We CAN! promote our books

Sailing to the Shore of Success

 

“Did you want a four or a seven-day Caribbean cruise?” the travel agent asked.

What a choice. Even one day on that luxurious cruise ship is enough to make me salivate with excitement.

OH LOOK AT ME BY Christine Lindsay

Oh look at me. You…whooooo, look at me!!!  I’m over here. I’m the one waving a banner over my own head. I’m the one shoving my picture in your face.

Do you ever get just plain sick of doing this?

As writers it is so necessary to market. We know it’s part of being a good steward of our ministry. And we’d all much rather be writing our inspirational books to encourage readers in their faith, than having to infiltrate the market through Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

But we have to do it, no matter how against the grain it rubs.

This discomfort gets increasingly worse when we have a new release. And it seems we need to push forward our front cover pictures, author pics, book trailers, whatever.

I become increasingly embarrassed with each successive shove of my stuff forward, and I start to withdraw inwardly.

That inward withdrawal has become a place of rest, because the only place I can find comfort from the chafing of marketing is in sitting quietly with the Lord.

I like to think of walking up the mountain with the Lord Jesus after He’s had a busy day speaking to the multitudes. Mind you, He didn’t shove His face forward like I have to do. He always directed His followers to worship God the Father.

Still though, I like to walk up the mountain with Him, and sit down. Say nothing for a while, just rest in the fact that He has promised to never leave me. Let the high-up fresh air blow through my hair. Whisk away the strain of publicity and marketing.

And just be with Him.

“Be still and know that I am God,” He says.

Then I can talk to Him, and tell Him how I really feel. That I do get a rush of adrenaline when I see my face out there, when I see my book cover out there. That after my speaking engagements are over, and people come forward to chat or have me autograph a book for them, I do get a rush of . . . of what?

Oh dear Lord, is it pride?

Please let it not be so.

Surely it’s just adrenaline? Surely, it’s just the joy of knowing that the speaking part is over and You did an amazing job of encouraging the listeners, the readers.

But part of me sighs deep down. I think there is a stain of pride. There is something inside me that did enjoy that few minutes of fame. That I liked it.

And that is when I must look my Lord Jesus in the face, and say, “I’m sorry. How utterly silly of me. Let me just look at You for a while, and listen to You, and let You cleanse my foolish soul.”

Five Keys to Triumph Over Internet Insanity

By: Janet Perez Eckles

Anybody out there dizzy like I am? Are you being bombarded by offers, suggestions, advice, luring seminars, and workshops—all to expose your writing, enhance marketing efforts and boost sales?

Confessing…I’ve been caught in the gotta-try-that frenzy. Most of us are dashing here and there, hoping to get that platform built. Eager to get our books promoted. Trying to get that door to open, one that will make our work soar to the top. Trying to book that big speaking engagement. Trying, trying till we collapse in bed, our head exploding with endless possibilities—too many to try. And some, too expensive to accept.

So, what to do? How to dodge the firing of internet luring. I just came up with five practical steps, simple to follow. And with a bit of diligence, will bring serenity to the internet insanity.

1. Begin the day with prayer for God’s wisdom—abundant wisdom to choose, evaluate and discern.

2. Be careful. Is the offer sounding too good to be true? It probably is.

3. Be prepared. Is the lure touching your emotions with wording: “only three spots left; act now and save…offer only today.”

4. Be bold. Check out input from trusted fellow authors and speakers. They will share their experience, giving valuable insight.

5. Be faithful and embrace this truth: in the midst of endless offers, God offers His grace to accomplish what we cannot.

At the end of the day, you can put your head on the pillow of peace, and having made Godly-wise decisions, your heart will echo, “All is well with my soul.”

Janet

Cheering you on to experience life, harvest its lessons and share their outcome.

Although blind, Janet Perez Eckles inspires you to see the best in life. With her #1 Amazon best-selling release, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta, she inspires you to look beyond a complicated world to find the simplicity of God’s joy and success. www.janetperezeckles.com

LOOKING FOR LOST DONKEYS--By Christine Lindsay

You’ve heard the old adage, ‘cast your bread upon the waters and wait for it to come back to you’.

Well how about the adage, ‘looking for lost donkeys’?

