Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 12

Authorprenuership: Build a Successful Business as an Author by Sharon C. Jenkins

Take control of your writing career!

What does it take to become a successful author in today’s publishing world?  It’s not enough to write a powerful book – today’s author must understand and leverage the business side of writing.  Authorpreneurship by Sharon Jenkins takes the aspiring writer from curiosity to career, combining both sides of publishing – author and entrepreneur – to empower writers with direction, publishing options, marketing solutions and business savvy to grow their career.

You’ll learn:
What publishing model is right for youBranding and how it sells your bookYour publishing personality, and how to leverage itA business plan for a successful book launchHow to manage your timeHow to create a powerful productWinning traits of a personal support teamHow to financially support your dreamStrategic and easy marketing secrets – online and off!
And resources to help you apply what you learn!


Sharon C. Jenkins is a literary project manager, author, motivational speaker and visionary who serves as the Inspirational Principal for The Master Communicator’s Writing Services.  Formerly the managing editor of four electronic and print journals (business, community, health and wellness, faith-based) for one of the largest African American marketing and communications companies in Houston, she has also written articles in various national and local publications. These include Yahoo Shine, Diva Toolbox, Beauty Come Forth Magazine, Gospel Truth, d-mars.com, Houston Black Book and Small Business Today.

Jenkins is also the best-selling Amazon author of Beyond the Closet Door and has co-authored two other books, Songs of Three Sisters and Ready, Set, Succeed: Making Your Dream Come True.

Known as the Master Communicator, because she is proficient in communicating in multiple forms of media: radio, newspapers, magazines, and spoken word, her prevailing mission is to equip authors to live their literary dreams without emptying their bank accounts. She started this undertaking four years ago with the Desire to Inspire Workshops, which progressed to the 2010 - 2013 Authors Networking Summit, which were hosted in Houston and Detroit.

Sharon can be found at: http://www.sharoncjenkins.com/

Where to Purchase:
 

Numbered Days

As I sit here and enter our son's grades into the homeschooling umbrella school, it hit me all over again. 

My job as a homeschooling mother is almost over.



And even though we've had our days I'm seriously going to miss it. So bad that I don't have a clue what I'm going to do with my time once he graduates. I know, it's a few years away, but somehow, while I was doing the necessary accounting of my teaching actions, it hit me upside the head.

My days are numbered.
That shouldn't surprise me. The Bible says in 

Psalm 90:12 - So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 
You know how it is. You do the same old thing every single day, even some Saturdays, and it becomes routine. Old hat. So when you sit down to start another new day of teaching, you fill the quiet, seat-work times with things you want to do. Like read. That's why I have a huge reading list. I realize it isn't as large as some, but I also didn't add some books that are sitting on my shelf that I'm already reading. 

And then, there's times where the crafty side of me kicks in and I have to craft or I'll go crazy. Like crochet a bedspread. A new hat, scarf, and gloves, or a skirt. And I keep adding things on my plate until I can't see over the top. Like learning how to make beautiful bead jewelry.

And I forget to number my days and to focus on what's really important.

My family.
My son's education. <~ I'm going to miss it so much when he's done. I really am. I'll struggle with the 'am I good for anything else' garbage, I'm sure, but right now, he's what I must focus first and foremost on. 

What about you? What does it take for you to realize that life is transient? You won't live forever. Is it a death in your family? Grade accounting? Another birthday? 

Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.
I pray we remember that and thank Him for another day.
Amanda Stephan~Christian AuthorBooksByAmanda.comJoin my Newsletter          

The Wedding Game by Amy Matayo - Book Review

About the Book:
Cannon James has a plan: Sign on as a contestant for his father’s new reality show, marry a blonde hand-picked by the producers, and walk away two million dollars richer. It’s all been arranged. Easy. Clean. No regrets. Until Ellie McAllister ruins everything by winning the viewer’s vote. Now he has to convince America that he’s head over heels in love with her. Not easy to do since she’s a walking disaster. 

Ellie McAllister has her own problems. She needs money, and she needs it now. Despite her parent’s objections and her belief that marriage is sacred, she signs on to The Wedding Game…and wins. Now she’s married to a guy she can’t stand, and if she wants her hands on the money, she has six months to make voters believe she loves him. Not easy to do since he’s the most arrogant man in America. 

It doesn’t take long for Ellie and Cannon to realize they’ve made a mess of things…even less time for their feelings for one another to change. But is it too late for them? More importantly, can the worst decision they've ever made actually become one of the best?


