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Midwest Writer’s Fellowship winner, Karen Lenfestey, writes “Happy Endings with a Twist.” Her first novel, A Sister's Promise, sold over 35,000 copies and was the #1 drama on Amazon for weeks.

I’ve been in a love-hate relationship for as long as I can remember. In high school I even wrote a term paper on its benefits and earned an A. In college I watched a documentary that showed when a relationship like mine ended, people became jittery and agitated as if they were going through drug withdrawal. But even then, I didn’t want to face the facts. I didn’t want to abandon the comforting voice that kept me company when I was lonely. Until my husband confronted me.

“Do you know how much money we spend on this?” I was in shock but I was also afraid to live without it. I wasn’t sure I wanted to cut the cord. Yes, I’m talking about my television. So before I agreed, I wanted to do a trial run. I’d try not to watch TV for one week. By the second day, I caved and flipped through all 100 channels. No matter how much I looked, I still couldn’t find anything worth watching. Five days later, I told my husband to cancel our subscription.

It’s been a couple of months now and I’m kind of proud of myself. I’d like to say I never turn on the “Magic Box” but that isn’t true. I watch a little of what our antenna picks up and supplement it with shows we get through Hulu. But within a few seconds, I see what’s on and make my choice. Most of the time, I turn it off.

The biggest difference I’ve noticed is that now my entire family reads more books. In this low-tech form of entertainment, I’ve found what I truly longed for. . . compelling characters that are there for me at precisely the moment I need them. I don’t need to wait for prime time for witty dialogue. I don’t need to watch pathetic reality stars willing do anything to be famous. And I no longer bemoan the fact that the censors seem to have fallen asleep, thus exposing my 9-year old to curse words and sexual innuendo. That’s because I’m reading a thriller while my husband reads a sci-fi and my daughter reads about cats.

I never would’ve guessed that I’d voluntarily walk away from television. You see, I grew up with frugal parents (in other words, we had no cable) who limited the amount of time I spent sitting in front of the screen. I was the only one I knew from the MTV Generation that never watched music videos. I didn’t know how to “Vogue” and I didn’t know what was so cool about “Thriller.” Part of me resented them for that.

But maybe it’s because of my childhood that this was a fairly easy adjustment. I didn’t suffer too many withdrawal symptoms as I limited my TV intake. In addition to enjoying the financial perks of cutting the cord, my evenings are filled with a lot more love than hate. Once I’ve flipped through the five channels we get and see there’s nothing on, I find something better to do. I turn to my faithful friends. Books.

Have you been brave enough to walk away from cable TV, social media or some other type of technology? How did it impact you?

 
Midwest Writer’s Fellowship winner, Karen Lenfestey, writes “Happy Endings with a Twist.” Her latest novels, A Weekend Getaway and Next Door Secrets, are about a thirty-something woman who must face the fact that she probably gave away her only chance at motherhood. Karen's first novel, A Sister's Promise, sold over 35,000 copies and was the #1 drama on Amazon for weeks.

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.

I need your help coming up with a title for my new novella! I usually have very strong feelings about what my books should be called (for example: What Happiness Looks Like and On the Verge), but this one has me stumped. It's set during a spring rain so I thought maybe "A Rainy Day Romance" would be good. Let me know what you think. Here's what it's about: 

Bethany Morris is tired of hearing she “has a pretty face if only. . . .” Well, she has tried to lose weight. She has the DVDs to prove it: “No Pain, no Gain Pilates,” “Buns of Steel” and “Yoga for Dummies.” Exercise isn’t her thing. Once she hit thirty, proudly self-sufficient yet still single, she made herself let go of all of those hopes of settling down. After all, guys were visual creatures. If you didn’t look like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, they didn’t want to date you, let alone talk about forever. And she'd never in her life looked good in a bikini.

That's why Bethany is surprised when her Friday night tradition of watching DVDs and eating a pint of Chubby Hubby ice cream is interrupted. Her svelte friend claims that her date only wanted to talk about Bethany! Was it possible that the handsome, yet geeky, computer engineer at work would rather be with Bethany--a woman with curves in all the right (and wrong) places? Tired of sitting home alone every weekend, Bethany decides to take a chance and ask Drew out. When a mysterious woman's phone call interrupts their date, Bethany wonders if Drew is already spoken for. Is she making a fool of herself or does she have a future with Drew?    

Now for the fun part! Vote for your favorite title or suggest one of your own!

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

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.