KAREN LENFESTEY, "Happy Endings with a Twist"
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Biography
  • Book Clubs
  • Contact Karen
  • Author Interview
  • Author Events
  • Treats for Mom blog

Insights from Women's Fiction Author, Elizabeth Berg

7/26/2014

7 Comments

 
Picture
Authors Cathy Shouse and Elizabeth Berg at Midwest Writer's Workshop (Photo by Matt Shouse)
Seeing an author whose books I enjoy is a rare thrill for me, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear Elizabeth Berg speak. In case you don’t know, Elizabeth Berg is a New York Times best-selling author, writes contemporarily fiction and bought her dad a red Cadillac after her book Open House was featured on Oprah’s Book Club. What I like about her books is that they’re about marriage, friendship and complicated family relationships, which is also the style of books I write. According to my agent, it’s a small niche in the women’s fiction market, which is dominated by romances. Here are the words of wisdom this successful author shared at the Midwest Writer’s Workshop. 


Your day job can make you a better writer. Elizabeth Berg’s experience as a nurse required her to give patients “unconditional positive regard” and notice everything from a twitching knee to their facial expression. Since she worked in critical care, she learned that what matters in life isn’t the big things, but the little details. It’s the yellow coffee cup you drink your morning coffee from or the dog curled up at the end of your bed that matter to people. This is also what creates a beautiful scene and a memorable story. 


Berg offered insights into her own writing process, but emphasized that we should honor what works for us. She doesn’t plot her story out ahead of time because she likes to be surprised. “I don’t want to know where it's going. I want to dream it into being.” Preferring to work in the morning, she writes one day without censoring herself. The next day she goes back and edits it. She encourages writers to “Go shopping for ideas inside yourself” rather than trying to imitate others.  


“The best thing to do to be a good writer is to be a good reader,” Berg said. She likes to read Alice Munro, E.B. White, the graphic artist Lynda Barry as well as non-fiction. Reading a variety of genres is good for writers. Her advice for writer’s groups is “Be honest but kind.”  


When asked how she juggles several book ideas, she said she can’t work on two novels at the same time. “It’s like you’re married to it.” So, she suggested treating your story ideas like you would children: tell them you love them and you’ll get to them later, but right now Mom has to do this. People who are bombarded by several ideas should write each of them down and put them in a drawer. 


Berg concluded with a few positive words about publishing. Despite the changing industry, she said, “Editors are still looking for good writers. They need you as much as you need them.” Write the story you want to write first, she advised, and worry about marketing later. “All of you are engaged in a noble business. . . . Good luck! I hope you love what you’re doing.” 



If you enjoy reading happy endings with a twist, try A SISTER’S PROMISE, WHAT HAPPINESS LOOKS LIKE or ON THE VERGE. Look for A WEEKEND GETAWAY by Karen Lenfestey, coming soon to Amazon. 
Thanks to my friend and fellow author, Cathy Shouse, for the picture in this blog.

7 Comments

Touching Novel about Father-Daughter Relationship:

9/27/2013

0 Comments

 
Outside the LinesOutside the Lines by Amy Hatvany
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a beautiful story of a father-daughter relationship and the importance of that bond. The main character is a grown woman searching for her father who left when she was young. Through flashbacks, we learn about how much they loved each other and how his bipolar disorder tore their lives apart. I savored every page of this novel and found the ending just right.

View all my reviews
0 Comments

Funny, British Lit: Book Review

8/13/2013

1 Comment

 
Remember Me?Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never did get into Sophie Kinsella's "confessions of a shopaholic" books, but this storyline struck me as interesting. A woman hits her head and wakes up to discover she's successful and married to what seems like the perfect husband. She made me laugh when she recognized a man as either a doctor or from a casino and it turned out to be a photo of George Clooney! I listened to the audiobook version of this and I highly recommend it because the reader has a British accent, which makes it feel like you are there. This was a funny, yet compelling, story and I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out.

View all my reviews
If this sounds like a novel you'd enjoy, you should also check out On the Verge, where a newlywed hits his head and his wife struggles to accept his personality changes. The Midwest Book Review calls On the Verge "highly recommended" and It's available on amazon for $2.99
1 Comment

Tired of Playing by the Rules? 

2/27/2013

1 Comment

 
The Good DaughterThe Good Daughter by Jane Porter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I seriously didn't want this book to end. It's about a Catholic school teacher who has never had the joy of falling head over heels in love. She also hates that she has never married or had children, which she assumed would have happened by now. When she falls for clearly the wrong man, a typical "bad boy," she tells herself to move on. But he keeps popping up in her life when she least expects it. Then she realizes that he isn't quite what he seems. . . .

View all my reviews
1 Comment

The Next Big Thing

2/19/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
The Next Big Thing Blog Hop is a way of connecting readers to writers around the world. I would like to thank Kelly O'Dell Stanley, who just signed a book deal, for inviting me along. You can read about her original idea here: Praying Upside Down.
I will answer some questions about my writing then link you to amazing authors I think you'll like. 

