Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 38

Happy birthday to my blog!

Twelve years and 2,160 posts ago, I sat down to write my first blog post.

In that post, I said I would writing about my current projects, sharing writing and editing tips, and covering electronic publishing. While I’ve done those things, I’ve added other subjects.

The word cloud in the sidebar shows that the most-used words in my blog are Advent, devotion, Lent, prayer, and Scripture. That’s because I have posted a daily devotion that includes a Scripture and a prayer every Advent and Lent for a number of years.

I’ve done author interviews and book reviews; covered causes dear to my heart; written about blogging and social media; talked about business (primarily the business of freelancing); shared thoughts, memories, and tidbits about my life; and published guest posts on a variety of topics.

Thank you to all of you who continue to read the blog. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I enjoy writing it!

Image: © Depositphotos.com/AlexLipa

Reviewing Again

I have been writing book reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads for many years. I read a lot of books that I receive free from authors’ promotions, and a brief review is my thank-you for the free book.

After I had written a lot of reviews, I started getting requests for review from authors who offered me free books. Then I started getting requests to review other products and acquired some nice products for free or deeply discounted as a result. Then Amazon changed its rules to disqualify incentivized reviews, reviews for which reviewers were given free products or deep discounts.

I had a number of free products I was testing at the time and felt bad that I couldn’t review them as promised. So I started a review blog and reviewed all the products there.

I have tried extremely hard to follow all the rules as they changed. Years ago, it was acceptable for reviewers to review books even if they had a relationship with the book or author. I wrote reviews of books I edited but always stated that in the review. When that was disallowed, I discontinued it.

When incentivized reviews were disallowed, I made sure that neither the sellers nor I circumvented Amazon’s policies. Many sellers now ask reviewers to purchase the product, then the seller reimburses the reviewer after the review is posted; some even add a bonus to the reimbursement. I have refused every offer I’ve had to do this or anything even remotely questionable in my mind. Whether or not I agree with the rules, Amazon has the right to make whatever rules it chooses on its site, and if I want to use its site, I agree to abide by its rules.

Since I usually read at least five or six books a week, I often post several reviews at one time. A couple of weeks ago, I started to post the reviews for the books I’d read the previous week. I got a strange message that I wasn’t allowed to review the book because Amazon had determined that my previous review on that book indicated I had a relationship with the author. This was on a book I had never read or reviewed before, by an author I’d never heard of until I saw the promotion for a free book. Thinking it was a glitch, I tried to review another book. The same thing happened–on all the books I tried to review. Then I went to my profile page. Instead of more than 1500 reviews, the page showed 0 reviews!

I contacted Amazon customer service regarding the issue. The customer service representative said she would send the issue to a review team to investigate. I should get a response within twenty-four to forty-eighty hours. No response. Several days later, I tried again–with the same results. And again. And again. And again.

Finally, I received a brief message from Amazon that my reviews and reviewing privileges had been restored! Now I have to post the thirty-plus reviews I’ve written on Goodreads and my review blog in the meantime to Amazon.

I always read reviews when deciding to make a purchase–even a free one, and I’m glad to once again be able to share my opinions with Amazon customers.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/iqoncept

Memories

Today is our fifty-first wedding anniversary. We were together forty-five years before God called Jack home in 2012.

This morning, a friend took me to visit Jack’s grave then to lunch. I came home and re-read Jack Stories: Favorite Memories of Jack Jordan Ammann Jr., the book of stories about my late husband that I compiled and edited after his death.

I always knew how extraordinary he was, but I realize I’m a tad bit biased. I was so blessed with family and friends sharing stories about his impact on their lives that I wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the anecdotes. Working on the book helped me through the early months after his death, and re-reading the stories periodically blesses me anew each time.

People who didn’t know Jack enjoy the stories, which bring smiles, tears, and laughter. Re-living these precious memories is a wonderful way for me to commemorate this day.