Nope? Never heard of that one?

Lately I’ve been testing the waters to see what direction I should take with my career. Not being independently wealthy I need to bring in an income. I know, I know, who of us does not have financial difficulties? We all have our crosses to bear. Ooops, there’s another well-worn adage.

Thing is, we all have our stresses. And we all reach crossroads at frequent intervals where we have to make decisions----will I go in that direction . . . or in this direction?

You may be looking for a job. Deciding on what college to attend. Deciding what direction God wants you to take in the writing of your next book, or speaking engagements. Perhaps your issue is health related. 

There’s an incident in the life of Saul that each time I read it, gives me comfort. The young Saul had no idea that God had chosen him to be the first king of Israel. He just figured he was an ordinary guy whose father was a farmer and owned a string of donkeys. One day those donkeys went missing, and Saul’s father sent him out to look for them.

Saul travelled through various areas, the hill country of Ephraim, passed through the land of Shalishah, etc., etc., etc. He looked for ages and all over the place. Saul could not find those donkeys.

I can connect with Saul’s long and unfruitful search for those financially strategic donkeys.

Funny thing is, God used that long and winding search to bring Saul to the prophet Samuel. The Lord had already revealed to Samuel that He had chosen Saul to be that first king. As Samuel unveiled this to Saul, he also told him that the donkeys he was searching for had been found and were already at home, and that God had a totally new direction for his life.

So, when you’re unclear about what direction to take in your life, or it seems that every iron you place in the fire doesn't get hot enough to provide for you, or you’re not sure which direction to cast your bread on the water, remember that God knows exactly where your lost donkeys are. He’ll bring them safely home in the right time.

The story of Saul and the lost donkeys is found in I Samuel 9

Be encouraged.

Christine Lindsay, www.christinelindsay.com

Author of the Award-winning, Shadowed in Silk

Before He Went Away, Part 13

Rise, let us be going.

Matthew 26;46 NKJV

Easter is just around the corner. Hopefully, this blog series has both encouraged you and prepared you to celebrate our Lord's resurrection with joy and meaning. I'm Elizabeth Baker and it has been my privilege to share with you these past few weeks.

For this quarter we’ve looked at the last hours before the crucifixion of Christ using the book of John as our source. But John’s wasn’t the only gospel to record the event. Today we look at Matthew and find what may have been Jesus’ last statement before the soldiers came to the garden.

When the Passover supper was finished, those present retired to Gethsemane, a garden, where weary disciples stretched out and fell asleep while Jesus agonized in prayer. Twice he woke them and asked them to join him in prayer. Three times he found them sleeping. The last time he approached slumbering men he woke them, but didn’t request prayer. Jesus no longer appears to be in agony but resolved as he nudges them awake with the words, “Rise, let us be going.”

Jesus didn’t wait for the soldiers to find him. He didn’t hide in the shadows. Instead, he woke the sleeping men and stepped out to face the coming tragedy. As a young child he had told Mary and Joseph that he needed to be about the business of his heavenly Father. [1] As a man on a mission he told both friend and enemy that every day he was actively involved in following his Father’s direction. [2] And, on this last night as soon as it settled in his heart that God’s plan was leading through the cross not around it, he didn’t hesitate . The will of the Father was forward, so he walked out the meet the situation head on.

It can be a good pattern to follow. Years ago as a counselor on staff with a large church our pastor advised the leadership, “Go out and meet trouble. When you know it is coming, don’t wait. Proactively face what can’t be avoided.” Many times I’ve been grateful for the wise counsel; I’ve followed it personally in a dozen different situations, and often taught the principle to clients who came to my office.

If a financial crisis is coming, make calls and talk about budget changes before insolvency pushes things to a crisis. If your kid is drifting into dangerous relationships, bring up the subject sooner rather than later. If a situation at work looks suspicious, discuss it with proper authorities or begin documentation now. If family tensions are building but no one wants to expose the elephant in the living room, volunteer and speak up. While no advice can be universally applied, going out to meet trouble is a life management tool that seldom fails.

