Catch Creston Mapes, author of Dark Star: Confessions of a Rock Star Idol this week at:
Vick did a superback job as usual. But I have to throw down my napkin at TJ Duckett for the 72 yard romp of a touchdown. Titans are a great team. But Dee lub her some Falcons!
My conversion story contest submission.
W
From the New York Times...The Color Purple," a new musical based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker that is scheduled to open on Broadway in December, has enlisted Oprah Winfrey as an investor and producer whose name will appear above the title on the show's marquee.Oprah Winfrey played Sofia in the movie adaptation of the novel.
Now, for the third year in a row, the members and the cover artist have taken the Guild's unofficial slogan to heart; "Writers must always be writing, and should write what should be published.To learn more about how your writing group could grow in confidence, financial funding and camaraderie click here to read the article in detail.
As a final word, our Guild encourages all writing groups to consider similar projects. Get a copy of one of the many anthologies on the market or try one of ours listed above. See how the book is put together and accept our challenge to write and publish. After all, that's what we, as authors, do. If we can be of any help to you, you may contact us at http://www.christianauthorsguild.org/.
Perdue made his decision after learning that a Houston-to-New York pipeline that supplies most of Georgia's gasoline had been shut down, said Dan McLagan, Perdue's spokesman. On Sunday, the pipeline was operating only sporadically.
Gov. Sonny Perdue asked for the closings on Friday, estimating that closing all of the state's schools would save about 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel by idling buses, plus an undetermined amount of gasoline by allowing teachers, staff members and some parents to stay home. Electricity also would be conserved by keeping the schools closed, he said.
Where do you draw the line in denominational distinctives?
What would turn you off and perhaps deter you from reading a particular author. If you knew the author were a Mormon or Jehovah's witness, would you be as enthusiastic about picking up a book? What about a Catholic? Calvinist? Arminian? Liberal Episcopalian? What are the things in a work that allow you to overcome a leeriness about a worldview you disagree with?
We seek experienced Writers, Journalists, Interviewers. Our scope is southern regional as well as destination specific. We are interested in content of the South, about the South and those in it, from it, and talking about it. We present a range of topics, including history, art, artists, road trips, antiques, collectibles, interesting destinations, people and much more.
I've tried to read this book two times this summer. Upon my third time(this time) I decided to share my view of the book as I read it and couple it with remarks my writing group has said about the book along with maybe some explanations to their comments and concerns. Hopefully, this weeklong discussion will be a new addition to the blog as sort of a online bookclub forum. What do you think, Marina, Mary and Lashaunda? 
Andy Morgan reviews GP Taylor's Tersias over at Ancient Modern PostModern Blog.
A gospel drama adapted from the bestselling novel by award winning author Vanessa Miller. This heart wrenching, laugh out loud production tells the story of Elizabeth Underwood. A successful songstress, she had it all; fame, fortune and faith. But when the storms of life rock Elizabeth's world, she yearns for the peace that only God can give.
Have you noticed there are quite a few NFL teams named after birds? 
This summer my writing group friends have been talking about Sharon Ewell Foster's Aint No Valley. Christian Fiction Blog has decided to bring our talks to the blog, so this week we will pose some discussion questions regarding this book. You can post your comments here or on the tag board.Free market capitalism and conservative Christianity aren't natural bedfellows. But, they have become aligned and I'm really curious how and why.My question: How does a non-left wing christian author[let's say a single black healing mother] form a successful book marketing campaign when most Christian media is linked to christian organizations that are against the plight of a single black healing mom? Or in simpler terms is their room for non-left Christian authors in the industry? How would this kind of author convince a publisher to take a chance on her? Even if she has a built in audience that isn't mainstream christian counterculture?
#1 on Essence Bestsellers List!!! Crossing Jhordan's River(Christian Fiction Blog's May Book of the Month,) the book that graced the #3 spot on September's Essence Bestsellers List makes the #1 spot its new home for the month of October!
I've been wanting to talk about this movie, since they began shooting the film at the beginning of this year, but I was forced into keeping all my behind the scenes info to myself. My sister, MeLana, who's sitting directly behind Boris Kodjoe with a smirk on her face, is in the movie as a choir member. She also performs in the movie as well. She forced me to keep silent (contract violation she claimed. Well, now I have the greenlight to chat about it. Did I tell you my sister can sing the shivers out ya? :) 
The cast:
The Premise as quoted from Upscale Magazine Online:
The music: Kirk Franklin produced the soundtrack. We have been playing it in our home since August. I'm telling you this is the best gospel album of the past three years. Its's that good. 
Mary Demuth, author of Building the Christian Family You Never Had, sponsor's this months' Celebration of Christian Fiction. We writers are a communal bunch. Every month, several writers get together for a writers jamboree, pontificating about some aspect of writing. This month's subject is the craft of writing. Scroll through the entries below to feed your writerly soul.-Demuth
An excerpt from Evangelical Outpost's Rousseau’s Allies:
Writing is a craft. Its primary function is communication. I mean "craft" strictly: like carpentry or pottery, writing is handmade.... The best way to learn is by doing - and thinking about what you're doing while you're doing it. You wouldn't expect to make superior pottery the first time you sat down at a wheel. People often assume they know how to write because they know how to speak. There are deep and important connections between spoken and written language, but they're not the same thing. If you think they are, tape a conversation and transcribe it verbatim and see how it reads. Better to imagine that you'll be writing in a foreign language of which, at the outset, you know only a few words and only the rudiments of syntax.
