Complete Projects

So now that the Advent devotional guide is complete and hopefully being used throughout southeast Texas, I am excitedly looking toward other projects. The Writers Daily Devotional will be ready for purchase in Spring 2008, my first contribution to a book with others. Stacey and I are putting together a curriculum geared toward late elementary/Jr. High to teach them to use their bibles. Right now I am writing it in weekly installments and sending it to her to use and she is using it with her 5-12 grade students with awesome success. We just got the church camp theme for the 4-6 grade camp and Stacey and I are beginning to brainstorm and get things ready, if we are blessed with the opportunity to do the curriculum again this year. Unbelievably it will be the 4th year! What a blessing. We are also looking at taking the curriculum from camp a few years ago and putting it into a format for VBS. I don't know exactly where the Lord is taking all of this, but the journey has been an adventure for sure. Somewhere in that I have an idea for a fiction short story. Maybe I'll get to it over Christmas vacation. Isn't writing the best thing ever!

Until next time---

Have I Arrived?

Today I received my first payment from an order of the 2007 Advent Devotional Guide. Funny, I thought that would make me feel like a "real" writer. I really don't feel any different than I did before. Maybe just getting paid isn't what makes it real. Any thoughts?

Marketing

Well now that they are complete, it is time to "market". By far the most uncomfortable part of this journey so far. I sat for 10 minutes outside the first church I "cold called", just praying and scared to death. It reminded me of the fear before my first parent teacher conference, when I realized someone was going to tell me that my precious first child was just not perfect!!!! How could I recover from that. Only by God's grace. I called my friend Stacey and she was fixing to go into her first church. We prayed together and we were off. Things were a bit awkward, but once I got started, things went well. So far no one has said , "this is horrible!", and many churches, even the one I grew up in and knew me before, a long time before, God transformed me to this point, wanted to look at it. My prayer has been that this will glorify God, and that he will be pleased with my efforts. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that. I always wanted to write a book, but couldn't think of anything great to say. Now I do, and I hope that other Moms, Dads, Grandparents, etc will be able to use it with their kids as a way of devleloping a relationship with each other around Christ.

Writing comes more easily if you havesomething to say.--Sholem Asch

Here We Go

On faith we made 30 CD's with the Advent Devotional Guide. Churches have the opportunity to purchse the disk and then print as many copies as they need for their congregation, or print on their website for church members to use. I am so excited at the response I have had so far. I have had two churches absolutely commit and I am very thankful. I struggled in the past with what if it is only good because it has been offered for free in previous years. This project is really not mine, God only allowed me to work on it for a short time, and what a blessing that has been. This year I have learned so many lessons so far.

1. Did you know that even though there is a bible or two in every house, you can't just quote it freely without paying the publisher-God's word is freely given, or is it? There are rules about using more than 500 words from scripture, not using an entire book of the bible, and also the percentage of your created work. This is why I did not print out the scriptures, I only gave the scripture reference.

2. Did you know that you can only ue the clip art that comes with a program or even the "free clip art" found on the internet for church, school, or personal use and not for any publication that is for sale? This is why you will note very minimal art work in this years devotional guide. This is to protect the copyright on that art.

3. Did you know that you don't have to pay to register yourself with the state comptroller's office (tax office) in Texas? I had the most wonderful state agency experience with the Beaumont, TX Field office last week. They are by far the most helpful bunch of ladies you could evre meet!

4. Did you know that it is not absolutly necessary to register a work with the US Copyright office? Once you put a work in recordable form, it is legally yours. It is recommended that you register it, that way should someone else take your work for themself, you do have the US government backing you that you created it first.

5. Did you know that you can't copyright everything? A title or common phrase are a couple of the things that cannot be copyrighted. Which is why you really need an ISBN number. I haven't figured that out yet, so I'll post that information once it is discovered.

6. Do you know how exciting it is to begin a project like this and have churches say "this is really great and we are excited about making this available to our families"? That is the most amazing part. God has been so faithful. I did not know any of these things until I began working on this this year. I have really had to dig for information and trust that God was leading me to the right resources, offices, and laws. I have done my absolute best to find out what I need to do to do the best job I can and now I am ready to begin contacting churches directly praying that God is once again leading me to the churches that he wants to minister to with this. If anyone is reading this, please pray for that. That God is glorified in this work, and that the lives of the families that use this are blessed beyond measure!

