So Ms Imogene gets the last book for herself.  I was going to dedicate it to Jezebel, but nooooooo!! Conell went and ruined it.  I’m going to rewrite the first chapter tomorrow, so MAYBE Conell will be happy, although I don’t know.  Maybe.  Perhaps.  We’ll see.  Meanie!!

I learned from Cathy that THIS, yes THIS , is my website.  Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!! Who’d a thunk?  This is this baby-boomer’s website.  Kitty is so proud, she’s meowing to all her friends, “Look what my mommy can do!”  I figured out how to put up tabs on my sight.  TABS!!! I HAVE TABS!!! Oh, happy days!!!!  Now I need to write the back stories for my novel, post them along with my first chapter of my novel.  Just to wet your whistle of course.  )  Anyway, check out my new angel, Diane.  She’s really cool and will hold the writer’s hand while giving the poor trembling writer cookies and milk.  She’s a keeper!! AND I HAVE TABS!!!!!

2)      Your character in your WIP buys a pet.  What does he buy?  What does he name it?  Have them interact.  What happens?

3)      Are you for the president of the US?  If so, then write from a radio host who doesn’t like the president.  If you don’t like the president, then write from a radio host how loves him. 

4)      Remember something funny that happened when you were a child.  Now write that from the POV of a character of a story.  How does it change?

5)      I got this idea from Max Lacado.  Put Jesus in modern times.  He is a plumber named Bob who just feed a football field of people ham sandwiches.  He took a little boy’s lunch of ham sandwiches and pretzels and feed 5000 people.  He goes into hospitals and heals people.  He claims he is the Son of God, but the religious leaders say he’s not.  He healed the son of a senator from California and healed a general’s butler.  Now a write a short story about how folks see him.  What happens? 

6)      A healing wave breaks out in your church.  The pastor knows it’s from God, but an elder has a problem with it.  What happens? 

7)      Lucy is kidnapped by a serial killer and she has to trust God to deliver her.  What happens?

8)      You’re Eve or Adam and this is your first day of living.  What happens?

9)      Describe the day Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden.  What happens?

10)  Take the POV from Noah’s neighbors as he was building the arc.  What did they say and why?  Write a 500 word short story.  Can you turn this into a story? 

11)  Write a short story about a day in Joseph’s day when he was in prison.

12)  What did Joseph and his brothers discuss when they found out Joseph was the governor?  Write a 500 word short story.

13)  How did David and Jonathon become such close friends?  Write a 500 word short story.

14)  Did Delilah really love Samson?  Write a 500 or more short story about them.  If she loved him, then why did she betray him?  If not, then why did she stay with him?

15)  Continuing with the above prompt, what happened to Delilah when she heard about Samson’s punishment and death? Judges 16.

16)  What happened to the daughter of Jephthah?  Judges 11:34-40. Write a 500 or more word short story of her life after her father’s vow to God.

17)   King Jehoshaphat appoints some of the people to go before the army, praising God. 2 Chronicles 20:2. Create a character and put him in this group.  What goes through his mind?  What does he see, feel, hear and smell?  Write 500 or more words.

18)  Create a character who is sitting on the wall, listening to the servants of King Sennacherib (2 chronicles 32) mock God and King Hezekiah.  What happens?  What does he see?  Now this same character witnesses first hand the angel cutting down Sennacherib’s army.  Describe it, 500 or more words.

19)  How did Hilkiah the priest find the Book of Moses?  What happened to him?  How did he react to it?  Why did he give it to Shaphan the scribe? 2 chronicles 34:15

20)  Create a character who witnesses Elijah victory at Mount Carmel.  I kings 18: 21.  What happens?  What does he/she see, feel, hear, smell?  Does she get to talk to Elijah?  What happens? 

21)  Describe what happened on the day the Israelites completed the temple.  Create a character who is there and what he sees and experiences.  Ezra 7:13-22

22)  Create a character who fights by Joshua’s side and he hears Joshua pray that the sun doesn’t move until Joshua kills his enemies.  Joshua 10:12.  Write in first person from this character’s pov as to what happens and what he sees.

23)  Write from Rahab’s pov when Joshua’s men marched around the city. Joshua 6.

24)  What happened to Jeremiah when he was in the dungeon of the king?  Jeremiah 38.

25)  What is Jesus’ New Years resolutions?

26)  Your phone rings and God is on the line.  What does he say?

27)  You find your great-great-great grandma’s bible.  What does she write in it? 

28)  You find a tomb stone that says, “To God be the Glory.”  What happened to this person to bring glory to God?

29)  You go back into time and run into David when he was running from Saul.  He’s depressed.  What do you tell him?

30)  Read 1 chronicles 11:10-47.  Now pick out a mighty man and write a short story about him.  Don’t be afraid to make stuff up about him or you can do some research and write about him.

31)  Read a psalm and write a short story as to why David wrote it.  Now write a short story about how that psalm relates to you.

32)  Queen Esther and ex-queen Vishti meet.  What do they say? Esther 1

33) Describe what happened to Shadrach, Meshach and AbedNego experienced in the fiery furnace.   Write a short story, 500 or more words,  from one their pov’s.  Daniel 3

34)  Five year old Sally’s pet turtle, Turky, dies.  She asks mommy/daddy, “Will Turky be in heaven when I get there?” What does mommy/daddy say?  Write a 500 word short story. 

35) Describe what happens when we praise God.  You can use any pov, or create a character who sees this.  Be descriptive.

36) Take any horror film and add a bible believing, God-loving Christian in it.  You can write from her/his pov or from third pov.  (Come on, you all know you’ve wanted to do this for some time. )

37) Now write from the killer’s pov as to what he sees or experiences in the christian.

38) The neighborhood kids claim the old lady down the street is a witch.  Her house is falling apart, the paint is chipping, the walk is full of weeds and kids say they can hear cats screaming at night. They claim she eats dogs for dinner and has been known to eat a child or two.  Who is this lady in reality?  Write from her pov.  Then go visit the old, scary lady down the street. 

39) Write a 500 word essay about how God either saved your life or answered a much needed prayer.  Now add this to a character and write a short story about what God did to her/him. 

40)  Write down your dreams for one week.  Then take one of those dreams and add it to a character. Write a 500 or more words short story. 

41) God dispatches the angels to a very important mission. They must fight demons to achieve their mission.  What is it?  Take the story from one of the angel’s pov.

42)  Jesus has a MySpace page.  What does he put on it?

1)      Pick a character in the bible and describe his/her day.  What are his/her struggles, joys, frustrations, ect.  Write at least 500 words.  Can you make a story out of this? 

2)      Describe how a Pharisee saw Jesus standing on the steps of the temple.  What did he see and hear?  Use all the senses.

3)      You are standing in the manger scene.  What do you hear and smell? 

4)      Follow this website: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/  Now pick a hymn and write a short story about why the author wrote that song. 

5)      It’s always good to get into the bad guy’s shoes.  So write a story about an evil character in the bible, see his side of the story.  Why did he do this evil deed?

6)      You get to meet your hero from the bible.  What happens?

7)      Write a short story using these words:  Angel, vineyard, shield, shepherd

8)      Take the first line of a psalm and write a story revolving around it.

9)      Write a story that revolves around “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

10)  Write something inspirational.

11)  Flesh out the woman from the well who met Jesus and gave Him some water.  Who is she?  Why did she divorce all her husbands and lived with her boyfriend?  Why did the other women not like her?  What was her name?

12)  Write from one of David’s sheep’s POV.

13)  You are the last one to leave church and you hear a loud thump between the aisles.  What happens?

14)  King David meets Daniel.  What happens?

15)  What happened with Daniel when he was in the lions’ den?

16)  The worship team has a fight over a particular song.  Some want to sing it, while the others think it’s too secular.  What happens?

17)  Someone gives the pastor a note while he’s preaching, what does it say?

18)  Create a short story that involves a pastor who must go after a terrorist in order to save his family.  What happens?

19)  What is your first memory regarding Sunday School?

20)  Why would a pastor think of leaving the palpate?

21)  Write a Sunday School sermon for 5 year olds.

22)  Mary thinks a woman should wear dresses to church, while Emily says it’s ok to wear jeans.  Write only their conversation, no narrative. 

23)  Write a conversation that is all oblique dialogue.

24)  Pastor has a secret and if anyone finds out, it could ruin him.  What is it?

25)  In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar went mad and eat grass like an ox.  What happened to him?  How did he live, think, feel? Describe him after he went mad.

26)  How did Saul feel before David played his harp and drove out the demons?

