Peter Lopez Jr.'s Blog: Xulon Press Blog , page 38

Top 10 Ways to Celebrate National Grammar Day

Grammarists rejoice! National Grammar Day is upon us, and we have cooked up some really fun ideas to help you celebrate the day. First, how about a little history? Martha Brockenbrough originally founded National Grammar Day in 2008 because she wanted to help her students with their grammar in a lively and positive way. Even former President George W. Bush sent a letter to commemorate the day in its inaugural year. Since then, the day has gained more popularity around the country. The National Grammar Day website shares, “Language is something to be celebrated; and March 4 is the perfect day to do it. It’s not only a date, it’s an imperative: March forth on March 4 to speak well, write well, and help others do the same!”

Here at Xulon Press, we feel National Grammar Day is one to be celebrated—and celebrated well! So, we’ve compiled 10 ways to celebrate and we think Martha would be quite proud. After all, she did want the day to be lively and fun!

 

Treat yourself to a grammar source or style guide. It’ll help your writing! I love the illustrated version of Elements of Style. If you don’t like pictures, the original Elements of Style is for you. Maybe the Chicago Manual of Style is more your style. (It is the end-all, be-all in the publishing industry after all.)
Send a National Grammar Day e-card to your favorite grammarly friends—or maybe someone who needs a bit of grammar help?
Tweet a grammar related-rhyme to @xulonpress. We’ll be retweeting our favorites!
Bake a cake to commemorate the day. After all, a party without cake is just a meeting.
Learn one new grammar rule a day for one week. You go, you.
Wear your favorite grammar related t-shirt…like a badge of honor!
Talk it up. Instead of “Talk Like a Pirate Day” trying speaking in alliteration all day. The conundrum is it could cause your co-workers to go considerably crazy. (“C” what we did there?!)
Take a picture and write a short story about it. Then, share your picture and story on Facebook or in a blog post. (Be sure to hashtag #NationalGrammarDay!)
Throw a “Word Nerd” party, and diagram sentences from your favorite books. We cannot confirm or deny that the Xulon editorial department has planned one for their Friday lunch break…
Lastly, March forth today and spread the grammar love!

 

Sources

http://nationalgrammarday.com

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Hello March! Trendy New Ways to Buy Books, Easter Prayers & National Grammar Day.

Hello, readers!

March is here, and the earth will be in bloom before we know it! Here on the Xulon Press blog, we’ve got lots of new, fresh ideas blooming throughout the month to keep you excited and inspired.

We’ll be looking at some new, cool ways in which books are finding their way to readers; ranging from monthly subscription services, to simple digital strategies, to totally unexpected social media promotions. We’ll also explore one of the most fun writing strategies I’ve ever heard of, one that Pinterest-crazy readers will totally embrace.

Lest you forget, dear readers, let me remind you: Friday, March 4th, is National Grammar Day. The former book editor in me thinks that means we should get the day off from work to celebrate, but instead you’ll have to pick a celebratory measure from our post on the “Best Ways to Celebrate National Grammar Day.” (No, you don’t have to pick just one!)

And of course, how could we forget Easter? This time of year is especially poignant for us in the Christian publishing industry. Forty hours of our week are spent finding ways to spread the words and message of the gospel as far and wide as we can spread it, and Easter feels very much like a time when the eyes of the world are focused in the same direction as ours.

We’ll be praying for a blessed Easter season for you and your family. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to the Xulon Press blog on the right-hand side of this page. We promise you won’t regret it!

Grammatically Smitten,

Brittnee Newman

 

 

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Book Cover Inspo: How to Create the Perfect Cover for Your Book

All authors dream of having that perfect book cover, the one that will capture the spirit of our story. They want their book to be seen and talked about. Read on for a breakdown of what goes into a good cover design—and a little book cover inspiration. 

At Xulon Press our team of designers use their experience, design skills, and knowledge to create the book cover your story deserves. Our authors stories range from autobiographies to self-help. Trim size selections vary (5×8 , 6×9, 7.5×9.25, 7.44×9.69, 8.5×8.5, 8×10, 8.25×11, etc.)  and influence the overall composition of the design. What works well for a hardcover children’s book won’t work for a paperback book on finance.

One of the most important elements of the cover is the book title. Selecting a title can be challenging for first-time authors. Special consideration should be given to the title, since it will work in conjunction with the design to capture the viewer’s attention. A very long title doesn’t allow much room for imagery. On the other hand, a concise and interesting title definitely presents your book in a more attractive manner to the book buyer. Keep in mind that online book stores and even brick-and-mortar stores usually carry many, many books. The average person will quickly scan through a wall of books looking to see what stands out to them. Chances are that books with concise, easy to read titles will have a greater opportunity to be picked up. 

