By Lillian Duncan I wrote another post with this same title after receiving my first contract from a traditional publisher. It took 15 years of writing before I received that contract. So you can well imagine I was a little bit excited. Now three years and seven contracts later, I still get excited. I just don’t cry quite as much! …
Are You Being Tossed About by Every Wind?
By Henry McLaughlin Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Ephesians 4:14 NLT In my small group recently, we were discussing critiques. One member had …
Every book deserves a party
By Judy Christie With the launch of my eighth novel, I’m in the mood for fried pies. Make that chocolate fried pies. That’s what the protagonist cooks–and what I’ll serve to say thanks at my upcoming book party at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in northwest Louisiana. As authors, we spend lots of time talking about the serious business of writing …
Six Verses to Anchor Your Thoughts During the ACFW Conference
by Beth K. Vogt “The stars may fall, but God’s promises will stand and be fulfilled.” J. I. Packer, (1926-), theologian People start talking about what they’re packing for the ACFW conference weeks before they print off their boarding pass. What are they wearing to their 15-minute appointments? The genre dinner? The gala? Are their pitch sheets and business cards …
It Takes a Village to Promote a Book
By Carrie Fancett Pagels I’ve had the privilege of participating in a number of book promotion groups for other Christian writers over the years. I always enjoyed it. Well, there might have been one that was iffy, but… A group of like-minded readers all got together to support and promote the author of an upcoming release. Having just finished writing …
When Building an Online Presence Don’t Forget They’re People NOT Numbers
By Edie Melson As writers, we all know the importance of building an online following. We spend time crafting valuable blog posts with SEO rich headlines. We follow others on social media, working to connect. All the while keeping a sharp eye on those numbers that define success or failure. It’s easy to get caught up in those numbers. But …
Is Your Local Bookstore Your Local Bookstore?
by Suzanne Kuhn “My dream is to have my book published, but never be found on a shelf in a bookstore,” said no author ever. Instead, it’s every author’s dream to discover their book on the shelves of bookstores far and wide. But the question remains: How does an author go about getting their book onto store shelves? One way …
“Dad, can you play me in a game of Othello?”
By Dr. Patrick Johnston My wife left me alone with my six-year-old boy as she took the older girls shopping, hoping he and I would get some “quality father-son time.” That was my wife’s euphemism for “Quit that important stuff you’re doing and play with your boy.” I set him in front of a cartoon on the TV because I …
First Impressions
by Ian Anderson My anxiety level increased as I approached the open door for the early-bird “writing skills” class. I hadn’t written anything for weeks and felt very unprepared for the session. Fortunately, when I walked into the large room 100+ people were already sitting down. I was happy that I could easily slip into anonymity. This class was just …
What Are You Writing Into Your Story?
by Lanny Smith I like reading Christian action-suspense thrillers. One of my favorite authors is Joel Rosenberg. No matter how dark certain parts of his stories may seem, his novels have always glorified the Lord and inspired me. My first novel, The Radical Ride, was an action-thriller because I wanted to take a blatant, in your face jab at terrorism. …