Do You Need Me to Like Your Book?

Acts 13:45 “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.”

Okay, confession time. I’m going to tell you something that often gets me in trouble, but I hope you will understand my motive is to encourage you.

I do not like all the books I read—even bestsellers.

Phew! There! I said it! Now please don’t hate me because you think I’m some haughty, know-it-all, elitist author. Really. Who am I? I’m not even published.

Sometimes, it’s just that I don’t relate to the characters because of my own history. Other times, it’s a matter of clashing with the author’s voice. Or maybe the book is not written using my primary perceptual style—kinesthetic.

Though this could make an author wonder if I wouldn’t like their book, why should this encourage them? Let me explain …

Last year, I engaged in the Snowflake Method class offered by Randy Ingermanson on the ACFW course loop. In that class he stated the belief that most people will NOT like your book. For some reason I thought he gave the percentage of 80%, but when I quoted this number to other writers they were aghast.

“Eighty percent of people will NOT like my book?”

I got such strong reactions from authors I started to question my memory of the statement, so I cornered poor Mr. Ingermanson at the ACFW Conference in Dallas and asked him what number he quoted. His brows drew together in thought. “I don’t think I gave a number …” Suddenly I felt like an idiot. “ … but let’s look at it.”

There I stood, in awe, as Mr. Ingermanson, in true former-physicist fashion, began rolling off numbers of populations and figures from bestsellers—calculation, calculating—to come up with a percentage in the mid-nineties of people who would NOT like a bestseller. So you could imagine the stat of those who won’t like the work of little-ole-me.

Humbling? (Well maybe, if you think everyone should like your book) Or is it?

The truth is, if a bestseller does not need ninety-some percent of the population, why should I? In fact, this idea should give us relief! I don’t NEED to reach ninety percent. I only need to reach that audience for whom God has called me to write. My target market.

But there is soooooo much more to think about with this idea … and the reason I printed the Bible verse above. Because the jealousy spoken of in that verse comes from an “us vs. them” mentality, rather than working together to enlarge the kingdom of God. Members of the synagogue couldn’t listen to what Paul had to say, not because it was blasphemous (the word “jealousy” being used), but because it took attention away from them.

One of the things that astounded me most when I first joined American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) was how helpful so many of the members were when I asked questions on the loop or needed feedback with a manuscript. I did not sense that others saw me as competition, but fellow sojourners in the work. I liked that. They could help me reach the audience God had planned for me, and I could help them reach the audience God had planned for them.

You see, I don’t NEED to like your book. And guess what? YOU don’t need me to like it, either. If God has called you to the ministry of writing and I’m not your target audience, that’s okay. It’s why I love to support other authors—because their work will reach where mine cannot, furthering the Kingdom of God in ways my book will not. That’s what makes it RIGHT if I don’t like your book. In fact, if we all wrote for the same audience, it’s likely we’d be preaching to the choir. Don’t get me wrong, the choir can use a lesson or two, not to mention encouragement, but sometimes we need to touch beyond.

Other posts you might like:

Would Jesus Market Himself?

To Parallel My Life with My Savior

Connie is a 2012 Genesis semi-finalist for Women’s Fiction. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest for her entry, Why Not to Kiss on a Park Bench (aka. Harold and Violet). Come visit her on one of her other blogs:

Living the Body of Christ

InfiniteCharacters.com

What You Can Do for the Weary and Burdened Who Have Special Needs

I usually try not to post about the same thing on too many sites at the same time, but this week I am devoting my “ministry” posts to ONE thing and that is the Accessibility Summit at McLean Bible Church. This is a conference for churches and congregants to learn how they can serve the Special Needs Community.

Now, I ask you to do something for me this week. Go to your church and look for the disabled. If you can get your hands on the stats of disabled at your church and that of the surrounding community, that would be even better. My fear is that you will find your public school system serving more disabled than your church … and THAT is a SHAME. What happened to living Jesus’ words, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)? Do we not believe the disabled and/or the families of disabled are weary and burdened?

Hmmmm.

A few years ago, I went on a search for churches that could provide what my son needed when we attended. I checked out some large, almost mega-, churches and saw not one wheelchair. I entered into the children’s ministry to inform them of my son’s needs and heard words like, “Yeah, we had an autistic child here once.”

What?!!! Once?!!! This church was HUGE and it had an autistic child once? Given the rate of autism is something like 1 in every 110, this church should have seen many more than one, not to mention those with other learning disorders or disabilities.

So why aren’t the weary (these individuals AND those caring for them) showing up? Probably because, for some reason, they do not feel welcome. Churches are waiting for the individuals to darken their doorsteps BEFORE they provide the services needed, saying, “Well, we don’t have any special needs families, so why create a ministry?” when really they should be preparing the services KNOWING they are needed, then going out and finding the burdened to serve. Believe me, they are out there … alone and isolated.

We’ve spent too much time over the last weeks judging a young man with autism and a mother who raised him for the senseless deaths of young children. Let’s do more than judge. Let’s act! Could churches engaging these families have changed the outcome? Who knows, but it’s worth a look! At the very least, by engaging, we will be more aware of potential warning signs. At best, we could provide opportunities for community where none existed before—In Christ!!!

Our churches should have MORE families with disabilities than the public school system, not less. Having mentioned churches with the opposite, I am compelled to tell you of one that meets this criteria—McLean Bible Church in McLean, Virginia. When I visited I saw parents holding hands of Downs Children, couples signing in the hallway, congregants leading blind members, and others pushing wheelchairs. It was awesome!!! The work of Christ was visible everywhere you looked. This church has made it a critical mission to serve these families, and better yet, can provide YOU with what you need to do the same at YOUR church. It’s called Accessibility Summit, a conference for churches who want to start and grow this ministry. It will be held April 19^th-20^th, and will feature Emily Colson, daughter of Chuck Colson and mother of Max (who has autism).

I highly recommend you either attend or request your church send a representative to attend. You won’t be sorry! This is an opportunity to grow an important ministry serving those Jesus begged you to serve: The weary and burdened. And if you do this, I KNOW you will find a myriad of giftings among your new congregants which your church so desperately needs—important “members” of the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:22 (NIV) “ … those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.”

So go out and find your indispensable members!!!

God Bless!

Connie is a 2012 Genesis semi-finalist for Women’s Fiction. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest for her entry, Why Not to Kiss on a Park Bench (aka. Harold and Violet). Come visit her on one of her other blogs: Living the Body of Christ; InfiniteCharacters.com

WALKING IN OBEDIENCE

by Teresa Slack

Joshua 6:20 “So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpet, and it came to pass when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, they shouted with a great shout so that the wall fell flat, and the people went into the city and took it.”

We all know the story of the walls of Jericho. The Israelites marched around the impenetrable city seven times and on the seventh time the walls fell and they were able to go in and take the city. What we don’t often think about are the six times they marched around Jericho before anything happened.
As a kid I always imagined marching around a football field or something relatively small. This was a walled powerful city, for crying out loud. A little more than an afternoon stroll. They were also commanded to be silent. Wow. That’s tough. No Ipods. No complaining to the guy ahead of you about how hot it is or how the sentries standing on the wall laugh and cajole as you walk by or why God couldn’t have made the walls fall on the first go-round. Why seven times? We know God has the capabilities to bring those walls down the first time.
The whole point was obedience. God fulfills his part of the bargain after we fulfill ours. If the Israelites had stopped marching after the first time or the third or the sixth trip, they would not have received the blessing.
So why I have I not received the blessings I am promised with my writing? Is God trying to teach me something? Or am I walking in disobedience? I truly believe God put a calling on my life to write. He has given me stories to tell to uplift, entertain, and inspire His children. Guess what? I haven’t done it. Or at least not as much of it as God desires. Writing is hard work. It doesn’t come as easily as non-writers like to think. I have stories God wants me to write, but I don’t make time to write. Or I hit a roadblock in the story so I walk away from it. Remember, I said this stuff is hard. Or I get afraid that I’ll put so much work into a book and then no one will buy it, so I quit.
It isn’t like I’m not busy. I have a full time job. I am a Scentsy consultant, that often turns into another full time job. Plus, all the other stuff that crowds into a woman’s life, like kids, laundry, shopping, making ourselves pretty for our man…. Or not. Anyway, it’s pretty easy to walk away from my writing when it gets hard.
But God gave my stories to me for a reason. He chose me. Why? He could’ve given them to someone more prolific, hard working and motivated. But he didn’t. He has entrusted these stories to me. By not writing them, I am walking in disobedience.
Ouch.
In the last couple of months a few doors have flown open in my writing career. Some pretty exciting opportunities have been dropped at my feet. God has given me yet another chance to be obedient to Him. I don’t want to waste these opportunities.  
In an effort to put together a list of resolutions for 2013 without really making a real resolution, I made a list of things that keep me from writing. Here they are.
1.       Satisfaction of the flesh—sleep, TV, computer games, talking on the phone when I should be working.
2.      Fear of rejection.
3.      Doubt in my writing skills or my inability to complete a project.
4.      Poor time management
Am I the only one who struggles with walking in obedience? Do you feel like you are right where God wants to be? If so, great work on living a life pleasing to our King. Or are there things you need to work on this year to bring you closer to God? Not to mention receiving His blessings?
Here’s to a blessed and prosperous 2013. May we all write the stories the Lord has given us and walk in obedience with Him.

DOUBLE IDENTITY

(A Young Adult Novel about Identical Twins) 

by K. Dawn Byrd 

K. Dawn Byrd is a Christian novelist. Today, she will tell us about her writing and about her walk with the Lord.

Welcome K. Dawn. We are so glad you came today. 

I would like to start with your personal walk with the Lord before you tell us about your writing. Can you tell us a little about that? 

K. Dawn:

I believe it's impossible for a Christian's worldview not to seep into their novels in some ways. For example, there are certain things I won't write about and certain words I won't use. My novels always contain at least one Christian and one non-Christian. Many of my novels are very realistic in that they portray what an individual would do or would not do in certain situations. For example, I don't go into graphic detail, but my readers will know that Cassie in Double Identity is not a virgin. However, Bree is saving herself for marriage and when she begins to think that her boyfriend is attracted to Cassie because she looks just like her, she's terrified that he'll like her since she's willing.

Molly:

The story sounds timely and interesting. And I happen to love books about identical twins. My fraternal grandmother was a twin, and my Love Inspired novel, Brides and Blessings, was about identical twins.

So K. Dawn, why did you decide to write a book about identical twins? And why is your book for young adults? Why did you select that age group?

K.:

I love writing for young adults! My other books are suspense. Young adult is a wonderful break from writing dark novels. A co-worker of mine has identical twins. We were talking about some of the problems they might face later when they become teens. Teens put so much emphasis on looks that I began to wonder how a girl would know her boyfriend loves her instead of her sister since they're identical.

Molly:

Thanks. Now tell us a little about the plot of your story. 

K.:

Seventeen-year old Bree has always wanted a sister. She's shocked when she learns that her father is alive and her identical twin sister, Cassie, is coming to live with her. She can't wait for Cassie to arrive. She just knows they'll be best friends. 

Bree soon discovers that even though they look alike, they're totally different. Cassie is wild and impulsive. She hates Bree's little town and everything in it, except Bree's boyfriend, Luke. When Cassie becomes obsessed with Luke, she'll go to any length to have him for herself. 

Luke has a secret, which Cassie learns and uses against him. She's off her medication and will stop at nothing. She says he's in love with her. He says he loves Bree. Will their secrets destroy them and their relationships?

Molly:

You said that Bree and Cassie looked alike but were totally different. I assume you were talking about their personalities being different. Give us some examples of ways they were different. Then tell us some ways they were alike other than their appearance. For example, were they both left handed? Did they like the same foods and dislike the same foods? Stuff like that. 

K.: 

Yes, Molly, their personalities are totally different. Bree is a sweet, young Christian girl. She dresses very modestly, doesn't lie, and tries to live the way Jesus would want. Her twin, Cassie, is the exact opposite. She's a wild, party girl who dresses to impress the guys. Bree is saving herself or marriage, but Cassie is known to sleep around. In addition, Cassie suffers from bipolar disorder. A big part of the story is what happens when she goes off her medication and goes after Bree's boyfriend.

Molly:

How much research on twins was required to write this book? And tell us some interesting information she learned from read the material.

K.:

I really didn't do any research at all. A co-worker has identical twins and we talked about them some, but other than that I thought about how it would feel to know that there's someone else in the world identical to you. I'm thinking it would cause some real problems for teenagers. A girl would wonder if her boyfriend likes her sister also since they look just alike. I'm sure it would cause some insecurity.

Molly:

Tell the names of your future novels and when they will be published.

K.:

Future releases are: Something Beautiful (young adult romance, January 21); Hotline Girl (young adult romance, June 21); Luck of the  Draw (young adult romance, November 11).

Molly:

How can our readers obtain a copy of Double Identity, and is it an e-book, in paperback or both? 

K.:

Currently, Double Identity is available only in ebook format. It's available at Amazon, B&N, CBD and many other ebook outlets.

Molly:

Thanks for stopping by K. Dawn Byrd. Come back soon.  

Be His Witness By Demonstrating With-ness

Matthew 1:23 The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel—which means, “God with us.”

John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

God’s with-ness to us and ours to His children has been on my mind a great many years. It started when I counseled young, successful, perfectionist women who never felt they measured up to all God wanted them to do. I used to remind them of the story of Mary and Martha and who had done the better thing (Luke 10:38-42). I told them they were created human beings and not human doings. God’s ultimate goal for us is to be with us in heaven for eternity—relationship. This state of being is exemplified in His name I am, Who am. Though He has done countless, extraordinary things, nowhere in the Bible is He entitled I do, because, though He may call us to action, the best action starts with relationship.

Then my son was born. My son with autism who is delayed in so many of those things we use to measure success in an individual—including speech. He could never tell me he loved me, and I could not be sure he understood when I told him. The only way I could communicate my love was in my with-ness. Being there for him in good times and in bad.

He understood.  

How do I know this? Because he is the first to show others this state of being in times of need. He’s sought out troubled souls in large gatherings to kiss them for no apparent reason, lighting up their sorrowed faces. He’s come into a different room to look into my eyes, because somehow he knew I was crying. He sits with me when I feel alone, and reminds me to pray when I’m distraught.

One time, when he was about three, after his father had just come home from a trip and we were catching up on all that had happened while he’d been gone, my son slowly scooted my husband closer to me in the kitchen. Then he scooted me closer to my husband. No words. He went back and forth a few times until our bodies met—my husband, still chatting on as he did. Then, he wrapped his arms around both our legs. He knew what we really needed to catch up on—being with.

This is what God ultimately wants from us. It’s what His son gave us while He was here. It is how we demonstrate Godliness to those who do not know God. It doesn’t take words. It takes relationship.

Just over a week ago, our nation saw a tragedy in a massive shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where twenty children and six adults were murdered. A friend of mine asked me, “What do you say to those who’ve just experienced that kind of loss?” The answer is, “Nothing.” Any words will sound trite—things the hearer already knows or is not ready to hear. James 1:19 tells us to be slow to speak and quick to listen. It’s part of being with, and yet it is one of the hardest things for us to actually do, because it feels like we are doing nothing at all.

I bet you think this message is strange coming from a writer whose ministry is in the use of words. But it’s one of those things that makes me even more attuned to the vulnerability of them. They can be purposeful and life-giving. Yet without relationship to give them credibility, they are just etchings on a page or noise in the air. So, remember, while flexing your skill to be a better “witness” for the Lord, make sure you demonstrate His Love through your With-ness.

*********

Connie is a 2012 Genesis semi-finalist for Women’s Fiction. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest for her entry, Why Not to Kiss on a Park Bench (aka. Harold and Violet). Come visit her on one of her other blogs: Living the Body of Christ InfiniteCharacters.com

Wouldn't it be Glorious?

by Teresa Slack

My mother and each of my three sisters are writers of one form or another. The youngest, Marcie, has currently focused her gifts on articles and poetry. She recently sent me this poem that was published in her local newspaper. I loved it and thought I would share it here at Writer's Rest. Enjoy and have a wonderful, merry Christmas.

Wouldn't it be Glorious?

Wouldn't it be glorious
If we didn't just give in the Christmas season?
If we donated food and clothing
For no particular reason.
If we didn't fret over baking cookies and fudge
And worried less about getting Mom jewelry
And more about forgetting a grudge.
We worry about "Black Friday"
And lights upon the tree
Instead of remembering the precious baby
Who should be worshiped on bended knee.
Sure, we all enjoy getting presents
And when Hubby buys us an expensive ring
But we seem to be less concerned
With the coming of our King.
Our kids can't wait for Santa Claus
While they listen for reindeer paws
But how much do they know about Jesus
Who loves us "just because"?
Wouldn't it be glorious
If we thought of that barn in the cold
And tried to envision the angels
And the good news they told?
Wouldn't it be glorious
If Jesus got a birthday cake
And we recalled the sacrifice that Mary and
Joseph had to make
Because our God wanted it to be so
For all of mankind's sake.

Written by Marcie Diane Hooley. 

MEET THE PULP FICTION GUY

Meet Charles Beckman:

                                           

By Molly Noble Bull

Suspense, Suspicion & Shockers is a new book by Charles Boeckman, a multi-published novelist, journalist, writing instructor, musician, bandleader, and legend in his own time. He and his wife, Patti, wrote 26 Silhouette romance novels back in the 1980’s under the name Patti Beckman. Recently, Charles and Patti produced an anthology of reprints of his collectable pulp stories that Charles wrote beginning in 1945. 

Welcome. It's great to have you here today. Can you explain what pulp fiction is, and tell us about your book?

Charles: 

Pulp fiction was reading matter for the masses before television brought visual stories into our homes. The name “pulp” comes from the woody, pulp paper used in those monthly publications. They often cost a dime and contained about ten stories. They represented every genre of fiction you can think of and included novels. They died out with the advent of television, but interest in them has resurfaced in recent decades with fans scattered all across the U.S. who buy, sell, and collect those vintage magazines. Some also write original stories, called new pulp, in the style of the early pulps. Because of the avid interest of pulp fans in those stories, which today are hailed as the precursors of all the genres of contemporary fiction, Patti and I decided to put together an anthology of 24 of my pulp stories, which were mainly suspense and surprise-ending stories with universal appeal. Having that many vintage stories in one volume from a pulp author who is still living is rare. It received rave reviews on Amazon from two expert reviewers and writers of new pulp fiction.

Charles is noted for the emotional tone he brings to his stories, for his characters, and for his musical backgrounds. 

SUSPENSE, SUSPICION & SHOCKERS is available on Amazon.

Molly: 

Thanks, Charles and Patti. Come back soon.  
#  

Molly's newest e-book titled BEDTIME STORIES FOR BELIEVERS is a collection of eight short stories for Christian adults and will be published and available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo by Tuesday, December 18, 2012.  

And don't forget that Cinderella Texas is available now as an e-book and will soon be published in paperback. Write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot to find all Molly's books.