Make Your Book A Bestseller

Come hang out with me and Immediate Influence Talk Show host, Ron Hudson talk about how to move your fans from book event to book event tomorrow at 9pm EST. Listeners will receive a FREE copy of "The 10 Step Book Marketing Success Action Plan." The call in number and chat url is in the previous post. I will also give away my DIY Book Marketing Plan Workbook to a special chatroom guest and share my new and affordable coaching series Dee's DIY BMP Coaching Series.

Also follow me on utterz and send me your bmp questions. I will answer you via your phone without you having to call me. Ain't that cool!

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Pay it Forward Fall: Gifting Your Service

Me singing "You Can't Beat God Giving," click to listen if you date. :)

We spoke about starting a kindness journal two weeks ago. I hope those who began theirs with me share what they found today at Christian Fiction Blog or on their blogs, just link back to me, so I can find you. So far I discovered many acts of kindness and that I forgot to record some. I'll do better this week. Below are six that standout. Four of which deals with this blog's topic:

Gifting your Service as an Act of Kindness

Although this economy is tight and about to get down right ugly, wouldn't it be nice if we chose to provide our services to someone deserves it? I challenge you to do that this week and let me know how it goes next week.

Now unto my Six:

1. Every day I did saw acts of kindness at Atlanta Gas Stations. Yesterday I bumped into my mom there. We had a mini-family reunion as we waited for gas. I took a bad pic, but we got the crowd smiling.

2. Ella Curry, host of Blog Talk Radio's Black Author's Network has given me her Tuesday show(Tonight). Ella's show is popular. I'm new with BTR. I listen. I chat. I don't host. She's giving me a spot to chat with some of my write-or-die chicks tonight. I'm honored.

3. A vendor at the Rockdale County Fair gave Selah and me a pair of shades for free just for coming back to his table as we promised.

4. I offered to do a free press release for a Christian duo who desperately needs it.

5. My friend and internet marketing strategist, Deontee Gordon edited an article I have written for a trade journal.

6. My other new buddy Social Media Marketing expert, Alejandro Reyes gave this same Deontee Gordon his business coaching package for free.

• Pay it Forward Fall: Start Kindness Journal

• God, Good Books & Girls Chat tomorrow on Blog Talk Radio

CFB Top Ten, September 2008

Today CFB is pleased to announce our top ten book picks for September 2008.
click the slideshow above to learn more or order or listen below:

1. Up Pops the Devil by Angela Benson
2. Loving Cee Cee Johnson by Linda Leigh Hargrove
3. Rhythms of Grace by Marilynn Griffith
4. It Happened in Church by Patti Webster
5. Wounded by Claudia Mair Burney
6. The Train of Salt & Sugar by Licinio De Azevedo
7. One Extraordinary Day by Harold Myra
8. The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam
9. Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir, Damien Lewis
10. Wilimena Rules! Rule #6. How to Face Up to the Class Bully by Valerie Wilson Wesley

Enjoy. Also help us countdown the best CFB books of 2008. Contest and Giveaway will be announced in October.

Dee

Vertical Writing and Worship on LinkedIn

Happy Thursday! Today I will be sending out short posts through the Labor Day weekend for my Blackberry and smartphone users. It's easier when it's shorter right. Also I have so many things that I can't couple together. Anyway... if you don't have time to read, you can listen to this post by clicking the arrow below.

Author Rhonda McKnight explores my "vertical writing" concept at BWChristian Lit Blog.

Last month our writer’s group had a craft session on “Vertical Writing”. Dee Stewart, the facilitator defined vertical writing as “the process, whereby the author’s writing either moves the reader toward having a centered communication with God or keeps the reader centered.” I don’t know if vertical writing is an actual term or one she coined herself. I do know it was a powerful lesson; one that reminded many of us that in the midst of spinning our stories, not to forget the purpose God has called us to as writers of Christian fiction. - Rhonda McKnight

This summer I asked a question about work and worship on Linkedin and have received 28 responses so far(still open for your answers.)

Since my work is writing about Christian topics, I continually seek God to guide me as I write. I spend time in the morning in prayer for my work. I listen to praise music as I write. I pause and pray as I go through my workday, remembering that God is enthroned and He is the only place I can know truth. - author, Tricia Goyer

So this concept reaches far beyond just our writing, but worship as a way of life. I hope you stop by BWChristian Lit and share your stories with Rhonda. But before you go quick question: How do you incorporate worship in your life?

Related

• Writing Project: 25 Words on Vertical Writing

• Vertical Promotion Club

• 3 Steps to Self-Editing the Vertical Novel

• Porno with a Jesus Logo: Why Writing Vertical Matters

Faith and Fiction Retreat: Ty Moody & Patricia Woodside

I had a blast this weekend. Got to connect face to face with my gal pal, Ty Moody and finally met the funniest blogger I know, Patricia Woodside. Listen to me goof around with these diva chicas.

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Christian Fiction News: Obama's Faith Exam, LifeWay Layoffs & Essence Magazine

Christian Fiction News for the Week ending 8/10/08

Click the arrow to here the audioblog of this post

Senator Obama's Faith Examined

Thomas Nelson's The Faith of Barack Obama by Stephen Mansfield, examining the spiritual beliefs of the historic Democrat presidential candidate, releases this week.

Question: If America doesn't want to become a Christian State(which I think it should,) then why is the Presidential Candidates faith, particularly on the part of Christianity important?

LifeWay Christian cuts 100 jobs

LifeWay Christian Resources will terminate about 100 employees by Sept. 30 because revenues are lower than expected, Associated Baptist Press (ABP) reported. Source: Christian Retailing

Not surprised with that one. Four years ago I asked Jim Schull of LifeWay why they poorly stocked CBA titles from AA authors and still did not give me a satisfactory answer.