About Amy Matayo:
I graduated from John Brown University with a degree in Journalism.
I came this close (holds finger and thumb together until they practically touch) to also having an English degree, but decided I wanted to get married instead and besides, who needed it?
After all, managing an entire six-credit-hour semester seemed just so exhausting, and one degree was more than enough.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Not the marriage—that’s all good. But the pseudo-exhaustion. It might be nice to have that degree right now. Anyway, after graduation, I went to work for DaySpring Cards—a division of Hallmark—where I worked for seven years as Senior Writer and Editor.

After the birth of my first child—a ten pound boy—I became a freelance writer before pursuing novel-writing full time.

My first contracted novel—The Wedding Game—won the 2012 ACFW Genesis Award. It released on November 16, 2013. As the mother of four children with a husband immersed in political life, I have very little free time. I prefer to spend that time enjoying intellectual pursuits such as: watching television with my feet propped up, watching movies with a bucket of popcorn, and watching my laundry pile high—with no desire to do anything about it.

It’s a fun life.

My Thoughts:
This is a fun, modern-day romp, complete with a headstrong woman and an arrogant man. Can two complete opposites ever find some sort of common ground?

Arrogant Cannon makes it clear he can't stand his new wife, and quite honestly, Ellie doesn't exactly make it easy for him to change his mind. Always at each other's throats, they both wonder how in the world they're even going to make it to the six month mark of their marriage and win the two million dollar prize. 

Little by little, fight after fight, they begin to understand one another and see the other for what they truly are. Adults that might have more in common than they first thought.

Ellie isn't the hick Cannon took her for. Neither is she named after a cow as he assumed. Cannon isn't as hateful and arrogant as Ellie first thought. After she gives him a break and gets tired of all the fighting, she realizes he's actually a pretty complicated guy that has his own cross to bear and his own set of problems. 

One is born with a silver spoon and has everything this world has to offer. The other has the grit and determination that only comes with hard work and effort. Both have something the other needs.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was a very quick and easy read that left me very satisfied with the ending and the plot. While I could guess at some of what was going to happen, it didn't detract from the story at all. There were a couple of times I thought Ellie was being a little hard-nosed and mean, but I realize that it was to keep the walls around her heart and Cannon out. And vice versa with Cannon. I liked how Ms. Matayo brought these two unlikely hearts together and made them a great match. If I were to liken this to a movie, I'd say this was similar in feeling to The Proposal but much better. 

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen - Book Review & Blog Tour

About the book: Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul---and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master---a man her mother would never approve of---but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village . . . and to her mother's tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/s7Yl1

About the author: Julie Klassen loves all things Jane---Jane Eyreand Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Learn more about Julie at: http://julieklassen.com
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My Thoughts:This is another wonderful novel, aptly written and researched by Ms. Klassen. Delightful characters. Tantalizing scenery. True to her own unique, classic style of writing, this book immediately deposits the reader into a delightful, bygone era, reminiscent of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters.

Filled to the brim with flawed yet lovable characters, this book was a pleasure to read. Mr. Valcourt, handsome, once successful dancing master with secrets to hide meets spirited and willful Julia Midwinter whose mother strikes fear into every townsperson who dares dance - because of tragedy and loss twenty years in the past that she won't forgive and forget.

It never ceases to amaze me how Ms. Klassen can write such a great story with so many well-rounded, well-written characters without giving any of them the shaft. Each character has their own story, their own troubles, and their own victories, and yet, never do they detract from the overall plot but instead, add a depth and richness that is lacking in many other novels. This is difficult to achieve and complex, yet Ms. Klassen does so without missing a beat. This is fraught with timeless messages every person can learn from. A book of cause and effect. Consequences of actions and whom those actions could ultimately hurt. No matter what we do, we must remember that God loves and forgives, but that doesn't mean He will erase the natural consequences of our sin.

This is one novel I'd love to see in movie or TV series form.

Merlin's Blade by Robert Treskillard

About the Book:When a meteorite crashes near a small village in fifth-century Britain, it brings with it a mysterious black stone that bewitches anyone who comes in contact with its glow---a power the druids hope to use to destroy King Uthur’s kingdom, as well as the new Christian faith. The only person who seems immune is a young, shy, half-blind swordsmith’s son named Merlin.As his family, village, and even the young Arthur, are placed in danger, Merlin must face his fears and his blindness to take hold of the role God ordained for him. But when he is surrounded by adversaries, armed only by a sword he’s named Excalibur, how will he save the girl he cherishes and rid Britain of this deadly evil ... without losing his life?Book includes location map and detailed character index.

