Christian Fiction

Day 21: More about FTC Rules for Bloggers & Why Full Disclosure Works

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:31:27 PDT

This is Day 21 of 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog Series...

After my post regarding the new FTC rules for bloggers I received emails and blog links concerning how book bloggers should post book reviews. From what I received I believe that some book bloggers still do not understand the ethical complications behind the issue and how to post a book review.

Let's talk about the ethical issue here...

1. The Opportunity to Gain a Profit

I've been a book blogger for five years, who have received at least ten books a month. I still have most of those books save the ones I give away on the blog or to my church library, my hospital, and my other book charities. For the past two years I've housed those books at Public Storage.That's how many books I have.

If I wanted to open a used bookstore I could. But I'm not a bookstore owner, I'm a reviewer. Irregardless I have the resources to start a bookstore and here's the rub. If I were to open up a store, that housed all the books I reviewed my reviews would become advertisements for the books, not a review.

2. The Opportunity to Lose Credibility with Your Subscribers

That reality isn't the purpose for my blog. Christian Fiction Blog's purpose is to connect Good books to good readers, not sell the books I have in Public Storage to my readers. If I want the respect of my subscribers(mainly bookclubs and book buyers,) who have been selecting books because of my blog, then I want them to rest assured that my reviews hold no monetary gain for me. There is no bias in my review. The reviews are pure.

3. The Opportunity to Legitmize your Blog with Full Disclosure

This week I will step through this topic in more details. My goal is to show you how to separate your review blog from your endorsements and how to monetize your blog ethically.

If you look at my blog (Christian Fiction Blog) you will notice I have different types of posts:

reviews
interviews
lists
writing life
previews
etc

Because each post has a different goal the way I use links are different. When I pick online book tours to join I change the wording and I don't add reviews. I don't use the Amazon link they provide. I make the post my own. I have textlinks and book cover space ads in the sidebar, but I don't review those books, because an author has paid for an ad in my sidebar. If I post a review for some of the magazines I write, I post a snippet and direct the reader to the magazine for more information.

Then the books that I review with a full review are books I've received for the purpose of a review. There is a deadline for the book review and it is understood that I will post any rated book. One thing that can bring your book blog credibility is to post all book reviews good or bad. It is your prerogative, but your review blog carries more weight when your readers can also see what you do not favor, buttressed with a balanced reason. Moreover, it shows the publishing industry that your blog isn't just an endorsement, but a review.

These reviews have no links to purchase outside of a link to the author or publishing house website if provided.

I have used this policy since I began the blog. Yet, my blog is syndicated and monetized. This week we will talk about monetizing your blog without throwing up red flags to the FTC.

Please leave your thoughts in comments or tweet about them and tweet this post, so that I can respond to you on Twitter or Facebook.

Related Topic:

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Tour Dates: Tyler Perry's Laugh to Keep From Crying

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:35:53 PDT

When Fall approaches so does the invitation to experience another Tyler Perry Stage Play.

Launched this month is TP's new play "Laugh to Keep From Crying."

Synopsis: The story line is based on life's struggles in the inner city. How does one understand and protect young people; how do you manage to keep a roof over your head when you lose your job; how do you separate true love from a deceiver? A family that receives redemption and a neighborhood that comes together with hope, love and respect are demonstrated.

Cast: Palmer Williams, Jr.("Floyd" of Tyler Perry's House of Payne and The Marriage Counselor) as the landlord; Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley, from previous stageplays and movies, as she portrays a single mother with 2 teenagers; D'atra Hicks (Madea's Family Reunion and What's Done in the Dark,) Chandra Currelley[my friend], from Diary of a Mad Black Woman the movie, What's Done in the Dark and many other plays ; and Tamar Davis, Stephanie Ferrett, and Donnie Sykes from "The Marriage Counselor".

Tour Dates:
Oct 20th, 2009
Aiken, SC
Univ. of South Carolina Aiken

Oct 21st, 2009
Albany, GA
Albany Civic Center

Oct 22nd, 2009
Columbus, GA
Columbus Civic Center

Oct 24th - 25th, 2009
Philadelphia, PA
Liacouras Center

Oct 27th - Nov 1st, 2009
Baltimore, MD
Murphy Fine Arts Ctr - Morgan State

Nov 3rd, 2009
Syracuse, NY
Landmark Theatre

Nov 5th - 6th, 2009
Richmond, VA
Landmark Theatre

Nov 7th, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA
Petersen Events Center

Nov 8th, 2009
Cincinnati, OH
Aronoff Center

Nov 10th, 2009
South Bend, IN
Morris PAC

Nov 11th, 2009
Peoria, IL
Peoria Civic Center

Nov 12th, 2009
Rockford, IL
Coronado PAC

Nov 13th - 14th, 2009
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Theatre WI Ctr District

Nov 15th, 2009
Louisville, KY
Louisville Palace

Nov 17th, 2009
Grand Rapids, MI
Devos Hall

Nov 18th, 2009
Lansing, MI
Wharton Center MSU

Nov 19th - 22nd, 2009
Chicago, IL
Arie Crown Theatre

Nov 24th - 29th, 2009
Detroit, MI
Music Hall

Jan 16th - 17th, 2010
Oakland CA
Paramont Theatre (Oakland)

Jan 20th - 24th, 2010
Los Angeles, CA
Kodak Theatre

Apr 17th - 18th, 2010
Atlanta, GA
Fabulous Fox

Trailer Park Tuesday: The Christmas List

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:21:38 PDT

This week's Trailer Park Tuesday is Richard Paul Evan's The Christmas List. The book released this month and debuts on the New York Time Bestseller's List at #12. ALREADY! Let's take a look at this trailer to see what's the fuss about. Personally, I'm a huge Christmas story gal. I loved the Christmas Box and so...let me know your thoughts about this trailer and the book.

Oh, if you're in Atlanta next weekend Richard will be reading at The Margaret Mitchell House, another favorite for me.

Can the Nook bring Book Community Back?

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:19:17 PDT

Barnes & Noble's e-Reader the Nook hits store shelves today, but it is it what bookclubs need. Let's take a deeper look.

PC World sets the Nook against the Kindle listing with such pros like:

the fact that you can visit Barnes and actually test the nook before you purchase unlike Amazon
Moreover when you enter the store the Nook alerts you to coupons and special promotions personalized to your book cravings.
For bookclubs. Did you know you can share your books using the Nook?

