We Who Can’t Not Share…

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      Hey, friends! Jennifer Devlin here. I’m so proud of the volunteers who are helping make the Christian Authors Network such a success. From the board who spends many hours each month working tirelessly behind the scenes to members who are helping with various tasks, to member blog posts, we are growing and thriving, and encouraging one another in this writing life. Thank you for all you do! As I think about our network of writers and readers, I’m reminded how quickly thinks change over time. Writers are constantly learning new techniques to make their words come to life, and…

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CAN Book Feature: Babes with a Beatitude by Linda Kozar

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Babes With A Beatitude—Devotions For Smart, Saavy Women of Faith by Linda Kozar  (Howard/Simon & Schuster)  Releases in December, 2009. Daily Inspirations for the Blessed Life “The blessed life”…that’s what the word beatitude actually means…and that’s the life God created you to live. The 366 devotions (yes, there’s an extra one for leap year!) were written with today’s busy woman in mind. Each message is short, but more than sweet, as it delivers powerful words of hope, purpose, direction, and encouragement. For every day of the year, you’ll find an uplifting scripture, a straight-to-your-heart message, and a “Beatitude Check” that gets…

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Blowing it

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He was back . . . again—the annoying guy with the bad comb-over and pastel 3-piece suit. Who wore a suit like that to a writer’s conference? And what was he doing here anyway? Was he even a writer? According to our last conversation he was in town for a convention but stopped by the writer’s conference with some of his buddies to kill time. When did the conference coordinators start allowing that?

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The Words We Long to Hear

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  Happy Monday from Dianne Matthews! Can you CANners believe that it’s November already? I’ve been tied to my computer since spring, working extra-long days to finish a one-year devotional book in five months. The spiritual warfare has been ongoing but at the midway point, it really intensified.

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Outlining #2 – Creating Character Arcs

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 Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailmartin.com The last time I blogged about outlining, I covered the first point from the Gideon Film Festival on Outlining for Screenwriting. The first point was on creating a theme. The next point deals with the topic of creating characters arcs. Whether writing a novel or screen writing, character arcs are a vital element of good writing.

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Tips from the Pros: Winnie Griggs

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I recently finished a book titled The Hand-Me-Down Family by Winnie Griggs. I love mail-order bride stories, and with the Beauty and the Beast theme, the kids, the hero and heroine's growth toward resolving some long-standing struggles in their lives, and their developing love for each other, this book  makes for a great read. Today, I'm privileged to interview the author, Winnie Griggs.   Can you tell us, Winnie, how did you get into writing?  I’ve dabbled with writing ever since I was an adolescent.  It wasn’t until my kids were all in school and I got my first home…

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Book Review on Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives

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   I have a friend whose husband is deployed in Afghanistan. I've been searching for the perfect gift to let her know not only how much I appreciate her husband's service to our country, but also to recognize her faithful service, too. With Faith Deployed, I've found it the perfect gift. Jocelyn Green and her army of been-there, walked-a-mile-in-your-shoes writers, have packed a lot into this little book. Each two-page devotional is a morsel of food for thought and spiritual nourishment. Not being a military wife myself, I was surprised at how the book affected me. In it I found…

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A Writer’s Rest and Productivity

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Jan writing to you from the warm, sunny foothills of the Sierras, hoping to offer some words of encouragement for your writing and marketing journey. What did you think when you read the title? Do the words ‘rest’ and ‘productivity’ really work together for the writer and marketer? I have been determined to find out. Recently, during a sermon, I found myself continuing an ongoing conversation with God. Life felt hectic. I was weary.

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When Words Won’t Work

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Hello from CAN Secretary Jeanette Hanscome. Like most CAN members, my writing life is often complicated by . . . well . . . life. As I write, edit, and teach I am also dealing with some stuff that will eventually provide riveting material for a novel or devotional book but for now is just plain discouraging and frustrating. As if the circumstance wasn’t upsetting enough on its own, I’ve also had to accept that I can’t do anything now but pray. I’ve argued, debated, and spoken the truth in love only to discover that my gift for words will…

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Book Review on Direction by Cheri Cowell

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This is Jocelyn Green, and today I have the pleasure of offering a book review of Cheri Cowell’s  Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life. Many times, it’s easy to discern a good choice from a bad one. But when neither option is bad or wrong, how does one know which path to choose? While most of us would prefer the proverbial “handwriting on the wall” to show us the way, that kind of unmistakable message from God is rare. But according to Cowell’s book, that’s OK. We don’t need it. In fact, instead of trying to guess what…

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