Never Give up on Writing a Story that Moves You

Today CFB launches our 1 question summer interview series. My galpal, Marilynn Griffith, author of this month's new release Rhythms of Grace( Aug, Revell, $11.89 using the blue link) answers the question:

Me: What do you do when the journey of writing your book interferes with your real life?

MG: Oh goodness. The journey of writing this book is a book in itself. This is my true first novel, but it wasn't published until almost ten years after I started it. With my then five boys under age five and my two older girls homeschooling, it was a busy time, but not too busy for Grace, Brian, Ron, Zeely, Jerry and Joyce to get under my skin. I tried to give up on the book more than once, but in the end, I had to know what happened. No one person inspired Grace, though I myself was raped at a young age and am a birth mother. She handled her experiences differently than I did mine. Better really. I can't take credit for her though. She just showed up one day, looked at Brian and started to dance.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Grace Okoye was a promising young dancer when her career was cut short by a brutal assault that left her scarred for life. Twenty years later, when her past gets in the way of her happiness, she heeds the invitation of her dance instructor and returns home to help hurting children and rediscover the rhythms of grace. What she doesn't expect is to meet a man who already seems to know her beat. But for all they share in common, the biggest thing in Grace's life is noticeably absent in his--faith. She's finally found the love of her life, but can she choose between him and God?

ALSO, JOIN MARILYNN ON THE SOUL EXPRESSIONS BUS TOUR AUGUST 7-10, 2008

Wednesday Readup: Giveaway Winner, Tyler Perry, Free TeleSeminar & My Book Update

It's Wednesday and Time for the Weekend Readup

Visions in Print Presents a Book Marketing Teleseminar This Saturday August 2, 2008 Marina Woods, the “Queen” of Inspirational Book Promotion and President of the Good Girl Book Club, is joining the Visions in Print Writer’s Group to teach you… Read more

My Book Update:

Thanks to Rhonda McKnight my baby, my first manuscript has been shipped off to a publisher who says they have been waiting on baited breathe for the final. Taking prayer requests for its success y'all. :) Thank Rhonda for being so sweet to me by visiting her blog and subscribing.

Tyler Perry and author, Stephanie Perry Moore shoot Georgia Sky

In August, Tyler Perry will begin shooting a 3 Part Direct to DVD YA Christian Series, "Georgia Sky." The DVDS are based on Atlanta Author, Stephanie Perry Moore's Payton Skyy Christian Teen Novel Series. The movie is about two sixteen-year-old girls of different races who attend different highschools, but share the same faith and same city.

And the Winner is

Okay last week I hosted the 7 Secrets to Love Giveaway here and took in your entries. Thank you. The winner of this book is MrFresh, Twitter user and producer of the VibesnScribes Podcast. Hope you enjoy the book, MrFresh. :)

Stay tuned by subscribing via email. In August I will have more giveaways. And if you haven't already there's still time to enter the Jerry B. Jenkins book and bookmark giveaway.


Related Articles:

• 7 Secrets to Love GiveAway
• Marina Woods and I on worst Marketing Mistakes Authors Make
• Jerry B. Jenkins Weekend Chat & Contest

Off Topic Tuesday: Will the US House of Representatives Slavery Apology Affect Prejudice?

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House of Representatives was poised Tuesday to pass a resolution apologizing to African-Americans for slavery and the era of Jim Crow.

"African-Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow -- long after both systems were formally abolished -- through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss of income and opportunity," the resolution states"

Click here for more...

Trailer Park Tuesday: Anathema

Good Trailer Park Tuesday Morning! This week we spotlight Colleen Coble's Anathema.

Snapshot: Anathema Even though she knows her Amish parents would disapprove, Hannah Schwartz slips away to meet her boyfriend, Reece Ericson. When she returns home, Hannah discovers that her parents have been murdered and their prized handmade quilts stolen! Years later, a shunned Hannah returns to the scene. Can her family---and her faith---be restored? (Thomas Nelson, Harcover, 336 pp, $22.99, $15.63 via Amazon(click title link above) or click this Buy.com link in sidebar for an additional 10% off the Amazon purchase.)

Christian Fiction News: Steven Curtis Chapman, Ted Dekker, Donald Miller Unite

HELMERS LITERARY AND CREATIVE TRUST FORM NEW LITERARY PARTNERSHIP
Donald Miller, Philip Yancey Join Ted Dekker On Newly Combined Roster

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – July 28, 2008 – Creative Trust, Inc., an elite artist management firm with music, media, and literary clients, has formed a new literary division in partnership with Kathryn A. Helmers of Helmers Literary Services (Colorado Springs, Colo.) announced Dan Raines, CTI founder and president.

Helmers, a 30-year publishing veteran, will transition her roster of notable writers, including Blue Like Jazz author Donald Miller and What’s So Amazing About Grace author Philip Yancey, into her new role as managing partner of Creative Trust Literary Group. They join a boutique list of CTI authors including N.Y. Times best-selling suspense novelist Ted Dekker (House, Adam) and premier women’s author/speaker Angela Thomas (Do You Think I’m Beautiful?).

“No one in the business is better at finding and developing great content than Kathy,” said Raines. “Her reputation as a passionate author advocate and her keen sense of content development has attracted some of the most original and creative voices in publishing today. We are honored to join together in building this new literary partnership.”

Creative Trust, Inc., originally founded in 1989 to manage music artists such as Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day, expanded into literary representation in 2001 with a unique mission: to apply its expertise in client management to serving authors with a comprehensive, brand-marketing strategy across multiple platforms such as film, radio, Internet, graphic novels, events, and corporate and charitable partnerships.

“The challenges to literary success are pressing the need to develop targeted reader communities and expand market penetration and awareness for authors,” said Raines, who has built Creative Trust with partners Jim Houser and Jeanie Kaserman and has expanded its literary business with agent Katie Sulkowski. Leveraging the explosive success of authors such as Dekker and Thomas, CTI has demonstrated that it can grow an author’s influence beyond the book world.

Helmers began her career in magazine publishing in New York before earning an M.A. in English (University of Denver, 1981) and building an extensive track record in book editorial and publishing management. In 1995, she began work as a literary agent with Alive Communications, Inc. Her strengths in conceptualizing and developing book projects as well as her ability to grasp and interpret a writer’s vision have led to work with authors such as Richard Foster, Cynthia Heald, Richard Land, Donald Miller, Brennan Manning, Brian McLaren, Eugene Peterson, Walter Wangerin, Jr., and Philip Yancey.

Through the new partnership, Helmers envisions “an ability to support writers more comprehensively in a changing industry that keeps upping the ante on value-added services.” She continued, “in Dan and his team, I found kindred spirits in subverting the dominant paradigm—not only for success in the publishing and entertainment industries but ultimately in planting the seeds of cultural transformation through the power of ideas and artistic expression.”

Helmers and Raines describe their new venture as applying the depth and substance of Helmers Literary Services to the breadth, innovation, and media expertise of Creative Trust. “We look forward to the synergy of our combined efforts in extending the brand platforms of our clients through proactive development of book, film, and other media initiatives,” said Raines.

# # #

Creative Trust Author Roster

Fil Anderson
Kent Annan
Craig M. Barnes
Gayle Beebe
Deborah Bedford
Carmen Berry
Palmer Chinchen
Steven Curtis Chapman
Ted Dekker
Patton Dodd
Christopher Fabry
Jean Graham Ford
Leighton Ford
Nathan Foster
Richard J. Foster
Pete Gail
Sissy Goff
Melody Green
Tracy Groot
Rachel Hauck
Cynthia Heald
Erin Healy
Gareth Higgins
Quin Hillyer
Todd Hunter
Timothy Johnson
Tony Jones
Mark Labberton
Richard Land
Brian McLaren
Carl Medearis
Donald Miller
David Nasser
Philip J. Newell
Doug Pagitt
John Perrodin
Renovare
Kristin Russell
Peter Scazzero
Geri Scazzero
James Bryan Smith
Angela Thomas
Melissa Trevathan
Phil Vischer
Christopher Webb
Peggy Wehmeyer
Ken Wilson
Vinita Wright
Mark Yaconelli
Trent Yaconelli
Philip Yancey

Guestpost: Marina Woods of Good Girl BookClub

G-CAFECONNECT a goodgirls read together by Emma Dash Summer Spa, Retreat, Reads & Rocco Treats So sorry, Diva Chicas for sending my letter to you so late. See. I'm on a retreat -- a spiritual spa for Queens if you will at a hidden destination in the mountains on the East Coast. I had been invited to so many cruises and festivals and conferences, but my soul needed to take a pause and reflect on what is real and right in this world. Jesus Christ. So I left all the men in my life (including my young honey dip) and my laptop. But I didn't leave my stationary and a pack of stamps. No, chicas -- That's my lifeline. Keeps me connected to you, you Good Gorgeous Girls. So what can a Gospel Diva possibly do to occupy her time without men and media? Oh, sweethearts, let me tell you. Great Books!! I have a great Book Diva friend who respected my wish to be sight unseen, but knew I heart books. Everyday she has sent me some choice reads. Today I want to share them with you. When you don't have a television or an internet connection you want to read stories that are visual and that have some substance. Now's not the time to be reading dumb mess at a spiritual retreat. Nor is it a time to read lusty dramas that would make me want to run home to my honey dip, my guilty pleasure -- Pray for me. Now back to Good Reads for a Good Girl- I am holding in my hand Rebeca Seitz' Coming Unglued. For those of you scrapbook divas this book is the second of her a Sisters, Ink series. It is about Kendra, a woman after my own heart. She shares my dilemma, loving the wrong man, while a good one is within arms reach. If she were a real woman I would have invited her to this retreat. In fact, there are a few other ladies who need to be here with me. Jasmine Larson Bush of Victoria Christopher Murray's Too Little Too Late and a Sin and a Shame needs to pack her bags tonight! Judge Vanessa Colton-Kirk of Reshonda Tate Billingsley's Can I Get a Witness needs to get a plane ticket and come on. Gretchen Hanover of Melody Carlson's A Mile in my Flip Flops needs to pack some more sandals and meet me here. All these women got man issues and can't seem to understand their destinies. Thank goodness Sherri Lewis's Keeva Banks and Shara Anderson (Dance into Destiny) carpooled with me here. While here we've been rejuvenated. We learned how to Be Last for God (Jeremy Kingsley,) How to Make Love as a Way of Life (Gary Chapman) and once or if we ever marry, How to Keep His Pants on Until He Gets Home (Joyce Oglesby.) We've ministered to some teenagers in the area. I shared with them Claudia Burney's The Exorsistah and Robert Liparulo's "Watcher in the Woods" for Teen Fright Night, Melody Carlson's Mixed Bags, Lisa Samson's Finding Hollywood Nobody and Debbie Vigule "The Summer of Cotton Candy" for the Teen Angst Books and Brunch. Sounds delicious- Speaking of eating -- If you live in the New York Area cutie chef, Rosco Dispirito wants you to invite him to your home. Yes, Ma'am!! "New Cooking Show on A&E with Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito. Rocco is looking for people with unique and compelling stories who need Rocco's help in the kitchen to share these significant moments over an intimate and sumptuous meal. He will teach you what to cook, where to find the ingredients and how to prepare the ideal meal for your extra special occasion. To apply for the show please email Kris @ krisr@pilgrimfilms.tv, please include your name, age, phone number, a recent photo and tell them why you need Rocco's help! I am learning so much about the woman I am to be and can't wait to see how these books transform you. Since I am still away, please email my dear friend, Marina Woods and have her own pass on any emails to me. I will be refreshed and back on the scene in August. And I would love to meet you. Yes, ladies, this Diva will be attending the Faith and Fiction Lovers Retreat in Destin , FL. If you see me there, come eat at my table. I might have a treat for you, those of you who think you know my true identity. No, I'm not Marina Woods. Until fall, Emma (c) 2008-2010 GoodGirlBookClubOnline.com, Good Girl Book Club Worldwide, Good Girl Magazine and Good Girl iMedia. All rights reserved. Words, image and concept, Anonymous Gospel Diva, may not be used, reproduced, copied or altered without express written permission. Inspire, empower or entertain when you let thousands of people know your book, product, CD, event or ministry exists. Limited space. Get the scoop on rates and placement opportunities. Know authors? Forward promotion info to them today! editorinchief@goodgirlbookclubonline.com

Forward email This email was sent to vidae_99@yahoo.com by editorinchief@goodgirlbookclubonline.com. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Good Girl OmniMedia | www.GoodGirlBookClubOnline.com | The Good Girl Book Club WorldWide | Good Girl Bible Study | Good Girl Magazine | Promote With Us Today! | http://www.goodgirlbookclubonline.com/promo/index.html | IL | Happy reading!

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