Latest Blog Posts

Encouragement from Guest Blogger Linda Greer

4
By Vonda Skelton | December 29, 2009

lindagreerheadshotCan you believe this is the last blog entry of 2009? I don't know about you, but for me, this year has flown by!

In addition to being the last blog post, this is a fifth Tuesday, meaning it's Guest Blogger Day, too. Please join me in welcoming Christian Writer's Den reader, Linda Greer, as she shares her thoughts with you. And be sure to check out Linda's blog, Spiritual Heartbeats.

Dear Fellow Writers and Bloggers,  

Vonda has allowed me to be your guest blogger this month, so let me introduce myself. My fave authors are Oswald Chambers, Dietrich Bonheoffer, Max Lucado, and A.W. Tozer. I'm a published short story authoress and an aspiring novelist of a romantic fiction. It seems this novel genre is selling well these days. My project has been in the process of evolution for about three years now, but the plot is just now starting to be fleshed out. Three years, you say? Well, Rome wasn't built in a day either.

If writing has taught me anything, it's this: you must develop patience and perseverance to wait upon the Lord's timing. The more I write and learn about writing, the less qualified I feel as a writer. After coming from the education field of math and science, I know repetition of problem solving makes for better problem solving. And so it is with writing. The more you write, the better you get at the craft. The more excellent works you read, the more excellent your writing becomes.

When I was in first grade, I was surrounded by brothers and aimed my sights at being a tomboy. My second grade teacher had different ideas and sentenced me to read a book every two weeks. It was agony for me then. I would rather be playing kick-the-can in the streets or swinging a baseball bat instead of sitting down to read a stupid book. God had plans for me to learn the English language long before I got to know Him and decades before He nudged me to start writing for Him these past three years. My closest blood relations give me poor reviews, of course, but I remind myself even Jesus was rejected in his own home town.

In January of this year, I branded my writing with a blog entitled Spiritual Heartbeats and have posted at least monthly whatever has been on my heart at the time. Prompted by God's spirit, I find it fulfilling to share myself candidly with readers and writers. We're on a short journey here on earth, and when you've passed the half-century mark like me, you realize eternity is not that far away. If I'm to help those Soldiers of the Cross who march behind me, the time is now.

Instead of playing baseball, I'm now playing "catch-up ball". There are a myriad of stories I want to write and encouragement I want to give to fellow believers. I've got plenty of tough life lessons to draw on for material–so many stories to tell, so little time. Shouldn't I make a T-shirt out of such a catchy phrase? Perhaps it's too banal.

All kidding aside, I challenge you, as Christian writers, to be uncommonly good at what you do and to "do it as unto the Lord." Remember Paul's progression in Romans Chapter 5:
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
    And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Rom. 5:3–5, NIV)

Blessings and Agape,
Dr. Linda B. Greer
Upstate SC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~confidentiallifemd

And the Winner of Kathleen Y'Barbo's Book is…

Colleen! Just contact me with your mailing address and your book will be on its way!

And don't forget, Kathleen has more than 30 books, so you'll want to check out all her books at her website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have You Ever Wanted to Write for Kids? Here's a Your Chance to Win a New Downloadable Class!

Writing for children is not easier than writing for adults! Children are discriminating readers who expect quality. Write a Novel Children Will Love will show you how to use plot, characterization, and dialog to drive young readers to your books. Mp3 file and Handout included. (Be sure to click back to the website from PayPal in order to receive your download instructions.) 

And, as with each new class, the first person to order a download will immediately get a refund! Ann Wayne and Kimberly Jackson have been the winners of the first two classes. You could be next!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do You Live in Upstate SC?

My first event of the year will be January 7 at Riverside Baptist Church in Greer, SC. I'd love to see you there! For more information or to make reservations, contact Frances Stone at or call the church at . It's going to be a fun night as we laugh together. Oh, and Solomon's Beloved will be there, too. 🙂

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

clockfreeimagesAs 2009 comes to an end, I look back on the year with mixed emotions. It's been a hard year for me, as I know it has been for some of you.

But at the same time, it's been a year of many blessings. You, dear readers, are a huge part of that blessing. Thank you. Thank you for your encouragement by joining me week after week here at the Christian Writer's Den. I pray you've found something of worth here, something that will help you on your writing journey. Writing is hard. Praise God, we don't have to do it alone.   

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6

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

Vonda

(Clock photo courtesy of FreeImages.co.uk)

Read entire post »

 

Interview and Book Give Away with Kathleen Y’Barbo

16
By Vonda Skelton | December 22, 2009

What an incredible joy to welcome Kathleen Y’Barbo to the Christian Writer’s Den! As the best-selling author of more than thirty books, Kathleen is one of the most prolific authors we’ve had here at CWD. Her numbers would make any of us writers drool! In all, over 850,000 copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad. She has been named as a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year contest every year since its inception in 2003, often for more than one book.

