Do Kids Read Anymore? With Miralee Ferrell (Plus Giveaway)

By Ellie Whyte

With the emergence of device technology and the popularity of video gaming, today's children are less inclined to play outside or even play inside constructively, such as with Lego or with board games. Reading a book is even less of a priority. So how do we encourage our children to read?

Miralee Ferrell talks about this very issue on Fresh Fiction, and has kindly supplied part of the article here, with the opportunity to win a copy of her latest title, a children's book A Horse for Kate, by commenting on the end of this blog post. How do you encourage your children to read? Should we be writing stories for them to read? Are eBooks a good option, since eReader apps can be easily added to their devices, or is a print book preferable? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Do Kids Read Anymore?

By Miralee Ferrell

If you hand a middle-grade child a book, a video game, a tablet, smart phone, or the remote to the TV, which do you think they’ll pick. Of course, it’s totally dependent on the child, but I’m sad to say I think the book would often come in last. The same can probably be said if you make those same offers alongside going outside to play—technology often wins.

I grew up loving to read and play outside with my sisters and friends. We lived in a different age than today—our parents allowed us to play baseball with a group of neighborhood friends in a vacant lot a half-block away without adult supervision, and we often didn’t come home until dark. We rode our bikes down a steep hill in a residential area—and yes, I crashed one time, flipping over my handlebars and landing on the asphalt—but no one ever assaulted us or approached us in an inappropriate way.

But wait—I’m getting off my subject. Kids and books. Do kids read anymore?

Read the full article at Fresh Fiction

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Enter the Giveaway

Comment below with your thoughts about encouraging kids to read, or writing stories for kids, and be in the draw to win a copy of Miralee's new book for middle grade readers. A perfect gift for your own young reader, or to donate to your local church library for all the young readers to enjoy.

Please include your email address in your comment with the format name (at) email (dot) com so we are able to contact you if you are drawn as the winner.

Giveaway open to entrants WORLDWIDE, and closes Tuesday April 21, 2015.

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BONUS GIVEAWAY FOR UNITED STATES READERS! 

Do your kids love horses? Film a short video telling me why and you could win lots of really cool prizes from Breyer Horses! Follow the link below for more information. 

Win a $150 Horse Lovers Prize Pack!

display.engagesciences.com

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Author Bio:

Miralee Ferrell is the author of The Other Daughter and four books in the Love Finds You series, which includes the award-winning novel Love Finds You in Sundance, WY, along with the best-selling novel, Blowing on Dandelions, part of the Love Blossoms in Oregon series. She recently started writing horse novels for kids, with a four-book series with David C Cook. She and her husband live on eleven acres in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, ride horses, take hikes, and visit with their children and grandchildren.

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ELLIE WHYTE is a long-time supporter of Christian fiction and is the founder and owner/operator of Soul Inspirationz // The Christian Fiction Site which relaunched after a 5-year hiatus in January 2013. Ellie also has aspirations for her own writing career, and has begun working on a project set in New Zealand in the 1850s. 

http://soulinspirationz.com

Website: http://www.christianfictionsite.com
Blog: http://soulinspirationz.com 
Facebook: Soul Inspirationz http://www.facebook.com/soulinspirationz
Twitter: @SoulInspiredNZ http://twitter.com/SoulInspiredNZ

Pinterest: SoulInspiredNZ http://www.pinterest.com/soulinspirednz/

Google+: Soul Inspirationz http://plus.google.com/+Christianfictionsite-SoulInspirationz

When the writing 'Bug' doesn't bite

By Ray Hawkins

Ray Hawkins with latest book

My Writing Proceedure: Do I write as the ‘Bug’ bites?

No! - Well maybe ‘yes! – if the ‘Big’ bites.

Trouble is most of the ‘biting Bugs’ for this writer, at least, are toothless, fickle or squashed.

So, how do I write?

Being a minister for over forty years I’ve preached nearly every Sunday and sometimes twice on that day. Add to that Bible studies, youth, women and men’s talks I needed more than ‘Bugs’ to bite. It ultimately came to discipline and appreciating my people. Having a great resource book, the Bible, plus knowing a little about life and the joys and sorrows of my people gave me a framework. Sometimes issues arose from the community or world scene which stirred me to support, defend or oppose. However it all came back to the discipline of forming the material to be presented.

When the time came to be serious about writing Devotional material I had to approach it in a similar manner. There were word length requirements when I submitted to Upper Room Magazine. They really gave me my first real opportunity outside my denominational paper. When multi-published Debra White-Smith accepted some of my prose and poetry for two of her books on marital relationships I had to learn other arts of discipline. It is called pruning the excess and selecting the most striking way to say what I wanted said.

Out of all this grew a desire to let others into my convictions about the Lord Jesus, His Word and its transforming grace and power. Being a procrastinator I needed more that a desire. I needed the motivational incentive of my wife. Because she is a multi-published novelist and I went with her to various conferences, I met certain publishers. Enter Rochelle Manners of Wombat/Even Before Publishing books (now Rhiza). This lovely enterprising young woman was willing to give me a chance to publish some themed 31 Day Devotionals I’d put together.

What did I first present to her? ‘Children, God’s special interest’ and ‘From Eden with Love’ The latter is about what I discerned in the Scriptures about God’s heart for married couples. The debates about so called ‘marriage equality’, seeing marital breakdowns and the ignorance about God’s purpose re marriage fired me up to write. (Was this a ‘bug’ or a ‘whip’?) The one on Children stems from the joy I’ve had as a parent and grandparent combined with stories of child abuse.

The discipline I needed to write these and other devotionals was to plough through the concordance on all the relevant information it offered. Then it was ‘sifting, sorting, selecting and shaping it, plus seeding it’ with my own insights and experiences. It goes without too much saying that all this had associations with editing, cutting, pasting, tears and sometimes whoops of joy. Then comes the hopes, the fears and the waiting after it is sent to the publisher.

I’ve had the privilege of having four other devotional books printed. Each one encompasses some aspect of my conviction about God’s Word and life and faith. You can check them out on my blogsite. http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au

Would I write my heart even if no one wanted to publish what was written? Yes! For the following reasons:
i) It is good discipline for my soul as I research, especially the Scriptures.
ii) When I’m long gone to glory someone might read them and be helped.
iii) Then again there is the world of ‘the web’ which I believe Christians should make better use of in sharing their faith and convictions.

I will share some challenges Devotional writers face when next I have the opportunity to put words onto your computer through the grace of ACW. Ray (wanting the ‘bugs’ to bite) Hawkins.

The Single Dad Hero in Romance Novels (plus book giveaway)

by Narelle Atkins

The single dad hero is a popular storyline in the romance genre. My publisher, Harlequin, has a Glossary of Terms for the Romance Novel Novice on their website. The Single Father/Parent stories are defined as Stories highlighting the particular challenges of finding love as a single parent.

There are different dynamics at play in a romance story involving parents of small children. The romance plot will include the children in some capacity. The children may play a large or small role in the story, and the heroine will be falling in love with a ready-made family. 

Huffington Post published an article last year titled Single Dad: Should you date one? Romance writers find these types of articles interesting from a research perspective. The article talks about the potential problems and pitfalls facing women who date single fathers. Problems and pitfalls equal potential story ideas for creating conflict in a romance plot. 

The back story for a single dad romance can evolve in a myriad of ways in a general market romance. In contrast, a single dad hero in an inspirational/Christian romance is often a widower who has lost his wife in tragic circumstances. Christian publishers are aware that a portion of their readership may hold conservative values. As a result, they may choose not to publish romances with divorced main characters. 

Ben Morton, my hero in The Nurse’s Perfect Match, is an apple farmer and single dad who lost his wife to cancer. He struggles to understand why a loving God would take away the mother of his children. His late wife was also a Christian, and they had a strong marriage. Her death triggered a faith crisis in his life. 

My heroine, Amy Wilkins, is a widow who lost her husband when her marriage was in crisis. Her late husband made a cameo appearance in Falling for the Farmer. He was the big city doctor with his ear glued to his phone during the photo session after Amy’s sister’s wedding. Amy moves back home to Snowgum Creek. She works as a nurse in the medical clinic owned by Ben’s younger brother, Luke. 

Ben’s two children, Chloe and Declan, are minor characters who play an important role in the story. The romance plot would fall apart if Chloe and Declan weren’t in it. I think they’re cute kids, with their own unique personalities and quirks. They aren’t perfect children, and they do test their father’s patience at times. Chloe forms a special bond with Amy during the story. 

Their Uncle Luke and Aunty Rachel, Ben’s siblings, plus their paternal grandparents, are very proactive and involved in their lives. Luke is the hero in The Doctor’s Return, the next book in the series. 

