• About
  • Fiction
  • Non-Fiction
  • How Can I Accept Christ?
  • Join Michelle’s Email List!
  • Warrior Wives
  • Consult with Michelle

Michelle Stimpson.com

~ Where Writing and Faith Got Married

Michelle Stimpson.com

Tag Archives: michelle stimpson

Latest Release – Step of Faith

16 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Books by Michelle Stimpson

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

african american christian fiction, christian fiction, christian romance, faith fiction, goodbooks, inspirational fiction, inspirational romance, kindle reads, mama b, michelle stimpson, writing fiction

Hello there!

I hope you are enjoying Spring wherever you are. It’s beauty surprises me every year. No matter what’s happening in the world, who’s being investigated, who’s fighting whom, or what dangers lurk ahead, the flowers remind me that He is yet on the throne!

Speaking of fresh beginnings, I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Ms. Frenchie Davenport, the main character in a new series of books I’m co-authoring with CaSandra McLaughlin. The series is called “Magnolia Gardens”, which is the name of the senior living facility where Frenchie recently moved. She’ll meet a cast of characters who will become her new family. They’re really not the problem. It’s her “old” family that’s causing all the issues! What’s she to do about a grown son who thinks he’s entitled to her money? And what about the daughter who rarely keeps in touch? These are the kinds of things we face as we age and our loved ones age, too.

You can check out the video of Cassandra and I talking about this series here. (Note: We’ve been told that we’re quite a team on camera as well!)

I pray that this series will be a blessing to you and that you’ll grow to love the characters as much as we do!

Order Here!

 

 

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Most Valuable Quotes of My Writing Career

12 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Books by Michelle Stimpson, For Writers, Uncategorized

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

african american christian fiction, authors, christian fiction, michelle stimpson, publishing contracts, self-publishing, talents, writing, writing books, writing fiction

Vector modern  gray circle icon

  1. “We need to talk!” As a new author, I was very unsure about the culture of the industry. But one day Tiffany L. Warren and I sat around after a book signing talking, chatting, and comparing notes. It showed me that authors need to learn to stick together and share what works.
  2. “You don’t need to write like anybody else.” Fellow Walk Worthy Press author Stanice Anderson told me this before I had even finished the first draft of my first novel. Her advice freed me to just write what the Lord had put on my heart and not compare myself to others.
  3. “Get up!” If you’re sitting at your book table/booth at an event, do not sit down and hide behind your books. Get up, pass out your bookmark and meet people! Advice given by the late Francis Ray. She was also the first author to tell me that, often, the advance is the only money a writer will ever see, so negotiate for as much up front as possible when you’re dealing with a major publisher.
  4. “The best way to promote books and build your audience is to write more good books.” I learned this from following J.A. Konrath’s blog. I have never met him in person, but his blog was an invaluable resource to me when I went indie back in 2012. While I think the landscape of promoting ebooks has changed, this was such a fire-starter.
  5. “Write the books and publish them!” Vanessa Miller was ahead of the curve when it came to independently publishing ebooks on Kindle. When she and I sat down and really talked strategy as well as money, it made all the difference in my career (see #2)!
  6. “Either you publish these short stories or I will publish them and you can sue me later.” A co-worker whose students loved my short stories pushed me to start WeGottaRead.com, where I’ve published over 50 short stories and been read by thousands of kids/teachers worldwide.
  7. “I’ll find some stock art for the cover.” Okay. This is kinda bad and kinda not bad. Here goes: I was considering hiring this guy to do a book cover for me. He said he was going to charge me $600 and that he would find “stock art” to make the cover. I thought $600 was quite expensive, so I didn’t hire him. But that term “stock art” stuck in my head because it sounded like something…well…”in stock.” So after our meeting, I Googled the term. A whole new world opened up to me, and I knew there was no way I was gonna pay somebody $600 to go find a $20 picture for me and slap some words on it. Granted, there’s more to making a book cover than this, but this experience taught me to do my homework before hiring folks in this industry. Experts do need to be paid for their time/effort, but in my book, $600 is exorbitant unless the designer is actually having a photo session with models and the picture will be exclusive.
  8. “Are you ready to write your next book?” When my first publisher, Denise Stinson, spoke these words to me, I was like, “Huh?” I honestly thought Boaz Brown would be my one-hit-wonder. I was gonna write one book, be able to call myself an “author” for the rest of my life, and be happy. While this book is still of my most beloved titles to date, I didn’t realize that it was only the beginning. Denise’s question made me think differently about myself as a professional writer.
  9. “Can you bring home some milk?” On the flip side to #8, this is the question my daughter asked me on the phone after I’d finished telling her that I had been nominated for an award. Kids don’t really care what you do, how “famous” we are, or if we’ve been called for Oprah’s book club. They really just want to know that Momma is there and will take care of them. Having a family in the midst of all this writing has kept me grounded.
  10. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” Psalm 23:6. Somehow, some way, this verse spoke to me when I was about 23 years old. I just took it straight out of the Bible and made it mine. So when I wrote my first book five years later and sent it off to the first publisher who came to mind, I wasn’t deterred by the rejection letter. I just sent it off to the next publisher, and they wanted it. In fact, they published it in hardcover (I didn’t know that was a big deal at the time). I also didn’t know how hard it was supposed to be to snag a deal with a major publisher, particularly as an African-American in 2001. In retrospect, I’m GLAD I didn’t know. Had I focused on all the difficulties instead of Psalm 23:6, I might have thrown in the towel before ever trying. Because of His love and His Word, I expect goodness and mercy, and that has made all the difference in my life as a writer and beyond. He is good!

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Three Hair Lessons

02 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Uncategorized

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

life lessons, michelle stimpson, natural hair, natural hair journey

This is my third time returning to natural hair. The first time, I changed my mind about six months into the process. I just couldn’t get over how big my face was (LOL!). I have no pictures from that attempt.

 HairJourneys

The second time, I made it through but I was very discouraged along the way because I had no idea what my hair would look like in its natural state once it grew out.  I would look at other people’s natural hair and think, “Will mine will look like hers?” or “When will it be long enough to…?” and “Can my hair do that, too?”

I even called my aunt (who used to comb my hair before I got perms) and asked her if she remembered my original texture. She was like, “It laid down when I put water and lotion on it and brushed it.”

I thought to myself, “I suppose that’s good if I want to wear my hair in ponytails.”

Oh, the anxiety. What if I don’t even like it in the end?

Not until the fall of 2011 did I begin to really “feel” my hair. By that time, I’d gone through enough products to know what worked/didn’t work, how long I could go between shampoos, which conditioners made my hair too soft to hold a twist, and how many days it needed to dry in its twists to look “just right”. My bangs had even been trained to lay down on my forehead. Padow!

Then something happened and I had to take a break from being natural*. No biggie, but it was a nice break.

As of June, 2014, I started my third natural hair journey. But this time, I have no issues. I’m not impatient or anxious. Why? Well, because I’ve learned a few things…

THREE LESSONS FROM THESE JOURNEYS:

1) My hair isn’t exactly like anyone else’s. Even the same texture looks different on my face. Yes, my forehead is a five-head. Yes, I have a full face – I always have. Even when I was a  “po” (that’s what my grandma calls skinny people) I had an extra cheeky-face like hers and my great-grandfather’s. This is my face. God says it is good. I agree.

2) It’s okay to change things up. When I took the break from being natural (natural hair can be hard work, y’all) I actually enjoyed rocking my straight hair. It was kind of fun – except for the time I thought something was crawling on the back of my neck when, in actuality, it was just a loose strand. My daughter cracked up laughing. I cut it short after that.

longinterimshortdo

 

 

 

 

 

3) There’s something to be said about how you rest in the journey when you already have a vision for what the end will be like. Believers – RELAX! (Not your hair, necessarily, but definitely your soul!) Let’s live like we already know what the end’s gonna be because we DO! We WIN for eternity!

In His Love,

authorsignature

 

 

Michelle Stimpson

* If you must know, what had happened was: I accidentally altered my curl pattern one day – left a texturizer on too long while sitting in front of the computer. This was after I had already started cutting on it because it was so thick and big, my neck and arms would hurt from all the different contortions needed to achieve my two-strand twists. I needed a break for real!

____________

Michelle Stimpson is the national bestselling author of 25 books and more than 50 short stories. Check out her latest books!

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Creative Itch

20 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

african american christian fiction, authors, christian fiction, creativity, michelle stimpson, spirituality, talents, writing fiction

Are you multi-talented? Do you have, like, a TON of things you can do well? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. I’m a firm believer that if you’re faithful with your gifts, you get the chance to use even more (Luke 12:48).

Hands working on pottery wheel ,  retro style toned

An artist is always thinking of ways to express creativity. When I break between projects, I pick up little fun things that keep my creative juices flowing.

bracelets

Scripture Bracelets

Scripture Bracelets – I started making these in 2006 to keep the word in my face constantly. Later, my daughter and I started making these. It was a bonding activity for us. However, when she turned 16 she got a “real” job that paid more than Momma. Now, I just make them when I get the chance.

Acting – In the last few months, I’ve received 2 invitations to make cameo appearances in plays. I’m in!

kalendrawing

Drawing of my daughter

Drawing – I drew this one of my daughter when she was 2 years old. I can’t draw mouths well, so I put a pacifier in her mouth. Hey – it worked. She always had the binky in her mouth anyway!

Exercise Video – When I tell people about my exercise video that only consists of words and music, they crack up! Who needs somebody on the screen if you already know the moves in your head?

Yes, this is the screenshot of the video. My favorite songs play. I know what to do!

Creating Book Covers – I dabbled in this last year and actually sold several of my pre-made designs. What I’ve learned, however, is that I’m really not that good at custom designs yet. It’s far too time-consuming for me at this point in my development. I think I still have 2 more that I’ve agreed to do, but I gotta slow down and perfect some things for now.

bookcoversall

By the way, these pre-made covers are available for $50 each! Email (stimpson.michelle at gmail.com) me if you want one!

What about you? How do you scratch that creative itch?

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

A Day in the Life of a Writer

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Audio / Video Posts, Books by Michelle Stimpson, For Writers

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

african american christian fiction, authors, christian fiction, michelle stimpson, novels, publishing, self-publishing, writing, writing blog, writing books, writing fiction

For YEARS, I have been resistant to blogging. I’ve even blogged about how much I don’t blog very often because I just don’t have the time. But last week, after reading a blogger’s recap of her typical day, I caught the blogging bug. I mean, I really, really caught it.

Write Sign, Love for Writing, for writers and authors.

In hopes of inspiring those who have been trying to decide if writing is something you might want to do full-time, I’ll share my typical day (6 days a week):

7:30 am – Wake up but stay in bed. Change the channel from ESPN to TBN. Listen to Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, John Hagee and Joseph Prince while dozing in and out.

9:30 am – Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast. Replay episodes of ministers (from above) that I really wanted to listen to closely while I’m getting dressed. Stretch or maybe exercise for a little bit while listening.

10:15am – Go to the prayer closet. Read, study the Word, journal, pray.

12:15 pm – Write fiction

1:00 pm – Eat lunch.

1:30 pm – Return the morning’s phone calls. Handle inside-the-house business (i.e. update sales chart, schedule free books, sales, ads, read professional blogs, etc.)

2:30 pm – Write fiction, social media

4:00 pm – Handle outside business (i.e. post office, groceries, stuff my husband put on my list of things-to-do because he thinks I do nothing all day)

5:00 pm – Housework, listen to podcasts or other material that grows me professionally or spiritually. Eat.

6:00 pm – Write fiction

7:30 pm – Break. Watch TV with my husband while he unwinds. He likes reality TV shows or sports. I don’t like either of those, but I do what I have to do.

9:00 pm – Write. Might be fiction, might be a presentation, perhaps a blog J

11:00 pm – Update daily sales chart.

11:15 – Call it a night. Pack my husband’s lunch. Go to bed.

Following this schedule, I’ll get anywhere from 1500-2000 words of fiction written daily.

I answer email messages and phone calls as well as post on social media throughout the day. My husband is also home some days and may work at different times, so there’s some variety.

Sometimes I go to bed around 11:30 pm, sometimes I stay up until after midnight to write if I’m really on a roll or under a deadline. On those nights, I look like this video.

So, tell me…is this what you thought the writing life was like? If you’re an artist, what’s your typical day like?

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Avoiding Distractions While Writing

25 Monday Aug 2014

Posted by michellestimpson1 in For Writers

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

michelle stimpson, novellas, novels, publishing, writing, writing blog, writing books, writing fiction

Fellow author Jeaninne Stokes and I recently corresponded about a common question: How do you keep from getting distracted by your writing while writing. Specifically, if you’re working on chapter three, how do you keep from going back and fixing something in chapter one without getting stuck in chapter one again?

Just so you know: I am not the queen of staying-on-track. However, I have devised a few tricks that keep me from getting completely derailed when I write.

1. Write description later – If I’m writing a restaurant scene and I have no idea what the restaurant looks like, but I know exactly what I want my characters to say to one another at their table conversation, I skip to the conversation because I don’t want to mess up my flow. I make myself a note in the text (see below) and then I come back through and describe the restaurant when I revise (which is AFTER I finish the entire first draft). By the time I start revisions, I probably will have gone out to a restaurant with my friends and thought, “Oh! This looks like the kind of place for that scene!” and then I’ll insert the description. One note: Now that I’m more conscious of using “character as setting” thanks to my critique buddy Lynne Gentry, I want to make sure to include details that add to the mood of the scene.

point1

2. Research small things later – If a character was born on a Tuesday in October of 1947, I may need to know an actual date so I’m going to have to look this up. But if I stop writing and skip on over to the internet to look up the 1947 calendar, there’s a good chance I’ll get distracted by a whole bunch of stuff that took place in 1947 and I really don’t need to be in the internet at that moment. So, I make myself a note within the text (like above) and come back to it later. The internet is probably my #1 distraction when it comes to writing. I try to stay off of it when I’m composing.

3. Keep a document called “Things to Fix Later” – While I’m working, I keep another word processing file open entitled “Things to Fix Later.” Every single book I’ve written has had such a file in its folder. In that file, I keep notes about what needs to change in a previous chapter now that something relevant has unfolded in a later chapter. Even if I have a pretty good outline, things still change as I write.  (Spoiler alert – the picture below is from my book The Start of a Good Thing.

Screen shot of my list of things to fix.

Screen shot of my list of things to fix.

When I go through the revision process, I fix these issues.

Okay, my fellow authors, that’s all I have to share for today. I hope these little hints will help you make your way to the final chapter! Please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments.

Be blessed 🙂

authorsignature

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

First-Person or Third-Person?

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Uncategorized

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

african american christian fiction, authors, christian fiction, fiction writing, michelle stimpson, self-publishing, writing, writing blog, writing fiction

Blank notepad and pencil

I had an interesting conversation this morning with fellow author Nigeria Lockley about whether to tackle a book in first- or third-person. Our conversation sparked some ideas worth sharing because this question comes up often in workshops and even in critique group. Of the 21 fiction books I have written, 11 are first-person and 10 are third-person narratives. I speak from this body of experience only and I do hope other writers will chime in on the comments.

My first book, Boaz Brown, came easily as a first-person novel because in many ways, I am LaShondra. We’re both educators, we both grew up in a Dallas suburb, we have the same church background and were raised in almost identical family structures. Couple that familiar background with the fact that I’ve been keeping a journal since the age of 12 and one can see how I found it fairly easy to sustain a first person book for 300+ pages.

Then came the challenge with my second novel, Divas of Damascus Road. It’s a book about several women in a family dealing with drama. I started off writing the book in first-person because that was my style, but I got about five chapters into it and realized the story wasn’t working. I called my publisher, Denise Stinson, and told her my dilemma. I felt like someone had turned on a light in my head when she said, “Why don’t you try changing it to third person and see how it sounds?” I ran with her suggestion and the book came to pass, but I confess: I didn’t like writing it as much because I didn’t feel as connected to the characters.

Since those experiences, I ask myself a few questions when it comes to deciding on point of view.

1. Who can tell the story best? If one very strong character has an excellent vantage point and has enough personality to tell the story, try first-person. Mama B is the kind of character who is very opinionated and has so many quirky little country, old-school sayings, no one call tell the story quite like she can. I don’t think she would want anyone else telling her story. I like the plots in her books, but (in my mind) it’s really all about being close to a godly woman like Mama B and seeing her relationship with God grow even at her age.

2. Is this more about the plot or the character? While ultimately good fiction brings both into play, if the book is more about what happens than who’s telling it, try third-person. You can be in lots of different places and know what’s going on “Meanwhile, back at the farm.” Unlike Kendra Norman-Holmes who always keeps men at the forefront of her books, I have a really hard time writing male main characters. I don’t think like a man, so it’s hard for me to go first-person with a male character. Anyway, my first attempt at a male main character came with the book Stepping Down. It was an especially tough go for me since it was a full-length novel rather than a novella. While the main character, Mark, does undergo his character arc, the message of this book was paramount in my brain. There was also a sub-plot going on behind his Mark’s back that needed to be told through is wife’s eyes, so third-person was the only way I could make it work.

3. Would I want to read this story in first- or third- person? This is kind of a tricky question because I’ll read a well-written first-person book over a good third-person book any day, but I still have to ask myself the question because if I’m not careful, I’ll write what’s easiest for me rather than what works best for the book. I started off saying that first-person comes naturally for me, and it does. But first person is harder for me to sustain now that I’m writing books that aren’t about a character who’s basically me. The beauty of a third-person book is that I can skip on over to another setting and pick up drama from different characters and households. Because of this, writing third-person is faster for me. The mathematician in me has estimated that I write about 900 words an hour third-person, 600 words an hour first-person. Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating, taking the easy way out when I write third-person. (I know – I’m taking it too far, right?)

Here lately, I’ve been experimenting with using more than one POV–sparingly! I wanted to write No Weapon Formed (sequel to Boaz Brown) in first-person, but there was some stuff going on with Stelson that I didn’t want LaShondra to know about. And I didn’t want Stelson to give this big explanation speech near the end of the book –that always sounds cheesy to me. So I called my friend Lynne Gentry (who reads like a gazillion books a month) and asked her if it was “okay” to have a few chapters written from a secondary character’s POV in third-person. She said to me, “You’re self-published. You can do whatever you want.”

I was like, “Oh yeah! That’s right!”

At the time, I was also reading Tia McCollors’ Friday Night Love and saw that she’d switched POV and gone from first- to third-person a few times for the male’s perspective and I was like, “That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout!”

So there you have it.  If you can write first person and get into the character’s head, give it a shot. But if the plot, your style, or even your genre dictates otherwise, stick to third. I realize that this blog comes down to the a age-old advice to “do what works for you.” I can only add to that wisdom by suggesting that you try your hand at both and develop your skill in both so that you can use them as each book demands.

Happy Writing!

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Quote

So, I had to si…

21 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christian fiction, mama b, michelle stimpson, novellas, novels

So, I had to sit there and allow a mistake that I knew was gon’ come back to kick Son’s rear end. Every once in a while, parents have to do that. The only comfort I had was knowin’ God has to make this same decision every day with His children. Some of us just be beggin’ to learn the hard way.

Here is one of my favorite lines from Mama B: A Time to Mend, the fourth book in the Mama B series. I hope you all will enjoy her wisdom and wit! Thanks so much for sharing how much these books bless you!

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

From 2.3b Reviewing the Editor’s Changes…

02 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

michelle stimpson, novels, self-publishing, writing, writing books

You need to be in the right frame of mind to review your editor’s suggestions and changes. Sometimes, looking at the edits can make a person feel as though they are back in fifth grade and the teacher just returned a paper covered in red ink (“-1 for the missing capital letter”, “-2 for the missing comma”). Remember that you haven’t paid an editor to make you feel good about yourself. You paid an editor to point out everything that is wrong with the book. The more they caught, the better.

From The 21-Day Publishing Plan: From First Draft to First Sale in Three Weeks or Less

REAL21DayCover

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

When God Doesn’t Do What You Want Him to Do…

22 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by michellestimpson1 in Audio / Video Posts, Books by Michelle Stimpson

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

michelle stimpson, stepping down

Stepping-Down-Lessons-Part-1.jpgIn the novel Stepping Down, the pastor’s wife, Sharla, is dealing with a huge disappointment in her life. What if He doesn’t want her to have the thing she desires? What is He never answers the prayer? Is that even possible? Click the arrow below to be encouraged – and be sure to leave a comment!

https://michellestimpson1.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/stepping-down-3.m4a

ORDER STEPPING DOWN NOW!

Bless someone by sharing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...
← Older posts

Get in the Word – For Real!

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,026 other followers

Archives

  • June 2020
  • March 2020
  • January 2020
  • September 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • November 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • December 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
Follow Michelle Stimpson.com on WordPress.com

Let’s Connect through Facebook!

Let’s Connect through Facebook!

Types of Posts

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: