She Reads and Novel Matters – Bringing Writers and Readers Together

Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.”

That’s collective wisdom.

The authors of Novel Matters (Sharon K. Souza, Debbie Fuller Thomas, Latayne C. Scott, Patti Hill, Kathleen Popa, and Bonnie Grove), together with the authors behind She Reads (Ariel Allison and Marybeth Whalen) announce a partnership designed to bring writers and readers together in a new, dynamic way.

Novel Matters blog is a community that celebrates the creative process of writing. We explore what matters in novels. We are six published authors – our combined books number 27. We have teamed to build a community populated by authors, writers, hopeful writers, readers, and people interested in the different ways of expressing creativity, language, and ideas.

The partnership between these two groups opens new opportunities for readers and for authors. To paraphrase  author Kevin Crossley-Holland, we hope to create a “room with big windows” where readers can come into the lives of published authors who struggle daily with words and authors can partake of the privilege of meeting and sharing with readers.

What the partnership will look like:

Each site of course will maintain its own identity, as a readers’ community and a writers’ community.

Twice a month, an author from Novel Matters will post on the She Reads blog, giving insight to the creative process, answer reader questions, and revel in our shared love of books and reading. Yes, Novel Matters is populated with authors, but each author is also an avid reader. We devour books and love to talk about our reading experiences.

Once a month, an author from She Reads will post on Novel Matters – bringing a wealth of insight on how authors can reach readers. This goes beyond marketing tips. The instruction they bring will help authors build trust with readers, and touch their hearts.

She Reads and Novel Matters are dreaming big dreams — of glimpses into each others’ worlds — a place of community where you Read Novels — where the She of each of you truly Matters to authors who care about their craft and their readers.

So it is with great excitement that She Reads introduces the lovely gals from Novel Matters into our little cyber family. We’ll let Debbie Thomas do the honors:

We are so happy that our meandering path has crossed with yours!  We at Novel Matters look forward to journeying alongside the readers of She Reads and striking up rich and satisfying conversation about books and the writing of them.  Let me do the introductions (alphabetically):

Bonnie Grove is one busy gal – pastor’s wife, mother, speaker  – who is just completing the final draft for her second work of fiction.  Her dialog is unique and compelling, and we wish she lived closer (she’s our resident Canadian) so we could curl up with a cup a’ Joe and she could read us the next chapter in her novel.

Kathleen Popa writes stories with an eye for beauty and meaning, and in much the same way as she takes her gorgeous photographs.  Her stories lavishly examine spiritual truths with a new true lens.  Katy is creative and so easy to talk to.

Latayne Scott is one smart lady with a gift for words.  In fact, in the dictionary under ‘wordsmith’ it says “see ‘Latayne.’”  Wisdom and insight walk clothed in beauty through her stories.

Patti Hill’s stories make you feel like she wrote them just for you.  Seriously, you’ll wish you’d had a best friend like her in high school, because it would have made everything better.  She covers real topics with delicate grace and aplomb, and leaves you with the certainty that life is good.

Sharon Souza takes you by the hand and walks you through the lives of her characters as their stories unfold and their hearts are laid bare.  They’re so real, you want to wrap your arms around them and make everything right, and you want to trade addresses with them when the story’s done, just to keep in touch.

Thanks Debbie, for that wonderful (and humbling) introduction. Let me introduce She Reads to Debbie Fuller Thomas. Debbie writes contemporary fiction about mothers and daughters and families in general. Her characters read like the family next door, people you come to care about immediately. She’s full of practical creative advice that keeps us all on our toes.

Family is what makes us who we are and determines how we deal with the complexities of life.  I cherish my Novel Matters family, and I hope that you’ll get to know these wonderful writers and their work.