Memorial Day 2018

Today is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember all who have died in military service. This is not the day to honor living veterans, although we are grateful for their service. They are honored on Veterans Day, November 11. Today is specifically to remember those who gave their lives for our country. It is sometimes called Decoration Day, because the graves of those who died in war are often decorated with flowers for the occasion.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ~ John 15:13.

Those we honor on Memorial Day laid down their lives not just for friends they knew and loved but for strangers, for anyone who lives in this country.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen. (1928 Book of Common Prayer)

Image: © Depositphotos.com/amarosy

A Tale of Two Strokes

Twenty-six years ago, I walked into a chiropractor’s office with a migraine headache and was carried out after suffering a stroke. The chiropractor had either twisted my neck too far and cut off the blood supply to the brain or was too rough and tore the blood vessel. The ER doctor told me the only way to tell exactly what had happened would be a procedure that could cause another stroke, and since the treatment was the same either way, we would never find out what happened. I told the story of my stroke and its aftermath in a series of three posts beginning with My Stroke – The Beginning. I was in the acute care hospital for a week, a rehabilitation hospital for a month, and outpatient rehabilitation for many months. Although I have made a remarkable recovery, I still have what the doctors call “residuals,” limitations caused by the stroke.

Many years later, my husband had come out of the house to the small building in the backyard that served as my office. He was sitting in a chair talking to me when his speech slowed down. By the time his speech began to slur, I had asked him to raise both arms, and his right arm started drifting downward. I told him to sit still, and I called 9-1-1 and said my husband was having a stroke.

The ambulance and EMTs were there in a few minutes. They did a quick check and confirmed that he was having a stroke. They couldn’t get the gurney into my tiny office, so a couple of guys lifted Jack from the side chair, put him in my desk chair, and rolled the chair to the door. There they lifted him from the chair and transferred him to the gurney.

As they loaded Jack into the ambulance, I called our priest and both of us prayed. I climbed into the front seat of the ambulance for the ride to the hospital. By the time we arrived at the hospital, Jack’s symptoms were abating. The hospital kept him overnight, and by the next day, all his symptoms had cleared up. Immediate action and quick treatment prevented any long-term damage.

Stroke can happen to anybody at any age. Know the signs and be prepared to call for help immediately. FAST action saves lives.

Armed Forces Day

May 19 is Armed Forces Day, and May is Military Appreciation Month.

I have a deep appreciation for military members and their families. My father served in World War II before I was born. My husband served in the Korean era before I met him. Several of my friends served in Vietnam, and one lost his life there. I helped a ninety-three-year-old World War II veteran publish his memoirs, and I’m working with another vet in his nineties on the story of his World War II experiences. Another client wrote about his experiences as a military brat, and I enjoy listening to friends who grew up in military families talk about about their experiences.

Our country remains free because of the sacrifices of military members and their families. To everyone who has served or is serving this country in military uniform, thank you for your service.  To every spouse and child of a military member, thank you for your sacrifice. All of you have my sincere gratitude.

O LORD God of Hosts, stretch forth, we pray thee, thine almighty arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach. Bless those who love them and sacrifice to enable them to serve; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)

Image: © Depositphotos.com/jentara

Little Things to Think About When Blogging: Guest Post from Avery Phillips

When starting a blog, you may think that you’re ready to start writing as soon as you have a topic or theme picked out. Writing regular, original posts is one of the most important aspects of running a blog, but there’s a little more to it than that. Little things that you might not think about can set your blog up for success or make running it a hectic ordeal. Here are a few important aspects of blogging to consider that aren’t writing:

Domain Name

Deciding on a domain name is one of the most crucial choices you will have to make as a blogger. Not only does your domain name define your brand and make your website more credible, it’s essentially your address on the Internet. It’s where people can find your content and get in touch with you.

Unfortunately, domains are not permanent nor are they foolproof. You pay for the right to use your domain for a certain amount of time, but if you forget to renew it, someone else can purchase the right to it. is vital when running a blog; the last thing you want is for someone to take it from you or gain access to the back-end of your blog. If you keep your domain rights and contact information up-to-date, you’ll be just fine.

Social Media

Whether you love scrolling through Instagram or still don’t have a Facebook account, social media is a key aspect of blogging. You’re putting amazing content up on your blog, right? Well, don’t you want people to read it? To increase the amount of people going to your blog, you have to promote your content on different social media platforms.

In addition, you can keep readers coming back to your blog by including social media buttons on your website. By offering your audience an easy way to see your updates and interact with you online, you can increase the number of new readers and keep the older ones coming back! Be careful, though: each social media platform has guidelines about how to display their logo on your website, as well as any promotional materials you plan to create.

Pictures

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and they can be just as important as what you write for your blog posts. Web writing is much different from other forms of writing; a big wall of text won’t keep readers engaged. Adding pictures can help break up large paragraphs or posts and make your blog more inviting to look at.

You don’t have to be a master photographer or Photoshop expert to include a lot of original images on your blog. You can learn how to create your own images for your blog and social media accounts. If you’d rather find images instead of create them, there are plenty of royalty-free image databases you can search on, such as Pexels or Pixabay.

Monetization

One final thing to consider about your blog is whether or not you want to make money from it, and if so, how much. Mobile technology has made it easy for anyone to start their own business online, and running a blog is no exception. Some blogs can end up being quite lucrative, while others are a nice side job. To make more money, you need to put more time and energy into your blog. So it really depends on how much work you can or want to devote to your blog.

There are a lot of ways you can monetize your blog, such as selling ad space, doing sponsored product reviews or promotions, selling your own product or service, and affiliate link programs. However, certain things will generate more revenue than others. For instance, selling ad space usually isn’t as profitable as joining an affiliate link program. Whatever you choose to do, if anything at all, be sure to follow Google’s best practices on paid or promotional links! When starting your blog, the last thing you want is for Google to penalize you.

Well, there you go! As you can see, or as you will quickly find out after starting your website, there’s a lot more to think about than simply writing good content for your blog. From the technical side of things, like editing and formatting, to making money from your project, you have a lot to think about before publishing your first post!

About the Author:

Avery T. Phillips is a freelance human being with too much to say. She loves nature and examining human interactions with the world. Find her on Twitter; comment or tweet her at @a_taylorian with any questions or suggestions.

Fibromyalgia Pain

Nearly four decades ago, when I was in my early thirties, I complained repeatedly to my doctor about widespread pain throughout my body, but he couldn’t find anything to explain the pain. Then one day, I read an article in a women’s magazine describing the symptoms of fibromyalgia. I took the article to my doctor and said, “This is my problem!”

That article and most of the information available at that time was about the paired “tender points,” nine pairs of two points each that are extremely sensitive to touch. Through the years, the definition of fibromyalgia has grown to include more and more symptoms. While widespread body pain remains the most significant symptom of this complex disorder, there are many other symptoms along with many overlapping conditions.

In my own experience, I continue to experience new issues. In the last few months, I’ve experienced several episodes of debilitating fatigue accompanied by digestive problems and other symptoms. Medical tests haven’t revealed any new conditions. I’m convinced now that my fibromyalgia symptoms have worsened, and new symptoms have appeared. Of course, I’m very glad that I don’t have a new condition—but I’m not so happy that my fibromyalgia is getting worse.

Today is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Since an estimated 6 – 10% of the population have fibromyalgia, you probably know several people with this disorder. Take a little time today to learn more about this condition to better understand when someone who looks healthy tells you how bad they feel. The pain, fatigue, and many other symptoms are very real.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/ricochet69

2018 National Day of Prayer: Prayer for America

Today is the National Day of Prayer. The following is the National Prayer for America from Dr. Ronnie Floyd:

Our Dear Heavenly Father, while we come to You in complete humility, we also come to You with boldness in the authoritative name of Your One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In Jesus’ name, fill us now with Your Holy Spirit and lead us as we pray in Jesus’ name for America.

