Have you ever met a celebrity, author, or minister who turned you cold?

Don Otis over at The Writer's View has started a tips driven discussion for writers on book signings. He shared a bad experience he had at a book signing, which reminded me of a bad experience I had a church revival. I won't name the Bishop, but I was so excited to hear his sermon in person. I was going to cover the revival for Rejoice Atlanta News at the time. At the end of the service after the church offering the bishop stood up and berated the congregation. He chastised us for not giving with all our might. His brother flew him to Atlanta for the revival and the least we could do was return the favor. I was floored. I did not write a story about him. When his publicist ask me to attend his ribbon cutting ceremony for his new church, which is now here in Atlanta, I didn't come. My perception of who I thought he was had changed. Has that ever happened to you? Have you met a celebrity, author, minister, performer who turned you cold after you met them?

Internship Announcement: Christian Publicist

Are you serious about learning about PR and Marketing? Do you feel "called" to help "market the Message" of ministries and Christian authors? Are you trustworthy and have integrity?

Here's your opportunity:

Ministry Marketing Solutions' long-running virtual internship program offers interested undergraduate and graduate students a comprehensive introduction to the book industry and ministry marketing.

Though we do not offer interns monetary compensation, we do supply letters of recommendation and make arrangements for course credit from the sponsoring college or university. Our program is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in the field of book publishing, public relations and ministry marketing. Many of our interns have gone on to successful careers in the communications industry.

MMS is seeking two highly motivated and detail-oriented interns to serve as Marketing Assistants starting in January. College students majoring in communications, public relations, marketing or journalism with interest in ministry marketing are encouraged to apply.

Interns are exposed to all aspects of agency work. Duties range from basic clerical tasks, packing/shipping to reading and evaluating manuscripts and proposals, media research and more. Be prepared for an exciting, fast-paced atmosphere.

The ideal candidates must be organized and possess excellent written and verbal communication skills plus be proficient on the computer. We seek interns that have initiative, humility and are bright, creative and eager to learn. You must be someone who follows through and can work independently (virtual).

Duties will include:

Research - Researching media outlets, marketing trends for all clients who are authors and/or ministers.

Marketing - Administrative marketing assignments, as needed, as well as internet marketing.

Public Relations - Writing press materials, crafting creative pitches, contacting broadcast/print and online media to help secure interviews for authors and clients.

• All interns will work directly with Chief Visionary, Publicists, and Executive Assistant.
• Requires a commitment of 15 to 20 hours per week, generally about 3 months on a quarterly schedule.
• May require light local travel and some event appearances.

Although the program is aimed at students,

anyone interested can apply.

Closing date to apply for internship is December 31, 2007.

Interested candidates must have telephone or cell phone & Internet access. Please forward resume/cover letter as to why you would like to work with MMS. Put Internship in the Subject Line of email to:

info@ministrymarketingsolutions.com

Dee's 2007 Holiday Wish List: Writer's Edition

I hope y'all saw my music minister, L'Tanya Moore sing with Josh Groban on Oprah today. It was short, but great. Anyhoo...Watching Oprah give away gifts reminded me of my own version of Favorite Things, more like wISH lIST. I wish I could give these gifts away. A future goal, give me twenty more years. Below are my wish picks for great gifts for writers.

Dee's Holiday Wish for Writers

1. Levenger's Lapalot Desk. $128.


This puppy has everything you need to read and write in bed. I LIKE. Great thing to have if your laptop is about two hours away from burning a hole through your leg.

2. The Sabrina Laptop Bag by Abbi New York. $89

• Padded computer compartment fits up to 15.4” widescreen laptops
• Matching wallet purse
• Two side pockets for iPod®, Blackberry®, etc.
• 2 easy access front pockets for keys, change, etc
• Inside pockets for power cable and phone, pen holders, a zipper compartment for cosmetics and other items
• Premium faux leather

3.Sin and Evil: Moral Values in Literature $34.30 through Amazon.

403 pages that reference British and American literature over the last 250 years, this is an ambitious, substantial overview of the way major authors from Fielding to Vonnegut have dealt with sin and evil. Paulson, at the same time, interacts with theologians, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and literary critics. Yale University.

