Decorating for the Holidays

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Sherry Kyle here, writing to you from my laptop in central California. Can you believe it’s almost December? Now that Thanksgiving is over for 2011, it’s time to decorate our homes for Christmas. I don’t know what it’s like at your house, but my kids can’t wait for the tree to go up and the decorating to begin.  Like embellishing our homes for the holidays, our manuscripts need that something special in order to capture a reader’s attention.

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At the Cross!

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Sherry Kyle, here, writing from California. I came home last Tuesday from an amazing time at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. It was a time of firsts for me after going every year since 2006. It was the first time I spoke to various groups, the first time I had books to sell at the Conference Bookstore, and the first time I roomed with four other women in a cabin. (We had a blast!) The most significant first, however, was the early Sunday morning hike to the cross.  

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Different Routes – Same Destination

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Hi, Ava Pennington here, with an observation about the routes we take in our writing. One of the most helpful gifts I’ve received is a GPS for my car. Helpful, because if there’s a way to get lost, I’ll find it. So I’m dependent on that little voice that says, “In fifty yards, turn right.” When I program my GPS for a long trip, I’ve noticed that it often gives me options. I can avoid toll roads, but the trip may take longer. I can choose the shortest route, but it may cost more. I can travel by freeway or…

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Roller Coaster Expectations

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Hi, Dan Walsh here, writing from Daytona Beach. As I look back on my “journey to publication” and the journey I’ve been on since, I’ve been reflecting lately on the topic of expectations. Specifically, their tendency to be out of sync with real life. It doesn’t just happen occasionally. I almost never get them right. And when life doesn’t line up, add up, or live up to my expectations, my heart falls into discouragement.

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Real Courage

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Sherry Kyle here to encourage you from my laptop in Central California.  Here’s a quote we all can identify with as writers: "Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what." 
-Harper Lee (To Kill A Mockingbird, 1960) If you’re anything like me, you feel this way daily. When I place my hands on the keyboard, I wonder if the words I’m going to write will be any good, if they’ll have meaning or if I’m wasting my time. That’s when courage comes into play. It takes…

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OH NO! A Harsh Critique!

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Sherry Kyle here, writing from California. Last week was an exciting one for me. I signed two book contracts—one for another nonfiction girl’s book with Legacy Press, and the other for my second contemporary novel with Abingdon Press. I’ve entered the world of having deadlines before the books are complete. Kind of scary . . . yet thrilling! Thanks for allowing me to share my good news with you! Today I want to encourage you to keep writing even when you receive a harsh critique. If you’ve taken the step to submit your writing, you’ve experienced some negative response. Hopefully,…

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Writing on Faith

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  Sherry Kyle here, writing from my laptop in California.  “So, what are you working on now?” a friend asked me the other day.  “I’m tweaking something I wrote awhile ago,” I said, trying to sound more positive than I felt. During the past couple of weeks I had attempted to breath new life into an old manuscript.  “Cool. What’s it about?” she asked.  I wondered how much to say. Why was I so uncertain? Maybe it was the fact that this manuscript had yet to find a publishing home.  Do you ever feel like you’re writing on faith alone?

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Waiting

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 Hi there! Sherry Kyle here, writing from California. There are a lot of exciting things happening in my writing life, one of which is joining this wonderful group of like-minded authors at CAN. I’m so glad to be a part. Another wonderful event is the release of my new book, The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style, for tween girls on September 30. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to its arrival. But something else besides writing and books has been consuming my thoughts. Family. Husband. Children. Siblings. Parents. Let me backtrack just a little.

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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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