Wednesday, September 21, 2011

CATHOLIC VIDEO CONTEST

For more than ten years "The Great Adventure" Bible Study Program has helped hundreds of thousands of Catholics discover the "big picture" of the Bible. By uncovering the central story woven throughout Scripture, "The Great Adventure" studies have provided many people with a guided tour through the story of the Bible. Now "The Great Adventure" is giving one person and a companion the opportunity to experience a guided tour of the Holy Land itself with Jeff and Emily Cavins.


"Every day we hear of Catholics who have participated in our Bible studies and experienced a profound impact in their faith," says Matthew Pinto, president of Ascension Press. "We would like to share these amazing stories with others so they too will be encouraged to open their Bibles and begin an encounter with the Living God in Scripture."

"The Great Adventure" is inviting people to submit a video responding to the question "How has the story of Scripture enriched my life and my faith?" Videos will be judged initially by "The Great Adventure" team, who will select the finalists. The finalists will then be voted on by the general public. The winning video will be selected by "The Great Adventure" Team based upon the video's popularity, quality, and creativity. A Grand Prize of a pilgrimage for two to the Holy Land will be awarded to the winning video. Other prizes will be awarded for 2nd and 3rd places, as well as honorable mentions. Videos should be submitted online at www.BibleStudyContest.com by October 24th, 2011. Winners will be announced on November 18th, 2011.

"We want to make the Story of Scripture a tangible and accessible part of life for Catholics," says Jeff Cavins, creator of "The Great Adventure" Bible Study Program. "Seeing, visiting, and walking among the actual places where the biblical events occurred can help us understand Scripture on an entirely new level."

Detailed information on eligibility, rules, and participation is available at www.BibleStudyContest.com. For more information about the contest, or to request an interview, please contact John Harden at (610) 696-7795 ext. 200 or jharden@ascensionpress.com.

HARPERONE LAUNCHES SMALLGROUPGUIDES.COM

HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today the launch of SmallGroupGuides.com, a web site offering reading and discussion guides for a wide variety of HarperOne books of interest to the whole spectrum of the Christian community. With questions thoughtfully crafted by the authors and editors of each book, the guides facilitate in-depth conversations at church study groups and book clubs.


Organized by topic, which include Bible and Christian Thought, Spirituality and the Church, and Hot Topics, the guides are available for free to view in a browser or to download as a PDF file. The site houses both frontlist and backlist titles with new titles added every month.

The site also provides easy-to-use directions and tips for leading a fun, interesting discussion, allowing groups to explore issues most important to both congregants and church leadership.

SmallGroupGuides.com, along with HarperOne's monthly e-newsletter News & Pews, was specifically developed in response to the needs of churches as expressed in focus groups conducted by HarperOne. SVP and Publisher Mark Tauber says, "SmallGroupGuides advances HarperOne's vision to collaborate with church communities. We are delighted to make this resource easily accessible for churches and other organizations wanting to ignite rich, lively discussions about our books."

NEWSLETTER FOR SCRIPT WRITERS

10 days left!

September 30th is the final deadline for subscribing to the Preferred Newsletter (to begin receiving it on October 6). This e-newsletter informs you of the script needs for 4-8 companies per week. It tells you what those companies are searching for right now.

If you miss this deadline, you’ll have to wait 2 more months before you can get on the list!

Subscribe now! www.InkTip.com/news_subscribe.php

Jerrol LeBaron
CEO, InkTip
Getting the Right Script into the Right Hands.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

TWO WRITING WORKSHOPS OFFERED

Join Author Trisha Petty for two writing workshops


Monday, October 3rd

• Writing for the Generations - Your Story 10:30-Noon

• Writing 101- Do I Really Need An Outline? 4:00-7:00 pm

Location:   Collierville Burch Library - Halle Room (Memphis?)
Call the information desk at 457-2602 to Sign-up

Trisha has co-authored 13 novels and worked as a Production Assistant contributing story boards and character development to projects such as “Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn,” “North and South,” and “Paint Your Wagon.”

Also, she writes historical novels with a Christian perspective.

STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

The 2011 Maryknoll Student Essay Contest from Maryknoll magazine for middle school and high school students is addressing the rising concern about bullying. The assignment for the 22nd annual contest asks students to tell a story about how they or someone they know experienced bullying and then to explain how Jesus might tell those involved to handle the situation.

Maryknoll is published by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, the chief mission outreach of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States that serves a variety of people in 28 countries that include the U.S. The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers share God's love combating poverty, providing healthcare, building communities and promoting human rights.

More than 5,000 students competed for $2,900 in cash prizes during the 2010 Maryknoll Student Essay Contest. The awards remain the same for the 2011 contest, with $1,000 provided to each of the two first place finalists, $300 awarded to each of the two second place finalists and $150 provided to each of the two third place award recipients.