1. What is the title of your book? On the Verge

2. Where did the idea come from? I once worked for a man whose wife was in a car accident that completely changed her personality. He said she "wasn't the woman he married." This ethical dilemma intrigued me so I wrote a book where a head injury interrupts newlywed bliss. (My boss, by the way, divorced his wife. In my book club discussion questions, I ask if a man or a woman is more likely to stay married if his/her partner becomes gravely ill.)

3. What's the genre? contemporary fiction or women's fiction

4. Which actors would you choose to portray the characters in a movie? Ginnifer Goodwin from "Once Upon a Time" for Val, the main character, and Cindy Crawford for Joely, a secondary character.

5. What's the one sentence synopsis of your book? Newlyweds struggle to repair a 1920's house while trying to rebuild their relationship after a personality-changing head injury.

6. Was this independently published or represented by an agency? It was independently published after consulting with my agent. My next novel will be represented by the MacGregor Literary Agency.

7. How long did it take to write? It took about 6-8 months to write.

8. What other books would you compare this to? "The Vow"

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? A friend of mine lives in a 1920's Spanish-style house which I've always admired. Her stories of restoration joys and nightmares inspired the On the Verge house and is featured on the book cover.

10. What else about your book might pique the reader's interest? The Midwest Book Review wrote this: "A thoughtful tale about difficult human problems with no easy solutions, On the Verge is highly recommended." 

If you like contemporary women's fiction, check out Kaira Rouda, who Claire Cook, author of Must Love Dogs, said "is like getting together with one of your best friends--fun, fast and full of great advice." For historical fiction, I highly recommend New York Times bestselling author, Tasha Alexander, and for inspirational fiction and non-fiction, read Peggy Sue Wells. 

2 Comments

Movies you might've missed: The Music Never Stopped

1/23/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
How often do both you and your guy LOVE a movie? I mean, he likes Die Hard and you like The Notebook. Someone is always compromising. Until now. Because The Music Never Stopped manages the challenging feat of reaching both sexes. 

The main character, 35-year-old Gabriel, was inspired by a real amnesiac stuck in the 1960's due to a brain tumor. From there, the writer, Dr. Oliver Sacks ("Awakenings"), created an inspiring story about a conservative father who kicks his hippie son out of the house. For twenty years, they don't speak. . . until Gabriel is admitted to the hospital dazed and confused. Surgery saves his health, but the doctors are unable to undo the damage. Gabriel barely speaks and cannot remember what happened five minutes ago. Despite the heartbreak, his parents visit him daily.

Eventually they discover that music unlocks parts of Gabriel's memory. Like a light switch, a favorite Grateful Dead or Bob Dylan song allows Gabriel to engage in animated conversations. Unfortunately, the music threatens to reignite the old war between father and son. Is the music really helping this family heal or is it sometimes better to forget?

This movie made my husband and I laugh out loud and ache deep inside. When it was over, I regretted the fact that I could've missed seeing it. As far as I'm concerned, this movie was a million times better than "Awakenings" for which the writer is better known. If you missed this 2011 Sundance Film Festival pick, I highly recommend you check out The Music Never Stopped now. 

How long would you wait for someone you love to return to their former self? If you'd like another story about how a head injury challenges and inspires a family, read "On the Verge" for $2.99 on Amazon. 

0 Comments

What makes a mother? Book Review

12/17/2012

0 Comments

 
The Underside of JoyThe Underside of Joy by Seré Prince Halverson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is what great women's fiction is about. The main character, Ella, is a wonderful woman who married a man whose children had been abandoned by their birth mother. Unfortunately, her husband dies unexpectedly and suddenly the "real mom" shows up and wants her kids. The courts usually favor the birth parents, but Ella is the only mom the three year old even recognizes. The older child, however, seems happy to have her birth mother back. I couldn't believe I was rooting for the stepmother in this book, but I was. The ending caught me by surprise and I appreciated that, too. My only regret is that this is the first book by this author, so now I must wait to read more.

View all my reviews

If you enjoy happy endings with a twist, check out "A Sister's Promise" or "What Happiness Looks Like."

0 Comments

The Last Letter from your Lover--great women's fiction!

11/5/2012

0 Comments

 
The Last Letter from Your LoverThe Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novel was like two great stories in one. I enjoyed the glimpse of married life in 1960's London and just when I had to know what happened, the story jumped ahead to modern day. I became engrossed in the new characters whose lives eventually intertwined with the first love story. Well written!

View all my reviews
If you enjoy this type of book, check out On the Verge or Made for Two by Karen Lenfestey. 
0 Comments

Wish You Were Here . . . Instead of Me!

5/30/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
We’re planning a family vacation and I must confess, I’m a little scared. Even the research shows that happiness surges most when anticipating a trip rather than during it. I suspect that’s especially true if you’re bringing along the munchkins.

 Until now we’ve only ventured a few hours from home with our little one. We took the South Shore railroad (how cool is that?!?) to Chicago. On day three, our toddler had a tearful meltdown in Shedd Aquarium because she was so tired. (All right, I might have had a meltdown, too, but it was because I had an untreated sinus infection.) We stayed home the next summer. 