I like that this e-reader's goal is to not just have book readers buy books, but to get them into the store. Although reading is a solitary experience, sharing the love for story is a communal experience. If stores can figure out how to bring community spirit back to stores and make book reading viral again without losing their shirts, while staying technically relevant we may have a win win.

I'll be writing more about the Nook at RAWSistaz Literary this month and why it is a possible solution for Bookclub presidents. To stay updated about this upcoming blog post and more like it, subscribe to Christian Fiction here or in the sidebar. We deliver straight to your email or your can subscribe to my notes at Facebook.

Day 22: 2009 CFB African American Children Christmas Play Announcement

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:35:33 PDT

Every year I write one and so today I am completing Act One of a new children's Christmas play. When I'm done I will announce the play, the synopsis and how to get the play. Before I do that I want to talk about playwriting for a minute as we dip in Day 22 of Building a Better Book Blog.

One of the Greatest Things about creating your own blog is you have to opportunity to share your writing with the world.

Since I began this blog I've written a Christmas play for children ministries. As a parent and a product of church theater, I've always wanted more options for African American children church grous to have. It didn't dawn on me until a friend of mine-a pastor's wife- asked me to write a short play for her church. I gave that play away for free and it is still downloadable here. And it tickles me that churches are still using that play. I've written more plays since then, but they were commissioned.

When you decide upon the type of content you will put on your blog don't forget to add content that is unique to you and benefits those who aren't just online, but your community at large. If you want to make your blog bigger, then you need to give more.

If you want to stay informed about the Christmas play, then subscribe to the blog in my sidebar or here. Don't worry. I will be finishing this play in plenty of time for you to use this year at your church if you're still searching for something.

Also it's still not too late to join 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog.

Weekend Chatter: Double Cross Book Trailer

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:38:57 PDT

I so don't want to sound biased when it comes to David C. Cook Publishing, but their marketing team is off the chizzzle. Anyway this weekend's chatterbox question is simple, how are you tracking your book trailer responses and are they converting to book sales?

This book trailer is from James Jordan's Double Cross. I will talk more about him tomorrow and Monday, so leave your comments here or tweet them or FB me.

Wildcard: Double Cross Reviewed

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:22:00 PDT

Day 23 of 30 Days to Build a Better Book Blog.

One thing you can do to get your blog introduced to the book blog community is to join some book blog alliances. I belong to a few and Wildcard is one of them. Wildcard is a ministry. Our purpose is to support and promote Christian fiction authors by using our blogs as platforms to showcase these books during the first week of release. If you would like to join this blog alliance click the icon below and welcome.

This weekend we are promoting...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

James David Jordan

and the book:

Double Cross

B&H Books (October 1, 2009)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James David Jordan is a business attorney in Texas and was named by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the most influential leaders in that legal community. He holds a journalism degree from the University
of Missouri as well as a law degree and MBA from the University of Illinois and lives with his wife and two children in the Dallas suburbs.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: B&H Books (October 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805447547
ISBN-13: 978-0805447545

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The day my mother came back into my life began with a low December fog and a suicide. Mom was not responsible for the fog.

I hadn’t seen her for twenty years, and the idea that she might show up at my door was the farthest thing from my mind on a Thursday morning, a few weeks before Christmas, when the music alarm practically blasted me off my bed. With the Foo Fighters wailing in my ear, I burrowed into my pillow and tried to wrap it around my head. I rolled onto my side and slapped the snooze bar, but smacked the plastic so hard that it snapped in two, locking in another minute and a half of throbbing base before I could yank the cord from the wall socket. It wasn’t until my toes touched the hardwood floor and curled up against the cold that I remembered why I was waking up at five-forty-five in the first place. Kacey Mason and I were meeting Elise Hovden at eight o’clock in a suburb northwest of Dallas. We would give her one chance to explain why

nearly half a million dollars was missing from Simon Mason World Ministries. If she couldn’t, our next stop would be the Dallas police.

Since Simon Mason’s murder earlier that year, I’d been living in his house with Kacey, his twenty-year-old daughter. I had promised to watch out for her if anything happened to him. It wasn’t a sacrifice. By that time Kacey and I were already so close that we finished each other’s sentences. I needed her as much as she needed me.

I slid my feet into my slippers and padded down the hall toward Kacey’s door. Chill bumps spread down my thighs in a wave, and I wished I’d worn my flannel pajama bottoms to bed under my Texas Rangers baseball jersey. Rather than turning back to my room to grab my robe, I decided to gut it out. I bent over and gave my legs a rub, but I knew they wouldn’t be warm again until I was standing next to the space heater in the bathroom.

I pressed my ear to Kacey’s door. The shower was humming. Of course she was awake. Had there ever been a more responsible college kid? Sometimes I wished she would let things go,

do something wild. For her, that would probably mean not flossing before going to bed. If hyper-responsibility got her through the day, I supposed it was fine with me. After all, she was a markedly better person than I had been at her age.

By the time I met her father I was twenty-nine, and thanks to a decade of too much alcohol and too many useless men, I was dropping like a rock. But Simon Mason caught me and held me

in place for a while, just long enough to give me hope. Then he did what he had to do, and he died for it. Some things are more important than living. He and Dad both taught me that. So now I was changing. To be accurate, I would say I was a work in progress. I hadn’t had a drink since before Simon died, and I’d sworn off men completely, albeit temporarily. Frankly, the latter was not much of a sacrifice. It wasn’t as if a crowd of guys had been beating a path to my door. I simply figured there was no use getting back into men until I was confident the drinking was under control. One thing I had demonstrated repeatedly in my life was that drinking and men just didn’t go together—at least not for me.

As for Kacey, after everything she’d been through, it was amazing she hadn’t folded herself into a fetal ball and quit the world for a while. Instead, she just kept plugging along, putting one foot in front of the other. I was content to step gingerly behind her, my toes sinking into her footprints. She was a good person to follow. She had something I’d never been known for: Kacey had character.

I shook my head. I was not going to start the day by kicking myself. I’d done enough of that. Besides, I no longer thought I had to be perfect. If a good man like Simon Mason could mess

things up and find a way to go on, then so could I. Even in his world—a much more spiritual one than mine—perfection was not required. He made a point of teaching me that.

I closed my eyes and pictured Simon: his shiny bald head, his leanly muscled chest, his brilliant, warming smile. As I thought of that smile, I smiled, too, but it didn’t last long. Within seconds the muscles tightened in my neck. I massaged my temples and tried to clear my thoughts. Soon, though, I was pressing my fingers so hard into my scalp that pain radiated from behind my eyes.

