Edie Melson's Blog, page 378

7 Lessons for Creatives from the Life of J.R.R. Tolkien, Part 1

Vonda here: I’m pleased to share Part 1 of a post from Trevor McMaken, pastor and artist at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. 
He has a passion for pastoring artists in the church and equipping them to grow in their gifts and in their relationship with the Lord, and releasing them to serve the church and the world with their creativity. 
Follow the McMakens’ writing and music at TheMcMackens.com.

7 Lessons for Creatives from the Life of J.R.R. Tolkien, Part 1 by Trevor McMaken
Like many in my generation, I have spent countless hours following diminutive folks with hairy feet around the magical, yet familiar world of Middle Earth. As an artist, I’ve often wondered how anyone could create a world so immersive—complete with millennia of histories and language lexicons—and still so personal and spiritual. In the face of such genius, I often feel insecure in my own meager artistic endeavors. How could I ever create something of such lasting depth and beauty? But after reading J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter, I came away refreshed and recommitted to my own art.
Here are seven ways in which reading about Tolkien’s creative life has inspired mine. Art is a Lifelong Discipline1. Art Is a Lifelong DisciplineTolkien did not initially set out to write fantasy novels and create an entire world. He first ventured into it when he read the phrase “Middle Earth” in an Old English manuscript and it inspired a poem when he was twenty-two (1914). Three years later (1917) he wrote “The Fall of Gondolin” which was the first story of his mythology.
If three years sounds like a really long time, hold on, cause we’re just getting started.
Thirteen years later (1930), he began telling his children a bedtime story about a hobbit. It was published seven years later (1937). The publisher immediately asked Tolkien for a sequel and twelve years later he completed the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (1949). The trilogy was published five years later (1954), forty years after he first saw the phrase “Middle Earth.”
In a youth-focused culture like ours, I sometimes feel like I haven’t accomplished enough at a young enough age, and therefore I never will. As a (nearly) thirty year old, I have no idea what it would mean to work on something for forty years! Tolkien was no child prodigy, but he was a master.
His story reminds me that our path as artists take many twists and turns (i.e. the road goes ever on and on) and that our greatest artistic endeavors may yet lie ahead if we keep on the adventure.
Are you ready to devote the span of your life to your art?
2. Inspiration Can Come at AnytimeTolkien had been developing his mythology for years. Then one day he sat down and penned the phrase, “In a hole there lived a hobbit.” What was a hobbit? Nobody knew! Perhaps Tolkien didn’t even know. His biographer wrote,“Not until the [Hobbit] was finished and published—indeed not until he began to write the sequel—did he realise the significance of Hobbits, and see that they had a crucial role to play in his mythology.” (Humphrey Carpenter, 198)
Tolkien found that hobbits had crept into Middle Earth at the most pivotal moment of his life and writing.
Inspiration can come at any time, but it can only be transformed from idea to art if we are already developing our skills as artists and cultivating the space to be creative.
Are you ready to capture inspiration when it comes?
Your art might not be your day job.3. Your Art Might Not Be Your Day JobTolkien never wrote fiction as his day job. Year after year he worked as a professor faithfully supporting his family. Certainly his professional work provided the foundation for the languages and histories that he developed for Middle Earth, but his greatest artistic achievements came when he was off the clock—in the middle of the night after spending his day giving lectures and grading papers, and his evenings with his wife and family.
After the demands of work and family, do you still find yourself sitting down to create? Maybe it is five minutes before breakfast sketching an idea and then 15 more minutes over lunch; three months later during a holiday you have an entire morning; and then it’s a month before you can get back to it. But you always do come back to it because it’s your air and you’ll suffocate if you don’t.
Tolkien discovered how to be an artist amidst the common responsibilities of life. And I think that it is out of these ordinary, mundane moments that extraordinary art is created.
How do you keep practicing your art in the midst of everyday life?
4. Practicing Art Means Setting PrioritiesTolkien’s colleagues often bemoaned that he devoted so much spare time to his invented languages, poetry, and children’s stories instead of applying his considerable philological expertise to his academic field. Perhaps he could have been a giant in the field. His contributions were certainly respected, though there was only a relatively small body of his academic work. But Tolkien’s heart was in another world, and it was there that he set his priority.
What are your priorities as an artist?

Which of these lessons from Tolkien do you relate to? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
TWEETABLES7 Lessons for Creatives from the Life of J.R.R. Tolkien from Trevor McMaken, via @VondaSkelton (Click to Tweet)
Practicing Art Means Setting Priorities & other lessons from the life of J.R.R tolkien via Trevor McMaken (Click to Tweet)
Vonda Skelton is a speaker and the author of four books: Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe and the 3-book Bitsy Burroughs mysteries for children 8-12 yo. She’s the founder and co-director of Christian Communicators Conference, offering speakers’ training and community for Christian women called to ministry. Vonda is a frequent instructor at writer’s conferences and keynotes at business, women’s, and associational events. You can find out more about Vonda, as well as writing opportunities and instruction at her writer’s blog, The Christian Writer’s Den at VondaSkelton.com.

Stay in the Writing Game

Edie here. Today's post is important for every single one of you who have the dream of holding your published book in your hand. 

It's also a celebration of Lynn's first book. 

I've watched her through the years, never giving up, never giving in and a couple of weeks ago, she handed me a copy of her first book, Covert Justice. It's a GREAT book and I encourage you to get your own copy. It's available everywhere June 2. But you can preorder it on Amazon. Now back to our regularly scheduled post...

Stay in the Writing Game
by Lynn H Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

I’d like to tell you a little story . . . I promise it is relevant . . .
Over the past few months, my family has had an unprecedented amount of illness and minor injuries. So much so that I’ve missed an insane amount of time in the gym. Where I had been consistent, I found myself struggling to make it even once a week, and often missed a couple of weeks in a row.
Then last Thursday happened.
I was cleared to go back to the gym, but when I looked at the workout I cringed.
A 1-mile row followed by a 1-mile run followed by 4 minutes of weighted plank.
Shoot.Me.Now.
I went anyway. My plan was to row slow and to walk if I needed to.
I didn’t need to.
Don’t get me wrong, my running would be more accurately described as a slow slog, but I ran that mile. Every step of it.
When I got home, I realized how remarkable it was. Not because I’m fast or because that workout was a super challenging one. (In fact, it was what we call an “active recovery” day).
But …
When I started CrossFit eighteen months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to finish that workout. I realized that during the past few months, if I had quit completely and just said, “I’ll get back to the gym when I know I can be there consistently,” I wouldn’t have been able to do that workout on Thursday, either.
But I didn’t quit.
No, I didn’t get there as often as I wanted to.
No, I’m not as strong as I would be if I’d been able to be consistent all winter.
No, I’m not where I want to be.
But I’m still in the game.
You may be wondering what this has to do with writing.
Stay with me.
I wrote my first novel in 2009. Attended my first writing conference (the wonderful Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriting Conference!) in 2010.
I read books on the craft, I attended writing groups, I started blogging, I wrote more fiction.
Then I had another baby.
And for the next three years, well, all I can say is this…I didn’t quit.
No, I didn’t write as often as I wanted to.
No, I’m not as prolific as maybe I could have been.
No, I’m not as far along in the publishing journey as I’d hoped to be.
But I stayed in the game.
I blogged when I could. I worked on a new novel (very sporadically). I met with a critique group. I kept learning. I tried not to beat myself up when I couldn’t do anything for months at a time—and there were a LOT of times when I couldn’t.
Then last year, I entered another contest.
This time things were different. My kids were a little bit older (I entered the contest the month after my youngest turned three). I was actually sleeping through the night (never underestimate the creative power of a full night of sleep). And I found that even though I hadn’t been as consistent as I’d imagined I would be back in 2009, I was a much stronger writer.
I finished the book.
I sold the book.
Last month, I held the book in my hands and wept.
Because I didn’t quit.
I don’t know where you are in your writing journey, but I know many writers start out strong and then life happens. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, but either way we find our writing aspirations put on hold. I want to encourage you to hang in there.
You may need to set aside your dreams for publication for a season. That’s ok.
You may not write a word for months or years (moms and dads of littles—I’m looking at you!), but you can keep learning, keep reading, stay connected with writing friends. Do what you can, when you can. Stay engaged.
Don’t neglect your family, don’t neglect your work, don’t neglect whatever it is that God has given you to do right now, but if He’s also given you the dream of writing words that people will read…don’t quit.
And if you do, or if you have…know this.
It’s never too late to start again.
So what about you? Have you quit? Come close? Let’s talk about it.

Don’t forget to join the conversation!
TWEETABLESLessons from author @LynnHBlackburn - Stay in the game & don't give up on your #writing dreams (Click to Tweet)
Stay in the #Writing Game - even if you have to set it aside for a season - @LynnHBlackburn (Click to Tweet)
Lynn Huggins Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after at http://www.lynnhugginsblackburn.com.

One Author's Pet Peeves & How She uses Them to Strengthen Her Characters

by Lynette Eason @LynetteEason

Get some good out of those irritating pet peeves!Hi all, glad you could stop by on this fabulous first Wednesday in May. How can it be MAY? Didn’t we just take down the Christmas tree last week? Well maybe not, but it certainly feels that way.
So anyway, how may of you have pet peeves? I do. A lot of them it seems like.
Oh. What IS a pet peeve, you ask? Well, this is what Miriam’s Dictionary says: An irritating experience caused by others in which you cannot control.
So, irritating is bad enough. But one I can’t control? Yeah. That’s the part that gets me. I don’t like things I can’t control. Just ask my husband. Ha.
Some of my pet peeves:Singing a completely different song than what’s playing on the radio.Playing a game on your phone with the sound ON while I’m watching television.Making the dog go out when I’ve just let him in.Telling me you will be finished with a home improvement project in one week and three weeks later…
You get the idea.
So, what’s the point of this post? Use pet peeves to make your
characters stronger.I’ve figured out how to use my pet peeves to help make my characters stronger. You see, everyone has pet peeves. We all get annoyed at something. But it can be a testament to our character on how we handle that annoyance.
My husband is a creeper. No, nothing sinful. But when he’s stopped at a red light, he inches forward, impatient for the light to turn green. So he creeps forward. Again and again. Until finally, the light turns green and he floors it like it’s the signal to start the Indy 500. (Yes, I love the guy, just not his driving.)
So what’s my response?
I can be sarcastic: “Why don’t you just run the thing? We have less of a chance of being hit than being sitting ducks in the middle of the intersection.”
I can offer a motherly lecture: “Darlin’ you really need to stop at the light and be patient. Being impatient can kill you. Do you see all the other people stopped at the lights? The ones across from you? The ones next to you—or mostly behind you at this point? But they’re all stopped and they’re waiting patiently for the light to turn green. It’s safer that way, don’t you think?”
I can be snarky: “Where did you get your license? The K-Mart blue light special? The Clearance rack at Sears? Don’t you know that you’re supposed to stay behind the white line and wait for the light to change? Oh, you missed that question on the test, huh? Obviously.”
I can be sweet: “Honey, I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t creep forward like that. It makes me a bit nervous. I love you and would hate for anything to happen because you inched out into traffic.”
Or I can be the control freak: “Pull over and let me drive.”
All of these are different responses to something I find annoying. Think about your character and his or her personality traits. How do they respond to their pet peeves?
So what are some of your pet peeves and how do you respond to them? OR, if you’re a writer, what are some of your characters’ pet peeves and how do they respond to them?

Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

TWEETABLES
Use your #petpeeves to enhance your #writing - @LynetteEason shares how on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Author @LynetteEason shares some #PetPeeves & How She uses Them to Strengthen her Characters (Click to Tweet)

Lynette Eason is the award-winning, bestselling author of over thirty books. Lynette writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have finaled or won awards in contests such as The Maggies, Inspirational Readers Choice Award, The Carol, ECPA Book of the Year, The Selah, and others. Her most recent wins are the Carol Award in 2013 and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in 2014. She began her teaching career in the public school classroom and has since moved to teaching at conferences all over the country. Lynette often speaks at women’s conference and retreats, but finds her first love is teaching writing. In her spare time she can be found hanging out with her family, loving on her nieces and nephews, traveling, and…um…writing. Lynette and her husband Jack live in South Carolina with their two teenagers. Life is never boring, that’s for sure! Lynette can often be found online at www.facebook.com/lynette.eason @lynetteeason on Twitter, and www.lynetteeason.com.

The Harbingers—Four Books, Four Established Novelists, One GREAT Series

The Girl , book four of the novella series The Harbingers is now available. This is my contribution to the team effort. For those who may not know or may have forgotten, let me explain. The Harbingers is a series of novellas (short novels) each centered on a group of very different people forced to work as a team to deal with a series of seemingly unrelated supernatural events. Each has a talent and none know why they've been thrown together.
Backcover copy:
Tracks of bare feet in the snow . . . and a little girl who is more than she seems.
A barefoot girl holding a small scroll arrives in the snowy foothills near Dickensonville, Oregon. She doesn't speak and the only person she will let near her is Bjorn Christensen, the college football player everyone calls Tank. An immediate bond is formed. She is sweet. Innocent. And apparently not of this world--and something wants to kill her. Tank and the team have an impossible mystery on their hands--a mystery of life and death

