Share Your Christmas Reading with Me!
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
Where to begin? Let's start with Seekerville Story Marathon
Hello Seekerville! Annie here. Today I want to play a little game, but before we get to that, I want to ask you a question. How do you begin writing?
"I wrote as a child and then as a high schooler did a novella for a project where I had to learn about publishing. Then I did MANY NaNoWriMos and started going to writing conferences and really studied what publishing was about." - @createexploreread
"I have written as a hobby since junior high. I didn’t show my stories to anyone except family and close friends and didn’t plan to ever pursue writing as a career. When I was in my mid-later 20’s I began working on a book I felt more passionate about than the rest, and after a lot of soul searching, plus moving overseas and quitting my full time teaching job to stay home with my son, I started thinking that maybe I wanted to switch careers a write professionally, for publication. So I worked, worked harder, learned craft, cried, and pitched my novel and got rejected a whole lot, learned more craft, and cried some more until finally somebody say the magic word: yes! And now, my debut novel is under contract!" - Haylie Hanson, (debut coming soon!)
"I'm a strange case...I started my publication journey after working in publishing, in the marketing department of Bethany House. I've been writing for as long as I can remember, though, and reading everything I could get my sticky little hands on at our small elementary school library. Every now and then I'd look at the shelf where "Green" was and imagine having books there someday. So I guess you could say that I started with an overactive imagination and just enough perseverance to occasionally finish one of the many fiction projects I started." - Amy Lynn Green, debut author
"My writing journey began when I told a friend I had an idea for a book and she told me I should write it. No one had ever suggested I actually write something when I shared an idea. I never even thought myself to actually write something. It was as if the idea never occurred to me. After that, I started writing an outline and fell in love with storytelling immediately. I'm not published yet, but since that moment of talking to my friend, I've written two novels, a couple short stories, a novella and I'm working on my third novel." - @lunasluckymoon
"I started with a writers course through the Christian Writer’s Guild that introduced me to mentors that taught me the process as I wrote my first manuscript. Then I started attending writers conferences, which is where I pitched my story and met with agents and editors. This led me to signing with my agent and with my publisher for my books. ☺️" - Natalie Walters, published author
I know it's not easy. I, like many will have no idea where to begin, but I do know that sometimes, the best ideas come out at the least expected of times. So why not start together? When I was young, my sisters and I (sometimes add in some cousins) would play this game called "Word Marathon." Eventually it led to "Story Marathon" which is basically a game to test our improvisational skills. The objective is to "create" a story at the spur of the moment.
This was how we played:
About a few months ago, I had someone tell me they would like to write a book. I encouraged them to, but they are befuddled on how and where to begin. It's not as easy as it sounds, is it? I then went and basically asked everyone - in person, on the phone, and on social media, "how do you begin?" It's not only how does one begin, but it's also the question of where and what. Here are some of their responses:
"I don't know. I just write everything down.""I started journaling, writing my day." - Klarissa M."I read." - (multiple)"Words don't always come. So I start with a people chart." - Cecily"Brain dump 10 minutes a day. I write whatever comes to mind." - M.A."Random jotting of words and thoughts." - Joanne K."Think about something you care about and write your thoughts about it." - @pens_andwrittenwords
Real - life stories of beginnings:
"I have written as a hobby since junior high. I didn’t show my stories to anyone except family and close friends and didn’t plan to ever pursue writing as a career. When I was in my mid-later 20’s I began working on a book I felt more passionate about than the rest, and after a lot of soul searching, plus moving overseas and quitting my full time teaching job to stay home with my son, I started thinking that maybe I wanted to switch careers a write professionally, for publication. So I worked, worked harder, learned craft, cried, and pitched my novel and got rejected a whole lot, learned more craft, and cried some more until finally somebody say the magic word: yes! And now, my debut novel is under contract!" - Haylie Hanson, (debut coming soon!)
