Latest Blog Posts

Interview and Book Give Away with Author Marty Norman

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By Vonda Skelton | August 26, 2008

August 26, 2008

September 7 is National Grandparents Day, a day to celebrate grandparents and how they've influenced our lives; a day to celebrate the bridge between the generations. So this is the perfect time to introduce Marty Norman, author of Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray.

Marty is the mother of two and grandmother of four. We met in September 2007 at the North Texas Writer's Conference in Keller, TX where I was a speaker and she was a participant. Not only were we connected at the heart by our love for writing and grandchildren, but we both had books coming out in 2008.

Vonda: Marty, welcome to the Christian Writer's Den.

Marty: Thank you, Vonda. I'm honored and delighted to be here.

Vonda: Okay, we've established the fact that we're both passionate about grandchildren and writing. But would you tell us what gave you the impetus to write a book about grandmothers?

Marty: Great question, Vonda. Next to my faith, family and writing are the loves of my life. The book just sort of happened. In 1999 I discovered I was going to be a grandmother for the first time. I was excited and had heard from my friends that it's the best. As I write in my book, it's one of the few things in life that is not overrated!

Vonda: You're right about that! What was your first step in writing the book?

Marty: Actually, the book began as a project and touched a place deep inside of me. I was on fire in a way I had not been in a long time. I had always wanted to leave a legacy for my grandchildren. Here it was before me on a silver platter. How can one turn that down?

Vonda: Now that you had the idea how long did it take you to write?

Marty: About two years. I just played with it at first. Soon it began to take shape in my mind. I am a free-association writer. Something connects and I get it down on paper. Later, I figure out where it fits. Soon everything fell into clear categories and a book emerged.

Vonda: Let's talk about the book. I loved your themes. What are some of your favorites?

Marty: I really love the fun topics: choosing a name, changing grandmother images, and getting the news. Everyone relates to these. But I think the weightier topics are my favorites as they are a result of my own meditations and reflections. They offer the reader food for thought: long-distance grand parenting, death and divorce, giving advice. These are some of the issues that we all deal with. The word pictures and stories help trigger individual reflection.

Vonda: They sure did for me. What was your goal in writing the book?

Marty: To promote reflection. I hope that the stories and word pictures invite the reader into their own memories and insights. As 21st century grandmothers we are in a unique position to make a difference in families. I would like to see grandmothers rise up and affect change through the use of grandmother power.

Vonda: From God's perspective, what would you say your call is in writing this book?

Marty: Definitely to be an encourager and an exhorter. I want grandmothers to realize their role as lights in the darkness, healers in families. We have the opportunity to breathe life and make a difference in the world. Faith and God are the foundations of our being. Leaving a spiritual legacy for our families is our purpose in life.

Vonda: How will the non Christian view the book?

Marty: I think they will enjoy it. The book is a fun, easy read. My hope is that the book will be a bridge to stimulate discussion between the Christian and non-Christian. I know it's been that way for me. Some of my best conversations have come about as a result of the book.

Vonda: I really could relate to your chapter on giving advice versus making suggestions.

Marty: People tell me that terms like "land mines", "hand-grenades", and "explosions" are a universal language. They don't need defining. All of us can all benefit from keeping our mouths shut at appropriate times.

Vonda: Oh, how well I know that! I'm intrigued by your scriptures and chapter titles. "Dealing with Retirement While Driving To Museum School" and "Rich, Savvy, and Silver," are my favorites. How did they come about?

Marty. The chapter titles always come first for me. Once I get that down I sort of know where I'm going. The scriptures just fell into place, a natural outgrowth of my journaling and morning scripture mediations. Once I had the themes, the book took shape.

Vonda: There's so much one can say about grandchildren. How did you know when you were finished? (With the book, not the grandchildren! 😉

Marty: In the middle of the book, I had a break where I put everything on hold when I helped my husband with an office crisis. God has a way of working things out. After nine months I found I had time on my hands because I had dropped out of everything. In retrospect I was in process of birthing a baby. When I returned to the book I was like a dog on point. I wrote non-stop every day until it was finished. Then I developed a website, learned about pdf files, wrote a book proposal, and researched the market. I was like a race horse at the starting gate.

Vonda: I know what you mean, Marty. It's an awesome feeling when you know you've written something of worth that can benefit others–and you've certainly done that! Thank you for sharing your story with us. It's encouraging to hear the details of your journey.

