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Home » Archives for Tamela Hancock Murray » Page 25

Tamela Hancock Murray

Prized Possessions

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 18, 2018
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This blog is part one of six in a series designed to hone character development of protagonists in your fiction.

I own a few possessions that I prize though they aren’t worth much moneywise. These possessions represent the love someone has for me. That love is far more valuable to me than the few dollars I could earn from selling my memories on eBay.

Take the small trinket box my grandmother bought me when I was in the seventh grade. We used to ride to Petersburg, Virginia, upon occasion and stop at a small business on Route 460 called Grandma’s Antiques. The store was located in an old house and boasted many intriguing objects for sale. My parents weren’t interested in antiques so perusing old artifacts with my grandparents was a special treat.

A box I considered unique attracted my attention. Fashioned from metal with an ornate design, it boasted a lovely silk lining, made puffy by cotton, of pale pink. But alas, the $7.50 price was out of my league. My grandmother could see me admiring the box and she knew I wanted it. Though she didn’t have an unlimited budget herself, she bought it for me. As soon as I got home, I placed it on my bureau and to this day, decades later, the little metal box occupies a place on my current dresser. The little box holds a strand of pearls, costume jewelry my husband bought me for my 21st birthday. Both have traveled with me during several moves. I’m sure the little box, still holding the pearls, will occupy a prime spot on my dresser for the rest of my life.

Your turn

Does your main character have treasured possession? What is it?

What is the story behind it?

Does your reader know about it?

What does this possession say about your character?

Character Development Series:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six

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Category: Writing Craft

Caution: Loose Platform Planks

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 11, 2018
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I love learning about authors on the internet. And as a literary agent, I enjoy the internet and find connections there that would be otherwise difficult to find and maintain. But as professionals, we must be cautious about what we share on any level. One reason is that we all know the internet is forever. Consider Blake Shelton’s recent woes over old tweets. He is not alone. When I was …

Read moreCaution: Loose Platform Planks
Category: Branding, Career, Marketing, Platform

Why I Left My (Insurance) Agent

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 4, 2018
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The number-one complaint I hear from authors about their agents is that they don’t communicate with them. My understanding of this was renewed when I was on the side of needing an insurance agent to respond to me. I needed an adjustment to my policy that will mean I’ll pay the company more money. Alas, and alack, the agency I’d been with for decades (which has been sold twice, by the way) never …

Read moreWhy I Left My (Insurance) Agent
Category: Agency, Agents, Communication, The Writing Life

Planning Ahead

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 27, 2018
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Conference season is coming to a close as we approach the holidays. Our local Lowes store had Christmas trees up last weekend. Does this mean I’m already too late for fall cleaning? Because a budget of time and money is involved in considering whether to attend any conference, it’s not too early to think about your travel in 2019. Don’t miss early-bird savings that conferences may offer. Another …

Read morePlanning Ahead
Category: Conferences

Keeping Grounded

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 20, 2018
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As I move in publishing circles, I notice that those in and out of our profession tend to grant some of us larger-than-life personas. Writers admire agents. Agents admire publishers. Publishers admire readers. Readers admire writers. With this circle of admiration, everyone should be happy, right? Maybe, but only in moderation. In His wisdom, God didn’t allow me to become an agent until I was …

Read moreKeeping Grounded
Category: Agents

Why I’m Not Mysterious

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 13, 2018
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I don’t believe in being mysterious, especially as an agent. Since I used to write books for publication, I know what it’s like to put your career in the hands of others. As a writer, I wouldn’t want to send off my precious work and then hear no updates or any word from my agent. I realize any agent will update a client when a contract offer is made. And I realize that, technically, that’s all the …

Read moreWhy I’m Not Mysterious
Category: AgentsTag: Agents, Contracts, Rejection, The Writing Life

Daddy is with Jesus Now

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 30, 2018
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My daddy, Herman Bryce Hancock, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday. Thank you for all of your love and support after he suffered two strokes. He was cheerful after major surgery but then experienced a second stroke and fell into a coma. Afterward, he rested peacefully and was under superb care at VCU Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, before he passed. The world is much dimmer now without him. …

Read moreDaddy is with Jesus Now
Category: Personal

Four Myths about Fame

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 23, 2018
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Being rich and famous solves every problem, right? Let’s give that some thought. 1)  Once I have my first book published, I’ll be famous and the journey will be downhill from there. We’re tackling two myths here. One, once you are published, it’s not likely you’ll be famous, at least not Billy Graham famous. But as a Christian writer, you may become well known and loved in Christian circles. And …

Read moreFour Myths about Fame
Category: Awards, Career, The Writing LifeTag: Career, Fame, The Writing Life

Four Myths About Editors

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 16, 2018
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Since even the most prolific authors’ experience with editors may be limited to one or two, editors can seem mythical. Let’s unwrap a few assumptions: 1)  Editors don’t have to worry about the market. Agents advise writers to consider the market when writing. This is because editors do have to worry about the market and must make their acquiring decisions at least partially with the market in …

Read moreFour Myths About Editors
Category: Editing, Get PublishedTag: Editing, Editors

Four Myths about Agents

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 9, 2018
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I was amused when I recently received a note from an author who had decided I’m a human rather than an infallible goddess. Not sure if I should be glad or disappointed! Since many authors don’t interact with agents, let me dispel a few myths about us: 1)  Myth: Authors don’t need an agent for traditional publishing. Some traditional publishers will accept unsolicited proposals, but those …

Read moreFour Myths about Agents
Category: Agents, Book BusinessTag: Agents, Book Business
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