Saturday, December 26, 2009

WORKSHOP: PUT IT IN WRITING! YOUR BOOK NOW

From Idea to Book -- Discovering God's Path to Getting Published
Saturday, January 9, 2010
at Shorter Community A.M.E. Church
in Denver's North Park Hill Neighborhood

Join multiple award-winning author Patricia Raybon and a talented class of professional and aspiring writers for a fun and focused morning of instruction and inspiration on how to transform your book idea into a marketable, professional, finished publication.
Hear insider tips on:
WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010
TIME: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
PLACE: Omar Blair Fellowship Hall – Shorter Community A.M.E. Church, 3100 Richard Allen Court
(Colo. Blvd at Martin Luther King Boulevard)
Denver, CO 80205
COST: $20 ($40 at the door)
COST INCLUDES: All seminar handouts, instruction and materials, a complimentary copy of Get Published, a writing booklet from The Writer Magazine, plus writer-friendly refreshments (pastries, teas, juices and coffee) plus other writing gifts and inspiration.
(Pre-registration is required.)

To register AND get $20 Early-Bird Price, go to: www.patriciaraybon.com/contact.htm. THANK YOU.
OR TO REGISTER BY MAIL: Contact Patricia by email to request mailing instructions.
Have a question about the workshop? contact Patricia at 303-693-0808.

ASIAN FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN'S CONTENT

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you Asian Festival of Children's Content (AFCC). I work with the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS or Book Council in short) - a nonprofit charitable organisation set up in 1969 and we are organising the first Asian Festival of Children's Content (AFCC) from 6 to 9 May 2010. We are expecting about 300 to 400 delegates from all over Asia, Australia and New Zealand, North America and Europe to attend the event.

NBDCS has been organising the Asian Children's Writers & Illustrators Conference (ACWIC) for the past 10 years and this time will take the lead and launch the inaugural AFCC. The conference will feature new programmes, including the Asian Children's Media Market, Children's Book Award, Children's Writers Award as well as workshops and master classes.

The goals of the Asian Festival of Children's Content are to:
· Develop the writing and the illustrating of Children's stories and content.
· Promote publishing of Asian content.
· Provide the world with access to such material created in Asia.

We hope we would be able to get your support on this by helping to promote AFCC on your website / blog or perhaps put a link to it. The link is: http://www.bookcouncil.sg/newsletters/afcc/eflyer.html.

Regards;
Jade Yong
National Book Development Council of Singapore
DID: 65 6848 8292 Fax: 65 6742 9466 W: www.bookcouncil.sg

NBDCS is a non-profit organisation that promotes storytelling, reading, writing and publishing through a variety of interesting and innovative

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

BIBLERHYMES GOES INTERACTIVE

Bible stories for children may never be the same as BibleRhymes launches its new membership site (www.BibleRhymes.com) with interactive books, games, and more.

BibleRhymes introduced the first of its hardcover children's book series in 2007. It has since released two more books featuring vivid art and unique rhymes that showcase some of the Bible's most popular stories, including the Christmas Story. The original website not only offered samples from the books, but a great deal more free poetry by Ken McCardell, founder and author of BibleRhymes.

But now the company has reinvented itself, still making its hardcovers available while also offering a fully interactive website. The site now includes Bible- based jigsaw puzzles, quiz games, word searches, crosswords, and other video games. In addition, the books have gone digital with lifelike turning pages, animations on every page, sound effects, clickable actions, a built-in dictionary, and optional narration by the author.

To compliment the books and games, there are forums, polls, and other forms of interaction, as well as writing, for parents and older children.

"We wanted to make a clean and entertaining site with something for a wide spectrum of people," says McCardell. "I've had kids from four years old up to teenagers playing our quizzes and painting games already, not to mention my adult editor getting lost in the word searches. And this is just the beginning."

With two interactive e-books so far, hundreds of games, and plenty of ways for people to connect with one another, McCardell still points out that many more books, games, and improvements to the website are coming. Right now, they're setting a strong foundation and direction for all the things they'll bring their members.

"When people see what my team has been working on, they're going to fall in love," he says, noting that free videos show the digital books in action. "Between the music, the animations, the illustrations, the rhymes, and the games all packaged together to make Biblical learning fun, BibleRhymes.com has taken a big step toward becoming an online centerpiece for people of faith."

You can learn more about BibleRhymes and the new website by visiting it online at www.BibleRhymes.com.

Friday, December 18, 2009

YOUTHWORKS! INC. ACQUIRES YOUTH SPECIALTIES

On December 16, 2009, YouthWorks!, Inc.® completed the acquisition of Youth Specialties (YS) from Zondervan. YouthWorks' purchase includes the entire YS brand and the events division; however, the publishing division will continue to operate under Zondervan.

The acquisition blends the ministry of YouthWorks--a multi-denominational family of ministries that plans and implements life-changing, Christ-centered missions trips and ministry experiences--with the complementary work of YS--the international leader in training and equipping youth pastors and youth ministry leaders.

This move realigns YS under the umbrella of the youth ministry-minded organization of YouthWorks, which honors the legacy of the YS founders, positions YS for new success and significantly expands the reach of the YouthWorks family of ministries. YouthWorks currently operates in more than 80 U.S. cities and Canada and has served more than 400,000 participants through 10,000 churches. YS serves more than 10,000 churches and 100,000 youth ministry workers worldwide.

"Both YouthWorks and Youth Specialties were founded to serve the Church by serving youth," said YouthWorks founder and President Paul Bertelson. "We are excited about the complementary aspects each offers and believe the acquisition will enhance both ministries."

For more information on the acquisition visit www.youthworks.com/ys.asp

NEW NEEDS FOR "LOVE IS A FLAME"

Hi Writers,
Sometimes book projects evolve as they go along. That's what's happening with Love is a Flame. While we do want stories of rekindled and dramatically changed marriages, the shift has changed a bit to be more inclusive on the topic of What Makes a Marriage Work.

We'd like to hear a story about something you've learned works in marriage. Tell us about a time when you faced a challenge or conflict and how that was resolved, or a story from your life that illustrates what makes a marriage work. You don't have to talk about an experience of bringing your marriage back from the brink of disaster (although we'd like some of those, too), but we're looking for slices of married life (again, a story about something that happened--not an article or words of marital advice or Bible study, though scripture use is fine), that are focused on one lesson or incident.

Here are ideas of some of the specific topics that we'd love to see covered, too:

*dealing with spouse's pornography
*remarriage--can old dogs learn new tricks?
*marriage in senior years
*dealing with infidelity--physically or emotionally
*dealing with child issues (loss of a child, differing discipline styles, stepchildren, combined front with children, etc.)
*overcoming step family challenges
*learning to forgive your spouse
*what happens when beauty fades
*how does a marriage survive addictions
*overcoming the little vines that spoil the vineyard
*not everyone we're around respects marriage, so dealing with temptations
*being nice to your spouse
*keeping flames alive when boredom sets in
*setting boundaries in marriage
*spiritual life of a married couple; growing together spiritually, dealing with one not being at the same spiritual level, etc.
*sexual issues
*Empty nest
*communication
*surviving lifechanges (menopause, mid-life crisis, depression, etc.)
(using pseudonyms is fine! just put the pen name you'd like to use on the byline below your title)

--Changes you might want to be aware of:
* The powers that be have decreed that besides the payments on the guidelines (attached), stories of over 2000 words (after editing) will net $100 each for the author.
* Since we know you have a busy holiday season, the deadline's been changed to Dec. 31 (although we're delighted to receive them sooner).

To give you an idea of the kinds of thing we're looking for, I've attached a sample story (with the author's permission).

All that said, I hope to hear from you, and hope you get a fresh glimpse of Christ during this fun Christmas season. =)
Thank you!
Jeanette
Jeanette Gardner Littleton
Editorial Associate
Love is a Flame (Bethany House)
A James Stuart Bell Project

LOOKING FOR CHRISTMAS STORIES

We're looking for submissions to The Christmas Spirit, the sequel to the
successful "Christmas Miracles" book. We have contracted for this book with St. Martin's Press for the fall of 2011. Best-selling author, Debbie
Macomber, has agreed to write the foreword.

The completed manuscript is due in the spring of 2010.

We seek true stories that emphasize the significance of the Christmas
season. So often, we get caught up in the busy-ness of the season-the
shopping, the family drama, and the event planning-that we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes, through God's grace or what some call a twist of fate, we're able to step back and grasp the real meaning of
Christmas and our lives are enriched. These are the kind of stories we are
seeking.

http://www.christmasspiritbook.com/

Monday, December 14, 2009

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - CHRISTIAN

The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media) is #2 on the paperback trade fiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #4 on the paperback advice list.

The Love Dare by Stephen & Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Publishing Group) is #6 on the paperback advice list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #8 on the hardcover business list.

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren (Zondervan) is #10 on the paperback advice list.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (Thomas Nelson) is #11 on the paperback nonfiction list.

90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper w/ Cecil Murphey (Revell) is #14 on paperback nonfiction list.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #19 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury (Zondervan) is #35 on the paperback trade fiction list.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE NEEDS WRITERS

I know you have resources to let Christian writers know of needs. I have been approached to be in a partnership to produce thepropheticriver.com. PR will be a site hosting an electronic magazine, have radio, television, store, prophetic blogging.....

The magazine will be published I believe weekly and carried on our site, facebook and many other sites. We have the technology to do this and are currently in the process of setting it all up. Looking at something edgy with an appeal to under 40 (although not all of us are under 40). Our slant will be towards a prophetic view and we will have some writers already to contribute.

I am coming to you as we will be needing some on fire writers to help produce an electronic on line magazine - writers interested in a prophetic viewpoint.

This initially will not be a paid position however we are looking to the future with carrying ads and our product to put us in a place where we eventually can pay our writers. So it would at first be an investment on their part. We have several areas from features to music and book chats.

I would appreciate you letting your readers know. Those of interest can respond to me at ginnys@cableone.net
using the line The Prophetic River.

Ginny Seymour

JOB OFFER

Note from Sally: I know nothing about this offer other than what is here. Just passing it along in case someone might be interested.

I AM LOOKING FOR A LIVE-IN NOVEL WRITING INTERN FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR PLEASE.
Can you please see if there's any interest from a (probably young) adult you have contact with?
The internship will be in Malaysia.

HERE'S MY ADVERTISEMENT
Are you addicted to reading quality fiction?
Got a great writing style?
Like creating characters?
Want to write a novel yourself?
Interested in influencing the world political situation for God?
You sound like a GREAT candidate!

Also, can you touch type around 80-100 words per minute?
WOW! You sound like the PERFECT candidate! :-)

Democracy is disintegrating before us.
Dictatorships are usually horrible.
Communism fell.
There are few nations left actually ruled by kings, queens or sultans.
Sharia Law in the hands of Radical Islam is usually oppressive...
So what is the solution?

Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged to promote Objectivism and the practical outworking of that is Libertarianism.
Alan Greenspan became her fan and some say Ayn was the most influential writer in the 2nd half of the 20th Century!
BUT she missed a critical ingredient!!! THE GOD FACTOR!

I'm a powerful writer - I write sales copy and get $500/page.
I've done a novel writing course but been too busy to do any novel writing.
I have two novels I need written. If you want to be sub-author of a novel or two, please contact me.
It will have similar Political/Economic views to Christian writers Rushdoony/North/DeMar etc
+ spiritual perspective (and hopefully excitement) as Frank Peretti!

No payment BUT it is live-in and we provide room & food.
(btw You'll need to do a day's family duties same as my wife & I do.)

Bill & Belinda Oliver
Taman Khalidi Baru
84000 Muar, Johor, MALAYSIA
HP: +6 0142 677 963
Skype ID: bill_muar
www.billoliver.net

I'M BACK!

I've been away for the last week resting on the Oregon coast. I'm back and trying to catch up. Will have more market news to share as soon as I get a minute. Am staying inside where it's warm. Temp was 16 degrees when I got up this morning. Very cold for this part of the country.