Hello writers! I’m thrilled to be able to introduce to you my friend, author and speaker Linda Evans Shepherd. Linda is an international speaker, radio and television host, leader of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and Right to the Heart, co-founder of Jubilant Press and publisher of Right to the Heart of Women Ezine.
She’s been married twenty-seven years to Paul and has two children. She’s authored and coauthored 30 books including Share Jesus Without Fear and The Pot Luck Club, The Potluck Catering Club, When You Don’t Know What to Pray, How to Talk to God About Anything, When You Can’t Find God, How to Ignite the Power of His Presence. See more about Linda at:
If you’d like a free copy of Linda’s latest book, be sure to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing! And don’t forget to check back next week to see if you’re the winner. 
Vonda: Welcome, Linda and congratulations on the release of When You Can’t Find God: How to Ignite the Power of His Presence. What inspired you to write it?
Linda: Thank you, Vonda. Of all the books I’ve written in the past 20 years, this one is closest to my heart. It was birthed not only out of my own trials, but out of the secrets I’ve discovered about the struggles of the women of the church.
Vonda: What do you mean by that?
Linda: As I’ve spoken from coast to coast, I’ve uncovered much pain and heartache. I’ve found that many women struggle with their relationship with God because their own difficulties have made them feel as though God has abandoned or rejected them.
It’s been such a blessing to share the helps and relief I’ve personally discovered, then to see my audiences find real joy. That’s why I had to write this book.
Vonda: How has God met you in your own difficulties?
Linda: If I told you that 20 years ago my baby and I were in a horrendous car accident and my daughter spent a year in coma before waking up, you’d probably expect me to tell you that she’s now perfectly normal. After all, that’s the kind of happy ending many Christian audiences anticipate. But that kind of happy ending doesn’t always reflect our real lives.
That’s why I teach how to find joy and peace despite your circumstances. I show that God can meets us in any difficulty and turn that difficulty into a blessing.
Some might look at my now 24-year-old disabled daughter and shake their heads, but they would miss the miracle. You see, God has blessed my daughter, myself, and my family with abundant love, joy, and happiness. As far as I’m concerned we got our happy ending.
Vonda: You talk a lot about giving God your burdens. Are you implying God is a majestic bell hop?
Linda: I wouldn’t call God a bellhop, but he does ask us to give him our troubles.
To illustrate this point, I tell about the time I was traveling through the New York subway with heavy bags. A teenager saw me struggling to carry them up a steep staircase and asked if he could ‘have’ one of my bags.
Because I was about to lose my balance, I gave him a bag, expecting to never see it again. But this teen ran up the stairs and waited for me.
In other words, he only took the weight of my bag. That’s exactly what God wants to do for us; he wants to carry the weight of our troubles so we can experience more of his peace and joy.
Vonda: I notice you share a lot of interactive prayers throughout this book.
Linda: I don’t believe in telling readers they should have a closer relationship with God without leading them there. My goal is for this book to be a transforming experience.
Vonda: This book has many interactive features. Tell us about them.
Linda: I wanted to add as much value to this experience as I could, which is the main reason I created the website. The website can be accessed either by going through the url or by using a smart phone to open the QR code at the back of the book. I also added two-minute chapter videos to this site so a reader or discussion group could instantly invite me to pop over to discuss the chapter. Discussion questions are also included.
Vonda: I understand you make your videos yourself. Give us some ideas on how you did that.
Linda: I used a two hundred dollar Cannon video camera and a tripod to create my videos. I went into my yard and talked for a couple of minutes into the camera. For additional tips on creating your own videos, go to my free online class: (Vonda here: If you’ve ever considered trying video, you’ve got to check out Linda’s tutorial. It’s amazing!)
Vonda: Could you share your favorite video from the book?
Linda: My favorite video is from Chapter 11, The Peace that Passes Understanding. In this video, I show wonderful clips of my precious disabled daughter Laura as I tell a cute story about her.
