Tips from the Pros: Jeanette Windle

, by

Good day to you from Sarah Sundin! Today I have the honor of interviewing award-winning author, Jeanette Windle. Her most recent novel, Freedom’s Stand, was nominated for the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year, and her novel Veiled Freedom was a finalist for the Christian Book Award and the Christy in 2010.   SS: Jeanette, how did you get into writing? JW: Writing has always been such a part of my life, I can’t remember ever consciously wanting to write. The missionary kid boarding school I attended in the Venezuelan Andes put great emphasis on proper composition (we were doing…

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Susan Titus Osborn

, by

Hello from Sarah Sundin on a blustery day in northern California. Today I have the honor of interviewing a veteran writing professional, Susan Titus Osborn, author of over thirty books, including several on the craft and business of writing. Susan is also director of the Christian Communicator Manuscript Critique Service, and offers many on-line writing courses on her website. Susan, how did you get into writing? In 1978 while I was teaching Sunday school, I decided to write some stories for the kids. They loved my stories, so I thought I would sell them to church school take-home paper markets. A…

Read More

The (Launch) Party’s Over

, by

Hi, all – Ava Pennington here. My last two posts were about planning a book launch party for my first book, One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God. I’m not a marketing expert, but I learned as much as I could from those who are. The posts described the planning necessary for a successful launch party. In case you missed them, check out Planning a Launch Party – Part I and Part II. Well, the party was a success! Almost 100 people came to celebrate with me and it was a special  time shared with…

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Ava Pennington

, by

Greetings from Sarah Sundin, all refreshed from a wonderful writers’ retreat in beautiful Monterey. Today I have the privilege of interviewing author Ava Pennington. Ava’s first book, One Year Alone with God was published by Revell in October 2010, but Ava also has a long list of magazine articles to her credit and two children’s books in the works. Ava, how did you get into writing? I began writing as an extension of a teaching ministry. When I started writing as a serious pursuit, I had a passion to write non-fiction. However, the advice I received was that without a…

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Diana Brandmeyer

, by

Greetings from Sarah Sundin on a crisp fall day that makes me want to cuddle up in a warm quilt – perhaps like one of the quilts author Diana Brandmeyer features on her website. Not only is she an extraordinary quilter, she’s a gifted writer with plenty to share with us today. Diana, how did you get into writing? Like many, I wrote stories when I was little, but it wasn’t until the birth of my second child I realized I could make a little money and share my faith with my stories. I started writing devotions for children, which…

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Candy Arrington

, by

Greetings from Sarah Sundin on a warm September day in California. I’ve entered a new phase in my life as my husband and I moved our oldest son into the dorms for his freshman year of college. New phases make you consider the future – what if the future involves caring for your parents? Did you know 25 percent of Americans are caring for an aging parent? Today I have the honor of interviewing Candy Arrington, a speaker and prolific writer of magazine articles. Her most recent book is When Your Aging Parent Needs Care: Practical Help for this Season of Life from Harvest House….

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Rhonda Gibson

, by

Hello from Sarah Sundin in northern California.Today I have the privilege of interviewing award-winning author Rhonda Gibson, who writes Christian romances – contemporary mysteries and historicals. In 2009, A Connecticut Christmas, a novella collection she contributed to, received the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award, and in 2007, her novel To Trust an Outlaw won the Heartsong Presents Favorite Historical Novel award. Rhonda, how did you get into writing? I started writing when I was young; it was my love of reading that led to writing. I know that’s the normal answer and it’s true for me, too. How many books do…

Read More

I’m Planning a Party – Part I

, by

Hi, all – Ava Pennington here. I love a good party, don’t you? And I’m planning a special party in October – a launch party for my first book! If you’ve ever hosted a party, you know there’s a lot that goes into the planning. When we add the launch of a book to the mix, it’s not just another item on the list.    A book launch party has its own peculiar nature. In this post, I’ll touch on the various logistics we need to consider for a successful launch party. Since I’m planning my first book launch for…

Read More

Tips from the Pros: Becky Harling

, by

Greetings from Sarah Sundin from Oregon, where I’m visiting family. Today I have the privilege of interviewing Becky Harling, the author of Rewriting Your Emotional Script and a speaker with a dynamic ministry of hope and healing. Becky, how did you get into writing? I felt for many years that God was calling me to be a writer, but didn’t know how to get started. God brought Linda Dillow into my life as a mentor and she connected me with Navpress. Navpress actually called me and invited me to send them a proposal. They turned down the first three proposals I sent in but told…

Read More

Marketing My Baby

, by

Hi, everyone! Ava here, from the sunny (as in hot, hot, hot!) Treasure Coast of Florida.The calendar says August, but I’ve been writing October on all my paperwork – because that’s when my first book will be released! As much as I’m eager for October 1st to draw near, I’m conflicted, too. I can’t wait to hold my book, but the fast-approaching date has ushered me into the world of marketing. I’d much rather focus my energies on finishing my next book, but as we all know, that’s not an option. My first baby needs to be introduced to a…

Read More