Showing up and being obedient - Ruth L. Snyder

Greg McKitrick and Marcia Laycock at Words in the Park

After getting up at 5:15 on weekday mornings, I look forward to sleeping in on Saturday mornings. But not this Saturday. My husband didn't look pleased when I informed him I would be away the whole day. My children are never happy when I leave, but they were excited about going to spend the day at Grandma's farm. We all had breakfast together and were out the door by 8:30.

I was supposed to meet Bobbi Junior at 11:30 at Words in the Park. "Lord," I prayed, "You know I feel like I'd rather be home today. Go before me. Give me the strength and wisdom I need." Before I left, I made sure I printed out driving directions. Everything went well until I arrived where the driving instructions told me to exit onto Sherwood Drive - it was closed due to construction. I drove to the next exit, praying that God would guide me. I don't drive in Sherwood Park very often and only know a couple of the main roadways. I knew that I had to go south-east, so I found a road that looked like a main thoroughfare and turned east. At the next stop light I scanned through the driving directions again and noted the venue was just north of Wye road. I needed to go further south. A couple turns later, I was delighted to see a sign that read "Sherwood Drive" - I was back on track. "Thank you, Lord!" A few minutes later I pulled into a parking lot and looked around. The Strathcona County Library sat directly to the left of the parking lot; I was right where I needed to be. Bobbi already had most of the display set up when I arrived at our reserved table at 11:35.

Greg McKitrick, a member of InScribe, was assigned to the table next to ours, even though we had not requested being together. A young fellow was at the table on the other side. Marcia Laycock arrived half an hour later and added her books to the display. As she was setting up her books, the young fellow's parents dropped by.

"This is my swear at the world," the young fellow said, holding up his book.

His parents nodded and smiled.

I bit my lip. Obviously our world views were vastly different."Lord, calm my fears and give me the words you want me to say to this young man."

The fellow's mother handed him a large poster to put on the wall. He was having difficulty getting it straight.

"I can help if you want," I said.

Soon the poster was hung. He offered Marcia and I chocolate bars as a thank you. We made small talk. I discovered he works as a luggage handler at the local airport. I shared a funny story I'd heard about a GPS system guiding a sleep-deprived woman onto the tarmac. Marcia continued the conversation by sharing what she was learning from her play-writing course.

People dropped by. Several mentioned they had heard about InScribe and they wanted more information. We handed out copies of FellowScript along with membership brochures. Some avid readers asked about our books. In the process of talking with them, I shared about The San Francisco Wedding Planner books I'm writing with four other writers. Later, the young fellow asked me more about what it was like to write with so many other people. He was fascinated by the possibility, but said he didn't think he could work with so many other authors. He left to fulfill his appointed reading from his book and his mother took his place at the table. I shared that her son had been interested in the wedding planner project. She asked a couple questions and then purchased both of the books in the series. After she purchased them she told her friends about them. I teased her about being my marketer.

"I can't wait to read your books. I'll let you know what I think."

"I look forward to your input."

As I thought about the event later, I realized that in other settings I would never have started up a conversation with the young man or his mother. I know that God had a special appointment for me on Saturday. All I had to do was show up and be obedient.

Blogging for God - Lynn Dove

Someone told me when I published my first book to start a blog.  So I started blogging five years ago basically to promote my books.  I really had no thought about content or outreach, it was all about marketing and promotion.  I honestly had no idea what "blogging" really was and I had no idea that a blog could have a potential for a world-wide audience.  It was when I started to gain followers and more and more people started to comment on the content I posted, that I realized that blogging had the potential to be a ministry.

This past year, I have seen God take my little musings and expand my reading audience world wide.  I have followers who contact me and ask for prayer...many of them from countries that are considered "dark" and believers persecuted harshly for their faith.  I am humbled and at times saddened that total strangers are so desperate for prayer that they contact me, a stranger to them personally, to ask for prayer.  It is the least I can do for them.

I have been discouraged at times by dwindling book sales and have often questioned the Lord as to why He wanted me to write and publish in the first place.  I never thought about it before, but I wonder if publishing my books was just an avenue that led me to blogging?  Perhaps it was not my books, although the Lord has certainly blessed that effort immeasurably, but the blog that has given me a ministry the likes I would never have realized had it not been for my need initially to promote my books with my blog. 

It is a lot of effort.  It requires much devotion and passion to write regularly and write timely posts that appeal to a large audience.  I find I spend far less time promoting my books as a result of my blog but book sales have still held steady because people who read my blog venture to read the books as well.  Some authors may call this a means to an end, and that's what I thought five years ago to be sure, but I have a whole new mind set now.

For me it's not about using my blog to get people to buy my books per se, it's blogging to bring a message of hope and Truth to people who hunger and thirst for spiritual food.  This past year, rather than promoting my books as much on the blog, I have been devoting myself primarily to writing for His Glory on my Journey Thoughts blog and God has blessed those efforts in ways I could not have imagined.

Christian writers, do not stop writing.  If God has called you to write a book...write a book.  If God has called you to write poetry, write rhyme and verse.  If God has called you to blog, blog!  Use your talent to bring honour and glory to God in everything you write!

Lynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy. Her blog, Journey Thoughts won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011. She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013),  Devotional Stories for Wives: 101 Daily Devotions to Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire You (Sept. 2013) O Canada The Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports (Nov. 2013) and Miracles Happen: 101 Inspirational Stories about Hope, Answered Prayers, and Divine Intervention (Feb. 14).  She was most recently awarded Literary Classics International Book Awards - Seal of Approval and Silver Medal in Young Adult Faith-based fiction for her book Love the Wounded.  Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog Journey Thoughts 

Self Promotion - Should I or Shouldn't I? by Lynn Dove

Since becoming a published author in 2009, I have learned that to get my books noticed I MUST get them into the public eye.  To do that, I use social networking (Facebook, Twitter, Google and more) to attain a world-wide audience.  That said, I still cringe a little every time I have to "blow my own horn" about my books and my writing ability.

Every author will tell you that self-promotion is a major key to a good book-marketing strategy.  Readers buy books that are well reviewed and are highly visible in the marketplace.  They also buy books if they know an author (or think they know an author), and the best way to get that kind of notice is to gain some kind of a following online.  Writing a blog for me has become serious business.  It is hard work but it showcases my writing ability and it allows the reader to step into my world and become my "friend".  For me, it is a great way to personally interact with potential readers of my books.

Still, although I know self-promotion is an imperative strategy for good marketing, as a Christian author this kind of conduct can go against the call to be humble in all circumstances.  "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."  James 4:10; " Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you."  1 Peter 5:6; "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 are only a few verses that admonish and instruct followers of Christ about remaining humble. 

How can you be humble and still self-promote?  Give all the glory to God. 

I was recently interviewed after my books received recognition for winning an international book award contest.  During the conversation with the reporter I made a point of saying that any praise and honour must go to God first, Who gifted me with my writing ability.  I thank Him for the honour of allowing me to write in the first place.  Praising God for directing my steps throughout my writing career, I know that if it were not for Him opening doors for me and directing me to people who have mentored and encouraged me, I would not have these writing opportunities before me now.

Lynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy. Her blog, Journey Thoughts won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011. She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013),  Devotional Stories for Wives: 101 Daily Devotions to Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire You (Sept. 2013) O Canada The Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports (Nov. 2013) and Miracles Happen: 101 Inspirational Stories about Hope, Answered Prayers, and Divine Intervention (Feb. 14).  She was most recently awarded Literary Classics International Book Awards - Seal of Approval and Silver Medal in Young Adult Faith-based fiction for her book Love the Wounded.  Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog: Journey Thoughts 

So You Want to Write a Best-Selling Novel - Lynn Dove

This YouTube video by David Kazzie has been circulating a bit on Facebook and many of my author friends have posted it on their walls. I suppose I can laugh at it now that I have successfully written and published my books, but still I squirmed a little when I watched this for the first time because truly I was that naive once!

So today, for the benefit of some "newbie" authors/writers, I'm asking my more "seasoned" author friends to answer this question by leaving a comment: What was the worst faux pas (mistake) you made when you first started out on this "adventure" in writing and then marketing your "best-selling" novel?

Did you have the gall to write a publisher an email (like I did) without thought to putting together a book proposal for their perusal...? Did you neglect to edit your manuscript and discovered a glaring error AFTER the book was published? (I didn't do that, my books were well-polished thanks to my editor, at Word Alive Press). Anyway, leave a comment and let's laugh at our mistakes. Maybe a fledgling writer will learn a little from us today.

The Real Thrill - Marcia Lee Laycock

I’d been writing my devotional column, The Spur, for about ten years when the refrain began. Readers kept asking me to compile the pieces into a book they could give to family and friends. I began to investigate the markets and quickly discovered that devotionals, though in great demand for magazines, were very difficult to have published in book form unless you were well known or had a specific niche market. Since my column does not follow a specific theme it did not meet the requirements.

Then I met a man who represented a publishing company and after discussing the pros and cons, I decided to self-publish. Then came the horror stories – writers who still had boxes of books in their basements and had wearied of the hard work of selling them. But the requests for a book seemed to have increased, and after much prayer, I concluded this was what God wanted. I knew my market would be small, mostly a local audience, so opted for a small run of 500 books. They arrived at the beginning of December, almost too late for the Christmas market, I discovered, since the tinsel and Santas had appeared in the stores in October. But I launched the book in a local library and began arranging book signings.

More horror stories. Writer friends began telling about sitting at a small table for hours while patrons skirted around them, refusing to make eye contact. More prayer and the courage came to persevere. My first attempt was in a moderately sized bookstore in a fairly large community. Lots of potential here, I thought. But I sat at my small table for most of the day, watching people skirt around me and my shiny new book.

Then a man approached, smiled in a hesitant way, and picked up a copy. He smiled again as he put it down and walked away. It was about half an hour before he came back and this time he started to talk. He told me his wife was going through a time of depression and needed something to encourage her. We talked for almost an hour. When he walked away it wasn’t the fact that he had a book in his hand that thrilled me, it was the fact that I was very much aware that God had just used me in that man’s life, to encourage him. I prayed He would work in the same way through my book.

My second book signing was in a tiny store in a small community. Not too much potential here, I thought. The day was almost half over before I had my first opportunity to speak to a customer. She was looking for something to send to a recently bereaved friend, something that would encourage her. We talked for some time and she went away with a copy in her hand and a smile on her face.

The pattern kept repeating itself. I might sell one or two books – four or five on a good day – but there was always that one person, the one God had arranged as a divine appointment. The word encouragement became a refrain.

Then the letters and emails started arriving, with stories of how God was working in people’s lives, using the short devotionals in my book. I was amazed, humbled and tremendously thankful. My little self-published effort, with its poor cover and errors on the inside, was being used as a tool for ministry.

So I don’t tell horror stories, when someone asks about my venture into self-publishing. I talk about the lives touched and even changed. I tell stories of God’s grace and mercy. I talk about the thrill of ministry.

Marcia now has three books published and two more to be released this fall. Visit her website at http://www.vinemarc.com/