If only he had listened. But he couldn’t. He wanted to die. No matter how much he denied it, we both knew it was true. After what he had done, he couldn’t live with himself. So he found the only available escape hatch. He went to preach in a place where his death was nearly certain.

I lowered my hands and clenched them, then caught myself and relaxed. This was no good. It was too late. Not this morning, Taylor. You’re not going to think about Simon today. I took a deep breath and ran my fingers back through my hair, straightening the auburn waves for an instant before they sprang stubbornly back into place. Today’s worries are enough for today. That was the mantra of the alcohol recovery program at Simon’s church. It was from the Bible, but I couldn’t say where. To be honest, I didn’t pay attention as closely as I should. Regardless of origin, it was a philosophy that had worked for my drinking—at least so far. Maybe it had broader application: Focus on the task at hand and let yesterday and tomorrow take care of themselves.

At the moment, the first priority was to get the coffee going. I started down the hall.

When I turned the corner into the kitchen, I could see that Kacey had already been there. The coffee maker light was on, illuminating a wedge of countertop next to the refrigerator. In the red glow of the tiny bulb, the machine chugged and puffed like a miniature locomotive. Two stainless steel decanters with screw-on plastic lids waited next to the ceramic coffee jar, and

the smell of strong, black coffee drifted across the room. I closed my eyes, inhaled, and pictured the cheese Danish we would pick up at the corner bakery on our way out of our neighborhood. That was plenty of incentive to get moving. I headed back down the hall.

When I reached the bathroom I flipped on the light, closed the door, and hit the switch on the floor heater. I positioned it so it blew directly on my legs. Within a minute the chill bumps were retreating. I braced my hands on the edge of the sink, leaned forward, and squinted into the mirror. Glaring back at me was a message I had written in red lipstick the night before: Start the coffee!

I wiped the words off with a hand towel and peered into the mirror again. A tangled strand of hair dangled in front of one eye. I pushed it away, blinked hard, and studied my face. No lines, no bags, no creases—no runs, no hits, no errors, as Dad used to say. I was beginning to believe the whole clean living thing. Zero liquor and a good night’s sleep worked like a tonic for the skin.

It was tough to stay on the wagon after Simon’s death. I had never been an every-day drinker. My problem was binge drinking. With all that had happened during the past six months, the temptations had been frequent and strong, but I was gradually getting used to life on the dry side of a bourbon bottle. There was much to be said for routine. Maybe that’s why dogs are so happy when they’re on a schedule. When everything happens the same way and at the same time each day, there’s not much room for angst.

On second thought, the dog analogy didn’t thrill me. I pulled the Rangers jersey over my head, tossed it on the floor, and turned to look in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. Standing in nothing but my bikini panties, I rocked onto the toes of one foot, then the other. My long legs were still lean and athletic. Fitness was something Dad had always emphasized—fitness and self-defense. There were times when I had hated him for it, but now I was glad for the benefits. It would be years before I had to worry about really showing age. I might have lived harder than most twenty-nine year olds, but I could still turn heads in a crowded room. No, the dog analogy was not appropriate. I had plenty of issues, but I was no dog. At least not yet.

I turned on the water and cupped my hands beneath the faucet. It was time to wake up and plan what we would say to Elise. After splashing my face and patting it with a towel, I turned around, leaned back against the countertop, and crossed my arms. I caught a whiff of the lavender cologne I’d taken to spraying on my wrists before bed. The Internet said it would soothe me into peaceful slumber. For fifty dollars an ounce, it should have brought me warm milk and rocked me to sleep. I tried to recall how I’d slept the past few nights, then caught myself. I was just looking for ways to waste time. I needed to focus. The issue at hand was Elise.

Simon informed me about the missing money just before he left for Beirut. His former accountant, Brandon, had confronted him about it, thinking that Simon had been skimming. Simon wanted someone to know that he hadn’t done it, someone who could tell Kacey that her dad was not a thief. That’s why he told me. In case he didn’t come back. And as the whole world knew, he didn’t come back.

Elise was the obvious person for the board of directors to choose to wind up the business of Simon’s ministry. She had been his top assistant for years. When I told Kacey about the missing money, though, she bypassed Elise and went directly to the board to demand an audit—impressive gumption for a twenty year old. It didn’t take the auditors long to confirm that Simon had nothing to do with the missing money.

The accountants concluded that the board had assigned the cat to clean the birdcage. Elise had set up dummy vendor accounts at banks around the country in a classic embezzlement scam. Simon’s ministries had major construction projects going, and Elise issued bogus contractor invoices to Simon

Mason World Ministries from fake businesses with P.O. box addresses that she controlled. When the ministry mailed the payments, she picked up the checks from the post office boxes and deposited them in the bank accounts. Who knows where the money went from there?

The ministry had grown so quickly during the years before Simon’s death—and Simon was so trusting—that controls were lax. When the invoices came in, the payables department

paid them without question. By now the money was probably stuffed under a mattress in some tropical paradise. That was another thing I intended to pursue with Elise. She had developed a great tan.

Before I stepped into the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and went back into the bedroom. I pulled my Sig Sauer .357 out of my purse and checked the magazine. It was full. I slipped the pistol into the inside pocket of my purse. Elise didn’t strike me as the type to get violent, but people did weird things when backed into a corner. If I’d learned anything during my time in the Secret Service, it was to hope for the best—and prepare for the worst.

My Review will be in the next post.

What I'm Reading Monday: Transformation

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:47:38 PDT

The Transformation(David C. Cook (2009))

My degree in architectural studies and working for a church architectural firm really makes me like this book. If you are a art history buff or a Christian romance reader you will like this book. Here's an excerpt...

The Transformation

CHAPTER ONE

Shadyside

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Early Spring, Present Day

Oliver checked his watch. He squinted and positioned his wrist nearer to the glow of the truck’s speedometer.

5:45 a.m. Too early.

Oliver knew it was much too early to be wandering around in a strange neighborhood, but heavy Pittsburgh traffic—even the threat of heavy traffic—gave him the willies. Leaving his home later in the morning meant heavy traffic, probably normal for everyone, but not normal for Oliver. Navigating his pickup through dense packs of automobiles was far removed from Oliver’s comfort zone.

Too early.

He might risk the drive into Pittsburgh from Jeannette for a funeral or a wedding, or maybe a Steelers’ football game (if someone gave him free tickets), but not much else. Why risk life, limb, and sanity?

