Brenda S. Anderson's Blog, page 45
July 2, 2014
God Bless America!
We are so blessed to live in a country that’s free, a country where opinions can be shared without fear of governmental repercussions, a country whose beauty is seen in its diverse landscapes, a country where we can openly worship God. I will be forever grateful to our wise founding fathers and to all those who’ve fought to keep this great country free!
Happy Independence Day!
God Bless America by Sandi Patty
June 30, 2014
Novel Anticipation – July 2014
July brings a long list of new releases in the Christian market, but three stand out to me. Two are written by authors that I regularly read (DiAnn Mills and Sally John) and a third I’ve yet to read (Shannon Ethridge).
What are you looking forward to reading this July?
FIREWALL
(FBI: Houston Series #1)
by DiAnn Mills
Tyndale
After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects in the attack. Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn’t who he appears to be.
VEIL OF SECRETS
by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel
Thomas Nelson
Will and Melanie Connors seem like the perfect couple—but their marriage is withering from a lack of intimacy. As Melanie struggles to sort through her past, she sees her 16-year-old making the same mistakes she did. Can Melanie find the voice to guide her daughter—and possibly find the joy that God intended for her marriage?
BETWEEN US GIRLS
(Family of the Heart Series #1)
by Sally John
Harvest House
Welcome to Casa de Vida–eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.
Meet Jasmyn Albright–she’s had more than her share of bad breaks lately, beginning with the tornado that demolished her farmhouse. Emotionally fragile and feeling utterly alone, Jasmyn heads west, hoping to outrun her heartbreak. And she doesn’t stop until she notices a small sign that reads “Vacancy.” Before she’s quite aware of how it all happened, Jasmyn finds herself the newest tenant at Casa de Vida. She hardly dares to hope that her fortunes might be about to change…but of course when God is at work, anything can happen, and new beginnings are one of His specialties.
Sometimes among strangers, family happens. And sometimes, when we least expect it, romance is a welcome guest.
June 27, 2014
My First Book Trailer!
It’s nice and short–only 30 seconds. Enjoy! (And I’d love it if you’d share)
CHAIN OF MERCY by Brenda S. Anderson
June 25, 2014
Dazzling Debuts!
It’s an exciting time at my publishing house, Winslet Press, as three debut authors’ books have released this month and a fourth is set to release the first part of July! As you see below, it’s a diverse selection–there’s a book for every taste. And don’t you LOVE the covers?
So, if you’re looking for a good summer read, or if you’re looking for something new, give these books a try:
THE LEGACY (The Birthright Series book 1)
by Necole Ryse
Nineteen-year-old Raevyn Jones has never worn a designer gown. She’s never had access to unlimited champagne or chauffeured limo rides.
But when she is dropped in the midst of the Black Ivy League—against her will—she has to pretend that everything is normal, as if she belongs.
When her new friends start to question her sketchy past and her shaky legacy at Benjamin Wallace Fitzgerald University, Raevyn realizes she will have to rely on her street smarts more than ever before.
Raevyn starts to receive cryptic text messages and emails from an anonymous sender and she soon discovers that not only does someone want her to leave B.W.Fitz–someone also wants to end her life.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million
THE LAST PAGES (Chapters in Time book 1)
by Lara Whatley
When Kale meets Leon, who insists that she must join him for her safety or die, she embarks on a journey that changes her life forever.
Kale led a simple life with her mother in a small 18th century town. That changed when a runaway, Leon, forced her into joining him. Soldiers want Leon for treason. Now they want Kale too. She thinks it’s because she is with Leon, but he knows better.
Leon and Kale journey across untamed lands in the quest to prove he is innocent. There they find out the truth about their pasts; a truth that should not have seen the light. It is truth, which may send the nearby kingdoms into war. They must try to keep each other alive, stop war from ravaging the land, and undo the mistakes they have made before it is too late.
THE RESURRECTION OF REY PESCADOR
by Alfred Cedeno
His meteoric rise and fall are legendary, but Rey Pescador’s greatest adventure remained a mystery.
