FEARLESS FRIDAY meet Sammie Chandler

Author Sammie Chandler leads off the parade of the John 316 Marketing Network Author introductions.
We hope you will enjoy getting to know our special members, make new friends and find new authors to love. While each spot will have a similiar framework, each author makes his or her spot unique.
One of our goals is NetWorking, so plug in and enjoy!

 

MEET AND GREET Samantha Ryan Chandler

 

The tale of Samantha Ryan Chandler's life is evocatively portrayed in her book: A Love Story, How God Pursued Me and Found Me. It tells of a life that is as disturbing and unsettling as it is uplifting and, in the end, gratifying. How "A girl from Nowhere, Louisiana" finds her way from such humble beginnings to live and walk amongst presidents and the supremely rich, only to find her trust and faith betrayed by those that she loved and trusted the most. She would be tested to the point where she began to doubt her own sanity and, at the moment of her greatest desperation and doubt, she was found by God and brought back from the brink of hopeless despair. Blessed with an almost unquenchable optimism and a unique sense of humor, she relates the story of a life that will speak to those who have encountered abuse, unfairness and anguish. Her love for her children and her faith in God carried her through a crucible of fire and in the end, made her a better, stronger person, ready to carry on with a life that is again filled with love, joy and laughter. A Love Story, How God Pursued Me and Found Me will both inspire you and touch your heart.

 

·         ISBN-10: 1615077588

·         ISBN-13: 978-1615077588

·         Kindle edition

·         Amazon Best Seller, 2012 National Indie Excellence Book Awards – finalist

·        Amazon.co (USA), Amazon.co.uk (UK), Barnes & Noble, Christian Books, and autographed copy from website. Book cover in attachment

 

Your unique talent

I have an optimism about life that defies logic for the circumstances I encounter. I also have an uncanny memory...almost photographic

 

Share something not many people know about you

Readers would not know this as I have an extremely silly side and find humor in strange places. I love to laugh and laugh hardily out loud somewhat like Julia Roberts, quite robust.

 

Describe your personality:

I am very much an extrovert. When I was a little girl growing up in Louisiana, my mom would worry all the time as I would go up to strangers at gas stations and chat them up. I have never met a stranger nor have difficulty speaking at length with people I don’t know. This is why I am invited to many parties to keep conversation going!

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets?

I have horses that are my passion to ride. I ride Arabians which are known in the horse world as unstable and very skittish. That possibly is the attraction. If something is easy to do, then I am not interested. I ride endurance which means many miles at a time, 20-30 miles. In the past, I kept a journal of each ride and amount of miles but stopped at 10,000 miles. At this date, I would venture to guess I have clocked 15,000 miles in the saddle.

 

Would you rather travel or stay at home?

I am a true “gypsy” having clocked over a million air miles with one airline. While on a trip, I am thinking ahead to the next one.

 

Do you read more or write more?

Since my book has been published, I have little time to read; but find myself writing a great deal. There is so much work after a book hits the market than simply writing it. I have written several articles for Southern Writers Magazine. I started my next book last fall and wrote about a months worth but have not looked at it since. Before I was an author, I read a great deal of the time.

 

Prefer cake or pie?

I prefer both!! My sweet tooth is the size of Alabama.

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car?

Neither, I prefer to ride my horse fast through the woods. I find motorcycles scary.

 

How about taking the bus or walking?

I love to walk. I started exercising everyday when I was 16 and it is a lifestyle choice. I have been known to climb stairs in buildings that have elevators. I did this once in heels going down 22 flights of stairs. My three girls were taught at an early age that “walking makes great legs”.

 

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church?

I am a member of First Baptist in Atlanta with Dr. Charles Stanley as pastor. It is one of my greatest joys to have this as my church. I have learned not be quantified knowledge of scripture from Dr. Stanley. The church feels small but my guess is 10,000 members.

 

Would you describe yourself as happy or joyful?

I am very happy and also eternally optimistic.

 

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail?

I prefer email. I feel at the end of the day that I have talked for hours on end.

 

Do you eat at home or eat out?

I love to cook and experiment. My favorite to make is bread and of course desserts. Growing up in Louisiana, eating is a sport.

 

Listen to music or prefer quiet?

I love to play the piano but do not listen to music very much. I just never seem to have enough quiet time.

 

Prefer sunrises or sunsets?

I could say both but let me break this down for the reader. If it is a sunrise, then an early command performance is at hand to be there in time awaking early. Having raised three girls, I have seen many a carpool sunrise. My answer now is sunsets.

 

Samantha Ryan Chandler
Amazon Best Selling Author
2012 National Indie Excellence Book Awards - Finalist

A Love Story...How God Pursued Me and Found Me..an Impossibly True Story



New Five Star Review of Best-Selling Adoption Book Children of Dreams

Title: Children of Dreams
By: Lorilyn Roberts
ISBN: 978-1602643864
Review Date: August 29, 2012
Reviewed by: CBM Christian Book Marketing
10.0 stars on a scale of 10.0 stars

Lorilyn Roberts writes, Children of Dreams, sharing the redemptive power of God that can restore that which was lost. This inspiring true-story takes the reader through an intriguing, triumphant journey displaying Christ’s miracle working power through the adoption of her own “Children of Dreams.” The author openly reveals her heart, God’s heart and God’s love and faithfulness as she parallels the Spirit of adoption offered from our Heavenly Father with the adoption of her two daughters from third-world countries. Coming from a place of adoption herself, the author has written a touching story that gives life-changing hope, unveiling that through perseverance and absolute trust and dependence upon God, dreams and life-changing hope can be your story as well.

As the author illustrates through her testimony, God can change your tragedy into triumph. Coming from a place of broken dreams, including rejection and abandonment from her spouse, meant that her dreams of having a “forever family” may never happen. As God changed her heart, he also gave her a dream…her children were brought forth from the ends of the Earth, saved from a life of absolute poverty and certain death; the author shares her trials as she endured much opposition in the form of, “… lies, betrayal, sickness, delay, deceit, deception, greed, corruption, suffering, fear, abandonment and sacrifice.”

Children of Dreams is a powerful, uplifting and inspiring word encouragement to the Body of Christ. The author offers hope to the reader by intertwining the truth of scripture throughout her book revealing that God can work all things out for good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28). If you love true stories and good endings, this book is for you. Let the truth of this story instill love and hope, let the truth of scripture fill your soul with inspiration, as you give yourself over to the lover of your soul, Jesus Christ. This book will forever leave an imprint of your Heavenly Father’s love for you upon your heart. A true delight and testimony to love prevailing over all evil! A highly recommended read.

Children of Dreams by Lorilyn Roberts, is available atAmazon

10.0 stars on a scale of 10.0 stars
Using Christian Book Marketing to share Christian books with the world.

You can visit Lorilyn Roberts' personal website at http://Lorilynroberts.com and her blog at http://Lorilynroberts.blogspot.com

Jamaican Author Yvonne Pat Wright Writes Gold Medal Winning Book Spice to Eternity – Help Her Bolt It to the Best-Seller List on August 21 on Amazon!

From “Spice to Eternity” is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. The subtitle, Discovering the Main Ingredient to a Life of Fulfillment and Purpose, is aptly titled. One of the senses less often thought about in our relationship with Jesus and the heavenly Father is taste. In Spice to Eternity—part memoir, part inspirational, part cooking, and part educational—Yvonne Pat Wright captures this ingredient in an enjoyable journey through her life of cooking and spiritual enlightenment.

How much do you know about spices? You won’t look at cinnamon and cumin and dozens more spices the same way again!

Here is a “taste” of From Spice to Eternity about Vanilla from chapter one “Incomparable Love”:

“Vanilla: What a flavor! It is probably the most exotic of all the spices, and this is no wonder, as the vanilla beans are the pods of the tropical orchid plant Vanilla Planifolia. Vanilla is called ‘The spice of love.’…like the long process of curing vanilla, love affairs –especially those that endure—develop over a long time, the longer the process, the more precious the love that ensues.”

Chapter titles include “Joy Fulfilled,” “Fiery Trials” (guess what spice is highlighted in this chapter), “Made Brand New,” and “He Gave His Life.”

Have you ever wondered what spice would symbolize honor? It’s in one of the chapters I listed above.

