Author Leah M. Hinton — The Sojourn Sparrow
The Proving Ring by LM Hinton
When media spin destroys her reputation, and blackmail turns her world upside down, Officer Ramsey Dennis fights to clear her name while leading a rogue investigation in search of a runaway girl that puts her on the trail of a madman — down the backroads of Texas. Ramsey is desperate to save the girl, find the truth, and be redeemed in the process.
I’m terrible at it — tooting my own horn. I haven’t written lately because I’m still amazed any of you might be interested.
However, there are four big writerly things I should have posted about this year and I only ever posted about one.
Many of you have read “Blue” which won second in the 2016 Writers’ Guild of Texas Flash Fiction Award. I think it might even be linked somewhere on this page, if not you can always click here. Well, to add to my WGT honors, I am happy to say I won both first and second place in the 2017 WGT Flash Fiction competition with “Spin Me Charlie” and “A Dark Fog” respectively. Read “Spin Me, Charlie” here and “A Dark Fog” here. I’m really proud of this accomplishment and effectively broke the competition. You can only win one title per contest now. (Crazy, but I wish I’d won third too!)
I mentioned in a previous post about book three in the short story anthology “Short and Sweet” by Grace Publishing, edited by Susan Cheeves King coming out in April. In addition to that good news, I’m happy to say book four in the “Short and Sweet” anthology by Grace Publishing just came out and is available on Amazon. It was another instance of “Happy Mail”. I’m always amazed to see my name in print.
So there you have it, folks. Four biggees. Two contest wins and two traditionally published works.
I will try to keep everyone apprised of big happenings sooner to when they actually happen. Books are still in the works. I’ll be seeking beta readers soon. So hit me up…
I’m also one of the judges for the Granbury Texas Writers’ Bloc Fiction Challenge each month. Enter that competition so I can be wowed by your genius. (And yes, I’m speaking directly to you, Howard.) Seriously though, it’s great fun. Learn more about it here.
Read something good,
Leah
I’ve held discussions regarding art over the years where someone has a very finite idea of that which is art. Often times film and books aren’t included in a person’s ideals of what is art. I find that sad. My personal point of view has me understanding more things as art than most people might.
Happy mail from my editor Susan King at Grace Publishing. Book three in the Short and Sweet anthology series. (Shown here with books one and two, in which I also have stories published.)
These are short works featuring short words. (One syllable words, with few exceptions.)
And I’m happy to say my work has been accepted for book four and I’ve been asked to submit for book five. All proceeds from these works go to charity.
Peace.
High Lonesome Sound by Jaye Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A great friend gifted me with a copy of the newest book from author Jaye Wells. I read the first chapter and immediately wanted more. But then life intervened and I had to put the book down for a bit. Well, I started it again and read it in a day. I put everything else aside. I even cooked dinner for my family with the book in hand and lost out on some much-needed sleep.
Jaye Wells tells a good story. She builds suspense and keeps you turning pages, but more importantly, she crafts sentences that are beautifully put together and a blessing to read.
“Something deep in her chest, some burning knowledge that was not of the brain but of the heart, told her that if she didn’t find her song, Moon Hollow would become a tomb and she’d be buried alive.”
This is exactly the kind of horror novel I like to curl up with. There is horror, but not for horror’s sake. Every bloody drop is pertinent to the story and makes it all the more complete.
Check out this inspirational non-fiction anthology I am proud to be a part of. It is called Short and Sweet: Small Words for Big Thoughts. It is edited by Susan King of the Upper Room and published by Grace Publishing.
What’s so cool about this is the project itself. Susan King asked me to write a piece for this anthology. The rules, it had to be micro-fiction 150 words or less. The words had to be one syllable and it had to be true and inspirational. Whew. I sat down and wrote my contribution in long hand in the back of my journal.
Buy the book here:
Look for Volume 2 coming out soon.
This is my first week back to work/writing since my return from Mount Hermon.
I feel inspired and excited and beyond enthusiastic. I also feel sick to my stomach, as if I’ve taken on too much and am overwhelmed.
Enter, LELA.
In my mind’s eye, Lela is a vermillion-haired beauty with twinkling green eyes, dimples and a smattering of freckles across sun-kissed cheeks. An enchantress you would find on the moors with mist about her feet and the laugh of a devious sprite. She is part muse, part conscience.
Besides all of those things in my mind’s eye, LELA is a command center writing collaboration built with two other artists. LELA is a brain trust, a conservation of effort, a duplication of exposure, a wellspring of encouragement and enthusiasm and sometimes even the shackles that keep my feet planted firmly on terra firma. It is my pride and my modesty, it is my will and my conscience. It is my lofty dreams and my fear. It is reckless abandon and common sense all rolled into one. It is exactly the kind of grouping an artist needs, the kind of grouping I need. These artists are my “Go Pro” team and our collaboration is named LELA.
If you’ve read Steven Pressfield’s War of Art, you will instantly know what “Going Pro” is. (If you haven’t read it, check out my review here.)
As for the team element of Going Pro, it is a concoction of a mastermind group, a support group and a group of new, but trustworthy friends. When I decided to become a professional writer, it required a mental commitment. Since writing isn’t always the surest of incomes, it is sometimes hard to remember you are a professional writer when you are in between paychecks. When you are “in the trenches” so to speak. Especially in a society where success is measured in dollar signs.
A GoPro Team helps you stay focused and reminds you that you are in it for the art of it all, not just for the money. Money is lagniappe. You are in it because your soul tells you to be in it. You are driven there. It is easy for an artist to be solely driven and lonely and to hold an audience of zero in the pursuit of their art, but it isn’t necessary. As a matter of fact, I highly suggest you don’t go it alone. Having some steadfast, intelligent, similarly structured beings with whom to share your ideas can sometimes keep you from making a boneheaded mistake in the name of art. It can save you from wasting valuable hours.