Vonda: You teach seminars about writing fast. Give us a couple of your best writing secrets.
Linda: If you want to write fast you’ll need a comprehensive outline of not only your book, but of each chapter. Once you know what you want to discuss, it’s easier to do your research. As you research, imbed your quotes, points, Scriptures, stories, and findings into your outline. Then, when you get ready to write, all you’ll have to do is flesh out your notes.
Don’t edit or revise during this process. Keep your flow going by getting everything on paper. Then, all you’ll have to do is to give your manuscript a good power edit and you’re done.
When you Can’t Find God originated with as a 32 page, single-spaced outline. The actually writing took about twenty writing days, not counting the time I took to research, then power edit the book. The entire process took about 4 months.
Vonda: Wow, Linda, thank you for writing this incredible book and then for allowing us a glimpse into the process of planning it, writing it, and then getting it on the bookshelves. Your message and your writing experience have encouraged me, and I know they’ll encourage the Christian Writer’s Den readers as well. Thank you for joining us today!
And readers, don’t forget to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free copy of Linda’s latest book, When You Can’t Find God; How to Ignite the Power of His Presence. And be sure to visit Linda’s website to find out more about her ministry and her writing.
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Don’t Forget to MoGo! It Could Mean $100 in Your Pocket!
You still have three more days to add up those June words, so don’t give up! Remember, your total is the number of new words you’ve written from June 1 to June 30 at midnight. If you reached at least 7000 words for the month of June, just LEAVE A COMMENT WITH YOUR TOTAL (please do not email your totals) and you’ll automatically have another entry into the drawing for $100 in cash at the end of the year.
And the good news is, you can join us any time! Check here for the MoGo7000 Guidelines. You could win $100!
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FOUR Cec Murphey Scholarships Still Available
The deadline is quickly approaching for the Cecil Murphey Scholarships, graciously donated by the Cecil Murphey Scholarship Fund for the NCompass Writing Retreat and the Christian Communicators Conference. The NCompass Writing Retreat scholarship application deadline is July 10, 2011 and the Christian Communicators Conference scholarship application deadline is July 31, 2011.
If you plan to come to either conference whether you receive a scholarship or not, please do not wait to register with your deposit. Space is very limited and slots could fill up before the scholarships are announced. (Of course, we’re holding the scholarship slots.) Any scholarship recipient who has already paid a deposit to hold a space will receive a refund of the deposit. Otherwise, all deposits are non-refundable.
If you don’t know who Cec Murphey is, you’re missing a treat! He’s the author of 120 books, mentor to hundreds of writers, and supporter of many writers through his generous scholarships. Please check out Cec Murphey’s website here. And check out his Writer-to-Writer blog here. And if you’d like to support Cec in his support of writers, be sure to check out his books at his website.
Check out the NCompass Writing Retreat and the Christian Communicators Conference for more information.
Click here for the NCompass Cecil Murphey Scholarship Application.
Click here for the Christian Communicators Scholarship Application.
Hope to see you at a conference–or BOTH of them!
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I’d Love to See You at AnAuthor World July 16!
On July 16 I’ll be teaching my class, Five Fatal Flaws of Fiction, at the next meeting of AnAuthor World, in Greenville, SC at the Greenville Downtown Airport Conference Room. Follow the AnAuthor World website for more information.
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We’re Cruisin’ to the Bahamas…and $25 Holds Your Spot!
Deborah Dunn and I are taking The Story of a Woman’s LifeTM: Reading Between the Whines and Diapers2Diapers onboard the Carnival Cruise Line for your laughter and entertainment!
Join us February 15-20, 2012 as we banish the cold-weather blues with 5 days of laughter, fun, and cruisin’.
Check out The Story of a Woman’s Life Cruise Flyer here, then contact Diane Bean at CruiseOne to book your room.
We can’t wait to see you in the Bahamas!
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Parting Words from The Word…
Even if you can’t hear God in the midst of a trial, He promises that He’s there.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