I can’t say enough good things about this book.  On Tuesday, August 21, Yvonne Pat Wright will be launching Spice to Eternity on Amazon. If you purchase her book on that day, you will receive many free eBooks/gifts. The books are a secret, but I will share one now— the John 3:16’s highly touted Taste and See book featuring over 60 authors (533 pages). Check back here on Tuesday for the link.

About Yvonne Pat Wright

Yvonne Pat Wright, in happy retirement, enjoys reading, in several genres, but finds it hard to accept obscenity and accept it as standard author’s license.  A devout Christian she teaches in church and is a trained lay preacher. Born in Kingston, Jamaica she has spent equal number of years living alternatively in Jamaica and the United Kingdom. She’s won the hearts of daughters, grandsons and nieces and several ‘adopteds’ with her hearty home cooked meals, delicately spiced and served up with healthy doses of the value of Christian living. She is particularly pleased to have been ‘mother’ to a very famous singing family, the Jackson Five.

Taste and See First Chapters - Easiest Way To Sample Christian Books Ever!

Taste and See on Kindle, click here

HOW TO PUBLISH MY OWN PROFESSIOINAL-LOOKING BOOK FOR FREE

HOW TO PUBLISH MY OWN PROFESSIOINAL-LOOKING BOOK FOR FREE

Publishing Made EZ by Jon Roetman

Review by Lorilyn Roberts

Publishing Made EZ is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to publish his book without spending hundreds or even thousands. All that is required is a "wee" bit of patience and a "wee" bit of Microsoft Word knowledge. If you have written a book, you have far more than a "wee" bit of what you need to use this book and do it yourself. Publishing Made EZ makes the whole process seamless and even fun.

I was very impressed with the step-by-step instructions and photographs that were easy to follow. The writing style was straightforward without the usual technical jargon. I was so pleasantly surprised, in fact, after reading Publishing Made EZ that I am going to use Create Space for my new YA fantasy book. I had planned on using the POD publisher that had published my two previous books, but with this great resource, I can publish Seventh Dimension – The Door far more quickly and save thousands. The only real cost is for an ISBN number, which is minimal.

The number one reason why authors pay someone else to do publishing and marketing for them is because they don’t know how or don't have time. With Publishing Made EZ, YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF. I lead a large network of authors and am glad to know about this book.

No matter which publishing company you use, just the information to put your book in ready-to-publish format is awesome. As usual, anything is easy once someone shows you. I am not technically inclined and tend to become easily frustrated. This book made EVERYTHING SURPRISINGLY SEAMLESS! I highly recommend Publishing Made EZ.

Amazon Creates Another Way for Authors To Make Money Selling eBooks - What’s the Hype About Kindle Direct Publishing

By Lorilyn Roberts

The first time I read about Kindle Direct Publishing, also known as KDP, I couldn’t see the value of it. Why would I want to give away a Kindle book for up to five days every three months and be forced to yank it off all other distribution sites, including Smashwords? 

I had three ebooks at that time being sold through Smashwords, and with their premium distribution, my books were available to Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and other websites I learned about later. I didn’t understand the fine print about the KDP Loan Option, which sounded like a lot of hype about nothing, and I didn’t know anyone who was enrolled. I wrote off  KDP thinking it was too much trouble to implement and I would be wasting my time.

For those who don’t know me, I lead the John 3:16 Marketing Network, a network of over two hundred Christian authors. Our chief focus is to help Christian authors launch their books when published on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. One of the most valuable aspects of belonging to the network is the sharing of information. In January  2012, we had a new member, Bob Saffrin, who emailed me about his success with a Kindle book, Moses –Steps to a Life of Faith, in the KDP Select Program. After offering it for one day free, he had almost four thousand ebooks “sold” and topped the charts in all the nonfiction subcategories.

In over of year of launching books, we had never had anywhere close to that number of books sold in one day—and we are a network that launches books. Of course, Mr. Saffrin’s ebook was free, so my next question was, besides the great exposure he had received—four thousand books loaded on Kindles in the United States and Canada and even other countries sounded awesome—would those downloads translate into royalties? Or was if a fluke? Many people had bought Kindles for Christmas and were looking for cheap ebooks to load on their new “toy.”