Meet the team:
Brenda--the street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future, and tattoos them on the skin of her clients.The professor--a former priest turned atheist who believes only in logic.Andi--the professor's brilliant-but-geeky assistant who sees inexplicable patterns in everything around her.Tank-- the naive, big-hearted jock who (sometimes) can heal the sick and injured. Then again, sometimes he can't.Daniel--an institutionalized ten-year-old who can see into the world of the supernatural.
Meet the writers:
This is a team effort. Each book is written by one of four established novelists, each writing from the point of  view of one of the characters. Bill Meyers originated the idea and the unique approach and writes from Brenda's point-of-view. The Call is the first book in the series. Frank Peretti brings is enormous talent to telling us the professor's story.  The Haunted is the spooky second book in the series. Angela Hunt allows to see through the eyes of the pattern-seeing, geeky Andi. Her first book in the series is The Sentinels. Alton Gansky (dat's me!) writes from the point of view of Tank in The Girl .
The series is modeled after television dramas with each book being one episode of a larger tale.

For more information visit the website: http://www.harbingersseries.com/

TWEETABLE
Don't miss the 4th installment of The Harbingers, THE GIRL, from @AltonGansky  (Click to Tweet)

Alton Gansky is a full time writer, director of BRMCWC, and founder of Gansky.Communications. He is the award winning author of over 40 books. Prior to turning to full time writing, he was the senior pastor to three Southern Baptist churches. In addition to his writing, he speaks to writers groups and church organizations. Connect with him on Twitter or visit him at www.altongansky.com

More Facebook Changes and How They Affect Scheduling Programs

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

If you use a scheduling program, like Hootsuite or Buffer, you probably received a fairly technical email last week warning of Facebook changes. 
It went through the changes that Facebook has made regarding Facebook groups and to personal profiles.
These FB changes only affect scheduling posts for FB groups. This will NOT affect scheduling any posts for professional pages or your regular newsfeed.
But there are additional changes that will affect personal profiles.What Exactly are the Facebook Changes?The only way you’ll be able to schedule a post to a FB group is if you are one of the group’s administrator.You will NOT be able to see the group’s comment feed in a column on Hootsuite.You will no longer be able to see the newsfeed from your personal profile. (You can still schedule posts to your personal profile, you just won’t be able to interact with them anywhere except on Facebook.)Facebook will no longer allow you to see personal information when you search for something, like hashtags. Only professional page information will show up.
These changes are the latest from Facebook, but don’t expect these to be the last. Facebook is doing everything possible to keep all interactions in the Facebook site, instead of through third-party apps, like Hootsuite and Buffer.
At the same time, Facebook is still making it difficult for users to interact because of the fact that the Edgerank algorithm is limiting the posts users see.
So expect more confusing and conflicting rules from Facebook. As irritating as this network can be, there are still valuable connections to be made here.
How I’m Going to Be Using Facebook Moving forwardI’m going to continue to use my personal profile to interact with professional contacts. This is what works best for my situation. If you’re curious how I’m doing this, here’s a blog post about adding a follow button to your personal profile.I’m going to continue to schedule my FB posts from Hootsuite.Since I can no longer see my FB personal newsfeed on Hootsuite, I will be checking my FB newsfeed about three to four times a day to answer comments and interact.
Now it’s your turn. What questions do you have about the most recent FB changes. What tips do you have to interact effectively on FB?
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
Announcing the Winners from Friday's post. The following people need to contact me to find out what you won. Email me at ediegmelson (at) gmail (dot) com.
Mary Ann BenedettoCary Lynn LewisCherrilyn BisbanoSusan J Reinhardt
TWEETABLESMore Facebook Changes & affects on Scheduling Programs – via #SocialMedia expert @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Facebook is making more changes, #SocialMediaexpert @EdieMelson shares how they affect you (Click to Tweet)

