Sandwich With a Side of Romance

/ LaShona Sellers / Leave a comment

You can’t help but to love Maddie Buckner, the heroine of Krista Phillips‘ debut novel Sandwich, With a Side of Romance. You will root for this sassy tough girl from page one, as she lives out her new faith in Jesus while struggling to make a new life for herself and the little brother she desperately wants to get out of foster care. Her move to small town Sandwich, IL marks a new beginning and as her heart eventually accepts, so does Reuben-the-Jerk Callahan.

This novel is engaging and humorous yet seriously deals with the realities of life. Universal themes of grace, forgiveness, acceptance, and unconditional love are woven throughout the story. The characters are memorable and endearing, especially the Callahan clan, a family so rich in love that one can’t help but to cheer on a Maddie and Reuben romance. Krista writes in the novel’s Acknowledgments that “no man is an island” and this novel speaks loud and clear to how God uses the people around us to bless and enrich our lives.

Sandwich, With a Side of Romance reminds us that life is best lived with a whole lot of faith and a little help from friends.

On a personal note:

I have followed Krista’s blog for a couple of years now and though I’ve never met her personally,  it is so exciting and encouraging to see prayers answered and dreams fulfilled. God is nothing short of amazing!

It’s a Celebration!

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It’s the first day of school!!!! YAY!!!!! My son excitedly began his first day as a first grader. It was so cool to watch him catching up with his friends. Here’s to a great year and hopefully a more consistent writing schedule.

I am also so excited for some writer friends (and “friends in my head”:-)) as they see their dream come closer to reality…PUBLISHED! I’ll share more later as release parties and book signing dates near, I can’t wait to promote their “babies”.  And it motivates me to keep putting in the time and the work, to keep writing. Persistence will pay off!

Just checked off another great book on my ‘To Read’ list and a review is on the way. Stay tuned!

Freeman

/ LaShona Sellers / 1 Comment

To call Leonard Pitts’ novel, Freeman, simply moving seems somehow inadequate. Yet it moved me from tears of joy to tears of anger, from disbelief to acknowledgment. At the core it’s an epic love story, not only of the love Sam Freeman has for Tilda; an enduring love that compels him to walk thousands of miles, but the love of family as newly freed slaves search for loved ones, and self love as black men and women struggle to define their humanity and take back the dignity stolen by years of degradation. I was engrossed from the first page, at times so invested in the lives Sam, Ben, Prudence, Bonnie and Tilda, I had to put the book aside, the anticipation too great.  Mr. Pitts so completely and vividly conveyed the setting that there were a couple of nights my dreams transported me  back to the Civil War- torn South. This novel was amazing. I love my public library but  this novel warrants a visit to Amazon and a place on my bookshelf.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

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Triple digit temps and a cranked up AC- Happy Summer!!!  Trying to stay cool, keep the kiddos busy, and squeeze in a little “me” (ie. writing and reading) time along the way. Summer seems to be the season for writing retreats as I’ve come across a number of listings ( http://www.newpages.com/writing-conferences). So I’ve added a summer writing retreat to my ‘Someday’ list (also the title of a great book by Stacy Hawkins Adams). I’m also psyched to be making progress on my ‘To Read’ list, I’ll have to share some of my favorites reads thus far in a later post.

Okay so my son has a wild imagination and from his 6 year old mind comes- Playground Nightmare (his own title)- and to encourage his knack for storytelling, my husband illustrated a couple of the characters.  I thought it was pretty cool, my menfolk have such brilliant minds and talent.

