Cell Groups – A Great Way to Learn Book Marketing on the Web

The newest way to educate authors on marketing their books is being introduced by the John 3:16 Marketing Network. If you are a member, go to [private link, John 3:16 Members only] to get started. The first step is to fill in your name for the cell group in which you want to begin. If you are inexperienced at social networking, or if you are new to the network, I would recommend you start in the “Review Cell.”

The order of the groups will be the same for everyone, but where you start will be different:

Standard Cells

·                     Reviewers

·                     Bloggers

·                     Special Activities (Facebook, Pinterest, Rafflecopter, HootSuite, Marketing Research and writing blog pieces for the John 3:16 Marketing Network Blog)

·                     Twitter (Will learn how to use Tweet Adder 4), Lorilyn Roberts will teach.

·                     Q&A and Mentoring – for Those Who Want to Excel at Marketing.

Alternate Rotations:

·                     Book Launch

·                     Sabbatical

Permanent

·                     Prayer Cell

Let me give you an example of how this will work. If you start out in the “Twitter Cell,” the next cell (after four months) that you would rotate through would be “Q&A and Mentoring New Members.” Then you would go to “Reviewers,” followed by “Bloggers,” and “Special Activities.”  Then your rotation would start over. During that rotation, if you wanted to do a “Book Launch,” you would rotate into that group for four months After those four months, you would return to your regular rotation.

After two rotations, or eight months, I will encourage people to rotate off and take a four-month sabbatical. This will work well if you have a major writing project going on or other things in your life that need to take priority, though none of these rotations should take a significant amount of time. You are doing these things anyway, and now you can learn how to do them more efficiently. That is why I came up with this, to train authors in how to become better at marketing. After you rotate through all the rotations, you will have a pretty good handle on marketing, and you will have developed many relationships along the way, which is very important for an author. As I have said in the past, writing is a solo journey, but you can’t effectively market your book without the help of others.

Each cell will have anywhere from 12 to 18 members. Your first responsibility in the network is to those people in your cell. For example, in four months, in the review group, you would be expected to review some of the books of the authors in your cell. I don’t want to say how many because it won’t be the same for everybody, but what you can do comfortably. Everyone has a different comfort level. Each cell will have a leader and a co-leader that will be responsible for the cell. The leader after four months will rotate off and into another cell. The leader will pick the co-leader, and when the leader rotates off, the co-leader will be the leader for the next four months, and he or she will pick a co-leader to lead the next four months when he or she rotates off.  The leaders and co-leaders will spend eight months in a group instead of four months. The idea is to develop leadership skills within the network which will help you to be on the other side of helping authors—you always learn more when you lead, and everyone needs to learn how to be a leader.

We will not grow as a network unless we develop a leadership team. We are limited by my time and my own experience, and we can do much more if others step up and assume some of the responsibility. You can add this to your resume, and mostly, you can learn and grow and feel used by God.

Now, if some of you just don’t want to participate in the cells, you have two options. You can just be inactive, which means you are out of the loop on everything. Or you can pay a $5 membership fee which will be put back into the network for book launches and other benefits to members. For example, you want to host a book launch through the network, but you don’t want to rotate through all the cells – maybe you feel overwhelmed with other commitments right now. You can either start out with a four-month sabbatical, or you can pay a $5 a month membership fee. However, I would strongly discourage anyone to take a four-month sabbatical and then do a book launch. That is not a good way to build relationships in the network, and as I said, marketing is all about relationships.

As far as participation, after four months on the first rotation, if a member has not adequately participated, per the leader, then the leader will need to let me know so that I can talk with that member and see what the issue is so we can help him or her. We want you to be an active member. Otherwise, I have to ask, why did you join the John 3:16 Marketing Network?

You have an opportunity to learn a lot rotating through the cells, not just from me, but from others. You have an opportunity to give back. The biggest issue with the network right now is only a few people are participating. I truly believe it’s because people don’t have a job, or they don’t know what to do or how to do it.  I can’t expect people to tweet for book launches if they aren’t on Twitter. I can’t expect people to host people on their blog if they don’t know how to upload stuff on their website. Recently I asked some people to host me – two people didn’t know how. Two people didn’t know how to open my document. Two people didn’t know how to upload pictures to their site. So here is an opportunity to spend four months and become a better blogger, for example. You will be responsible in the blogger group for hosting people in your cell on your blog.