A Screeching Halt

So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again. Numbers 12:15
Miriam's sin brought the entire nation of Israel to a screeching halt for seven days while God dealt with her and brought her back in line with His will. It must have been devastating for Miriam to realize she was the cause of an unscheduled stop.
How do I know presume to know what she was feeling? Because recently I discovered I'm a Miriam.
Have you ever said yes to something because you thought you should, or continued serving even though God was leading you in a different direction? In my zeal to serve God, I’d become prideful and thought I knew better than Him. I once again ran ahead of His will. I'd said yes to too many things and become a stumbling block to a ministry I love. 
For years I've known that trying to do too many things at once means I wouldn't be able to do them well. But I seem to be a slow learner, or at least someone with a poor memory. When I pay attention to the Holy Spirit, this misguided urge stays in check, but when I stray, life gets stressful . . . for everyone.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity make things right by turning over some of my responsibilities to those God had called to serve. And as I sat, listening to them express their joy at that opportunity, it hit me how selfish I'd been. Not only was I disobedient (bad enough) but I stood in the way of others who wanted to serve. In effect, I brought the whole thing to a screeching halt while God dealt with my disobedience.
It felt good to let go of the duties I’d disobediently taken up as mine, to once again align myself with God’s will and let Him be the only one in charge. As I relearn the lesson of listening, the stress is receding and the joy is returning.

Sometimes Publishing Does Move at the Speed of Light—The Story Behind While My Soldier Serves

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
The story behind While My Soldier Serves .As many of you know, I spend a lot of time on this blog encouraging writers to NOT think of themselves as the exception to the rule. I have also been very up front about the fact that in general, publishing moves at the speed of a sleepy snail. These facts can be very discouraging for writers. So today, I’d like to share an encouraging story of a time when publishing moved—not at a snail’s pace—but at a pace more approaching the speed of light.
The Story Behind While My Soldier ServesThis book was born out of two books originally contracted with Thomas Nelson back in the spring of 2013. They subsequently cancelled publication of those books in January of 2014.
Fast forward to Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference 2014, when I signed with a new agent David Van Diest. He and I spent the fall, hashing out ideas I had for books to pitch. I mentioned the cancelled books and he suggested I combine them into a single volume and we pitch that book idea.The process of pulling together the proposal took us until November and it was the week before Thanksgiving when he was finally able to send the proposal to a handful of publishers. To be honest, I protested the timing of the submission. I knew only too well that publishers don’t normally do a lot of work between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But David knew what he was doing.
Less than 3 days after the proposals were sent
out I was signing a contract with Worthy Inspired.Less than three days after he sent the proposals, we had our first offer from a publisher for the book. By December 1, 2014, I had signed the contract with my dream publisher, Worthy Inspired for While My Soldier Serves.
And they announced their plans to fast-track the book. Their goal was to have this book in stores by mid-May, 2015. The official release day is now slated for May 12. They have met their goal and actually surpassed it.
I didn’t even know such a thing was possible in six short months.
Not only was it possible, Worthy performed this publishing miracle with style and grace. Every aspect of the journey from manuscript to book was handled with amazing professionalism. They even managed to include me in every part of the journey, from cover design to layout.
And as many of you witnessed on social media, this book of my heart arrived at my house this past Monday! It’s currently available online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. In addition, there are also brick and mortar stores where it’s already on the shelves.
Beyond that (as if that weren’t already enough) I learned last week that the book has sold out, just through advanced sales and retail orders, so it’s gone back for a second printing.
I never expected to be the exception to the rule. Truly I feel like the publishing version of Cinderella.
So why share this process when so often we’re not the exception to the rule? I want to make sure that none of us ever forget that there are exceptions to the rules. God can step in at any time and make even publishing march to His pace. It’s so easy to be pessimistic in this business that I think we need to remember that dreams really do come true.
Help me celebrate my book launch!Help Me CelebrateTo celebrate the great things God has done and is going to do, I’d like to include you in my celebration. I don’t do a lot of give-aways here on the blog, but today I’m going all out.
I will be giving away two signed copies of While My Soldier Serves and two $10 Amazon gift cards. All you have to do is leave a comment in the section below. NOTE: I’ll close the entries on Sunday night, (May 3) at midnight, and announce the winners on Monday, May 4.
If you’d like to do more to help me celebrate, here are some suggestions to help me spread the word about this book:

1. Post a review on Amazon. To be accepted, the review only needs to be 25 words long and the more reviews a book garners, the more likely Amazon is to promote it. So it would be a HUGE help. Here’s a link to the Review Page for While My Soldier Serves .
2. Share this post and/or promote my book on social media. Truthfully, these first few weeks are key in building a following for this book. Prayer for our military is vitally important and I would love to be part of a building a chorus of prayers rising to Heaven on behalf of these brave men and women and the families who love them.
3. Sign up for my newsletter. I have a great following on social media, but haven’t spent as much time growing my email list, so I could use some help there. (The link to sign up is in the sidebar at the top of this page.)

