Christian author Diana Lesire Brandmeyer writes historical and contemporary romances set from the Midwest to the Mountains. She’s written Mind of Her Own, Frontier Legacy Brides, Small Town Brides, and A Time for Love, among others.
Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.
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The Unseen is a supernatural thriller and it reaches the standards set long ago by Steven King. Lucas is a man without a past, or at least he doesn’t remember much of his youth. Only one phrase sticks in his mind like an irritating mosquito buzzing in his ear, Humpty Dumpty had some great falls.
Lucas lives everywhere and nowhere. He finds empty places to set his mementos he’s gathered in a certain pattern, and that becomes home to him; for awhile. He longs to make connections with other people, he feels a need but doesn’t seem to understand it. So he finds ways to create peepholes to watch others in office buildings. When they are gone for the night he takes a small memento of them. On a rare occasion someone will meet eye to eye with him without really knowing he is there. That’s when he feels a real connection with that person.
Lucas has only formed a loose relationship with the woman he works with, Sarea. He’s never called her or even dated her. He’s only pretended to smoke a cigarette with her in the back alley behind the restaurant where he washes dishes. Sarea has given him her phone number in case he should ever need help. He stores it in his pocket.
Everything changes in his world when someone discovers his living space. He is invited to join a group that is like him, the Creep Club. The difference between him and the Creep Club is they go into people’s homes and tape them. Lucas doesn’t want to join them. Once he makes that decision, his life takes a wild ride.
You know that feeling you get when there is no one around and yet you feel like someone is watching you? Read this book and you’ll really be creeped out! I so am changing my locks on my doors! Do not read this book before you go to sleep—‘cause you won’t sleep!
It’s the Christmas season. I should be happy, singing carols, loving the gift wrapping and baking tons of cookies. But that wasn’t me this year. I prepared for Christmas with a blanket of sadness. My youngest son isn’t coming home in time for Christmas and that makes me sad. Our house wasn’t decorated. I didn’t feel that we could put up a tree because of Cleveland. He’s a fun cat but has a terrible habit of marking everything, because we have another cat, Wendell. Two male cats in a house is not a good idea even if they are both neutered.
So no tree.
I did get out Christmas cards to some people. I was a bit lax on doing those as well. I decided that if I couldn’t decorate my tree I would at least send my favorite ornament out on my card. My grandmother gave her grandkids these angels. I still have mine and for me it wasn’t an official Christmas until that angel went on the tree. I used snapfish and put this on my card. I mailed them out and waited to see if any of my cousins would realize what ornament it was.
Sure enough, Nancy every ready and observant called and and asked if this was just a quinky dink that I had found a card with this angel on it. We laughed and had a fun conversation about Grandma and wondered if she had found a set of angels and divivived them out amoung her grandchildren.
Then I found an email from my cousin Patty. She sent me this photo.She said she felt like she was 4 years-old again.
Still I was sad. No tree. I didn’t even want to get any of our decorations out. What was the point I moaned and groaned to all of my friends and most of all to my husband. It just won’t be Christmas, no tree, no Josh, no stockings and no presents under the tree. Even Wendell wouldn’t get to enjoy his favorite time of year in the house, he loves to lay under the Christmas tree. It’s just too sad.
Then this morning I came downstairs. My wonderful husband had given me the best gift of all. A tree! Not the tree in the box upstairs that we always put up. He had gone through the effort to find a tree small enough to put on the desk where Cleveland couldn’t get to it. (he’s not a jumper!) He left me a very sweet note, saying it wasn’t much but he hoped it would help me. It did. I cried. Not sad tears but happy ones. Even Wendell is happy now. It was one of the best Christmas gifts he could have given me.
So today I will sing carols, put ornaments on the tree and even make cookies. It is amazing what one small gift of kindness can accomplish.