Now, suppose someone in the “Blogger Cell” wants people in the “Twitter Cell” to twitter for him? It will work just a little differently, because you are in different cells. You will exchange “services.” For example, you would offer to host some in the “Twitter Cell” on your blog in exchange for them tweeting for you.  That way you get crossover, and more help, and it’s not one person doing all the work. There is an exchange, and hopefully this will help everyone to get more involved.

Now, I will be first to say I haven’t worked out all the details.  But we won’t start this until January. We have the next four months to get all of this worked out. Right now you are signing up for what cell you want to start in for JANUARY. If you would be willing to be a leader for a cell, let me know. I will be leading the "Twitter Cell," but the other cells are open for leaders.

“The Prayer Cell”:  This is a non-rotating group—which means it’s a one-year commitment. The idea is you are committed to praying for the members in the network. I would love to see our once-a-month prayer meetings return. This would be a great opportunity for our pastors in the network, particularly if they don’t want to rotate through the other cells, but anyone can be in this group. Members of the network would direct their prayer requests here, and I hope that maybe we can have a once a month email with prayer requests and praises.  Our connection here must be centered on Jesus Christ. That is what makes everything else possible.

Let me know if you have any questions. Make sure you go to [private link, John 3:16 Members only] and in the document put your name and email in the empty block underneath the cell you want to start in. Each person’s entry should be on a separate line. That way, I can easily go down the list and import those names into other documents. Again, if you have any questions, let Lorilyn Roberts know.

If you are interested in becoming a part of our dynamic marketing network, you can listen to Lorilyn Roberts on a CACC Spotlight at http://lorilynroberts.com/john_3_16_marketing_network.html

A Taste of Friday: Stolen Woman by Kimberly Rae

Stolen Woman

Kimberly Rae

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 30, 2011)

 

Prologue

 

Asha shivered despite the intense heat. Why had she never considered the brutal fact that she, too, might get caught? Stolen. Sold. Bartered over like one of the pieces of blood-dripping meat in this filthy market.

Someone was following her.

Back home she would not have noticed, but weeks in India had taught her to be wary. All the noise and clamor along the busy Kolkata street could not distract from the shadow that appeared, then retreated whenever she turned to find its source.

The person following her was not very good at the game of stealth. That fact, however, did not make the predator any less dangerous. Who was it? And why was she the target?

Slipping around the nearest corner, a whisper of wind teasing her shawl out behind her, Asha dodged a wandering goat, then turned quickly down an alley to the left hoping to lose whoever was on her trail.

She was already late. But better to make Rani wait than to put her in even more danger.

If that were possible.

Could there be any danger worse than what her friend had already experienced? Sixteen-year-old Rani had traveled to the city following the promise of a well-paying job only to find herself deceived, stripped of all freedom, stolen from all that gave her dignity or hope.

Stolen and sold. Asha could not stop her body from trembling.

She flattened a shaking hand against the wall. Edging forward inch by inch, she angled her head to glimpse around the corner without revealing her face.

Was he gone?

She desperately wanted to remain where she was, clinging to the remote feeling of safety that curled around her in the small, dark corner where she hid. But how could she stay, avoiding risk, knowing that doing so would abandon a friend to the evil of the night while she remained untouched?

Asha’s whole body cringed. What a bad choice of words to think.

Mark had warned her about this. Mark. Just the thought of his lean, contoured face, muscles tensed along his jaw as he tried to convince her to keep away from the very street she was now traveling, gave Asha a sharp pain near her heart.

She should have listened. Should have asked for his advice . . . his help.

Why had she been so stubborn?

“God, help me,” she whispered. Summoning all her courage, she stood and stepped back into the alley, casting a wary eye in all directions before continuing toward the rendezvous point.

Was that Rani waiting beside the mounds of colored spices for sale?

A sudden glimpse of a following shadow stopped Asha cold. Her heartbeat shot up and she broke out in a cold sweat. She had not lost her predator after all.

A quick, desperate look left and right revealed several narrow, shadowed pathways through shanties and market stalls.