              But inevitably, the vacation bug bit us again. Recently we visited Jack Hanna’s zoo in Columbus on a day the forecasters marveled would be sunny and in the seventies. Instead, it was in the fifties and during lunch, thunder and lightening forced us to bolt for the parking lot where we searched in the pouring rain for our vehicle. On the ride home, our daughter choked on a sip of water and threw up in our brand new car. (My husband had a meltdown that time.)

            So yes, I’m afraid. But I’m excited too. Today we ordered our seven-year-old her first passport. (I didn’t get mine until I went on my honeymoon!) I’m tickled at the opportunities we are providing for her. She’s going to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. She’s going to mine for “diamonds” and visit the chocolate-scented town of Hershey. What could possibly go wrong?

            No--please don’t tell me. It’ll ruin the surprise.

What was your most memorable vacation? 
When did you get your first passport?

If you enjoyed this blog, please click “tweet” or “like” below. If you’re looking for a book to read on your vacation, check out novels by the author Glo Magazine said is "a charming writer. . .with a gift for storytelling”: A Sister’s Promise or What Happiness Looks Like. 


0 Comments

A Good Date Vs. a Good Mate

3/25/2012

6 Comments

 
My girlfriends and I were having a hilarious discussion the other day about the differences between the men we found attractive in our twenties versus the men we found attractive now that we were mothers. Below is a short list of what to look for in a date compared to what you'll want in a mate.
Picture
Guy to Date:
1. Says you look beautiful when you go to dinner

2. Drives a sports car
3. Showers before your date


4. Generous with his money
5. Takes you to cocktail parties
6. Uses blender to make strawberry daiquiris
7. Willing to watch Sleepless in Seattle
8. Takes you dancing
9. Buys you flowers
10. Does his own laundry
11. Notices when you get a new haircut
12. Carries you over the threshold
13. Plans fun things to do on the weekend
14. Pampers you when you're sick
15. Says "I love you" 

If you liked this blog, please tweet or share. If you'd like to read more by Karen Lenfestey, check out her novels: A Sister's Promise and What Happiness Looks Like.
Picture
Guy to Marry:
1. Says you look beautiful when you wake up
2. Drives a mini-van
3. Offers to bathe the baby

4. Saves money for child's college fund
5. Takes the kids to birthday parties
6. Uses blender to make strawberry smoothies
7. Willing to watch Sesame Street
8. Teaches daughter how to do the chicken dance
9. Plants a garden in the back yard
10. Washes the sheets after kid gets sick
11. Notices when the kids need a haircut
12. Carries child who fell asleep in the car to bed
13. Plans play dates for the weekend
14. Pampers the baby when she's wet
15. Shows that he loves you

6 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Contact Karen
    Picture
    Should Bethany track down the daughter she's never known just to give her bad news?
    Picture
    What event could make a woman second-guess her stance on motherhood?
    join karen's club

    Archives

    January 2024
    May 2019
    April 2016
    May 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Categories

    All
    Advice
    Angelina Jolie
    Antenna
    Apo
    Appreciation
    Babies
    Band-aids
    Blog Hop
    Book Review
    Books
    Bribe
    Butterflies
    Cable
    Career
    Cat
    Charity
    Chick Lit
    Childhood
    Children
    Christmas
    Civil Rights
    Clue
    Cookies
    Cooking
    Crushes
    Crying
    Cutting The Cord
    Dads
    Date
    Daughter
    Daughters
    Diet
    Donut
    Duma
    Dvd
    Easy Recipes
    Ethics
    Fairies
    Family
    Family Film
    Fatherhood
    February
    Fiction
    First Love
    Free Book
    Fun
    Gambling
    Games
    Girls
    Grandchildren
    Grandmothers
    Gratitude
    Grumpy Cat
    Hero
    History
    Humor
    Ice Cream
    Interview
    Job
    Karate
    Kid Recipes
    Kids
    Kids Movies
    Kitten
    Kittens
    Las Vegas
    Las Vegas Strip
    Leadership
    Left-handed
    Losing
    Love
    Love-hate
    Magic
    Marriage
    Martin Luther King Jr.
    Midwest Writer's Workshop
    Mixed Messages
    Mom
    Moms
    Monday
    Morals
    Motherhood
    Movies
    Murphy's Law
    Niagara Falls
    No
    Novella
    Novels
    Nutrition
    Oprah
    Oreos
    Parenthood
    Parenting
    Pets
    Philanthropy
    Reading
    Recipes
    Reward
    Riviera Hotel
    Role Model
    Romance
    SAHM
    Sal Dimiceli
    Santa
    Smoothie
    Snacks
    Sportsmanship
    Stay At Home Moms
    Stay-at-home Moms
    Student
    Summer
    Tae Kwon Do
    Teacher
    Teachers
    Tears
    Television
    Thankful
    Thanksgiving
    The Next Big Thing
    Titanic
    Tourism
    Tradition
    Treat
    Trips
    TV
    Vacation
    Vacations
    Valentine
    Valentines
    Vegas
    Vote
    Winning
    Women's Fiction
    Working Moms
    Writing

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.