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Guest Post by Amanda Flower and Five Book Giveaway

Posted Michelle Dawn

Today I am super excited to have Amanda Flower as a guest blogger! This is the first stop on her Plain Scandal book tour presented by Cozy Mystery Book Tours. Hmm…what else was I supposed to announce? Oh yes…I have FIVE copies of A Plain Scandal up for grabs! You do not want to miss your chance to win a copy because this is a superb book. Contest rules are below…Good Luck!

 

amandaflower-authorphotoA Certain Point of View

By Amanda Flower

Before my first Amish mystery, A Plain Death, released I had published cozy mysteries in the general market. Not all of the time, but most often, cozies are written in the first person point of view (POV). When I decided that I wanted to write Christian fiction too, I read many inspirational novels and found that most of those were written in the third person POV. That gave me a dilemma because I am very much a first person writer. Did I write my way or write the way that I thought an inspirational publisher would want?

After a lot of debate, I wrote a third person manuscript with two points of views. It was a disaster. In fact, my agent read but we don’t talk about it. It was that bad. I like to pretend it never happened.

Some authors write in third person beautifully, Shelley Shepard Gray comes to mind, but I can’t. The head jumping gave me a headache, and I felt like I couldn’t understand my protagonist as well as I wanted to. All of my protagonists have a distinct voice and when I write, they tell their story. When they “talk” to me they use “I” and “me.” To change it to “she” and “her” was a mental twister, and it showed in the manuscript.

Also, for a cozy mystery where the amateur sleuth is trying to solve the crime, first person is a better fit. I can discover the clues right along with her. I feel like I’m there, and we experience each new discovery together. I lost the feeling of being the sleuth myself when I changed the point of view.

Frustrated, I scrapped that third person manuscript, thinking maybe I wasn’t going to cut it in Christian fiction. Then my agent asked for an Amish mystery proposal. The first thing I asked her was if it could be in first person. She had no problem with that—perhaps she even remembered the other third person failure. With her blessing, I was able to write an Amish mystery my way in first person and with a cast of quirky characters both Amish and English.

My experiment as a third person author was a valuable lesson, which every writer has to learn. You can’t instantaneously change your author voice, no more than you can change your own personality. I tried to make myself write something that felt wrong. I should have listened to the little voice in my head and ran away screaming.

I’m not saying that I will never write a novel in third person. Maybe as I evolve as an author, I’ll be able to tackle that pesky third person POV. In the meantime, I’ll stick with the POV meant for me.

Follow Amanda on Social Media at: Facebook Twitter Goodreads Pinterest

 

Fall landscape

To enter leave a comment below. If you would like an Extra chance share this link on Facebook or Twitter. Remember to leave another comment if you did:)

Contest starts today Monday, February 11th and ends on Sunday, February 17th. Winners will be announced on Monday.


112 thoughts on “Guest Post by Amanda Flower and Five Book Giveaway”

  2. Really enjoyed the first one and look forward to reading “A Plain Scandal”. Good luck and congratulations!

    Reply

  3. I have shared this on facebook and put it on Pinterest. I am not entering the contest as I have already this book and loved it. Amanda Flower is a wonderful author, I just love her books. If you haven’t read her books you should go right out and get them, they are that good.

    Reply

  7. Oh, I would love to read this! I enjoyed reading about how you wrote it in first person. I like knowing things about the author. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the opportunity to win a book. Crossing my fingers…..

    Reply

  10. I love reading about the Amish, their personal Faith stories and family Values, I hope
    that I am one of the Winners…

    Reply

  11. I just shared this on my Facebook page , Jean Benson Thompson Love having another
    chance to win one of these books… thank You

    Reply

  16. I am reluctant to read “Christian” mysteries, because I think they are often Christian proselytizing dressed up in a weak mystery package. But I am intrigued by anything Amish (love the Linda Castillo/Kate Burkholder books). I enjoyed the author’s explanation of the writing process. Plus, we’re “friends” on FB and I have come to enjoy her postings there. Winning would be a great introduction to her work. dz87507 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  22. I’m sorry, I said above that I would like to have A Plain Change, I meant to say A Plain Scandal. Sorry.

    Reply

  23. I would love to win your book “A Plain Scandal”. I love reading Amish fiction. Thank you for offering this contest.

    Reply

  25. Ive often thought of the difficulty writers have in writing as first person or third. I appreciated your story of how it was for you. Id love to wind this book!

    Reply

  29. I loved the first book, because it did such a great job of explaining the Amish POV to an Englicher. Most of the Amish stories I’ve read in the past did not do a very good job of illustrating differences between Amish, Mennonites, or even that there were different sects with varying degrees of coservatism among the Amish communities.

    Reply

  30. Read the first book A Plain Death…and loved it! Amanda’s style is different and refreshing. Her story kept the plot moving…it was hard to put the book down! Looking forward to reading her next book.

    Reply

  32. I would love to win a copy of, A Plain Scandal. I’m a huge fan of Amanda’s!

    Blessings!
    Judy B
    judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply

  40. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of “A PLAIN SCANDAL” . I would be thrilled to win! I am sharing this on pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

    Reply

  45. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway. The book looks good! And I tend to enjoy reading a book that is written in first person. It transport me into the story, in a way that third person just can’t.

    Reply

  49. I found what Amanda Flower’s had to say about writing in
    the third person mode, versus first person mode…I know
    I would very much enjoy her book!
    Many thanks, Cindi

    Reply

  70. Amanda, you are a new other to me. I read a ton of Amish fiction and would love the chance to read one of your books.

    Reply

  78. I’d love to win. Thanks for the opportunity to enter. I love Amanda’s work. Blessings! Dalene
    spangldlady[at]gmail[dot]com

    Reply

  89. My two favorite reads, Amish & Mystery, combined in one book. We have Amanda’s books in the church library. I would love to win a copy for my very own.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  97. I would love a chance to win Amanda’s new book. I love reading anything Amish. Thanks.
    msbookwormlady(at)aol(dot)com

    Reply

  107. I cannot wait to read this book!! A Plain Murder was fantastic and so excited for a plain Scandal!!! Thanks for offering the give away!!!!

    Reply

  108. Thank you everyone for entering to win A Plain Scandal by Amanda Flower:) The winners are:
    Linda Hollars, Nancy Spitznagle, Kathleen J Kaminski,Rose Hertz,and Angela/griperang! Please email your address to [email protected]

    A new giveaway will be posted today:)

    Reply

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