In addition to her amazing writing career, Kathleen is also a publicist at Books & Such Literary Agency. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, the Public Relations Society of America, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and Authors Guild and is also a degreed paralegal specializing in criminal and family law. A native Texan, Kathleen has three grown sons and a teenage daughter.

And, as always, you get a chance to win a free book! Just leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing. Don’t forget to come back next week to see if your name is announced.

Okay, let’s get started!

Vonda: Kathleen, I can’t imagine writing so many books! What motivates you?

Kathleen: It’s that “alone time” again. I am motivated to sit at my computer and spend time with Jesus for a very selfish reason – I love Him. I want to please Him. All the accoutrements of becoming a published author are wonderful, but hoping I can stand before Him someday and hear that I have done well is why I do this.

Vonda: If you weren’t involved in your present work, what would you most likely be doing?

Kathleen: My other passion in life – other than my children – is the law. I probably would have become a lawyer.

Vonda: I’m certainly glad you decided on writing instead! So tell us, how did you prepare yourself for this writing career?

Kathleen: In my humble opinion, there are only two ways to prepare for a career in writing. First you must read everything you can get your hands on, and not just in the genre you plan to write. Read the classics, read magazines, read newspapers, read popular fiction, read everything! Second, write. In order to become a good writer, you have to allow yourself to be a bad writer first. I am willing to state that very few authors begin writing something so incredible that it is published with great fanfare. To the contrary, most overnight successes have boxes of manuscripts the world will never see.

Vonda: Oh yes, that is so true. I find many want to be published without going through the process of learning the craft and putting in the effort to make their work publishable. Yes, it’s true that God can choose to bless someone with overnight success, but that’s an extremely rare occurrence. And yet, some would rather point to the exception and think it applies to them, rather than working toward excellence.

Okay, I’m off my soapbox now. Back to the interview. 🙂

Kathleen, Good writing is hard work. What do you do when you need to get away from it all?

Kathleen: Bubble bath! That’s my little spa moment. Pedicures would rate a close second, but bubble baths win because they’re free!

confidentiallifemd Vonda: Yea, I love free! Now, if I’m counting correctly, you have FOUR new books out this year alone! Can you give us a little glimpse of each one?

Kathleen: I’d love to! In The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper, gilded Age romance collides with Wild West adventure when New York socialite Eugenia Cooper longs to enjoy one last escapade before she marries banker Chandler Dodd.

In Wild West Christmas, romance takes root in the lives of a Texas rancher’s four daughters.

Three Louisiana women discover that home is where the heart is in Cajun Hearts.

Wondering what to do now that the kids have flown the coop? The House is Quiet – Now What?, will answer the question.

Vonda: My goodness, girl…you make me feel like a lazy slug! So what’s coming up next for you?

Kathleen: Anna Finch and the Hired Gun, sequel to The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper, will release in June 2010. Riverwalk Christmas will be coming out in the fall.

Vonda: Okay, I’m officially nudged into getting to work on my new book! Thanks for joining us today, Kathleen. I needed to hear what you had to say. And readers, I hope you’ve found encouragement today, too.

To learn more about Kathleen and her books, check out her website. And don’t forget to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free Kathleen Y’Barbo book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End of the Year Bonus Opportunities to Help You Grow!

Love is a Flame Submission Update: I’d heard from several of you that you were planning to submit to the new anthology, Love is a Flame. If you missed the deadline, I have good news! The focus has been expanded to include more great stories AND the new deadline is December 31. This is a paying market. Updated information here. Contact Jeanette Littleton at .

Ever Thought About Starting Your Own Radio Show? Eddie Jones of ChristianDevotions.us Will Teach You How! Check out this new two-hour class Eddie will be teaching on January 12.

If You’re Interested in Starting Your Own Blog…you’ll want to get Linda Fulkerson’s free report, The Blogger’s Checklist. Just visit the website for more details.

Need a Website?

  • Steve Ferwerda has been my webmaster for years and he’s great! I’ve been thrilled with his work from the beginning.
  • Jeff Gilden has done some great video and duplication work with me through his firm, Cohesive Web Design in Greenville, SC. They also design websites and work in search engine optimization.
  • Mike Conklin is a friend and fellow writer who develops websites. His new website is under construction. For now, contact Mike at or

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t forget to enter the drawing for a Kathleen Y’Barbo book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And this week, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus, let’s remember the words the angel spoke to the shepherds…and continues to speak to us today.

