LCW December News: Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2013!! It was a pleasure to see a good group for our Lancaster Christian Writers Christmas party. Many beautiful, touching, even funny pieces shared by LCW members--each year it is such a delight to see--and hear--what a talented group of writers make up Lancaster Christian Writers.

Our next meeting (assuming the Mayans were no more capable of predicting the end of the world as they were of preserving their own empire) will be Saturday, January 19, 2013, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon ((registration opens at 9). We are privileged to welcome as speaker Lisa Lawmaster Hess, who will be sharing with us a fun and practical workshop few of us can claim we don't need, entiled, "Organizing Your Writing By Style: The Fun Way to Get Your Act Together."

A  former elementary school counselor whose own organizational system is a work-in-progress, Lisa Hess writes both fiction and non-fiction and is the author of Acting Assertively and Diverse Divorce and WITF Radio's community blog Six Children and No Theories. She blogs at www.L2Hess.blogspot.com (The Porch Swing Chronicles) and her community blog cab be found at: www.witf.org/six-children-no-theories.

Lisa shares of her workshop, "Do you have trouble keeping yourself and your writing projects organized? Maybe you need a better, low-stress way - one that works with your style. In this workshop we'll explore some common personal and organizational styles that can interfere with getting (and staying) organized and learn how to make them assets instead of liabilities so we can keep ourselves and our writing projects in order."

IN OTHER NEWS:  

1. Christian Romance Magazine writing opportunity:  I shared at the Christmas party of an invitation LCW had received to submit Christian romance short stories. I apologize hugely that this opportunity is no longer available. After only four issues, the magazine shut down, ironically, for lack of submissions. BUT if you are interested, you can check out all four issues for free HERE. We will continue to forward such opportunities as they came available.

2. SS2013 Flyer: We did get a volunteer to put together our Super Saturday 2013 poster--thank you SO much, Diana Baldwin. We hope to have that available to circulate by end of January. Meanwhile DO reserve Saturday, April 6, 2013, for an awesome conference lineup.

3. Workshop/Devotional speakers: Our LCW 2012-2013 calendar year is now completely filled for speakers and workshops EXCEPT our June 15th meeting. I'm excited at the wonderful lineup we have, thanks to suggestions from our LCW members. If anyone has a suggestion for our June meeting, please do let me know. Meanwhile we do have openings to share in the opening devotional time for most meetings, so if you would like to share, please let me know that as well.   

If we don't cross paths in person before the holidays, may the Giver of all gifts, our heavenly Father, grant you a wonderful celebration of our Savior's birth.

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

Lancaster Christian Writers Holiday Fun Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Merry Christmas 2012 from Lancaster Christian Writers.  Come celebrate the season with us Saturday, December 15, 2012, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon ((registration opens at 9). Our fabulous guest speaker--YOU!!

Yes, as has become LCW tradition, our December meeting will showcase the creativity and genius of our own members. Share a poem, drama, devotional, even a scene of that novel. Time limit is 3-5 minutes (easy way to calculate is a maximum of 700 words), in order to permit as many to participate as possible. I do need an advance head count. SO please let me know if you want to participate so as to get you on the list.

Party food:  If you are baking any Christmas goodies or would like to contribute a brunch type dish, we'd love to make this a real party. If you think you can bring something, a heads-up would be nice just for planning. But last minute goodies will also accepted.

We will be making time as well for our usual peer critique groups. AND if you have published titles or Christmas crafts, do bring them along for our Holiday Bazaar.  What better or more economic gift can you get for family member or friend than a personalized autographed title or craft.

SUPER SATURDAY 2013: We have finalized a wonderful faculty list for our 2013 one-day Lancaster Christian Writers conference, to be held again this year at Lancaster Bible College Saturday, April 6th, 2013. Best-selling and award-winning suspense authors Ronie Kendig and Mindy Starns Clark will be teaching our fiction track. Author, speaker, and founder of national "I Love to Write Day", John Riddle, along with editor, writing coach and author Dave Fesseden and nationally acclaimed speaker and author Nancy Sebastian Meyer will be teaching non-fiction and marketing workshops. Marlene Bagnull will be present with her conference bookstore. SO PUT THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR AND HELP US GET THE NEWS OUT!!

NEED GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR SUPER SATURDAY 2013 FLYER: One final request, if anyone has graphic design gifts, we could use a volunteer to put together a poster/flyer for Super Saturday 2013. We would need it by mid-January to begin event publicity. Press photos, info, etc. are already in hand so it is just a matter of putting together an attractive flyer.  If anyone is able, interested, and willing, you will be hugely appreciated.

Looking forward to seeing many of you next Saturday. If we don't cross paths in person before the holidays, may the Giver of all gifts, our heavenly Father, grant you a wonderful celebration of our Savior's birth.

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

Lancaster Christian Writers Welcomes Speaker and Journalist Dona Fisher This Saturday, Nov. 17th

A reminder that Lancaster Christian Writers November meeting is now right around the corner this Saturday, November 17, 2012, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). We are delighted to welcome speaker and columnist Dona Fisher, whom many of you may recognize as director of Lancaster's National Day of Prayer Event. Dona will be sharing a workshop:  "Write It From A Prayerful Heart".

A native of Lancaster, PA, Dona Fisher serves as Vice President of Friendship Foundation, Inc. which provides Christian outreach events including the non-denominational Change of Pace Bible Studies of which she has been director for 37 years.  She also chairs the annual Lancaster County National Day of Prayer. Among other publishing credits, Dona has written a column for the Matters of Faith section of Lancaster Sunday News since 2003.  Dona shares about this workshop, "Nothing more intimidating than a full mind and a empty page. Learn to be aware, ponder, deposit those thoughts, pray fully dependent, and desperately in need of cultivating God's viewpoint. Think in parables-earthly stories with heavenly meanings."

IN OTHER NEWS:

1. Looking for Devotional Speakers: We still have openings for devotional speakers this month through end of year. Guidelines: a 5-10 minute devotional related to writers/writing. If you would be interested in sharing THIS SATURDAY, or in future months, please contact me ASAP.

2. Critique Groups: Following the workshop will be our regular critique session. A reminder to follow LCW guidelines of bringing 10 copies no more than 1500 words.

3. December meeting: As has become tradition, our December speaker (Saturday, Dec. 15th) will be YOU. Share a poem, drama, reading 3-5 minutes (maximum 700 words). Please let me know if you want to participate so as to get you on the list.

4. Holiday Bazaar: Also we will be featuring our Holiday Bazaar both November and December meetings, so if you would like to bring your books to sell or pick up a personalized autographed title for that family member or friend, here is your opportunity.

And on a personal note, thank you all who prayed for my travel to Nairobi, Kenya, this past month in Littworld 2012, the global Christian publishing/writer conference that takes place every three years on shifting continents (www.littworld.org). My two suitcases of materials for publishers and conference arrived safely as did I. Littworld itself was the largest to date with almost 200 delegates from exactly 50 countries. Argentina, Burundi, Cameroon, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia were just an alphabet sample of the parade of nations with every continent represented including the world's most populous countries of mainland China and India and the planet's newest nation of South Sudan. LCW member Terry Webb, who has done extensive ministry in Kenya, was also present so Lancaster Christian Writers was well represented. For more on this wonderful ministry of raising up Christian publishers/writers around the planet, check out: www.littworld.org. Or my recent photo albums if you are on FaceBook.

Looking forward to seeing you all Saturday. And don't forget your titles for the Holiday Bazaar.

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

Lancaster Christian Writers News/Writing Opportunities

It was an enormous pleasure to see so many in attendance this last Saturday for our October LCW meeting, a truly full house with over 50 in attendance and a delightfully practical and interactive workshop from speaker Emily Chase. Emily has also left LCW with a fresh publication opportunity (see details below). A thanks as well to our own poet laureate Byron Smith, who shared a devotional challenge with the group along with his award-winning poetry. A congratulations to Byron for his poem, Sculpted, which was a finalist for Pennsylvania in the national 2012 Senior Poet Laureate Contest (poem included below for those who didn't get to hear Byron read in person).