Readers, I know you're going to enjoy the book as much as I have. And, as always, we're going to give someone the opportunity to have a free autographed copy! All you have to do is leave a comment below and you'll be entered into the drawing. The winner will be announced next week, so be sure to check back.

For more information on Marty and Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray, you can visit her website and her blog. You can also get the book at your local bookstore, at Amazon, and at other online bookstores.

Happy reading!

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My New Book Trailer is Here–and You're the First to See It!

Drumroll, please…

I'm so excited about my book trailer for Seeing through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe! I hope you'll take a peek and pass it along to all your friends!

And a special thank-you goes to Misty Ta
ggart of Trailer to the Stars for putting together this fun video. Thanks so much, Misty! If any of you authors out there need help with promotion, I hope you'll visit Trailer to the Stars. (And be sure to tell Misty I sent you! 😉

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I hope you'll meditate on these words of David as you go through your week:

I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. Psalm 71:18b

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Scams. Shams, and Flim-Flams

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By Vonda Skelton | August 18, 2008

August 19, 2008

I'm so excited about all the writing opportunities I have for you this week! But before we get to those, I'd like to take a few minutes to share some warnings.

As a group, writers are generally considered a hungry bunch, and I'm not talking about food here. Let's face it, most of us have said at one time or another, "I don't care if I don't make any money, I just want to see my name in print" or "I just want to get God's message out there" or "I want to leave something written down for my family."

warningsignAnd in case you haven't noticed, there are those out there who are eager to help you. There's just one little catch-they're not doing it to help you grow in your craft as a writer or to help you learn more about the business side of writing. No, they are simply eager to take your money. And they do…to the tune of thousands, or in some cases, millions of dollars a year.

Today we'll look at agents.

You may be surprised to learn that anyone can call himself an agent. There is no certification process, no licensing procedure. He simply creates a website (which almost anyone can do these days), print some business cards on his home computer, buy an ad in the back of Writer's Digest, and he's in business.

I know, I fell for it.

Back in 1997 I was really hungry. I had written my first book and had spent the past four years trying to get it published. No bites. So I studied the classifieds in the back of Writer's Digest. After all, I reasoned, if an agent is listed in the back of Writer's Digest, he should be a good agent, right? Wrong.

Lesson #1: Real agents find their clients at writer's conferences and through referrals. Good agents, real agents, producing agents don't need to advertise in the back of Writer's Digest or any other magazine. They get more submissions than they can ever accept, why would they spend money on advertising? And just for the record, Writer's Digest or any other writers' magazine sells classified ads for the sole reason of making a profit, not to verify whether agents are legitimate or not.

In my situation, I applied to the Kelly O'Donnell Literary Agency and was thrilled to receive a contract. I had an agent and she said she already had 25 publishers who had shown interest in my book! Hoo-wee! I was on my way!

Lesson #2: Most real agents don't charge up front fees. A closer look at Ms. O'Donnell's contract revealed this small statement: "There is a reading fee of $250 for each work, and this is refunded upon the contingency of author/publisher contractural agreements together." GULP. There was a little problem in paradise: I didn't have $250 and didn't have the nerve to ask Gary for it.

Most real agents only make money when they help you make money. I'm not a mathematician, but even I can figure this out-If an "agent" made $250 from every hungry author he met, he could make a ton of money-and never sell a single book!

Lesson #3: Real agents don't usually send you to a specific editor. Some scam agents tell hungry authors that their work is close to being ready, but needs some editorial work in order to be publishable. They then offer to refer the authors to an editor who in turn charges a large sum of money to make the works publishable. What the authors don't realize is that the phone call or submission goes directly back to "agent." Any fees sent to the "editor" go to the same place–the scam artist's bank account! After the authors finish with the "editor," they are referred back to the agent for "representation," requiring an additional $250 up front fee. And sometimes the agent is truly sending the author to another person who is not a reputable editor, but is receiving a kickback for sending the author to them.

You can read about the Kelly O'Donnell criminal case here.

So what do you do if you want to check out an agent?

