I'm thrilled to welcome NB Horton to my blog today. I was intrigued by the fascinating title of her book and asked how she came up with it.
Over to you, NB:
Questions from
bloggers originate from healthy distance about my work. Muddling through the
answers makes me a better writer. Lyn’s question, “how did you come up with
this intriguing title?” is a great example of a blogger nudging me to consider my
books from a different point of view.
First, a
confession: I love camels. I ride them every time I’m in the Middle East,
such as during my trip in March, 2014. I’m dangerous on horseback, but camels
and I have a weird bond. We were meant for each other.
Creative Reasons
When Camels Fly introduces archaeologist Grace Madison, sometimes on
camel, in Israel and Jordan. (She temporarily leaves her favorite animal behind
in The Brothers’ Keepers, set in Western
Europe and releasing November, 2014.)
Grace is an intelligent
woman of faith: confident that God has a plan for her, but unafraid to take
matters into her own hands and trust her judgment. She is utterly devoted to
family, but has taken the opportunity as an “empty nester” to do things she’s
always wanted, such as complete her doctorate and participate in archaeological
digs. She lives life on her own terms. (The Readers Guide for book clubs
encourages readers to engage with her on a deeper level, and explore how they
would respond to some of her tough choices.)
As you can
imagine, Grace doesn’t have conventional adult children. She raised them to use
their gifts and think independently. When those gifts endanger her daughter and
son, she canters on camelback to their rescue. She then makes startling
discoveries about Mark, her husband of thirty years, and about her elderly
professors, whose early lives now endanger everyone she loves.
Most contemporary
suspense about the Middle East is written from a male perspective by a male
author. When Camels Fly shares
aspects of the land and culture to which female readers can relate, while
including the adventure and action of comparable novels.
When Camels Fly also explores the complexities of a functional,
mature family. Grace’s distant relationship with Mark depicts a marriage gone
stale, but in which the individuals still love each other. Sacrifices her
children have made in their love lives, and to which Grace responds with pointed
humor, represent the reality of today’s young adults, who delay marriage and
family for multiple reasons.
Practical Reasons
My background in journalism/advertising/marketing
stressed the value of a perfect headline or campaign slogan. But after writing
(and rewriting…and rewriting…and rewriting…) eighty-plus-thousand words, I smothered
in the adventure as I mentally rode with Grace during her manic undertaking. I
also was writing The Brothers’ Keepers,
so my creative juices ran low.
The working title
wasn’t strong enough, and the story required a title and cover as unique and
original as the storyline. Several Big Six publishers were reviewing the work
(if I never hear the words, “there’s something here…” again), but eventually
decided it didn’t fit within their history of successful genres. (Roughly
translated, that means the book was outside their comfort zones.)
Specifically, I
owe the title to a brainstorming session with my grown daughter. She’s my
partner in crime across five continents; inspiration for one of my major
characters; and the person with the greatest impact (via an unstoppable DELUGE
of comments) on When Camels Fly and
the Parched series.
We had been “title-wrestling”
for weeks, usually with a shared pot of strong black tea in The Hermitage (also
known as my office). In this instance, we were armed with glasses of champagne,
celebrating the end of the Thanksgiving feast. Title proposals became goofier
and goofier, interspersed with our usual discussion of politics in the region. This
interaction led to a discussion of peace, and one of us commented that peace
would occur when “you-know-where froze over.”
She immediately
responded that peace was as likely as flying camels, to which I replied, “when
camels fly.” We looked at each other, agreed that was it, and toasted the
completion of an arduous process. I think we created the consummate title for
an unconventional work about a fairly normal woman thrust into extraordinary
adventures.
I hope your readers
grab the reins and join us!
Thanks for the
opportunity to share When Camels Fly
on Romance That’s Out of this World, Lyn, and I hope to share The Brothers’ Keepers with you and your
readers later this year.
Thank you so for that fascinating explation, NB. Now let's find out more about this great book:
WHERE CAMELS FLY
A mother’s fatal shot. A daughter’s deadly choice.
In Israel, archaeologist Grace Madison shoots her daughter’s abductor. Seconds later, a handsome shepherd drops from the sky to kill a second assassin. Their world changes in two blinks of an eye.
Unbeknownst to them, a fiercely ambitious evil is destroying everything in its path—the unconventional path Grace and Maggie take. They struggle to right a wrong as old as time, and discover time is running out in the race for their lives. Family and friends are swept into their vortex, extinguishing old flames while igniting new loves.
While the scale tips dangerously toward disaster, millions of lives hang in the balance. And the mother-and-daughter team soon realizes nothing is as it seems. Even each other.
Because choosing what’s right is all that’s left.
Agent: Mary Keeley at Books & Such Literary Management
Category: Contemporary suspense, thread of Romance
Tour Date: May/June, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 370 Pages
About NLB Horton:
After an award-winning detour through journalism and marketing and a graduate degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, NLBHorton returned to writing fiction. She has surveyed Israeli archaeological digs accompanied by artillery rounds from Syria and machine gun fire from Lebanon. Explored Machu Picchu after training with an Incan shaman. And consumed afternoon tea across five continents. When Camels Fly is her first novel. Her second, The Brothers’ Keepers, will be available November 2014. Website: http://www.nlbhorton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NLB-Horton/289059931145461
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NLBHorton Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nlbhorton/
GIVEAWAY
A copy of the book is available for one lucky commenter on this Blog, in Print or ebook.
Open internationally. (Print is open to the U.S. only.)
To enter, leave a comment with your email address so that you can be contacted if you're a winner
(Contest on this Blog ends midnight EST June 10th)
Open internationally. (Print is open to the U.S. only.)
To enter, leave a comment with your email address so that you can be contacted if you're a winner
(Contest on this Blog ends midnight EST June 10th)
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