Category Archives: Words to the Wise

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God’s Provision in Tough Times by LaTan Murphey

God’s Provision in Tough TimesFaith, prayer, courage and steadfastness—I feel empowered just saying each word.  But real power is experienced when faith, prayer, courage, and steadfastness is lived out—put into practice. This is the difference between ‘talking the talk’ and ‘walking the walk.’

I watched, listened, and learned from my grandparents and parents during times of hardship.  They chose to react in faith—prayerfully and courageously as they stood steadfast in faith, on the principles of God’s word. These memories have often carried me through bleak days marked unwontedly on my life calendar.  Little did I know, their examples of perseverance, would display powerful survival tactics—helping me to endure as I encountered my own hardships.

Pain becomes power as we find courage to share our experiences with others.  I am honored to share the personal trials my family has endured throughout the pages of our new book entitled:  God’s Provision in Tough Times.  With pen in hand my prideful vulnerability turned honest in hopes you too might find strength in your time of need.

Perhaps you are going through a tough time or know someone who is. Be sure to order your copy of God’s Provision in Tough Times today.  You will be amazed by how many different kinds of trials each chapter represents.  Each contributing writer penned their painful experience—sharing one common purpose:  The desire to help YOU!

We pray you will find faith through prayerful living along with courage and steadfastness of heart as you walk through your own difficult circumstance.

You are not alone friend.  Order your copy today on Amazon.com. We would love to hear how God met your need during difficult times and how our book helped you find hope in the midst of hardship.  So be sure to leave a review after reading it.

God’s Provision in Tough Times includes personal accounts by Authors:

 Cynthia Howerter (cynthiahowerter.com) and LaTan Roland Murphy (latanmurphy.com) –  along with guest writers:   Alycia W. Morales, Beth K. Fortune, Carrie Fancett Pagels, Cecil Stokes, Dan Walsh, Deborah Raney, Dee Dee Parker, Eddie Jones, Eva Marie Everson, Felicia Bowen Bridges, James L. Rubart, Ramona Richards, Roger E. Bruner, Tamara D. Fickas, and Torry Martin

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Are you a freelance editor ?

Big Orange County Christian Writers Conference

The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network is sponsoring an editor convention in Southern California April 23–25. “Keys to Successful Freelance Editing” is for part-time or full-time editorial freelancers who want to grow their business and anyone who wants to learn how to become a freelance editor.

For just $125, aspiring and established editors will enjoy a Wednesday evening meet-and-greet, a full-day speaking event on Thursday, dinner Thursday night, and a final meeting Friday morning.

On Friday afternoon, Family Christian Bookstore in Santa Ana will host a book signing that will include authors from The Christian PEN and from the Orange County Christian Writers’ Conference.

The writers’ conference starts that evening, April 25, and continues with a full day of workshops and presentations on Saturday, April 26. Speakers include agents, book publishers (traditional and independent), magazine publishers, and freelance authors and editors.

For details on the editor convention, visit The Christian PEN.

For details on the writers’ conference, visit OCCWC.

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Turning Your Book into a Review Machine

Want to turn your book into a sales machine? Get more Amazon Reviews. Here’s how one social media marketing expert did just that.

“We’ve worked with many first-time authors, but earlier this year I had an idea I wanted to try. I wanted to find a way to encourage readers to review the book by adding a specific request. We asked the author to include a letter in the back of her book asking for reviews. She reminded readers how important their voice is. Did it work? Yes. In fact she’s got well over 70 reviews of which only 10 were solicited. Remember, this is a first-time author with no history online and this book was self-published. All of these things worked against her and still she succeeded in getting tons of reviews. Were they all five-star? No, but that’s not the point. Let’s face it, a book page that’s populated with tons of five-star reviews is pretty suspect anyway. All of the reviews are authentic, written by real readers the author engaged with. Want to know another secret? These readers are now part of her “tribe;” she stays in touch with them and lets them know when her next book is out.

“How did she ask for reviews? She crafted a letter to her readers. Here’s a sample of the letter we included in the back of her second book. You can see the letter here: http://www.amarketingexpert.com/getting-reviews/

“In general, only 1% of consumers review books on Amazon. Using this letter helped to beat that average by a lot.” ~ Penny C. Sansevieri, Author and CEO, Marketing Experts, Inc.

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Are you a freelance editor, or interested in possibly becoming one?

Are you a freelance editorIn conjunction with the Orange County Christian Writers’ Conference, The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network is sponsoring an editor convention during the days immediately preceding the conference (April 23–25).

 Keys to Successful Freelance Editing

is for part-time or full-time editorial freelancers who want to grow their business and anyone who wants to learn how to become a freelance editor. The convention will begin with a meet-and-greet on Wednesday evening, April 23. Attendees will have a chance to meet the faculty and fellow attendees face-to-face in a casual setting.

