Unveiling-Summer Reading Project

Will not be able to discuss Unveiling just yet. My copy hasn't come in. Anyone else has the book?

DEe

Survey Reveals The Books and Authors That Have Most Influenced Pastors

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- - content from Barna.org - -


Image courtesy of BarnaFilms click for info

Survey Reveals The Books and Authors That Have Most Influenced Pastors

May 30, 2005

(Ventura, CA) –Books sales and book influence are two different factors. While bestseller lists identify the books that generate the greatest revenue, a new survey by The Barna Group, conducted among a nationwide, representative sample of Protestant pastors, shows that the most influential books often fail to reach the bestseller lists.

On Earth As it is in Heaven

This week I'm busy preparing for my first Third Thursday event. I'm checking out the location, confirming performers, responding to RSVPS, and preparing for July's event. On top of that today I read and reviewed a book for Romantic Times, took Selah to swim lessons, cooked a dinner from scratch and after this will begin working on my own novel.

What makes this day different than any other? Those of you who know me know most days I'm cooking on all four burners anyway...But today is different. My spirit is renewed and my purpose pumping my heart.

Why?

This week my writing group spent the weekend on a writer's retreat. We packed our manuscripts, pink rollers, and mumus and headed to Timber Ridge Conference Center(home of the Girl Scouts).

We had a fantabulous time. Fantabulous food, fellowship and friendship forging. And most importantly we had a fantabulous time with the Lord.

Who are we? What do we write for? Who do we write for?

We, Christian writers know the answer. The Lord. Hallelujah!!

But to take the time and to relish in it. Marvel in it...It makes you SuperWriter.

God chose us to run rings around other literary wannabees. He chose us, who knows how one word can define and clarify all things. He gave us creativity to build stories/parables that will help us understand him.

What are you working on right now that illuminates God to us?
Is it relevant to today?
Is your angel trying to cope with the 22nd century?
What is she doing? What are doing?

We will hold another retreat next year and I hope we can invite others to attend. But in the meantime let's think about our eternity and how we will continue to tell stories in Heaven. And how tickled Heaven will be with the stories we tell. We won't be tired or sleepy or stressed. We just tell stories. Our tongues won't tire. Our hands won't carpel. Our eyes won't hate computer screens.

We won't be rejected.

Imagine it. And live it now. On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Get after your calling.

Writin to see what the end's gon' be,
Dee

Third Thursdays: Third Thursdays: June Reader Series Announced

Third Thursdays: Third Thursdays: June Reader Series Announced: "Coming up: Thursday, June 16, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

A reading by:

Author, Creston Mapes is a Buford resident and former creative director for Dr. Bruce Wilkinson (Prayer of Jabez.) Multnomah Publishers has published his debut novel/ the first of a three part series, DARK STAR: Confessions of a Rock Star Idol this month.

A performance by:

Former Miss Black Atlanta USA, Miss Eulene Adams

A psalm by:

Vocalist, MeLana Latrice Jones ...she performs as a choir member in the upcoming movie 'The Gospel' due for a November cinema release.

Click on the link to see who else is on the roster.

Writing to see what the end's gon' be,

Dee

Christian Writing with Mainstream Appeal

Release the Pain 

I was reading my Christian Retailing newsletter and came across a topic regarding the 2005 BEA. Apparently there was some concern that BEA and the mostly mainstream companies would only glance at the CBA Publisher booths. However, that was not the case...Good News...

However, what stood out about this subject was that many of the CBA market account managers displayed book titles that had more mainstream appeal like: Release the Pain, Embrace the Joy by Michelle McKinney Hammond.

Now, don't get me wrong I like Michelle McKinney Hammond books when the mood strikes. She's very helpful.

But I wondered about Christian Fiction. I'm thinking Eric Wilson's Expiration Date was on display Or it least it should have been. Chris Well's Forgiving Solomon Long might have been there somewhere. Victoria Christopher Murray's Grown Folks Business had to be there. It would be a crime, if it wasn't.

Which brings me to my point. Before I spreaded my wings and started searching other genres inside the Christian fiction booksophere, I spent much of my time reviewing christian fiction books written by African American authors. And if you look at the titles of some of these books: Singsation, He's Fine, but is He Saved, Flippin the Script, and Saved in the City. You will see that this whole "writing with mainstream appeal thing" isn't new.

Yet, why aren't these books displayed on the front bookshelves of Family or Lifeway Bookstores? Why aren't market account managers taking their African American authors to BEA?

If we're trying to compete in the market place, then why don't we beat our competition, Move beyond race, move up a little higher, and show the world what we got?
We don't need to be like the general market?
We don't need to try to emulate them either?
What we need to do is take all our books-literary, the emergent, the classic, the black, white, red(not just Dekker), the latino, the asian--yeah there's asian christian fiction. And we need to make sure that next year not only do we hold our own at BEA, but we take up the joint. Lift it up higher. Save some some souls.

Now I'm going to get back to my mainstream/christian/literary/Star Wars meets Big Mama's House/off the hook WIP:)

Writing to see what the end' gon' be,
Dee

CBa Bestsellers for Early June

Ranking Title Author/Publisher
1 (2) Monster Frank Peretti, WestBow (Nelson), c
2 (7) Moonlight on the Millpond Lori Wick, Harvest House, p
3 (11) Breaker's Reef Terri Blackstock, Zondervan, p
4 (14) The Rising Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins, Tyndale, c
5 (21) A Thousand Tomorrows Karen Kingsbury, Center Street (Warner Faith), c
6 (24) Whence Came A Prince Liz Curtis Higgs, WaterBrook, p
7 (25) Redeeming Love Francine Rivers, Multnomah, p
8 (27) The Warrior Francine Rivers, Tyndale, c
9 (47) Beyond Tuesday Morning Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan, p
10 (48) Black Ted Dekker, WestBow (Nelson), p

Third Thursdays: Part Two: CCM Magazine, Dee Stewart & Third Thursday

Third Thursdays: Part Two: CCM Magazine, Dee Stewart & Third Thursday

Check out Part Two of Chris Well's CCM Interview with me about Third Thursdays. I'm getting psyched. I can't wait to reveal the readers who will perform at the June Jump Off-Launch of the series. I'm stoked! And it's not too late to join the party. email me for an evite at vidae@writing.com

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee