NEW! Dennis Snyder begins a TASTE OF FRIDAY with PERSONAL VENGEANCE

Welcome to the first day of our newest venture: A Taste of Friday, first chapters of what will hopefully become some of your favorite authors.

 

 

Due to the success of our first Taste and See: a Sampling of First Chapters book, Lorilyn and the gang are putting together a second edition for Christmas, 2013. For a sample, enjoy a few "First Chapters" each Friday here on the blog, starting with our own Dennis Snyder.

 

 

Personal Vengeance, Volume one of the Lake Haven Murders series,

Dennis Snyder, Concerning Life Publishing, September 17, 2012

 

Chapter One

 

Pastor Mike McIntyre turned onto Jackson Street and swerved to avoid the emergency vehicles blocking the road. Parking his motorcycle, he headed over to a police officer attempting to control the gathering crowd.  “Hi officer, I'm Pastor McIntrye from the Gospel Chapel. Can I offer any spiritual help?”

The police officer nodded and pointed“ Go see Detective Oakes over there.”

As Pastor Mike closed in on Detective Jim Oakes, he caught the stench of stale beer and smoke on his brown sport coat. Sticking out his hand, Mike quickly introduced himself to the clean shaved, sandy haired cop and asked if he could be of any service. It was obvious to Mike, from the once over he was given by the Detective, that he did not meet Oakes' idea of a pastor.

“What church did you say you were with?”

“The Gospel Chapel, over on First Street, right across from the elementary school. What happened?”

”Some lady backed into a parked motorcycle that belonged to a member of the Sons of Lucifer Motorcycle gang.” After lighting his cigarette he continued, “Five of them got carried away and savagely beat her. We're not sure she's going to make it. The ambulance should be here any time. Could you go over and see what you can do for her?”

“No problem.” said Mike

As he turned toward the scene, Detective Oakes grabbed his arm and said, “Her face is so severely beaten the nose is broken, teeth have been knocked out and her jaw is in pieces.  She is not able to talk and it is a bloody mess. The five gang members fled taking her wallet with them and we haven't been able to identify her.”

Pastor Mike removed his leather jacket before he knelt down to comfort and pray with the victim. It was hard to look at the woman's bloody and distorted face so he looked square in her eyes. As the beaten woman looked back, shivers ran up his back and terror struck his heart. Before Pastor Mike could get his composure the EMTs shoved him out of the way. Within minutes they had her loaded into the ambulance and were headed toward the hospital. Still in shock, he stared at the ambulance as it raced off. After what seemed like an eternity, reality sunk in when Detective Oakes handed the pastor's jacket to him and asked, “Were you able to give her any comfort?”

“That's my wife!” said Pastor Mike grabbing his jacket. “I need to get to the hospital.”

Before Oakes could say anything, Pastor Mike was strapping on his helmet and mounting his bike. Racing to the hospital weaving in and out of traffic the pastor's mind also raced as he thought of life without his beautiful wife of fifteen years. He knew that they did not have the perfect marriage but it was close. They had worked hard to keep God first in their lives. They spent many hours counseling couples on what a biblical marriage was all about and they did their best to apply the Word of God in their own relationship. No way would God take Pam away yet! They still had years of life and ministry together.

Mike was familiar with the hospital having spent hours with others ministering to their needs. He rushed directly to the emergency room just behind the ambulance carrying the woman of his dreams. He stood to the side as the doctors and nurses attended to his wife. No one asked him to wait outside. He was a familiar face to most of these men and women who worked in the ER. They had seen him many times with moist eyes and a comforting arm around a loved one as he silently prayed for them. One nurse even remarked to the ER doctor, “It looks like Pastor Mike beat the family here.”

The doctor seemed to ignore her as he placed his stethoscope on Pam's chest and yelled, “We need to get her to the operating room, stat!” The ER emptied quickly as they wheeled Pam into the elevator to the third floor leaving him standing alone. After a few minutes Mike turned and walked to the surgery waiting room. He informed the volunteer why he was there and that he would be down the hall in the hospital chapel.

“I'll call the hospital chaplain to meet you.” the volunteer said.

Mike knew no one would come; he was the chaplain on call.

The blue green of the stained glass behind the cross shimmered from the dim light of candles burning on the table to the right of the altar. The four pews were empty amplifying the hollow sound of his footsteps in the chapel.

 

One hour earlier...

 

“Hi honey, how's work going?” Pam said.

“Hey Babe, it's going well, I almost have my Sunday outline ready and will be fleshing it out later today. How about your day?”

