My Book Therapy

Splickety Magazine 1.4

By Splickety Magazine in Splickety Magazine

20 pages, published 5/6/2013

Check out our fourth issue of Splickety Magazine, a Special My Book Therapy Contest issue. Susan May Warren, founder of My Book Therapy and best-selling author of multiple novels, headlines this issue with a story that connects to her latest novel Take a Chance on Me. We’re also featuring a story by Best-selling author Rachel Hauck and the winner of My Book Therapy’s flash fiction contest–but you’ll have to read the issue to find out who it…

Hey Friends! I’m so thrilled to announce that My Book Therapy has partnered with Splickety Magazine for a fun Short Story Contest! Inside this great issue, you’ll find the winners, plus some fun articles on writing short stories (and how it benefits a novelist!) as well as a prequel short story by me for my upcoming book, Take a Chance on Me. Read it, enjoy it, and congrats to all the finalist…and a special high-five congratulations to the winner. !

Hope you’re writing something brilliant!…

Have a great writing week!

Susie May..

You’ve probably figured out by now I’m learning as I write these fairytale post.
We’ll compile them, clean them up and offer them to you in book format one day.
Anyway, I’ve been reviewing my original, “this is a fairytale” list and it’s quite shallow.
We’ve covered a lot of what I initially thought to elements of fairytales but now I realize there are all kinds of fun elements.

Belief
Your protagonists, your hero and heroine must believe in something, someone, in values, in the goodness of humanity.
In CBA novels, they should believe in, have hope in, the goodness of God.
As I review novels from new writers, even from established ones, often the core belief system is missing.
This ties into the “secret desire” of the heart or as I liked to call it “true essence.”
Michael Hauge explains that characters move from identity to essence.
A character starts out in his or her identity – who they think they are – and ends up in their essence – who they really are – by the end of the story.
To do this, the protagonist must have a core belief in something larger than himself.
This belief is what motivates him to face his fears, overcome and win the day.
In the movie, Remember The Titans, Coach Boone believes in himself. His identity as a good football coach is bolstered by his essence, “I’m a winner.”
Boone’s problem in the movie is overcoming racism as well as his own pride. He’s so locked in his identity as a winning coach he can’t see that winning also includes leading and loving others.
But that’s where he is at the end of the story. Partnering with his assistant coach, Yoast.
It was belief that powered Boone through the pressure, the racism and the monumental task of uniting a black and white team.
He’s arrogant in the beginning, but he’s loving in the end.
And a winner.
Cinderella believed that one day her prince would come.
It powered her through the dark days of serving her family.
Snow White believed in innocence.
I love the quasi-symbol of the dwarfs as children. Snow White took care of them. They took care of her. There was a belief in the goodness and kindness of others.
It was confirmed to Snow by the mercy of the Huntsman who did not kill her as his queen demanded.
In Lost In Nashvegas, Robin McAfee battled fear of singing in public.
But her secret desire was to be on stage singing her songs.
The power of that desire – her belief in music – overcame her fear. Eventually.
Does your character have a core belief?
Is there a hidden essence? If not, work it out.
Contrast the greatest fear with the secret desire. Muse over the protagonist identity verses essence.
The belief doesn’t need to stand up and salute the reader as they scan the pages but it should be a driving force as you write the scenes.
What caused Snow White to go with the Huntsman? What caused her to trust the dwarfs? What caused her to trust the ugly old lady?
Her belief that all people were good. Her innocence.
In the end, one innocent kiss restored her life.

Dream
The dream comes from the belief.
“I can trust people, so my life will be good. Or restored.”
Cinderella believed her prince would come so she shouldered on, practically a slave in her own home, because belief fueled her dream.
Prisoners of war in the Hanoi Hilton harbored a dream that they would one day go home. What was their belief?
That they’d live through the day.
Those who focused on just living through the day and it’s hardships survived better than those who focused on the future of “someday getting out.”
The more time went on and they remained in prison, the more they lost hope and courage.
They broke. Even died.
So, the dream must be real but grounded in a belief.
“I can survive today.”
“I can survive the night.”
“I can win this football game.”
“I can go on this date.”
“I can sing one song in front of a small crowd.”
The dream is what makes you get up and say the same thing the next day!
The dream for your protagonist is that what dwells in their hearts, their essence, what they believe is true and will come to pass.