  • Check out the Association of Authors Representatives All listed agents agree to a code of ethics that include not charging reading fees. But please understand that many reputable agents are not members of this organization, even though they still follow the spirit and the letter of the AAR code of ethics, so don't let the fact that an agent is not a member make your decision for you.
  • Check out Preditors & Editors for a list of warnings regarding agents.
  • Google: literary agent warnings
  • Go to Writer's Weekly and follow their Whispers and Warnings.
  • Google the specific person you're investigating, but realize that individual websites may not be legitimate.
  • If you get to the point of serious discussion with an agent, ask for a specific list of agented books. Then go to Amazon and see if the publishers are reputable, traditional publishers. Often, unscrupulous agents will list self-published or vanity press books. And even though there's nothing wrong with self-publishing, you certainly don't need an agent to self-publish a book.

Thankfully, my story has a happy ending. I was saved by the fact that I didn't have $250 to spare at that time in my life! If I had had the money, I probably would have fallen for the scam and lost it, and maybe more.

Praise God, He has since blessed me with a knowledgeable agent who works hard on my behalf.

So take these words to heart and check out your "agent" carefully. You could lose a lot more than $250.

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Drawing for Free Book and More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about Me…

I recently had the joy of being interviewed by Crystal Laine Miller at When I was Just a Kid What a fun interview! I hope you'll check it out. And while you're there, leave a comment and you'll be entered in her drawing for a free copy of my book, Seeing Through the Lies. But hurry, the deadline is August 23–that's this Saturday!

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Have I Got Some Writing Opportunities for You!

Don't sit around dreaming about publication. Many of our Christian Writer's Den readers have seen their name in publication and made a little money, simply because they followed through on opportunities listed here. Why don't you give it a try? (NOTE: Some listings are not paying markets.)

  1. The Small Group Exchange is seeking gifted writers to contribute articles. Every article will link to the writer's bio/personal sites and will receive exposure to thousands of readers. You can find Submission Guidelines here: Contact Editor, Samantha Krieger at for more information.
  2. Chicken Soup
    ?cid=possible_books is always looking for writers. Right now they're looking for stories about golf, extraordinary teens, New Year's resolutions, power moms, and more. Deadlines coming soon!
  3. Sharing Memories From the 70's with Kids Writing Contest
  4. A Cup of Comfort Book of Bible Promises. For information and guidelines, email Susan Townsend at .
  5. Armchair Interviews is running a writing contest, Summertime Blues. Hurry-deadline is September 30. Check it out at:
  6. Adams Media and Literary Cottage are looking for stories for two anthologies: one about Woodstock and one about dogs. Cash prizes awarded for top stories!
  7. Gary Chapman is looking for writers for Love Lessons: Everyday Acts of Love That Change Lives, which will be published by Bethany House. Contact Jeanette Littleton at .

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And Don't Forget to Check out These Writer's Conferences and Retreats Coming Up Soon!

  1. Christian Writer's Retreat at the Cabin Cove, August 29-31, Todd, NC. Contact Ann Wayne for more information. . I'll see you there!
  2. North Texas Christian Writer's Conference, September 12-13. Roanoke, TX
  3. Christian Authors Guild Catch the Wave Writer's Conference, September 26-27, Woodstock, GA. I'll see you there!
  4. Christian Writer's Den Writing Retreat for Women, October 16-19, Todd, NC. We're currently full, but it's not too late to get on the waiting list. //files/docs/misc/cwdretreat2008.doc Contact Edie Melson at for more information. I'll be there!
  5. Glorieta Christian Writer's Conference, October 22-26, near Santa Fe, NM. I'll see you there!
  6. Upstate SC American Christian Writers One-Day Writing Workshop, Anderson, SC, October 25. For more information, contact Elva Martin, , -H; 314-0804 (cell)
  7. Write2Ignite Conference for writers of children's material, November 7-8, Indian Trail, NC.

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Well, that should keep everyone busy for a few days! Thank you for joining me again here at the Christian Writer's Den. I appreciate each of you and am so thankful to have you here.

As we close, I'd like to share a passage with you:

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogue that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 9:19b-20

Paul went at once and began to spread the Good News. What are you waiting for?

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Giving Birth to Your Book, Part II: All Cleaned Up, Now Where Do We Go?

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By Vonda Skelton | August 12, 2008

August 12, 2008

About a month ago, I posted Giving Birth to Your Book Part I, with plans to post Part II the following week. As you can see, birthing this baby is long overdue. Well, after reading today's entry, you won't be able to say, "Oh, Ms. Vonda, I don't know nothing about birthin' no books!"