4. Visit me at my local book signing. If you're in the Greenville, SC area, I'd love for you to visit me at my book signing on Saturday, May 23 1 - 3 pm at LifeWay Christian bookstore on Haywood Road. 
But none of the things listed above is mandatory to be entered in the drawing for the book or the gift cards. I love the community we have here on The Write Conversation, and I’m excited to be able to offer you all the opportunity to win something.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESAt times #publishing moves FAST – storybehind While My Soldier Serves - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Help former military mom @EdieMelson celebrate WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES (Click to Tweet)

Follow Your Dreams, Get Writing and Turn Those Excuses Upside Down

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Turn your writing excuses upside down.We writers are our own worst enemy. We can come up with more reasons to avoid writing and following our dreams than anyone else. I talk to so many people who claim to want to write. And those same people are the most vocal about why they can’t follow their dreams.
The more we talk about why we can’t—the more we guarantee our own failure.
Today I’m listing the top excuses I hear and turning them upside down.Excuses for NOT Following Our Dreams—Turned into Reasons TO Follow Our Dreams1. I’m waiting for inspiration not to strike. Successful writers pound out words whether they feel like it or not. Yes, sometimes what we write stinks. But it’s impossible to edit a blank page.
2. There’s no time like the present. It’s time to quit putting off the work you know you have to do. So sit down at the keyboard and write.
Success takes work.3. It’s tough to succeed in the current climate so I’m going to have to work twice as hard. Personally, I think it’s the best time ever to be a writer. But there’s no doubt this is a difficult career path. That doesn’t mean we give up before we start, though. It means we double our effort.
4. My family needs me to live up to my potential. It may seem that taking time away from family gatherings/responsibilities/events (what ever you call them) is neglect. In truth, we owe our families the example of living up to our potential. It’s time to quit using our families as excuses and instead be an inspiration to them.
I can't afford to put off writing another minute.5. I can’t afford to put off writing another minute. It does take a monetary investment to grow in this industry. We need to attend conferences, join writers groups and professional associations. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming burden.
6. I might not succeed unless I take a chance. The only guaranteed way to fail is to quit. We each have our own unique path to writing success. Embrace the journey and keep going.
7. I’m too old to wait any longer. No matter what Bible character you look at, God NEVER judged anyone as too old. If God doesn’t think we’re too old, we shouldn’t either. With age comes wisdom. Be wise and get moving.
Give up that defeated attitude.8. I’ll never get published if I continue to have a defeated attitude. There are more ways and more opportunities than ever for publication. The industry hasn’t shrunk, it’s grown. Continue to hone your craft and publication will happen.
9. It’s not worth the effort to sit around and whine. Yes, it takes work to grow as a writer. Anything worth doing takes effort. The only time that effort is wasted is when we spend it whining.
10. I’m afraid I’ll regret not giving my dream a chance. My biggest fear is that at the end of my life—whenever that comes—is that I won’t have taken chances and followed God. I don’t want to be someone who wishes I’d gone ahead and given writing a full chance.
These are the excuses that I’ve chose to turn upside down. What would you add to the list? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESFollow Your Dreams, Get Busy #Writing & Turn Those Excuses Upside Down - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don’t let excuses keep you from following your #writing dream, instead look at them differently - @EdieMelson (Click toTweet)

Book Signings - the Benefits Beyond Book Sales

by Lynette Eason @LynetteEason

Hi everyone, I wanted to take a moment to introduce a friend of mine to you. I met Wanda at an ACFW conference one year. We shared a table at a book signing at the Mall of America in Minnesota one year. They seated us alphabetically…but that was great. I’d never met Wanda before and we had a good chance to get to know one another a bit. I asked her share a bit with us about her new release. And if you like suspense I know you’re going to LOVE it!
But first, since the subject of book signings has come up, I thought I’d talk a little bit them. Frankly, I have a love/hate relationship with them. LOL. I’ve had quite a few signings and there are things you can do to make them “successful”. Well how do you judge whether or not you have had a successful signing. Guess that depends on your definition of the word success. Let me give you a couple of examples.Not too long after my second book with Revell released, Don’t Look Back, I was doing a book signing in Spartanburg, SC. Christian Supply is a privately owned store and I have nothing but great things to say about it. Chuck Wallington owns the store and he’s a huge supporter of authors. He willingly opens up the store, spends quite a few dollars marketing and he and his staff just do a great job getting the word out about the event and then hosting the author. All that to say, I had a fabulous signing. People came in—like people I wasn’t related to!—and I signed books for a solid two hours. I don’t know how many I actually sold, but it was a lot! I considered that a successful signing. (Thanks Chuck!)
Then there was the signing that wasn’t at Christian Supply. This store shall remain nameless. Ha. I showed up and they had everything ready. The books were neatly stacked, the poster was on the door and the staff actually knew I was going to be there that day. Everything looked great. I signed maybe three books—and two of them were pity signings for the bookstore staff. Now, in terms of sales, this might look like a really dismal signing. A failure and a waste of time for everyone involved, right? Well, no. Because I spent the time talking to the staff. They were so sweet and so interested in my books and I really got to know a few of them. The store wasn’t terribly busy so I wasn’t taking them away from the customers. When I left the store, I hadn’t signed many books, but I had several new friends and a couple of new fans. I know they’re promoting my books to anyone who walks in and says, “I’m looking for a good suspense story, who should I read?” So while I hadn’t signed many books, I still consider that a successful book signing.
So, what about you? Do you go to book signings? If not, why not? Do you think the ereader explosion has anything to do with the fact that book signings don’t generally see a huge turn out? (Unless you’re Karen Kingsbury or John Grisham, but we won’t go there…) You know what I mean. What are your thoughts about book signings?
And here’s a little more about Wanda—my book signing buddy who made the experience a success—even though I didn’t sell one single solitary book that day.

