Deborah Vogts ~ Country at Heart

Family Time

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 05:59:00 +0000

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Eph.5:1-2

Family is important to us. My husband and I have three daughters, one now married, one in high school, and our youngest in grade school. Pictured below are some of our favorite pictures.

Family & Fishing

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:35:00 +0000

This last month we enjoyed getting together with family members for Mother's Day, graduations, and Memorial Day weekend. It's always a blessing to spend time with those we love. Below is a picture of our three daughters & new son-in-law.

Here is my youngest after a fishing trip with her dad. I think they caught 21 bass and had a ball doing it!

Christmas 07

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:00:00 +0000

My oldest daughter and her new husband came home for an early Christmas the first week of December. I haven't seen her for five months, so you can imagine how excited I was about their visit. While here, we visited family, enjoyed tea parties and built a gingerbread house. Here are a few family pictures from our time together.

Back to School

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:34:00 +0000

My middle daughter is so excited because she doesn't have to ride the bus this year!!! She gets to drive. Of course, that just adds to my worry for the day, but it is nicer for the girls, saving them from an hour ride on a hot, dusty bus.

My youngest daughter celebrating her "11th" Birthday

4-H Projects

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:10:00 +0000

This past July we attended our county fair, an event we look forward to all year long. This year was no exception, although it was very hot and humid. I have to admit that I'm glad to be back inside with the air-conditioning. Here are a few pictures of our girls' projects. Above is our youngest daughter with her bucket calf. Below are pictures of their food projects and our oldest with horse, Joe.

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Bucket Calves and Lincoln Logs

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:43:00 +0000

Pictured on your left is my youngest with a twelve day old bucket calf, her latest 4-H project. He is a Hereford twin who lost his mom. My daughter calls him "Bud" and feeds him milk replacer from a bottle.

To your right, is a huge toy barn made from homemade Lincoln Logs. Several years ago, my husband was not satisfied with the box of Lincoln Logs I bought for Christmas, so he decided to build his own. That entire winter, he and the girls went out to the barn to work on their project, which now is stored in several large boxes in our home. They pulled them out the other day and this is the barn my husband built. He's saving them for grandchildren!

Weddings

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 16:11:00 +0000

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. David Ronsick,

married June 2, 2007.

May God grant you many blessings as you begin your new life together.

Here are a couple pictures from our oldest daughter's wedding. It was beautiful.

Sam with her bridesmaids.

Samantha with her dad.

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Flood

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:11:00 +0000

The end of June brought floods to Southeast Kansas and to our hometown. Unfortunately, our church was one of the places flooded by the Neosho River, as well as many of our friends' homes. If you would, please keep them in your prayers as they work to come out of this disaster.

Saving Grace

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 01:00:00 +0000

Eight years ago, I formed and managed a group of youth singers who called themselves "Saving Grace." We were together for five years. During that time, we learned a host of contemporary praise songs along with a few gospel hymns, and we traveled around southeast Kansas singing and glorifying God with our music. Some of the places we attended were various churches, community events, and even the Kansas State Fair where we performed three different times. In those years, we managed to purchase our own singing equipment and our last year together we recorded a music CD of our favorite songs. We also ate a lot of pizza and had some fun roadtrips.

I watched these girls grow from gangly teens to beautiful, God-honoring women. This last month, we had a reunion concert at a local church. It was a lot of fun getting together again, and amazing enough, the music and words came back to everyone with little effort. Pictured here are group members: Maggie, Stevi, Abbey, Andi and Sara. (Kerri & Samantha were unable to join us.) Thank you girls, and may God grant you happiness in His care all the days of your lives. Let's do this again soon!

Birthdays

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:59:00 +0000

This past February, our family celebrated a couple birthdays. One daughter turned 17, and my dear husband finally caught up to me at . . . 42. So, how many of you are older than your husbands? I like to tell mine that I'm older and wiser. . . . but I don't think he believes it.

Golden Retriever Puppies

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:58:00 +0000

Ruby, our Golden Retriever, blessed us with puppies twice a year. Here are a few pictures of the darlings. They grow fast.

Great-Grandma's Rose

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 18:57:00 +0000

I thought I'd share with you a picture from my rose garden. This is actually a plant handed down to me from my great-grandma Cora, which makes it a special treasure, but it also has the most fragrant perfume.

Family Vacations

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:37:00 +0000

Two summers ago my family and I went camping in the San Juan mountains of Colorado near Silverton. We had a wonderful time. With the daily rains, the waterfalls were beautiful. One day, we 4-wheeled to the top of Mount Imogene at over 13,000 feet. Here are a couple of the pictures we took.

Horses

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:16:00 +0000

New addition to our family ~ Belle's colt, born May 1, 2006. I originally thought it was a filly, but my dear hubby told me when he got home that night that my she was a he. Oops.