27)  Describe the fear in Daniel 5:5 when God’s fingers appeared and wrote on the wall.

28)  What do angels see?

29)  Write a short story regarding a person whom Jesus healed.  What happened to them after the healing?

30)  God calls Tim to be an usher, but he’s afraid of people.  What happens?

31)  When I grow up, I want to be a ______? Why?

32)  Watch a few people praying in church.  What are they praying and why?

33)  A bird is sitting on the wall as Jesus walks by carrying his cross.  What does the bird see, hear, smell? What does he think?

34)  The lights go off as the pastor is beginning his sermon.  What happens? 

35)  A new law is passed:  Bibles aren’t allowed in churches.  What happens?

36)  Write a short story on how the Shulamite and the Beloved from Song of Solomon meet.

37)  Write a short story based on: Do not be rash with your mouth and let not our heart utter anything hastily before God.  Ecc 5:1

38)  You’re a reporter and you just saw Jill push Jack down the hill.  What happens to Jill?

39)  Write from the POV of your computer.  What does it think about you?

40)  The pastor’s an alien from another planet.  What happens?

41)  Mary starts her first day at Sunday School for 5 year olds.  What happens?

42)  The pastor comes into church and finds the place ransacked.  What happens?

43)  Expand on a story your parents told you when you were a child.

44)  Describe a strawberry, but you can’t say strawberry.

45)  Someone stole all the bread for communion and you only have five minutes to grab something else.  What do you use instead?  Why?

46)  Write a prayer for your child.

47)  Rewrite a psalm from your pov.

48)  A Sunday school teacher, a worship leader and an usher discuss which job is most important.  Include the words cell phone, water and cigars.

49)  Write a story around this psalm: Kings of armies flee, they flee and she who remains home divides the spoil.  Psalm 68:12

50)  Think of something people do in church that you think is wrong; now defend that thing as if you were that person.

51)  What would you find in the pastor’s garbage can?

52)  List 10 things you should never do in church.  Now write a short story using three of those things.

53)  Write a short story from Goliath’s pov.

54)  Use this as the first line of a short story:  It was a dark and stormy night.

55)  Describe what you see outside your window. 

56)  Describe a lazy person, but you can’t use the word lazy.  Describe his surroundings, his eating habits, his work habits, etc.

57)  Write a short story in which the church’s accountant is stealing money from the church.  The pastor is accused.  What happens? 

58)  The pastor’s wife has a secret and she tries to hide it from the congregation.  But someone finds out.  What happens?

59)  Find something on your desk and describe its every detail.

60)  Try to remember a conversation you had with someone in church.  Write it down.  Now make up two characters having the same conversation, then have them having another conversation outside of church.  What changes? (for instance:  Folks always try to be ‘holy’ in church, but outside of church, they don’t.)           

61)  A bum comes into church.  What happens?

62)  Describe God’s love, but you can’t use grace, mercy or love. 

63)  Freewrite for 3 minutes on this saying: Glory to God.

64)  Write a short story using this phrase;  The footsteps came closer.  Also incorporate Goosebumps rose on her arms without using this saying.

65)  None of the worship overheads at church work and all the hymnals have disappeared.  You have to lead worship, so what do you use to lead the congregation?

66)  You and the congregation are in a forest and you want to have a church service.  What happens?  Describe the service.

67)  Describe Jonah’s experience in the whale.  Be descriptive.

68)  Write a short story about The glory lifted from the temple.

69)  Write a short story using this phrase:  More wicked then Samaria and Sodom.

70)  What was Lot’s wife thinking as she looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah?

71)  Describe a heater turning on.  What does it sound like?  And yes, you are allowed to turn on the heater.

72)  Describe the sounds of the clicking keyboard as you type.

73)  Freewrite for three minutes starting with this phrase:  The door slowly opened and ____ appeared.

74)  Describe an atheists POV regarding Christianity.

75)  Describe thunder.  You can’t use the words loud, booming, or cracking.

76)  Which season do you like best?  Why? Describe.

77)  The guy who dumped Lilly is now sitting three rows ahead of her in church.  A pretty blond is sitting next to him and she puts her head on his shoulder.  He dumped Lilly because he said he needed to get closer to God.  Write two stories, one that is full of conflict, the other full of sorrow.

