Day 6: Analyze Your Favorite Book Blogger

This weekend I have had a blast reading your responses on Facebook about your blog setup, retooling faux pas and a better understanding of how important it is to think about the big picture when you're building your blog. There are so many literary type blogs out there. Some you can tell had a great idea, then fizzled out when no one responded to their posts. There are some that are pr dump sites masquerading as book review blogs. So much stuff... And it's all good. It's good because all that blog gunk helps your thoughtfully produced book blog gain more credibility, relevance to the industry, and most importantly, it helps you stand on top of all that gunk.

The best way for me--when I sat in your seat-- was I checked out other blogs. I observed what I didn't want and what I needed.

Today in Day 6 of Building a Better Blog. I want you to visit three of your favorite book blogs and do the following:

• goto the discussion forum and post the link to the 3 blogs you selected
• tell us what you thought you needed
• tell us what you thought you didn't

This week I will:

• debunk some things I typically see on blogs that don't matter a hill of beans
• share three tools all book bloggers need on their blog
• tell you whether what you think is what you need to take your book blog to the next level

Let me share you my favorite book blogs. Checking these blogs out will help you see possibly blog the way I do:

• Faith*in*Fiction http://www.faithinfiction.blogspot.com
• Write About Now http://jmarkbertrand.typepad.com/writeaboutnow/
• Ragamuffin Diva http://ragamuffindiva.blogspot.com/
• I cheated. One More. Milk is my friend. Have to put him on here. Your Writers Group http://www.yourwritersgroup.com/mywritersgroup/

It's not too late to join in on the fun. Visit 30 Days to request an invite. It's Free and You can start at Day 1 whenever you want. New registrants are joining every day. One good reason to join is that I don't share the entire content of Tues-Thursday posts. I answer your personal questions about your blog. You get to chat with other book bloggers like you. Also registrants will receive my September Edition of Dee's Goody Mail. (Tia, I hope to have it out tomorrow.) So what do you have to lose? You're already on Facebook...lol

Photo Credit: Another cheat. my Fifth favorite book blog-Brandywine Books

Get Ready to Live Without Fear

In the book Prince Caspian[C.S. Lewis,] Lucy sees Aslan, the lion for the first time in many years. He has changed since their last encounter. His size surprises her, and she tells him as much.

"Aslan," said Lucy., "you're bigger."

"That is because you are older, little one," answered he.

"Not because you are?"

"I am not. But every year you grow up, you will find me bigger."

And so it is with Christ. The longer we live in Him, the greater He becomes in us. It's not that He changes but that we do; we see more of Him.

-Max Lucado's Fearless

I will not bore you again with my fears. LOL. Instead today I will share a book with you that is helping me become the lioness I know is inside of me.

For the week I will be using a Battling Fear regimen that is found in page 191 of this book. I would tell you the regiment, but I believe this book is so important that you need to have your own copy. You need to keep the book next to you when fear starts to creep in.

I didn't know how much of my daily life was built around fear. Things I didn't think had anything to do with fear. I notice my daughter. Many of her challenges are fears that I placed in her. I am thankful that Thomas Nelson sent me this book. I hope to change the kingdom around here.

So far life at home has been pretty peaceful, my bills are miraculously getting paid, i'm not hovering in a ball in my closet. I am very thankful. I will keep you posted of my developments.

Unlike the book reviews I've written before I just don't have it in me to break it down in pieces and pontificate about the book. Simply, you need this book. Our country needs this book.

Tyler Perry's 34 Street Films & the Future of Christian Fiction

This year Tyler Perry Studios formed 34th Street Films to house projects not written or directed by Tyler Perry. We know that Christian Fiction author Stephanie Perry Moore's teen series will become a Made for DVD Series,Georgia Sky under 34th Street Films. However, I wonder what will TPS do for Christian Fiction, especially African American Christian Fiction? Although there is an obvious consumer market for these stories, why are Christian publishers still hesitant about acquiring more? Or should we follow Tyler Perry's lead and create our own?