Scriptural Nugget: Let brotherly love continue- Hebrews 13:1The fact that the government has to have a “safety net” to catch those who would slip between the cracks of our economic system is evidence that Christians fail to do God’s work. The government cannot take the place of Christian charity. A loving embrace isn’t given with food stamps. The care of a community isn’t provided with government housing. The face of our Creator can’t be seen on a welfare voucher. What the poor need is not another government program but Christians who are willing to honor their savior.Now how can we use this statement to build a short story piece or a novel premace?
Michael Vick threw for 156 yards and ran for a touchdown as Atlanta beat Philadelphia 14-10 at the Georgia Dome."First of all, I want to give all the praise to God. No, I wasn't in the middle of all that. I ain't got time for that. I was focused and all ready to go. You know, things like that are going to happen sometimes tempers flare."
Mike Duran talks about Fish Sticker Sighted Hollywood, Scott Derrickson's The Exorcism of Emily Rose and what some of us having been discussing at the faith*in*fiction message board about Horror as the Perfect Christian Fiction Genre at his Decompose Blog."Horror is a genre that is often disrespected, because it is sometimes very exploited. And yet, historically, Christians have been making scary paintings and writing scary stories, like Dante's Inferno, for centuries. There's a lot of moral and spiritual passion behind thousands of years of church art that deals with this kind of dark subject matter."Tidings Online has an interesting article that suggests that Derickson exploits horror instead of using it as a theological tool.
"Emily" shows that Derrickson has not moved far from the via negativa approach he has to salvation or spirituality for that matter. ... Given that this is a horror film we don't expect much light. We accept the gothic darkness, but this kind of theology seems rather manipulative to me. Fear is a medieval way to bring people to God that does not invite a free response to faith, nor hint at God's loving providence... But faith and Christian living are so much more than the sum total of fear of the devil on a dark and rainy night. This more than anything is why "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is a horror film.
Spread The Word Ministries allows other ministries to set up their own online bookstores, for fundraising purposes. Their 'fundraising,' from a purely business standpoint, is the difference between their wholesale cost and their retail price...pretty much what all bookstores deal with. The wholesale discount Spread The Word gives ministries is 30%, so if they're getting something akin to the 50% large retailers get, the main ministry is keeping a good chunk of money, their middlemen ministries keep another chunk, while customers can still see 10-20% discounts comparable to Amazon.com...The distributor gets sales without marketing, small groups share the power of volume purchasing, and everybody goes home happy. I believe there's home electronics companies who do this; booksellers can benefit as well.
Last week, a nice nifty package came in the mail address to me. Usually I take these type packages an add them to the bottom of my review pile, because most of the time they are either galleys and ARC's for me to review or someone's unsolicited manuscript, who thinks I am more than what I say I am. (Note: I'm not an agent or a publisher. Maybe a small press owner someday, but...) 
McEwan's Saturday taken off. Zadie Smith's On Beauty still holding on. I think Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go will win. I was rooting for either McEwan or Zadie Smith's, Ishiguro has more backing. I think.
Good Girl Magazine's September/October issue spotlights my sweet blog editor and prolific author, Vanessa Davis Griggs. Click on the title to direct you to the interview.
Words: Sabrina Hall
Jackie King Scott’s short novel, The Allure is packed with much wisdom and spiritual insight that is helpful whether you happened to be married or single. This novel teaches us how quickly things can spiral out of control when two people lean on their own understanding and stop letting God direct their paths.
Valerie Townsend is experiencing what is commonly referred to as the seven year itch. After going through the ups and downs of marriage and trying to conceive a child, Patricia feels as if God is leading her to end her marriage to John. To make matters worse, Patricia thinks that God is offering her a second chance at marriage by bring Curtis, an attractive divorced Christian man into her life. What Patricia fails to realize until she attends a women’s retreat and attends a session entitled “Wait on the Lord” is that waiting does not mean that you sit back, expecting God to provide an automatic solution to your problems. Waiting is preparing yourself by remaining in God’s will so you will be ready to act when He intervenes. Patricia also comes to realize that while she has been blaming much of the marital problems on John, she is too must shoulders some of the blame. Her way of thinking led her to believe that it was John who needed to make changes when in actuality she needed to make some changes in herself in order to improve her marriage.
The Allure is full of messages that offer hope, fidelity, real love, commitment and restoration. By the conclusion of this short but powerful novel, Valerie learns what we all eventually learn. We cannot direct our own paths. We must pray and allow God’s will to be done.
David Maine's sophomore biblical fiction novel, Fallen falls on bookstore shelves this month.
Usually I don't do this, but I know I am on one accord with you.