Oh God, we are burdened for our nation today. We turn from the sins that we have committed against your Word and your Name. We turn away from our contentious words and ways toward one another that has led us to division and polarization. We turn away from our disrespect and lack of dignity toward each other, and we turn away from our continual devaluation of all human life from the womb until death in this world. We also turn away from and refuse to participate in skepticism, criticism, and cynicism in our nation. We turn away from anything that divides us, and we run toward the gospel of Jesus Christ that is the only thing that has the power to unite us together.

Lord, in this critical hour in our nation, we pray for unity in America. Only You can bring unity, harmony, and oneness in America. As your Word calls us in Ephesians 4:3, “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”, we ask You to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, to call for unity, and to forward unity in America continually.

We pray for the churches in America to unify in Jesus Christ and to pray as one unified spiritual family for America. May Your Church pray for America passionately, perpetually, privately, and publicly.

We pray for God’s power to unify families, workplaces, communities, and cities in America. By Your Spirit, lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and unity.

We pray for people of all ethnicities and races in America to come together as one, living in peace and unity together. Oh Lord, because each of us is created in Your image, please give us the courage to stand against all racial and ethnic division, denouncing it as evil and sinful, while simultaneously coming together in unity with all persons knowing this is God’s will for us.

We pray in unity for the security of our nation. We ask You to preserve the United States of America from the forces of evil that are threatening our lives and our future. God, please guard all persons in public and private settings from anyone or anything that desires to harm us or take our lives. Our future is in Your hands.

We agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily for the next Great Spiritual Awakening in America. Oh Lord, wake up Your church spiritually and convict Your people to agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily until the next Great Spiritual Awakening occurs in our generation.

Oh God, we stand together upon Your words in Psalm 133:1, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.” Through Jesus’ name and by the Holy Spirit’s power, we pray for all Americans to unify and to live together in unity.

In the mighty and majestic name of Jesus Christ who is the Only Savior and the Only Hope in this world, we pray. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/DesignPicsInc

Email Marketing Gone Awry

I am very poor at book marketing, as evidenced by the sales numbers for my books. I’m not bad at giving away books—my free romance novelette Trapped by Love has been downloaded more than 28,000 times—but books that people have to actually pay money for aren’t as popular. I hope, though, that I haven’t made people angry as I became after a recent promotion.

I downloaded a free Christian romance novel from a huge promotion offering free and discounted downloads of dozens of books in a variety of genres. I understood I would be receiving email promotions from the author whose book I downloaded. That is reasonable and expected. If I didn’t like the free book, I would unsubscribe from the list and be glad I had a chance to try a new author. Even if the author didn’t keep her new subscriber, at least she got her work in front of a new reader. Some would stay and some wouldn’t; by giving away a copy of her book, she would gain readers who liked her genre and writing voice. I would have been perfectly happy if I had been subscribed to the lists of all authors in the genre of the book I selected.

However, I did not know and did not appreciate that anyone who downloaded a free book in this promotion was added to the email lists for every participating writer. Suddenly my inbox was full of promotions from authors I have never heard of and have no interest in. Why would an erotica author expect a reader who chooses Christian fiction to buy her books or even read her newsletter? Or vice-versa?

I don’t know much about creating a successful email marketing campaign, but I do know that targeting your market is the first step. It usually comes as a big surprise to aspiring writers that not every reader is a prospect for them. When I ask a new client to describe the audience for their book, they often say, “Everyone.” If everyone liked to read the same thing, Wikipedia wouldn’t list nearly 200 writing genres and subgenres! Even if we have wide-ranging reading tastes, there are still some things we really like and some things we just don’t read.

I am tired of getting marketing for horror and fantasy and erotica and science fiction and any number of other genres I don’t enjoy. Every day I unsubscribe from several of these newsletters, a waste of my time and attention. I will never again click again on a promotion from this group; if there are many readers like me—and I suspect there are, rather than getting lots of readers of Christian fiction to suddenly start downloading erotica—or vice versa, the authors who probably paid a lot of money to get all these new email subscribers will have little to show for their promotion.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/yupiramos