This is a picture of my youngest on a dun horse we call Enoch.

Summer vacation . . . gardening, horseback riding, 4-H projects, camping . . . did someone say slow? I wish. Here's a picture of my middle daughter riding one of our horses, named Joe, short for Josiah. He's a 4-year-old registered quarter horse.

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Hunting Trips

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:45:00 +0000

Every October, my husband goes on an annual elk hunt to the West Elk Wilderness near Gunnison, CO. They take their horses and pack into the mountains for two weeks of extreme, primitive, manly fun. (Think fourteen days without a shower.) Each year, he brings back stories about their adventures--black bears, blizzards, riding trails in the pitch of night.

Me, I'd rather stay home where I can sleep in my soft bed. I don't mind camping in the summer, but add snow, bears, and no bathroom to the equation and you can call me a sissy.

Not my two oldest daughters, though. They each went with their dad on his annual elk hunt during their eighth grade years ~ you can't call them sissies!

Snow in Kansas

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 08:53:00 +0000

Playing in the snow in January. Pictured here are my three daughters and husband building a gigantic snowman.

This snowstorm brought snow that measured between 16-18 inches. Amazing. I haven't seen white stuff like this since I was a young girl. To my childrens' delight, school was cancelled--It didn't take long before the girls had the horses ready for sledding.

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Writing Tips

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 05:59:00 +0000

"Many are the plans in a man's heart,

but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Proverbs 19:21

I've always wanted to be a writer. In high school, I started my first book, called "Splendor in the Sun." Even in college when I studied English Literature and Journalism, all I dreamed about was to write a book. Lots of time has passed since then, but five years ago, I joined a group called American Christian Romance Writers, now called American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Since that time, I've learned a lot about writing fiction and have completed two books I'm prepared to claim (the ones before that were learning tools). My current work is a contemporary series situated in the Flint Hills of Kansas, which will be published by Zondervan. The first book, Snow Melts in Spring is set to release May 09.

Below are some writing tips for beginning writers that I hope will help you on your writing journey.

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Graduation

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 00:23:00 +0000

Many of you have been to graduations--kindergarten, eighth grade, high school, or college. But there is another type of graduation you may never have considered--the graduation of a writer.

I began my first book when I was a junior in high school. Then came college, marriage . . . life. In that time, I piddled with my words, even wrote a book or two. But I didn't become serious about this business until six years ago, when I decided to join a local writer's group and an online group called American Christian Romance Writers (now American Christian Fiction Writers). I joined a critique group, took online writing workshops, read writing book how-to's and attended writer's conferences, where I eventually met my first agent, which led to more waiting and disappointment. Now I have a new agent, Rachelle Gardner, at WordServe Literary.

One way to view this journey is from a student's perspective. To read more about this logic, visit Randy Ingermanson's Site.

A Freshman knows she wants to write a book but has no "formal training."
A Sophomore has written a book or is working on one, has read books on writing, joined writer's groups, has even gone to a conference or two, but every proposal or query she's sent out has been rejected. Or maybe she's too scared to even send out a proposal. This phase may take several years to get through.
A Junior is a strong writer. She's improved her craft, been asked to submit a proposal to an editor or two, but still faces rejection. She begins to wonder if she'll ever be published. Again, this might take several years.
Finally, a Senior has reached a point of excellence. By this time, she's garnered the interest of a few publishers and may even have an agent, but still she wonders "will it ever happen?" Then one day when she least expects it, she gets that elusive but magical phone call that says a publisher has offered her a contract!

Well friends, I'm pleased to announce that I've reached senior graduation and have been offered a contract by Zondervan. It's been a long journey, but well worth the wait!

Contract with Zondervan

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 18:37:00 +0000

It's kind of like winning the lottery or maybe winning the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes. Not that I would know how either of those feel like, but it finally arrived . . . my contract with Zondervan!

They have contracted me for three books of my Seasons of the Tallgrass series. The first book titled, Snow Melts in Spring is set to release in May 2009. I am thrilled to be working with them on this project. It has been a long and winding road, but I am finally going to be published. A big THANK YOU to my agent Rachelle Gardner at Wordserve Literary, for working out all the details.

Snow Melts in Spring Blurb

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 07:00:00 +0000

Here is a short blurb for Snow Melts in Spring, the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, to arrive in stores July 09.

When an aged horse is severely injured on a gravel road in the Flint Hills of Kansas, country veterinarian Mattie Evans accepts the challenge to save him. But she finds herself in the middle of a longstanding feud between the horse’s owner, pro quarterback Gil McCray, and his ailing father—who is also her dear friend.

As the snow melts in spring, Gil’s return to his estranged father’s ranch brings a chance for new beginnings and reconciliation, but when he falls in love with Mattie, he must face the truths that haunt him or run from his past. Meanwhile, Mattie encourages Gil to return permanently to Kansas rather than retire in California. Their love collides when Mattie’s sister arrives on Gil’s doorstep, causing Gil to come to terms with the jealous acts leading up to his brother’s death and seek forgiveness from those he loves most. Can he accept God’s forgiveness, and will that be enough to make him stop running from his memories of home? In turn, if Mattie forgives, she’ll be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the land she dearly loves.

Writing Space

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 20:00:00 +0000

When I first began writing, I had an office in our kitchen, which consisted of a desktop computer with a shelf of trade books overhead. Now that I have a laptop, I moved my office to a corner of our bedroom, where I can shut out "life" when needed.

As you can see from this photo, I have lots of pictures--of my characters, where they live, their animals, etc. Besides the normal tools that every writer has, I surround myself with motivators such as candles, lotion, herbal tea, movie soundtracks, even a favorite chambray shirt I deem my official writing shirt. This past Christmas my family gave me a Precious Moments figurine of a girl hiking up a hill. On the bottom it reads "A Journey of Hope." I thought it fitting for this writing journey I'm on and decided to add that to my setting.

Original Movie Soundtracks

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 08:51:00 +0000

I recently discovered the wonders of listening to music while I write. This past Christmas I received a movie soundtrack of Dances with Wolves, one of my favorite movies. So, taking the advice of many fellow writers, I turned up the volumn to my CD player while I brainstormed ideas for my newest manuscript. I liked it so much, I decided to order two more original scores--Legends of the Fall, and The Horse Whisperer.

Let me tell you, I am completely sold on this idea to help put you into your story. I simply pop the CD in and suddenly I'm transported to another time and place. At times, my heart and mind soars with the orchestration.

Top Ten Writing Books

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 20:17:00 +0000

If you're serious about writing, read as much as you can. My second tip is to write as much as you can, then push yourself and write even more. If you don't read, you'll never be a good judge of excellence, and you'll never know what you like. Write what you enjoy reading. Don't write what you think will sell--write what you love and what is on your heart. Here is my Top Ten list of writing books:

Stein on Writing, by Sol Stein

Plot & Structure, by James Scott Bell

Word Painting, by Rebecca McClanahan

Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by R. Brown & D. King

GMC - Goal, Motivation & Conflict, by Debra Dixon

Getting into Character, by Brandilyn Collins

The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White

The Complete Guide to Writing & Selling the Christian Novel, by Penelope J. Stokes

Building Believable Characters, by Marc McCutcheon

Writer's Groups

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 08:22:00 +0000

Reading is so important if you want to aspire to be an author. Another key ingredient to the writer's world is to belong to a writer's group--either local or online. A writer leads a solitary life, and it helps to interact with other authors who understand your unique terminologies and who may share your problems, joys, or advice. (Pictured here are past and present members of ACFW Crit Group 5 - Jeanne Marie Leach, myself, Lisa Harris, Tammy Alexander, and Beth Goddard.)

Another way to do this is to attend writer's conferences. These will usually occur on a weekend and may last from 2-7 days, depending on where you go. There are many to choose from, but here are a few that have been recommended to me: Colorado Christian Writers Conference in May, American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in September, Glorieta Christian Writers' Conference in October, and Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in March or April.

A good place to find writer's groups and conferences is in Sally Stuart's Christian Writers' Market Guide. At the back of the book, you'll find listings of writer's conferences, and regional groups as well as national organizations.

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How to Begin

debvogts@gmail.com (Deborah Vogts) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 20:26:00 +0000

You've studied writing books, you've attended workshops at conferences, now what? How do you begin -- with plot or characters?

The answer is, whichever works for you. I've done both. Let's say you choose to begin with characters. Where do you get your ideas? Sometimes I'll base a character off of a movie actor or actress, or sometimes they'll come from a picture in a magazine. I've even been known to compile characteristics from different people I've met and make them into a fictional person. Each of these suggestions gives you a visual to work with, which for me, is essential to keeping true to the character.

A wonderful tool to access your character's motivations is the book Getting Into Character, by Brandilyn Collins. This book suggests you interview your characters until you know what drives them -- inside and out. By doing this, you'll then be able to develop various plots and subplots for your story.

Now, say you begin with a plot. Where can you find plot ideas? Many times, I'll form a plotline with a story I've read in a newspaper or magazine, and the idea branches out from there. There's an old adage, write what you know, and that's good advice to keep with you. Think back to an occurance that changed or marked your life somehow and see if a plot develops. You'd be surprised how many stories begin that way.

Another option is to hold a brainstorming session with other writers or friends. I participated in one of these last month, and it turned out to be very effective. You can do this with as little as a vague plot idea or a glimpse of your characters. Share your mini synopsis in a round-table group discussion and see what ideas pop up. It's fun to see how one person's thought feeds off another, and it really gets the creative juices cooking.