Friday, January 27, 2012

Lancaster Christian Writers February News/Writing Opportunity

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

I hope you spent last weekend's storm with a good book and warm fire. It wasn't too bad here in Lititz area, but slick enough it was just as well none of you were on the roads. Meanwhile, our next scheduled meeting is Saturday, February 18, 2012, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). Our scheduled January speaker, award-winning journalist Jeannette Hague Scott, has graciously rescheduled to join us then.

Jeannette Scott specializes in nonfiction writing, including news, features, profiles, faith and values stories and corporate communication. She is a former staff writer for Sunday News (Lancaster, Pa.) where she received 10 state press awards. You can learn more about Jeannette at www.jeannettescott.com. Jeannette describes as follows the workshop she will be sharing:  ""THRIVE!  Inspiration, encouragement and practical steps you can take to make this your best writing year yet! What defines success for you? Does success seem like a far away someday that is out of reach? It's closer than you think! Thrive! will renew your resolve to write and give you practical steps you can take to get closer to your goals this year."

SUPER SATURDAY COMING SOON!!  Our one day LCW conference at Lancaster Bible College is slipping up quickly upon us, less than two months away now. With fabulous faculty like novelists Gayle Roper, Tracy Higly, Mike Dellosso, Wanda Dyson and non-fiction workshop leaders like Marlene Bagnull, Carol Cool, Carol Wedeven, and Karen Whiting, you don't want to miss this OR let your writing friends miss it. PLEASE help us get the word out. Links for flyer and press release to post on your own social networking sites can be found at http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/   Help us get the news out to churches, libraries, friends and family. If you'd really like to drop some encouragement into my own life, drop me a line to let me know WHERE you have been able to do some PR for the event.

WRITERS OPPORTUNITY: Meanwhile yet another writers opportunity has been offered to our group. Women's ministry leader MaryEllen Stone has written our group, asking for story  submissions for her next title. This is a legitimate opportunity for a by-line, if little monetary return. BUT one caveat. LCW passes along writers opportunities that come to our group; we are not involved in any other way. So please don't communicate back to LCW regarding such submissions, but only with the indicated party. Submission guidelines below:

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/
www.jeanettewindle.com

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:  MaryEllen Stone is seeking submissions for inclusion in her upcoming book In the “I” of the Storm—Stories of Thanks-Giving, a sequel to Run in the Path of Peace—the Secret of Being Content No Matter What. You can check out MaryEllen and her ministry at: http://maryellenstone.com. 

Guidelines:  In the “I” of the Storm will be a collection of real-life accounts of individuals who have faced adversity, are in the midst of trying circumstances, who struggle with relationships, or dread day to day challenges. Stories must be non-fiction between 1,500 - 3,000 words. Narratives must embrace and reflect the message of Run in the Path of Peace. Stories can be in first or third person, but not previously published. Submissions must be accompanied by a completed submission form. For additional information and form email MaryEllen at: pathofpeacesequel@hotmail.com In the email subject bar write: Storm Submission Form
Submissions not meeting requirements will not be considered. Submission deadline is September 1, 2012.
Rights:  One-time rights. 
Payment:  Three stories will be chosen for special recognition. Authors selected for this honor will receive $50 and three copies of In the “I” of the Storm. All other authors whose stories are chosen for publication will receive two copies of the book.  
Resource:  Run in the Path of Peace—the Secret of Being Content No Matter What will prove invaluable in preparation for submission. It is available at amazon.com in both paperback and ebook. To assist writers, MaryEllen has made the ebook available until April 5, 2012 for free checkout through Amazon’s Kindle Lending Library at:
http://amzn.com/B005JPWBQC At this site you will see the following notice: "Borrow this book for free, with no due dates, if you are a Kindle owner & Prime member. If you're not a Prime member, start your one month free trial today. You can borrow this book from your Kindle device."

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Lancaster Christian Writers Storm Alert!

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

STORM ALERT! At least once between December-February each year, we seem to get one winter storm that hits a scheduled LCW meeting. As a good leader, I  plan for such in scheduling workshops. WELL, those of you who have been following the weather have undoubtedly learned we have a major winter storm blowing in Friday night into Saturday morning. I'd hoped maybe we'd still be able to meet. But the latest weather reports are to expect definite snow all Friday night and through much of Saturday morning. I would not want you on the roads risking your necks for a writers meeting. The good news is that we'd taken into account this possibility. SO Jeannette Scott will be running her workshop, and we will be offering the same program planned for this Saturday next month, Saturday, February 18th, instead. Hopefully by then we'll be past any chance of bad weather.

So stay warm, snuggle up to the fire,  enjoy some hot chocolate, and we'll see you next month.

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
www.jeanettewindle.com
www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com

Saturday, January 14, 2012

First LCW Meeting of 2012 Next Saturday, January 21st!

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

Happy New Years 2012! Can you believe a fresh year is here already? And help to kick it off with a bang, do consider joining us next Saturday, January 21, 2012, for our first LCW meeting of the year at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). We are looking forward to hearing from award-winning journalist Jeannette Hague Scott, who will be sharing some practical steps on kick-starting our writing for the coming year.  

Jeannette Scott specializes in nonfiction writing, including news, features, profiles, faith and values stories and corporate communication. She is a former staff writer for Sunday News (Lancaster, Pa.) where she received 10 state press awards. You can learn more about Jeannette at www.jeannettescott.com. Jeannette describes next Saturday's workshop as follows:

"THRIVE!  Inspiration, encouragement and practical steps you can take to make this your best writing year yet! What defines success for you? Does success seem like a far away someday that is out of reach? It's closer than you think! Thrive! will renew your resolve to write and give you practical steps you can take to get closer to your goals this year."
Meanwhile, I hope you have marked out LCW's Super Saturday 2012 on your calendar for March 24th and are helping to spread the news. Can you believe this marks our FIFTH Super Saturday. I honestly never expected to repeat the event after that first chaotic scramble in 2008. But we've learned a lot along the way, LCW has become a well-established writers network, and this year's Super Saturday at Lancaster Bible College's Sebastian Hall just may be our best yet! I am sending out a flyer and press release in a separate communication. YOU are our PR network. Please do your part in helping get the news out, posting it in churches and libraries, to your internet social networks, etc!
More info always at our blog, Lancaster Christian Writers Today: http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/
www.jeanettewindle.com

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

December News/Writing Opportunity

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

What a talented group we have? Much thanks to those of you who took time to share your writing with the rest of us last Saturday. To all, a Merry Christmas. We will meet for the first time in 2012 on Saturday, January 21st. Journalist and editor Jeannette Scott will be sharing a workshop with us (details later).

MEANWHILE if you can speak to the topics of mourning or peacemaking, a devotional writing opportunity has been offered to the LCW group from author and speaker Emily Chase (Emily has spoken twice for our Super Saturday conferences). The submission turnaround is short, so note the deadline below. If you do want to submit, but need a bit of writing time, DO consider dropping Emily an email to let her know your devotional is in the pipeline. SEE DETAILS BELOW.

FROM EMILY CHASE: "Jeanette - Here's a quickie writing opportunity for LCW.  Our church (West Shore E. Free) is planning to produce a book of Lenten devotionals based on the Beatitudes. They have assigned me 20 devotionals on the two beatitudes about "blessed are those who mourn..." and "blessed are the peacemakers..." and I'm supposed to recruit several other people to help get those 20 done by Jan. 10th, at the latest by the 15th. I'm guessing there may be LCW members who have something they wrote some time in the past about mourning or about peacemaking that might easily be tweaked to fit this project.

GUIDELINES: Each devotional should begin with a brief scripture reference (2-3 verses) related to the topic of the beatitude. (I need to know which passage you pick so that we don't all overlap.) Any translation (no paraphrases) would be acceptable. Then there should be a brief devotional thought about the passage, from 200-300 words. Lastly add a brief prayer to close it out. Note the repetition of the word brief in each category. :-) 

This is a for-the-love market opportunity. You would get honor, glory, a copy of the book, and your brief bio would appear at the end of the book Lemme know if anyone is interested! Thanks! - Emily  (echase@messiah.edu)" 

And I hope you have Saturday, March 24, 2012, marked firmly on your calendar for Super Saturday 2012 at Lancaster Bible College. We hope to have a flyer to you by early January. As always, the success of SS depends on you, the members of LCW. So if you have any ideas where we can publicize this event, please consider helping us among your own social network.

Finally, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the Babe in the manger, Jesus, Christ, Emmanuel, God With Us, the Morning Star, whose celebration this really is shine His light and joy into your home this Christmas season.

Serving with joy the King of Kings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com
www.jeanettewindle.com

Monday, December 5, 2011

Lancaster Christian Writers December News

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

I was sorry to miss November's LCW meeting with editor Joyce Tilney and Jeannette Scott, but hear it was a fabulous time. For my own part, it is wonderful to be back at home after five weeks on the road. A reminder that our next LCW meeting is Saturday, December 17th, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA 17543. As we try to work in at least once a year, this month will be a general Q&A session with experts answering YOUR questions in fiction, non-fiction, publishing, agenting and other fields. Plan as well to bring your titles and crafts for a 'Christmas Store' (and throw in a plate of goodies if you've got them as well!).

Meanwhile, if you have not yet joined The Book Club Network, a wonderful Christian book forum, then this is the time to do so! They are giving away more than 100 free Christian titles by top participating authors between now and December 20th (two of my own titles, Veiled Freedom and Freedom's Stand, will be among those featured December 14th). To join for this and many activities TBCN hosts regularly, go to: http://www.bookfun.org/  You can also participate by 'liking' their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/146903260542/. It takes only minutes to join.

A reminder that LCW news is always posted at our blog, Lancaster Christian Writers Today, if you've accidentally deleted an email: http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/
www.jeanettewindle.com

Thursday, November 17, 2011

LCW Meeting This Saturday, November 19th

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

A reminder that LCw will be meeting THIS Saturday, November 19th, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 from 9:30-noon (registration opens at 9AM). Joyce Tilney, editor of Christian newspaper The Voice of Grace and Truth, will be sharing a workshop on the power of vision and responsibility of the Christian author as write His answers.

I am currently on the road in eastern WA without access to LCW database, so will NOT be sending out a final reminder of meeting. We are privileged to have journalist and editor Jeannette Scott chairing LCW in my place. Here is your opportunity to pick her capable brain on any questions related to the journalism world. We will also again be offering opportunity for ALL LCW members attending to showcase their own titles at each meeting. With Christmas coming up, here's a chance for that personalized and economic gift.

AND we'll be giving time for peer critique groups. PLEASE remember to bring ten copies and no more than 1500 words if you plan to participate.

Have fun!

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
www.jeanettewindle.com
www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com

Monday, October 31, 2011

Mark Your Calendar for LCW Meeting Saturday, Nov. 19th

Dear Lancaster Christian Writers:

Our November meeiting is fast approaching Saturday, November 19th, 2011, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9).   PLEASE READ THIS THROUGH AS THERE IS A LOT OF LCW NEWS.

I will NOT be at the meeting, as my husband and I will be on the road for a month of speaking engagements across northwestern US.  We are privileged to have journalist and editor Jeannette Scott chairing the meeting. Just one caveat: there will be no hot drinks setup, so you may want to swing by Starbucks on the way.

Joyce Tilney, editor of Christian newspaper The Voice of Grace and Truth, will be sharing a workshop on the power of vision and responsibility of the Christian author as write His answers. The founder of Women of God Ministries, Joyce Tilney has traveled and taught throughout Europe, Asia and China living in Scotland with her family for 11 years. She has authored the non-fiction books, Leah: The Substitute Bride, Eve: In The Right Place, Our of Position and
Jochebed, A Woman of Faith Who Brought Deliverance to Her Nation.

We will also again be offering opportunity for ALL LCW members attending to showcase their own titles at each meeting. With Christmas coming up, here's a chance for that personalized and economic gift. AND we'll be giving time for peer critique groups (sorry those got a little squeeze in last month with two workshops!). PLEASE remember to bring ten copies and no more than 1500 words if you plan to participate

NOTE OF CAUTION:  I will do my best to send out a final reminder before the November 19th meeting, but can't guarantee email access. SO please do put this on your calendar and check for regular updates the LCW blog: http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/

SUPER SATURDAY 2012!!! And it isn't too early to put Super Saturday 2012 on your calendar. We have just confirmed a date: Saturday, March 24, 2012. Due to a scheduling conflict, we will be shifting our venue to Lancaster Bible College, which has graciously offered to host us this year. Of faculty already confirmed, we have a fabulous lineup, including award-winning novelists Gayle Roper, Tracy Higley, and Mike Dellosso, non-fiction children and women's author Karen Whiting, freelance editor Carol Cool, and author, editor, and founder of Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference Marlene Bagnull.  

More info at our blog, Lancaster Christian Writers Today: http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/

Until December,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers
http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/
www.jeanettewindle.com