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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Lorilyn Roberts on Atlanta's 57 WATC TV

Lorilyn shares her testimony, faith, talks about her book Children of Dreams, her family's appearance on Animal Planet's "Monsters Inside Me," adoption, parenting, and more.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgbr7o_friends-and-neighbors_people

Saturday, December 18, 2010

BOX OF BOOKS GIVEAWAY

Hi Folks,

It's time for another giveaway of a box of books. Some of them are new and some are gently used. All you have to do is to have signed up on this post or the previous three posts in December. There will be only one entry so you don't need to sign up for each post - just one of them.

Christmas is around the corner and I hope that each and every one of my followers have a great time during the season. Christmas can also be a sad and lonely time for different reasons - the loss of a loved one, depression, going through a divorce, being lonely. Please remember that this too shall pass and the New Year can bring better things your way. I know because I have spent more than one sad Christmas season.

Anyway, just be a follower or sign up as a new follower and leave a post with your email and you will be entered into the drawing. I'm on my way to 200 followers and hope to make it some time in 2011. Thank you for all of your support over the past couple of years.

Your friend,
Deborah (Debbie)

PS - I meant to post this on my blog Butterfly Journey but since it is here then come on over and sign up for the Box of Books!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

HOMELESSNESS AT CHRISTMAS TIMES




Let's remember those who do not have a home at Christmas.
Let's remember those who do not have a coat and a thick blanket to keep them warm.
Let's remember those who do not have any money to buy food or a hot drink to fill their bellies.
Let's remember those who do not have a hot shower to clean themselves;
Let's remember those who do not have any clothes to keep them warm.
Let's remember those who do not have a friend to encourage them to carry on.
Let's remember those who do not have a family to wish them "merry Christmas and happy new year".

Jesus can help the homeless through your generosity and your gratefulness.

Let's be grateful to God that we have a job, even if it is a part-time job,
Let's be grateful to God that we have a home, food on the table and a warm bed.
Let's be grateful to God that we have a family to support us and help us in times of needs;
Let's be grateful to God that we would be celebrating Christmas with our loved ones.
Most importantly, let's be grateful that we know Jesus, that he cares and loves us by giving us
all of those things above.

When you see a homeless person that is hungry, buy them some food, even if it is a sandwich or a pack of
crisps, that will give them a meal.
When you see a homeless person that is thirsty, buy them a drink who will quench their thirst or a hot drink to
keep them warm.


<< Matthew 25 >>
New American Standard Bible
35‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
41“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44“Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45“Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

I'm not a person that do all those things all the times, but, I can only try our best. It is a good feeling when we help those people in need because we give thanks to God for what he has given us. It is Christmas time and a good time to remember those who will die of cold and hunger because we turned our backs on them. We all have a sinful past so let us stop our selfishness and our silly judgement. Let us give to the homeless without judgement, in the name of Jesus. That is called doing the work of God.

God bless you all and Merry Christmas.

Sana Edoja

http://sanaedoja.wordpress.com/home-page-my-book-called-knowing-god/

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Inspirational Jewels

Listen to internet radio with Inspirational Jewels on Blog Talk Radio

April Gardner discusses Wounded Spirits, an Amazon Best-Seller, the John 3:16 Marketing Network, and More

I would like to introduce April Gardner. April is a gifted writer with a wonderful personality that shines through in her writing. I met April on Facebook and approached her shortly after starting the John 3:16 Marketing Network. It was with much fear and trepidation that I initially asked people to join. Luckily for me, April took me up on my offer; and for that I am grateful. She has been a tremendous asset to the John 3:16 Marketing Network, paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps. I share this short interview with April, which speaks to our hearts as each of us longs to write a best-seller on Amazon.

1    What motivated you to become a writer?

There was a story that needed to be told. I came across the lives of the Creek Indians and the McGirths on the pages of history books and felt a burning need to know these people better, to understand how they might have reacted and dealt with the circumstances thrust upon them. There’s a certain mysterious and regal quality to our country’s Natives that lures me in. They had nearly perfected the true sense of community, selflessness, and passion. I just needed to live in their moccasins for a while.

2    How do you write fiction -- do you outline or fly by the spirit? Do you pick your characters out of thin air, or base them on people you know? And how did you create the historical setting of Wounded Spirits? Did you have to do lots of research or are you a history buff?

I tried writing “by the seat of my pants.” Once. Nope, it’s not for me. I’m a detailed plotter. I build my characters based on what I need them to accomplish in the plot. Adela, for instance, needed to find it relatively easy to forgive some pretty unforgiveable deeds. So I made her a people-pleaser. When a wrong was done against her, she automatically found a way it might have been her own fault. The historical setting for Wounded Sprits was practically created for me. Pickett’s History of Alabama is one of the most interesting history books you’ll ever read. It’s almost written in story-form. Since Pickett interviewed many survivors of the Creek War, he was able to color the pages with amazing descriptions of the people and places found in Wounded Spirits. He made my research rather easy. Thank you Mr. Pickett!

3    You reached number one status in Christian fiction as a brand-new author on the day of your public launch. Please share with others how you accomplished such an incredible feat!

All the glory goes to God. He worked out the details and brought everything together at the last minute. Until a month ago I really didn’t understand the premise behind the John 3:16 Marketing Network. Looking back, it’s simple. Get everyone you can to buy the book on one certain day and the book’s Amazon ranking will rise—to #1, Lord willing. Offering e-gifts to everyone buying the book was key, which is why gathering supporters willing to donate a gift is so vital. At the John 3:16 Marketing Network, the support system is already in place. All an author has to do is ask for help and it’s there.