“Not so good. Mary lost the baby and I just left her house. It brought back a lot of memories that I need to address.”

“I'll meet you in an hour Babe. How about lunch at JW's on Jackson Street? The rain has dried up and the sun is out so why don't I bring the bike?  We can go for a good ride and cry after we eat.”

“Ok Mike, but we will have to talk about the baby again.”

“I know Babe; I will see you at noon. Love ya.”

“I love you too. Bye,” as Pam hung up the phone she felt her car back into something.

Mike kicked back in his chair as he wiped his tears. He and Pam had lost their only child in her second trimester over five years ago. Their hearts still ached with the loss and they could empathize with others. He knew that they would gain strength as they focused on God's Word and His promises. Pam's favorite place to pray was on the back of the Harley Fatboy with the wind in her face.

 

Back at the Chapel…

 

Pastor Mike knelt at the Altar. “Our Gracious, Heavenly Father, Almighty God, I am at a loss for words this time. It's Pam. She's in bad shape. She may not make it Lord, if you don't intervene.” The pastor wept uncontrollably as he thought about losing his wife. “God, if you will spare her I will do anything you ask, I will go anywhere you want me to go. Just don't let her die. You know that she's my life. Where would I be without her?  Lord, please I beg of you…”

Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up he saw the doctor and the look in his eyes . . .

###

 

 

 

Dennis Snyder, author of the Lake Haven Murders and Struggle for Sovereignty series, makes his home in Michigan. He enjoys riding his Harley, golfing and spending time with his wife.

 

He is also the author of Yellow Rose of Texas.



Two Great Books Being Showcased by John 3:16 Marketing Network Authors for August 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Great Writing Tips from Jerry Jenkins

 

 

 

Don’t ever apologize for…

…wanting to be published. You’d be amazed at how often I hear from would-be writers who say they just want to write for the sake of writing. “I don’t care if it gets published.” Then why not just talk?

Get your work out there. Sure, a certain amount of ego is at play. Who doesn’t want to be known, to be successful, to see her name in print? You simply need to remember that publishing has to be a byproduct of your writing, not the end goal.

If you set out to glamorize yourself, write a bestseller, score, whatever you call it, you might enjoy a short-lived celebrity, but you won’t have a career. As Dean Koontz has taught, the purpose of writing is communication, and if what we write is not read, that purpose is not fulfilled.

The most attractive quality in a person is humility. Sometimes money and fame will come whether or not you expect or seek them. But if you become enamored with the trappings of success, they become your passion. You need to return to your first love.

Why are you a writer?

Are you an inspirational writer?

The answers to those questions should have nothing to do with yourself. If God and others are not the reasons you write, you might as well write solely for the general market.

That doesn’t mean everything you write has to be a sermon or packed with scripture, but your unique worldview should come through. 

As working writers, we should be always sending out proposals – or coming up with new proposals to pitch. Never write to Dear Sir or To Whom It May Concern. Find and write directly to the appropriate person by name. Then, here are my top tips for query letters and proposals.

1. Avoid mannerisms and multiple fonts in your emails to editors. This is akin to the old snail mail taboo of using colored paper as stationery. Editors seem to universally see this as a sign of an amateur.

2. Do not use bold or LARGER-THAN-NORMAL type anywhere in an email, proposal, query, or manuscript.

3. Your title must be positive. Not "Don't Let Depression Defeat You," but rather: "Winning Over Depression."

4. A manuscript, even transmitted electronically, must should be double-spaced (not single- or triple-spaced, or spaced at the 1.5 setting). Fix the default Word setting that calls for extra space between paragraphs. Indent paragraphs and remember, unlike how we learned to type business letters, only one space between sentences.

5. If the publisher asks for hard copy (rare these days), your manuscript should never be bound, stapled, clipped, or in a notebook. Editors want the pages in a stack, loose, with each page numbered and carrying the author's name.

6. The word "by" rarely appears on the cover of a book unless it is self-published, and even then it is the sign of an amateur.

7. The misspelling of the word "acknowledgments" (as "acknowledgements", a British variation) or "foreword" (as "forward") is another clue that you're an amateur. "Foreword" means "before the text"; it consists of "fore" and "word", and has nothing to do with direction.

8. Your manuscript should not have justified right margins. Use ragged right margins, the kind that makes your manuscript appear to have been typed rather than computer generated. Justified margins cause inconsistent spacing between words, which make for difficult reading for overworked editors and will also require tedious reformatting.

