How to Speak to The Readers You Can't See

Today I chatted with a bookclub president, who told me that her club selects their book of the months from Christian Fiction Blog featured reviews. I was honored and ashamed.
I hadn't been posting book reviews as much as I could have despite the fact that I had read many book this year. For some odd reason I had assumed no one cared for the reviews. I checked my blog stats often to see which posts readers viewed most, to determine what content you wanted me to provide. It hadn't ocurred to me that one blog reader could equal ten book readers, that perhaps one subscriber was a bookclub president representing many. I hadn't thought about the untrackable and unmanaged things.

I was thinking too much inside the box. This is easy to do when you think you have total control of your outcome.

I have author friend's who obsess over what sales tactics another seemingly more successful author does, so they can mimic that formula. They believe that this magic formula will work for them.

But as Christian writers we need to remember that there is no magic to what we do. There is only God. He sees what we can't see. He knows who's watching us off the grid. He knows our future.

He knows when you will meet me, too. ;) I hope you meet me this summer. This month I launch the summer mastermind session and host my first tweetup event with my seatl tweetup buddies on Facebook. I will be speaking at The Phillips Arena in August about DeeGospelPR, the North Carlina lit Festival in September and Blogalicious09 conference in October. Let me know if you'll be sending a delegate. :)

FAFR: The #1 Reason Why Your Newsletter Bores Readers

Yesterday I arrived in Orlando for the Faith and Fiction Retreat. This town was my childhood summer home. I learned how to ride a ten-speed bike very fast, that Michael Jackson was the best thing since hot peach_cobbler with a scoop of homemade ice cream drizzled on top, and how to kiss a sixteen-year-old Jamaican boy properly.

I'm excited about this trip. I wonder what new things it will teach me outside of "Why bookclubs matter?" and will I get to meet Spud Webb(here's here reportedly with Dominque Wilkins?)

In week four of my upcoming summer marketing mastermind session I will teach participants three reasons why online newsletters (e-letters) aren't successful. One of those reasons is the author's inability to have an authentic conversation with their readers. Instead of selling books to reader's, try sharing your books to readers.

A great example of an author e-letter is Tyler Perry's. It is a simple letter to his fans. In every letter he shares something unique about himself and a life lesson. Then he does a vital action every newsletter should have. Those who participate in my telesemnar series will learn what that is.

As I sit here preparong for authors and bookclubs to arrive I am reminded that fans will travel wide and large to meet their favorite artist/author. If I had the money, I would have paid and flew to see Michael Jackson perform again. Wouldn't you want a fan to feel the same way about you?

If you have not registered for my Summer Marketing Mastermind Session, there is still time. Email me at deegospelpr at gmail dot com for details.

And a question for you I would love for you to chat with me about on Twitter. Use hashtag #fafr so that I can respond back. My twitter handle is @deegospel. Here's the question:

What artist or author makes you feel like you're a part of their family?

Live Blogging: The 2009 Faith and Fiction Retreat

I'm about 2.5 hours from Orlando where this year's Faith and Fiction Retreat will be held. Tomorrow I will arrive with the rest of the staff to set things up. I wish I was super excited, but I'm not.

I'm grateful.

Many registered can't come. As bad as my situation is their's are worse. Lord, knows I don't know what will come of me and my family tomorrow and especially next week. I am literally winging it day by day.

I didn't think I would be coming. I thank my friends, family and you for sponsoring and encouraging me to come despite obstacles that are behind and before me.

Life is full of disappointments, reversals and mistakes. This month I've had my share of all, yet survive. I encourage you to dig in and grab my hand. Right now it's pretty weak and frail, but I have a crew of angels and buddies holding me up. I'm sure they can do the same for you.

I will be blogging daily about the retreat, as well as sharing info about my upcoming Summer Marketing Mastermind Teleseries, which retreat participants will get a taste of on Saturday. Deadline for early registration is this Saturday. Email me at deegospelpr at gmail dot com for details.

Pray for my family, especially my
Dad. We're on shaky ground.

Dee


Dee











I didn't think I would be coming. My current financial challenge almost made this retreat an impossibility. I thank God for my family and friends. They have sponsored and encouraged me up to. This point, even though I haven't been the best sport about things.


Writer's conferences like FAFR and ICRS are more than just chances to meet your favorite author, but a chance to fellowship and learn.

This week I will share my version of the retreat to you as well as talk about my upcoming Summer Mastermind Session.


Dee

I'm about 2.5 hours from Orlando where this year's Faith and Fiction Retreat will be held.

Tomorrow I will arrive with the rest of the staff to set things up. I'm excited.

Before I get there I'll drop my daughter at my cousin's home, whEre they will treat her like a princess, and allow me the space to relax, write and read.

I didn't think I would be coming. My current financial challenge almost made this retreat an impossibility. I thank God for my family and friends. They have sponsored and encouraged me, even though I haven't been the best sport about things.

This week I will share my version of the retreat to you. FAFR

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When Change Does Not Come Easy

Today I'm at t
The Master's Artist sharing what seems to be a recurring challenge through this economic recession. How does it affect Christian publishing industry peops. Here's what I'm learning. Visit my blog entry here or click on the title http://aratus.typepad.com/tma/2009/07/when-change-does-not-come-easy.html

Dee

This Blogalicious Ambassador thanks Christian Women Writer Bloggers

Hi, all. It's Dee. I'm chillin at my local library and thought about you.

Christian Fiction Blog is five-years-old now. I was blogging a little before that, but when I began there wasn't many women bloggers around. Back then I wishedI had women bloggers(especially women of color) to turn to for support, guidance and fellowship.

It didn't dawn on me until last month that possibly there are newbie women bloggers out there searching for someone to mentor them--someone like me. At the same time, I had been approached about the Blogalicious 09 Conference that will be here in Atlanta in October, but put it off, because I was busy being me. ;) However, God redirected my steps with a reward and a charge. I have been chosen to be an Blogalicious 2009 Ambassador. Yeah, we!

With this position I get to share with you this exciting conference, schedule meet-ups to meet you guys, and help you take your blogs to the next level.

As a literary marketing consultant, I can tell you having a base of great bookclub bloggers to share exciting new authors, new books, new writing opps and conferences is a great thing to have. To help these bloggers sites grow. To help them become monetized. To help them take their blogs offline and meet other women who share their same hobbies, interests and faith is a big big deal.

Thank you for giving me the platform here at Christian Fiction Blog to be sought out to speak about CHristian fiction, blogging, mommypreneuring and Jesus Christ. I appreciated you for boosting this blog up. Now let me extend my thank you to help your blogs get better, stronger, and blogalicous.

To learn more about the Blogalicious 09 Conference visit http://www.blogaliciousweekend.com/. To sign up to meet me locally here in Atlanta visit my meetup group on Facebook at . My first meetup is planned for the Phillips Arena the first week in August.