When Meg Jorgenson decides to leave behind her former uncharmed life in Chicago with her cheating poet boyfriend, she decides to head to her former home in Miracle, Kentucky. Her mother fled Miracle while Meg was just a child, leaving behind Meg’s father who remarried and has more children. The aptly named town turns out to be a miracle of hope and healing for Meg. She is able to pursue her dream of teaching while staying with her delightful grandmother. While Meg reconnects with her grandmother and father’s family, she also catches the attention of a young widower, Lance Bayer and his daughter, Cammy. Cammy was injured in the same car accident that took her mother’s life, but hopes to able to someday get out of the wheelchair she is bound to. During the story God is also trying to reconnect with Meg. The story is a light, delightful read as readers wonder if Meg and Vance will be able to overcome their differences, if her father’s family with accept her, and if Meg will be able to get past her doubts about God. Readers will become attached to Cammy and wonder if her dream to walk again will happen in the town full of miracles.
This book troubled me in the beginning. I do not like vampire stories. I was uncomfortable with reading a book about the ‘undead’ who feed on souls and human blood. Yet, I kept reading because the author is an excellent writer and he pulled me from page to page and into the fabric of his characters lives. Soon I was hooked. I had to know more about the Nistarim –the immortal who walk the earth left by God to protect us from mankind. Eric Wilson has to be the first author I have read that I actually put down my book and retrieved my bible to make sure he was not making up stuff. Kudos for that!
The journey of Gina Lazarescu is complicated from the moment we are first introduced to her. She is a small child, five-years-old and does not have a normal childhood. She lives in a single parent home in Romania. Her mother has an unusual method of attempting to keep her child free of sin by the use of blood letting. It is important that her mother keep her safe from the collectors (the undead.) Gina does not understand why her mother does this to her and eventually she rebels, leading to some difficult times.
The books pacing is done well, as readers we cover the world as Gina moves from one country to another.
After reading this book I have an even greater appreciation for communion. This book took me to a place in my walk of faith that I have never been and I look forward to reading the next two in this series.
This is my amazing son. He will be graduating this year with a B.F.A. It’s taken him awhile because he has worked while attending classes. Sometimes as much as 55 hours a week and then he comes home to paint. I love his work. It doesn’t ‘go’ with my house but I wish it did. This is one of six paintings he did for his art project. I would love to own this one. It’s difficult to see how amazing it is in this photo. It’s a mixed media piece. Not sure what that means other than he used many things to make it. Hey, I’m not an artist I’m a writer! I am really proud of this guy. Does it show?
I’m almost at the halfway mark, the one where the calendar says “You’re halfway tomorrow to the deadline and you’re less than 2000 words from being halfway there.”
Last night I mentioned to my friend Marty, a psychologist that I couldn’t tell what was real anymore. The concern in her face alerted me to the fact I needed to remind her I was a writer not a client. What I meant was daydreams, writing, night dreams and real life were blurring. She nodded and looked reassured so I guess I’m still normal. 🙂 Thanks for the reassurance Marty!
Yesterday I met up with a few other crazy NANOWIMO friends. Bev, Michelle and Rhonda we all seem to have that look. The look that says where am I? Did I comb my hair today? How did I get to Bread Co anyway? Oh wait that’s my look the rest of them looked great.
It’s quite inspirational to sit with other writers as the click away on their keyboards–except for my good friend Rhonda who uses an interesting method involving numerous pens. That my friends, I will save for the interview I will beg her to grant me when her novel is published. She’s quite clever.
I found myself watching Michelle and Bev’s fingers fly over those keys and suddenly I knew I had to type faster. By the end of the two hour writing frenzy I had quite a few words on the screen Yay ME! I’m not sure they are worth much but I feel like I accomplished a great deal.
So writing with other writers once a week is a good thing for me. I wouldn’t have discovered that if it hadn’t been NANOWRIMO. Sitting in my very nice office every day makes me lazy. I can’t see other writers writing there marvelous words so I think oh I’ll take a break now, check and see if the mail has come or maybe I should get another glass of tea….and before long there are no words on my screen.
