Friday, September 26, 2008

Welcoming a New Pearl Girl

We affectionately call our critique group The Pearl Girls. Up until yesterday we had four shiny pearls on our strand, Patti Lacy, Becky Melby, Lee Franklin, and me. Now, we add a fifth sparkling pearl, Patty Hall. Welcome, Patty, and Congratulations on your Genesis win in the Historical Fiction category!! Way to go Patty with a 'y'! I look forward to critiquing with you for years to come.

Since I haven't bragged about all my crit partners yet on this blog, I thought I'd take a moment to do that.

Patti Lacy writes Contemporary Christian Women's Lit. Patti's first book, An Irishwoman's Tale, published by Kregel was released last month. She has since contracted her second story, What the Bayou Saw, and is currently working on a third stunning story that reveals one woman's challenge to come to terms with her secret past, and seek to right a future wrong. (At least that's what I'm getting from where we are at in the rotations so far.) Patti writes with such clarity that you can smell, see, and hear her story unfolding.

Becky Melby is a multi-published Contemporary Christian Romance author, who often co-authors with Cathy Wienke. Becky's stories brighten your days long after the cover has collected dust. There is a quaintness to her stories that makes you feel all cozy while reading and reminiscing about her scenes. And she is amazingly fast at pumping out her novels and novellas. I wish I had her snappy fingers, and awesome scene structure.

Lee Franklin is our poignant Suspense writer. The story she is running through the crit group now has made my insides curdle, my skin clam up, gives me an ache for justice to prevail, and brings my most annoying impatience out. Unlike the rest of us, Lee likes to dole out her story in very small increments, leaving us hanging by a very fine thread each rotation. I know once this story is done, it's going to be the type that you just can't put down to digest a bit here and a bit there. It's going to be a thrill ride of reading, one straight fast and furious run to the final page, just the way thriller/suspense novels ought to be.

And so you see, the Lord is very good to me. I am counseled by amazing writers/authors, and blessed with having a first look at each of their works. Patti, Becky, and Lee not only provide me with wonderful stories to enjoy and pull apart, but they are all great teachers of the craft by example.

Patty with a 'y', welcome to our diverse, supportive, and amazingly gifted critique group. And thank you for entrusting your precious works of labour with each of us. I pray God will continue to guide each of us in how best to support and encourage continual growth in our calling to write for Him.

Blessings,

Eileen

90 days to reflect and celebrate our Saviour's birth.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I know you're going to love having Patty-with-a-y in your group---I've known her since 2001. In fact, along with Rachel Hauck, Patty is the reason I joined ACFW back then! She was also the person who recruited me as a volunteer a year or so later and then encouraged me to become even more involved with the organization.