Take a few moments to identify and map out these elements for your characters.

Happy Writing

Best-selling, award-winning author Rachel Hauck loves a great story. She excels in seeing the deeper layers of a story. With a love for teaching and mentoring, Rachel comes alongside writers to help them craft their novel.

A worship leader, board member of ACFW and popular writing teacher, Rachel is the author of over 15 novels. She lives in Florida with her husband and her dog, Lola. Contact her at: Rachel@mybooktherapy.com. Her next book, Once Upon A Prince, releases May 7!

Go forth and write!

Do you need help with your story idea, synopsis or proposal? How about some one-on-one craft coaching. Check out our menu of services designed to help you advance your writing dreams.

The villain. The antagonist. The one who causes the hero and heroine a bucket full of woes.
Fairytales revolve around the one-true-ones facing the dragon, an evil presence, the overwhelming odds and winning the day.
The prince in Sleeping Beauty literally slays the dragon to save his fair princess.
In Snow White, the prince defeats the curse with a kiss. Or, in our case, we can say the curse was defeated by love.
I’m telling you, the power and message of the Cross is all over the world, all over literature, if you dare to peer deep enough.
How do we use the power of evil or the villain in our modern day novels. Several ways.
If you’re writing a suspense or thriller, the answer is more profound. You, well, have a bad guy.
If you need to know more, watch Die Hard or Star Wars.
The bad guy’s job is to cause problems for the protagonist and toss up obstacle after obstacle.
Evil is almost always mature, crafty, experience and committed to the task of destroying hope, good and all the protagonist dreams.
I love this quote from “The Three Battlegrounds” by Francis Frangipane.
“Age and treachery will always defeat youth and zeal.”
Your villain or personified evil needs to be crafty and skilled, treacherous. A formidable foe!
The protagonist must need help to overcome.
Cinderella’s stepmama? Shrewd. Skilled in manipulation and control. She knew how to work it and she didn’t care what it cost Cindy.
Snow White’s stepmama? Down right demonic. Crafted a spell against her. She was mature in her wicked ways.
Create a foe that is more dastardly and more bold than your protagonist. But in the end, it’s the will, the humility, the love, the community around the protagonist that wins the day.
What makes formidable foes in modern stories?
Sickness. Spiritual darkness. If you’re writing a thriller or suspense you could actually have “on stage” demonic activity.
A manipulating parent or grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister.
A friend or co-worker.
Someone so drowning in their thirst for power or conquest they cannot see the lives they are destroying in the process.
Alcohol or drugs. Abuse. (Though it’s been done a lot in fiction.)
Political situations. Governments. Leaders. Racism or societal expectations or traditions.
What about an internal evil foe. In the Songbird Novels, I used fear to hamper and hinder Jade.
Panic attacks and depersonalization kept in her a darkness until love broke in when she met Max. But she had some battling and defeating to do.
Financial troubles. Bad decisions. What if your protagonist is a victim of continual bad decisions? Some she makes on her own, but many made for her.
Sure, that’s a weaker foe, but it’s quite a chore to get out of messes others have created.
Death. A very severe and defeating foe.
So think of your story. What is opposing your protagonist and how is it realized on the page.
Personified evil merely means the opposition to your characters is real and tangible.
In The Proposal, Margaret’s perceived evil is the American Immigration Office. It’s a steel door to her dreams, to her very identity. She must find a way around it.
Drew’s personified evil, if I may, is his relationship with his dad. He can’t face it. He can’t go around it. All he can do is hide from it until love forces him through it.
Evil is conquered by love. Drew telling Margaret he loves her.

Die Hard. Obvious evil. Terrorists attack the building where his wife works. She’s taken hostage and John McCain must gather all of his courage to defeat the foe.
Love is a driving force. But he also partners with a boots-on-the-ground police officer.
John cannot do it alone.

Your protagonist cannot defeat evil alone.
A core fiber of evil is isolation and aloneness. Wickedness says I need no one. I can do it all myself. I’m in control.
(Did you realize control is not a problem but a symptom?)

So to win the day, your protagonist needs love, a team, someone to fight for her. See the Needs to Be Rescued post.
Though it seems evil is winning when the black moment arrives and all seems lost, the protagonist, driven by love and hope, will find away.
You can use metaphors such a forgiveness or repentance of some kind, a life change, to signify the protagonist is ready to face evil and win.
In The Wedding Dress, my hero Tim gave up his motor cross bikes as a confession to his own soul, and before the Lord, he was ready to grow up and be a man.
Just as his brother drove away with his last bike, the heroine Charlotte shows up in the wedding dress with a revelation of her own.
Emily, my second heroine, confronted racism.
In Kim Cash Tate’s new novel, The Color of Hope, deep seated prejudice is the evil in the story. It drives one character into deeper evil.
But in the end, confronting prejudice and old mind sets, the characters and the town is changed.
And the confrontation was motivated by… you guessed it, love.

Oh, everyone should write and read romance.

So, you get the picture. Think of your story. How can you create an evil foe so that it’s tangible on the page?
Consider these things:
1. What problems is my protagonist facing? Can you up the obstacle by increasing the force and maturity of the problems?
2. Are her problems internal or external? Can you layer in more issue,s if say, the problems are only internal?
3. Can you create a living breathing villain?
4. What about a metaphorical villain? Fear. Doubt. Expectations. Belief system.
5. Is there something supernatural going on?

Also, create that strong support cast. Who supports the protagonist? Who encourages her to overcome?
If you’re not writing a romance, what love element helps the protagonist overcome? Cinderella had the prince but she also had the mice and bird brigade.
1. Snow White had seven dwarfs.
2. Drew had his Gammy and mother.
3. Jade, in the Songbird Novels, had her husband, her mother, and the Spirit of God.
4. Joy, in Dining with Joy, had a villain in rival cooking show host, Wenda Divine. She overcame by the love of the hero, Luke.

Think outside the box. Turn the box upside down. In fact, the box is so far away it’s a dot on the horizon.
Create formidable foes and you’ll have readers turning the page.

Happy Writing.

Best-selling, award-winning author Rachel Hauck loves a great story. She excels in seeing the deeper layers of a story. With a love for teaching and mentoring, Rachel comes alongside writers to help them craft their novel.

A worship leader, board member of ACFW and popular writing teacher, Rachel is the author of over 15 novels. She lives in Florida with her husband and her dog, Lola. Contact her at: Rachel@mybooktherapy.com. Her next book, Once Upon A Prince, releases May 7!

Go forth and write!

Do you need help with your story idea, synopsis or proposal? How about some one-on-one craft coaching. Check out our menu of services designed to help you advance your writing dreams.

Last week, Hubby and I spent a day in New York City.

It was cold but beautiful. Busy, loud and fun.

When I saw Cinderella was playing at the Broadway Theater, well, I couldn’t resist.

My friend Tanya and I dragged our hubbies to the classic theater and the classic of all classic fairytales.

As I watched the show unfold under the lights, I was enthralled.

Enchanted.

Cinderella is a story of goodness. That if you do the right thing, good will win out in the end.

Every fairytale must have an element of goodness.

Of light in the midst of darkness.

Hope.

We’ve talked a lot in this fairytale series about Cinderella. How she maintained a good heart in the midst of her trials.

The step-mother, though evil, just wants a better life for her daughters.

She’s just all twisted around the axel on how to get it.

The Prince merely wants true love.

Goodness. Hope.

So, how do we demonstrate hope and goodness in the midst of our protagonist’s trial?

Let’s go back to the movie The Proposal.

Margaret Tate is all about herself. She’s kind of the opposite of Cinderella.

But when she starts to see how she’s robbing Drew’s family of the truth, she has a change of heart.

She abandons the fake marriage plans.

Goodness…

But Drew knows what’s transpired between them. He’s determined not to let Margaret go. He chases her to the airport, then back to New York City.

Because he has hope for them.

Fairy tales showcase how good wins over evil. Love triumphs over hate and bitterness.

As Christian authors with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living in us, our stories are the perfect canvas to show the love and goodness of God.

But with the fairytale like quality.

So, how do we do that? Give our stories the fairy tale quality of love and goodness.

After all, isn’t tension supreme? Don’t we need that in all of our novels?

1. Set up your protagonist with a “good want.” Cinderella “wanted” true love. She “wanted” her prince to come. You can showcase goodness from the onslaught of the story by setting up a worthy goal.

2. Let your protagonist make good choices. Cinderella chose to go to the ball and abide by the rules of the night — home by midnight. Sure, there could’ve been lots of conflict, tension and drama if she decided to push the limits and remain dancing in the arms of her prince. But she chose to leave when she’d been commanded. We cheer for her. We love her all the more for choosing well even though it cost her a piece of her heart.

3. Demonstrate how they love others. This is tricky. We don’t want the story to be about external events and outside drama, but set up a small subplot that allows your heroine and hero to love others well.

In my book, Love Starts With Elle, our heroine is dealing with her own troubles as well as her younger sister’s. I used her love and aid to her sister to show Elle’s goodness in the midst of her own trials.

4. Give a hint of the victory. While the protagonist must go through a valley of obstacles, remember to keep a glimpse of the hope and truth throughout the story. She will get what she wants. He will win the day.

In Cinderella, there’s the constant hope that the Prince will find her. In the Roger’s and Hammerstein version, the Prince and Cindy meet right away as she’s helping an old beggar woman in town. Later at the ball he can’t help but think he’s meet her before.

“Yes, you have, you have,” we cheer as we go along with the story. “Just wait… you’ll figure it out.”

So, give the reader a glimpse of the hope and goodness shining through.

5. Deliver a bit of beauty. By that, I mean give us a sense of the beauty and worthiness of the protagonist goal. Is it worthy to want true love? Or justice? Absolutely!

You can also deliver beauty through the setting and the secondary characters.

In Cinderella, one of the step-sisters turns out to be sweet and nice. There’s beauty in the “animal friends,” and the fairy godmother.

So, show a hint of beauty.

Happy Writing.

We’re back to the fairytale and the indomitable hero. If you want to read what Tolkien says about fairytales, have at it. Here’s a link. If you pair it down to something akin to a Happy Meal, shot me an email! I’d like to read it.

As much as I appreciate Tolkien’s exegesis on the fairytale, and probably his brilliance far above my own, I can’t get into the long details and descriptions.

It’s like a doctoral study. I need a Ph. D.  handed to me when I’m done reading it.

So, I have to go with a more modern and brief description of the fairytale hero.

Let’s recap from the web site Den of Geeks about heroines:

“We don’t care who they are, or what it is that makes them interesting. They can be thin, or not. They can be beautiful, or not. A bit divvy, or not. They can be brave or clever or French or irritable or really into papier mâché or fly fishing… or not. Whatever. We just want our film heroines interesting. Please, before you give them a suit of armour and a sword, give them a personality.”

Here, here. So let’s retool it for heroes. We want them to be interesting. But before putting our hero in a fight or saddling up a white steed and riding him through battle, give him a wound, a lie, a fear, a secret desire, a story goal.

Give him a heart! We love strong men with heart. Even a Beta male character — not an Alpha Male — can be both strong with heart.

Give your hero a story to tell.

Here’s a few things to avoid:

1. A Maudlin Hero. No one like a morose guy wearing all his self pity on his sleeve. Yes, your hero must have some kind of flaw and struggle because stories are about overcoming struggles and coming to truth. Don’t make him too apologetic or too “I’ve evaluated my life and now I see how I need to change.” No one comes to change that easily. Let the dude wrestle out of his old skin into his  new.
2. A Perfect Attitude. No one is perfect, especially heroes. We don’t have many examples of fairytale like heroes but the Beast certainly didn’t have a good attitude. It’s why he was trapped in his beastly body. Prince Charming, in Cinderella, was a reluctant son. He didn’t want to do his father’s bidding. He would’ve never attended the ball if it’d not been sprung on him. He was about to make his escape when he saw Cindy come into the ballroom. So, don’t make your hero too perfect. remember, he is attracted to the heroine, but resisting it from some very good reason you’ve invented.
3. A Rude Dude. I see this a lot. Trying to make the hero manly and he ends up being rude. Don’t do that. He’s flawed, weak but not rude. Read your dialog out loud. Does he sound rude? Or abrupt? Even a little bit will sound magnified to a reader. But, if he’s a bit snippy or testy, give him a reason.

So now that we no not what to do with fairytale like heroes, let’s look at what we should capture about them.

