The #CANCrown Awards Are Open!

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CAN Crown Awards
CAN Crown Awards

Excellence in Christian Marketing and Media for Books, Book Series, or Brand

Christian Authors Network Crown Awards

#CANCrown on social media

The CAN Crown Awards Celebrate Excellence in Christian Media and Marketing by Authors.

Purpose of CAN Crown Awards: To recognize, educate, and encourage excellence in marketing and promotion skills of all Christian authors.

Why? One crucial career area for Christian authors is marketing. (I know, stop rolling your eyes. Marketing can be fun!) The problem is that an author now has to wear so many hats. So many hats that the marketing hat may cause the whole stack to tumble if you don’t know how to make and follow through with a marketing plan.

Yes, there’s a second problem. Marketing has been an elusive beast that’s been difficult to master. We’re building a bridge over that chasm of author OR marketer to help you become author entrepreneur. Being a professional author means you are a business owner. A business owner that needs marketing to reach readers, retailers, and librarians.

What if we had some excellent examples?

What if those examples could shine a light for other authors fumbling in the dark? 

What if shining campaigns earned an award and even more promotion as part of that award?

Over the last few decades, the publishing industry has morphed into something completely unrecognizable. Authors have to be a Jack/Jill-of-all-trades from writing to design to marketing. Many authors self-publish while many are hybrids who do both traditional and indie arenas. The major need for any Christian author, regardless of publishing platform, is to learn and execute excellent marketing plans. The book of your heart can’t get into the hands of readers, retailers, or librarians without a great marketing plan. Though there’s some conference training, there hasn’t been a lot of examples of marketing campaigns that work. Campaigns may well be excellent, or not.

Who could know? There hasn’t been a recognition of those campaigns. Until now.

Introducing the inaugural #CANCrown Awards. The Christian Authors Network exists to help professional authors market their books. CAN is in the unique position in the industry to bring recognition to excellent marketing campaigns.

The benefit: Recognition nationally. Awards you can display on your website, book, book series, newsletter, social media, etc. Winning campaigns get more promotion via the CAN network of influence. Winners will be promoted in front of a large audience of publishing and film industry professionals during the Crown Awards during the ICVM/CAN Conference.

What does that mean? Winning means that for the small entry fee, you’ll get a lot more promotion of your book, book series, or brand. You’ll be able to display your award forever. CAN will promote your winning entry through our channels and expand your reach. But, we’ll also be sure to recognize all finalists. Entering the #CANCrown Awards magnifies your marketing efforts. Feedback from judges will help all entrants gain insight into more effective marketing, may help tweak an ongoing plan, and encourages excellence in all we do as Christian authors.

Read the #CANCrown Award entry rules, then enter by Oct. 18, 2019 (contest closes at 11:59pm Pacific)

Learn more:

We’re honored to be featured on The Write Conversation Blog with an article about the awards.

https://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-contest-to-help-tame-elusive-beast-of.html

We’re honored to be featured on Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog about the awards.

The CAN Crown Awards—A Crowning Achievement for Market-Minded Inspirational Authors

With deep gratitude to our #CANCrown Awards Committee: Edie Melson, Karen Whiting, Dianne Barker, Linda Kozar. I had the distinct honor of working with these wonderful, wise, and thoughtful women in designing this opportunity for you, Christian authors, to help you get your books, book series, and brands into the hands of readers, retailers, and librarians. —Angela Breidenbach

 

 

Author and genealogist, Angela Breidenbach

CAN President, Author and Genealogist, Angela Breidenbach

 Angela Breidenbach is the president of the Christian Authors Network, a bestselling author of 18 books, speaker, genealogist, and a techie enthusiast. 

 

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Historic Scotland

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Paisley Abbey in Glasgow, Scotland
Paisley Abbey in Glasgow, Scotland

Paisley Abbey in Glasgow, Scotland.

Recently my family and I were able to travel around historic Scotland researching our ancestral ties to this beautiful country. One of the amazing places we visited was Paisley Abbey where our ancestors, the Lords Cathcart I & II, were interred. We searched and searched all over the huge church for their tombs. But we needed to know some crucial information.

Traveling Historic Scotland can flip your assumptions 180 degrees.

The interior view of Paisley Abbey's new altar area

The interior view of Paisley Abbey’s new altar area.

Paisley Abbey was built over time in the 12th century. Major benefactors included the Cathcart family. Over the centuries, major benefactors and important people in society were very often buried nearest the altar inside churches. The less important a person in society, the farther from the altar. knowing this, we searched every brick and tomb. We searched all the carvings and stones.

The volunteer guide pointed out Cathcart Aisle and a small alcove behind the choir. We found more recent (1800s) Cathcarts that would be very distant cousins. But no sign of the lords’ gravesites.

 

Then, our guide mentioned that the  huge cathedral had a different design than its original. 

The historic altar had been destroyed as the Paisley Abbey, several times from war and a huge architectural mistake when one of the roof rebuilds crashed down from poor workmanship. Over time, the altar was moved as the abbey was expanded and rebuilt.

But one wall, the Old Wall, still exists.

Cathcart Memorials at Paisley Abbey in the Old Wall

Cathcart Memorials at Paisley Abbey in the Old Wall.

The guide pointed out the difference in the height and narrowness as potentially guards against Viking raids versus the new walls with windows at a more normal height. Then he mentioned the original wall, hidden mostly behind a long line of screens that told the story of the abbey. He pointed out where the original altar likely stood. People commonly interred in the thick walls of historic Scotland’s cathedrals over the centuries.

We’d been searching in the wrong place the entire time because we didn’t know the altar moved!

The ancient Cathcart tomb is a large stone carved in Latin, pretty high up below very narrow windows on the original monastery wall. We all admired the beautiful stained glass, more recently placed, but still gorgeous in the ancient church. Then…

We found them! A long brass plaque beneath the carved words, different centuries and yet the root of our Cathcart roots. Just one branch on our family tree. But I am so happy to have found them and a little more information to share with future generations.

All that time scouring every nook and cranny in the choir, altar, walls, and floor. Often we chase all around the answer, not realizing it’s the wrong spot because of an assumption based on the way things look right now. What a great example those few hours gave me! When I’m methodically searching and not finding, I learned from historic Scotland to ask God to point me in the right direction regardless of my assumptions.

Angela Breidenbach and her daughter pay their respects to ancestors at Paisley Abbey

Angela Breidenbach and her daughter pay their respects to ancestors at Paisley Abbey.

 

Author and genealogist, Angela Breidenbach

Author and genealogist, Angela Breidenbach

Angela Breidenbach uses the research from her travels in her historical novels.

She’s a genealogist and the president of the Christian Authors Network.

You can find her at AngelaBreidenbach.com and on social media with @AngBreidenbach including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter.

Try one of Angela’s historical novels that include genealogical research like:

 The Captive Brides Collection telling the story of Scottish immigrants who endured indenture to come to the Colonies as the American Revolution is birthed.

Captive Brides Historical Romance Collection

Captive Brides Romance Collection featuring CAN author Angela Breidenbach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Does Genealogy Fascinate you?

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Pennsylvania State Library, where Angela Breidenbach spent 2 days searching for birth records in circuit riding preacher journals.

Pennsylvania State Library, where Angela Breidenbach spent 2 days searching for birth records in circuit riding preacher journals.

Does Genealogy fascinate you as it does me?

My grandpa used to tell me his family stories. Stories that included farm women dunking their forefingers into coffee cups to see if the farm workers needed their drinks warmed. He sang me old hymns. When those hymns get played in church, and I get to sing them now, I get teary-eyed. He told me his great grandmother was the midwife for Custer’s birth.

And I grew up. Grandpa was long gone. I had no more stories. So I went on a quest to discover the people that had pioneered America, fought in the American Revolution, and been circuit riding preachers, midwives, and teachers. As these stories began to reveal the people I came from, I began to understand who I am and why.

There’s a science to the hobby behind finding your ancestry. A system of research. Specific proofs that help you determine if the person you’re searching for is who you think they are or a similar name. It may just turn you into a history detective like me who loves to write these stories into novels. Come and learn more at my upcoming workshop in Missoula, MT. See below for details.

Discovering Your Ancestry
March 24, 2018 11 a.m.
Garden of Read’n Bookstore
2621 Brooks St, Missoula, MT 59801

Angela Breidenbach teaches Discovering Your Ancestry Mar. 24, 2018 at The Garden of Read'n in Missoula, MT

Angela Breidenbach teaches Discovering Your Ancestry Mar. 24, 2018 at The Garden of Read’n in Missoula, MT

Angela Breidenbach will present how to discover your ancestral stories, start the genealogical research, and how she uses her family stories and history in her novels so you can, too. All in-person attendees will receive gifts including a family tree diagram, a family group chart, and a choice of 1 of 3 genealogy classes from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies to start you off right.

**No registration required. Free family tree chart, family group chart, and 1 class from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies.

Book signing after the event.

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Galveston Island Book Festival & New Parenting Blog

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Want to get to know an author near you? Linda W. Yezak will be in person at the Galveston Island Book Festival.

ALT="The Bucket List Dare"

Linda W. Yezak

Linda W. Yezak of Nacogdoches, Texas will be participating in the upcoming Galveston Island Book Festival, an opportunity for Texas authors to meet and greet their readers and hopefully gain some new ones. The event will take place Saturday, March 24, 2018, in the Ball High School Cafeteria (its new location, since Hurricane Harvey destroyed the originally planned site), 4501 Avenue O, Galveston, Texas, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Linda W. Yezak
Author/Editor/Speaker
http://lindawyezak.com

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Looking for great parenting tips, Sarah Hamaker has a new parenting blog!

Sarah Hamaker

Sarah Hamaker has a new blog on Patheos called,

Some Assembly Required: Raising Self-Reliant and Confident Children. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/someassemblyrequired

Sarah Hamaker
Certified Leadership Parenting Coach/Freelance Writer
Author of Ending Sibling Rivalry, available now
2015 ACFW Genesis Winner, Romantic Suspense category
www.parentcoachnova.com
www.patheos.com/blogs/someassemblyrequired

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Creating and Connecting

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Fellowship and connection.

Creating and Connecting

By Susan G Mathis

Why is our desire to connect with others so important to our human experience, whether in person or through story? While there may be a few hermits and others who are anti-social, most of us long for human interaction. We were, indeed, made for relationship.

We are created in His image, the God who longs to be in relationship—with us! Moreover, God wants us to speak into His creation, so He allows us to be a part of His work on this earth.

How cool is that?

We don’t have to have a degree or a license or anything the world sees important. We don’t have to be articulate or even a great writer or some spiritual giant. He freely beacons us to be His partner in speaking His truth to whomever we meet!

He’s also planted a desire in us to share His truth, whether that’s as a writer, a friend, a parent—whatever! And even more than that, He wants to fulfill a very special purpose in our lives and in the lives of others.

When my children were small, it was such a joy to share the love of Jesus with them. Now as a writer, I get to share that same truth through my writing. In my novel, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, I have included several of God’s truths in the story, and my prayer is that it will touch people’s hearts just as if I were there, sharing those truths face-to-face.

He gave you gifts and talents to use, and He wants you to express them. And He has a unique ministry, audience, or group that only you can reach. He also wants you to deliver a specific message, and feel the joy of sharing life with others.

How can you connect with someone this week and share God’s love with him or her? I’d love to hear what happens. Go for it!

Dear Lord, It’s too easy to turn away from others. Help us to turn toward other people to experience the connection and fellowship you gifted us with. In Jesus name, Amen

About the author: Susan Mathis is the author of The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy and four other books. She is the vice president of Christian Authors Network and the Founding Editor of Thriving Family magazine and former Editor of 12 Focus on the Family publications. She has written hundreds of articles and now serves as a writer, writing coach, and consultant. For more, visit www.SusanGMathis.com.

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