“…I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

We have a Savior, Christ the Lord. We have reason to celebrate!

Merry Christmas, my friends and fellow writers. I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

Be a Writing Groupie

3
By Vonda Skelton | December 14, 2009

Read entire post »

 

You Oughta Be in Pictures!

6
By Vonda Skelton | December 8, 2009

YouTube videos, that is. Not convinced? What if I tell you it could increase your ministry opportunities and add income to your bottom line? After repeated requests at women's events, I made my YouTube video two years ago…and I had no idea what that would mean to my ministry. Here's how it happened.

I'd been doing my Solomon's Beloved skit (a funny, literal interpretation of Song of Solomon) in some of my programs for years, and the audiences always loved it. Women would often come up after the program and ask if I had a video of the skit that they could use at their church. Of course, I didn't. But finally, enough people asked until I realized I was going to have to do something about it.

First I asked my pastor if I could tape a presentation of the skit at our church and invite the community to be part of the audience. He agreed. Then I talked to our children's minister and a teen friend from church and they agreed to film with two cameras.

Another friend created a flyer, advertising it as an opportunity to be in the audience of a YouTube videotaping. My friends pasted the invitation all over town, and then invited their friends from work, from their neighborhoods, and from their own churches. Churches were calling for directions, telling us that their women were planning to make it a girls' night out.

Without having any idea what we were doing, we had created a buzz! The whole thing took on a life of its own.

The day finally came, and so did the ladies. And even though it snowed that day, we had close to 100 ladies show up! (And in upstate SC on a snowy night, that's a miracle!) I did one presentation, we stopped for refreshments, then I did the skit again. We had a book signing and I donated a portion from each book sale to our mission fund…and the ladies had a ball!

I delivered the raw footage to EVM Productions and they created a great video, complete with intro, music, credits, and voice-overs. They also put it on YouTube for me. 

Of course, it wouldn't have happened without great friends, a great church, a great community, and a great video production company.

And God has used that little YouTube video to bless my ministry in amazing ways! While I was in Michigan last week, the event planner told me someone had sent her the link to Solomon's Beloved a year ago, before she was even involved in women's ministry. When she took over as the ministry leader this year, she decided she wanted to "find that woman who did that funny video about Song of Solomon" for her first women's event. So she did.

But that's not all. (Yes, I know I sound like an OxyClean salesman!) Besides getting multiple speaking opportunities from Solomon's Beloved, I had the joy of being part of the entertainment on a Christian cruise after the cruise director saw the video. I've gotten book orders from people who say they found my website through the little movie. And now I have DVDs of the skit on my product table, which allows women to have another resource when they're leading a study about Song of Solomon or marriage or our struggle with beauty.

Now please understand, I'm not saying all this to say, "Look at me!" No! I'm saying it to say, "Look at what God can do…even through a funny video!"

I'm thankful God brought people into my life to push me to do something I never dreamed of doing. I'm certainly not smart enough to think it up on my own! But God used friends and family and a YouTube video to spread the word about my writing and speaking ministry, and it has blessed me–and others–more than I could have ever dreamed.

Could He have a similar plan for you?

P.S. Here's the link. Feel free to pass it on! :-}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to Have Magazine Editors Calling YOU!computer_small

Wondering what you can do to grow in your writing during this long cold winter? Well, thanks to my downloadable Writing Workshops, you can grab a cup of coffee, plop down in your favorite chair, and learn how to write magazine articles that sell!

Can't stop to listen right now? No problem! Download it into your computer now and it'll be there for you to listen to and learn from over and over again, whenever you're ready! 

It's easy! What are you waiting for? Check out the Writing tab for more info on How to Have Magazine Editors Calling YOU! and Opportunities for Christian Writers, as well as other ways you can take your writing to the next level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kudos to YOU!

Well, this week's kudos list is a little short because I totally forgot to ask for them last week. But here's what I had collected during this past month. Remember, you can send them anytime. We WANT to celebrate and praise God with you!

  • Colleen Luntzel (NC) recently had a devotion published at ChristianDevotions.us.
  • Elaine Carr (SC) just received word that her article, "Observing Our World," has been accepted for the spring 2010 issue of Secret Place.
  • Cindy Jones (MS) has a new article about writing on DevoKids, a website community for kids. DevoKids is also e-publishing several of her activity pages, AND she's working on a blog!
  • Johnna Stein's (GA) fictional story, "The Italian Silk Scarf," will be in the January 31st issue of the LIVE series.
  • Edie Melson (SC) also has another devotion on ChristianDevotions.us. Can you tell that the Christian Devotions editors like our readers? 😉

Congratulations, writers! As you can see, God is always at work, doing His part to make things happen. Remember to let me know anytime you have something to celebrate. Please include your name and state, your website, and the name and link of the piece, if available.