A Little History

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 A family tree is more than names on paper, it’s a collection of stories, a saga of generations. Who were these people? What did they do? How did they live? I religiously watch Henry’s Louis Gates’ Finding Your Roots on PBS.  I’m fascinated by genealogy. I adored the family sagas of Alex Haley’s Roots (the book & the movie) and Lalita Tademy’s Cane River. Some folks say,”The past is the past, what’s the use? What good does it do?” And I say, can you imagine finding out that a distant relative, an ancestor, shared your passion for writing, inventing or business? What could you learn from their successes… or failures? It might change your outlook, give you a little get up and go. My maternal great grandfather was a man named James “March of Dimes” Jones. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the March of Dimes over the course of thirty years. As a kid, I’d heard stories about him, saw pictures, even traveled the street named for him in Florence, SC. But I never realized the impact of his legacy until my husband recently found newspaper articles, photos, and a book (March of Dimes by David W. Rose) highlighting his efforts. I know that his generous spirit and philanthropic vision has lived on in the lives of his descendants and his story is a gift to future generations. My interest has been piqued. I want to know, I want my children and grandchildren to know the amazing cast of characters that make up their history, the good (inspirations) and the bad (cautionary tales). What’s the big deal about history? I wonder if the Rockefellers ever asked that question.

Focus and Discouragement

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It’s been a while since my last post so excuse me if I ramble a bit…

On Focus-
I’ve always considered myself a pretty focused person. I’m a planner, I make lists, devise methods and get the job done. I ‘m all about working now so you can rest later. No taking breaks, no scenic routes- in the words of Mater just “Git ‘er done!” But now when it comes to writing I feel like a scatter brain. So many ideas-poems, plots, dialogue, commentary- some of them make it to paper while others are like a flash of the brain and then forever gone (those days I wish I carried a recorder). I sometimes wonder why I can’t be one of those writers with sudden urgent inspiration and produce a novel in like two weeks. No really, I realize that the craft of writing is a practice of diligent, deliberate action, a commitment.  NPR (National Public Radio) recently did an interesting segment on “harmful” reads for aspiring writers. Not because the books are bad but because they’re so well written and loved, that their style might invite imitation (which we know is the highest form of flattery). It’s a point well taken. I remember reading Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and attempting to write a story through a series of “Dear God” diary entries. Recently I read a classic christian fiction novel by Francine Rivers and while I have always been inspired by her style, I was especially taken with the story. A story that nudges me to focus on an unfinished manuscript, just a few pages abandoned in my files. I’m inclined to take a second look.

On Discouragement-
Ever heard the saying “Jack of all trades but master of none”? I think that sentiment can be applied when one says “yes” one time too many, trying to do it all yet sufficiently accomplishing nothing. I’m disappointed I won’t be walking with the LLS Team in Training in the Iron Girl Half Marathon this week as I’d planned (remember that post and my little fundraising widget?). First I was unable to make crucial group training sessions, then I had difficulty fundraising, didn’t meet my goal and it pretty much went downhill from there. Could I have done more? Yes I know I could have. Fundraising was the one thing I dreaded and I probably subconsciously sabotaged myself. I chalk it up to poor planning and unrealistic expectations, I’ve lived and learned.
Then there’s the writer’s discouragement. You know when you wonder who if anyone is reading your stuff, when you’ve received another one of those nice form letters saying, “Thanks but no thanks.” You begin to wonder if your words are impacting anyone or anything. Am I delusional? In the past this discouragement would become full fledge deflation, I would just stash the pen & notebook on a shelf. But this time around the passion is undeniable and I’m determined to push forward. I’ve settled within myself that if I have an audience of just one, it’s one person whose life has been touched in, I hope, a positive way. I’ve been challenged to determine what defines success for me. Is it being published by a traditional publisher? Is it self publishing? Having a web presence? I’m still sorting out the answers to those questions but I’m encouraged and I’m motivated.

Challenges can make you bitter or better. I choose better. Let’s write on, friends. Write on!