Until now.
When David Rosario finally confronts his absurd past, he composes a series of tall tales and love letters that both chronicle Rey Pescador’s tenure as the world’s most famous man and finally confess his love to the mysterious Rebecca.
David’s one-sided feud with Rey, his cousin and best friend, humorously catapults this adventure across continents and worlds.
It shatters genres in its wake.
Believing that even post-modern life is filled with mythical elements and that common robot fights contain deep significance, Rey Pescador seeks an artistic escape from an undying, scientific world. In the process, he becomes America’s most beloved anachronism.
From his first public invocation of the muse to his spontaneous bout with an imposing heavy-weight in Madison Square Garden, his performances transcend reality. In the wake of an unexpected decline in popularity, Rey s manager promises fame beyond his imagination.
June 23, 2014
Reading on the Road
Last week our family took a much-needed vacation. After two months of graduations and birthdays and last concerts and a book launch, we finally had time to breathe. We spent the first part of the week in Branson, Missouri. LOVE the Ozarks! What amazing beauty! Then we spent the final couple of days in Kansas City, MO, visiting Worlds of Fun. One of my goals for the week was to read. A lot. I completed three books–not quite what I was hoping for, but time spent with family took precedence.
If you’re looking for some good summer reads, then check these out:
Overlooking Table Rock Lake in Branson, MO
A WOMAN OF FORTUNE by Kellie Coates Gilbert
Mamba Roller Coaster at Worlds of Fun in background
WISH by Jake Smith
Mamba Roller Coaster at Worlds of Fun in background
CHAIN OF MERCY Giveaways!
Yes, you now have more opportunities to win CHAIN OF MERCY!
Author Lena Nelson Dooley welcomed me to her blog today and asked some fun new questions. The deadline to enter is July 4, 2014.
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/2014/06/chain-of-mercy-brenda-s-anderson-one.html
And on Goodreads, I’m having a three book giveaway! So hop on over to Goodreads, add Chain of Mercy to your to-read list, and enter to win one autographed copy. (Note: at this moment, Goodreads is still verifying the giveaway. It should go live soon!)
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Chain of Mercy
by Brenda S. Anderson
Giveaway ends July 23, 2014.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
June 16, 2014
Video Marketing for Authors by Linda Fulkerson
I’m excited to introduce you to Linda Fulkerson today. I met Linda as a fellow blogger at Inkspirational Messages. Not only is Linda a blogger, but she’s our web guru–we’d be completely lost without her! And now she’s launched a Marketing for Christian Writers website that offers a wealth of info for us marketing-weary authors.
With that, I’ll turn to floor over to Linda so she can tell you all about it!
I want to thank Brenda for sharing her blog space with me today. If you haven’t yet had a chance to visit the Marketing for Christian Writers website, I’d like to personally invite you to, as we say in the South, sit a spell.
The purpose of this program is to help train Christian writers, bloggers, authors, and speakers to become more effective marketers in order to spread the good news to the world. If we’re better at promoting our words, more people can be reached with HIS.
There are lots of resources available on the website – Today’s Tips, Weekly Polls, a podcast (you can subscribe via iTunes), devotionals, and a FREE instant downloadable report, “102 Ways to Market Your Stuff.” We’re also running around the web on about a half-dozen social media sites, so please connect with us on your favorites. And finally, we’re preparing to launch an exclusive members’ area, hopefully within the next week.
Show – Don’t Tell
Writers have had the “show, don’t tell” mantra embedded into our heads from the first day we picked up a pencil. However, we don’t always incorporate the show-don’t-tell principle into our marketing.
Video marketing is a great way to do that. People LOVE videos! In fact, recent statistics show that 78% of Internet users watch videos at least once per week, and 55% watch DAILY. If you do the math on how many viewers that is . . . well, it would make my brain hurt!
The point is – video is hugely popular, and it is an effective marketing tool.
What are the benefits of using video in our marketing strategy?