"I'm a strange case...I started my publication journey after working in publishing, in the marketing department of Bethany House. I've been writing for as long as I can remember, though, and reading everything I could get my sticky little hands on at our small elementary school library. Every now and then I'd look at the shelf where "Green" was and imagine having books there someday. So I guess you could say that I started with an overactive imagination and just enough perseverance to occasionally finish one of the many fiction projects I started." - Amy Lynn Green, debut author
"My writing journey began when I told a friend I had an idea for a book and she told me I should write it. No one had ever suggested I actually write something when I shared an idea. I never even thought myself to actually write something. It was as if the idea never occurred to me. After that, I started writing an outline and fell in love with storytelling immediately. I'm not published yet, but since that moment of talking to my friend, I've written two novels, a couple short stories, a novella and I'm working on my third novel." - @lunasluckymoon
"I started with a writers course through the Christian Writer’s Guild that introduced me to mentors that taught me the process as I wrote my first manuscript. Then I started attending writers conferences, which is where I pitched my story and met with agents and editors. This led me to signing with my agent and with my publisher for my books. ☺️" - Natalie Walters, published author
Let's start together! Presenting "Seekerville Story Marathon":
This was how we played:
- One person started with a word or a sentence.
- Another person followed on with a word or a sentence that continued from the first person.
- And so on and so forth. Easy, right?
- The last person left standing to continue the story successfully won.
The tricky part of this games is that no one knows where the story is going, since the next person may completely change the direction of the story. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's suspenseful and some times, it makes no sense at all.
So, for this Seekerville Story Marathon, we will do steps 1 through 3 as follows:
- I will start the story first with one sentence.
- The next person, please leave in the comments, the next sentence or sentences of this impromptu story. (Write as much as you'd like.)
- Everyone will continue on from the previous commenter's "sentence(s)".
To make it easier for us to know it is part of the story, please put your sentence(s) in "quotes".
Feel free to come back and continue on even if you've commented before, but it must continue from the last commenter's input.
One random commenter who participated in the Seekerville Story Marathon, will be selected to win "A Writer's Starter Pack" curated by me. Sorry, US participants Only. Giveaway ends 2 PM EST, December 18, 2020 and winner will be announced on the Weekend Edition on December 19, 2020. I will also post the completed story from this Story Marathon sometime that week. Prize subject to Seekerville terms and conditions set forth for giveaways.
START:
"Dashing through the snow, little Ruthy couldn't wait to get home to show her mom what she had found."
Now it's your turn. GO!
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
Making a Marketing Splash on Instagram
by Emilie Hendryx
Don’t…
Do…
Hello! Annie here. Before we jump into what Emilie has to share with us, let me introduce her to you from my perspective a bit. I was first introduced to Emilie through her blog. I love her perspective and the variation she provides, mostly book related, but many times provide inspiration and encouragement as well. Her writing makes me smile and her instagram feed makes me drool. You can say I was a little fan girl of hers. Then when I met her in person, she is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Her smile brightens the room, and her talent speaks for itself. She has high klout in the world of bookish marketing and her merchandise shop is a bookish fan favorite. Nowadays, I'm happy to introduce her as a wonderful friend.
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| Image Credit: Emily Hendryx @createexploreread |
I started my Instagram page, CreateExploreRead, in 2016. I had also started a Society6 shop (an online platform that allows designers to upload their art and sell items printed with it). It was an exciting time and I started crafting images of books and my art on items such as mugs, totes, and pillowcases.
The more I dipped my toes into the world of Instagram and books (aka: #bookstagram), the more I started to shift what I wanted my page to represent. As we see in all forms of art, writing included, you grow as your knowledge grows.
I started creating more ‘artsy’ photos, included more books, and started only using my Nikon camera to take pictures (instead of my iPhone) all in an effort to create quality content. The main goal? Grow a platform of followers that not only wanted to purchase from my Society6 and Etsy shops, but also an audience that would one day support me by buying a published book.
While I’m still working on the book aspect (as I’m out on submission right now) I have found a way to build a solid platform without having a book (as of yet)! We know that, in today’s publishing world, platform is paramount, so I’d like to give you eight tips: 4 dos and 4 don’ts, when it comes to marketing your book on Instagram.
4 Things NOT to do on Instagram
Don’t…
- Only post about your book – It can be tempting to want to market your work all the time, but I’d suggest finding a balance. Talk about your books, but maybe only post photos of them every 3-5 images. You can still talk about your writing process in your captions, but use that time to post about books you love and help support other writers.
- Ghost your followers – What I mean by this is don’t start an Instagram page hoping to gain followers and then never post! It’s a missed opportunity for (free) marketing. I know it can take a lot of time to create images, think of captions, and engage, but I truly believe Instagram is one of the best marketing platforms for books.
- Be selfish – Sounds a little harsh, but I have seen many accounts where the author is only posting because of what they can get out of Instagram. That’s not how it works. Instagram works best when you interact with other readers. It takes time, but it’s worthwhile.