This week's title is All Cleaned Up, Now Where Do We Go? So, if you've gone through the steps mentioned in the previous blog entry, you've already written, proofread, received feedback from readers and other writers, and rewritten several times, and you're happy with the finished product. Now what do you do with your baby?

  1. Be sure it's ready. I know, I know. I've already said this, but it can't be said often enough. Don't even think about submitting your work until it's as good as you can make it. Be sure you've followed the steps listed in Part I before you proceed to step #2 below. Remember, your project will rarely get more than one shot at a publishing house.
  2. Study the Writer's Market and The Christian Writers' Market Guide. In the world of writing and submitting for publication, these books or online products can be your best friend. (Well, not really your best friend, but just go with me here, okay?) Each book lists contact information, submission guidelines, editorial needs, and payment information for the publishers of books, magazines, greeting cards, plays, and other specialized publishers. Sally Stuart's Christian Writers' Market Guide specializes in Christian publishing information. Both books offer additional resources and tutorial guides, such as information on agents, conferences, websites, and writing instruction. But the primary focus of each resource is to help you find the best fit for your book. This will take time, but you must research these books! Don't make the same mistake I did. I didn't think I had time to study the market-and consequently I dashed to publication in a mere 7 years! Study the market and you could save yourself lots of time and money.
  3. Research internet writer's guidelines. In this day of technology, more and more publishers post their guidelines on their website.
  4. Learn the lingo. Both market guides have a glossary of terms listed in the back of the books. For an online view of terms, you can visit author Judith Kelman's Writers' Room.
  5. Find a good fit in the market guide. If a publisher of children's books says they don't want picture book submissions, don't waste your time and theirs by thinking your amazing "baby" will be the exception to the rule. It won't. (Okay, I admit it. When I initially started sending out my first book, I thought that once the editor saw my beautiful baby, he or she would do anything to publish my book-including throwing out the entire editorial calendar and revamping their marketing strategy to make their guidelines fit my baby-even if the company had never published juvenile mysteries!)
  6. Follow the instructions in the market guides. This is a biggie. If it says not to send out simultaneous submissions, don't send out simultaneous submissions. If it says to send one chapter, don't send two. If it says to send the submission by snail mail, don't email it.
  7. Invest time writing a great query or cover letter, whichever the editor prefers. If you don't know what a query letter is, see #3. And whatever you do, don't say, "It starts off a little slow, but if you'll just stick with it to page 21, it'll be really exciting." If that's the case, perhaps your book starts on page 21. For more information about openings, read my 6-16-08 entry, Hook ‘Em!
  8. Be professional in your submission. I've personally heard editors tell stories of the ridiculous things some writers have done to get the editor's attention. Believe me, this is not the kind of attention you want! Instead of elevating their chances of publication, the writers were eliminated from consideration by the following unprofessional actions:
    • Writing on the outside of the envelope: "Your next best seller is inside this envelope!"
    • Sending the submission on hot pink or lime green paper or anything other than plain white computer paper. (One editor repeatedly received one writer's submissions on the backs of recycled paper. And I'm not talking about environmentally-green paper. I'm talking about the backs of previously-used, printed-on-the-other-side paper!)
    • Putting it in the wrong format. Proper formatting is addressed in the writer's market books. There are hundreds of websites that cover it as well.
    • Enclosing tickets to athletic events. (This editor admitted that he opened the envelope, found the tickets, removed the tickets, and returned the submission-unread. After all, he reasoned, the writer enclosed the tickets as a gift, and a gift is something given for free.)
    • Saying, "God told me to write this book." I can promise you, the editor's response will be, "Well, when God tells me to publish it, I will." (Now, before you get bent out of shape, yes-God often leads us to write words, but He is responsible for what He does with it, not us. When we insinuate that they will be out of God's will if they don't publish our work, we immediately cut off communication.)
  9. Before submitting, call the publishing house for confirmation. Editors move and change jobs quite frequently. Before you mail your children's submission, call the switchboard (NOT the editor) and ask if Jane Doe is still the person to send it to. If it isn't, be sure to ask for the correct spelling and clarify the gender title.