In Progress

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Some may ask, “So you have this blog and this dream of being published but what are you actually working on?” Good question!  Well first I’d have to say, the fact I’m regularly blogging here is major progress.  Five years ago I would have gawked at the idea of transferring the dialogue in my head to the world wide web. I was too concerned about people’s opinions and insecure in my own ability-not exactly useful traits for an aspiring author. But I’m here and I’m doing it one step at a time and my challenge now is to focus. I have notebooks and computer files of ideas, starts and first drafts but lately I’ve been channeling my energy into a collection of short stories and a collabo effort with my hubby. He is mega talented in illustration and voice acting so coupled with my writing we’re trying to create a little magic…Stay tuned…

Today’s Prompt:
You’re invited to a friend’s house for an important holiday dinner.  You find a roach in your food.  What do you do and/or say?

“Everyone dig in!”
I could sense Kayla’s excitement. She was hosting her first Thanksgiving as Mrs. Redman. I scanned the impressive spread, proud of my friend for taking on such a monumental task. Three kinds of meat and every side dish imaginable-she was determined to win over her in-laws. The table was abuzz with polite conversation as pans and plates were passed. I scooped a large helping of mashed potatoes onto my plate as I waited for the turkey to be carved. Tastebuds watering, I had just stuck my fork into the creamy  mound when I noticed it. “Raisins in mashed potatoes?” I thought to myself, an odd choice but I wasn’t much of a cook and Kayla loved gourmet recipes.  When I pushed the raisin aside and realized it had six legs, I covered my mouth to suppress a gasp. Quickly hiding my discovery, I looked around the table satisfied that no one had noticed a thing…

Just Read…

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Small Island by Andrea Levy and I’m now on a mission to read every single one of her books.  Very seldom am I drawn to a book after seeing the movie adaptation but when Small Island aired on PBS (yes, I’m a public television junkie-PBS Kids, Masterpiece Classics, Independent Lens, American Experience…I love it all… but I digress) I missed the first hour of the four hour miniseries and was then put off by the ending. Not put off in a bad way but just left wanting more, thinking “I must have missed something.” The novel details the lives of Hortense, Gilbert, Queenie and Bernard. We follow Hortense and Gilbert from their homeland of Jamaica to 1940’s England where there lives intersect with Queenie and Bernard. I loved the way in which each chapter was a character’s point of view and I was amazed at Levy’s ability to give authentic voice to four vastly different characters. I think it’s the mark of a gifted writer to be able to capture the voice of a character totally unlike themselves (ie. a black woman writing as a white man, etc.) in a way that is not stereotypical or contrived. Andrea Levy is truly gifted. I loved this book and recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and anyone interested in learning about the black experience abroad.

Today’s Prompt:
Write in the voice of someone of the opposite sex.

Dude, when she told me I just freaked out. I didn’t know what to do! She was crying and all upset, and all I could think about was my scholarship and my parents. They are going to kill me, man! She’s asking me “What are we going to do?” and I’m like “What are we going to do? You’re going to take care of it! I’ll give you money.” I know, man. I can’t believe I said it either but I was just so scared.  I love her but I’m not ready for this. A baby, what are we going to do with a baby!

Short and Simple

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Ever had a conversation with someone who went on and on and on? Your eyes sort of glaze over and you begin to hear the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher “Wha, wha, wha.” Well I don’t want the same to happen when someone reads my work. Brevity is key. Keep it simple and direct. I’ve read that newspaper articles are often written at an 8th grade level to ensure appeal to a wide audience. I’m not sure the same can be applied to creative writing, unless your writing for youth, but I think the overall sentiment may be the same. Don’t say in 500 words what can be sufficiently said in 50. I came across this tidbit I wrote down from the writing workshop last month and wanted to share: Eliminate ego, it will ruin you every time. Write from your heart, your true “you.”

Today’s prompt:
Write about your name.

Lasagna, Shalonda, Shalona, Michelle- at some point I’ve answered to them all. Somehow ashamed that someone else could not pronounce my name. Apologetic as if my parents had committed some naming faux pas. It’s seven letters, with a capital “S,” please resist the urge to insert a “d.” It’s LaShona with a long “o” and a “La” for french flair. Lovingly bestowed and completely me.