Wanda Dyson is the author of 7 critically acclaimed suspense novels and coauthored the true story of Tina Zahn (Why I Jumped), featured on Oprah. Readers characterize her books as "riveting" and "packed with twists and turns." Multiple members of law enforcement have praised her work saying that "her knowledge of the treacherous world of bounty hunting pours across every page" and "will not disappoint anyone looking for action, danger, and suspense."


Shepherd's Run After two masters’ degrees and well on his way to a third, finance expert Steven Shepherd never imagined he’d be chasing down criminals, collaring them, and bringing them to justice. But when his father passes away, leaving him and his siblings the family bounty hunter business, he felt obligated to join the team and make the best of it.  In spite of being a co-owner, he's treated like little more than a glorified errand boy and the lack of respect he feels is starting to rub the wrong way, so when he comes across a young woman he believes is innocent of the charges levied against her, he decides to take matters into his own hands and help her out. But his good intentions backfire when she sets him up and he’s framed for the murder of a police officer.
Andrea Morrow and her mother changed their names and moved hundreds of miles away from each other in hopes of finding safety and putting a violent past behind them. But those hopes are dashed when the past comes calling and Andrea is forced to do whatever she can to protect her mother. And now, she's dragging a nice guy like Steven Shepherd into her nightmare. Can she find the strength to finally move beyond the horror of being a victim or will she have to watch another good man die? 
On the run, Steven and Andrea must rely on each other and the skills of the Prodigal team to find a killer before he finds them. Each new clue points to a terrifying scenario--a crooked cop and a killer bent on revenge working together. Steven finally realizes that the only way out is to embrace a truth he'd been running from--and become the man his father always knew was there. 


Lynette here. So, thanks to a book signing that any normal person would label a dismal failure, I call it a success because I met and got to know Wanda resulting in a new friend who also writes amazing books!
I'd love to know how a book signing has led you to discover a new friend and/or a new favorite author. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
TWEETABLEBook signings can bring benefits way beyond book sales - via @LynetteEason and Wanda Dyson, @NovelOne (Click to Tweet)
Lynette Eason is the award-winning, bestselling author of over thirty books. Lynette writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have finaled or won awards in contests such as The Maggies, Inspirational Readers Choice Award, The Carol, ECPA Book of the Year, The Selah, and others. Her most recent wins are the Carol Award in 2013 and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in 2014. She began her teaching career in the public school classroom and has since moved to teaching at conferences all over the country. Lynette often speaks at women’s conference and retreats, but finds her first love is teaching writing. In her spare time she can be found hanging out with her family, loving on her nieces and nephews, traveling, and…um…writing. Lynette and her husband Jack live in South Carolina with their two teenagers. Life is never boring, that’s for sure! Lynette can often be found online at www.facebook.com/lynette.eason @lynetteeason on Twitter, and www.lynetteeason.com.

Calendar Days—May's Crazy Holidays & Special Occasions—Idea Starters for Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

It’s time again for Calendar Days. These are just fun to read. They’re also a great way to jumpstart our creativity when looking for ideas for articles and blog posts. They’re also a fun writing prompt idea. 