So today, Oliver had attempted to beat the traffic and the stress. He had gotten up at 4:30, not that much earlier than his normal get-up time, had picked up a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at the store a mile from his house, and had driven in the shimmery dark down Route 30. Traffic was light as he entered the flickering fluorescent-lit Squirrel Hill tunnel. Then, following his GPS, which he’d begun to rely on but did not always trust, he’d crept along a baffling series of residential streets until he arrived at his destination. The voice from the GPS unit seemed more chipper than he remembered in announcing his successful journey.

“Destination ahead. You have reached your destination.”

He pulled to the curb, scanning for street signs.

Cities have all sorts of laws about where you can and can’t park and when, he remembered. And I’m not about to get a ticket just giving someone a free estimate.

He looked about again, turning sideways in the seat.

I can’t just sit in the truck. That might look like I’m—what do they call it?—casing the place. I am, sort of—but not in that way.

He got out of the truck, jogged down the block, back to the front of his truck, then halfway up the block.

“No signs,” he said softly. “That’s odd. Should be some sort of parking sign.”

Oliver really disliked getting traffic tickets. He had received one speeding ticket in the last decade, but his parking violations occurred more frequently. Contractors sometimes had to double-park or park on sidewalks. He hated seeing a fluttering yellow slip, lying in wait with a bad day written all over it, snuggled under his windshield wiper.

“It must be okay to park here then,” he said out loud.

He walked slowly back towards his truck, tapped at the passenger side window, and nearly pressed his face to the glass.

“Come on, Robert. Let’s get started on the estimate.”

Robert lifted his head and shook himself awake, blinking. He had slept the entire trip. Not that the trip was that long, but he most often napped during any ride longer than ten minutes. He scrambled to his feet and stretched slowly and carefully.

Robert was Oliver’s dog. Most often Oliver and a fair number of his friends and coworkers would say “Robert the Dog” when speaking about Robert the Dog, as opposed to just “Robert,” because there were several other Roberts inhabiting Oliver’s circle of friends. No one wanted to confuse man and dog—least of all, Oliver. Oliver actually liked the sound of that three-word name and began to use “Robert the Dog” almost exclusively, except when they were alone, like this morning.

Robert the Dog clambered down from the seat to the floor of the truck and jumped out to the curb, sniffing the air, the grass, the truck, and finally, Oliver’s shoe. He might have been a pure-bred schnauzer but was the size of at least one and a half miniature schnauzers combined, though not as large as the giant variety, and his hair was mostly black. His head was almost the right schnauzer shape—not perfect to the breed, but close—so Oliver assumed a very small amount of some sort of nonschnauzer lineage had found its way into the good dog Robert.

Ever since Oliver had rescued Robert from the pound as a puppy, the two had gone everywhere and done everything together, including evaluating a new project . . . a possible new project. In construction, Oliver found, nothing was certain until the contract was signed—and even then, things could happen.

Oliver did not have to worry about Robert the Dog taking off, running into traffic, or barking at the wrong time. Robert had never done any of those things and, more than likely, would not start demonstrating inappropriate behaviors this early on a still sunless Monday in Shadyside, just on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.

Oliver looked at the address again. He had listened to the phone message carefully three times to get the return phone number, the exact name of the potential client, and the address of the potential job correct. Now he stood on South Aiken Street and looked east.

“But this is a church,” he said to Robert the Dog.

Robert simply stared at the building, sniffing the cool morning air, as if he were not really interested

“I mean . . . it’s a real church. I knew it was going to be a church, but not this kind of church.”

When Samantha Cohen had left her message five days ago, she had said her new acquisition, her latest renovation project, was a church building. She planned on transforming it, doing “wonderful things” with it. Oliver had imagined a small frame building, a church-like building that might be easily changed into a gallery or antique shop—but not a heavy, old historic church-to-the-very-rafters sort of building.

This is a real church—and will always look like a real church.

“Can you meet me Monday morning?” Miss Cohen had said, her voice deep and raspy, in a memorable, alluring, black-and-white Lauren-Bacall-movie sort of way. “I really need to talk this project through. Alice and Frank Adams, my friends in Butler, just raved about your work. Said you were brilliant with their displays and cabinets and all types of furnishings. I need brilliant. I’m willing to pay for brilliant. So Monday. Early. If you can make it. Leave me a return message. I’ll get it, even if I don’t call you back. I’m a little OC when it comes to checking messages.”

Oliver had left a return message: “Early Monday. Sevenish? I might be there before seven just to look around the outside, if that’s okay with you. I get up early.”

What he was now staring at in the early light, and what Robert was sniffing, was an historically significant church. No one could lay eyes on this building, even in the dark on a foggy night, and see anything other than a rock-solid church. This was a church with a capital C. It had massive stone arches; huge stained-glass windows that traversed the sides of the church; a rotunda that certainly must hold the altar. There was a covered entranceway (the port cochere, Oliver knew it was called) done in huge stone blocks and a high tower with a cross and carillon.

Just standing there, thinking about remodeling the old structure into something other than a place of worship, gave Oliver a case of spiritual heebie-jeebies. “This is a church,” he repeated again.

He stood, wrapped in that early morning silence that occurs even in big cities, like the soft, fragile, and short-in-duration crease in the day between the dark and its dark noises and the early morning let’s-get-the-commute-going sort of noises. Oliver wondered if he should just get back in his truck, pretend that he had never made the mistake of answering the phone message from Samantha Cohen, and move on to the next job.

I’ll be tearing apart a church. God’s house, where people have worshipped for what must be over a century.

He wanted to sigh, but did not.

My mother will die if she finds out.

Oliver wondered, for just one split of a split second, if he could keep this job secret. Not that he liked keeping secrets from his mother, but sometimes parents could not be trusted to handle sensitive news.

Or I could walk away and wait for the next job. That actually might be easier . . . safer . . . less stressful.

Except he did not have a next job. He could wait, wait for the next big nonchurch job, but there was no guarantee another one would come quickly, and in these sorts of wobbly economic times, Oliver knew he could not be picky.

And he was here; he’d already endured the traffic. He would stay. He’d do the estimate.

There’s something about this place. . . .

Now his words were softer, perhaps because of the silence. “A church . . . but, well, she did say it used to be a church.”

The holes in the stone façade were still visible where a sign had once hung.

“It’s just a building now.” He looked down at Robert the Dog. “Right, Robert? It’s not a church anymore. Right?”