Easy of ranking for specific keywords because there is less competition than standard content (i.e. text)
Videos are shared frequently, so viral opportunities are enhanced
Video keeps viewers on your website longer, which decreases your bounce rate
Video levels the playing field and allows you to compete with big names in your genre
Video can entertain, inspire, educate – or all three!
Your success can be measured with analytics tools
What types of video would benefit Christian writers in their marketing?
Product un-boxing
Book trailers
Book excerpts/readings
Reader testimonials
Explainer videos (how-tos)
What tools can be used for creating videos?
Smart phones
Video cameras
Video creation software included in many computers
Slideshow software, such as Animoto
Whiteboard video software
Animated video software
Screen capture software
Professional video production software, such as Adobe After Effects
And more!
How do you get started using video in your marketing?
One of the first steps I’d recommend is to create your own business YouTube channel. It’s free and not hard to configure. Publishing your videos to YouTube will save you disk space and bandwidth, plus your videos can be searched in YouTube’s directory.
If you’re not sure how to get started with YouTube, I just posted a couple of tutorial videos on the Marketing for Christian Writers YouTube channel – How to Customize Your YouTube Channel and How to Upload and Optimize a YouTube Video. And we’ll be offering more training about how to use video for marketing future content on the site.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to connecting with you in the Marketing for Christian Writers community!
Have a blessed day,
Linda Fulkerson
About Linda~
Linda Fulkerson, blog coach and marketing strategist, is the founder of Marketing for Christian Writers, an organization dedicated to helping Christian writers, authors, bloggers and speakers promote their words in order to help spread the message of God’s love to the world. Linda has nearly 15 years experience helping authors market their words. She is the former director of digital services for the largest media group in central Texas and is the owner of DLF Digital Services LLC. Linda and her husband live on a hobby farm in central Arkansas. They have four grown children and seven grandchildren.
June 11, 2014
Chain of Mercy Visits Target Field
One of the things I enjoy about being an author is placing my characters in some of my favorite Minnesota locales. That’s something many of my readers have commented on–they’ve loved revisiting those sites in my book.
One location that plays a significant role in Chain of Mercy is Target Field, the home of our Minnesota Twins. (One of the best places to watch a baseball game!) Last Thursday, our family celebrated birthdays and graduations and Father’s Day and book releases at a Twins game. Since two scenes take place at Target Field, I had to bring my book along and get a picture!
And I had to find the seats where my character, Sheila Peterson, holds season tickets. These are cushioned seats located right behind the first base dugout. Wish I could have watched the game from there! Maybe someday. 
From Sheila’s seats looking waaaay out toward the grandstand seats in right field. That’s where our actual seats were.
Now, I did take a few liberties with the setting, particularly a scene that takes place in the concourse, but that’s authorial privilege, right? (Oh, in case you were wondering, we lost the game. 
But one of our guys hit a grand slam which was sweet to see.)
Question for you: Do you enjoy reading about familiar settings in novels? What’s one place you’d like to visit in a book?
June 9, 2014
Meet Kate from Sandra Orchard’s BLIND TRUST
Back in April, Author Sandra Orchard introduced me to the concept of character interviews on her blog when she interviewed Richard from Chain of Mercy. It was so much fun, I had to return the favor! It’s a terrific way to get more insight into the characters in a novel, hopefully convincing you to read the book.
So today I’m introducing you to Kate Adams from Sandra latest, Blind Trust (Port Aster Secrets series from Revell). First, though, here’s a blurb about the novel:
Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can’t believe that it came from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker’s investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor’s innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation–and strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world–and her budding romance with Tom–begin to crumble. To Kate, it’s clear that she won’t be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster’s secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?
Intrigued? I knew you would be! Now, on to that interview…
1. Kate, tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense.
My name is Kate Adams and I was just trying to help out my elderly neighbor by picking up a few groceries for her at the store. I had no idea the money she gave me to pay for them was counterfeit, and I’m sure she didn’t either. Thankfully, Detective Parker knows me and knows I would never try to pass counterfeit money. Why would I? I have a good job as a research scientist specializing in herbal remedies. Unfortunately, he’s not nearly as certain about my neighbor, which is why I knew I had to step in and help find the real counterfeiter. Except…I’m afraid there’s something much more insidious going on here in Port Aster, and somehow, I’ve wound up entangled in the middle of it.