9. A common cliché in inspirational books is to include prayers in prefatory material. Even paraphrasing those to say, "My prayer is that God would…" is better than, "Lord, I pray…", but avoid either in the dedication or acknowledgments ("Lord, thank you for my wonderful editor…" Blech!).

10. You've heard the slogan "Just do it." Now learn to "Just say it." Imagine telling your story to a friend over coffee or writing a letter. Good writing is not about loads of adjectives and adverbs. It consists of powerful nouns and verbs. So many beginners fall into an overwrought style editors call "writtenese." Your relatives may love your flowery language, and perhaps your unpublished creative writing teacher does too, but read what sells. Usually you'll find it simple and straightforward. 

 

***

 

 

 

Author of more than 180 books with sales of more than 70 million copies, including the best-selling Left Behind series, Jerry B. Jenkins is former vice president for publishing and currently chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.

 

Jerry's writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Twenty of his books have reached The New York Times best-seller list (seven debuting number one). The Breakthrough, the final book in Jerry's Precinct 11 trilogy, released from Tyndale House Publishers in September 2012.

 

Jerry owns Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company in Chicago, and the Christian Writers Guild, which aims to train tomorrow's professional Christian writers. Each student is personally mentored by a seasoned professional.

 

In January 2013, Jerry launched Christian Writers Guild Publishing (CWGP). Students take a six-month mentored course to guide them in writing their manuscripts, then CWGP publishes their books.

 

www.Jerry-Jenkins.com
www.ChristianWritersGuild.com



 

 

Avoid these Common Errors in Writing

Common Errors in Writing

As an editor for the past several years, I see a lot of things in writing that needs to be fixed. That's what you hire an editor for. Everyone needs an editor--especially the editor. One of my own most common mistakes is skipping a word when I write. My brain fills it in for me, and no matter how many times I "proofread" I will never catch it just by skimming over my work, sometimes even when I read it back aloud.



You can help yourself and your editor by watching for and avoiding these most common errors.

 

Pronoun Agreement

English has pirated the best words from Latin and Greek, Indo-European, and Aboriginal languages; however, we are crippled by lack of pronouns. We have only male, female, gender-neutral plural, gender-neutral singular, which generally refers to inanimate objects. Singular and plural in the same sentence or paragraph must agree.

 

He/him

She/her

They/them
      Direct address: You; modified only with a contraction/verb (you'd, you'll, you're), never pluralized occasionally, "one" is used as a gender neutral address, but it is awkward at best

It

 

Words like Everyone, Everybody, need to be followed up with singular pronouns, since “body” and “one” are singular usages, not plural. You can use “We all” or “All of them” to match plural pronouns they/them.

 

Everyone made it on time to his or her appointment.

They all made it on time to their appointments.

 

Possessives/Plurals/Contractions

To show possession, EXCEPT WITH GENDER NEUTRAL IT OR YEARS, use an apostrophe.

Carl’s dog has lived with him at the Reader’s house since 1995.

That old dog, born in the 1990s, has lived with the Readers. It’s had all its required shots.

Plural possession will have the comma after the “s.” In my parents’ house, the dog is kept out of the kitchen.

 

Plural: Simple plurals never need an apostrophe

Carl once had three dogs at the same time. The Readers did not like that.

 

In Contractions (it is=it’s, they are=they’re, he will=he’ll) an apostrophe replaces a letter. If you cannot divide the word back to its original two words, do not use an apostrophe.

It has had all of its shots.

 

Commas & Dialog marks

Commas should and always are meant to ease reading, according to the Chicago Manual of Style. There are some rules, but personal style and judgment can be considered; it’s becoming common to use fewer, as long as usage is consistent.

In general, commas are used to introduce something, such as the subject of the sentence (Therefore, / On the other hand, ), or dialogue (Grandma said, “I remember…); or to set off a parenthetical phrase (something you would be able to put in parentheses like this one); to separate items in a list, often but not always to identify an appositive (my brother, Rico, said… Although My brother Rico said... is equally correct--as long as there's no confusion about whom you're referring to); to set off restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses—and that’s one you can use your best judgment on and let the editor figure it out.

 
American English uses a double quote to set off dialogue; periods, commas, question marks and exclamation points will 99% of the time be inside the quotation marks. Queen’s and other European styles do the opposite. Where is your book going to be marketed and sold the most? Use that version.

 

Using the wrong word

Spell-check on your word processing program is good for a quick check, but must never be relied upon, as it finds and fixes general spelling errors, but cannot always judge whether you’ve used the correct word.

From/form

There/their/they’re

 

Consistency

Words like toward/towards.

They’re both correct, but authors need to choose one version and use it consistently throughout the manuscript. Use a global search for this word to see all instances of the word in the manuscript and make sure they’re all the same. Spell out the name of a place and make sure it’s the same, such as Mount/ Mt., or an abbreviation for a title, such as Doctor/ Dr.

 

Reading your work out loud--no cheating-- is your best initial defense.

Fearless Friday with Rose Chandler Johnson!

Meet Rose Chandler Johnson

Twitter: @rechanjo

Facebook 

Blog:  Write Moments with God

 

Rose Chandler Johnson, a Southern girl from a tiny Georgia town, is the author of the popular devotional blog, Write Moments with God. In spite of years of disappointments and overwhelming obstacles, she has grown in her relationship with the Lord and learned how to find Him in the midst of everyday moments. A devoted Christian and mother of six, she has been a French and English teacher over the last twenty years. She likes to take walks, garden, read, and bake.   

 

 

God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea:  Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments 

Published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas 

 ISBN 978-1-938499-86-9

 

Rose Johnson’s devotional offers the reader sweet balm and encouragement through wise and thoughtful reflections on God’s grace and provision in the midst of all life can throw at us. Use it as a wonderful way to start the day off right with God’s Word and friendly counsel from a woman whose soul knows. ~ Elizabeth Musser, award winning Christian writer and author of The Swan House

Through honesty and compassion, Rose lets us see into her life and heart so that we can also examine our own heart. As I read these devotions I was sometimes comforted and other times challenged, but always I thought about the person God sees when He sees me. This devotional is simple enough for the newest believer or even someone not sure about God but deep enough to make a life-long Christian feel challenged to go higher. This is a wonderful book and I am thrilled to encourage others to read it and share a copy with friends. ~ Tiffany Colter, author, writer, speaker, writing coach, and mom.

Available from Amazon

Available in print from your local bookstore, online, or from the publisher at:  www.lighthousepublishingofthecarolinas.com

Your unique talent:  Je parle francais!  I speak French.

Rose, share something not many people know about you: Once I was mugged in Paris, but I held onto my money.  A little French lady intervened.  I got through it with only a bruise on my hip and a broken fingernail.

 

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets?  Once, I had my own little dog, which I adored, and I’d ride around with her in my bicycle basket.  Then I had twins, followed by four more children.  Even though we’ve had a half dozen pets over the years, I’d prefer none.

Would you rather travel or stay at home?  Honestly, I’m a stay at home gal.  When I do travel, I love it, but most of the time I’m content to be home.

Do you read more or write more? I’m still reading more than writing.  It seems I’m always reading at least three books at once, and I have a stack waiting, but I do write some everyday.

Prefer cake or pie? Pound cake. 

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car? Just let me drive a car please.  Although, I’ve ridden a motorcycle many times in my younger days, I don’t think you could get me on one now. 

 

Bus or taxi or walk? Walk if I can; taxi if it’s from the airport; bus if it’s a daytrip to Chartre or Giverny J

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

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

Are you happy or joyful?  Joyful

Do you eat at home or eat out?  Eat at home most of the time; I’m a good cook.  I enjoy eating out occasionally as well.

Listen to music or prefer quiet? Prefer quiet most of the time

 

Prefer sunrises or sunsets? Love sunrises, trees, flowers, and all God’s beautiful creation.

Thanks so much for stopping in, Rose, and blessings upon all your work.

 

What Are Some Good Paid Advertising Sites on the Web

Here are some paid advertising sites that I have checked out or used. I always encourage authors to use wisdom when deciding where to advertise.

 

nhttp://www.goodkindles.net/p/submit-your-book.html

 

nhttp://www.thekindlebookreview.net/advertise-here/

nhttp://www.pixelofink.com/sskb/

nhttps://www.buyads.com/how-to-buy-self-serve-advertising

nhttp://www.christianebookstoday.com/advertising/

nhttp://yourbookauthors.com/Featured/?page_id=54

nhttp://bestindiebooks.com/great-indie-books/

nhttp://newbookjournal.com/2013/01/seventh-dimension-the-door-by-lorilyn-roberts/

nhttp://www.inspiredreads.com/contact/

nhttp://www.bookgorilla.com/advertise

nhttp://authormarketingclub.com/members/premium-membership/

nhttp://www.theindietribe.com/showcase-23-more-top-ebooks-for-your-kindle/

nhttp://ereadernewstoday.com/

nhttp://www.bodyandsoulpublishing.com/christian-book-promotion/

nhttp://www.bookbub.com/advertise/

nhttp://vesselproject.com/advertise/

nhttp://www.fkbooksandtips.com/for-authors/ (my f

For more helpful tips and links, check out my Power Point Presentation at:  http://lorilynroberts.com/name.html

e)

Lorilyn Roberts is a Christian author who writes children's picture books, adult nonfiction, memoirs, and a young adult Christian fantasy series, Seventh Dimension.

Lorilyn graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama, which included international study in Israel and England. She received her Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Perelandra College and is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature.


Lorilyn is the founder of the John 316 Marketing Network, a network of Christian authors who are passionate about promoting books with a Christian worldview.


To learn more about Lorilyn, please visit her website at http://lorilynroberts.com  or blog at http://lorilynroberts.blogspot.com . You can follow her on twitter at http://twitter.com/lorilynroberts.

13 Online Marketing Blogs You Really Should Consider

 

By Sabrina C Anderson

Online marketing doesn’t have to be an author’s worst nightmare when it comes to selling books. Over the last year and a half, I’ve been trolling the web trying to grapple with what it means to market myself, my book and my blog.  If you have a small budget like me, then you might understand how much hard work and persistence it can take.

Thankfully, there are many blogs, books, and experts willing to assist with applying some very basic strategies that produce great results depending on your goals.  Just like writing a book takes time, so does success with online marketing.  Whether your goal is to build a thriving business online, become a top blogger or simply establish an audience as an author, here are thirteen blogs worth checking out to help you get the results you dream of.

Online Marketing for Amateurs, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Firepole Marketing 

http://www.firepolemarketing.com/

 

Conversion Optimization/Sales

Peter Sandeen

http://www.petersandeen.com/

 

Blog Training/Business Coaching

Marie Forleo

http://www.marieforleo.com/

 

HeartCore Women

http://www.heartcorewomen.com/

 

Online Visibility

Denise Wakeman

http://denisewakeman.com/

 

Solopreneurs

The Savvy Solopreneur

http://www.thesavvysolopreneur.com/

 

Time Management/Blogging

Blogging with Amy

http://amylynnandrews.com/

 

Introverts and Online Marketing
Writing Happiness

http://writinghappiness.com/

 

Generating Traffic, Making Money Online

Copy Blogger

http://www.copyblogger.com/

Pro Blogger

http://www.problogger.net/

Dukeo

http://dukeo.com/

 

Passive Panda

http://passivepanda.com/

 

2 Create a Website

http://2createawebsite.com/

 

 

As you can see, each blog offers many tips and resources to navigating the world of online marketing. Though it may seem overwhelming, just assess your needs and stick to what works for you. If you have the budget to pay for coaching, go for it. If not, many of these blogs offer free resources that can help you achieve your goals.

Do you have a favorite go to blog for all of your online marketing needs? Share it in the comments below. Be blessed!

***

 



 

Sabrina is an author and blogger who loves online marketing and search engine optimization. You can visit her at http://www.afabulouslifeinchrist.com/, a blog that encourages women to live their best life in Christ. 

Where's Zack?: Summer Reading Quest Deadline Nears

Readers 9 and up have until midnight Sunday, June 30, to guess where 13-year-old Zack disappeared on his family's summer vacation. The ficititous character, who disappeared in the Florida backwoods in the ebook Lost in the Woods: A Bible Camp Mystery, went missing somewhere in Florida, Texas, or somewhere in-between.

The quest, Where's Zack, has been running during the month of June at New Christian Books Onine Magazine, a free online pubication serving readers of Christian literature and their authors.

"It is my hope that the quest encouraged children and mystery lovers of all ages to do some reading," says the magazine publisher, Cheryl Rogers, who authored Lost in the Woods: A Bible Camp Mystery.

Everyone who enters the quest will be receiving faith-building ebooks. Scavengers at the website have a chance to win books by authors Theresa Franklin and David Moore on a first come, first serve basis. Those who correctly guess where Zack disappeared will win e-copies of Noah's Ark by Christian author Ruth O'Neil, along with the next Bible Camp Mystery slated for release later this summer and other ebooks. 

The quest centers around 12 articles and short stories about Zack's summer vacation, which are posted at the magazine. Readers can enter the quest by filling out an online form here: http://www.songsfromtheword.com/NewChristianBooks/where-is-zack-form There is no fee to enter the quest.