Question: Why aren't you shopping at LifeWay?

ASHEA Goldson: A MochaReaders Bookstore Event

This past Saturday I was the Mocha Readers mobile bookseller for Ashea Goldson's debut release, The Lovechild. Fun was had. All books were sold. I will talk more and share more pics of this event later this week. Remember MochaReaders is an Essence Magazine Reporting Bookstore. If you are an Atlanta author or an author coming to Atlanta and want a bookseller to cover your event or you just want me to deliver books to you for your event, hit me up.

Quick Question: How do you feel about mobile bookstores?

The Blogging Novelty: Revisted, Reposted...

Today I am The Master's Artist Blog debunking the myth that blogging is dead.

Quick Question: What do you do to keep your blog fresh?

GET the VIP Pass in Destin

This weekend, beginning Thursay my write-or-die chicks, Sherri Lewis and Rhonda McKnight and Ty Moody will be in Destin Florida at the Faith and Fiction Retreat. We hope to see you there. I will be blogging from Destin. Follow me on Twitter or get at my Facebook VIP Pass.



Get your books at FaithPoint Christian Books at BAMM.COM

Has Blogging Lost Its Relational Focus? Part II

This weekend at The Master's Artist Blog journalist and author Deb Gyapong asked the question:

Has the Blogging Novelty Worn Off?

I answered a lil over there, so I could expound upon the answer here. My answer is no. Blogging has not worn off. As a novelty...that's another subject.

Deb, we are sisters in Christ! I wrote about the same topic last week at CFB:Has Blogging Lost its Relational Focus?

Blogging has taken new forms
I say no.What has happened is that more people are talking using different forms of social media than they were when blogging became popular. Blogging via blogs like CFB is just one form of blogging. Miniblogging like Twitter and Utterz and some FaceBook Tools are being used widely. People are using Blog Talk Radio. I am using it more as well as Youtube and Last.fm.

We love to communicate and fellowship. We have to be receptive and open to other forms of media. See where it fits in our focus and apply them if necessary. There are ways to use them all and keep with them all. I will be talking about those things in more detail in the September issue of The Christian Communicator Magazine. Subscribe because I will have a second installment breaking down different forms of social media in the winter issue of the magazine.

Tonight my write-or-die chick Sherri Lewis will be on Blog Talk Radio, which is a great audio blogging tool you can incorporate in your own blog and reach thousands of people without having to type or come up with a great blog title. Come here us at 8PM EST on Ella Curry's Radio Show

Selfish Blogging
On the other hand we have become --and I've been guilty of this--Selfish Bloggers. We stay in our bubble and blog about what matters to us and never share this information with others or go out to our favorite links and blogging friends and see what they have to say about their world. We have forgotten that we are communal and belong to each other. We need to be sharing what we know and then go out to where people congregate and fellowship with them. We could organize meetups to meet other bloggers in our towns. It's easy to get lost into your own world, but if we won't this platform to stay viable we have to return to what made it best:

• cross commenting
• fellowshipping
• and linking
• meeting us in the marketplace
  

Now are you guilty of being a selfish blogger? I know I am. Join the Christian Fiction Network to began fellowshipping again. We have over forty blogging authors in communing. If you want to stay on top of new social media that can be helpful for authors and ministers join Vertical Promotion Network Or if you don't have time, hire me. I'm pretty affordable. :)Email me off loop for my rates.

Dee

TMA: Utterz Audio Blogging Me & Marina Woods on Book Marketing

Click Here to Hear my AudioBlog

Today at The Master's Artist Blog I will do something a bit different. I am going to introduce you to mini audioblogging. To participate plug in your headsets and hit the yellow arrow above. You can hear my entry for today and get a chance to respond. My guest host on this utterz experiment is my good friend, Marina Woods, Editor & Chief of Good Girl Book Club Magazine, the largest online magazine for Christian book readers. We are discussing the most common marketing mistakes authors make. Listen and join us. Marina's response is below. Click on and listen.

Click here to hear Marina's Response

In summary Marina's answer is that author's are not promoting in places where their target market congregates. She also shares the most shocking explanation she has heard from a Christian author on marketing. You can leave your responses here or open a free utterz account and respond via telephone or your computer. Moreover, Marina has a special surprise for authors seeking free advice for marketing and promotion. Read on for more details after you listen to our audioblog. Happy Monday!

Why Don't You Have a Marketing Plan for Your Book?

Last night on Blog Talk Radio we had an encore discussion on book marketing and promotion. There were many things learned from this week's chat that I will discuss further later this week, but the thing that stood out the most was a few of the authors in the chat room and on the show had goals of become bestselling authors, but did not have an idea of the business of selling books and thus, the cost in promoting it. So this morning while out shopping for another driver's seat for my car I opened this question up for discussion on Utterz(listen below:)

What is the disconnect? Why aren't authors thinking of a marketing plan? And how can I help you make that connection? Tell me what you need.

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CFB Author Chat: Marita Teague

Listen to Walk Worthy Press Author, Marita Teague and me on Utterz as we discuss her debut novel, Taste of Good Fruit and how women bible studies can use her book as a great companion piece. Click here to listen.

Dee Stewart is a writing diva mother, Christy Book Awards Judge, contributing Editor for Hope for Women Magazine, inspirational book reviewer for Romantic Times Magazine, and owner of Christian Fiction Blog. Her writings have appeared in: Spirit Led Woman, Gospel Today, Good Girl Book Club, The Dabbling Mum, Atlanta Christian Family, Mosaic Literary, Precious Times, Vertical Fix just a few. Visit her at Christian Fiction or follow her on Twitter.

Thanks Rhonda!