My Thoughts:
King Arthur. Sir Lancelot, Lady Guinevere.
But what came before them all?
Merlin.

It was with great anticipation I jumped into this book and I barely looked up until it was finished. This is a masterful, thrilling fantasy story that gives us a glimpse on how it all could have started.

During the infancy of Briton, unseen forces are set in battle array; fighting for religious dominance of that great country. Druids and monks, evil fighting against the good, the physically blinded against the spiritually blinded is the overall plot,

The story starts in the year 477 with the innocent Merlin and Garth - as things spiral out of control, the readers watch in horror as neighbors - once friends - become the deepest of enemies, all because of the mysterious Stone the Druids want the people to swear fealty to. How is it possible this stone wields such power over the people? Can anything break this power and take away the poison leaching into their hearts? When Merlin encounters the demonic stone, he knows right away it's not right. Trying his best to warn the people, he must learn that there is only One who can destroy the power of the stone and it's up to him to trust God's guiding hand and to obey.

As I am not the biggest fan nor the most learned of people in regards to Arthurian legend/folklore, I found the fascinating pronunciation guide and glossary the author included an indispensable resource I referred to on many occasions.

Mr. Treskillard writes an exciting beginning that will firmly hook his readers and urge them to read the next two books in the series. I liked The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I LOVED Merlin's Blade.





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Amanda Stephan~Christian AuthorBooksByAmanda.comJoin my Newsletter          

Psalms Chapters 1-10 free mp3 AudioBible Project

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My Reading List for 2014

I realize this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I seriously love a good book. I read 52 books in 2013, and I'm wondering if I'm going to beat that in 2014. I did have a couple of children's books in that list, but still. It was reading!

Here's my book review list so far for 2014

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Amanda's bookshelf: 2014-book-reviews

Merlin's Blade
by Robert Treskillard

Merlin's Shadow
by Robert Treskillard

Merlin's Nightmare
by Robert Treskillard

The Sinners' Garden
by William Sirls

The Wedding Game
by Amy Matayo

Heart Of Mercy
by Sharlene MacLaren

The Thief
by Stephanie Landsem

The Headmistress of Rosemere
by Sarah E. Ladd

The Dancing Master
by Julie Klassen

Princess Ever After
by Rachel Hauck

Smitten Book Club
by Colleen Coble




Share book reviews and ratings with Amanda, and even join a book club on Goodreads.

Rest in Peace by Mel Starr - Book Review

About the Book:Master Hugh, surgeon and bailiff, is asked to provide a sleeping potion for Sir Henry Burley, a friend and guest of Lord Gilbert at Bampton Castle. Sir Henry—with his current wife, a daughter by a first wife, two knights, two squires, and assorted servants—has outstayed his welcome at Bampton.The next morning, Sir Henry is found dead, eyes open, in his bed. Master Hugh, despite shrill accusations from the grieving widow, is asked by Lord Gilbert to determine the cause of death . . . which had nothing to do with the potion. The sixth tale following Hugh de Singleton, Rest Not in Peace is sure to find its place among fans of detective and medieval historical fiction.

About the Author:
Mel Starr was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating with an MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School. Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren.My Thoughts:This is my first Hugh de Singleton, and consequently Mel Starr book, and I very much enjoyed it. I like how the author portrayed medieval times, people, places, and customs. Things we take for granted, like freedom of speech and no noble system, were brought out to a delightful degree. I've always been curious about this time in history, the Plague, medicine, how families interacted with each other - or didn't - and this is right up my alley.

I especially enjoyed that Singleton didn't look down on his wife and child because of their sex, but valued his wife's opinion and intelligence and treated her as valuable and loved. Add to that, no foul language, no gratuitous sex scenes, and well thought out plot, and you have a winner.

Highly recommended for those who loved to read clean mysteries.
*My thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. I was not required they be positive.*

Psalm 32 AudioBible Chapter

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Top Ten Books of 2013

Last week, I recapped all the books I read in 2013. I was surprised at how many there were! If you're curious, you can see what they were here. I realize the year isn't over and I still have three or four books on my reading list to wrap up the end of this year. Be that as it may, I have to admit. This year, I found some serious favorites that I refuse to give up. These, for various reasons of their own, have made it to a coveted spot on my book-snob-shelves.
My Top Ten Picks
of 2013:


























and...while I haven't finished reading it at the moment, this one


is going to make it as well. Fabulous writing and a fantastic plot. Love this book already, and can't wait to continue the series in 2014.

So what books have made it to your list?