- Leave creativity out of it – I realize not everyone is a professional photographer, but there are some tricks to taking good photos. One thing I can recommend is using a filter (you can use one in Instagram or another app) but find one that you like and apply it to all of your photos. You may need to adjust brightness levels or contrast, but this will give your photos an extra touch of professionalism and continuity that gives your account a more curated feel.
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| Image Credit: Emily Hendryx @createexploreread |
4 Things TO do on Instagram
Do…
- Post about your book – While this may seem in direct contrast to my previous point, I think some readers-turned-authors forget that their Instagram is a platform for promoting their own work too. We get so excited about the books we’re reading it can be hard to post about our own work, but that’s important as well. As I said above: it’s about balance.
- Give helpful content in your captions – Captions are becoming more and more important to those on Instagram. When you write something, consider its value. A lot of the time people will save an image (using the flag under the bottom right of the image) because of the content you’ve put in the caption. This helps you in the algorithm and raises the value of your page. If you’re published, you already have tips that aspiring writers want to know. Consider sharing them in your captions!
- Post about books! – It may seem silly, and I’m not saying your whole account must be books, but readers love seeing images of books. Trust me, it’s a thing! It’s also a good way to support fellow authors.
- Be genuine – I say this every time I talk, but it is crucial that you be genuine in your captions, interactions, and direct messages with readers. Their interactions with you will translate to how they support you and your books.
Treat your followers as friends while writing amazing books and they’ll spread your stories far and wide. I can’t think of better marketing than that!
_________________
Emilie is a freelance writer, photographer, and graphic designer living in Northern California. She’s a member of ACFW and writes Young Adult fiction. She’s got a soft spot in her heart for animals and a love for the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time, you can find her designing fun, bookish items for her Etsy and Society6 shops all while drinking too much coffee.
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/eahendryx
Instagram: www.instagram.com/createexploreread
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
What To Do With All The Books?
1. Read and collect them.
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| *image credit: unsplash.com |
3. Donate to the local library.
Reach out to your local library to see what their policies or limitations are to accept donations.
4. Host giveaways.
Be sure to giveaways are compliant to local, state and federal laws.
5. Start a little free library.
For more info, check out the Little Free Library organization website here: https://littlefreelibrary.org/.
If any of the above does not work for you, consider donating to the following places:
6. Salvation Army.
Books donated to a local Salvation Army will be sold at their stores to further their ministry or pass onto people at their various outreach programs like homeless shelters and rehabilitation facilities.
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| *image credit: unsplash.com |
Personally, I love this route. I reached out to a local Christian school and donated many of my books which I know will fill their school library or used in their bi-annual sale with proceeds to fund additional programs that had their funding cut.
Check local schools and see if they will accept book donations, and if there are any limitations such as age group, genres or quantity.
8. Goodwill
Like Salvation Army, Goodwill will resell donated books at their thrift stores and use the proceeds to fund their programs.
9. Vietnam Veterans of America
"The Vietnam Veterans of America sells your donated items to private companies by annual bid which generates the majority of the funding to support the local, state, and national programs of the Vietnam Veterans of America." Schedule a pick up here: https://pickupplease.org/about-vva/
10. Retirement Homes
Check your local retirement or assisted living facilities. They usually have a small library that provide reading material to their residents.
11. Kids Need to Read
"Kids Need to Read works to create a culture of reading for children by providing inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children." Find out more on their website: https://www.kidsneedtoread.org
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| *image credit: unsplash.com |
These two non-profit organizations solicit volunteers and donations to send books to our domestic and oversea military. For more info, check out their respective website (linked above).
13. Reader to Reader
"Reader to Reader, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to expanding literacy and learning opportunities for the nation's most chronically underserved and vulnerable communities, including inner-city schools, Native American reservations, and poor rural towns." For more info: http://www.readertoreader.org
Did you know there were so many ways to share your love of books and your actual books? How do you share your books?
In conclusion, I would like to share a box of books with one US reader! Just leave a comment below and a winner will be announced in tomorrow's WE!
Annie is proud to be one of the founding stewards of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat (CFRR), the first readers' retreat of its kind, and the cofounder of JustRead Publicity Tours. She loves all things book and bookish, and most of all, Jesus. You can find her at @justcommonly on Instagram.