1. The Supernatural. There is always something supernatural, other worldly, about fairytales so make sure you hero has some kind of super power. The Beast is a man trapped inside the body of a beast. Symbolic of his crusty heart. Photogen in Photogen and Nycteris is an amazing hunter. That’s where he gets his confidence. In the end, it’s how he wins the day and defeats evil. What can your hero do that makes him “win the day?
   What trait does your hero have that no one else has in the story? What can he do that is uniquely his? It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just unique. Consider the attributes of your hero and figure what super power will get him through the story. What will cause him to overcome in the end and see the truth. Tie his super power to his story journey. He believes with his heart’s eyes.
2. Strength. Fairytale heroes demonstrate some kind of strength. In Sleeping Beauty, the prince hero fights the dragon to save Beauty. Photogen fights the evil witch that has imprisoned him and Nycteris. This strength is part of the hero’s charm, and perhaps a trait he are not aware they posses until love has consumed his heart. Show us he’s strong by his actions. Maybe he’s not even really aware of it. It’s instinctive to him.
3. Humility. All fairytale heroes must be humble. He is not self-seeking.He can be larger than life, like a Mr. Darcy, or Prince Charming, but he must exhibit humility. If not early on, then soon enough. Show he has a heart. Ultimately, he must lay down his “life” for the heroine. Not literally die, but give up his pride or who he thinks he is and surrender to love that requires a whole heart. Jesus is the ultimate hero.
4. Love. A fairytale hero believe in love. He craves it, wants it, dreams of it, looks for it. But love must be genuine. Sincere. Worth giving up his independence and identity for. He believes in Happily Ever After. His wounds cannot keep him from love. Obstacles cannot keep him from love. A fairytale hero conquers the dragons and obstacles to win love.

Let’s look at a few heroes with fairytale like qualities:

Mr. Darcy. The strong silent type. Slightly stubborn. A defender of honor, yet so very careful with his own heart. He wants a woman of substance, then when he meets her he’s not prepared to take her on. She challenges his heart, his values, his opinions. It’s not going to be easy to live the the type of women he wants. But he pushes through and finally realizes he must go for the one he loves. In the midst of that, he uses his super power — his wealth and connections — to save the youngest Bennett girl from  her foolishness. Well done, Mr. Darcy!

Drew Paxton. The Proposal hero is enduring an overbearing strong, determined, cold and distant female boss. Why? Because he knows what he wants. Heroes do that. Endure for what they want. They want a future. A way to build a career, support a family. Achieve the dream. But we see Drew is also a bit wounded as he battles his father’s disapproval of his career choice. His choice is noble — to reach people with the written word — so he endures. He’s not a pushover. He speaks his mind. He’s a man who loves his family. So, even though he works for Margaret, we see a man who is carving his way in society.

Jack Callahan. While You Were Sleeping. Love this hero. He’s quiet, but not brooding. He’s honorable. Even when he’s falling in love with Lucy, he won’t do anything to steal her from his arrogant older brother. He is not jealous or vindictive. He works for his dad even though he wants to do something else for a living. You can depend on Jack. He may seem like a Beta male, but hold on now. While he’s not charging into Lucy’s life on a white steed, he is rescuing her from a very lonely life. Even at cost to his own heart. He’s humble. He doesn’t make Lucy choose between him and his brother because he loves her. “Love does not seek it’s own.” But in the end, Jack gets the girl. And what does he do? Fulfills her dream. HERO!

Take time to consider your hero. Step back and evaluate. Is he kind? Is he a victor or victim? What is he willing to do for others at his own personal sacrifice? What can he do that no one else can do?

Work these elements into your character. He’ll be stronger for it.

Happily Ever After Writing!

Best-selling, award-winning author Rachel Hauck loves a great story. She excels in seeing the deeper layers of a story. With a love for teaching and mentoring, Rachel comes alongside writers to help them craft their novel.

A worship leader, board member of ACFW and popular writing teacher, Rachel is the author of over 15 novels. She lives in Florida with her husband and her dog, Lola. Contact her at: Rachel@mybooktherapy.com.

Go forth and write!

Do you need help with your story idea, synopsis or proposal? How about some one-on-one craft coaching. Check out our menu of services designed to help you advance your writing dreams.