life over the last year-and-a-half, and updating my blogs has taken a back seat to those adjustments.

Honestly, I haven't actually written very much for quite a while, but I hope that will soon change. It is somewhat strange, but still a reality that even for a creative person such as myself, I have to "schedule in" writing time or else it doesn't happen. And perhaps I'm not alone in this experience.

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned for more updates!!

I'm a published author ... FINALLY!

I don't recall exactly when the dream began, but I was quite young.

I had no idea of the process involved to create the books that I absolutely loved to read, but I was determined to one day be a published author.

THAT DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!

On Monday, February 17 I completed the process of self-publishing a novel. WOO HOO!!

This is the novel that I wrote the majority of during November 2013. It is currently available on Lulu.com and will soon be available in several online bookstores. An e-book format will also be produced ... hopefully later this year. (Maybe in time for Christmas, since it is a Christmas novel.)

Here is the cover design - it was easy to create, but time-consuming to format perfectly. I now have a new appreciation for all the work that goes into making a book that a person can hold in their hands and enjoy.

Someone asked me recently how much money I hope to make from book sales -- I responded by saying that my main goal is not to make money, but to share the stories and inspirations that God has given me.

Looking forward to continuing this journey, and hearing feedback from my readers as well.

And So It Begins...

The structure of this new writing inspiration is a little different than I initially thought...

It would be quite difficult at this point to begin another complete series of 4 full-length novels, so I decided to make them novellas and put it in the format of a 4-in-1. Both my mom and I love reading 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 novella collections, so I'm confident it will be quite popular. My tentative plan is to self-publish it first as an e-book and later in print format, but that is subject to change.

At the moment, I have completed a) the general outlines, b) the back cover synopses for all 4 novellas, c) the title of the book, and d) completed the cover design. I have also begun writing the prologue for the first novella already, so good progress. Unfortunately, I now have to put it on hold until I get the editing done for the 2 books I will be self-publishing this summer/fall.

Here's a little more information:
(not everything, mind you, because I want there to be some surprises)
- Each novella will consist of a Prologue, 10 Chapters and an Epilogue.
- The series will be set in the early 20th century (an earlier era than the rest of my novels).
- The theme of the series is "women of faith" and how their lives affect each other.

Here is the book cover and the individual novella titles (just to whet your appetite):

#1 - Organza Sunrise
#2 - Cashmere Days
#3 - Taffeta Sunset
#4 - Velvet Nights

As Inspiration Dawns...

Anyone who writes creatively will tell you that both the source of their inspirations and the moment when the inspiration dawns in their minds are often a mystery to the writer.

I generally know when my creative juices will flow most freely, but I usually cannot anticipate when I will get a burst of inspiration or a new idea ... They come to me sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes while enjoying a bubble bath or washing dishes at the kitchen sink, and sometimes during a walk outdoors or while I'm reading a good book.

And sometimes I happen upon them at the most obscure times and places ... like while watching a television show. That's when I discovered my most recent inspiration.

This evening I was watching an episode of a very entertaining quiz show which I have recently discovered, and one of the answers given by a contestant caught my attention. It was stated as a possible book title, and I immediately liked it. I did an Internet search to see if there were any books by that title, and there aren't! So my next thought was ... "I could write a book by that title."

The two words of inspiration were "Velvet Sunrise."

And the very fascinating thing about this is that almost immediately I began thinking of similar titles and I now have a new book series percolating in my mind. This took me completely by surprise, because I am currently in the process of preparing two novels for self-publication and have begun work on their sequels, so I already have "a few irons in the fire," so to speak.

However, one rule I have regarding my writing ventures is that I must seriously consider the inspirations that come to mind. I have learned that if I try to ignore it, it will most likely persist in my subconscious mind until I do something with it.

Have I piqued your curiosity?

Unfortunately you will have to wait a little while longer for more details because I want to have a little better idea in my mind of what I will be writing about before I share it with you. So please, stay tuned ... this is going to be exciting!!

First Draft Completed...FINALLY!

I can't believe how long it's taken me to finish the last 3 chapters of the novel I wrote in November!!

I'm not sure if it's because I took such a long break and haven't written much during the month of December, but whatever the reason, the first draft is now complete!!

Now that that step is finished, the next task is to edit it. And I do have a deadline for this...