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
Advent Day 13: It's a Wonderful Life
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
"Authors, Don't Confuse Us!" Basic Marketing Tips for Your Brand
by Annie @JustReadTours
Hello! Annie here. As an avid reader, I also love to check out author websites, social media and book sites like Goodreads and BookBub for the latest reads from my favorite authors or publishers. Though at times, I come away more confused than satisfied. Ever felt that way?
Well, in that case, I'm paying attention. 😁 With JustRead Tours, we come across more specific areas that I'd like to share with authors here, particularly with an author's online presence.
Website
Authors themselves are their own brand. Therefore their website should reflect who they are, and what they want to present.
Social Media
Social media platform is a crucial marketing tool for authors and publishers. However, done wrong, it can more often than not, confuse or turn readers off.
Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon
These three sites are important and essential for authors and publishers alike for different reasons, but definitely relative.
That's it for now. I might make this into a series if you're interested, since I actually could've added more! 🤣 Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and if you're interested in entering the giveaway.
Annie is an avid reader and former book blogger at Just Commonly. She is the co-owner of JustRead Publicity Tours, a full-service publicity tour company for published works in the inspirational and clean genres. She is also the co-founder of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat.
Hello! Annie here. As an avid reader, I also love to check out author websites, social media and book sites like Goodreads and BookBub for the latest reads from my favorite authors or publishers. Though at times, I come away more confused than satisfied. Ever felt that way?
"If you're not confused, you're not paying attention." - Tom Peters
Well, in that case, I'm paying attention. 😁 With JustRead Tours, we come across more specific areas that I'd like to share with authors here, particularly with an author's online presence.
Website
Authors themselves are their own brand. Therefore their website should reflect who they are, and what they want to present.- Websites should be easy to navigate. Navigational menu short, sweet and to the point.
- Invest in getting your own domain. Preferably as your name such as http://authorname.com or .org or whatever works. Another option is a tagline that associates with your brand.
- Home page should be simple and to the point. If your home page directs to your blog, make sure it doesn't create more confusion with your content.
- Don't over crowd your sidebar (if you're using a blog format). Create distinct segments.
- Make sure all your links work and direct to the correct web page you want to direct to.
- Include all your social media links using icons, and make them easy to find (top, side or footer of your website).
- Be sure to only include the platforms you use for your brand (not personal accounts, especially if you have an author one).
Social Media
Social media platform is a crucial marketing tool for authors and publishers. However, done wrong, it can more often than not, confuse or turn readers off.- Depending on the platform, separate personal and author accounts.
- Create accounts on platforms you will be active in. If possible, use the same username for each one. For example, @justreadtours is our username on all our social media platforms we have.
- Be active!
- Make sure your author accounts are linked correctly on your website, newsletter, and even in the profile of other social media platform.
- Even if you do not have an account on one particular social media platform, the use of hashtag such as #authorname is sufficient if you or your readers are sharing something.
Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon
These three sites are important and essential for authors and publishers alike for different reasons, but definitely relative.- Create an author profile if you don't already have one for each of these sites.
- Make sure you only have one author profile for each of these sites.
- Include your website link.
- Add the same short author bio for all three sites.
- As to books, make sure there are no duplicate listings for the same book. (This concerns Goodreads particularly. One time, I found 4 listings for the same book!)
- Consistency is key. If you update or change something, specifically in the book blurb, make sure to update on all relevant sites, including these three, plus others like the publisher's book listing on their website, and your own website.
"That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well." - Abraham Lincoln
That's it for now. I might make this into a series if you're interested, since I actually could've added more! 🤣 Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and if you're interested in entering the giveaway.
Giveaway
JustRead Publicity Tours will be launching our Author Services this Fall, and to start it off, we're giving away an Author Media Review to one interested author! An Author Media Review is to review your current social media and website platforms to relation to your current book, and provide a written assessment for you to consider working on. To enter, just leave a comment on this post.
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
Christmas Traditions: Re-Read Books
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
The Things We (Readers) Say!
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
Support Authors. . .
Hello Seekerville! Annie here today to share a bit about my obsession with, you got it - books! I have this fabulous T-shirt that I just love! Not only is it soft and comfy, it has a fabulous saying on the front. Want to see it? Here you go:
For those that don't know, I'm no author, and have no desire to be one. However, I have this crazy obsession and innate fangirl persona when it comes to authors. Ever since stumbling across the bookish community a few years ago, I've been in awe by how awesome authors and publishers are, and how HARD it is for them. Granted, I still don't know the whole inside story, but from what I do know, there are a lot of obstacles when it comes to not only writing and publishing a book but also marketing it. Long story short, I'm an advocate for authors and publishers, and I'd like to share with you a particular way we can support them.
