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 …
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. …
Seeking Soup Perfection
by Shelley Shepard Gray I made French Onion soup today. My husband has had bronchitis and feeling under the weather. I’ve felt so badly for him I ran to the store, picked up 5 yellow onions, and started slicing. Hours later, I brought him a bowl of something I’m inordinately proud of. There’s a story here. See, I really like …
Devotional for Deadliners
By Anne Baxter Campbell Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God (Psalm 69:1-3, NKJV) …
Why Write?
By Michelle Arch I’ve spent nearly every weekend this year (and many weekends of the previous four years) working on my novel-in-progress and MFA thesis, Time of Death. To date, only a handful of workshop peers, a few contest judges, two editors, and one trusted writer friend have read excerpts from this body of work. When I’m not writing or …
The Care and Feeding of Readers
By Suzanne Woods Fisher A few months ago, I was tracking the traffic numbers on the Amish Wisdom blog and noticed a significant spike during the course of one week. An interview with a well known, bestselling author had been featured. Naturally, I assumed that interview was the cause for so many hits. But then I looked a little closer …