However, not just any group will do. I’ve been a part of different, wide-ranging groups and I’ve met countless people in the writing world and it took me ages to find LELA and it happened rather organically.
I pursued two-thirds of my group (for you math wise folks, yes, it means I pursued everyone but myself). These were artists I met, admired, and wanted to be when I grow up — even though I’m the oldest of the bunch. I pursued them as friends. I pursued them as people to look up to, mentors. However, I did not pursue them as a GoPro Team. Yet that is what they became. And I’m grateful for that organic metamorphosis. Truly. And I pray I give as good as I get.
I will introduce you to my beautiful, exquisite GoPro team in weeks to come. No need keeping all of their greatness to myself, as tempting as that is.
I urge all of you artists out there to recognize that this doesn’t have to be a solo venture. God brings people in and out of your life for a purpose. You may already be in the presence of those who will help you reach greater depth in your art. Look around. Pursue if you have to.
By all means, Go Pro.
I had some Amazon gift cards burning holes in my pocket. The trouble was choosing what to buy with them.
Seriously, my Amazon Wishlist is a ridiculous exercise in total greed and my want button is turned up to 11. However, I AM quite capable of exercising restraint, so I scanned my wants for a useful item that won’t quickly get set aside and clicked Buy It Now.
I love getting boxes from Amazon. Especially when my busy life has me forgetting I even ordered anything. Seeing the box on my front porch quickly reminded me of my purchase and I was EXCITED to open the box. This was not an Amazon delivery of toilet paper or dog food. This box held potential.
I chose the little keyboard pictured above. It is the Logitech iPad Keyboard and Stand Combo. It works with iPad, iPad 2, iPad (3rd/4th generation), iPad mini and the iPhone. (Don’t fret, there is an android version too.)
It is Bluetooth enabled so I can use it with my phone and can comfortably work anywhere. For power, it uses triple A batteries so I don’t have to worry about charging cables etc. So far, it is really cool and I can’t say enough about it. It fits in my purse and the keyboard is full sized so I don’t end up with cramped hands. I’m actually writing this blog with it as we speak.
Its connection is not jagged or delayed. It is as smooth as if I am typing directly into my device. With every word, I grow more and more fond of this tech-savvy do-dad.
I’m totally digging it. So, how am I going to use it? First, I’m going to download the Scrivener App to my iPad mini and see how I like working on that, so I don’t always destroy the charge on my phone running Bluetooth-enabled peripheral gadgets. And since the connection is flawless, I can see myself typing blogs from the carpool lane and working on my manuscript anywhere inspiration strikes. I don’t have to preplan and have my laptop with me.
You should try this. Definitely worth finding the money in your budget, or the next time someone asks what you want for your birthday, suggest an Amazon Gift Card.
And I’ve gotta say, I might get these for my children. It is so much cheaper than buying them laptops and they can type right into the Google Docs App for their papers for school. Win/win.
You can buy this keyboard for your Apple products here:
You can get the Android version here:
As many of you know, I entered a contest and was selected as one of ten winners who won admission to the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference, including room and board.
I spent several fabulous days outside Santa Cruz, California. I communed with other writers, people in the writing industry and just all around good folks. I kayaked in the Pacific. I hiked through a redwood forest. But most of all, I learned a lot about myself and this crazy path I’m on.
1. Having goals is different than having a plan. Sometimes it’s the round-about-meandering path that gets us our goals more so, than the strict itinerary of a plan. It is amazing how free it is to walk into a writing conference with no agenda. Now I can’t claim I did that. My friend did that. But I soon dropped my agenda and decided there was so much more to gain if I would just shut-up for a second. And when I did, things started happening. Very. Good. Things.
2. Guess what? I totally dig kayaking and think I need a kayak. (you know, in case anyone reading this needs a hint for a birthday, mother’s day, or anniversary gift . . .)
3. I’m in a good place, geographically. I have a really great writing group right here in the Dallas area. The literary community is growing and I love LELA.
4. You know what? I have talent. Pashawwwwww. But it’s true. Strangers like my words, ideas and worlds. That’s pretty freaking amazing.
5. I’m super lucky to have the support of Big Tough and the Brood. My family digs my being a writer.
6. My mind was blown. I had this creamy Italian chocolate pot that was enough to write home about. (See the above pic. Amazing, right?) Thank you, MD! It is called Deep Chocolate Indulgence and it includes a half slice of Chocolate Ecstacy Cake, a mini Italian Pot of Chocolate, and a Bittersweet Truffle. Holy cow, Batman. Next time you are in Santa Cruz, Ca., go here, Chocolate on Pacific Ave.
7. And I learned to trust my gut, my heart and my husband. (Whew. Biggest and best for last.) This was exactly where I needed to be at exactly the right time. Big Tough’s words of encouragement have been an important part of my journey.
I’m still in the pinch-me phase and I fully recognize my life is forever changed.
So here is some BIG news. I am delaying The Proving Ring for just a bit (a year at most) while I finish up a couple non-fiction manuscripts that apparently my heart has been aching to write because I got requests for manuscripts of books I have not even started — from major publishing companies, no less. I may have another EPIC surprise on the horizon, too. 🙂
All in all, my little chickadees, don’t be disheartened. Dreams may be a long time in coming, but God knows the true and pure desires of your heart. Keep trying. Keep learning and by all means, don’t ever give up.