I started paying attention to KDP Select through other authors in the John 3:16 Marketing Network. Some were willing to share their numbers. Martin Roth, an Australian author of international thrillers, emailed me about his success with Kindle Direct Publishing. He, too, had “sold” thousands of ebooks with KDP. Now I had validation that it wasn’t just nonfiction books that were doing well with KDP but fiction books also; and it couldn’t have been just  an after-Christmas rush to upload new ebooks on new Kindles. This was for real.

I decided to give KDP a try—which required a lot of effort on my part. Mr. Roth warned me that it was important to make sure you removed your ebook from all distribution sites except Amazon. Your book had to be exclusive to Amazon. My first thought was, how would they know anyway?

Don’t be fooled—Amazon will find your ebook on other websites and contact you to remove it. They are serious about this. When Amazon says exclusivity, they mean it. I waited a couple of months before enrolling my book in the program to ensure it was removed from all the websites I knew about, and Amazon found more later and alerted me.

My book Children of Dreams is an adoption memoir, and that was the first book I put into the Kindle Direct Publishing Program. In the meantime, some of our John 3:16 Authors had compiled a list of FREE websites where you could promote or advertise your ebook the days it was free on Amazon. I went through that list to maximize my book’s exposure.

For two days, over Mother’s Day weekend, I offered Children of Dreams for free on Kindle. By the end of the weekend, I had almost 17,000 ebooks downloaded and it hit number eleven out of all free books on Amazon.

I was ecstatic to have that many books downloaded on Kindles all over the world. In comparison to the number of ebooks I had sold previously, it was astounding. The question then became, how can I make money with this?

Since that weekend, I have offered my other ebooks for free through Kindle Direct Publishing. For the month of July, I received a royalty payment from Amazon for $350. Another author in the John 3:16 Marketing Network made $4,000 last month through Kindle Direct Publishing. The numbers vary widely, but you can make money using KDP. I am delighted that even I can make a few dollars to pay a bill, and the most important thing is, I didn’t spend a dime hiring a publicist or a marketing firm—and, to be honest, they will soon exhaust anyone’s financial resources and may not sell you a single book. I am speaking from personal experience.

Is KDP Select for you? To learn more about the specific details, go to http://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/KDPSelect. There are also step-by-step instructions on how to enroll your book in the program.

What about the exclusivity requirement? That means my book can’t be sold anywhere else.

Here are my thoughts: If it bothers you, then don’t do it. Amazon has come up with a marketing method that works. It’s a win-win for Amazon and the author. You have a choice, and as long as authors have that choice, I see nothing wrong with it. Amazon is in business and they are good at it. Looking at their growth and market share, they are probably the best. The challenge is for another company to come up with a better “KDP Select Program” than Amazon’s.

Here are some suggestions for anyone who is listening:  Implement a similar program that doesn’t require exclusivity. Challenge Amazon. Become a bigger player by offering authors more. What about an 80 percent royalty instead of 75 on books priced at $2.99 or more? What about a 50 percent royalty on books that are only 99 cents? What about allowing us to make our books free whenever we want—ten days a month instead of five?

Just like a lover woos his mistress, you’ve got to convince me to give up KDP Select in its current form and prove that you can offer me something better.

The royalty payments I have received from Smashwords pale in comparison to what I have earned with Amazon, even with Smashwords’ premium distribution. In fact, the $65 in my Smashwords account isn’t enough to deposit into my bank account based on their minimum requirement for direct deposit.

Until another company convinces me otherwise, I will stick with Kindle Direct Publishing, despite its exclusivity. Amazon needs more competition from other companies to entice them to adjust their paradigm. As long as KDP continues to put more money in authors’ pockets, including Smashwords, Amazon won't have any inclination to “rock the boat” and change it.

In a couple of months, I will be releasing my new YA novel, Seventh Dimension – The Door, and I plan on enrolling it into the KDP Select Program. One thing I want to stress, however, is you still need to promote your book. Laziness in promotion won’t sell books. KDP Select will require effort in terms of letting websites and others know when your Kindle book is free. Then you have the opportunity to make some money after the free promotion is over. It’s the uptake in sales following the free promotions that rings up that royalty check. Amazon also pays every month through direct deposit into authors’ bank accounts if it’s set up that way. My question is, why would anyone not want to do it?

For information on how to join the John 3:16 Marketing Network, go to: http://john316mn.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-john-316-marketing-network.html