Why do romance readers find single dad hero's appealing? I think the Huffington Post article provides a few answers to this question. The single dad hero has grown up, matured, and is taking care of himself and his children. He has proven he’s not going to disappear and shirk his family responsibilities. 

The heroine’s maternal instincts are awakened. She sees his nurturing and sensitive side by the way he loves and interacts with his children. Her heart is touched because she can envisage receiving the same love and tenderness from him. 

NURSE AMY WILKINS HAS COME HOME 

After her marriage ends in tragedy, Amy returns to Snowgum Creek to rebuild her life. There she meets widower Ben Morton, who's not looking for romance, though his young children are eager for Amy's attention. She's given up on her dream of being a mother, but can't ignore how she's drawn to Ben's little ones, and to their handsome farmer dad. 

As love kindles between Ben and Amy, she worries how she'll ever measure up to the wife he lost. And Ben is concerned about how Amy will ever truly fit into life on the farm. They could be the answer to each other's prayers—if the secret Amy is keeping doesn't tear them apart. 

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I’m excited that my second book, The Nurse’s Perfect Match, releases in ebook format tomorrow, May 1, and in print on May 6. To celebrate, I’m offering a print giveaway (worldwide, wherever The Book Depository delivers) of The Nurse’s Perfect Match to one of our blog readers. To entry the drawing, please leave a comment on this post and complete the Rafflecopter information below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you’re a romance reader, do you like single dad romances? Do you have a favourite single dad romance novel on your keeper shelf? Do you like reading fiction books, in any genre, that include children? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a six-book contract. 

She is also a member of International Christian Fiction Writers and Inspy Romance group blogs. 
http://internationalchristianfictionwriters.blogspot.com
http://www.inspyromance.com

Narelle is a co-founder with Jenny Blake of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). 
http://acrba.blogspot.com 

Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, and Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014. 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com 
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor 
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Encouraging the Next Generation of Writers.

The 'books' created by Tully's classmates in year 1. 

I had a completely different topic planned for today, but after reading Ellie’s fabulous interview with Lena Nelson Dooley (see below), I gained some fresh inspiration. Something Lena said resonated with me. The quote is:

‘I grew up in a family where everyone wrote, not for publication, just wrote.’

This statement made me think long and hard about the encouragement we give our children to write. 

I also wrote as a child. It was always fiction - big vibrant stories about crazy characters and even crazier situations. But somewhere along my childhood I lost my passion for writing. Maybe this was because I was steered into drama (which I also loved), but my writing fell by the wayside. Thankfully the Lord reminded me of my talent and renewed my passion.

Over the last few years I have taken this passion into my son’s classrooms. I talk to the children about the elements incorporated in books and writing, then give each student a blank booklet for them to write their own stories. It is amazing what these children produce. Their imaginations and talents astound me.

My son, Tully loves storytelling, and still produces his own 'books'. Recently he came home from school quite irritated. His third grade class had been given the task of completing a narrative. All the students were excited by this prospect until they were told they could not construct a story of their own. It had to be the story set out for them by the teacher. I can completely understand why a teacher would ask them to do this, but I shared his disappointment knowing how much these children love to write their own stories. It actually saddened me a little, because it was a task that seemed to lack passion.

It is so important that we encourage our young people to write their own stories. Who knows what passions we could be igniting when we share our enthusiasm for writing with the next generation?

I will finish off with the following ‘magnificent’ piece of writing. I encouraged Tully to dictate a report on a camping trip. He initially resisted the task, but then enjoyed it so much that he went on and on.

Here it is, in his words:

Mt Britton.

When I went to Mt Britton I saw 3 little creeks, a dead rat, lots of signs, and a very funny one. It said: ‘The owner of this land is very unstable – Smile’.

Mt Britton is a historical gold mining town near Nebo. The only things that are left are pieces of glass, an old fig tree to camp under, and some pieces of mining machinery. There are also lots of signs telling people about the past, and what was in the town.

A man planted the fig tree when the first white baby was born in the town.

Some of the buildings that used to be there are: A school, Mackay Hotel, Finch Hatton’s House, bee keepers. There are some random post signs too.

I went for walks. I mined for gold, but I didn’t find any.

I would definitely go there again because we finally got a piece of land up there, and if I am really good for Christmas I will get my own quad bike.  

Rose Dee is the author of the three book 'Resolution' series, and co-author of the Greenfield Legacy. You can visit Rose at; 

http://rosedee.com/