The Christian life is dependent. We wait on God; we draw our strength from him. We are branches, nothing more. But the Christian life is NOT passive. There are enemies to be faced. Battles to be won. Years of a long obedience in a single direction to be faithfully executed. Spiritual sloth and sleeping are not on the agenda. Just as with the disciples that last fateful night, Jesus often stirs us from slumber calling, “Rise, let us be going.”

[1] Luke 2:49 [2] Matthew 26:39; John 5:30

Jesus Prays for Us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace Fox here with a thought that's been on my mind lately.

Hebrews 7:25 encourages me, especially on days when I’m frustrated, discouraged, or doubt-filled. It says, “Therefore he (Jesus) is able once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

The thought of Jesus praying on His followers’ behalf excites me! My hunch is that He prays a lot more than, “God, please bless So-and-So today.” My sanctified imagination tells me His requests sound like…  

Writing and the Red Sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HI! Grace Fox here, newest member of the Monday blogging team. 

As a writer, I believe God has given me the assignment of communicating truth through the written word. Some days I feel confident of my call. Ideas flow, and fingers fly across the keyboard. An editor accepts an article. A royalty check arrives. And a reader emails, “Your book changed my life. Please keep writing.”

Other days…well, other days the computer screen stares at me in silence. My fingers hover over the keyboard awaiting a divine download. I pour a cup of coffee. A rejection hits my inbox. More coffee. I check my Amazon stats, and I entertain thoughts about getting a real job.

Sometimes I feel as though accomplishing this assignment borders on the brink of impossibility, and I think of Moses. How did he feel when he stood on the shore of the Red Sea with more than three million people depending on him for their well-being? His was a God-given assignment, too, but as waves wet his feet perhaps he questioned his ability to fulfill it.

I stand on the shore of my own Red Sea wondering how to best tackle a task fraught with challenges including…

How can I present my idea in a unique way?

How can I turn my idea into a compelling sentence or two?

How can I develop that sentence into an irresistible query or proposal?

What’s the right market for that query or proposal?

How can I ensure my work passes the slush pile and lands on the editor’s desk?

How can I overcome the pain of rejection or disappointment?

How do I find an agent?

What’s the best publishing option for my book?

How do I negotiate a contract without an agent?

What marketing and publicity strategies are most effective for my book?

How do I best utilize social media marketing?

How can I build my platform?

Writing for publication, especially considering the industry’s constant, rapid changes, is not an easy task. It’s vital that we, as writers, focus not on the Red Sea before us but on the One who’s able to part the waters and show us the way through them. Several weeks ago I discovered these verses, and I’ve found them encouraging in this context:

“When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. Your road led through the sea, your pathways through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there! You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds” (Psalm 77:16-20). 

God gave Moses a seemingly impossible task and then made the way to accomplish it. He’ll do the same for us as we seek to communicate messages of hope and healing to a hurting world. Let’s be faithful to do what He’s called us to do with excellence and enthusiasm, and let’s trust Him to make a way through the publishing Red Sea for our messages to reach those who need them most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Author's Time ~ People Time

Greetings from contemporary fiction author, Deborah Vogts. If you're reading this, chances are you are part of the writing profession, and you understand how this activity fills nearly every nook and cranny of your life in one way or another. Because of this, it's easy for our lives to become lopsided, neglecting one or more ingredients that will make them richer, and will actually enhance our ability to "write" more effectively.

This month, I want to consider the importance of spending time with other people--or more specifically, other writers.

Are Your Rocks Crying Out?

I tell you that if [they] should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”                                                                                                          Luke 19:40

 

Greetings! Elizabeth Baker coming to you from the rolling hills of East Texas with a word about praise and your part in it. What? You are not praising today? You’d better hurry up and join the band or your rocks may be waking up to do the job!

An Author's Time ~ Free Time

Greetings from contemporary fiction author, Deborah Vogts. If you're reading this, chances are you are part of the writing profession, and you understand how this activity fills nearly every nook and cranny of your life in one way or another. Because of this, it's easy for our lives to become lopsided, neglecting one or more ingredients that will make them richer, and will actually enhance our ability to "write" more effectively.

Last month, I wrote about the importance of making time for family, but today I want to concentrate on your free time or "me-time." I'm sure most of you are like me, and you're scratching your head and saying "Me-time? What's that?"