Serious Wednesday: How do I Review a Book for an Author?

Reviews are like handing an author a hunk of gold!

                                             Reviews make an author smile or cry.

Reviews are good for the book.

One review is really nice. Fifty reviews are perfection.

The question: How can readers review and share about an author's book?

Here are a few ideas:

• When an author has a new book out, buy (if you can) the book and write a review as soon as
  you can! If you win a copy or are given one, write a review. Share about it on your social media links, tell others about it. When you see the author post something relative to the book, share it with others. Anything to help the author promote their new product is helpful. If you win or given a copy, always make sure you include words that "you were under no obligation to give a good review" or "This is my honest review. I was under no obligation to review." 

Remember:   Being an author is like running a business. Reviews help their credibility, integrity, and encourage other readers to buy the book. 

Your author will thank you!

Sunday Morniing Sunshine: Inspiration

What If?

What if for one day,

we all committed to share 

a silent blessing 

with each person we met?

A positive thought,

a surge of good energy,

wish for well being?

A prayer?

How might it change THAT person's life

and

how might it change YOU

your day,

and/or

your life?

Think about it! 

Sunday Sunshine: Beauty

Things are beautiful if you love them.

Lovely sunrise.

A promise.

An encouragement.

A breath of fresh air.

Look up.

Life is good.

Blessings

Moving On...

Christmas is over. The shopping and planning and most get-togethers are finished for now. The
stress of what to buy, of spending what you don't have is done with...for now.

So what's next?

Next, for me, is taking stock. I'm facing, with God's blessing, a new year. Brand new and sparkling white and clean. So how to take advantage of it in the best possible way?

Take stock. Figure out where I am and where I want to be this time next year. 

1. In my writing, decide reasonable goals on what I want to accomplish. How many books will I be putting out there this year? One? Two? More? Then I must be diligent. Remind myself often that goals cannot be met without constant work. Every day get something written, and if I have to miss a day, there had better be a good reason!
2. In our ministry work:  how can I be a better helper to my husband? When I need to take initiative, can I do with it humbleness and wisdom? Is there someone I want to focus on in winning them to the Lord? What about encouragement? Who is God placing on my heart? 
3. In my own personal life?  Am I allowing laziness or negligence to contribute to missed devotional times with my God? How can I be more diligent in pursuing time alone with Him? What can I do to eliminate hindrances that prevent this? 
4. With my body? Yes, I need to lose a few pounds. Yes, I give way to eating unhealthy foods when I know I should refrain. How can I tighten up these faults? What can I do that will help me gain momentum in this area?

Enough? Of course. If I can attain these goals, I will have improved. Can I do it? I hope so. I'm going to try hard. 

What is one goal you're hoping to accomplish this year? 

Blessings and wishes for a wonderful New Year!

On Passionate Writing: Inspiration

You never have to change anything

you got up in the middle of the night to write.

--Saul Bellow

Sometimes the words won't come

We reach a plateau

a stump in our writing.

We sit and stare at the screen

Our notepads are blank

Or, maybe, filled with notes

that give us nothing.

Our minds are tired,

blank,

empty

of inspiring words

that we need to WRITE.

We struggle to write scenes

that feel blah

uninspired,

boring.

Have we lost it?

Should we quit?

Maybe we're not writers after all.

But wait!

Hang in there.

The night is coming.

Suddenly, a scene appears in our thoughts

It's just what we need.

We jump from the bed

(and hopefully, don't wait till morning!)

to write it down.

We feel energized

relief floods our being

Inspiration hits us like a firecracker in July.

Words are coming like a light bulb lit up inside our bodies.

We've found our muse again.

Because we know

that the middle-of-the-night scene is

 just the thing to 

get us going again.

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace: Friends, a poem by Karen Double

We Need More Friends

When going thru a sticky mess

A friend is better to possess

Than wealth or fame

Your name could claim

We need more friends of godliness.

The sleepless nights arrest your frame

You feel somehow that you're to blame

Feelings of dread won't pass away

And somehow worry fills your day.

We need more friends who stay the same.

A friend who's strong; quick to defend

A broken heart that seams can't mend

Dark the shadows and sorrows deep

The mountains high and all so steep

We need more friends true to the end.

How blest the tho't that Jesus is

Our friend if we are truly his.

And friends on earth do comfort us,

Encourage and help strengthen us.

In prayer, in faith, our vict'ry is.

--Karen Double

Blessings!

Reviews!

I Married an Idiot by Elaine W. Miller

Wow. What a wonderful, heart-touching devotional book.

I loved the title the first time I heard it. And now that I’ve read the book, I can’t say enough good about it. The ten valid reasons men and women can change about his/her marriage are thought-provoking. Every chapter was easy to read, understand and practical and was priceless with down-to-earth illustrations, some funny and many sad, but all real in today’s world. Every meditation was filled with appropriate scripture. Every reflection was icing on the chapter cakes, the added touch to bring home the truth. Each prayer rich with pleadings a sincere heart can pour out to God. And the suggestions in the Change sections? Brings to mind the words: Go forth and be fruitful. Powerful acts that can and will create results.

I highly recommend this book for ALL marriages. It’s never to late to fall in love again. It’s never too early to determine to keep that love preeminent in a new marriage. By all means buy this book. By all means share with your family and friends.

To Buy the Book, go here:
Amazon
　

　

　


　

The Cuban Christian Writer: Redemption, Encouragement, and Restoration Stories by Roberto Ornan Roche
This is a book of heart-touching stories and devotional-type writings filled with truth and love and scriptural behaviors for which every Christian should strive.

Some of my favorites include:

Sand in My Eyes: admonished us to live a godly life. Don’t ignore the warnings about free thinking and living without regard, a careless and self-centered existence. The end comes too quickly and afterwards we must meet a loving God who is also a just one.