So there you have it–the second half of how to get your book ready and in the hands of editors. I wish I could promise you that by following these suggestions you'll be sure to see your work in print, but I can't. But I can tell you that if you follow these steps, you'll certainly be miles ahead of where I was when I started sending out my first book. That's why The Christian Writer's Den is here. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.

We writers need to be around and learn from each other. 😉

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Ku
dos!

And now, let's join together in celebration of these CWD readers who've followed the rules and found success:

  1. Laura Harris (GA) says, "Based on Jeremiah 17:7-8 and my heart's passion, God called me to disciple women to become strong, fruitful and adventurous in Christ. In order to do this, I started Jeremiah's Tree Adventures and self-published a set of twelve booklets: WANTED: God's Women for America–Adventure Group. These booklets are used in Adventure Groups, held monthly for twelve months. To my surprise and God's glory, over 520 booklets have been sold this year, and Adventure Groups have begun in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and California. Visit Laura's website for more information.
  2. Jean Matthew Hall (NC). Sasee Magazine has published another of Jean's humorous essays! "Arachnophobia" is included in the August issue of this regional South Carolina magazine.
  3. Elaine Carr (SC) has a story about flower-gardening in Capper's, a monthly family newspaper in Topeka, KS.
  4. Buffy Griffin (NC) has been asked to write a 5th article for the newsletter, The 3rd Ward Communicator!
  5. Vanessa Ore (NC) is the writer of and actress on this new GodTube video. Don't miss it–it's hilarious!
  6. Susan Dollyhigh (NC) was another Christian Writer's Den winner in the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference writing contest. Her article, "No Room for a Snake in the House," won 3rd place and "Poetry for Your Friend" won honorable mention.
  7. Elizabeth Welsh's (SC) article, "A Heart Song for Christmas," has been accepted for the November/December issue of Worldwide Challenge, a publication of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Congratulations to all these great writers! Thank you for allowing us to celebrate with you.

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Would You Please Listen in to Shellie and Me on the Radio This Friday?

This Friday, August 15, from 9-10am ET (note: that's Eastern Time!) I have the awesome privilege of being on FoxFM 92.7 with Shellie Tomlinson, host of All Things Southern and author of Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On: What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters That the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too. It sure would be nice to have some friends there. And don't worry if you don't live in Louisiana–you can listen live right here! Thank you!

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Well, I think my time's up for this week. Thank you for stopping by the den and allowing me to chat with you. Be sure to come back next week. I'll be sharing a bunch of markets that are looking for writers just like you!

And I hope you'll meditate on these words:

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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I’m So Proud of My Humility

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By Vonda Skelton | August 5, 2008

August 4, 2008

As a little girl, I recognized the power in achievement. I wanted to be the best, to be noticed and appreciated for my skills and abilities. And even as the shortest student in my class, I fought for-and often won-a place in the hierarchy of leadership. Kids usually wanted me on their team.

I knew God would want me on His team, too. So, when I was nine or ten years old, I walked down the aisle of my church and announced my plans to become a missionary. Even though I had no idea what salvation was, I promised God I would go anywhere and tell others about Him if he would just do one little, itsy-bitsy thing-let my hamster, Snowball, live.

Well, Snowball didn’t make it. But I told God I’d be a missionary anyway. I’d keep my end of the bargain, even if He didn’t keep His. And the simple fact that I could make such a promise proved I was missionary material!

In my young mind, I figured God was pretty lucky to have me, and I sure hoped He realized it. With my help, we were going to be able to do some amazing things together. It was a win-win situation for both of us.

As you’ve probably figured out, I never became a missionary. Instead, I grew up, married my high school sweetheart, and moved on with the important things of life. I went to church, taught Sunday School, and sang in the choir.

I was just like the Pharisees. I looked good, I smelled good, but what did my heart say? What was my motive? What did God think of all my good deeds?

For years, I worked from a self-centered heart, performing the duties of a good little Christian. Without even realizing it, I was keeping score of my jobs, subconsciously adding them up and comparing them to others. I was giving from a heart of pride–one that hoped my good deeds could win the love and acceptance of a Holy God.

Are you like that? Are you keeping score? If so, let me tell you–the scoreboard is defective! Regardless of the numbers showing on the screen, it’s wrong. Our good deeds don’t win us any points. Without the forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have no points! Zero. Nada. The score is a gazillion to nothing, and we’re on the losing side.

