Thursday, April 16, 2009

Terry W. Burns - BEYOND THE SMOKE - Free Book

I'm happy to feature this Texas writer. Terry and I became friends long before he became an agent, and I love his books. Terry, what are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

Redemption is my favorite – bad person who strongly resists doing right, but in the end ends up doing so in spite of themselves. The goal is to make them as bad as possible without the reader crossing the line and no longer holding out an hope or caring if they turn it around.

That's a hard line to hold. I'm working on one of those right now. What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I have a reprint of my 2002 book To Keep a Promise coming out from Mountainview Press with a greatly enhanced storyline and tentatively titled A Promise Kept. I also have a work for hire coming out, but it won’t have my name on it and I really can’t talk about it.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Laura Bush, she’s a lady I admire and I’d like to tell her I appreciate all she has done for books and for writers.

I'm with you on that. I'm glad they came back to Dallas. How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

A dozen years or so – I’ve always written things, but that’s about when a good friend of mine, a novelist by the name of Dan Parkinson, convinced me that I had the gift and should use it.

What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Congratulations, you’re in the game. The publishing industry is like the old TV show Laugh-in. People on that show would open a window, deliver a line, then somebody else down the way would open a window and take their turn. Publishing is the same way, our job is to get our manuscript in while the window is open and at any given point in time there might only be ONE window open.

Rejection has little to do with writing and everything to do with connecting to the market.

Tell us about the featured book.

Young people today don’t realize there was no such thing as a teenager before WWII – kids went from whatever schooling they were going to get straight to working on the farm or in the family store. Many went west, and no special provisions were made for their age. This story explores two such young people who came west and had to grow up fast. It lets today’s teens get a glimpse of what life might have been like for them had they lived in that time period.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.terryburns.net/ and from it you can find my blog, my bookstore, a huge library of writing links and links to other writers and can connect with me at a variety of different places.

Thank you, Terry, for taking time out of your busy schedule to spend this time with us. I'll see you in Denver!

Readers, here's a link where you can order Beyond the Smoke:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy. Be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. The only way I'll contact you is through this blog. You can sign up for FeedBlitz to make sure you don't miss the announcement.

22 comments:

Moonine Sue Watson said...

I'm taking Terry's course on line right now, so it was a treat to read your interview. His class is full of good information on how to pitch and prepare a proposal.

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

Terry writes awesome western books and he's really very good at western poetry too!

LOL...and I'm not just saying that because he's my agent!

Oh...did I say he's a very cool agent too! How many people can say say their agent wears a cowboy hat!

:-)

max said...

Interesting interview.

Thank you,

Max
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com

Patty Wysong said...

Beyond the Smoke sounds great! Kids today really need to know that not all too long ago there were no teenage years to kick-up their heels in!

Terry Burns said...

I've gotten to do a few writing workshops for teens and they find it hard to believe that the word teenager and even the fact that there was such a thing simply didn't exist . . . and not so long ago.

Kristi said...

I had never really thought about there never being that "teenage" period before. This sounds like it would be a good book. Please enter me in the drawing.

Roanna said...

I would like to be entered for this book.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Such a sweet spirited interview and I loved reading about this man. I hope his new release of his previous books does big numbers and brings those hurting and angry to the Lord in redemption.

Blessings;
Gayla Collins

CarlybirdH said...

Great interview. Sounds like Terry is a very interesting man and a good writer. Please put my name in the drawing. Thank you.

Sheila Deeth said...

These sound like great books, and he's an agent too! I think I'll wander over to his site.

Linore Rose Burkard said...

Sounds interesting, Terry. I pray your book does well!

apple blossom said...

Oh, not this sounds interesting. Thanks for the interview and drawing.

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Carla Gade said...

I'd love to introduce my Dad to your books!

windycindy said...

I have read quite a few interviews with this author and I love his westerns. Please enter my name in your book drawing.
Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Craig Clarke said...

This definitely sounds like a different kind of Western. Great interview.

Marla said...

The comment of "teenagers" not even existing years ago was interesting. I have never heard that before. This sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for the entry.

koinonia572001@yahoo.com

Carole said...

I love Terry's choice in selecting Laura Bush as someone he would like to meet. So would I!

I've been wanting to try his books for some time now, just haven't found the time. Thanks so much for the chance to win a copy.

cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

Patti Shene said...

Great interview, Lena & Terry. I, also, am taking his online course. Glad to hear you have a new release coming out, Terry. I love your western stories. See ya in Denver! OH, and please enter me in the drawing for the book. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to read this book!

buddyt said...

From the interview the book sounds like a good read.

Please enter me in the drawing.
Thank you.

Carol

Donald James Parker said...

Terry's books are always worth reading. He is one of those guys entitled to wear a white hat!
Donald James Parker
Author of Angels of Interstate 29

Debs Desk said...

Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net