Robert looked up, as if considering Oliver’s options, sniffed again, and then sneezed in a very uncanine-like manner.

©2009 Cook Communications Ministries. The Transformation by Terri Kraus. Used with permission. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.

The Halloween Treaty and Glampire Selah, Not

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:06:09 PDT

For the past nine years my daughter, Selah and I have lived a peaceful life abiding by our Halloween treaty until now. This year we both find ourselves at an impasse, and neither party wants to concede or compromise. But I’m the Queen Bee of Kingdom Stewart, so by default what I say goes. Yet, as a parent I find myself mulling over the situation. I want Selah to understand why Halloween—rather the unHalloweening-- matter to the Kingdom and to her. I want us both to win, so I sit here today the crossroads of rewriting a new treaty and with good reason.

I was brought up not to celebrate anything related to Darkness except my tin Kiss lunch box I had in third grade. So Halloween was not spoken of in our house until a few days before and usually came down more as a Don’t even Think about Trick or Treating Edict from my mother, grandmothers, and the church motherboard.

In fact, one of the mothers often said, “Trick-or-treating ain’t nothing but the devil. People dressing their children like witches. If they really knew what a witch looked like, they’d be hard pressed to celebrate it.”

Continue reading "The Halloween Treaty and Glampire Selah, Not" »

Trailer Park Tuesday: Transformation

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:50:32 PDT

Happy Tuesday. Today is our Trailer Park Tuesday. We are featuring Terri Kraus' The Transformation(David C. Cook.) I am currently reading this novel and I love it. Take a look.

Call for 2009 Christmas Themed Novels & Movies

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:40:23 PDT

I am a huge fan of Christmas movies and books. If you have a book or movie that has a Christmas them and will release during this holiday season, please hit me up on Facebook at My Office(it's a toolbox on my page)

I want to put a list together for Amazon, Chitika, Shopping.com, BlogHer and MommyBloggerClub and here. So hit me up.

Also I am still taking short story or chapter excerpts for the Christmas Carnival at Christian Fiction Online Magazine. We have some great stories. Authors who submitted I will be contacting you today.

Thanks!

Dee

November Top 10

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:55:32 PST

Happy November. Below are my top ten book picks for November enjoy!

Dee

Angel Time: The Songs of the Seraphim
Anne Rice (Hardcover - Oct 27, 2009)

Farther Than I Meant to Go, Longer Than I Meant to Stay
Tiffany L. Warren (Mass Market Paperback - Nov 1, 2009)

Breathless: A Novel
Dean Koontz (Hardcover - Nov 24, 2009)

Secrets and Lies
Rhonda McKnight (Paperback - Nov 24, 2009)

All About Us #5: Tidings of Great Boys: An All About Us Novel
Shelley Adina (Paperback - Sep 8, 2009)

Say You're One of Them (Oprah's Book Club)
Uwem Akpan (Paperback - Sep 18, 2009)

Missing, The (Seasons of Grace)
Beverly Lewis (Hardcover - Sep 8, 2009)

The Christmas List: A Novel
Richard Paul Evans (Hardcover - Oct 6, 2009)

The Christmas Secret
Donna VanLiere (Hardcover - Oct 13, 2009)

10.

Songs of Deliverance
Marilynn Griffith (Paperback - Nov 1, 2009)

NANOWRIMO: A Day Late and a Chapter Short. Tips to Getting On Track

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:58:10 PST

NANOWRIMO began yesterday. NANOWRIMO is an acronym for National Novel Writing Month. I have participated in the challenge since 2007 and am already a day behind. Which isn't good for me, but good for you. Today I want to share some mistakes I've made in the past NANOWRIMOs, so that you won't make them. In return, I ask you to help keep me on pace. Be my accountability partner, if you will.

Plot your novel before you start. The first time I participated in NANOWRIMO I thought I would write as I go, then I got bogged down with a plot point gone bad around Day 7. Save yourself the unnecessary drama plot ahead.
If you don't have a plot yet, here's a skeleton you can create in thirty minutes or less. Click here to get my Plot Point Quick Do.
Compartmentalize your book by weeks.

week 1 - the beginning & the inciting incident, setting up your story. 50 pages
week 2 - the journey- and the motivation change,. 50-100 pages
week 3- the black moment(gut check, route of real problem the main character is finally aware of, but it is too late,) climax (what we've been waiting to happen from the beginning) 100-150 pages
week 4 - the reversal,resolution and conclusion 150 - 200 pages

Write dirty. Don't care about mispellings, diction, tense, just write this thing.
Write with words six graders and below can read.
Have fun. If the story isn't fun to you, then write something else. the point of this thing is to get your juices flowing and to have fun writing.
Get some accountability partners. My id is dee stewart.

Happy Writing. I will post up tonight I hope(wink)

Dee

Trailer Park Tuesday: Intervention

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:08:35 PST

Good Tuesday. Today's Trailer Park Tuesday at Christian Fiction is

Terri Blackstock's Intervention.

Watch the book Trailer then tell me what you think:

If a Female Author Made Publisher's Weekly Top Ten Best Books List...?

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:43:02 PST

Monday, Publisher's Weekly announced it's annual Best Books of [2009.] I was excited that Victor Lavelle(Big Machine) made the list, but surprised by this statement:

It disturbed us when we were done that our list was all male. -Louisa Ermelino

All male? As in no women women writers made the list?

Out of over 50, 000 books they reviewed this year, not one of those books written by a woman made the top 10. Moreover, none were books written with a Christian worldview(point for another discussion later.)

I remember back in 2007 NPR completed a survey that suggested women read more than men about nine books a year. So hearing the news that not one book picked in 2009 were written by a woman gave me pause. Is it that the books we typically read most aren't well written? or is there a PW standard that isn't realistic for most women readers? I'm curious about this, because I was sure Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie[That Thing Around Your Neck] would have made the list this year.

Is there a female author, who published a book this year you believe should have been on the short list for the Best of 2009?

Don't forget I'm compiling the Christian Fiction Best Books of 2009 as we speak. Stay tuned. I will make my announcement in December.

Kudos again to Victor for making it. Here's a snippet of Big Machine's opening lines. Great writing for sure...

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Don’t look for dignity in public bathrooms. The most you’ll find is privacy and sticky floors. But when my boss gave me the glossy envelope, the bathroom was the first place I ran. What can I say? Lurking in toilets was my job. Click here to read more.