The contest focuses on a specific Christian message each year and is open to all students in grades six to eight (Division I) and grades nine to 12 (Division II). Only one entry is permitted per student. One first place winner, one second place winner and one third place winner will be recognized from each of the two divisions. The division category must be clearly identified on each submission. Essay length is 500 to 750 words and the postmark deadline for all entries is Thursday, December 1, 2011.

Flyers announcing the 2011 contest have been mailed to approximately 38,000 Catholic schools and Catholic parish religious education programs in the U.S. Students of any religious denomination inside or outside the U.S. may enter. Essays must be prepared in English.

The flyers contain the complete contest rules and submission guidelines. For more information, call the Maryknoll Student Essay Contest hotline at 1-888-627-9566 x2368, or visit www.maryknollsociety.org/essay.

Parents, teachers and students can learn more about this issue by listening to "Bullying: K thru Life" that aired on Maryknoll's Voices of Our World radio program on June 26, 2011. Visit www.voicesofourworld.org and click on "downloads."

Monday, September 19, 2011

SHORT SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The 12th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story competition is underway. Deadline for entries is November 15, 2011. You could win $3,000 and a trip to the Writer's Digest Conference when you send in your fiction that's bold, brilliant--but brief. Entries must be 1,500 words or less. Enter online at writersdigest.com/short.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 25

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list, and the paperback nonfiction list; and #2 on the e-Book nonfiction list, and the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the e-Book nonfiction list, and #4 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list.

The Hour That Matters Most by Les Parrott (Tyndale House) is #1 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Mercy by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House) is #2 on the paperback trade fiction list, #8 on the combined hardcover and paperback fiction list, and #16 on the combined print and e-Book fiction list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #3 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #4 on the monthly hardcover business book list.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #5 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer (FaithWords) is #5 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin Malarkey and Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #8 on the paperback nonfiction list; #21 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list; #25 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #35 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #9 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Love Wins by Rob Bell (HarperOne/HarperCollins) is #10 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #10 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #11 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle (David C. Cook) is #12 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H) is #13 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Healing by Wanda E. Brunstetter. (Barbour) is #13 on the paperback trade fiction list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #19 on the paperback nonfiction list, and #35 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list.

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory (Thomas Nelson) is #19 on the hardcover nonfiction list, #20 on the e-Book nonfiction list, #30 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list, and #34 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #26 on the e-Book nonfiction list, and #35 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker (HarperCollins) is #26 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #27 on the paperback nonfiction list.

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller (Riverhead) is #29 on the paperback nonfiction list.

LARGE LAYOFF AT FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

Focus on the Family announced the elimination of 49 jobs today, citing the ongoing, and in many quarters worsening, economic downturn as necessitating the move.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

NEW MARKETING HELP FOR CHRISTIAN WRITERS

When submitting to publishers, it is essential that you first study their writers' guidelines and send them exactly what they ask for. However, finding those guidelines is often difficult. For that reason I have just developed a new CD to make your job easier. The CD lists the periodical publishers and the book publishers that include guidelines on their Website. Next to each name is a hotlink to their Website and in some cases directly to their guidelines. A huge time-saver.

For the rest of September the CD will be available for just $5.00. (Starting in October it will be $10.) You can order it and pay by check, PayPal, or credit card. I don't have a spot for it on my Website yet, but if you want to order it in the Website bookstore, just order any $5 item and include a message that it's for the Writers' Guidelines CD. Website: http://www.stuartmarket.com/. PayPal orders to: stuartcwmg@aol.com. Mailed orders to: 15935 SW Greens Way, Tigard OR 97224. Or you can can email or call credit card info to: 503-642-9844.

Sally

10th ANNUAL INDIANAPOLIS CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE

Held November 4–5, 2011 at The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters in Fishers, Ind., the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference will feature authors Angela Hunt and Todd Burpo. With over 3 million books sold, Christy Award winner Angela Hunt, headlines this year’s conference with featured guest Todd Burpo, author of the New York Times #1 non-fiction book, Heaven is for Real. To register and learn more about the 25 skill-building workshops and consultations, visit www.IndyChristianWritersConf.com. Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference is sponsored by Wesleyan Publishing House.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS - WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 18

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #1 on the paperback nonfiction list and the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list; and #2 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list and the e-Book nonfiction list.


Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #1 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #3 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin Malarkey and Alex Malarkey (Tyndale House) is #6 on the paperback nonfiction list; and #14 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list; #17 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list; and #34 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

Radical by David Platt (Multnomah) is #7 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan) is #7 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle (David C. Cook) is #10 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H) is #11 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Zondervan) is #12 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

Love Wins by Rob Bell (HarperOne/HarperCollins) is #13 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #13 on the paperback advice & misc. list.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson) is #4 on the monthly hardcover business book list and #15 on the hardcover advice & misc. list.

Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker (HarperCollins) is #18 on the hardcover nonfiction list and #33 on the combined hardcover & paperback nonfiction list.

The Sacred Acre - The Ed Thomas Story by Mark Tabb (Zondervan) is #25 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

90 Minutes In Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker) is #26 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory (Thomas Nelson) is #27 on the e-Book nonfiction list, #31 on the combined print and e-Book nonfiction list, and #33 on the hardcover nonfiction list.

Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler (Tyndale House) is #31 on the e-Book nonfiction list.

Monday, September 12, 2011

MWW MINI-CONFERENCE OCTOBER 8TH

On Saturday, October 8, Midwest Writers will offer "Make Money Writing in Tough Times" at the Putnam County Library, Greencastle, IN from 9 am to 12 pm.

This mini-workshop is open to persons interested in learning more about writing and in furthering their writing careers. Participants will learn from presenters with extensive writing credits about ways to "break in" to fiction or nonfiction, writing fiction and mysteries, and what agents want.
Featured Speakers: Terence Faherty, special guest for the day, is the author of two mystery series, the Shamus-winning Scott Elliott private eye series, set in the golden age of Hollywood, and the Edgar-nominated Owen Keane series, which follows the adventures of a failed seminarian turned metaphysical detective. His short fiction, which appears regularly in mystery magazines and anthologies, has won the Macavity Award and been nominated for the Anthony and the Derringer.

Cathy Shouse has had hundreds of stories published in newspapers and magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post and Family Fun. She is a former contributing writer for Focus on the Family and was named a 2007 MWW Fellow for fiction. Her first book, Images of America: Fairmount was released in 2010. She is a frequent presenter at Midwest Writers special events.

Dr. Dennis Hensley, who has written six novels, is the author of How to Write What You Love and Make a Living at It (Harper-Collins). A MWW committee member, he has written 51 books and published more than 3,000 articles in major periodicals. He is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences throughout the country. His many awards include the prestigious Elizabeth Sherrill Lifetime Achievement Award.

Participants will receive $20 certificates toward the cost of attending the 39th annual MWW workshop, scheduled in Muncie, IN, July 26-28, 2012. The Friends of the Putnam County Public Library will provide light refreshments. For more information and to register contact the Reference Desk at 765-653-2755, ex. 124 or ex. 115. Note: Registration is required. The $10 payment will be taken at the door on the day of the event only. Seating is limited. Early registration is encouraged.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

REQUEST FOR "STORM STORIES"

Editor Gayle Sampson is looking for riveting testimonies from women who have survived the storms of life. All testimonies must be mailed to: stormstories1@aol.com. A cut off date has not been decided as yet. Please put all stories in a word document using Times New Roman and 12 pt. font. Word limit is 500-600 words. Submit a photo with the testimeny. Refer all question and concerns to the e-mail listed above. No mention of payment, but it would be a writing credit.

BIBLICALLY BASED GAME MAKES GOOD

First Biblically Based Facebook Game Journey of Moses Receives High Reviews. Facebook users and critics help Moses game grow since August debut.

Facebook's first biblically-based game, Journey of Moses, continues to receive high accolades from both users and reviewers since its mid-August launch.

Rapidly growing in monthly active users, the Journey of Moses game, which takes players through the twists and turns of milestones in the life of Moses, has been rated a 4.4 out of five stars on Facebook. In addition, several game critics and media outlets have written positive reviews of the game, such as:

"It's a well-polished game with amusing visuals and a surprising amount of depth, much more so than Vatican Wars or Holy Town." -- AOL Games blog

"The Journey of Moses, like Facebook itself, is addictive, and advancement through the game, in which there is 'no winning or losing,' is contingent on social connections." -- CNN Belief blog

"The very fact that this game does a pretty good job of clearly relating these events [of Moses' life] in such a simple format like a Facebook game is pretty impressive ... Besides, if you're going to waste time on Facebook playing a game, why not play a well-made one that's about the Bible?" -- Hollywood Jesus

"With relatively few games sporting religious themes, this title has seen its usage skyrocket since launching earlier this month." -- Inside Social Games

Growing at over 200,000 players, Journey of Moses, like many other social games, provides a forum for community, entertainment and gaming with friends. The game is free to play, though as with other Facebook games players can purchase goods along the way to help enhance their experience.

The game was created by Hexify, which is located in Mountain View, Calif., and has focused on building highly engaging games. For more information, visit www.hexify.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional information, visit the online newsroom at www.alrcnewskitchen.com/journeyofmoses.

8TH ANNUAL PEN TO PAPER LITERARY SYMPOSIUM

Dayton-based publishing company, Pen of the Writer, hosts the eighth annual Pen to Paper Literary Symposium on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Delco Park, 1707 Delco Park Drive, Kettering, OH 45420. Sessions begin at 9 AM.


Since 2004, the Pen to Paper Literary Symposium has helped hundreds of aspiring writers and authors learn the premise of writing and the elements of publishing. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about the book industry and gain personal and professional perspectives from published authors. Breakfast, conference journals and giveaways will be provided.

About Valerie J. Lewis Coleman

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, bestselling author of Blended Families An Anthology and The Forbidden Secrets of the Goody Box, will provide over a decade of expertise in the publishing industry in sessions such as Judging a Book By Its Contents and Millionaire Mindset for the Self-Published Author. Dubbed "The Dr. Oz of Publishing" by previous symposium attendees, Coleman will launch a how-to guide entitled Self-Publishing Made Easy in December 2011. This title contains insider information including

The formula for writing, publishing and marketing a bestseller

How to avoid the top five mistakes made by new authors

How to price your book to sell

Industry secrets publishers don't want you to know

Proven methods to generate funds for your book project

About Karen MR Townsend, PhD
Dr. Karen M.R. Townsend, author of It All Started When I Stopped Using Lotion- One Woman's Journey From Chaos to Calm, will reveal pre-release marketing strategies in the session If Only I Had Listened to My Publisher: Strategies for Marketing Your Book Before It's Published! Townsend is the president and CEO of KTownsend Consulting and founder of About My Sisters, an organization dedicated to addressing the distinct needs of women and girls.

About Pen of the Writer
Pen of the Writer is the vision of Dayton native, Valerie J. Lewis Coleman. The company was created to provide writers and authors with a smooth transition through the publishing process. To obtain a complete agenda and registration information, contact Whitney White at 888.802.1802, info@valeriejlcoleman.com or visit PenOfTheWriter.com.

HEART OF AMERICA WRITERS CONFERENCE

From: Betty Ost-Everley

Phone: 816-444-1010
E-mail: baost@hotmail.com
Message:

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sally Danley, Information Coordinator
Phone: 816-313-1892
Email: srdsonshine@sbcglobal.net

EDITORS, AGENTS SEEK TALENTED WRITERS IN KANSAS CITY
(Kansas City, MO) – Over twenty editors and agents, representing a broad variety of genres, publication elements and religious denominational viewpoints, will be in the Kansas City area on November 10 – 12, 2011 for the Heart of America Christian Writers Network’s (HACWN) annual fall conference. “Such a Time As This” will be held at Colonial Presbyterian Church’s Quivira Campus at 12501 W. 137th Street in Overla nd Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri.

The editors and agents, along with professional members of HACWN, will act as faculty for the conference, presenting over 60 workshops on various elements of writing for publication and pleasure. Conferees can also meet with individuals to help them with their writing skills and sales.

“We’re thrilled to have so many publishing leaders as faculty for the conference,” said Jeanette Littleton, co-director of HACWN. “This is a wonderful opportunity for writers. In recent years, several have come away from the conference with valuable contacts, leading to book contracts and other publication successes.”

Those scheduled to lead conference workshops include:
Editors:
Linda Canup, In Touch Magazine
Sherri Langton, Bible Advocate
Craig Von Buseck, CBN Website
Trieste Von Wyngarden, DaySpring Cards
Melissa Hammer, WordAction Curriculum
Duane Brush, St andard, Reflecting God Devotions
Jesse Florea, Clubhouse Magazine

Thursday, September 1, 2011

CHRISTIAN STORE WEEK--SIGN UP NOW

Authors and illustrators, sign up now for Christian Store Week, coming to a Christian store near you October 1-10, 2011.


Christian Store Week is an annual industry-wide celebration of local Christian stores, the life-changing products they carry, and the ministry they provide to their communities. Participating stores will be running fantastic sales all week long, hosting author/illustrator events, giving away prizes, and selling an exclusive CD to benefit World Vision’s efforts in raising awareness to help feed hungry children worldwide.

Last year’s inaugural Christian Store Day (October 23, 2010) by the numbers:

475 store events held

$60,000 raised for relief efforts in Haiti

79 Zondervan authors and illustrators participated

Here’s how you can partner with your local Christian stores for Christian Store Week 2011.

It’s easy to sign up!

1. Visit participate.christianstoreweek.com

2. Provide your name and email to sign up

3. Put in your zip code and select participating stores near you

4. The stores you choose will be notified that you are interested in an event and the store manager will contact you to set something up.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at Christian Store Week!