Buying books can be simple, but it’s recently become more tricky! Why? Counterfeit books.
As author Kara Isaac shared with us about piracy in a previous post on Seekerville, it hurts authors on many fronts. I’m not going to go into all that again, but instead tag team off the topic to focus on counterfeit printed versions of novels (as opposed to just ebooks). According to the official StopFakes.gov website,
“The term "counterfeit" describes fake goods. The term "piracy" describes the act of reproducing movies, music, books or other copyrighted works without permission from the copyright owner.”
Combine the two? You have counterfeit books, similar to the ever-increasing problem of counterfeit textbooks. To be honest, I’m not even sure we really know how big this problem is. Personally, I received a gift of a previously released novel purchased through Amazon on sale. My friend had it shipped directly to me. When I received it, it looked a little off. Granted, I understand some publishers have different style, paper quality and such, including using Amazon’s or another large retailer’s Print On Demand services for subsequent print runs, but typically the quality of these print runs should not be too off from their original. Since I know this publisher and its quality, I was even more certain it was not an original published copy. To top it off, the cover was obviously subpar in terms of the image quality. I then reached out to the publisher and sent them the copy so they are aware of it. Doing a bit of research since, this happens more often than we realized, and it’s not always easy to spot. Can you spot the counterfeit version between these two copies of The Wedding Dress?
I’ll let you know which one is the counterfeit one in a bit. After that incident, I decided to look closer at my past purchases. Even though I am 100% sure most are legit, there are a few older titles (released in the past 2 years) I purchased that did not look or feel like the same quality as others from the same publisher. Again, I’m no expert, but merely from my experience as an avid reader and patron of bookstores, both online and in stores, there were noticeable differences. Research tells me that most of these counterfeit books were purchased from Amazon. Since Amazon’s fulfillment service allows Amazon to sell and ship on your behalf, one will not necessarily know where the book came from. Now, I’m not saying all of Amazon’s books are questionable, just that if you do order from Amazon, inspect immediately.
Here are some signs you can watch out for:
- If you are familiar with a publisher’s printing quality/style, compare it.
- Is the book cover glossy when others are matte?
- Does the spine line up properly?
- Is the overall size the same as their standard paperback or hardback editions?
- How’s the quality of the cover image? Is it blurrier than it should be, even compared to an image you find on the publisher’s website?
- How is the type quality? Is it fuzzy on some pages or on the back cover?
- Most notable sign is that it is on sale for much lower than you’ll find on other retailers (and it did not state “price set by publisher”). It’s usually more than $2 difference. Publisher sales typically run across the board.
Why am I pointing all this out? I’m sharing with you my experience with counterfeit books because as consumers, we should be aware of what is out there, and be smart about our purchases. Counterfeit books not only are pirated works, but the sellers are profiting from it, taking what could’ve been additional sales for the author and publisher for themselves. It’s not only morally and ethically wrong, illegal, while damaging the image of the publisher due to its poor quality, but it also basically is stealing from those working in the publishing industry.
Back to the pictures I showed before, of the two versions of The Wedding Dress. Which one did you choose? If you chose the one on the left with the glossy cover, you are correct. That is the counterfeit copy. The main issue is how the cover image looked to be spliced together with the letterings.
So what do you do when you suspect you’ve received a counterfeit book? Several things:
- You can reach out to the vendor to exchange it, explaining that you don’t think this is right. Mention the quality. By reaching out, the vendor will now be aware that something is wrong here and the supplier may be banned or removed from future orders.
- Reach out to the publisher to let them know of your suspicions. Send photos or even the copy of the book.
- Report counterfeit or pirated goods to the FBI Intellectual Copyright Infringement department. You can find out more info here: https://www.stopfakes.gov/article?id=Report-Counterfeit-or-Pirated-Goods.
It’s a scary world out there, and there will always be people trying to take advantage. I’m not trying to discourage you to buy, but rather I encourage you to buy from local bookstores or retailers that you feel secure with. I still am an Amazon consumer with many things, including ebooks and new releases of hardcover books. However, when it comes to paperbacks, lately I’ve mainly purchased from local bookstores, Barnes and Nobles and ChristianBook.com. Plus, I truly believe that giving this feedback to publishers and helping to stop counterfeit sales, even if it’s one book at a time, is another way to support authors and publishers.