Next time you are browsing at your local book store, take a look around and study the books on the shelves. Take notes, take pictures and learn from what you see. Ask yourself: How long are the titles? How large is the text? How do the images relate to the story? What about the book cover compelled you to pick it up?

The imagery on the cover is also vital to the success of your book. It needs to have unexpected elements and tell part of the story. It needs to have a polished, professional look. Self-published authors should keep in mind that their book could be seen in many different types of environments and forms,  such as trade shows, videos, posters, websites, and large banners. The quality and color of your images will take your book one step higher in a sea of books!

Here’s 10 of our favorite book cover designs for inspiration:

How will your cover stack up?

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Authors In the News: Adele Rodriguez featured in the Miami Herald

Just a couple of weeks ago, Xulon Press author Adele Rodriguez was featured in an article by a Miami Herald writer. What was the scoop?

It was simple: her commitment to “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In a day and age like this, common courtesy is considered newsworthy!

Journalist Bea L. Hines, journalist for the Herald, received a letter from Rodriguez about her new book, The Way to Happiness: My Journey.

The article, titled “Neighbors in Religion” delves into the similarities between the value sets that both women hold, and the premises taught by Rodriguez in The Way to Happiness. 

Three cheers to Adele Rodriguez for representing her faith and her book with such class!

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

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Successful Author Spotlight: Nicholas Papanicolaou

 Xulon author Nicholas Papanicolaou is no stranger to hard work. Born in Athens, Greece, he came to the United States when he was sixteen to attend boarding school in Massachusetts. After earning a bachelors degree in Economics from Harvard, a masters in Business Administration from Columbia, and a doctorate in Theology from Phoenix University of Theology, he went on to a successful business career, and later made his mark as one of the founding members of the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations”, a NGO registered in Vienna.


It was his international background which laid the framework for his first book, Islam vs. the United States. 


“As a Greek, I’ve had exposure to Greece’s history and the impacts of Islam. The spark that started all of this was the speech Obama gave in Cairo, saying that the U.S. was no longer a Christian nation. The point of this book was to address the misrepresentation of Christianity and Islam. It’s an effort to expose the truth.”

An effort widely deemed as a successful one; he even received a call from one of the leaders of the Shi’ite community in Beirut to congratulate him on the writing.


His second book, Bring Down That Wall , examines the premise that it’s a fundamental right of the state (and not the federal government) to set relations between church and state.  Nicholas writes that the Supreme Court has misinterpreted the founding father’s original intentions, and taken things into their own hands which should be mandated by state rule. He contends that SCOTUS has banned God out of public life with its recent rulings—even all the way back to Roe v. Wade, to now with the recent ruling on gay marriage.


“Each of these books address the master issue—separation of church and state,” Nicholas states. “The ramifications are indicative of other issues.”


Nicholas also strives to be a person who enables discussion and empathy, which is what inspired him to start the World Public Forum Organization, along with with two other founders. The WPFO brings together more than 700 officials and representatives from more than sixty countries, for discussions on cross-religious and cross-cultural issues.


“Samuel Huntington (Harvard) had just put out The Clash of Civilizations, and we hoped that, before world relations got to a dire point, everyone could talk and influence each other, and try to see each other’s point of view.”


The forum, which is not meant to resolve issues, but provide a safe haven for open communication and compromise, is working.


“It has gotten people to talk, such as an imam and rabbi, regardless of opposing cultures.”


After having accomplished so much, it’s easy to wonder what’s next for Nicholas Papanicolaou—but there isn’t much left on his bucket list.


“I’d like to settle into older age without worries and confrontations. I’m actually afraid the whole world is headed into bigger storms than we think. The clash will be between the Jewish/Christian world and Islam. I do wish for peace and better understanding between these forces.”


For now, Nicholas, who believes that everything he’s done has come from God, and from the doors He’s opened for him, certainly isn’t done yet.

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Writing Tips: 5 Things Every Devotional Should Contain

One of the most popular types of manuscripts we publish at Xulon Press is a devotional. While a writing a devotional may sound like a simple task, there are many that lack the basic “bones” every devotional needs to be successful (and most of all, helpful to the reader). So, here’s a list of what every devotional should contain:

Bible Verses. This may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many devotionals we receive that do not contain Bible verses. Perhaps they contain quotes, or thoughts, or “nuggets” as many pastors like to call them. It’s important for a Christian devotional to contain Bible verses, as the Bible is the crutch of the Christian faith.
Short Story or Commentary.  Just as every entry needs a verse, every entry needs teaching to spotlight the exact principle you want readers to find. Share stories from your life where you’ve applied the chosen verse. Explain the verse in your own words. Give an uplifting message to encourage the reader. Whatever you decide, stick with the same format for every entry.
Sync With A Calendar. Before any author starts writing a devotional, they should decide on a length. You’d be surprised how many manuscripts we receive with random numbers of entries. We have to go back to the author and say, “Can you add seven more to make this a once-a-week devotional?” or, “Can you add three more to make this a daily devotional?” Decide how often you want readers to consult your devotional and use that to determine how many entries you include. Popular choices are weekly devotionals, daily devotionals, 30-day devotionals, etc.
Consistent Theme. In order to better hone in on your target audience (and also give readers consistency) it’s vital for you to decide on a theme. This can be an overall theme, or even broken into smaller, connected themes within the devotional. Is this for women? Men? Is it a devotional for overcoming grief? For finding strength? For a new mother? Honing in on an audience makes your book more marketable, and that strategy should be applied even in the writing process.
Interaction or Application Area.  This encourages readers to practice living out what they’ve read in the devotional. Some authors ask a question. Some authors provide a short prompt and room for readers to write their own stories. Others might include an application prayer.  Choose one format, and then give readers a chance to apply what they’ve read to their lives.

It doesn’t matter what you decide on theme, entry length, overall book length, or the use of verses, the most important thing is to keep it consistent while writing a devotional. Keep it consistent and it will be better overall, and your readers will thank you for it.

Have a question? An idea you want to throw around? Feel free to comment. I’d be happy to help!

 

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How One Christian Author Shed the Weight of Perfectionism

The pressure of perfectionism finds everyone at some point in life. Author Tiffany Wasson struggled with it in her personal and Christian life: the wife of an aspiring pastor, mother of two young sons and devoted member within the body of Christ.

Until she attended a woman’s conference three years ago, which sparked the realization that perfection is impossible—except through God.

“My whole life I have strived for perfection in every way: in my Christian role, in my physical appearance, etc. Through breaking that belief, the Word revealed to me that nothing is perfect,” she says.

With her new book, Running Mascara: Embracing the Beauty of an Imperfect Church, Tiffany teaches readers that they don’t need to live a legalistic life to please God, but be willing to be obedient and vulnerable. If believers will be willing to let their mascara run, their flaws can be made perfect in Jesus.

Setbacks Lead to Stronger Faith

The initial desire to write the book came during a difficult time for Tiffany; her anxiety and fear were leading to depression and severe panic attacks. She prayed and read the Bible for answers.

God’s reply: write a book about what those experiences—and her responses to them—presented to her.  The book would cover not only her anxiety issues, but also her parents’ divorce when she was nine, and several other events in her life.

What did she discover? The freedom of living a life chasing Christ—instead of perfectionism.

“I’ve been completely broken for the Lord over these past two years, and it has grown my faith in many ways. I can’t even breathe without Him,” Tiffany states.

She attended a book writing conference last year to take writing seminars, where she met Donald Newman, Acquisitions Director at Xulon Press. Tiffany agreed to meet with Donald for an author coaching session, but questioned whether she was up to the task or not.

“I thought to myself: I hate writing and I hate reading. I start to freak out if a book I’m writing is not perfect from start to finish. I can’t write five sentences without being an emotional wreck, much less a 60,000 word book.

“But I felt like I needed a push in the right direction, and met with Don. After hearing my story, Don told me to write this book and that even if the book heals one person, even if it is me, then I needed to write it.”

Tiffany set to work on the title (Running Mascara from a statement at the conference; subtitle at her husband Jeremy’s suggestion) and determining key aspects of her book. She placed a poster board in her home with ideas for chapter titles, cover themes, scripture verses and quotes.

Two weeks after she began writing, she had 10,000 words. She did it by writing early in the morning before her family woke up, and sometimes late at night, even if it was for just twenty minutes a day.

But her journey hit an obstacle one night when Tiffany sat down to write, and felt the enemy was throwing everything he had at her. She had an intense panic attack, and woke up her husband to pray for her. After that episode, she didn’t write for an entire month.

“I didn’t write for a month for fear that it would happen again. That whole month of no writing put me back,” she recalls.

Tiffany saw this as example of God asking her to trust Him with her endeavor and be obedient. “Through this, the Lord has shown me the act of obedience, as stated in Romans 5:18-19,” she gratefully.

 

Impacting Others and Waiting

As her book moves forward into the design phase, Tiffany is already setting up book signings in local bookstores, and has spoken at her church and a Christian radio station about her upcoming book. She even showed the cover design to a female cashier at the grocery store, who has already requested her copy up on it’s release.

As the final publication date nears, she firmly believes that God allowed her to be broken and poured out to Him while the writing this book.

“I’m excited but also very nervous as this has been my blood, sweat and tears. It is my heart and everything in my life, where I’m being broken and poured out on the table. I want to be broken and poured out for Him. I never want to get to the point that I’ve made it and don’t need Him anymore. I just want to be humble,” she states.

Her writing dreams have not stopped there; she’s already begun a second book focused on the waiting periods God places us in. The idea for the book came during Tiffany’s four-year-old son Austin’s craniotomy to remove a growth attached to the main artery of his skull.

The experience was a miraculous one. Austin was back to his normal self within two days of his surgery and has no visible scarring. It was a a clear demonstration to Tiffany, yet again, on the importance of remaining obedient to God during all circumstances.

“It was a reminder to me that God is good.”

But it’s a message she never would have been able to tell if she had not started by writing a book about imperfection—and the perfect love of God that fills our gaps.

 

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What Black History Month Taught Us About Telling Our Stories

As we celebrate Black History Month, Publishing Consultant Kenneth Clark talks about the role that history, legacy, and story preservation have played in black history within the United States.

If you’re interested in partnering with Xulon Press to tell your story, please contact us at 1-866-381-2665.

 

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Black History Month at Xulon Press

As we celebrate Black History Month, Publishing Consultant Kenneth Clark talks about the role that history, legacy, and story preservation have played in black history within the United States.

If you’re interested in partnering with Xulon Press to tell your story, please contact us at 1-866-381-2665.

 

The post Black History Month at Xulon Press appeared first on Xulon Press, Christian Self Publishing.

Top 5 Books to Read for Black History Month

I have very distinct memories of Black History Month in the primary grades: reading about Martin Luther King Jr., watching movies about Jackie Robinson, and painting a lot of clasped hands in different shades of paint. Now I know that, as a writer, the most significant way for me to celebrate this month is to revel in the rich words and reflections of African-American authors.

Celebrating Black History Month might be just the muse you need for your own writing. After all, black history is a huge field that connects different time periods, perspectives, styles, continents, and topics; books written by black authors cross all genres and encompass more than the topics that you were probably given to read about in elementary school every February.

From moving refrains that evolved the long-entrenched mindsets of their time, to descriptions dripping with transcendent language, these recommendations are guaranteed to get your own writing flowing from your mind to the page.

Please note that some of the books contain language and content that could be considered offensive, however it is always done to convey historical accuracy and to emphasize the need for God’s presence in all lives.

My Top 5 Books to Read for Black History Month

1. Kindred by Octavia Butler

Often cited as the first well-known science fiction written by a black woman, this skillfully complex novel combines memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction. Look to this book for inspiration on how to play with time and setting, since it successfully takes a modern woman and transports her to antebellum Maryland.

2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

I know this one is pretty popular and you may have already read this classic, but rereading this autobiographical fiction as a writer will do wonders for how you integrate your own life into your writing. Angelou was challenged to make her life story into great literature, and she shows that not only is it possible, but it is very impactful. This book can help you inject your own narratives, fiction or nonfiction, with round and realistic movement.

3. Songlines in Michaeltree: New and Collected Poems by Michael S. Harper

Yes, this is a book of poetry; don’t let that stop you from using it as your prose inspiration. Michael S. Harper is a master of infusing rhythm into his writing and painting an image with simple, impactful vocabulary. If your descriptions need a burst of vitality and emotion, use some of Harper’s poetry as a breathtaking guide.

4. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

For all of you nonfiction fans, this is an excellent example of how to build an inspiring book around a very simple concept. Rhimes takes her experience as a television producer and writes about her resolution to say yes. Sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious, and always honest, this book will encourage you to take chances with your own writing.

5. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Many writers strive to impersonate realistic voices and language to add a new dimension to their characters, and no one does this better than Hurston. This classic uses colloquial language to transport the reader into the characters’ world. Study the poetic speech patterns and marvel at how they add an additional layer the meaning of characterization.

 

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