Burning Sky: a New Look in Large Print

I love hearing from readers. Sometimes there's a reader who especially touches my heart. Evelyn, mom to my friend, Patti, is one of those. Evy is 98 years old. She usually reads large print books. But she really wanted to read Burning Sky when it released back in summer. 

So what did she do? 

She read the entire book, all 400 pages, with a magnifying glass. Then she emailed me to tell me what she enjoyed about the story. Here's her note:

Lori:  As you know, Patti shared with me the intriguing book you have just had published, and I wanted to second what so many people say when they write recommendations for a new book “I couldn’t put it down!”   I can’t say that for everything I read, but it happens to be true in this case.  I am not a writer in the sense of writing for the public, but I AM an avid reader and have been since first grade but I read selectively and more so as I age.  I’ve always been a sort of “history buff” whatever that means; in my thinking it simply means I love not only history but historical novels.  It seems to me that writing historical novels would be more difficult than ordinary novels because of the research involved.  I do not have that gift, and you obviously do, plus an attractive “style” which keeps a person’s mind wondering what happens next.  You are precise yet keep a person reading on and on with great curiosity and enjoyment and even a lot of indignation at the way human beings treat each other—they always have and still do!  And you’ve brought frontier living to life with the variety of characters.  I hope there’ll be more from your pen.

Thanks for writing your book.  It was so well done, with an interesting style and what seems to me to be excellent research.  I so enjoyed reading it—even though it was in small enough print to tax my aging eyes.  It was worth the effort, believe me.  Carry on—you have so much to offer.     Evelyn

Today I'm happy to be sending Evelyn a signed copy of Burning Sky in Large Print. 

This edition has released from Thorndike Press and is available now where books are sold. You can find it online at Amazon.

We have bookplates

I wish I could meet more readers across the country who've expressed the desire for me to sign their copies of Burning Sky, but I'm happy to announce a solution. 

WaterBrook Press has issued me some bookplates. This means I can sign your book, even if we can't meet in person. Here's how it works:

1. Send a Self-Addressed Stamped envelope, business size or letter size (the bookplate will fit in either) to the following address:

Lori Benton
PO Box 5578
Central Point, OR 97502

2. Include with the SASE a clear, printed note indicating if, and to whom, you would like me to address the bookplate (otherwise I'll simply sign it without an address, which is perfectly fine).

3. I will sign a bookplate for you and mail it back in the envelope you've provided. Peel it off and paste it inside the book wherever seems best.

Here's what they look like, with a quarter in the photo to show you the size.

Copy That!

Copy edits for The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn have just arrived in my inbox. I'm very pleased and excited to dive back into this story after a few weeks away from it. I've been working on three other stories in various states of completion (two of them in first draft) and so I feel I've gained good mental distance from Tamsen, Jesse, and the rest of the gang--a necessary element for an editing pass to be effective.

Copy edits are an author's last chance to make changes to her story. There will be one more read through of the galleys in a few weeks' time, but that is meant to be a proofread only, not another edit. So, this is it.

And I have a rather bad cold that I'm working through, so I would appreciate prayers for my stamina and health over the next two weeks (through Thanksgiving, yes) while I read through the manuscript and tackle the copy edits, and anything else that needs tweaking and polishing.

Deadline is December 5th.

Thank you for your prayers!

I'm in Middle Earth today!

Okay, not really. I'm actually in New Zealand. Okay, not really, but I'm as close as I can get for now. 

Today I'm visiting with Ellie Whyte on her gorgeous website Soul Inspirationz. Ellie has created a database of Christian authors and books with profile pages, links, interviews, a forum, lots of good stuff. 

Drop by for our conversation today and leave a comment there per Ellie's instructions for a chance (for US residents) to win a copy of Burning Sky. It's coming direct from me, so I'll be signing it to the winner.

The Interview

My Author Profile

A Word to the Wise...

I've posted about writer Lisa Cron and her marvelous writing craft book Wired For Story before. I'm doing it again. If you're a writer of fiction and you haven't read Wired for Story, I wish I could find you and thrust a copy of the book into your hands. It's that good.

So are her blog posts, like this one up today at Writer Unboxed: 9 Ways to Undermine Your Characters' Best Laid Plans.

And look, she has a website! With more on the Art & Mystery of Storytelling.

As my Junior High School English teacher, Mr. Terhes, used to say after dropping hints to the content of the next day's exam, "A word to the wise should be sufficient."

Which sounds a bit ominous but it's true that our writing, if we show it to anyone, will be tested. If we intend to be published, it will be tested over and over again. By critique partners. Agents. Editors. Readers.

Lisa Cron is a writing coach well worth the investment of your time. So, "A word to the wise...."

One Writer's Path to Publication (and a chance to win a copy of Burning Sky)

Ever wonder how long and winding a writer's path to publication can be? I've had a post up for the previous week about just that, at Christi Corbett's blog.

Along with talking about that path, we're doing a random drawing from the comments to give away a personalized autographed copy of Burning Sky, my debut historical novel.

I have it right here, sitting my desk. Will it be yours?

But today, Wednesday November 6, is the last day to enter. The drawing closes midnight tonight (Pacific Time) so drop by and leave a comment, and let me know if my journey to publication surprised you, encouraged you, or... anything else.

I love to chat with readers and writers about all things writing. See you there!

Congratulations to Bonnie R. who won this copy of Burning Sky. It's signed to you, Bonnie, and on its way.