2. Do you have any family?
No, my family is all gone. My dad died when I was young, while in custody, soon after the company that now wants to partner with my research station had him arrested for stealing company secrets. I’ve never wanted to believe he was guilty, but since my mom changed our names and shipped us across the country to live with my gran, it had seemed that way. Recently, Detective Tom Parker helped me find the courage to look into what really happened twenty years ago, and although we’re having a difficult time getting answers, it has been nice to finally be able to share my secret fears with someone after all these years.
3. You’ve mentioned Tom Parker a couple of times now, as if he might be a friend. Or maybe more than a friend? But I’m surprised. Didn’t he arrest you for murdering your mentor a couple of months ago? I seem to remember reading about that in Deadly Devotion.
Well, yes, he did. But he felt really, really bad about it afterward. And it wasn’t as if he’d wanted to. He’d been compelled to by his boss when he found certain evidence in my research lab. I have to admit that after all that and the other stuff you probably read about in Deadly Devotion, I did avoid Tom for a long while, because I knew he’d have to testify in the upcoming case against the person who tried to kill me and I figured the defendant’s lawyers would rip him to pieces on the stand if they found out he had a relationship with the victim.
4. But now the two of you are together?
Um, it’s kind of complicated. Tom would like us to be, but… I’m sorry. I really can’t talk about it. It will make much more sense if you read my story.
5. It sounds so noble to try to uncover who’s behind the counterfeiting and other odd things going on with your neighbor. Aren’t you afraid the real bad guy might come after you?
Yeah, actually, someone in a silver Ford Escort has been following me. Tom is totally freaked out about it, which is making me even more paranoid.
6. Some have suggested that your stalker might be connected to your rather vocal opposition to GPC Pharmaceuticals partnering with the research station. Care to comment?
I’d hardly say I’ve been vocal about my opposition. I didn’t write that letter to the editor, if that’s what you’re thinking. Someone else sent it and signed my name. But yes, I’m wary of GPC’s motives. Wouldn’t you be wary of a company that cost your father his life?
7. What are you afraid they’ll do?
Squash my research. I believe that we may have a cure for depression, but GPC doesn’t care about curing people. They only care about producing products that control symptoms, so patients will be dependent on their drugs.
8. Does Tom agree?
I think he’s starting to see that my instincts are good.
9. I think he thinks that there’s lots about you that’s “good!” So tell me, what do you value above all else?
Loyalty. Friends you can count on no matter what.
10. What do you hope people will learn from your experience?
Tell the truth, even when it hurts.
Wise answer!
So, now that you know more about Blind Trust, I’m certain you’re going to run right out to purchase it, so here are a few place you can find it:
Amazon
Christian Book Distributors
Barnes & Noble
Books A Million
About Sandra Orchard:
Sandra Orchard is the award-winning author of several inspirational romantic suspense/mysteries, including Deadly Devotion and Blind Trust. Her Love Inspired Suspense titles have garnered two Canadian Christian Writing Awards and a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award. Sandra has also received a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. In addition to her busy writing schedule, Sandra enjoys speaking at events and teaching writing workshops. She lives in Ontario, Canada. Learn more about Sandra’s books and check out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location pics, at http://sandraorchard.com.
Get in touch with Sandra:
website: http://sandraorchard.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraOrchard
eNewsletter Subscription: >here<
Monday Update – Chain of Mercy Review
I’m so grateful to Kav (a fellow Inkspirational Messages contributor) for this generous review of Chain of Mercy! And she’s giving away a FREE copy too.
http://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/2014/06/chain-of-mercy.html
So, if you don’t have your copy of Chain of Mercy yet, hurry over to Kav’s Best Reads blog and enter to win, or you could purchase the book (paperback or ebook) here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books A Million
