I appreciate your looking at our author bios. Here is mine:

Mischelle Creager is a member of Woodwights of Oklahoma City, American Christian Writers, and American Christian Fiction Writers. She began writing articles and short stories seven years ago. Several of these have been published in the local ladies church newsletter, Ties That Bind. She has taught the three-year olds in Bible class, been a pre-school Bible class co-ordinator, and has an on-going coffee ministry on Sunday morning.

Mischelle used her fears, depression, and thoughts in the years following the Oklahoma City bombing for the basis of her book about a woman’s emotional journey. Mischelle, like her main character, Abby, a young bride in 1870 Wyoming, lost her self-worth as wife and mother when events beyond her control led her to question her place in the family. Both Mischelle and Abby slipped off their walk with God as anger and fear increased. They felt they should be everything their families wanted. And when they could not, they felt they had no worth. Skewed though their perceptions were—that was their reality, until they came back to God and learned to lean on the family and friends He gave them.

Married for thirty-five years, Mischelle lives in Oklahoma with her husband, who is retired from the Social Security Administration. They have two children, a son in law school and a married daughter.

Christophe Desmecht is self-proclaimed Euro Trash. Not in the actual sense of the term, but just because he likes the sound of it. Living in Belgium, the heart of Europe, he hopes to dig deep into the mystical past of the continent and produce some fiction that’s both enjoyable and mind-challenging at the same time.

He enjoys writing about werewolves and nutjobs, and though he claims to be neither, he also states he’s properly house-trained and the newspapers should come off the carpet soon. He also doesn’t howl at the moon… anymore.

Should make for interesting conversations around the office!

Alright then, I’ll dig down and come up with the “Why”, but at the moment I’m still in shock that you included my (ahem) bio.

I wonder how one gets about getting one.

“Because the world has enough writers who are sweet and old-fashioned and faith-filled and write sweet, old-fashioned faith-based romances for those pesky normal women with nice nails. But I bet it could use a sassy writer who writes that kind of fiction.

Think hard about this: Why are you writing this kind of fiction? Obviously, it’s because you like it. But why? There’s got to be some contradiction deep inside you. Contradictions make people interesting.”

I’m going to think about this one long and hard. I happen to be what people would consider “normal” (except for the the nice nail part — pianists and typists don’t get to have those). This Randyism made me go “ouch,” and I felt kind of sad. I don’t like to read romance novels but I do like to write romance into my novels. It makes me sad there are too many “nice, sweet romance writers” out there! I’m not expressing myself very well (the natives are restless here) but I’ve copied this statement into my “Randyisms” file to ponder on it.

I also wish I could be clever and funny like Camille! If I had written something like that it would be a disaster. I could just see the editors thinking, “this woman is a nut case, forget her!” I have got to find my own skin and feel good in it where writing is concerned. I don’t think I’ve quite found it yet.

Not sure if it works for you, but for me the result was quite a surprise.

Pam & Lynda: thanks! I thought I was beyond hope or medication. Now I know it’s just one of the two!

Karla - I think you and I are more alike than we know, my apologies. (what kind of hog to you ride?)

I’m also a little sad about Randy’s comment about too many sweet old fashioned types. Sass will always be around, but someone has got to bring back an appreciation for honorable, noble characters. That’s why I love Jane Austen’s work. But she’s dead. So it’s up to us biker women with a hidden soft side to shake things up and help the world see that there is pain and depth and struggle and strength in characters who seem on first glance too wholesome and upstanding. It doesn’t come easy to them, y’know. I know, I’m married to one. They’re misunderstood and I want to tell their story. There is great value in quiet integrity, and it’s sad that it’s overlooked or dismissed in a world where compromise and vulgarity are exalted.

I already know where my next novel is headed. It will be witty and sarcastic and poignant. And there WILL be a Harley.

So, why do I write that stuff??? Hmmm…I’m going to be thinking about that one for awhile. I mean, do I have a deeper reason? I don’t think so. I just wrote it that way because it was necessary for the story to be right. I love those kinds of stories that really tug at your soul and make you think, and that’s what I want to do for others - make them think about their faith.

I may have just stumbled upon something. So would that be the tie? I mean, that fact that I’ve been the wife of a minister/missionary for nearly 20 years? If it is, how is that marketable? Even as missionaries we never did anything revolutionary or anything. What would be interesting enough about me to market?

Ok, now I’m confused again.

Luckily it’s short, so Camille, Christophe, and Karla, please jump over me and continue!

Anyway, here’s my second run:

Andra M is a member of the Christian Writer’s Guild, having successfully completed their two-year Apprentice writing course a few years ago. She holds two AAS degrees in Civil Engineering Technology, and Drafting and Design Technology, and she works for a civil engineering firm as a Registered Land Surveyor. Andra spends the bulk of her spare time studying and practicing the craft of writing, and working toward the day she can write full-time. She and her husband are looking forward to their first child’s arrival in January.

Andra’s writing credits so far include three short stories in two editions of “Drabbles,” a science fiction anthology published quarterly by Sam’s Dot Publishing, and a how-to article published by “AUGIWorld,” a computer-aided-drafting software magazine.

I think your missionary work would make a great tie-in, so I’d add it. Though it’s not direct as far as marketing goes, it shows you have extensive knowledge and experience of the challenges Christians sometimes face. Your readers will look for that in your novels.

In other words, can my age hurt my ability to publish, no matter how strong the writing? Can my age hurt my ability to market? Is there anything special I need to do to play it down or play it up?

Randy:
Thanks so much for giving your time and expertise to making us better writers with an increased chance of getting published.

Mischelle Creager is a member of Woodwights of Oklahoma City, ACW, and ACFW. Several of her articles have been published in the ladies church newsletter, Ties That Bind.

Married for thirty-five years, Mischelle lives in Oklahoma with her husband who is retired from the Social Security Administration. They have two children.

Dealing with her family’s suffering after the 1995 OKC bombing (her husband’s office), she slipped into depression, losing her self-worth as wife and mother. She drew upon these feelings, fears, and thoughts when she wrote her novel.

When not writing, she loves to read, cook, and “google” historical research on the internet.