To make it seem less overwhelming, consider this. It doesn’t take much to start rising in rank. Four (known) sales the evening before the launch took Wounded Spirits from #800,000 (in Amazon Books) to #62,000. Creating specific subcategories for a book is essential. (“Historical” under “Christian fiction” under “fiction,” for example.) In the historical fiction category, Wounded Spirits competed against a much smaller number than under “fiction” which is what my book was originally categorized under. By 10am, Wounded Spirits had reached #1 in that sub-subcategory. A few hours later, the book reached #1 in Christian fiction which is a larger subcategory but not as large as “fiction.” It reached #2096 in books, which is excellent. One thousand more would have been even better, but I’m not complaining. J

I have no idea how many books actually sold, but does it matter? Not really, because the goal was “best seller status” not “X number of copies sold.”

Two days later I’m still rather numb. It was certainly the highlight of my career so far. Yes, I now possess the title Best-Selling Author, but it was the incredible show of support from people who loved me and were rooting for me that brings tears to my eyes, even now. Acquaintances old and new turned out in droves to buy the book and cheer me on. It’s THEM I have to thank for my new title; and the Lord who somehow, amazingly, found me worthy of it.

I cannot say enough for the John 3:16 Marketing Network. It was a concept I struggled with for a good while, but once it clicked, I knew it would work. Its founder, Lorilyn Roberts, is amazing. She was there for me every step of the way, guiding me and cheering me on. Joining is free, so I encourage any author wanting to see their book sales go further to hop on board and see if this might not be the place for them. I’m betting it is!

4. Can you give us just a tiny peek into your upcoming next book?

            The next book, Warring Spirits, picks up four years after the war. The Creek are struggling to get back on their feet after being nearly decimated, and Lillian McGirth finds herself confronted with her own horrible life choices. To quote my editor “it’s a love pentagon” you won’t want to miss. The war for land might be over, but the war in their spirits has just begun!

Anyone wishing to learn more about or join the John 3:16 Marketing Network should visit  http://john316mn.blogspot.com/2010/11/become-best-selling-author.html. You need to hurry, though. New memberships will close on December 12 and won’t reopen again until the spring.
           

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Christmas Cards from the DRIVEN Gang


Thanks to Amazon's latest ebook offer, you can gift an ebook to anyone who has an email address. And they do NOT have to own a kindle to read the book. Amazon has offered a variety of FREE reading apps for use with their ebooks. What a great and inexpensive way to gift books! Here's the thing. I love to gift wrap a little something and set it under the tree for my family and friends even if it's a gift card. But, how do you wrap an ebook?

Well, you can't really, but here's a fun work-a-round. If you purchase an ebook of DRIVEN or pre-order the paperback before December 18, 2010, I'll send you (or the person you are giving the book to) a Christmas card from the DRIVEN gang. Just click on the Christmas Card page and fill out the information survey. Now, you'll have something to put under that tree.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

WOUNDED SPIRITS -- NEW RELEASE



Wounded Spirits
By April W. Gardner
AWESOME NEW RELEASE on AMAZON
Tuesday, December  7


Forbidden love during war! Historical setting!
“The characters will grip your heart; the story will seize your mind...”

Rosanna White
Christian Review of Books

Lives molded by the course of history, can these Wounded Spirits learn to rely on God's grace during one of the bloodiest conflicts in the South?

BUY ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7 and receive…
FREE E-GIFTS FROM THE AUTHOR—

Every buyer receives a PDF of the first chapter of the sequel Warring Spirits PLUS a signed book plate mailed straight to you.


April Gardner has been a military brat, missionary's kid, and military spouse. After 21 years in various countries overseas, April happily resides in Georgia with her USAF husband. A homeschool mom, she fills her mornings talking fractions and phonics with her two sweet kiddos. In her free time, April enjoys reading, gardening, and DIY. In no particular order, she dreams of owning a horse, visiting all the national parks, and speaking Italian.

Librarian, reviewer, and avid reader, April adores anything books. She writes a weekly column for the joint blog, Reflections in Hindsight, and is the founder and senior editor of the website, Clash of the Titles.

April loves to hear from her readers at: aprilgardnerwrites@gmail.com


WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WOUNDED SPIRITS—

“This is a solid debut from Ms. Gardner, one that demonstrates not only her skill with words, but her insight into the human condition. The characters will grip your heart, the story will seize your mind, and the hope at the end will leave you with the surety that your God is bigger than any human troubles.”
Rosanna White
Christian Review of Books



"Historical fiction, if done right, has the ability to slip a reader into another time and another place. In Wounded Spirits, April Gardner has skillfully blended research with fiction to create a story that entertains and educates. Main character Adela McGirth finds herself straddling two worlds—one as a dutiful daughter, the other as a woman in love with the man who saved her life—a Native American. Wounded Spirits has something for everyone: forbidden love and romance, brutal war scenes, sacrificial love, history of the 19th century, and a faith that triumphs over adversity. This is a debut novel to remember.”
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Bestselling Author of The Choice


BUY ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, And receive…
FREE E-GIFTS FROM NETWORK PARTNERS!

1. Faith and Temperaments by author Ray Lincoln. Pdf adapted and expanded from Ray W. Lincoln’s next book, The Real You -- Your Blueprint to Excellence.

2. The Donkey and the King, an eBook by author Lorilyn Roberts. A Christian redemption story where a donkey named Baruch longs for an easier life beyond the stable. He dreams of a life with no heavy burdens and no one to tell him what to do. Children will love looking for the hidden word “good” on every page!

3. Two Small Fish children’s greeting cards. Set of nine.

All these gifts (and much more!) will be yours by purchasing Wounded Spirits on Tuesday, December 7, from Amazon.com. More details to follow.