This publication stands as a testimony of the fourth year Narrow Way Press teamed with a group of Louisiana Christian authors, who assembled their collective muse to create an anthology celebrating the short story. The last three years’ anthologies, Celebrating the Short Story, Over the Moon Travel Treasures, and 2020 Vision contributed greatly to advancing the craft of Christian fiction writing in Louisiana. This year, ten published authors have collaborated to produce another masterfully written collection of diverse short stories. These ten adventures will take you to places you have never been. 

C.D. Sutherland’s Nowhere Near Heaven transports you to West Virginia during World War II. Once there, you’ll experience young Marion Dunrobin’s challenge to fit in a broken family struggling against poverty and conflict. 

Judy Burford’s Step In will plunge you into the hard life in a wagon train with young Jake Johnson’s family, seeking a better life in Oregon.

Wanda Bush’s One Rock will put you behind the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy coming to grips with how to respond to life’s tragedies. 

Beverly Flanders’ The Assignment puts you with Brian Jennings, facing his first day as a freshman as a new kid in town. 

Next, Donna M. Copeland’s Intentions will place you with Jordie and Bronlynn in their multi-generational lesson on intentions, choices, and consequences. 

Carole Lehr Johnson’s Defiant Devotion puts you with Hodge as he responds to the conflicting calls of country, family, and self, all pulling him in different directions. 

Susan Hiers Foster’s Tougher puts you in the circumstances of a jail ministry volunteer, learning the depth of her role in the welfare of the people she works with. 

Internationally published author Tammy Kirby’s His Grace Forsaken sends you back to the beginning of Viscount Greyson Brennen’s character-building adventure. Discover what molded him into the man you’ve probably read about in her best-selling novel of the same title in her Haven House series. 

Marguerite Martin Gray’s A Promise Shared sends you back to before the American Revolution. There you will get a glimpse of sixteen-year-old Tom Engle, a character in her best-selling Revolutionary Faith series, dealing with loss and duty to family and God. 

Finally, the talented and prolific author Mary Lou Cheatham uses Rhoda to teleport you back to the first century Promised Land as seen through the eyes of a young girl.

When you return from these experiences, chances are some will have left you wanting for more. If so, then check out that story’s author page in the back of the book. They might have something else you’ll like. We believe you’ll be glad you did.

These world-class authors' stories are available in the eBook edition for free at SmashWords.  If you prefer paper pages, the printed edition is available for your purchase at Amazon. 

 

The seven short stories contained in 2020 Vision are as diverse in technique and theme as previous Narrow Way Press anthologies; nevertheless, they are united in the fact that a mention of the eyes is a common element. The publisher invites you to take notice of the techniques used by this cadre of talented Louisiana authors to weave those eyes-related appearances into their stories.

Enjoy these seven adventures as they take you places you've probably never been. C.D. Sutherland examines how a couple of young boys, Sam Strong and his best friend, Nigel Caruthers deal with bullies and personal crisis in I Can See Clearly Now.

Share Savannah's struggles with finances and grief in the aftermath of inheriting her grandmother's estate in Judy Burford's The Trunk.

Experience how an emotionally damaged man named Stephen deals with the loss of his father and the discover of family secrets in Wanda Bush's What to Do, What to Do.

Explore the symbolism and value of memories in Beverly Flanders' Charmed Life adventure of a lost and found heirloom.

Deal with the suspense of Glenys Perkins' concealed past being uncovered in Donna M. Copeland's Secrets.

Come along and experience Katherine and Tammy Stewart's time-traveling, romantic adventure as revealed in Carole Lehr Johnson's A Shift in Time.

Finally, see how the lives of family and friends overlap through the years with Susan Hiers Foster's debut short short And No More Goodbyes. 

You can get the eBook edition for free at SmashWords. 

The printed edition is available at Amazon.

 

 

This children's picture book is about Steve. He cries because he lost something. Can you figure out what he's lost? Can you help him find it? Could Steve help himself by looking for it instead of crying so much?

Malachi Pauly wrote "Crying Steve" as part of his 8th Grade Job Shadow project in 2020. He lives with his grandparents and his twin brother in Louisiana. Over the years, besides being active in his local church, he has won many ribbons in the Special Olympics. He enjoys making up stories and drawing them. He is quite skilled at designing sets in Mine Craft, and he loves going to school.

This short eBook is an easy read and is available at SmashWords, where you may pay any price you think the book is worth--even free if you so choose. 