Be sure to come back next week to check out Writing Opportunities for you. They could be just what y
ou need to help you see your words in print!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking for Christmas Gifts?

The Christmas book sale continues! Huge discounts on books for the entire family. (And I'll be happy to personalize them for you.) You can now get them directly through PayPal, or if you prefer, email me for instructions for ordering with a check.

(Photos courtesy of FreeImages.co.uk)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now, as we close our time together this week, let's turn our focus to the reason for all the celebration, not only during this season, but all year long. These are the prophetic words of Isaiah, written about 700 years before the birth of our Savior:

For to us a child is born,
       to us a son is given,
       and the government will be on his shoulders.
       And he will be called
       Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

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

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

‘Tis the Season of Joy?

6
By Vonda Skelton | December 1, 2009

It's no surprise that many are struggling this December. The economy has taken a hit, resulting in joblessness, foreclosures, and financial ruin. In such an environment, it can be hard to be joyful this Christmas season. After all, what do we have to be joyful about?

I admit, when things are hard (like they've been for me this past year), it's easy to get focused on the hardship and be blinded to the joy God makes available to us. And to be totally honest, when things are really bad, I'm likely to be more comfortable resting in the hardship than finding the joy. 

The book of Philippians is often called the epistle of joy. In this letter, written from jail, Paul exhorts the believers to live in humility and unity, to press on in the midst of struggle, and to be content–whatever the circumstances. But look at what he says in Philippians 4:12: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

Notice Paul says he has learned to be content. It was a quality he had to grow into, to mature to–not something he was miraculously given at his conversion. Through his relationship with the Father and his desire to please Him, Paul matured into contentment. It was a heart issue.

Let's reevaluate our hearts this season. Even in the midst of the struggle, let's ask God to peel away the layers, reveal our motives, and expose our emotions. What's driving us today? Is it the desire to know Him more–or the desire for more? I Timothy 6:6 says . . . godliness with contentment is great gain.

This week I invite you to celebrate your blessings with us. What do you have to be joyful about? Yes, times are hard, but like Paul, we can all find something good among the bad…if we look for it. 

It's an issue of spiritual maturity. It's an issue of the heart.

(Photo courtesy of Pastor Scott Mackey)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Class Now Available at Vonda's Writing Workshop! (And you can win a free download!)

How to Have Magazine Editors Calling YOU! is my new downloadable class, ready for you, including handout. Do you hate writing query letters? Don't want to wait years to see your name in print? Writing magazine articles can be a quick, dependable way to earn a monthly income. Follow this formula for writing top-notch articles and you'll soon have magazine editors calling you and begging for more!  

Only $14.95 and you can hear the entire program, as presented at writer's conferences across the country. 

Want a free download? Be the first to place an order and I'll turn right around and write you a refund. It's that simple!

And don't forget the other class I have available, Opportunities for Christian Writers. Watch over the next few weeks as I add more classes to help you on your writing journey.

At this very moment you could be learning how to write quality articles in the comfort of your own home, on your own schedule and at your own pace. 

So, what are you waiting for? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Just In–VISTA Needs for Winter 2010 Issues

I know, I know…this isn't writing opportunities week. But I just received Jim Watkins' needs for the next quarter of VISTA and the deadline is Monday, December 14. So here's a bonus opportunity for you!

P.S. Be sure to follow the writers guidelines carefully (You'll need to scroll down to the VISTA section)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Conferences to look for in 2010. I'd love to see you! write2ignitelogo

  • Write2Ignite for writers of children's literature. February 26-27, 2010, North Greenville University, near Greenville, SC
  • Writer's Express One-Day Seminar. April 10, 9-3, Spartanburg, SC Contact Linda Gilden at for more information 
  • Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for beginner, intermediate, and advanced writers. May 16-20, 2010, Ridgecrest, NC
  • Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival for those interested in film, acting, screenwriting, TV, radio, producing, and directing. Also has a teen track-accepting applications now. June 3-8, 2010, Ridgecrest, NC
  • North Texas Christian Writers Conference for writers. September 17-18, 2010, Keller, TX

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This winner of Laura Leigh Harris' 12-Book Set Is…

Nancy Humphreys! Contact me with you snail mail address and the books will be on their way! Congratulations, Nancy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we share and celebrate our reasons for joy in the midst of struggle, let's meditate on this verse from the Psalms:

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Psalm 94:19

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

Vonda

Read entire post »