Chasing Secrets Book Blog Tour, Guest Post, and Giveaway #LoneStarLit

Guest Post by Author Lynette Eason

Writing can be an incredibly isolating venture. For those of us who are introverts, it’s not a big deal. We actually like the “aloneness.” However, whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, there are times during the writing process where we need to come together with others and brainstorm.

Brainstorming is an amazing process. For example, take the book Chasing Secrets. I had just finished a book and turned it in and now it was time to start an entirely new story. Whew! Where to start? Honestly, I don’t usually have trouble with the beginnings or the endings. I tend to be able to picture them playing out in my head like a movie. However, the middles kill me. And let’s face it, we need middles for our stories.

So, I’d written the beginning of Chasing Secrets but had come to the place where I was having a hard time figuring out what needed to happen next. I had a situation where I needed a drive by shooting to occur and put a small family in danger. And I needed it to look like they were the targets when they weren’t. But I didn’t know the best way to do this. At least not completely. I had a vague idea, a few details that I knew I would incorporate, but I wanted feedback and other brains to throw ideas at me. So, one weekend, I had two of my best writing buds, Ronie Kendig and Carrie Stuart Parks, coming into town. They were staying with me. In my house. I was their ride to and from the airport. And you better believe, they weren’t leaving until I’d picked their brains. Yes, that’s right, folks, I was desperate enough to take hostages! LOL. Fortunately, I didn’t have to. They were willing to jump right in and offer a very simple, believable reason for the shooting to occur. I wanted to smack myself. Why hadn’t I thought of that? And truly, it didn’t matter that they had thought of it and were willing to share it. So now, I know exactly where I’m going with the story and I’m eager to get to writing it. And guess what? The whole process took maybe an hour.

You can’t put a price on that, my friends.

That’s why networking between authors is so important. I’m not saying that authors should make friends with other authors for the sole purpose of using them to brainstorm! I’m saying that authors tend to gravitate toward one another. When that happens, friendships develop and talking about writing occurs naturally. That’s when a lot of the fun begins. Not only do you have a group of people just as crazy as you are because their minds work the same way yours does, but they can be instrumental in helping you write a fabulous story. And editors really appreciate that!

And here’s what I think. I don’t think the writers that I come into contact with are an accident. I believe that God knows what I’m going to need when I’m going to need it, and arranges for divine appointment, divine friendships and divine stories. As I look back on my writing career, I can pinpoint some of those divine appointments. For example, I needed someone to critique my FBI “stuff” in the very first book I wrote for Revell. I’d prayed about it, but had no contacts in that law enforcement arena. But I finally had to stop stressing about it. I was attending a writers’ conference and needed to prepare for it. One night after a long day of classes, I was sitting in the lobby chatting with some of the attendees and other faculty. The man sitting next to me was an older gentleman, quiet, unassuming, simply listening. I turned to him and introduced myself. He asked me what I wrote and I told him. He then told me what he was working on and that he was a retired FBI agent. He then offered his card and said if I ever needed any input on my stories, he’d be happy to answer my questions.

Needless to say, I snatched his card and started throwing my questions at him. I told him he was an answer to prayer, too! We had a good laugh and a joyful moment of discussing the fact that God cares enough to help us authors get it right.

Brainstorming with the people God places in our lives is a fabulous way to plot out a book. I’m so thankful for those people and those divine appointments.