If I want my free hardcover copy from Lulu.com (and I DO) then I have to submit the prepared novel by Feb. 15, 2014. This will be a big task, but I am determined to achieve this goal. After all, I did write the majority of the novel in just 30 days and that was something I had never done before either!!

I'm sure you're curious, so I'm going to give you a sneak peek of the novel with a few excerpts:

How much people miss, Hillary thought as she watched people hurry along with their heads down. The sound of cars driving by mingled with the crunch of snow underfoot as people passed her on the sidewalk and she paused for a moment under the hazy yellow glow of a streetlight and closed her eyes, wondering what sights and sounds she might have noticed if she was part of the crowd approaching the city of Bethlehem for the census. As she approached the church, she recognized the melody of her favourite Christmas carol being played on the organ and she hurried up the steps. (Chapter 1)

He arrived at the street corner just as the bus arrived. Quickly stepping into the bus, he paid his fare and sat down next to the window. Peering through the frosty glass, Andre watched the people and cars passing by and wondered where they were headed this night…did they have families waiting for them at home, or were they feeling alone and searching for purpose like he was? About fifteen minutes later, he exited the bus and began to walk up the steps of the church. (Chapter 4)

“I know, dear,” replied Friedrich quietly. He felt the same worries and fears as his wife did. This was to be the last Christmas with their youngest son for at least a couple of years, because his future was very uncertain. Christmas had always been a big family celebration time, and they were both aware that this year would be very different. Friedrich had also been experiencing some difficulties in his business, and the stress of having to find a resolution to them was weighing heavily on his heart as well. (Chapter 13)

Jackson felt something brush against his leg and he jumped, startled. He heard a scratchy ‘meow’ and felt something moist brush against his hand and he realized it was just a stray cat. Heaving a sigh of relief, he pushed up from his sitting position and decided it was time to move on. Looking again at the church across the street, he hesitated for a moment. I do not belong in that place, he told himself, but he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that he should go inside. And then, like a sudden gust of wind, the thought occurred to him – at least there I would be safe. No one would dare look for me there. And inside it would likely be warmer than out on the streets. (Chapter 16)

“Yes, I did,” Elsa replied tenderly. “It is beautiful. Now come, we need to catch the bus so that we are not late.” Brushing the snow off his jacket and taking her grandson’s hand, they walked down the sidewalk to the bus stop together. As they waited for the bus to arrive, Justin eagerly pointed out everything that caught his attention…from the boys across the street who were throwing snowballs at each other, to the multi-coloured Christmas lights twinkling in house windows and the way the snowflakes melted when they landed on his nose and cheeks. (Chapter 25)

"Friends, that is one of my favourite songs to sing, especially during this special season. But why is it that we only sing this song for one month of the year? Yes, we are celebrating the the joyful truth that ‘the Lord has come,’ as the song proclaims, but Jesus didn’t just disappear after being born. His life on earth continued, and brought a life-changing message to everyone he came in contact with. If we truly understand that message, if we even catch a glimpse of what God is saying to us through His Son, then that should change the way we live during the other three hundred and sixty-four days of the year.” (Chapter 28)

The novel will be published in paperback as well as e-book format next year!

More information will be coming soon about ordering copies and distribution. This would make a great Christmas gift for friends and family members!!

What I've Learned and What's Coming Next

The writing frenzy of NaNoWriMo November is over -- phew! However, I have actually had to take a break from writing over the past few days for a couple of reasons:

• I need to take care of myself and get over this cold I have.
• I need to take care of some of the things I neglected during the past 30 days.

The endeavour WAS a success and I am VERY pleased with the results!! I did not completely finish the novel, but I DID reach the goal - actually surpassed it - and managed to write 51,476 words in one month! You can see my winner's certificate below:

So what did I gain from this experience? Let me tell you:

• Having a very detailed outline makes it possible to simply sit down and write. I don't have to sit there and think: Now where is the character going and what is going to happen next?
• I discovered that I write best late at night. This isn't what I would prefer, since I need my sleep and I actually became sick with a cold due to lack of sleep during NaNoWriMo.
• I learned that I can actually write in moments when I think I don't have enough time or when there are no specific ideas/inspirations. And if I set myself some goals, I will get more accomplished.
• I also realized that writing is more than a hobby -- it is an outlet for me and an essential part of my life, because it is a passion and gift that God has given to me and I have a desire to use it to minister to others.