Should she run, leaving Rani to think she had not come? Should she meet Rani and quickly tell her they should go separate ways? Surely the public arena of the open marketplace would protect them as they spoke.

However, Asha knew with certainty that once they separated the predator would follow Rani, forgetting about her.

Tears stung her eyes. She took a deep breath.

She would run.

Turning to the left, she quickly chose the closest path. Three steps would carry her, and hopefully the person following after her, into a different section of the market, away from Rani’s watchful eyes.

One step. Two. Asha took one glance back at her friend, her eyes full of regret, when Rani saw her. Rani’s eyes lit up in recognition. She smiled.

Asha’s spirit groaned in defeat. Now what could she do?

She could not keep the fear and confusion from her features. She could tell the moment Rani saw it, too. It was as if Rani’s face immediately transformed from a woman holding on to a shred of hope to a child terrified of the monsters under her bed.

Or worse.

I’m so sorry. Asha wanted to say it out loud but could not get her lips to move.

When the shadow came closer then stopped only a few feet away, she closed her eyes, wishing all of it away. Wishing she could go back to that morning and change the choices that had brought her here into this web of danger and fear.

No, she would have to go farther back than that. Before meeting Rani. Before meeting Mark. Even before her arrival in India.

She would have to go back six weeks ago, to the day of her flight.  To the moments before she left home, when she kept an important truth from her parents. To the first time she decided it was okay to deceive in order to do good.

That first deceit had begun a pattern, a trail that had led her to this moment, this foolish choice to do things on her own without help.

A choice that might destroy her and the friend she wanted so desperately to help.

Waiting for the follower to approach, grab her, and possibly cart her off to a lifetime of slavery, Asha’s mind took her away from the marketplace and back, flashing scenes across her closed eyelids, rewinding through the choices she had made.

Back to the beginning.

To the day she left for India . . .

 

Kimberly Rae’s suspense/romance novels on international human trafficking and missions (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers. Find out more at www.kimberlyrae.com

 

What is the Second Thing You Want on an Amazon Book Launch After Hitting #1

 

 

Once you hit #1 in a subcategory on Amazon, what is the next thing you want to achieve?

 

While many authors gave good answers to this question on the private forum, no one came up with what I was looking for. Once you hit #1 or rank very high in a subcategory, assuming you also have that subcategory as one of your search words (and you better if you don’t), you want your book to appear on the first page of Amazon’s search results for your book’s subcategory. That’s how buyers find your book when they have never heard of you or your book!

For example, in three years, I have never been able to get Children of Dreams to come up in Amazon’s search engine for “adoption” books—I gave up because it was so far down in the pile, I got tired of going to the next page looking for it.

I am now on the fifth page of Amazon’s “adoption” search. My goal is to get to the first page. Who will make it to the fifth page looking for a good book to read? I still have a ways to go to reach that goal. That’s out of almost 3,000 books. If I search for “adoption books,” another one of my search words, I come up on the second page of about 600 books.

Even though I hit #1 in “adoption” and “mother” books, because Children of Dreams didn’t rank for a LONG TIME in any subcategories, I need it to rank higher for a little longer to get Amazon to list it on the first or second page of a search for “adoption” books.

Children of Dreams has been out three years and after the first year, I didn’t do anything with it. I was working on my Master of Arts in Creative Writing and building the network and writing other books. A few months ago I decided to do a more professional book cover. This was a “test” to see if I could bring back an old book. When Children of Dreams was originally published, there was no Kindle market because few people owned Kindles. There was no KDP Select – there really wasn’t anything except the print version of books. All the original book launches launched printed books.

So I decided to launch Children of Dreams – a three-year-old book. I got to #1 in “adoption” books and “mothering” books, which translated into about 350 book sales in about four days. 

That’s better than I did with print books. I have never been able to sell many print books on Amazon.

So, to summarize, what you really want after a launch is for your book to be found in Amazon’s search engines by people looking for books in your genre. Because I haven’t quite achieved that yet, I am going to market Children of Dreams heavily for one more month. It’s the time element that plays into it—how long it’s ranked high in a subcategory.

For example Seventh Dimension – The Door  has remained consistently in the top 100 books for Christian fantasy ever since my launch in April. There are over 5,000 books in Christian fantasy, For a while it was the number one listing for Christian fantasy book searches, and it wasn’t just on my computer. A friend of mine who is an I.T. specialist did a Christian fantasy search of my book on his iPhone and The Door came up #1. Now it’s #4 because the ranking has dropped a bit. I need to do some advertising to pump it back up. Of course, then you need to know where to advertise. I have some good advice I will share about that if you do a book launch.

The day Emma advertised on one particular site that I recommended, Keeper of Reign hit #2 in Christian fantasy. I would imagine she hit #1 this week because of the blog tours she is doing.

I am not talking about big bucks to have a successful launch. I spent a total of about $300 on my launch. Emma, I think, spent a bit more, but it’s not like the thousands I spent when Children of Dreams first came out and I hired a publicist, did some traveling out of state for TV appearances, and was hosted on several radio shows. With all of that time and expense, I sold practically no books. That soured me on spending a lot of money on book launches. The social networking works with Twitter, Facebook, blog tours, and Google Plus, and then placing your book on some smaller, less expensive advertising sites can really pay off. Some of those web niches have very dedicated followers.

I am hoping BookBub will feature my book next month. It’s on the pricy side, $280 for a listing – but they only take a few books and they have statistics to justify their prices. They turned Children of Dreams down for August for adoption books but told me to resubmit for September in the inspirational category. I just did that tonight. They would not accept my Seventh Dimension – The Door book with all the good reviews and awards – so it is HARD to get BookBub to list your book.

If they accept Children of Dreams for September, I expect my ranking to be high on Amazon. I also have a few other things I am doing that I didn’t have time to do in August—mainly because I still hope to get on the first page of the Amazon search engines for "adoption" books. That is the best advertising there is– people searching for books similar to what you write, and then Amazon sends buyers to your book. Amazon wants to make money, so they won’t send customers your way if you haven’t sold many books in the last few months.

Emma’s book Keeper of Reign is listed as #9 in Christian fantasy on an Amazon search. If she stays in the top 100 for a while, Amazon will send buyers to her book. Eventually you want the advertising to carry itself – without you propping it up or spending more money. It has happened with other books in the network, like Bob Saffrin’s books and The Glimpse. We have had many successful launches. 

Hopefully these ramblings on my launch this last month will be helpful. Comments and revelations on what has worked for you are welcome.

 

. 

 

 

 

 

 

A Taste of Friday: Emma Right, Keeper of Reign

Emma, is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 


I want to empower young readers with the message, that if they seek the truth (the Ancient Books in Keeper of Reign) they will find wisdom and answers to life's problems. It doesn't mean the answers are going to come easy, but persistence will pay off. So seek wisdom and it will help each person to live triumphantly; in essence, to reign in life.

Watch the trailer:

Here are three short excerpts from Keeper of Reign:

Excerpt 1:

Jules said, “We need a plan. Let’s check what’s missing.” He rushed to the hearth and pried the loose brick to the side. He reached his arm deep and thought he felt the soft nap of the pouch but then he jerked his hand back out and sucked on his finger.” Ouch!” 

Ralston said, “We can’t afford to lose your pouch—maybe the only way to buy things if we have to look for Mom or Dad.” 

Jules glared at him. 

Ralston said, “What’s wrong?” 

Jules reached back into the hole, this time less enthusiastically. “Something sharp.” When he pulled it out he stared at the shard of glass in his hand. “Hold this, Rals.” 

Ralston held the sharp edge gingerly. “Is it yours?” 

“Would I put something sharp like that to cut myself up?” Jules then brought out his pouch, and sighed. He gave its contents a quick peek and slipped the soft pouch into his cloak pocket. 

“It’s a good thing the burglars missed that,” Ralston said. “Should we toss this?” He passed the shard to Jules who turned it over. 

“Some words here.” He read, “‘—ook within.’ What’s that mean?”

Excerpt 2

A blood-curdling scream pierced through the cold evening air and all five children jerked and stared at each other. The scream appeared to have come from the dark forest. Was someone in trouble? Or was it just some- one trying to scare them?

“Wh-–at was that?” Bitha grabbed Tippy’s hand and tugged at her, but the little girl, her face indignant, squirmed and pulled away.

“No–o!” A series of ear splitting protests came from Tippy and she shook her head vigorously. Her eyes, the rims red, locked with Jules. “I want the gem! It’s mine!”

Arms on her hips, Tst Tst said, in a sinister whisper, “If we don’t leave now, Gehzurolle will kill us!”

Tippy slumped her shoulders, let out a sob and opened her mouth as if wanting to protest but at the last minute she only stepped aside. “All wight!”

“We’ll give the stone another try. Ralston, you wedge it with that stick and I’ll pull.” Jules glanced at the sky and thought he saw a dark blob in the blue far away. Must get away quickly. The meadow is too bare for a good hiding spot.

Nausea swelled up from the pit of his stomach and a shiver crept up his back. The last time he had such a feeling was right before his grandpa left on that trip. “Rals, hurry! Pull!”

Excerpt 3:

In the yonder forest, perched on a cypress, Whisperer watched the group with what could qualify as disappointment on his crooked face with his crooked lips. His efforts had failed. This sort of fowl tactics worked umpteen times before when his master ordered him on some mission.

Now he considered other prongs of attacks. The ifs and what-ifs, the whisperings, he could float in the wind. Whisperings that wafted down and instilled fear to all who heard him. This was one assignment he could not afford to blunder. Too much was at stake.

He debated over his options, his heavily lidded eyes darting from tree to tree. For a second he determined to strike the bumbling boy again, but he decided against this. He would wait for Beta and re-evaluate the problem with the latest update.

Whisperer pursed his crooked lips, his breath a gray tube of smoke that swirled toward its goal: the clouds. First softly, then more intensely, he blew. But his gaze never wavered from the struggling, lanky lad with his sister on his back.

Beta had better find that Book, or he would find a suitable punishment for the servant.

About the Author:

Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.

Emma worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.

Visit Emma Right at her home site and sign for her blog feed and newsletter and blog for tips and ideas about books, homeschooling, bible devotions, and author helps from self-publishing to book marketing. For the latest events. Follow Google Plus  and Twitter. She'd love to hear from her readers.

Buy the book:
 Amazon Link

Connect with Emma:

Website

Blog

Facebook Author page

Facebook Fan page

Google Plus

Pinterest

Twitter

Amazon authorpage

…Shall We Accept Good from God, and Not Trouble

Excerpt from Children of Dreams

Guest Post by Lorilyn Roberts

…Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble…

Job 2:10

Back many years ago, my ex husband and I lived in Augusta, Georgia. He was in medical school at the Medical College of Augusta and I worked as a court reporter putting him through medical school. One morning on my way into work, there was a long line of cars backed up on Greene Street. Brown Court Reporting, Inc., the company I worked for, was at least several blocks down the road. People had turned off their engines and were meandering around on the road waiting.

I got out of my car and walked up the street to where some people were hanging out and asked, “What’s going on?”

The man said nonchalantly, “Apparently a dog got hit by a car.”

Being a dog lover, my heart welled up as I wondered how badly the dog was hurt, who he belonged to, and if he would be okay, but the man didn’t know anything more.

I waited a few more minutes, not sure what to do. When it didn’t look as though things would clear out any time in the immediate future, I turned around and went a different way to the office.

But throughout the morning, I kept thinking about the little dog that had been hit by a car. I wanted to know more. I walked downstairs and started checking around with some of the people in other offices on the street to find out if anybody knew what had happened. Someone told me they thought he had been transported to a local veterinarian. I scoured around and found the vet to which the poor little dog had been taken. I called to inquire.

“No,” said the person on the other end. “The owner hasn’t been located.” They didn’t know who she belonged to, but she needed immediate medical attention or she would die. Her leg had been badly injured and needed to be amputated.

“How much would that cost?” I asked.

“About $200,” the woman replied.

That was a lot of money back in those days, but now that I had involved myself this much, how could I hang up the phone and not help.”

“Okay,” I told her. “I will pay the $200 for the surgery if she will live.”

“Are you sure?” She asked me. “It’s not your dog.”

I was sure. My only worry was how I would explain it to my husband and what would I do with Fifi after the surgery. I knew he wouldn’t want another dog.

We already had a little dog, Shelley. She was a stray who showed up on our back porch in Atlanta one day a few months after we were married. Not that much different from my childhood dog, Gypsy, who had walked into the house one evening with my dad when he returned home from buying milk. I wasn’t sure if the two would get along. Shelley had never had to share us.”

“When can I come by and meet her?” I asked.

“Why don’t you wait till later this afternoon after the surgery?”

I spent the rest of the day imagining what the little dog looked like and how I would explain to my husband that I had rescued a dog from certain death, that the dog was an amputee, and I had paid $200 for surgery on a dog I had never met.

Finally the veterinarian’s office called and said the surgery had been successful. Fifi’s leg had been amputated without complications. I could come see her but they wanted her to remain overnight for a couple of days until she was well enough for me to take her home.

“Have you heard from anybody claiming to be her owner?” I asked hopefully?

“No,” she said. “We don’t know who she belongs to.”

Late that afternoon, I dropped by the animal hospital on the way home from work. I told them who I was, and they were glad to meet me. I gave them the check for $200 and thanked them for taking care of Fifi.

“Do you want to see her?” The tech asked me. “She is in recovery.”

“Sure,” I said.”

They took me to an adjoining room and I poked my head in the door. Before me was a scroungy looking tan and white terrier, with large floppy ears and strands of hair covering her closed eyelids. Fifi aptly described her, a hurt, orphaned dog in need of love and a home. She lay curled up in a little ball with one huge bandage where her back right leg used to be.

I left the vet’s office with mixed emotions. I was glad I was able to save her life and give her a home, but I was wondering when I got home how I would explain it to my husband.

“You did what?” He asked me, as I was about halfway through my prepared speech, when he realized I had something more important to talk about than just the weather.

I tried to justify everything I said, saying we would find a home for Fifi and I didn’t plan on keeping her. Of course, he knew me better than that, but by the time we went to bed that night, he had acquiesced and given a half hearted yes to the new addition to the family, provided that Fifi and Shelley got along okay, which I was more than willing to accept. I would make sure of that.

Two days passed and we were able to bring Fifi home. We made her a bed and slowly introduced her to Shelley, just a few minutes at a time, several times throughout the evening. At night we crated her to keep her safe. Fifi was still wearing a wrap where her leg used to be and was still hobbling around getting used to having only three legs. After a few days we settled into a routine. I was elated that things were working out. Even my husband had quit complaining about the extra work involved.

A couple of nights later, the phone rang. It was the veterinarian’s office.

“We wanted to ask you a personal question,” the woman said.

“Okay,” I said, not sure where this was going.

“We just wanted to know how things were working out with Fifi.”

“They are working out fine,” I replied. “Fifi is starting to get along well with Shelley.”

“Why do you ask?” I wondered. “Did you find the owner?” Not really wanting to know.

“Oh, no,” she said. “It’s just that we had a client in today with his sick dog that passed away. There was nothing we could do for him. It’s just a strange coincidence that Fifi looked like their dog. The old man is heartbroken,” she went on, “and we thought if things hadn’t worked out well, maybe you would be willing to let him have Fifi.”

“We could meet and talk,” I offered, “and see what happens.” After I hung up the phone, I wondered if she had told him that Fifi only had three legs. Not everybody would want a three legged animal.

The old man called me the next day and I promised to come home early from work to meet him. By this time, I wasn’t sure I could let Fifi go. She had become a part of our family.

I arrived home and waited. A short while later a car pulled up in the driveway. I walked outside to greet the old man. As I watched him exit the car, I noticed something different that forced me to do a double take. He had a cane. He put the cane out to steady himself and then dragged his bad leg behind him, pulling himself out of the car with a great deal of effort. The man was a cripple.

How could I ever doubt God’s providential hand? I was only the keeper of Fifi until her new master picked her up—someone that could understand what it was like to have three legs. Fifi’s story would live on as a testimony to God becoming a man, fully human and fully God, but one who understands our hurts and weaknesses.

For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning (Hebrews 4:15).

……………

Children of Dreams is being showcased by the John 3:16 Marketing Network as part of their August Book Launch Event. Be sure to visit http://bit.ly/Christian_Books for a chance to win a Kindle, a $25 gift card and a $10 Starbucks card, as well as purchase Children of Dreams.

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

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.



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