The Friendship’s Secret: A joke conceived by one man upon his best friend is carried throughout a life time. In the end of these two lives who was the winner? A truly wonderful story with a well, thought out ending.

The Last Sheep: What a marvelous encouragement to all Christians who yearn for a loved one and/or family member who has not yet returned to Christ! My heart was touched to not give up hope, but continue with words of gentleness and hope to those yet lost for is not Christ’s longing for that one much greater than our own?

I believe you’ll enjoy this lovely little book from our Cuban brother. Catch a copy of it on Amazon.

To Buy the Book, go here:
Amazon

 

Casa de Naomi by Paula Rose Michealson

A lovely romance! Casa de Naomi is about a young Jewish teenager fleeing from a persecuted Spain. Growing up and committed to her work, she consciously hides her real roots as a Jew until one week after her marriage she is discovered! Seeing the horror in Chaz's, her husband, eyes and hearing the accusations from her new family, Naomi escapes all the hate when a young man--a friend, Alex--takes her to his own group of friends and family. There, Naomi is shown love and kindness and acceptance and eventually turns to Christ as a Savior.


But will her husband change his attitude toward her and come to Christ too? Can a once-upon-a-time-forever love be regained between a couple who hid so much from each other?

You’ll want to check out this romance to find what happens to Naomi and Chaz by going to Amazon as soon as you can. Paula has given us a unique glimpse into the life of the Jewish woman hungering for something real.

To Buy this book, go here:
Amazon


Blessings for your reading day!

Sunday Morning Peace

 

Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes . . .

courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day

that says,

"I will try again tomorrow."

--Mary Ann Radmacher

Taking It By Faith . . .


I received a note the other day from a friend. It was an encouraging note. Wonderful, really. In it she said how much she loved and appreciated me and my husband. And "that, of course, we already know that."

Well, I must say knowing and being reassured now and then are two different things.
Of course, I know some people like me.
Of course, I know some appreciate me.
Of course, I know, I'm a writer.
Of course, I know someday I'll be traditionally pubbed.

But like many writers I know, I need to be reassured now and then. I need your comments, your emails, your calls and letters and notes and word-of-mouth reassurances that you're there for me.

Without you where in the world would I be?

Without you, my readers and friends and family, what would be the purpose of my writing? I'm a needy person. I need you! Who would read my future books? Who would critique my works in progress?

Without you (my works), my faith will be in vain. Smile.

Faith: believing something will come to pass without seeing it. Ach! How hard to put into practice. How frail I am.

But I do have determination. That counts for a lot, don't you think? and maybe that determination has a bit of faith in it, else why would I be so determined?

Make sense?

Keep that encouragement coming. I love you all!

Here are some good thoughts on fulfilling those dreams:

• There comes a time when you must stand alone. (ouch!)
• You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams. (I do, Lord, I do. Honest)
• You must be willing to make sacrifices (o-kay)
  
• You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved. (Been there, done that!)
  
• Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better. (No whining, Caroline!)
  
• Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by. (You never think this will happen to you, but I've been reading about it on one of my writing loops.)
  
• Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life. (May take years, but gotta do it!)
  
• Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way. (Stand forth, all ye bashful beings!)
  

And there you have your hints and quotes for today.
Blessings!

Don't Get Bit!


(Funny? Yeah. Cruel? Of course. But a lesson here, too. Read, take heart, and learn.)

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his
back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

• Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
• Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
• Live simply and appreciate what you have.
• Give more.
• Expect less

Later . . .

The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

The Moral?
When you do something wrong, and try to cover your rear, it always comes back to bite you.

Quote:
The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart. -- Robert Green Ingersoll

Blessings.

Nerves!


Upset stomach.
Trembling hands.
Dread.
Fear.
Unknown people.
Anticipation.
Excitement.
Traveling.
Money.
Meetings.

It's time to talk conference. Writing conference, that is. Registration begins this week and already my stomach is feeling the effects.

Some may very well ask: Is it going to do any good, spending the money and all that time?

Yes.
And no.

More exposure.
A chance to talk to editors again. There were five that showed interest enough to ask me to submit last year. Sigh. And although I've not heard from any I've submitted to -- yet! Remember, it takes them several months (years?) ususally -- if I poke my face in their faces enough, maybe I'll catch their attention. If my writing is good enough. Sigh. Again.
A chance to check out agents again. I might not be quite ready for one, but who knows when I could use a good one. . .
A time to pow wow with other writers. To strengthen my ties with people of my calling. To learn from those in the know--whether editors, agents, authors, or just the unpublished. To receive encouragement and confirmation that, yes, I am doing what I'm suppose to be doing. To wait on God's word to me . . .

Money? Time? Hard Work? Yes to all of it. But is it worth it? Uh huh. Yep. Sure is.



ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Watch for Teresa Slack's interview coming up next week -- June 8th. She's got a new book coming out soon.
   
2. Big Father's Day contest June 12--15th. Keep those eyes peeled!
   

Want to do more, Dad? Here's a few ideas that will make you a definite part:

1. Remember she has to look after the child nearly all day long, and the strain of this can get her down if you don't lend a hand when you get home.

2. Make a point of listening carefully to what your partner has to say about the child and discussing the child with her.

3. Take an equal interest in parents meetings, and in the books and pamphlets that are available.

4. See that you have plenty of family outings so that your child has interesting things to talk about.

Today I'm asking you a "writing" trivia question. See if you know what it means:
POV What do these letters stand for in a writer's world? Here are three answers. Choose one.

1. Person over vexed. (Person -- writer -- stressed out way too much.)
2. People over valued. (Using characters too much.)
3. Point of view. (The way a character reacts, etc.)



Quote:
Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure. -- Edward Eggleston


Blessings