What's coming next?

• Finish the writing of the novel and submit it for editing.
• I've been working on designing the covers for the books that I am planning to publish next year and am VERY happy with the results! You will have to wait, though, because I want them to be a surprise when the books come out.
• My editor has finished the edit of my first novel, but I haven't yet had time to review it and do a complete review of the novel following the edits and changes.
• I need to make preparations for publishing and start setting out some plans for marketing my books.
• Continue working on the other novels I have in progress.

Writing is very important to me, but it is secondary to my ministry involvement, so I have to make a schedule for myself in which I can still accomplish my other goals and yet continue to progress in becoming a published author.

Thank you for your interest and please stay posted for sneak previews...

Project Progress Update #1

It's time for an update!
I have not been focusing on my blog because I've been working so intently on my novel.

I WILL write 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo this year ... but the novel may not be written in its entirety by November 30th.

I certainly hope to finish it completely, but I am more than halfway to the total goal and I'm not even one-third of the way through the book! Here are my statistics for the project so far:

The continuous excitement I have for this book and the way the story continues to grow is proof to me that the inspiration is coming from outside of myself - namely, from God! I'm confident that it's going to be more than even I had expected when I began this project.

Another exciting development is the design of the book cover, which I have created myself because I know what I want it to show. I am SO thrilled with it, that I can't wait until NaNoWriMo is over - I have to share it with you now!!

That's all for now, folks!
Just remember as you are preparing for the Christmas season how much God loves you and be prepared to discover the unique ways He longs to show that to you!!

NaNoWriMo 2013 ... Here I Come!

This all started the other day...
I checked my email inbox and saw an email from Lulu.com, which is the site I have registered with to publish my books. The subject read, "Participating in NaNoWriMo this year?"

I have some other friends who like writing (although perhaps not quite as much as I do), so I knew what NaNoWriMo was. For those of you who don't know, it stands for National Novel Writing Month, and the objective is to write a 50,000-word novel between Nov. 1st and 30th. Depending on how many chapters you think you can write, that averages out to about 2000 words a day.

After browsing the message, I decided that the idea didn't really interest me -- I didn't know if I wanted to join this kind of contest, if I had the time, or even what I would write about -- so I sent it to trash.

Then, on the following day...
I was browsing Amazon.com for more free books I could download on my kindle and I saw a Christmas book. I don't remember what it was that caught my attention about it, but all of a sudden and idea came to me! Wouldn't it be neat to write a Christmas-themed book? And it would make a great Christmas gift for friends and family. I didn't know if I could write a Christmas novel by this Christmas, though.

Four years ago at Christmas, I wrote a poem about the true meaning and significance of the Christmas season and how it is so much more than just a one-day event. In those few short minutes, I realized that I could use the poem as the story's theme and the basis for each of the characters.

Then I remembered the email and I thought I would check it out once more. I discovered that a prize for completing the challenge - writing a 50,000-word novel in 30 days - was a free manuscript edit and one free hardcover copy of the book from Lulu.com! Well, if that isn't motivation, I don't know what is!

Consequently, I signed up for this event and began detailing the outline for the book and putting down the inspirations that were flooding my mind like a river in spring thaw. I have never even attempted to write an entire novel in 30 days before, so this will definitely be an adventure!

Here's what's going to take place:

1. By the end of October I will have a firm clear outline in place with as many details as possible so that I can just write, write, write! I will also have a plan of how many hours a day I can work on it, and what my goal is for each of those days, as it may vary a little.

2. At 12 midnight on November 1st I will begin work on my new novel.

3. Before 12 midnight on November 30th I need to have my entire 50,000-word manuscript uploaded to the website for official counting.

And now, for a quick preview...
________________________________________________

WHAT CHRISTMAS REALLY MEANS
A Novel by Darlene J. Koop

It’s Christmas Eve and despite the cold, many people have come to church for the annual candlelight service. For some, attendance is merely a tradition; for others, an event for which they have waited all year long. Many of them carry heavy burdens of pain and sorrow and think that they have been forgotten by God. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Pastor John’s message challenges everyone’s perspective about Christmas. And on this night, fifteen different people have a remarkable encounter with God, one that reaches into their hearts to meet their unspoken needs. They discover that they can help one another, and their lives are changed forever as they discover what Christmas really means.

