Author Joanne Bischof ~ And a Six Author Giveaway

I've been waiting a long time to share this post with all of you! Joanne Bischof emailed it to me weeks ago in preparation for this series! It's a wonderful example of how an author uses Pinterest for her writing--and how a reader can experience a deeper connection with a story. Joanne is also here today to celebrate the release of her novel, My Hope is Found, the third and final book in the Cadence of Grace series. (By the way, if you haven't read this series, you are missing a magnificent tale! Joanne's debut novel, Be Still My Soul, the first in the Cadence of Grace series, was nominated for the prestigious Christy Award.)

Joanne's guest post is the fifth in a six week author spotlight series I'm doing here. Week one I hosted author Jody Hedlund, week two I hosted author Laura Frantz, week three I hosted author Wendy Paine Miller, and week four I hosted author Melissa Tagg. Check back here next Wednesday for the last author in this series. At the bottom of this post I'll tell you how you can win a fun gift basket from these six authors!

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As a writer, I love Pinterest. As a mom, I love Pinterest. As a fan of double-fudge peanut butter brownies…well you get the pattern! Pinterest has only been around for a few years, but it’s a great resource. Handy for life, and as a writer, handy in the world of story building. For readers and writers alike, this online pin board has been bridging the gap between words on the page, and the visuals that can often inspire them.

Characters

 

For characters, I pin to a board called that magic something. I don’t entirely know what that means, but it’s just that: that thing we can’t quite put our finger on, those quirks and appeals that make someone an intriguing character for a book.

All character boards are different, mainly depending on the setting and time period and the author’s preferences. As a writer of Appalachian romance, I’m often drawn to people who aren’t buttoned too high and tight and have a bit of rustic edge to them. It fits well with my genre and the people of the mountains I love to write about. One of the great things about character boards is following those of other writers! There are a ton of great ones out there and one of my favorites is that by Laura Frantz, called novel faces. Positively delightful! She captures a great human emotion and intrigue in a way that we can see deeper into the stories she has written, all the while yearning for more. 

Dress

I confess, as an Appalachian writer, I don’t have a dress board, mainly because with my period and region, dress was usually pretty simple. Homespun, affordable and frugal, dresses and shirts were rarely fashionable and often used until they were too threadbare to make it another day, then cut up for a quilt or curtains. But there are writers out there with genres that have exquisite history dress. Whether it’s the Civil War era or Edwardian England, there are some phenomenal boards that capture the costumes and dress of a time period.

 

Some of these pin boards are Gabrielle’s very own! Her 1850’s board is chockfull of stunning gowns and accessories that would not only help her pay close attention to the fashions in her writing, but must be incredibly inspiring for her as she’s in the decision stage of what a character would wear for a particular scene or event. I’m always amazed by boards like these and the rich attention to detail that they represent.
 
Setting

Not only with spotting characters, Pinterest is incredibly helpful for settings. Scenery, homes, tools, fabrics… the list goes on and on. For a glimpse into the 1950’s, Carla Stewart’s, Nostalgia and Vintage is a great one. There are so many fantastic boards that writing this post is like trying to choose a favorite flavor of ice cream! Impossible. J

My main setting board is called the spirit of Appalachia. I’ve been pinning there for nearly two years and it’s really just a gathering of inspirational images that remind me of Appalachia: the mountains, the people, animals, farms and on. Images that either remind me of actual scenes from my books, or could serve as potential inspiration for future scenes.

 

In addition, setting boards are great for writer’s block! When I was working on Though My Heart is Torn, the second book in the Cadence of Grace series, I knew the story needed something. My editing deadline was coming to an end, and I just couldn’t put my finger on what was missing within the story. I may have panicked and whipped up a batch of brownies (for moral support, of course). Then… knowing that the writer’s block had to be conquered, I poked around in my setting board for a while and stumbled upon a picture of an old white church on a foggy day. It sparked something in my mind, the root of a scene that ended up being the entire chapter 56 from the book. Surprisingly, it became one of my favorite scenes in the entire story. If you’ve read the scene of Gideon in the churchyard, you’ll probably recognize that picture!

While I think that many of us writers still enjoy shredding magazines to pieces, hunting inspiring faces as we walk through a crowded courtyard, or being captivated by a piece of scenery in an old postcard, being able to catalog so much of that online… and share it with readers…has been a phenomenal new tool in the last few years! Let’s chat:

QUESTIONS FOR MY BLOG READERS: As a reader, do Pinterest boards give you a richer experience of the story? As a writer, in what ways do you use Pinterest for your story building?

Gabrielle here: Joanne, thank you for this lovely blog post! I love how Pinterest has enriched our writing, and reading, experience.

Joanne has graciously agreed to give away a free copy of her new release, My Hope is Found, to one of the blog readers who comments on this post between now and Tuesday, October 29th at 11:59 p.m. CST. Please leave your email address under your comment!

Last weeks winner of Made to Last by author Melissa Tagg is:

Susan Johnson!

Congratulations, Susan. I'll be contacting you soon! 

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After finally finding love with his sweet bride Lonnie, Gideon’s heart was torn when a woman from his past claimed to be his true and rightful wife, forcing him away from his family. God’s merciful hand saw Gideon through the heartache, and with Cassie’s blessing, he is able to return home. But his journey back through the Blue Ridge Mountains will hold a trial he never anticipated.

Meanwhile, Lonnie determines to seal off her heart from Gideon, convinced he is lost to her forever. Strengthening her resolve to move on is her growing fondness for the handsome Scotsman, Toby McKee—the young reverend she has come to care for deeply. His proposal of marriage offers a bright future for her and her young son.

Yearning to allow joy back into her life, Lonnie must put aside the broken pieces of her heart that still love Gideon. When he returns to find her betrothed to another, he has to place his hope in God, trusting that the One who redeemed their love once can do it again.

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Married to her first sweetheart, Joanne Bischof lives in the mountains of Southern California where she keeps busy making messes with their home-schooled children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life. My Hope is Found is the third novel in her Cadence of Grace series.

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Six Authors, One Grand Prize!

The Grand Prize:
A $25 Amazon eGift Card (not pictured) from Gabrielle Meyer
A stationary and notepad set from Jody Hedlund
A handmade jewel bookmark from Laura Frantz
A multi-colored peacock necklace from Wendy Paine Miller
A copy of the movie Christmas in Connecticut from Melissa Tagg
Book one in the Cadence of Grace Series & a worship CD from Joanne Bischof
A black & brown scarf from Heather Day Gilbert

Over the course of six weeks I will be hosting six authors on my blog. Each author has agreed to offer a free copy of their newest release, as well as an item for a grand prize drawing at the end of the six weeks! To be entered to win a free copy of each book, all you need to do is visit my blog weekly (beginning September 25th) and comment on each author's post. A random winner will be chosen each week. To be entered to win the grand prize, visit my Rafflecopter below and follow the instructions. If you do each thing listed you'll earn 45 chances to win the grand prize! Don't forget to visit here each Wednesday to earn more chances!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway