Facebook Foibles

One of my favorite games as a youngster was monopoly, but I didn't like landing on the "Go to Jail" squares. Who would have thought that we'd encounter a virtual, "Go to Jail" square on Facebook?

Yeah, I've done several stints in the Facebook version of jail. Those innocent questions that pop up when you accept a friend can get someone into big trouble. You know the one I mean: Do you know this person outside of Facebook? Yes or No? Answering "No" can send someone straight to the slammer with no "Get Out of Jail Free" card available.

As authors and writers, we desire to connect with each other and our readers. Facebook puts up all sorts of suggestions for friends and then punishes you if you send a friend request to them.

I recently tried to send a message to an existing friend because she's doing an interview with me. I was banned because I was in Facebook prison and supposedly didn't know her outside of the site. If she's emailing me and on my blog, I know her outside of Facebook. We know many people on other social media sites.

I say, "It's time for Facebook to stop penalizing users for making friends." What do you say about the matter?

Photo Credit:  nicobec

The Formatting Wars

In theory at least, what you see on your computer screen should be what prints out on paper. NOT. There are all kinds of gremlins in that Word program to make your prose skedaddle to another line or make your double-spaced manuscript show up with monster-sized breaks.

When I wrote The Moses Conspiracy and The Scent of Fear, it was before I had some important lessons on the art of formatting a manuscript. Moses gave everyone a headache, but Fear - sigh - was pronounced beyond help. I had to properly format a new document and re-type the ENTIRE manuscript.

The strange/wonderful thing about this adventure is how God used it to make the book better than it was before. During an earlier edit, I'd prayed that I wouldn't miss problem areas. As the re-typing progressed, I discovered little things here and there that I needed/wanted to change.

While I wouldn't recommend re-typing a manuscript as an editing tool, it worked to my benefit this time around. You can be sure I heeded my formatting  lessons when I wrote my Christmas novella, The Christmas Wish.

Writers: Have you had any disasters that ended up working out for your good?

Readers: Do you get frustrated with computer programs, and how do you get answers?

Photo Credit: miljan

Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies - Blog Tour

Examine Your Faith!: Finding Truth in a World of Lies

Well-meaning people want to believe that all roads lead to the same God and heaven. But wanting something to be true is far different from truth lining up with reality. Unless you make an intentional effort to examine what you believe and why you believe it, it’s quite possible you are living your life on the basis of a lie, and don’t know it.

• What is truth?

• Is it relative or absolute?

• Is it personal or universal?

• What are the differences among the various religious faiths? Can they be blended?

• Are we creating faith—a belief system—that is impotent by trying to accept all religions as equal?

(This book has been endorsed by Josh McDowell, Dr. Craig Hazen, and Dan Story.)

You can purchase Examine Your Faith! at:

~~~ Pamela Christian Ministries ~~~

~~~ Amazon ~~~

~~~ Barnes and Noble ~~~

~~~ Deeper Shopping ~~~

About the Author

For over twenty years, coast to coast, Pamela Christian, “the Faith Doctor,” has been helping people in matters of faith. Pam compassionately wants people to confidently discover and live in, life-giving truth. Her ministry experience began as Teaching Director for Community Bible Study, (an independent, interdenominational, international organization). This led to her receiving invitations to speak nationally, followed by work as radio talk-show host in two major markets. She is a contributing writer to various books and magazines. Her education includes a certificate in apologetics from Biola University. As a book author and media personality Pam's desire is to reach as many people as possible. She and her husband live in Orange County, CA, with their two grown children living nearby.

Follow me on:

Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7179552.Pamela_Christian

Book Fun: http://www.bookfun.org/profile/PamelaChristian

Twitter: http://twitter.com/plchristian

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PamelaChristianMinistries

For anyone that’s interested, the author is giving away one copy of Examine Your Faith! and a $25 Gift Card to Amazon or Paypal for one lucky reader! U.S. addresses only. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced November 15, 2013. Good luck!

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That's What I'm Here For... and sponsored by the author, Pamela Christian. The author provided me with a free copy of Examine Your Faith! to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

On My Nightstand - Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias

A recently widowed woman, an attentive daughter, and a mystery combine into a story that will touch your heart. The relationship between Lynn Myers and her daughter, Rachel, reminded me so much of my mother and me.

Kathi got the details and emotions right. The grieving had me nodding my head and saying, "I remember feeling that way." She also accurately depicted the enormous stress of making life-altering decisions after the death of a spouse.

The two women go back to Lynn's hometown where she re-connects with her roots. Rachel meets two handsome men, who both want to pursue a future with her. In the midst of these scenarios, a mystery unfolds. They're intrigued, and it soon becomes a passion to right an old wrong.

This book is the first in a series by multiple authors, each one a stand-alone novel. I enjoyed it and recommend this book for those, who appreciate character-driven fiction with a light mystery.

Writers:  If you write fiction, do you gravitate toward character-driven or plot-driven stories?

Readers:  Which type do you prefer? Do you like stories where the characters and relationships are paramount or where the plot gets the focus?

Disclaimer:  The author provided this book for my honest review. I received no payment for this recommendation/review, and all opinions expressed are completely mine.

Patience - Part 2

Growing up in the city meant waiting for buses and trains. To guarantee myself a seat and ease the boredom, I'd often walk several blocks to another bus stop. We didn't have Kindles or Nooks back then, and carrying a library book added too much weight to my school bag.

All through life, we wait:

-  For our birthday

-  For a big holiday

-  For graduation

-  For our soulmate

-  For a book contract

Waiting doesn't have to be a passive activity. It took me eight years to get that elusive contract and agent. While I was in that season, I:

-  Blogged and built relationships with other writers

-  Joined Facebook and Twitter

-  Wrote a second book

-  Wrote, submitted, and received acceptances for non-fiction pieces

-  Learned all I could about the publishing business and writing

-  Went to workshops and met publishing professionals at conferences

-  And...prayed that God would open the right doors.

Did I get tired, discouraged, and want to quit? Yup. Did I? Nope. Preparing for the time when a contract became a reality kept me focused on the goal: getting my work before readers.

Writers:  What methods do you use to keep your eyes on the goal while still living in the present?

Readers:  How do you keep a balance between the present and the future?

Photo Credit:  Thoursis

Weekend Potpourri

This week, I came across a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Put it all together, and we have weekend potpourri.

1. Amanda Luedeke, from MacGregor Literary Agency, talks about all those tempting add-ons to your marketing efforts.

2. Edie Melson, of The Write Conversation, gives a list of no-no phrases when talking with a writer. Hilarious!

3. Positive Writer has some good advice on not sabotaging your writing.

4. Money Saving Mom had an excellent post on the comparison trap. This is one of my favorite money-saving blogs, but she also has thought-provoking articles like this one.

5.Susan, at Writing Straight From the Heart, gives us a peek at her stained glass collection. I love the one with the roses.

Writers:  What are some of the crazy questions/comments you've received from people?

Readers:  What are your favorite non-reading blogs? If possible, leave us the url, so we can check them out. :)

Photo Credit: saflora

Patience - Part I

Anyone familiar with the publishing business knows it has two speeds: slow and slower. It's a rare author, who experiences "instant" success. Whether you're pitching articles, non-fiction books, or novels, patience is the name of the game.

1. With articles and non-fiction books, the process often starts off with pitching an idea. A non-fiction book will require a proposal with three chapters. It's necessary to examine the guidelines of each publisher before submitting.

For the first-time novelist, the book must be complete. Again, check publisher guidelines and follow them down to the last detail.

2.  For books, many publishers now refuse un-agented writers. The exception to this rule is meeting an editor at a conference. They may request a partial or full proposal if they like your ideas. Otherwise, getting an agent is at the top of the priority list.

3.  Platform is critical to success in the pursuit of a contract. Whether you write non-fiction or fiction, a publisher wants to know you have meaningful connections. This could include a website, blog, extensive social media, speaking engagements, radio, and even TV exposure.

Writers/Authors:  What are some of the steps you're taking to make your publishing dreams come true?

Readers:  Do you enjoy reading about your favorite authors' writing journeys?  What aspect interests you the most?

Photo Credit:  mrsmas

Helping Hands Press Road Rally! Win a Free Kindle Paperwhite!

Want to Win a Free Kindle Paperwhite?

Hey Friends.  We're having a major fun time at HHP and we want to give away a kindle paperwhite to a lucky winner.

Read the instructions below. Then leave a comment, or message me on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads and I will send you the all important first word. Once you've gathered up the 14 words send the phrase into Helping Hands Press. 

You get points for leaving messages and comments on all the author blogs.

Susan's Facebook Author Page - "Like" her page
Susan's Twitter Link - Follow and Comment - @susanjreinhardt
Susan's Blog - You're here! Follow and receive points.
Goodreads - Follow

Don't forget to like and follow the page for updated information and links to the other author's sites to gather the rest of the phrase!

Road Rally! Ready for a contest! Who wants to have some fun and win a new Kindle Paperwhite?

Starting Weds Oct 2nd and continuing till Thursday Oct 24th the Helping Hands Press authors will be hosting a “Road Rally” contest.
What does that entail? What is the Grand Prize? How do you participate? 
Very simply!
Each week there will be two to three blogs of HHP authors to stop by on the journey to the Grand Prize- a Kindle Paperwhite..
Each author will have a word to give you as you stop by and leave a comment on their blog or message them on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

There will be 14 words in all to gather to complete one phrase.
Along the way there will be other prizes as adventurers on the Road Rally gather points as well as words for doing a variety of things. Each author stop along the Rally will have its own fun stuff to do, see and explore.
The author to start it all off is Linda Wood Rondeau on Oct 2nd.
Some of the other authors that are participating in the Road Rally are: Murray Pura, Mark Miller, Jen Cudmore, George Michael Loughmueller, Kathy Bruins, Susan J. Reinhardt, J. Smith, Roger Rheinheimer, Amber Schamel, Randall K. Harp, Marsha Hubler, Sarah Price…

Want to know the secret word for the day? Shh, don't tell anyone. It's, "age."

Next stop on the Contest Map:  Patti Smith  http://gridirongranyfootballfanatic.blogspot.com

Writers and Readers: Do you enjoy contests and giveaways on blogs/social media? What's the best prize you've ever won?

What Do Readers Want?

Authors are usually also avid readers. If we analyze what we like in a book and apply it to our writing, we'll produce something that will put our work at the top of readers' TBR piles.

As readers, we want the author to:

1)  Grab our attention. Is this story interesting? Do we want to see what happens next?

2)  Make us care. Are the characters people we'd want to know in real life? Do we relate to their dilemmas?

3)  Move the story along. Setting and backstory have their place, but action propels the story forward.

4)  Engage us in the process. This is especially important in the Mystery/Suspense genre. Get the wheels turning in the reader's head.

5)  Give us a satisfying ending. Even in a series book, the author can tie up one or more storylines, while leaving a cliffhanger for the next book. Please, dear author, don't push me off the cliff. I loved Gone With The Wind - until the end. I felt cheated and angry  that it left me dangling.

I know I'm fully engaged when I can't get the story out of my head even when I'm not actually reading it. The ultimate sign a story is good: When I'm concerned about the characters and catch myself praying for them. LOL!

Writers & Readers: What are the key elements to a great story for you as a reader?

Photo Credit:  svilen001

It's Off to Writing/Reading School We Go

1.  Edie Melson, of The Write Conversation,  tells us how writing is like going on a blind date. With a title like that, how can you resist reading the post? This is a fun, but useful, analogy for both writers and readers.

2.  Jen Cudmore gives tips on rhythm and pacing.

3.  Bryan Hutchinson, at Positive Writer, uses a movie to illustrate how to write an inspiring story.

Writers & Readers: Have you ever gone on a blind date? Please share some things you learned, and, if possible, compare it to the writing/reading experience. 

Photo Credit:  josterly

 

Watch Those Minutes

I don't know about you, but when I get on the computer, hours can fly by without me noticing. With my work status changing from part-time to full-time, that dynamic has to change. I've already made some revisions in my schedule:

1. I'm going to bed earlier. On the weekends, I was staying up until after midnight. Most of this time was spent surfing the Net. While it was fun and I picked up some useful stuff, it wasn't worth the time expenditure.

2.  I'm getting up earlier. Mornings are my most productive time of the day. The whole idea is to allow the brain to function at maximum capacity.

3.  Tech savvy I'm not. One of my goals is to learn more shortcuts with Social Media. My Facebook posts automatically show up on Twitter, while my blog posts are tied to my Goodreads Author Page.

4.  Minutes add up. When I have 5 minutes before going to work, I don't sit and watch them go by. I take the garbage out, water a plant, add items to my grocery list, clip coupons, etc.

5.  The laundromat is close to my home, so while my clothes are in the washer, I go home and do some Social Media tasks and have breakfast at the same time. The dryer takes 40 minutes, so I can clean the bathroom, do some writing, pay bills, run the dishwasher or take care of something else that requires more than a few minutes.