TMA: Thank your Favorite Blog and Blogger

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:48:18 PST

Happy Monday. I love November. It's one of the few months of the year where instead of buying gifts we give thanks. We honor those who mean a great deal to each other. This month I would like for us to also honor the blogs that have meant so much to us. I will begin with me:

Faith*In*Fiction - although new content is rare now. Bethany House AE David Long inspired some of the best Christian publishing blogs out there. He invited me into his community and have forged eternal friendships because of it, including...

See who I give thanks, then Join in on the fun at Blog Thanks Award

Trailer Park Tuesday: Sesame Street 40th Anniversary & First Lady Obama

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:28:31 PST

Welcome to this week's Trailer Park Tuesday. In honor of Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary this week's selection is this episode of First Lady Michelle Obama making a garden. Sesame Street's new season kicks off today.
Does anyone have a great Sesame Street moment? I love the Rubber Ducky Song. lol
Who's your favorite Sesame Street character? I like the Count

Happy 234th Birthday US Marine Corps

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:46:31 PST

Bonus trailer park tuesday. This month is the US Marine Corps 234th birthday. My dad is a retired Marine. He was a sharpshooting instructor at Paris Island in Buford, SC. I have a host of cousins and good friends who have served and are serving. This birthday message is from General James T. Conway 34th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

Trailer Park Tuesday: Destination Romance

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:16:18 PST

Romance Slam Jam will set sail in 2010 for it's annual conference. Rochelle Alers will keynote the fantastic cruise. But did you know that Romance Slam Jam also supports Non-Profit Foundations? This week's Trailer Park Tuesday will also feature Destination Romance.

It's an anthology where all proceeds will go to the South Side Health Center (an organization fighting to stop the spread of AIDS/HIV in the AAcommunity) Each story in the anthology will also have it's own ebook, according to Deatri.

Destination Romance: While on a cruise to Jamaica, six couples discover the “Love Boat” is a lot more than a television series from the 1980s, and this time the destination is hot, steamy romance.

As A Whisper

AlTonya Washington

Izaya Charles was devastated when Gunther Datari ended their passionate and lengthy relationship. Work keeps her going until she and Gunther meet aboard the newest ship in his fleet. Will desire or devastation be the outcome of their reunion?

Show Me!

Barbara Keaton

Cammie's life would never be the same following a chance meeting (or so she thought) with Jacques, a man many years her junior who would grant her unselfish, unbridled passion!

Trapped In Paradise

Deatri King-Bey

After escaping an abusive marriage, Saundra Write swore never to allow anyone to trap her again. Then comes along Jeremy King, the kind of man any woman would beg to be trapped in paradise with.

Seaside Seduction

A.C. Arthur

Mac should be the last person to teach his best friend to love and trust when he’s been lying to her for years. And now that his game is up, he can only hope the beautiful Caribbean days and sensual seaside nights will be enough to make CJ dismiss the mistakes of the past to sail towards a brighter future?

On My Knees

Dyanne Davis

Carmen placed everything before love until love was nothing more than the stories told in romance novels. Aaron is an accomplished romance author, but wants the real thing. A cruise brings the two together. Renewed

love, with a healthy dose of lust, works to keep them together.

More And More

Niobia Bryant

Mocha Nivens enjoys the casual nature of her long-term, long-distance relationship with businessman Dean Kincaid, but she ends it when he moves back to town wanting more. When Dean dates other women, Mocha realizes what

she’s lost, but is it to late to claim the love shedeserves?

No Answers: New Moon, NANOWRIMO

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:53:19 PST

When I have no answers for my own questions, I come here to the blog. Maybe you guys can help a girl out....

Next week my BFF, Natasha and I are donning are Team Tee's to see an early release of New Moon. Yeah, we can't believe it either.

For the past six years(since we turned 30s) we've hosted our annual 13 going on 30 Weekend. We hang out with the teeny boppers in the day, then turn into grown women at night. It's a blast. But last year our 13 going on 30 weekend turned into a book buying, girlfriend bonding, hilarity when we chose to see Twilight, the movie.

Since then we've read all the books, including the not released Midnight Sun partial, watched the DVD and Blue Rays countless times, and participated in local Twilight event.s Honey, we have no shame in our game about our Team Edward vs Team Jacob fascination. In fact, this month we both agreed to reread New Moon again so we can be prepped for next week's BFF Day. That's how deep we are into this fru fru ness.

Now understand I'm participating in NANOWRIMO again. I have yet to write a word. I just don't feel inspired by my characters yet. So I wondered how did Stephanie Meyers come up with Bella, Jacob and Edward? What in the world did she do to write a story loved by so many women across religion, race, age, class? Really I wanted an excuse to throw in my writing pens and sit down. To me there's no sense in writing weak.

So I popped in the movie and found a special features interview on the DVD where Meyers shares that Twilight was the product of a really good dream. She didn't want to forget the dream so she woke up the next morning and participated in her own version of NANOWRIMO.

Does that mean I need to get sleep or dream better? LOL

Weekend Review: Derek Fisher's Character Driven

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:06:19 PST

Happy Friday. This weekend. I'm reading Derek Fisher's Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketbal (Touchstone, Sep. 2009)

For those of you who don't know who Derek Fisher is. He's spent thirteen seasons in the NBA playing for Los Angels Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Utah Jazz. He is the president of the NBA and most importantly, a Christian father and husband.

In this book he shares:

How his faith has helped him on and off the court in the face of adversity.
How he used skills he had perfected in his career to help him deal with his daughter's illness(you have to read his story.)
His on court ritual before he shoots a free throw
and more

I like how the chapters are broken down into life principles. My favorite chapter so far is Making Good Choices. He talks about meeting his wife, Candace(who was a single mom at the time) and the choices he made that eventually made her his wife. I love reading a male's perspective on marriage, grappling with his religious conceit about Candace's social status as a single mom. and what his faith taught him about overcoming being judgmental and surrendering to how God sees us all. Aww....so sweet.

Anyway, ladies if your son, husband, daddy is an NBA buy this book for you. He teaches you the rules of basketball, so you now can hold a conversation lol. Also get this book for your special men they would enjoy it. This is also a great tool for singles ministry, Christian parenting, wedding guilds, male book clubs, and so many others. Kudos to Touchstone and Derek.

So You Want to Be a Work At Home Mom?

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:19:18 PST

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card authors are:

Jill Hart

and

Diana Ennen

and the book:

So You Want To Be A Work-At-Home Mom: A Christian's Guide To Starting a Home-Based Business

Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City (August 15, 2009)

***Special thanks to Jill Hart for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORs:

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a co-author of the upcoming book So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at http://AskJill.cwahm.com/.

Visit the author's website.

Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing. Diana has worked from home for over 25 years and is passionate about PR, Publicity and Marketing & helping others Start their Own Virtual Assistant Business. Follow Diana on twitter at www.twitter.com/dianaennen.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $15.99
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City (August 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0834124661
ISBN-13: 978-0834124660

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Making the Choice to Stay Home

Today’s moms are passionate women who want both careers and families without having to give up precious time with their children. They’re searching for ways to have it all, and they’re finding that it’s possible to work from home and at the same time balance a family.

It may sound like a dream, but it’s not. It does start with a dream, though.

A few fortunate women fall into a job or business that allows them to work at home, but it isn’t that easy for most women. To find a way to stay at home while still contributing to their family financially is something that many women long for but few know how to achieve. We hope to make it easier for you.

Being Content at Home

You might have expected us to immediately launch into a chapter about how wonderful life can be if you work at home. However, with the authors having worked from home many years, we realized that you first need to be content in your home life to make it work. The focus of your mind is where true happiness lies. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Before beginning your search for a career that will allow you to work from home, it’s important to remember that God has put you where you are for a reason. It may be for a season of your life, or it could possibly be long-term. Either way, trust that God will provide what’s best for you, and that may look a little different than what you think is best.

Being a mom and working outside the home can be incredibly challenging. Coordinating schedules, running kids to and fro, and being so tired by evening that you don’t have the energy to enjoy your kids take their toll. However, being a work-at-home mom every day, all day, presents its own unique challenges. It can become monotonous, even tedious. The kids, the house, the responsibilities—the list goes on and on. In either case, it can feel downright impossible to have an attitude of gratitude. The road can be hard, but in the end, your life will be less stressful and more satisfying if you can overcome discontentment. Following are some ideas for building contentment.

Be Grateful

One of the hardest attitudes to achieve is that of gratefulness. It’s easy to get caught up in the negatives that happen each day. However, it’s important to be grateful for each and every blessing that God gives.

Make a list of things in your life that you’re grateful for. You can start your list with your family and the opportunity to work from home, and continue from there. Take the time to thank God for each of the things on your list. As you begin to develop a grateful attitude, you’ll begin to notice more and more things each day you can add to your list.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Give Back

Changing your attitude is the first step to finding contentment. Reaching out and helping others is a proven way to change your attitude. When you extend help and graciousness to others, it can’t help but benefit you as well.

Find someone who needs a friend, and make a conscious effort to reach out to him or her every week or every month. Or find a ministry that you admire, and get involved. You’ll be surprised what investing something of yourself in others will do for your attitude. If you’re running a business from home, you may be able to bless others with a product they can’t afford or a special discount that will brighten their day. Maybe you can mentor someone. Be careful, though, that you don’t get so involved in helping others that you neglect your own business.

Choose to Accept Your Situation

A key component of contentment is acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean you don’t strive to better your life. It simply means that you make peace with where you are in life at this time.

There will always be more to attain—more money, more prestige. If you spend your life focused on what you don’t have or what you haven’t attained in life, you’ll be sad indeed. Celebrate each and every success, no matter how big or how small.

Examine your life and see all that is good in it. Each good thing is a gift from God. Accept that He is with you at this point in time. He’ll be with you in every success and every setback. Nothing you do will make Him love you more, and there’s nothing you can do that will make Him love you less.

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Focus on Christ

This may sound like a cliché, but it’s easy to allow focus to move from the Lord to self. When moms work at home, the needs of family, business, and self can sometimes be all-consuming, leaving little time to meet spiritual needs. But focusing on your relationship with the Lord is what should come first. If your relationship with Christ is weak, all other relationships will be affected.

Here are practices that will help keep you focused on Him:

1. Read your Bible every day. Make the commitment to read at least one verse every day. The Book of Proverbs is a good place to start, or start with verses from the Gospel of John for a close look at the life of Christ. As you progress to reading more each day, consider purchasing a Bible that will guide you through reading the whole Bible in a year. There are also versions available that will lead you through the Bible in ninety days.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8).

2. Cultivate an active prayer life. You can pray anytime and anywhere—when you’re driving, putting on your makeup, cooking, even as you drift off to sleep at night. Take advantage of these precious moments to spend them with your Heavenly Father.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

3. Meditate on the Word of God. When you find a verse or verses that have deep meaning for you, allow your mind to dwell on them, and let them soak into your spirit. A good starting point might be Romans 8:38-39—“I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Make note of the verses you’ve chosen, and jot down thoughts or ideas that they bring to mind. Keep your mind focused on Him, and be in prayer that He will open your eyes to what He would have you learn from the verses.

4. Wait. Contentment will not be attained overnight. Feelings of discontentment will push their way in. When they do, look through your life to bring to mind the ways God has changed you, the things He’s done to bring you closer to an attitude of contentment. Contentment comes in His timing, so allow Him the time to work in your life.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him

(Psalm 37:7).

If the temptation to wallow in discontentment continues to present itself, find someone who will hold you accountable—someone you can trust to be kind but firm who will speak the truth to you lovingly.

When you’re feeling dissatisfied or frustrated, give your accountability partner a call, and be honest about your feelings. Every mom gets frustrated; you’re certainly not alone. When you find someone you can talk with honestly, it will be an excellent help in overcoming negative thoughts and feelings. Accountability partners know each other on a very real and honest level and still accept and love each other. This allows both of you the opportunity to be supported as well as supportive.

Contentment may seem elusive, but with prayerful deliberation it can be achieved and will bring you more joy and peace than you can imagine. Start working toward an attitude of contentment today.

When your mind and heart are in a good place, it’s time to begin thinking about the choices that are available to you. Can you work from home? Should you work at home? And how in the world do you begin your search for success?

Setting Priorities in Business and at Home

Working from home, particularly if you’re running your own business, is a time-consuming endeavor—especially for moms. You’re responsible not only for the success of the business but for your family as well. You must be self-reliant, self-motivated, and self-disciplined in order to attain success in both areas.

When you work at home, it’s easy to let phone calls, e-mail, and paperwork keep you tied down and cause you to feel you don’t have time to take a break or choose to spend top-quality time with your family. Maybe you’ve noticed that you spend more time in front of your computer or on the phone than you expected to when you made the decision to work at home. Maybe you see your kids acting up and trying to get your attention. Maybe the work-at-home dream you envisioned isn’t happening.

You started out with noble intentions, but now the excitement of success in your business has caused you to lose sight of the primary reason you chose this path. It happens to many of us who work at home, so don’t worry. Help is on the way.

She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard (Proverbs 31:16).

Here are five tips for setting priorities in your life and business:

First, be honest. You probably didn’t start your work-at-home career to climb the corporate ladder. Spend some time in prayer, and ask the Lord to show you the things you need to change.

Take a few minutes to answer the following questions about how you’ve been handling the time commitment of owning a business.

• Are you spending too much time on the phone with clients?

• Do you think about business to the point that you’re distracted when you’re doing family activities?

• Is television getting more top-quality time with your children than you are?

• Do you snap at your children because of the stresses of your business?

Second, make a list. Sit down and write out a list of things you see that you would like to change. This can be a list of tasks you can do differently, such as limiting the time you spend on your business or ways you can reduce stress so you can deal kindly with your family.

Third, log your time. Buy a notebook or create a spreadsheet to log the time you spend on business. Make a column for each day across the top and a row of half-hour increments down the side. Time yourself every time you sit down at your desk by writing “in” in the box that corresponds to the time and day. Every time you leave your desk or complete a task, write “out” in the appropriate box.

At the end of the week, total up the hours you’ve spent each day on business tasks. Take special note of how much time you spend on e-mail and things that aren’t billable. Are you surprised, or is it about where you thought it would be? This can be a real eye-opener and show you in black and white if your priorities have gotten off track.

Fourth, take a break. If you’re in shock after examining your time log, it’s time to take a break. If you normally work during the weekend, make it a point to take this weekend off. Shut down your e-mail, turn off the ringer on your business phone, and shut the door to your office.

Plan ahead and schedule your time. Prioritize your workload, and have the work that will require the most effort and concentration scheduled for your peak time. Try not to get sidetracked; stay on task and focus on what you need to do. For example, you’ll be amazed by how much more you can accomplish by changing the way you handle e-mail. If you answer it only at scheduled times, you’ll find you have more time to do the tasks at hand.

Reevaluate the ways you’re spending your time. Try to plan when you can work on your business without losing time with your children. If your children are in school, make it a point to stop working when they get home. If your children are still small, try to plan your time accordingly. Perhaps a babysitter for several hours or days a week is necessary. Another possibility would be to have a grandparent or neighbor watch them once or twice a week to allow you time to work without interruptions.

Fifth, plan an activity. Now that you’re ready to make a change in your routine, why not plan an activity once a week? This can be an outing with your children or something simple, like setting aside time to make cookies together. You’ll notice that when you plan for these times, they actually happen.

If possible, find another work-at-home mom, and hold one another accountable to keep to your new schedules. Make a weekly play date for your children to spend time together. You and your friend can talk business if necessary, or you may decide to make it a “no business talk allowed” time.

Remember that the years you can work at home and have time with your children are a gift; your business is a gift also. How that will work for you and your family will take a little time to determine and will be different for each family. Take the time to find what works for you, and set your schedule accordingly. Reevaluate your priorities every few months to make sure that you’re making the best use of your time. The rewards will be well worth it. Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him (Psalm 127:3).

So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom, by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen © 2009 by Jill Hart, Diana Ennen, and Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, Kansas City, MO. Used by permission of Publisher. All rights reserved. Visit www.beaconhillbooks.com to purchase this title.

The 2009 Free African-American Christmas Play Download Black

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:30:15 PST

Finally! My 2009 Black Christmas Play, The Case of the Missing Christmas Baby Jesus is available for download. Click here to get it. Enjoy! I will be uploading the Christmas Cupcake Recipe to go along with it this weekend.

Is Harlequin Horizons a better view for Writers?

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:33:08 PST

In the past month we have learned that Thomas Nelson has relaunched Westbow Press as a self-publishing leg and Harlequin has followed suit with Horizons. Both use the same Self-publishing company, Author Solutions.
This news is so huge that most of the blogs, my emails, message board discussions and writing online groups I belong to can't stop harping on it. So I might as well add my two cents to it.

Who Cares?

Let's be honest here:

there were more self-pubbed books released last year than traditional publishers
last year publishing houses laid off staff and some filed bankruptcy because the psychographics of readers changed. book buyers aren't always readers. more are souvenir purchasers, and growing (think Twilight, President Barack Obama coffee table books, and novelized books)
the economy still needs a good plumber and money is funny, honey
smartphones have direct relation to epublishing success, which opens the door for stories to be created in many forms besides books
The Shack is still a New York Times Bestseller
everyone you know thinks that writing a book is the next come up. so no matter what you say or warn them regarding using POD as a solution, they ain't drinking your milk

Really...
Really?
Really.

So why lose your mind?

What gets me is that most of the hateration about these new changes are coming from traditionally published authors. Really...lol.

It's laughable to me all the time that was wasted this week on this topic. Yes i believe that independent publishing is a viable solution for many. I represent clients who are doing that(mainly ministers, business owners and public speakers) through Lightening Source as small press owners. However, I know plenty folks who would still would rather cut corners then write a compelling, relevant, page-turning book, create a business plan that includes funding marketing and/or publishing the read, becoming educated about the publishing industry, so that they can come out the gate in the best way the first time. In other words, folks want something for nothing.

My last cent on this topic is simple. There is no cheap and easy route to publication. If it was, then the reward would be cheapened. You understand?

Weekend Chatterbox: Is The Princess and The Frog Just for African American Girls?

vidae@writing.com (Dee Stewart) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:56:49 PST

I'm so excited. Tomorrow I'm on the hunt to get Tiana. I was in Toys R Us on Monday. There was one doll in the store. I should have bought, but didn't. I hope I get another chance. Selah definitely wants one and I want one for myself and we want one for Selah's BFF. So wish us well.
My chatterbox question for you is do you think The Princess and the Frog is a Disney Movie just for African American girls?
My daughter has DVDs of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, even Enchanted. Never did I say to her that those movies were just for White girls. But I wonder, will non-African American parents take their daughters? I ask this because I've received so many emails in the past regarding why white readers don't read books written by black authors. They think the stories aren't for them or that they were not invited somehow. To my white, asian and latina readers I invite you to come out. If you're in Atlanta, meet me at Discover Mills on Thanksgiving to see it with us.
What do you think? Share your opinion. This blog is a safe place to say what's on your mind or you can tweet or facebook me a private message.

Dee