Meanwhile mark your calendar for our next meeting, Saturday, November 17, 2012, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). We are delighted to welcome speaker and columnist Dona Fisher, whom many of you may recognize as director of Lancaster's National Day of Prayer Event. Dona will be sharing a workshop:  "Write It From A Prayerful Heart".

Dona shares about this workshop, "Nothing more intimidating than a full mind and a empty page. Learn to be aware, ponder, deposit those thoughts, pray fully dependent, and desperately in need of cultivating God's viewpoint. Think in parables-earthly stories with heavenly meanings."

SPEAKER BIO: A native of Lancaster, PA, Dona Fisher serves as Vice President of Friendship Foundation, Inc. which provides Christian outreach events including the non-denominational Change of Pace Bible Studies of which she has been director for 37 years.  She also chairs the annual Lancaster County National Day of Prayer. Among other publishing credits, Dona has written a column for the Matters of Faith section of Lancaster Sunday News since 2003.

On a personal note, I leave Friday Oct. 26th, for Nairobi, Kenya, where I will be on faculty at Littworld 2012, the global Christian publishing/writer conference that takes place every three years on shifting continents (www.littworld.org). One of my greatest delights is the privilege of mentoring writers across the developing world; this conference brings together more than 200 top leaders in Christian publishing and writing from across the developing world on all five continents. I would ask for prayer that God will grant safety in travel and right words in speaking. Above all, I am ferrying two suitcases of material and books earmarked for African Christian publishers and conferees.   Please pray with me that this luggage will arrive safely to the conference.

See below for writing opportunities and Byron Smith's wonderful award-winning poem.

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

WRITING OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Emily Chase expresses appreciation for last year's participation by LCW members in West Shore Evangelical Free Church's Lenten publication. West Shore has again extended an invitation for LCW members to participate in their 2013 Lenten project, a book of daily offices with the working title Making Space: Learning How to Enjoy God’s Beautiful, Life-Giving Presence. 8 themes have been selected for the eight chapters; each chapter will have twenty brief essays, 300 words or so each.  The eight themes are: 1)   Silence (and solitude); 2)  Sabbath (and sacred time); 3)  Simplicity 4)  Fasting 5)  Prayer; 6)  Worship; 7) Hospitality; 8) Community. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 1, 2012. Authors of devotionals published in the book will each receive a single copy of the book.  All submissions can be sent to Emily Chase (echase@messiah.edu). 

2. LCW member Evelyn Merriams, recently accepted for publication by Salvation Army's 132 year old publication War Cry (congratulation!), is sharing this opportunity with the group. Now a monthly publication, War Cry accepts unsolicited subscriptions on a variety of topics. Guidelines available at:  War Cry Submission Guidelines

AWARD-WINNING POEM SCULPTED: BY BYRON SMITH, SENIOR POET LAUREATE, PA FINALIST

I moved freely                                                                     Thud of mallet, chip

within the marble mountain                                                 of chisel, nick the

until the grinding gnaw                                                        surfaces of my vault.

bit into the face                                                                   Studied persistent rasps

of our wall.                                                                         lay bare my contours.

Depletion of our solid                                                         Air and light touch me

cliff seemed small.                                                              into rigid helplessness

Neglected attention                                                              Ogled and admired, I stand

caught me one day                                                                real as life, they say.

in a special block                                                                 I return the stares.              

cut from our domain.

Furiously, I fought                                                              He who has imprisoned me

the sudden limits of                                                             is praised, applauded.

solitary confinement.                                                          Can he know how much

Surrounding barriers of                                                      he doesn't  understand

light and air                                                                        of inside life exposed,

encompassed my tight cell.                                                 leaving me motionless,

Caged in a cube                                                                   permanently not alive.

stolen from our mountain

I'm taken alone into a

curtained studio.        

Lancaster Christian Writers October Meeting Features Speaker and Author Emily Chase

Mark your calendar for Lancaster Christian Writers next meeting with author and speaker Emily Chase on Saturday, October 20, 2012, at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9).  We will be meeting back in our normal classroom area (A-101/103) inside the main church sanctuary entrance. Author, counselor and youth conference speaker Emily Chase will be sharing a workshop of high-octane value to fiction and non-fiction writers alike. 

