Family Scrapbooking in Celebration of First Sale

We live in an age when family members often live far apart. Years ago, before it was the norm for young adults to scatter from their homes, women cooked, canned, and even cleaned together. Families in general gathered on a regular basis, often after church on Sundays, for food and fellowship.

There are times when girls need to be girls and do something together, for one another. I planned such a day with my daughters and granddaughters after Christmas, 2010.

The afternoon began with a visit to Chocolatier Blue, where I treated them to their choice of exquisite, unique chocolates. Every once a while, I have to do something tactile. I had already decided to put together a first-sale scrapbook in commemoration of the release of Moselle’s Insurance. I invited loved ones to share in the fun, and I’m so glad I did. In creating memories for me, I hope these lovely girls took away something for themselves. We all had fun, and the final product is so much prettier and more meaningful than had I done the selections and arrangements myself.

Going back to my childhood, I saw a scrapbook for the first time when I was 12. I babysat a family of three girls who lived near our farm in Antelope County, Nebraska. The mother had glued keepsakes within the paper covers of a simple scrapbook. I was hooked. I’ve had scrapbooks, and made them for my children, ever since. In recent years, keepsakes have gone into decorative boxes or the cedar chest instead of between book covers. A woman has only so much storage

Every time I see the pictures from that day, I’ll remember the laughter and the love. For example, when I offered to show my old scrapbooks, my youngest granddaughter said, “I like to put ‘em together, but I don’t want to look at others.”

As for the tactile, I do a simple collage for my inspirational novels. My next work will probably not be a romance. I have yet to search and choose the pictures I’ll use for that collage. My inspiration will surely come from the finished Moselle’s Insurance scrapbook.

www.loreepeery.com
Rainn on My Parade coming soon
from White Rose Publishing
Moselle's Insurance
http://www.whiterosepublishing.com

Lynn Dove's launch

As you know, Lynn Dove's Amazon launch of her book 'Heal the Wounded' is on Tuesday, Jan. 25. As an encouragement to Lynn and a reminder to everyone else, here is my review of the book.

HEAL THE WOUNDED - a review
by Tracy Krauss

HEAL THE WOUNDED is the second in a trilogy by Canadian author Lynn Dove.  The entire series is aimed toward the YA market, but it is worth reading no matter what your age. In HEAL THE WOUNDED , we are introduced to several teenagers who are facing some tough problems. First, Jake, a Christian from a loving family, has to deal with the fact that his mother has been diagnosed with cancer. He is still reeling from the death of a close friend and wonders where God is in all of this. His girlfriend Leigh is also struggling. Her insecurity and an untimely fire force the two apart. Meanwhile, another teen, who happens to be the brother of the deceased friend, has turned his anger and confusion inward and begins ‘cutting’ himself to ease the emotional pain. I don’t want to spoil the story by explaining what happens, but the author draws us into the emotional whirlwind that is the life of a teenager with skill and conviction. Her characterization seems very true to real life as she deals with some tough issues. In fact, the series has apparently been listed as a helpful resource for anti-bullying. My only negative comment, which in no way reflects on the author or the book, is that I think I may have gotten more out of this second book if I had read the prequel, SHOOT THE WOUNDED, first.  Dove does a good job of explaining the back story, however, which includes teenage pregnancy, gossip, stereotyping and other issues about making choices. In the end, this is a solid book that is entertaining yet manages to pack a wallop in terms of its message to teens. I highly recommend this, and the rest of the series, to young readers everywhere.

New Book Awards

I'm excited to tell you about the launch of a brand new Christian Book Award - The Grace Awards. This is a totally reader based award, where YOU, the reader, can vote for your favorite books of 2010 in a number of categories.

What do you have to do? As long as you have an individual social networking page, (facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, Ning etc ... ) that has been up and running for three months prior to the opening of voting, you can nominate your favorite book of the year. It's that simple.

Individuals can vote from Jan 21 - Mar 15, 2011 by email to: graceawards@aol.com and the subject line should read: '2010 Voting'. Include the Grace Awards novel category (ie, Contemporary Romance/Historical Romance), the title of the book being voted for and its author, a link to the individual voter's social networking page, the  individual voter's online name, and a 15-45 word summary/review/reason for voting for the novel. (Don't just copy the back cover blurb. We'll check!) Please vote ONLY for novels you have read.   

Novels must be submitted to the correct category, or they will not be counted. The Board makes all decisions on what votes will be accepted, but it is not our aim to exclude or disqualify a vote or voter, but rather to be inclusive.An individual can vote for only one novel per category in one submission. Multiple submissions will not be accepted. Please be sure you've voted in all the categories you wish the first time you submit. More than one submission can disqualify your voting. Of course authors can vote, but not for their own book(s). This is a reader-based awards and readers will pick the finalists in each category. 

PROJECTED BOOK CATEGORIES
·         Women's Fiction
·         Contemporary Romance/Historical Romance
·         Suspense/Thriller/Mystery/Romantic Suspense/ Detective Novel Series  
·         Speculative (SciFi/fantasy/horror, etc.)
·         Action Adventure/Western/Historic Epic Fiction
·         Young Adult 

for more information and included categories: 

www.graceawards.yolasite.com

email: graceawards@aol.com

Review of Delia latham's book DESTINY'S DREAM

As a pre-cursor to Delia Latham's book launch, I'd like to post my review of her book.

DESTINY’S DREAM by Delia Latham has it all. There’s romance, mystery and action – all very skillfully woven together into a well told and satisfying story. Add to that a solid presentation of the gospel using real and believable characters, and you have a recipe for a great Christian romance novel. These elements on their own are enough to make this book worth reading, but Latham has taken her story telling to another whole level. There were so many unique things about this book that I’m not sure where to begin. First of all, the set up where the two main characters meet is pretty unusual. Destiny May and Clay Gallagher meet at her mother’s funeral. Yeah, that’s right – a funeral! Hardly the makings for a ‘happy beginning’, yet Latham manages to make this scene quite humorous without becoming irreverent. Also, Destiny’s profession is atypical, to say the least. She runs a dating service for Christians and sees it as a ministry that God has called her to. Rather than coming across as shallow, Latham manages to present both the heroine and her aspirations in such a way that it seems totally plausible – even inspiring. In fact, one of the things that impressed me most was the matter of fact way Destiny’s deep spirituality was dealt with in the book. There were plenty of references to the gospel message, redemption, prayer, and even some topics that other authors might shy away from such as angelic visitations, the use of anointing oil, and prophetic messages from God. Yet, Latham weaves all of these elements into the story in such a skillful and unobtrusive way that never once does the reader feel like they are being preached at or ‘taught’. This is good story telling at its finest. There are lots of solid Biblical principles, well rounded and sympathetic characters, and enough plot twists and turns to keep you on your toes – all put together so that in the end all you are left with is the satisfaction of a story well told.   

Lorilyn Roberts' Appearance on Atlanta 57's WATC Television

Friends and Neighbors
Uploaded by llwroberts. - Explore more family videos.

A TREE ROOTED IN THE WORD OF GOD

Photo credit: kconnors from morguefile.com

A Tree has Roots,
That grow deep inside the Ground
Which hold firmly the tree in place.
The Wind blows,
The tree Stands,
The rain Pours,
The tree Stands.

The tree has beautiful leaves and fruits
Providing a full covering.

As a human being,
The spirit is willing.
But our flesh is so weak
And when trouble comes.
We fall on our knees,
And ask God to come
And fill us with his comforting word of encouragement.

God is not a small God but a very big God
That helps us in times of need.
Tree, Strength, Roots, Word and Fruits.
We are like a tree planted in the word of God
That produces fruits in good season.
Never withering as the Lord waters us
Through the refreshing river of the Holy Spirit.

LW!'s The Author's Hideaway!: The Completely Whole Tour with author Paulette Har...

LW!'s The Author's Hideaway!: The Completely Whole Tour with author Paulette Har...: "Join Twitter Chat with #PauletteHarper  TUESDAY - JANUARY 11, 2011 at 9 pm ESTStay tuned for details! Follow us on Twitter&n..."

Brand your name, don’t promote your book

That’s a strong statement, I know, but I wanted to capture your attention.

Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts, Michael Crichton, James Patterson, Anne Rice, Mary Higgins Clark…we all know those names or at least a good portion of them. So what’s my point? Just that…we know their names; we don’t all remember the names of their books.

Your fans are not going to always be able to spout off the titles of all your books, but if they like your work and if you’ve become popular, they will remember your name. If they know your name, they can easily find you online or in the bookstores. When they find your website, then they can look up your books. When they go to the bookstores, they can find your specific titles.

As an author, hopefully you will continually be writing more books. Your readers may not always know your current works, but they’ll keep track of what you’re working on and when your new releases come out. So, how do you (and me), as up and coming authors waiting for the day you’ll be on the best seller lists, brand your name and market yourselves as authors?

That question being put out there, you still, of course, need to work hard on marketing each of your books, but the way to really become popular is to market your name.

One of the best ways to brand yourself is to have a website. You always need to have an online presence; that includes branding yourself in the social media networks. Another good idea is that you should always try to write articles in your trade, and post them in free online writing networks. Usually, you just need to register and then you can begin posting articles; sometimes certain sites will need to review your articles first. These sites will allow readers to link to your profile, where they can follow a link to your website. Other online article posting sites allow you to list a byline with a direct link to your website.

You must remember that you are your greatest fan and you need to take advantage of that fact and promote yourself wherever you go. Of course, some people may feel this is taking you down to ego-land, but there are ways to promote yourself and your work without seeming to be overbearing. I don’t usually like to be in the center of attention, but as my husband mentioned the other day, I’m an author now and I’d better get used to it.

Join writers groups and other writing associations and always attach your byline in everything that you write and have your “elevator speech” prepared and ready to use at all times. So what’s an elevator speech? It’s a short pitch on something you’re trying to market and since you’re trying to market yourself, be prepared to tell people that you are an author and when your next book is going to be released. Be ready to hand out a business card or at least be able to give out your website.

Blogging is another way to brand your name. You always want your readers, potential readers and the press to go to your website. You can do this by offering them something. How do you do that? You need to provide good content that is always updated. That’s why it’s good to have a blog directly on your website or if you have it through another online service, to at least have the blog link prominently displayed on your site. You can even create a newsletter. This will be a bit more time consuming than writing a daily or weekly blog, but it is something that you can think about as you get farther along in your writing career.

Don’t forget to keep on promoting your name. You are your biggest fan! Make your marketing count!

2010 JEWELED MINISTRIES AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: PAULETTE HARPER - Paulette Harper, Book Review, Author Tour

2010 JEWELED MINISTRIES AUTHOR OF THE YEAR: PAULETTE HARPER - Paulette Harper, Book Review, Author Tour

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

Completely Whole Blog Tour

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!

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/

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.

           

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!

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.