So please forgive the rambles of this post as I explained in the beginning I’m not really sure I’m writing this!
Welcome Camy, thanks for taking time away from NANO (National Novel November Writing Month) for this interview. It will be short I promise! 1. How did you prepare for NANO? And are any of your books the result of NANO?
I am a plotter, so I usually spend some time before NaNoWriMo plotting the book so I know where I’m going. I typically use the book 45 MASTER CHARACTERS by Victoria Lynn Schmidt as a jumping off point for the plot and characters. And my second book in the Sushi series, ONLY UNI, was a result of NaNoWriMo!
2. How many books will be in the Sushi series?
Three books were published by Zondervan (the third book, SINGLE SASHIMI, just released last month). However, the series circles around four cousins.
3. How do you integrate scripture so naturally into your stories?
I try to have a theme song and a corresponding verse for the story before I write it. That way, as I write, the song and verse end up being woven into the scenes.
4. You left the biologist/researcher field for writing. Trish in Only Uni works in that field what was it like for you to re-visit that career, do you miss it?
It was fun, and I admit I had to go back to some of my old protocols to make sure the jargon was correct, but at the same time, I don’t miss it. I love writing more! LOL
5. Favorite writing book or writing course?
There are two courses that I always recommend to writers. For beginning writers, I suggest Randy Ingermanson’s Fiction 101, 201, or 301 courses, which can be bought online as MP3 downloads plus worksheets. (http://advancedfictionwriting.com/)
The other course is Margie Lawson’s Empowering Characters’ Emotions course. If you can take it in person, all the better, but her online course is equally good. (http://www.margielawson.com/)
6. Pen, pencil or computer?
Definitely computer! I type faster than I write, but I do admit to loving writing in my prayer journal with my fountain pen from Levenger.com. 🙂 Again, Camy thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions.
Thanks for having me here!
Please stop by Camy’s web site and read more about her and her books! Here’s my review of Only Uni!
Only Uni by Cami Tang This is Trish Sakai’s story and yet it becomes your story or the story of someone you know. Trish has truly found God, but doesn’t quite understand she isn’t required to follow man-made rules to be devoted to Him. Trish’s culture is very different from my own Midwest upbringing making this story unique for me. I enjoyed learning about her Asian culture, which is a character of its own. Tang has a fresh way of integrating the Christian message in her books. I read the last page and my desire to know became a raging fire. I want to know more about Christ and what God desires for me. With her sassy dialogue and intriguing characters Tang brings the reality of living a Christ-filled life into the real world—a world where people fumble, take wrong turns and find out they are still loved by family, friends and God.
Tangs writing is fun, engaging and encouraging. Get this book, but first if you haven’t read it get Sushi for One, then prepare for a fun evening of reading because you won’t want to put these books down. You may not even want to loan them to your friends because they are books you’ll want to read again.
I’m not talking about the election. 🙂 But we do have a winner in the drawing for Julie’s new book A Passion Redeemed. The winner is Deborah Piccurelli! Congratulations! Deborah I’ve sent you an email asking for your address so as soon as we have that we can get the book to you.
Julie Lessman thank you so much for playing on my blog this past week as well as offering your book as a give-away!
I’m so fortunate to have Julie in my ACFW critique group. I actually met her in an elevator and we’ve been friends since. She graciously has allowed me to interview her for my blog. Leave a comment and you may be the ONE who gets a free copy of her book A Passion Redeemed! Contest ends midnight Nov. 5! Please leave your email address for me, in case you win I have to be able to contact you!
DLB: Some days the writing and reviews can get to you. What do you do to escape and recharge?
Julie: Are you kidding??? I read!!! I love nothing better than carrying a book around in my purse when I’m out and about or leaving it in the powder room on days that I’m home, stealing wonderful moments here and there in another world altogether. One of my favorite times of the day is at bedtime, when I can snuggle in with my hubby for twenty minutes or so and read while he watches TV—ahhhh, sheer bliss!
DLB: Name 3 favorite writing books. Julie: Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas (the workbook is AWESOME!), The Synonym Finder by J. A. Rodale (my writer’s Bible!), and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.
DLB: Pen or Pencil? Why? Julie: Pencil because I … uh … tend to edit a lot!
DLB: What do you feel was your biggest mistake when you started writing? Julie: My biggest mistake when I started writing was head-hopping—I was clueless about point of view. But I had a paid critique at an ACFW Conference with top author, Tracie Bateman, and she set me straight pretty quickly, thank God (and thank, Tracie!). My 2nd biggest mistake was trying to get published on my own, without an agent. I garnered some 39 rejections and wasted three years of my time before I finally got an agent who then sold me in six months.
DLB: Do you listen to music when you write? If so who gets your fingers moving on the keyboard? Julie: NOOOOoooooooooo!!!! I have to have COMPLETE and utter quiet, which is a real pain the tush for my sweet husband. You see, he is an artist who HAS to have music on when he works, a real dilemma in the evenings when we sit in back-to-back chairs in our cozy office. So, the man is a saint because he now wears a headset when he has a project, which works out nicely because I tend to talk to my characters and read lines out loud all the time!
DLBL: Do you have a favorite quote or bible passage that you’d like to share? Julie: Gosh, I have so many, but one of my favorites (which I also pray everyday) is the last paragraph in Psalm 139, verses 23-24, which I’ve listed below. But a word of warning—don’t pray it unless you mean business, because God will definitely nail you to the wall on a few things! Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
DLB: Where would you like to travel to if money were available? Ooooooo … Ireland, of course! Then England and a sandy beach in the Caribbean—in that order.
DLB: What do you like best about the O’Conner women? Julie: Grin. Oh man, I love how EMOTIONAL they are, which is pretty much how I am, so what do you know—I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! But most of us are pretty emotional deep down, it’s just that a lot of people don’t show it. I love how Faith is emotional (or passionate) about God, and how Charity is so emotional about love. It’s this deep-seated fire that burns inside of both of them (and ALL of the O’Connors) that I truly love to write about.
DLB: What’s your perfect day like? Julie: Early to rise, treadmill with worship music, Bible/prayer, e-mails, then WRITING till my sweetie comes home!! Doesn’t get any better than that!
DLB: Fill in this statement “I’d love to overhear the conversations of and .” Julie: Rhett and Scarlett, from Gone With the Wind. I’m a romance writer, after all!
DLB: What would you say to yourself as a beginning writer? Julie: Basically the same advice that published authors gave to me: 1.) Get involved in a writing network by joining a writers group (for instance, as a romance writer, I joined ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers, http://www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com/), FHL (Faith, Hope & Love, http://www.faithhopelove-rwa.org/), and RWA (Romance Writers of America, http://www.rwanational.org/), both to get connected with other like-minded writers and to learn a lot about my craft. 2.) Take a fiction-writing class or attend a writing seminar or conference. 3.) Join a critique group. 4.) Purchase and study writing books such as Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King or Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas, AND invest in a great thesaurus such as The Synonym Finder by Rodale Press. 5.) Enter contests for valuable feedback, to build your confidence, AND to sometimes get your work in front of publisher/agent judges. 6.) Go for an agent first, publisher second. Then query agents like crazy and even some publishers if you like. 7.) Submit stories or articles to magazines to build name recognition and a resume, to provide encouragement, and to acquire networking contacts. 8.) Then pray your heart out and put it in God’s hands.
It’s true! The youngest child is engaged. Josh has found a wonderful wife to be. Brianna is a welcome addition to the family full of males. The tide is turning! Woo hoo! The feminine side is getting stronger! I’m no longer alone! I’ve got Sara on one side and now Bri on the other!
They are planing a 2010 wedding, date yet to be set. Don’t those smiles say it all?