My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

 

MY STUBBORN HEART

by Becky Wade

 

 

 

 

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

 

Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded--hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light . . . whether he likes it or not.

 

When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?

 

 

 

 

Author: Becky Wade

Publisher: Bethany House-- 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance- fiction

 

 

 

Becky Wade has received many rave reviews on her debut novel, not only from readers but also from Christian book review websites and booklists. Her newest novel, Undeniably Yours is due out May 2013. For more on Becky Wade, visit her website at www.beckywade.com and follow her on Facebook!

 

 

 

Reviewers Note:

Once I started this novel I couldn't put it down. This author immediately captivates the reader with unique writing style and pulls them into the quaint town of Redbud and Kate's enchanting family property at Chapel Bluff. Kate's stubbornness to pull Matt from his dark outlook on life had me rooting for her the whole time. The author created unforgettable secondary characters who had me, literally, laughing out loud at their quirkiness. This is the first novel of this type that I've seen from Bethany House (and I read a lot of books published by them), and I hope to see more. I read this book several months ago and loved it so much, I've started reading it again. I'm greatly anticipating Becky's next book!

This story is a wonderful reminder of how God uses other's to help us grow spiritually and heal from tragedy.

Are Writers Actors?

Are writers actors?
Yes, we are. At least us fiction writers, that is.

My husband asked me the other day, "What makes you a writer?" My answer: I love drama.
Just what every man loves to hear, right?
But, it's true. I love drama. The more the better (not in my own personal life, though). Whether in a movie or on the page, I love strong, dramatic characters--characters that are so realistic you can't forget them. Take Scarlett O'Hara for instance. No one really likes her, but mention her by name and everyone knows exactly who you're talking about. Or Joe March, for example, constantly struggling to conform to society or follow her own heart. Who can't connect with that?

So how do writer's create unforgettable characters? We become actors. To develop a character--whether they be a hopeless romantic or an evil villain--we have to delve into their psyche. Based on their motivation and story goal, we have to make them react correctly based on their personality. Ask ourselves questions like: what makes them tick? We have to become the character in order to create it.

I always start by deciding the characters' name and physical descriptions. And quirks. My characters always have a habit they repeat throughout the story. Let's face it, in real life we all have them--good or bad. After writing the first draft of the story (what events are going to transpire), I revise the second time by getting into the characters' heads, making sure they're reacting accordingly to the situation in each scene. I put myself in their shoes, even acting out parts to get a feel for body language and facial expressions so the characters' come to life. (Thankfully I live far enough away from all my neighbors they don't have to witness this display of temporary insanity.) Then I revise a third time, reading things through, looking specifically for holes in the plot of my story and any loose ends I need to tie up. From there it goes to the sharp eyes of my critique partners. And then another revision . . .

Multi-published, award-winning author Deborah Raney told the ACFW Journal that she reads her entire manuscript aloud as if she was recording a book on tape. "There's a mirror on the wall by my desk. If I'm having trouble finding the right inflection, or the right beat, I'll act out the scene in the mirror. It's amazing how watching the body language and emotions that come naturally for me when I read a character's line helps me see if the line is stilted or if it achieves the effect I wanted." (For more about Deborah and her wonderful collection of books, visit www.deborahraney.com.)



So, are writers actors? Yes, we are. We have to be to cope with all the voices in our heads. LOL

What methods do you use to create deep characterization in your stories?

"I Choose You" Book Giveaway!

I'm giving away a free copy of "I Choose You," the romance anthology by OakTara that my short story The Value of a Penny is published in. Enter by January 9th for a chance to win.


* Who can enter?-- anyone!

* How to enter: send me an email at
   candicesuepattersonbooks@yahoo.com with "I Choose You
   Giveaway" in the subject line. Tell me your name and email
   address, so I can contact you if you're the winner.

* A winner will be chosen on January 9th. I will contact the winner by email.


Valentine's Day is fast approaching. "I Choose You" makes a wonderful gift for yourself or your someone special.



UPDATE:
1/9/2013-- All enterants names were put into a jar and a winner chosen at random. The winner has been contacted via email. Congratulations, Nancy Alexander!!

"Like" my Facebook author page (Candice Sue Patterson) for publishing updates and more giveaways!!!

Count Your Blessings

Reflecting over the entire year of 2012, God has blessed my family in so many ways (as he always does). Though the year also brought some hard, unexpected trials, He's brought us through, once again, to another year. As I sat in my La-z-boy this morning, with my cup of Christmas blend Starbucks coffee, I pondered the past year, counted my blessings, and wanted to share a few of my 2012 highlights with you . . .


*We joined a wonderful church that has helped us learn and grow in so many ways.
*Our oldest son got baptized.
*The boys tested their engineering skills and completed creative projects with their school's Lego
   League teams.

Our youngest son is
helping feed the
chickens.

*The kids made the honor roll with every report card!
*My husband completed motorcycle safety classes through Harley 
  Davidson and now has his motorcycle license.
*We bought our first set of chicks for Easter and watched them grow
   into beautiful Rhode Island Red hens. We're loving those farm fresh eggs!
*Our middle son had an overnight field trip to the Indianapolis Zoo which I
  volunteered to chaperon. We got to go behind the scenes and experience
  things a general admission ticket doesn't allow.
*My husband took the oldest boys to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for
  carburation day.
*Baseball season held a game or practice almost every night. The boys gave it
 their all, and we enjoy every minute of it while it lasts.
*The boys worked hard to completed their 4-H projects. Our oldest son won a  
  Reserve Grand Champion ribbon for his poster in Forestry.

Most of these got sliced, frozen, and
are still waiting for me in my
freezer!

*Despite the drought, we enjoyed delicious peaches from our peach trees!

*Since the boys got such good grades on their report cards, we let them choose where we vacationed. They chose LegoLand Florida which was great since I have family there I always love to visit.




*I turned 30! (which turned out to not be as horrible as I'd imagined it in my head)
*My husband won hot passes to the Brickyard 400 through his work. He and I spent the day in the blistering sun watching the race from the pits. Awesome!



The Lord allowed my jump back into writing to reach unexpected (to me not to Him) heights as well.
*My short story "The Value of a Penny" was published in the I Choose You romantic anthology by
  OakTara. My dream of becoming a published author came true!
*My entry to ACFW's First Impressions Contest is a finalist in the contemporary romance category!
  (The winner will be announced by January 22, 2013) I'm still reeling from shock with this one.



Sometimes after a long year--especially a taxing one--it's hard to count our blessings. We just want to jump into the next year with high hopes that it will be far better. But let's not forget to thank God for his blessings, even amongst the trials that come our way.

What events from 2012 are you thankful for?