Workshop Description--"Say It With Feeling": How do you develop characters with real emotions? Anger and joy and grief are all abstract nouns, but they each manifest concrete physical components and actions. Learn to take your own emotional pulse and use the results to enhance your writing whether in fiction or non-fiction.  Techniques will include taking a trip to the land of Zoom and creating an anger thermometer.  Come prepared to laugh and cry!

Emily Parke Chase has written seven books on relationship issues,  including Why Say No When My Hormones Say Go? (Wingspread) and Help! My Family's Messed Up! (Kregel).  This workshop draws upon her 20+ years of experience in the counseling room working with clients in crisis.  Emily and her husband live in Mechanicsburg, PA.  More info and contact link at her website: www.emilychase.com

We will also be answering questions regarding e-publishing arising from last month's clinic and hosting our regular critique groups as well. If you are new, check out critique guidelines under Lancaster Christian Writers Info at top of right column.

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

Lancaster Christian Writers September News/Writing Opportunities

What a wonderful kickoff we had to the Lancaster Christian Writers calendar year with over 70 turning out last Saturday for Dr. Amy Deardon's excellent clinic on eBook publishing. For the first time ever, I personally feel I could follow directions and get a book up on Kindle all by myself. Thank you, Amy, and thank you, Marlene Bagnull, for bringing Greater Philly Christian Writers conference bookstore all the way here to share with our members.

For those who missed the clinic or found the info overwhelming (everything about ePublishing in two hours is definitely a fast pace; one attendee described it as trying to drink from a fire hose), no problem. You can contact Amy directly to request her entire PowerPoint presentation on CD or her services (very reasonable) to convert your manuscript to eBook for you at: amydeardon@yahoo.com (mailto:amydeardon@yahoo.com) OR amy@amydeardon.com

Our next monthly meeting is Saturday, October 20th, details to come. We WILL be taking some follow-up questions regarding ePublishing that didn't Our speaker schedule is filling up quickly, but if you do have a speaker or workshop to suggest, please do send it along ASAP. Also, we have openings to share a devotional from November on; if you would like to get on the calendar for that, get your bid in soon.

Meanwhile TWO new industry opportunities have been forwarded to Lancaster Christian Writers members. I hope you will take advantage if any of the below applies to you.

1. First, if you are UNDER 20 years old, write for youth, or know a young writer to whom you can pass this on, editor Patti Shene, Division Manager, YA and Children's Imprints, Written World Communications and Executive Editor Starsongs Magazine (many of you may have met her on faculty at GPCWC a month back) sends the following shout-out:

"Immediate need for original short stories, articles, poetry, essays artwork or photography relating to the following subjects: Veterans Day, orphans, loss of loved one. Magazine is general market publication for kids by kids. Author must be below the age of 20 yrs. Contact Patti Shene at starsongs.mag@gmail.com (mailto:starsongs.mag@gmail.com) for guidelines and further information.

ALSO, immediate need for short stories, articles, poetry, or essays for new teen Christian magazine. Current theme is honesty and integrity. For further information, contact Patti Shene at untapped.mag@gmail.com (mailto:untapped.mag@gmail.com) ."

2. Second, if you are looking for some reasonable marketing opportunities for your books, John Riddle, author, speaker and founder of  I Love To Write Day gave opportunity a month or so back to LCW members to list titles in the 2013 Family Friendly Book Directory offers the below additional offer to LCW members:

"Our "Family Friendly Book Directory" is just about ready to send out! Recently you might have received a promotional offer from us to become a "Lifetime Author Sponsor" of I Love To Write Day. A few authors signed up, but I did hear back from lots of others.  They reminded me that we are still in the middle of the great recession, and that $$ is tight for lots of people today. With that in mind, I am happy to announce I have REDUCED THE PRICE to become a "Lifetime Author Sponsor," and even added a FEW MORE BENEFITS!

1. FREE paid ad in ALL future ILTWD Directories: Twice a year we will publish a "Family Friendly Book Directory;" we will also publish a "Books for the Holidays" directory and a "Summery Reading Directory."  (And more people are signing up to receive our directories...so your book will receive "lots of exposure!") The FREE paid ad includes the book cover and 5 lines of copy for ALL of your books! (Including future ones....)

2. FREE article/book review about your book in all of the above directories.  (You can supply an article/review, or we can create one for you!)

3. FREE press release distribution.  Whenever you need a press release sent out about your books, just let me know.  Through my ILTWD program I have an extensive editorial contact list of media outlets, publications, bloggers and Websites that feature books and authors.  PLUS, I am a member of TWO major PR news services, and can distribute your press release through their contacts as well.  You can supply the press release; but if you need help writing it, just ask!

4. FREE listing in our new "Author Sponsor Page" on the official I Love To Write Day site at www.ilovetowriteday.org

5. FREE info about you and your book included in our "Welcome to I Love To Write Day" message people receive when they sign up for ILTWD through our Website or e-mail.

6. FREE bragging rights as a "Lifetime Author Sponsor" of I Love To Write Day!  Your friends and family will be impressed!  :)

The new and improved price to become a “Lifetime Author Sponsor” is $99.  But wait…you can save some additional $$ if you come on board within 24 hours…pay only $75.  For one low price, PR for your books (now and future ones!) are on the road to success! Proceeds from sponsorships help us to reach out to more schools and students. "When people become stronger writers, they become better communicators...and everyone wins!" You can pay via Pay Pal or send a check.  My Pay Pal e-mail address is: johnriddle@sprintmail.com  I can send you an Invoice via Pay Pal, or you can make the payment directly on their Website.  (Holler if you have never used Pay Pal before.)  You can also send a check to: John Riddle, P.O. Box 40, Bear, Delaware 19701"

Thank you for your time and consideration.

John Riddle

Founder

I Love To Write Day

 AND just to finish off with a smile:

Lancaster Christian Writers Fall Kickoff This Saturday, Sept. 15th, with Epublisher Amy Deardon

Lancaster Christian Writers 2012 Fall Kickoff is now just around the corner this coming Saturday, September 15th, with ebook publisher Dr. Amy Deardon at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, 419 Pierson Rd, Lititz, PA, 17543 from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). Admission is FREE!!! So help us pass on this wonderful opportunity to other writers who might be interested. (You can do this by posting this link on your social networks)

 

Dr. Amy Deardon's full morning clinic, You Can E-Publish Your Book, covers the A-Z of do-it-yourself e-publishing. Amy shares, "E-books are the new publishing trend, generating about twice as much sales revenue in 2011 as print books (Publishers Weekly, Feb 27 2012). Independent publishing (through e-books) has never been easier or cheaper for small publishers and individuals, and has the potential to generate impressive passive income. This is a step-by-step workshop to learn how to find good topics, how to format and publish your e-book for Amazon's Kindle and B&N's Nook, and how to optimize book listings to generate sales."

A research scientist and author, Dr. Amy Deardon describes herself as a self-confessed skeptic who undertook a year-long investigation aimed at debunking the biblical claims of a resurrected Savior. That quest led her instead to personal faith in Jesus Christ. Her sci-fi time travel novel A Lever Long Enough named winner of the 2009 Pluto Award and 2011 EPIC eBook Award. Amy founded her own publishing company, Taegais Publishing LLC, in 2008, and currently publishes and e-publishes books. She can be reached through her websites at www.amydeardon.com and www.ebooklistingservices.com.

Marlene Bagnull, director Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers, will also be bringing her conference bookstore, including a wide variety of writer, ebook, and other publishing resources. And for LCW members who just can't wait another month to share their own work, a peer critique session will be offered directly following the morning clinic. Guidelines at LCW Blog: http://www.lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/

Lancaster Christian Writers welcomes writers of all churches and denominations and of all levels, from published authors to beginning free-lancers. For more information,  As always, regular news bulletins for LCW can be found at our blogsite Lancaster Christian Writers Today (please check blog first): OR for additional questions, contact LCW president Jeanette Windle at  jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

Until Saturday.

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