It won't be easy, but with careful planning and God's grace, I'll be able to keep up with the important tasks in my life.

Writers & Readers:  Will you help me out? What are some ways you save time?

Photo Credit:  skingolf

 

All Aboard!

I'm coming across posts on time management, so let's go with that theme today. On one of these blogs I commented that my extra bits of time were devoted to reading. I don't need more time, but rather productive time. Spending time journaling, reading my Bible, and praying when I get up gives me greater clarity and keeps me calmer.

Here are some links to get you back on track:

1. Jeanette Levellie zeroes in on time wasters.

2.  Jill Kemerer talks about producing or frittering away your time.

3.  Jennifer Brown Banks, at Pen and Prosper, discusses strategies for finding time to write.

Writers and Readers:  How do you find extra time to write or participate in an activity you love?

Photo Credit:  timobalk

When I Was a Kid

When I was a kid, I walked 3 miles to school...just kidding! People often ask me how I got started writing, so I thought I'd talk about that today and give some tips on how to encourage your children's interest in the subject.

My academic career got off to a rough start. One of my first teachers slapped a "slow learner" label on me and sent me on that track. Fortunately, my third grade teacher didn't buy into the tag, and I was moved into a more advanced class.

It wasn't until the fifth grade that a teacher, Mrs. Dowd, recognized my potential and did some intense work with me. She helped me exceed my reading grade level, and I was never behind from that time forward. Reading became an exciting adventure, and seeing me with my nose stuck in a book became a normal occurrence.

The jump from reader to writer was a natural progression. Throughout the years, I dabbled in the craft and wrote skits, pieces for children's Christmas programs, Sunday School Curriculum, and Bible Studies. My late husband urged me to seek publication, which led to publishing credits in the non-fiction market. In 2005, I took a leap of faith into the fiction area. The rest, as they say, is history.

I wish the resources available today would have been around when I was a kid. The Internet provides many opportunities for youngsters interested in writing. Here are a few ideas to nurture their budding talent:

1) Find books that match their interests, and keep them well supplied with reading material. I was interested in ballerinas, nurses, and series books. My mother took me to the library often and purchased books for gifts.

2)  You can find online writing courses for children. My fellow Helping Hands Press author, Karen E. Lange, teaches several of these on various levels.

3)  The Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference offers a writing track for teens called, "Teens Write." You can check out the conference here.

Even if your child doesn't become a writer, the experience will help them with their other studies. Who knows? They might become the next Francine Rivers or Ted Dekker.

Writers:  Do you see signs your kids may want to follow in your footsteps? How do you aid them in their writing journey?

Readers: Please share how you encourage the youngsters in your life to read.

How Do I...?

A lot of us take on the task of doing it ourselves, either because we have no one to assist us or can't afford to hire someone. Social media is one of those areas for me. I've mentioned a book I read about Goodreads that helped me a great deal.

Here are some links to help you navigate the brave new world of Social Media:

1.  The BloggingBistro shares how to block Facebook app requests and add posts to Pinterest.

2.  Edie Melson, at The Write Conversation,gives a step-by-step tutorial on how to schedule social media in Hootsuite.

3.  I've selected another post by Edie Melson, at The Write Conversation, about Twitter Hashtags.

My Social Media Tip: If you join Pinterest, please set up at least one board with several pins. I personally ignore notifications of a friend joining this platform if they don't have a board. It's like signing a blank check. No thanks. 

Writers and Readers:  What Social Media site gives you the most problems? Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? Google+? Could you share some of your own observations/tips?

 

Photo Credit:  iceKitty37

 

The Big Reveal

When I have time to watch television, one of my favorite shows is Home Makeover. They select a family or a person with a desperate need for a more functional space. Each family member is interviewed, and then the workers set out to make their dreams come true.

Part of the fun includes sending the family off on a vacation. The host contacts them a few times and feeds them small progress reports. The many special surprises and meaningful touches on the house are reserved for the big reveal at the end of the show.

These folks know how to tell a compelling story. Our stories can achieve the same effect by:

1)  Raising questions in the reader's mind.

2)  Resisting the urge to tell the character's history in the first 30-60 pages.

3)  Revealing backstory in bite-sized pieces rather than expecting the reader to swallow the character's motivations like an entire steak.

By the end of our book, the reader will be looking forward to "the big reveal" and anticipating our next adventure.

Writers:  How do you keep the reader engaged in your story world?

Readers:  What keeps you turning the pages?

Photo Credit:  sundesigns