Praise God, the day finally came when I realized the true meaning of salvation. Twenty years after walking down that aisle to be a missionary, I finally understood grace and mercy and the gift Jesus offers through His blood on the cross. The power of His sacrifice became real, and I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. No more lists, no more weighing my good deeds against my bad. I knew the truth: Salvation wasn’t based on my goodness. It was based on His grace.

But now, even as Christians who know the truth, there can still be times when pride and self-centeredness can take our eyes off what’s important and focus our sight on us and our achievements.

And it can even happen in ministry.

This writing life is a very competitive market. It’s easy to get caught up in our perceived successes and failures. We count our books and look at our numbers and discern our value to the Lord and His work…based on our human efforts.

And even though God loves us with an unconditional love, this pride grieves Him. Over and over, His Word warns us of pride and its destructive results. We often concentrate on how we appear, when it is our hearts–our intent–that is most important to God. He wants a heart of brokenness and sorrow. A heart that acknowledges His holiness and addresses our sin. A humble and contrite heart that trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2b).

None of us have it all together; we haven’t arrived. And yet, it’s easy to find our worth in ourselves and our accomplishments, rather than in Him and His grace.

It’s a fragile, fleeting worth.

Let’s face it, we can be multi-published today and filled with rejection tomorrow. But the good news is He can use us, whether we have fans and a following or simply rewrites and rejections. The only thing we’re accountable for are the words He gives us. It’s His job to determine what is done with them. How much better to focus on the calling He has placed on our lives and leave the results to Him!

So today, let’s commit together to offer our lives, our writing, our successes, and our failures to Him and let Him determine their use.

I have to admit, I’m still competitive. Even now, it doesn’t matter if it’s a card game, a talent show, or a round of leg wrestling, I want to win!

But the thing I want to win most is the battle with my heart. I want a heart that seeks to lift Him up, one that glorifies Him and allows His light to shine through me, regardless of my earthly success. I want others to look at me . . . but see Him! Isn’t that what you want, too?

crossandmanMother Teresa once said, “Humility is truth. The path that will make us more like Jesus is the path to humility. Pride destroys everything.”

Jesus died on the cross for one reason-so that all could be saved. Oh, how we need to be transparent, winsome witnesses for Christ, and boast not in what we do for Him, but only in what He did for us!

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Call for Kudos!

I know we just talked about not having a prideful heart, but celebrating each other’s successes is one way we can honor Him. We’re told to encourage each other, so let’s do it!

Please email me with any news you have of a publishing credit, new contract, new ministry–anything that will encourage us all as writers. Remember, we’re a body, and when one part celebrates we should all celebrate. No jealousy here, right?

Be sure to include your state, the publication, and any links, photos, etc that can help save me time. 😉

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Could We Meet in August or September?

Several people have emailed me, asking if I’m going to be in their area any time soon, so I’ve decided to list any upcoming events in the next two months that are open to the public. I hope you’ll check the list and see if we could connect. I’d love to see you there!

  • August 8: Bethesda Baptist Church Women’s Event, Whitmire, SC
  • August 15: Radio Interview with Shellie Tomlinson, FM 92.7, 8-9AM CT, Monroe, LA
  • August 21-22: Day 3 Church Women’s Conference, Granite Falls, NC
  • August 29-31: Christian Writer’s Retreat, Todd, NC,
  • September 4: Buford UMC Women’s Event, Gaffney, SC
  • September 6: Antioch Presbyterian Church Women’s Workshop, Goldsboro, NC
  • September 11: Mauldin First Baptist Church Ladies’ Night Out, Mauldin, SC
  • September 12-13: NC Women’s Prayer Evangelism Conference, Ridgecrest, NC
  • September 17: Fourth Presbyterian Church Fellowship, Greenville, SC
  • September 19-20: Aiken Ch
    ildren’s Book Festival, Aiken, SC
  • September 25: Philippi Baptist Church Women’s Event, Union, SC
  • September 26-27: Christian Author’s Guild Writer’s Conference, Woodstock, GA

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Roommate Needed for SC Writer’s Workshop

Jo Rae Johnson is looking for a female roommate/car rider to share expenses for the SC Writers Workshop. If you’re interested, please contact Jo Rae at .

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And now, I leave you with these words from Paul. May they remind us to examine our hearts frequently.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Philippians 2:3-4

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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