Over the Moon Travel Treasures

This diverse collection of short stories is 2019's best Christian fiction anthology. The eBook is free from many locations such as Barnes & Nobles, iBooks, and Smashwords. A printed edition is available at Amazon.

The seven short stories contained in Over the Moon Travel Treasures are as diverse in technique and theme as one could hope for; nevertheless, they are united in the fact that travel is a common element, along with the appearance of something to do with the Moon in each of them because this book is dedicated to those brave travelers of Apollo 11, who flew to the Moon fifty years ago. 

Take notice for the techniques the authors use to weave the Moon appearances into the marvelous short stories. 

C. D. Sutherland reveals life-altering events for Samuel Strong in his coming of age experience found in Uncle Chuck’s Fantastic Story. 

Share Casey Stewart’s renewal as she deals with the loss of her aunt in Judy Burford’s New Things. 

Experience an aging hero’s challenge as Tom Blakewood deals with a gang of opportunists in Wanda Bush’s Hurricane Heist. 

Feel the challenges of sisterly love and elder care in Beverly Flanders’ The Scar of Dementia. 

Struggle to understand the meaning of chance meetings and wondering of what might have been in Donna M. Copeland’s Unspoken. 

Finally, follow along on the interrelated, time-traveling, romantic adventures of Carole Lehr Johnson’s A Rose in Time and Tammy Kirby’s Crowns of Destiny.

Free at Smashwords

Free at Barnes & Noble

Printed Edition available at Amazon

My father's sister, Peggy Elzinia Blossom passed away on Sunday, January 19, 2019, at her residence in Flint, Michigan. She was 78. I find it interesting how 78 doesn't sound old to me, not anymore it doesn't. So forgive me if your perspective is different when I say, "That seems too young to be gone."

My sisters and I have changed roles with our aunts and uncles, who have left us now. Save one, which is Martha, my grandfather's last child, who is at least a decade younger than I am. 

A Funeral Service was held for Peggy at 1 PM Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at Allen Funeral Home, 9136 Davison Rd., Davison, Michigan 48423; Pastor David Miller officiated. The burial was in the Thetford Township Cemetery. 

Peggy was born in Worth, West Virginia on August 28, 1940, daughter of the late Charles and Katherine (Reed) Sutherland. She married John "Jack" Blossom on May 3, 1962. Peggy is survived by her husband, John, whom I always knew as Jack; a sister, Martha; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Charles and Jackie.

Peggy was an outspoken person, who dealt with everyone however she seemed fit. Sometimes that could be difficult for some people. My Uncle Jack always loved her and took great care to make the last months of her life as comfortable as possible. If you feel like praying for this, please remember him. He misses her more than anyone as those 56 years went too quickly for him.

Nobody is perfect, save one, and that is the Lord Jesus, whom she is with now. The roll is being called "up yonder" and I look forward with a solid hope that I'll join the family circle when it is my time.  That time will come much later, as I still have many things to do before I'm done. After all, I'm still young.

Goodbye, Peggy. Rest in peace, I'll see you again. Hug your Mom for me. 

3rd Annual ACFW Louisiana Writers Workshop

Are you an aspiring writer? Do you have a story to tell? If you're going to be near the Shreveport/Bossier area the first weekend in June, you should come hear six local authors share their short story writing journey. You can even get started writing your own short story. Bring something to take notes with and bring a sack lunch.

The American Christian Fiction Writers (AFCW) Louisiana hosts an annual workshop in northern Louisiana. This year's theme is Celebrating the Short Story. In preparation for the workshop, a team of six authors collaborated on an anthology using the workshop's theme for a title. The eBook Celebrating the Short Story was published April 21, 2018, and can be downloaded for free at iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and several other sites online. A printed edition can be had from Amazon for $5.99. 

The writing styles used in short stories can be somewhat unusual or surprising to its readers, sometimes their writers use literary techniques which might wear a reader down if employed through the length of a novel. Short stories make the perfect fodder to create anthologies. You will discover the seven short stories contained in this Celebrating of the Short Story are as diverse in technique and theme as one could hope for. Nevertheless, they are united in the fact that they are each in and of themselves short stories. Celebrating the Short Story takes you on seven diverse journeys. Go along with Delores Strong to what might be the end of the world in C. D. Sutherland's Roll Call. Experience a special Christmas celebration between a daughter and her mother in Beverly Flander's The Stroke of Christmas. See a widow solve a case of a missing prize rose in Judy Burford's The Theft. Follow a sister's adventure of discovery in Carole Lehr Johnson's Edge of the Sea. Discover how an entire clan was saved to alter history in Tammy Kirk's Saving the McKinnon. See how a young girl's life was changed because someone cared in Eileen K. Copeland's A Christmas Feral. Finally, experience a launch into space in Eileen K. Copeland's A Dream of Snow.