4.Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device

This baby is already sold out, but if you order now you reserve your spot for the next batch. What is it? Let me just tell you what it does:

Product Overview
Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.
Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute.
More than 88,000 books available, including 100 of 112 current New York Times® Best Sellers. New York Times® Best Sellers and all New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
Free book samples. Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy.
Top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes—all auto-delivered wirelessly.
More than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN's Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post.
Holds over 200 titles.
Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.
No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
Email your Word documents and pictures (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, .PNG) to Kindle for easy on-the-go viewing.

5. Hello Kitty USB 2.0 Flash Drive 512 MB

Cute. If you've been reading my blog, then you know how important having one of these is to me. A flashdrive is a must. Why not have one that make you smile.

6. Apple MacBook Pro MA895LL/A 15" Notebook PC (2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive)

Click here to read and watch. That's all I can say about it. Plus I want one.

What did I miss on the list?

My Music Minister on OPRAH'S Greatest Tuesday

Hallelujah! St. Phillip AME's Music Minister, PK, L' Tanya Moore and members of the Sanctuary Choir, who comprise the L'Tanya Moore Gospel Singers will be singing with Josh Groban tomorrow on Oprah's Favorite Things Holiday Edition! The show was taped in Macon, GA at the Macon City Auditorium.

CFB Monday News: Spirit in Song

BET's 8th Annual Celebration Announced

BET Channel's Celebration of Gospel promises announced its 8th Annual Show's theme as "Spirit in Song." The Show premieres on Sunday, January 27 at 8:00 pm ET. It will be taped at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 15. The 2 hour concert features soul stirring performances from: Patti LaBelle, John Legend, Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Mighty Clouds of Joy, J Moss, Israel and The New Breed featuring T-Bone, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Dr. Bobby Jones, and the top five "Sunday Best" finalists. Musical director Ray Chew will direct a 24-piece orchestra. Steve Harvey will host the show again. Free tickets are available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis by submitting a request via http://www.eurweb.com/story/mailtBETRSVP@bet.net or calling (202) 608-2617.

Ms. Louis now on Food Network

Hallelujah! I have to throw a handclap on this wonderful news. Remember Ms. Louise Holmes, who was selling pies out of her Atlanta home to support her sick husband, but was fined by the City of Atlanta. Well, today The Secret Life Of: Family Restaurants will feature her new restaurant, Louise's World Best Soul Food, which will open in Lawrenceville, GA. Dec. 1. Gotta be there. The show airs tonight at 10:30pm.

Church Mafia Scares Stages Now

Jay Cameron's stageplay, "Church Mafia" scared the stage this weekend with it debut performance, November 17th. Click here for more info and schedule.

CFB Prayer Cell: for Kristy Dykes

Christian Fictio Blog subscribers and readers I will be praying this week for Christian romance author, Kristy Dykes everyday at noon for fifteen minutes. Would love to know that we can all pray together.

A brief prayer request on Kristy:
She has been diagnosed with a brain tumor that has crossed over into the right side of her brain. Let's pray for Kristy's family, Kristy and peace.

I encourage you to read her blog. Her husband, Milton is blogging. What he says is a tribute to Kristy, marriage, and Christ.

3 Rule Remedy for Writer's Spiritual Fatigue

Lord You see my life is broken
And I don't know what to do
While I'm in this change, help me remain
-Lyrics from "A Song of Strength" written by Fred Hammond.

For months my soul has struggled to hold the reigns of my life. Last weekend it let go and I fell to the bottom of me. This place is dark, shame filled, lonely, and draining. You can't create in this space. You cannot feel hope, or experience joy, or know who you belong to in that abyss. I wished I would have heeded the detours and roadblocks that are now so apparent along this way. As I sit at a new crossroads in my life I have had to make some weird and heartwrenching, but soul saving decisions. I hope to share these decisions with you own my blog in weeks to come, but today I want to share the remedy that has brought me back to the edge of my soul.

I am still traveling, so I am not fully there. But I do know from the emails I've received, the prayer requests mentioned, the phone calls I've taken and the love that I have had to say goodbye to again, I am not alone. Somehow, somewhere some of us have lost our way-- not because we intentionally chose to stumble, but because we have gotten so caught up trying to live our day-to-day lives we've forgotten that we were created to live forever. So if you are like me or experiencing something close to what I am right now, then continue reading and I will share my remedy for spiritual renewal and a song that keeps me focused every day.

Continue reading "A 3 Rule Remedy for Writer's Fatigue" »