Until next time, happy writing!

Brook

Welcome to my blog!

If you have come as a result of a mailer from my Advent Devotiona Guide, WELCOME! I hope that this blog will show you where my heart really is and that I am wanting notheing more than to serve God with the gift that He has given me both in my writing and the time that he has allowed for me to do it. It is so exciting to see churches or individuals using something for their study, that God wrote through me. I am continually amazed at God's choice of instrument, but thankful nonetheless and the exciting journey he has invited me on.

I wanted to also thank my dear friend Stacey and partner in this endeavor. She has worked tirelessly and answered at least 100 questions about computer programs, printers, etc. It was her gift that made the study look so great and she is also networking with churches in her area. Thank you so much Stacey. This project would not be complete without you!

Enjoy this quote I found today-

"An original writers not one who imitates nobody but one whom nobody can imitate." Chateaubriand, Le Genie du Christianise, 1802

ADVENTure from the Manger to the Cross

Completion! Is any written work ever actually completed? Today I picked up 15 cd's ready to distribute to churches with the complete devotional guide, formatted full and half page. I must say they look great! God has been so faithful throughout this process. When I prayed for resources and equipment they were provided. When I had questions about laws, taxes, beginning ministries, etc. God would send me to the right person, website, or book to get me through. I am now ready to begin to deliver them, with an invoice and begin praying for those churches that I already have commitments from and for the list of churches that we will be sending samples to and waiting to hear if I will be able to minister to their families.

In a way I am so thrilled that it is to this point. There is another part of me that feels like I am losing something. Once it is out of my hands, it is no longer a part of me. This must be what it is like to send a child off to college and pray for the best. I'll find that out in a few years. For now, I am relishing this moment and gazing at the finished product. I am continually amazed that God has allowed me to take this journey with Him. As Simon Birch said in that terrific movie, "I am God's instrument!"

Happy Writing

Edit, Edit, Edit

Tonight I corrected several devotionals. The person who edited them, was kind, but if she had used red ink, I would swear those pages looked like they were bleeding to death. I am so thankful that God gives us each unique abilities. He gave me the idea for this family devotional and the opportunity to write it. He has given me others who are English teachers and were so kind to edit it for me. God also sent someone who can take my typed pages and make them come alive with colors and pictures and other fancy stuff! It is amazing to see God orchestrate everything so that I don't have to do it all. I only have to focus on the task he gave me, and know that the others will complete the task he gave them.

Enjoy this quote:

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. James Michener

What's a Bio?

New hurdle in my writing career. Now that I have something being published in a book, I have to write a 40-50 word bio. What in the world do I say that will attract other writers, editors, maybe even a publisher to my blog or to contact me for more writing opportunities? For one thing, that's not many words to use. I have been reading other bio's and am simply not inspired. How do I say I am a great writer when I really don't know yet? What is the right balance of self promotion and humility? Any ideas?

Closing today's blog with a great quote from William Wordsworth, "Fill your pages with the breathings of your heart."

Happy writing!

Writer's Block is Over

After what seemed like months of the inability to think of what I should write for the Advent Devotional, I spent the last few weeks feverishly combing my Bible and writing like a madwoman. I emerged 29 devotionals later and sent them to be edited. I am physically exhausted, but I can't believe all that I learned in this process. This is the 6th year of the Advent Devotional and this year God challenged me to do something different. To use different stories about Jesus to stdy with my kids and any other families and churches that use the guide. I am amazed that God has allowed me to work on this project with Him for so many years. I am just a regular mom who loves bible study and God used that to make amazing things happen in my life.

Right now they are being edited and will be formatted and hopefully ready for print by the end of the month.

More good news for today. I just got a notice that three devotionals I submitted for a Daily Devotional for Writers were accepted. Praise God for this opportunity too. Now I have to write the bio and wait for it to be published.

That's all for now.

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