_________________________________________________

I will do my best to post at least a few updates throughout the month on how the writing process is going, but I need to focus my energies on completing the novel within the 30-day time limit. Looking forward to sharing the complete story with you when it is finished!!

One Step at a Time..

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
How do you prepare a book for publishing? One step at a time.

And the first step towards publishing is to get the book edited. People have been telling me this for years and I have finally taken the plunge. When I first began writing, I knew this would be required at some point, but I was nervous about it. I haven't always been good at accepting constructive criticism, and I didn't know what to expect in getting my writing published. I wanted to keep the integrity of what I had written.

So when I found a Christian editing company online I was thrilled! I want to be published, and not only to see my name on the cover of a "real" book, but because I want to share the gospel through my stories in a way that will encourage, inspire and even change someone else's life. I knew that a Christian editor would understand the message I was trying to communicate and would respect that.

When the sample edit was completed, I received some positive comments from my editor, and I started getting more excited about the process! A week ago, my editor sent the first section review back to me with his corrections, comments and suggestions for improvement. Minor grammatical changes, which I expected even though I know I have a strong grasp of grammar. But what really stood out to me were his suggested content changes -- I have read through my manuscript many times and I didn't see the things that he did. I needed a new perspective. So I removed some parts and rewrote and rearranged others, and as feel that my writing has been greatly improved!

Even a couple of years ago, I'm not sure that I would have been prepared to make such changes to my story, but now that I am determined to begin publishing my books, it has given me the impetus to take this giant step forward.

One step at a time...I'll keep moving ahead and I am excited to see how this will help me improve my writing as I continue with the sequel and the other projects I am working on.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you are in need of a good Christian editor with competitive rates, check out http://www.affordablechristianediting.com

How It All Began...

I have ALWAYS loved books!

This love was fostered by my parents as they read to us from the Bible and other books. Bedtime was greatly looked forward to because Mom would often sit in the hallway and read to us as we fell asleep - I especially remember the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and the classic series of children's stories by Thornton Burgess.

I was reading books before I went to kindergarten...it was - and STILL IS - one of my favourite activities! I don't quite recall when I first decided that I wanted to be a writer, but I had been greatly influenced by the many books I read and knew that I wanted to share my love of stories in a way that would also impact others.

From a young age I had numerous short stories in my desk drawer as "works in progress." They were mostly unfinished, as I had not yet developed the discipline of sticking with one task until it was completed. I read many different books, including biographies of influential people, romance stories, adventure stories, children's books...basically anything I could. I discovered that I loved language and words and expressing myself in a unique way.

During my teenage years, I began writing poetry as a way to express my emotions and process my experiences. And then, in my senior year of high school at the age of 17, I decided I was going to start a novel. I don't remember what specifically precipitated that decision; I only know that from that moment on I was determined to be an author.

I had read somewhere that the best authors write from their own experiences and what they know, and so I decided to do exactly that. The book was about half-completed in 2002 when I began my studies at Bible college. Throughout the next 2 years, I had little time to write, so no progress was made. Finally, in 2006, I completed my first novel. I was elated! Now there was a new challenge...I wanted to try and get it published. I dreamed about seeing the book with my name emblazoned on the cover, and signing copies of it as they sold by the dozens! I didn't know then just how long and arduous this process would be, however, and after awhile it seemed like my dream might never be realized.

I began working on the sequel to my first book, and then a separate novel, which I completed in the winter of 2008. Now I had even more impetus to get published! But how would this be possible? I was still searching for what I was supposed to do with my life. In 2010 I began pursuing a missionary calling, which God had clearly laid on my heart, and the book publishing was set aside, since I knew that it would not likely be my life's work. I definitely still had a passion for writing and a desire to see my stories be an encouragement and inspiration to others, but when this would happen was an unknown.

Then, in 2012, a missionary friend showed me a small book she had self-published through a company in Ukraine several years ago. I began looking into it and discovered that not only was there an abundance of options for self-publishing, but it was relatively inexpensive and time-efficient.

So that brings me to where I am today...

One book just beginning the copy-editing process, which will be completed by spring/summer 2014. I plan to publish it next summer, and hopefully my second novel will be ready for publishing then as well. In addition to the print copies I will be selling, it will also be available in e-book format online.

Stay tuned for previews...and please share with anyone you know who may be interested.

I hope you enjoy coming along with me on this exciting journey!!