To that end, let us continue to support and encourage one another. As I said before, there are many ways we can show our bookish support. 😉
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)
Comment on this post to be entered to win a pack of books, all originals. *wink wink
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
You are a Salty Bunch
“You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13)
Hello friends! Annie here! I am beyond humbled and ecstatic to be here chatting with y’all. Let me introduce myself a bit for those that don’t know me. I’m Annie and I love to read. Surprising, isn’t it?! Yes, I also have a tinge of dry sarcasm that doesn’t always translate well. Nevertheless, I love to share my thoughts, especially when it comes to books. I have two very adorable (and mischievous) puppies, Gabby and Reagan. They haven’t understood the meaning of quality reading time for mommy yet. We’re getting there. Many of you will know me as Just Commonly, which is the name of my blog, and along with fellow Seeker, Carrie and avid reader, Bonnie Roof, we are also the founders for Christian Fiction Readers Retreat (CFRR). The ultimate question: why do I love Christian Fiction so much? Now begins the story. . .Many people will have at least one year they can't let go, an unforgettable year, and a year that changed something in them. That year for me was 2013.
When the double pink line appeared, a smile crossed my face. Our first pregnancy. Elation soon turned to worry as my Darcy was told to keep an eye on me. Nevertheless, we continued on our days and doctor visits. On our ride to every visit, Plumb's Need You Now played on the radio, despite different days and times of the day. A song that to this day comforts me. Then one day, excruciating pain incapacitated me. I woke up to my front door kicked open by my Darcy trying to get to me, and a trip to the hospital. No one told me anything for what seemed like forever, and finally a familiar face, my doctor, came and told us the news. I had what they called an ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy outside the uterus in layman terms. At 12 weeks, I was in serious danger, and my "baby" would not survive. On May 13, 2013, I was no longer pregnant. I was in a daze for weeks to come, yet on every follow-up visit to the doctor's office, another song played on the radio. Blessings by Laura Story. Nothing is a coincidence. Those songs prepared me and reminded me even when I didn't notice at first, that our God is our Father, and He's comforting me. Some may have already heard this story in one of my earlier posts, "God of Coincidences" on my blog. And you may ask, "What does this have to do with Christian fiction?" Well, you see, the songs prepared me and comforted me at a crucial moment of emotional and physical pain. Yet, it was Christian fiction that healed me. Or at least it was what God used.
Just as God inspired and used musicians like Plumb and Laura Story in their music and lyrics, God also inspired and gifted authors the words to their stories. It was these stories that mended the brokenness I felt since. My first encounter with Christian fiction was in that very year, and that's because I used books to escape. Unbeknownst to me, the books with the pretty covers and the historical settings gave me more than a story. What I thought was an escape, had become the soothing balm to my soul. Physical pain may have dissipated, but the emotional trauma wasn't so easy to forget. I thought hiding behind history and make-believe would never remind me of the loss and inadequacy I felt. God had other plans. He used stories that had nothing to do with me to connect with me. 
God called us to be "salt of the earth" and "light of the world." I've heard many say that it applies only to missionaries, but aren't we all missionaries in our own ways? My author friends, your stories give readers flavors, widespread and essential. When you follow God's heed in your writing, each word, each story, and each novel are granules of salt, scattered, waiting to be tasted. Now it's up to readers to taste and experience. And don't worry about the negative reviews. The message doesn't always hit us at the same time, and even when it's already tasted, it may not be fully understood until the time is right. You've salted and now it's up to God on when and to whom He plans on letting the flavor of that granule of salt explode. As always, God's timing is perfect.
Personally, I think Christian fiction kind of sneaks up on you. Just like a kind word, you'll never know when someone will need it. Its many flavors rival the flavors of the world, and there’s always one or more that fills your hunger just at the right moment. As authors, your flavors have the potential to reach masses, so be "the salt of the earth" and continue to implode flavors on us readers, either openly or stealthily.
I guess in short, I love Christian fiction because it's personal, and the experience may not be the same for another. To end, I want to thank every one of you - authors, for your stories and readers, for your support and sharing of these stories.
Giveaway
I'm gifting an author (from published or on non-published island) their choice of either ebook or print of one of the Writer's Guide Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi (open internationally as long as Amazon or Book Depository will send it your way). And 1 reader will win a surprise pack of books that I hope will flavor your life (US mailing addresses only). Just leave a comment to enter for a chance to win (and let us know if you want to win the author or reader giveaway).
Source: seekerville.blogspot.com