In addition, calendar days are great conversation starters for social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, especially when two contrasting holidays fall on the same date. Here are some that tickled my funny bone this month:
May sixth is National Teachers Day and No Homework Day. I wonder if that's for the teacher's benefit or the students? May eighth is No Socks Day, followed by May ninth, which is Lost Sock Memorial Day. Did someone lose a sock when they went without? May eighteenth is No Dirty Dishes Day and Visit Your Relatives Day—I definitely want them to visit when there aren't any dirty dishes in the sink!May Holidays, Special Days & Downright Crazy DaysMay is:Foster Care MonthOlder Americans MonthNational Barbecue MonthNational Recommitment MonthDate Your Mate MonthGet Caught Reading MonthNational Military Spouse MonthNational Photograph MonthNational Bike MonthNational Hamburger MonthNational Blood Pressure MonthNational Salad Month
Week One in May is Nurses WeekWeekly CelebrationsWeek 1:Nurses WeekWeek 2:Wildflower WeekWeek 3:National Police WeekNational Bike WeekWeek 4:Emergency Medical Services Week
May 1Lei DayMay DayLoyalty DaySave the Rhino DayBatman DaySchool Principals DayMother Goose DayInternational Tuba Day (First Friday in May)Space Day (First Friday in May)
May 2Play Your Ukulele DayBaby DayFree Comic Book DayBrothers and Sisters Day
May 3Paranormal DayLumpy Rug DayTwo Different Colored Shoes DayWorld Press Freedom Day
May 4 is Star Wars DayMay 4Bird DayNational Candied Orange Peel DayRenewal DayStar Wars Day (you know, May the 4th be with you)Fire Fighter’s Day
May 5Cinco de MayoNational Hoagie DayOyster DayCartoonists DayFerret Day
May 6Beverage DayNational Tourist Appreciation DaySchool Nurses DayNo Diet DayNo Homework DayNational Teachers Day (Tuesday of the first full week in May)
May 7National Tourism DayRoast Leg of Lamb Day
May 8Iris DayV-E DayWorld Red Cross Day/World Red Crescent DayNo Socks DayMilitary Spouses Day (the Friday before Mother’s Day)
May 9 is National Train DayMay 9Lost Sock Memorial DayNational Train DayFair Trade DayInternational Migratory Bird Day (the second Saturday in May)
May 10Mother’s DayWindmill DayStay Up all Night NightConfederate Memorial DayClean Up Your Room Day
May 11Eat What You Want DayTwilight Zone Day
May 12Fatigue Syndrome DayInternational Nurses DayLimerick DayNutty Fudge DayDoodle Day
May 13Leprechaun DayFrog Jumping DayTop Gun DayNational Receptionist Day (the Second Wednesday in May)
May 14Chicken Dance DayGolf Day
May 15 is National Bike to Work DayMay 15National Chocolate Chip DayPolice Officer’s Memorial DayStraw Hat DayPizza Party DayEndangered Species DayNational Bike to Work Day (Third Friday in May)
May 16Love a Tree DayNational Sea Monkey DayLearn to Swim DayWear Purple for Peace DayBiographers DayArmed Forces Day (Third Saturday of May)
May 17Pack Rat DayWorld Telecommunications DayWorld Baking Day
May 18International Museum DayNo Dirty Dishes DayVisit Your Relatives Day
May 19Boy’s Club DayAccounting DayMay Ray Day
May 20 is Pick Strawberries DayMay 20Pick Strawberries DayBe a Millionaire DayWeights & Measures Day
May 21National Memo DayEndangered Species Day
May 22Buy a Musical Instrument DayMaritime Day
May 23Lucky Penny DayTurtle DayInternational Jazz Day (Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend)
May 24 is National Escargot DayMay 24National Escargot DayTiara DayBrothers Day
May 25Towel DayTap Dance DayNational Missing Children’s DayMemorial Day (Last Monday of the Month)
May 26Sally Ride DayWorld Lindy Hop DayBlueberry Cheesecake Day
May 27Cellophane Tape DaySun Screen DaySenior Health and Fitness Day
May 28Amnesty International Day
May 29Learn About composting DayBiscuit Day
May 30 is Water a Flower DayMay 30Water a Flower DayLoomis DayNeighbor Day
May 31National Macaroon DayWorld No Tobacco DaySave Your Hearing Day
Now let's do a little brainstorming for May. What are some of your favorite days from the list and how do you propose using them?
Don't forget to join the conversation,Blessings, Edie
TWEETABLESUse May's crazy holidays to get the #socialmedia conversation started & spark #writing ideas - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don't get caught without an idea, use the calendar to #write #blog posts & articles - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)