The workshop will discussion ACFW, Christian Fiction, and the nature of the short story. Each of six authors will share their short story journey with attendees. In keeping with the nature of a workshop, the authors will lead attendees in a series of writing exercises designed to help them organize and create a short story of their own. 

The workshop is Saturday, June 2, from 9:30AM to 4:30PM at Bossier Parrish Community College, Building F, Room 203.

The event is free, but remember to bring something to take notes with and a sack lunch. You'll be glad you did.

   

D-I-K-A for Fiction Writers

On May 1, Barnes & Noble released their monthly plug for the best novels (Skilton, 2018). Six of them have compelling female protagonists taking on the world around them. One is a comedic mystery thriller set in 1664. Another is a bildungsroman set in London shortly after WWII. One is a dystopian-horror satire set in 2018 America, where the country is carved up by special interest groups. Finally, the list ends with a social novel tying the effects of slavery to the segregation and endemic violence of the 1950s. Such an array of subjects, though slanted toward women’s fiction, can leave an aspiring fiction writer wondering what sort of writing on which would be the best to focus. The D-I-K-A model is a useful tool for educating budding authors and for explaining to those interested as to how fiction authors came up with subjects.

D-I-K-A

Clampitt (2018) explains that data (D) is uncensored facts, figures, & details. It is important to keep in mind that a portion of the data will most likely contain errors. After the available data is filtered and focused on relevant data, it is transformed into Information (I). The stakeholders use that information with their knowledge (K), which includes the skill sets and doctrinal expertise to enable them to not only explain but also predict the outcomes of possible actions. The stakeholders use those predictions with communications to come to decisions and manage their behavior, which is called action (A). Throughout the entire process, feedback is continuous, and under some circumstances, the stakeholder will need to reset the process to stay on the desired path.

Fiction Writers and D-I-K-A

Data: Fiction writers live, read, and learn. They have the option of using not merely their own experiences and imaginations to create a story, but also every piece of data in every library in the world, the entirety of the internet, and any timeline that ever existed in the past or might exist in the future. There are no limits to fiction; however, that much data is obviously too much for a single book.

Information: Fiction writers have to limit the data available to them. Using focused research, they select specific data to populate the story elements for characters, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Paula McLain selected the data specific to Martha Gellhorn, Hemingway’s third wife, to tell her story of a journalist and a novelist set during the Spanish Civil War. She takes established historical events, couples them with what is know about the two lovers, and fills in the gaps with her imagination. Contrast that against Chuck Palahniuk’s dystopian satire of the end of the United States. Using the energy of modern political discourse, he imagines special interest groups setting up independent countries where those in charge persecute via the power of the state, that is the barrel of a gun, anyone who does not agree with their particular flavor of intolerance. While fiction has no limits, a single book must have a focus to succeed.

Knowledge: Authors create, muse, and organize potential books by synthesizing theme, a point of view (POV), style, and tone with the approved information. Kevin Powers, a retired army veteran, who has established himself as a respected writer of military stories, uses that skill with a backdrop of the Civil War and the effects of slavery on life a hundred years later. It takes some time to develop adequate skills in those areas, but without them, fiction authors will not succeed.

Action: Eventually the writer has to write. After making decisions about story structure the task that remains is to write, hopefully, the next best-selling novel.  

Feedback: At any step, a writer might discover they have strayed from a successful path. We do not have the untold stories of the ten authors selected by Barnes & Noble as the best 10 of 2018, but it is entirely possible they had to refocus and restart their paths. Since anything is possible with fiction, a viable focus of the potentially best novel of 2019 might be to tell that story for them. 

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Summary

The D-K-I-A model is used throughout the business world, but this paper has explained that it works for fiction writers, too. The reason for that is writing fiction is a business. Unless the books stay forever under the writer’s bed, or hidden in the closet, or stored in perpetuity on a thumb drive hidden in a dusty drawer, good fiction stories are destined to be published.

 References

Clampitt, P. G. (2017). Communicating for managerial effectiveness, 6^thed. Thousand Oak, CA: Sage Publication, Inc.

Skilton, S. (May 1, 2018). May’s Best Novels New Fiction.  Barnes & Noble Reads.Retrieved from https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/mays-best-new-fiction-2018/

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