The main event will be a full-day program on Thursday, April 24, at Richfield Community Church in Yorba Linda, California (just a few miles away from the Orange County writers’ conference). It will feature a series of inspirational and informative talks from established freelance editors, including:

  • Kathy Ide (founder and director of The Christian PEN), speaking about Proofreading and Networking
  • Cecil Murphey (author and ghostwriter of more than 130 books), speaking about Ghostwriting/Collaborating
  • Jeanne Marie Leach (The Christian PEN administrator), speaking about “The Editor’s Desk”

There will also be great worship and some fun dramas put on by Kathy Bruins.

Friday morning, April 25, will close the event with more worship and informative talks.

On Friday afternoon, The Christian PEN is sponsoring a book signing at Family Christian Bookstore in Santa Ana (very close to the location of the writers’ conference, which starts on Friday evening).

Cost for the editor convention is just $125. Visit the convention’s Facebook page to chat with others about the event and coordinate plans to share lodging and transportation.

For those who’d like to extend their stay and enjoy some of the tourist offerings of Southern California, Kathy Ide will coordinate a Disneyland day on April 22 and a beach trip on April 23.

For more details, visit http://thechristianpen.com/convention.

If you’d like to help us get the word out about this convention (whether or not you are able to attend), please e-mail Alycia Morales (amoralescmc@yahoo.com) to get sample blogs, Facebook posts, and tweets.

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Reading Is Brain Food

Dead Low TideWe all know  reading a great novel can transport you to another world, but now, thanks research by scientists at Emory University, we know reading a novel can trick your brain into thinking your body is having the same experiences as the characters in the story.

“For two and a half weeks, the students read 30-page sections of the novel at night,”  neuroscientist Gregory Berns said in the journal Science Codex. “The following morning their brains were scanned  — after taking a test to make sure they had done the reading. The scans continued for several days after they’d finished the novel. We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.”

The results showed “heightened connectivity” in the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language, and also in the central sulcus, the brain’s primary sensory motor region. In other words, when exposed to a convincing plot with sensory details, readers assumed the role of the character and became lost in the story.

Novelist have long argued that reading exercises the brain by forcing the imagination to create elements not shown on the page. This is one reason a movie is seldom as good as the book. We bring our own furniture to a book, cast our characters in different tones, and make their story ours. With video we consume, but we do not create.

Why do I write for boys? Because  I believe creativity, not hard work, is our greatest asset. Want to change a life? Buy a boy a book.

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Eddie Would Go

Eddie_AikauOrganizers of the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational say they will continue to wait for ” one day of quality surf” when wave face heights reach around 40 feet. The contest is held in honor of Eddie Aikau, a famous Oahu lifeguard who was regarded as one of the best big wave surfers of the 1960s and ’70s. Aikau disappeared in 1978 during a canoe expedition from Hawaii to Tahiti.

The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational an annual occurrence dependent upon large surf. The event has taken place eight times, starting in 1984. It was last held in December 2009 when Greg Long of California claimed victory.

The invitees to this year’s event include Long, Aiku’s younger brother Clyde, 11-time world champion Kelly Slater and Carlos Burle, who gained global renown for surfing an enormous wave in Portugal last year.

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Skull Creek Stakeout

Skull Creek Stakeout

August 6, 2013 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: The Caden Chronicles

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Skull Creek Stakeout

The good news is, vampires aren’t real. The bad news is…you can’t believe the news.

Nick Caden is a normal fourteen-year-old kid with a “supernatural” knack for finding trouble, ghosts, vampires, and all sorts of undead–or so it seems.

After solving the ghost story murder at Deadwood Canyon, Nick lands a job as a roving reporter for The Cool Ghoul Gazette, a website on paranormal or supernatural disturbances. When the editor sends Nick to investigate a murder in Transylvania, North Carolina, the young super sleuth finds a corpse with fangs, bite marks and a stake driven through the heart. If Nick proves vampires are real, his job as an investigative journalist is set for life! But once he begins to peel back the clues surrounding the mystery of Skull Creek Nick finds his new job is not only scary and dangerous but about to suck the life out of him.

The Skull Creek Stakeout – a story middle-readers and adults can sink their teeth into.

The Caden Chronicles – winner of the 2013 Selah award for Young Adult fiction.

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About The Caden Chronicles Series

Social networking has changed the way young people communicate. Can we keep books in “their” loop? According to KidSay Market Researchers, Facebook is now the favorite website among tween (8-11) boys and teen (12-15) girls. Over 90% of tween boys and girls play games online. Could an adventure mystery series that plays off today’s fascination with the paranormal be the perfect antidote to the adolescent blank-stare fascination with video games?

“I want to give middle school readers (boys especially) a compelling story they can fall into, one that spurs their imagination and gets them jazzed about reading and using their creative gifts.”

Positioning Statement:
* Mystery adventure based on the paranormal fascination that exposes the myths and lies of the occult
* Spur discussion on spirits, souls,  ghosts, the undead, vampires, etc…
* Seeks to get parents and kids talking about the afterlife

Selling Points:
* Great read for boys and girls
* Entertaining, humorous, high adventure, focusing on intrigue and suspense
* Plays off today’s fascination with paranormal events and trends
* Discussion questions at the end of the book designed to get kids thinking about the consequences of our decisions