78)  Write about church from an unsaved person’s pov.  Now write about church from a saved person’s pov.  Write a third story from a religious person’s pov.  Notice how each story changed? 

79)  Describe what the world will be like when Jesus comes back and rules. 

80)  For 90 seconds, write what you would see in a catholic church.  Now take ten of those things and write a short story about them, but don’t set them in a church.

81)  Lilly pampers herself.  What does she do and why?

82)  Flesh out this character.  Ruby works in the children’s church, but she hates kids.  Why is she there?

83)  Lilly had a scary situation with the head usher.  What happened?

84)  Phil drives home after service, but forgets to pick up his child from Sunday school.  What happens?

85)  A bad thing happened at church today.  What was it?

86)  Have a conversation with one of your characters from your WIP.

87)  You’re a book agent.  Describe your day.

88)  Start a story using this sentence.  She picked up the frame, touched the face in the picture and smiled.

89)  Have you ever lied and felt bad about it?  What happened?

90)  Take two cartoon heroes and put them in an elevator together.  What happens?

91)  Try to see your day from your child’s pov.  What happens?

92)  What was your favorite house and why? Describe it.

93)  Freewrite for 3 minutes, writing new metaphors for the phrase: the wind blew hard.

94)  Where is your favorite vacation spot?  Why?

95)  Take an animal cartoon character like Scooby-do or The characters from Madagascar and make them human.  What happens? Do they act the same or are they different?

96)  Spiderman and Wolverine have a battle.  Who wins and why?  Write a short story.

97)  Take a cliché and rewrite it to make it fresh.

98)  Flesh out this character:  Tom wants to be a ninja so he can impress his girlfriend.  He’s very clumsy though. 

99)  Write about a teacher who made you feel stupid in front of the class.  Now write a short story about the incident, but use fictional characters and a 1930’s scene. 

100)                      An old man is sitting on a park bench.  He has a new paper, a bag of peanuts, and coke.  What is he thinking?

101)                      Write a short story using these words:  lamp, dish, lamb, cat, and mountain.

102)                      An adult decides to act like a child for a day.  What happens?

103)                      Write the first and the last line to a novel you haven’t done, but want to do. 

104)                      Grandma burned the turkey for Thanksgiving.  What does she make instead and why?

105)                      God has given you a new spiritual gift.  What is it and what do you do with it?

106)                      Try to ease drop on someone’s cell phone conversation.  Then write a short story about it.

107)                      Write about your bible from its pov.

108)                      You see a woman who looks pregnant and ask if you can pray over her baby.  She looks at you and says, I’m not pregnant.  What do you say?  Create a short story.

109)                      You are singing with the congregation during worship, but the lady next to you is whispering on her cell phone.  You realize it’s a pretty deep conversation.  What do they say?

110)                      You are in church and you accidently break a statue of Jesus.  No one knows you did it.  What do you do?

111)                      You are waiting in line to see a famous evangelist.  What happens in the line?

112)                      Is there a TV evangelist you don’t like?  If so, then write a short story about how GREAT he is.  

113)                      That same Tv evangelist knocks at your door and says he has a word from God for you.  What do you do and why?

First of all, let’s revisit the facts. Last year, more than 560,000 new books were published in the U.S. alone. About half of these were self-published or “print on demand” titles. In addition, industry experts estimate that there are another four million manuscripts completed that have not yet found a publishing home. That’s a lot of competition.http://michaelhyatt.com/2010/01/so-you-can%e2%80%99t-seem-to-land-an-agent%e2%80%94now-what.html

If you want to publish professionally, you may need to step it up a notch and treat it more professionally. That may mean investing more money and time. You’re not going to get free writing advice. You can attend writers conferences and workshops. You can read books about the craft of writing (not just about how to get published). You can look into the possibility of working with an editor to determine the issues in your writing. (Many freelancers offer a “manuscript evaluation” that’s pretty affordable.)http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/01/wake-up-and-smell-coffee.html

 I have to agree with both articles, if you’re not getting any bites regarding the guery, then go back to the drawing board.  Try to see the query from the agent’s pov. Are you being concise, to the point, showing not telling? Each time I get a rejection, I revamp the query and send it out again.  Hang in there and don’t give up.  Revamp, revamp, revamp and keep sending it out, perfect the craft of writing.  Kitty says Hi!! And feed me!!