The Star of Bethlehem

What, exactly, was the mysterious Star of Bethlehem?

I recently saw a DVD with new research that explains the phenomona with convincing details. I wrote a short article about it which you can find here on http://www.findinggoddaily.com/:

The Star of Bethlehem.

Enjoy. And have an awesomely Merry Christmas.

Finding God in a Baby

It's the night before Christmas. Are you remembering what it's really all about? Here it is. Don't miss it!:

Finding God in a Baby

Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas. And remember Jesus is the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas.

Single Moms at Christmas Time

Single Moms, single Dads, orphans... We often think of them at Christmas time. Many people reach out to them to make thier holiday special.

There's another unwed Mom we should remember this time of year: Mary. She may have been single, but she had Joseph.

Here's more for those in an unplanned pregnancy:

Finding God in an Unplanned Pregnancy

You may be single, but you're never alone.

"The angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. 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. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger'" (Luke 2:10-12, NIV).

When Loss Dims Your Holiday

Many things are escalated during the Christmas holiday. Excitement! Reverence. Expectations!

And loss.

If your sense of loss is heightened, if you're need a little encouragement, you'll find some in this short article:

Finding God Through Loss

May your Christmas and New Year be bright with gain!

Getting through Christmas in Tough Times

When we're experiences tough times, the expectations of Christmas seem to make them feel all the tougher.

I remember that feeling, and the feeling of loss, after my brother was killed when he was 22. I was 18. If you're feeling loss this holiday season, I have a little blog coming on December 22 just for you.

Today, I'm hoping this will help: Recently, I was honored to be part of a new book:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Tough Times: 101 Daily Devotions to Inspire and Support You in Times of Need

The book released just this past October, and it's available both as a print book and for immediate download on Kindle. 

My story is about how the death of my brother, Fred, affected me.

I always think of him around Christmas because his birthday was December 14th. Who are you missing this Christmas? Will you let Christ and forgiveness fill that hole in your heart? Hang on. He loves you. 

Christmas Prophecies and Ebenezers

Less than one week until Christmas. Do you need a little something to get you back to the Reason for the Season? Here's a short article you can share with your family on Christmas morning:

Christmas Prophecies

And here's another one just for fun: Do you know what an Ebenezer is? And I'm not talking Scrooge!

Finding God in an Ebenezer

When you visit, please comment, share to Facebook, or Tweet. And enjoy the countdown to Christmas this week!

New review for Deliver Me posted

A new book review was posted 12/12/11 for Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy.

Read it here: A Sandy Path Book Reviews

Or here on Amazon: Deliver Me book page.

This reviewer says she wants to help other women in unplanned pregnancies, and the book fed that desire in her. How cool!

Finding God Daily.com Features Deliver Me book!

The new website, http://www.findinggoddaily.com/, is featuring the Deliver Me book today?

Find it here:  Finding God in an Unplanned Pregnancy

I'd love it if you'd use the Share buttons at the bottom of the article to Tweet it, post it to your Facebook, or other networks. Thank you!

Finding Deliver Me

Do you ever just Google yourself to see what comes up? I did and here are a few interesting links I didn't know were out there:

Long Hollow Baptist Church in Tennessee has Deliver Me on their pages.

Deliver Me is available in Australia!

Deliver Me is also available in New Zealand!

How cool is that? You just never know what Google will bring your way, now do ya?

Newest Article "Christmas Prophecies" posted

Want a little info about Christmas and the Bible to keep you focused this season? Or maybe you'd like something about they true meaning of Christmas to share with others? Perhaps you're hungry for a little Bible study about Christmas? My latest online article is "Christmas Prophecies."

Please stop by http://www.thechristianpulse.com/ now and rate the article, leave a comment, or use the share buttons to pass it along.

It's amazing what God's has said to us through His prophecies of Christmas!

Another book review for Deliver Me book.

Another new book review for Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True stories of Unplanned Pregnancy has been posted on Ramblings of a California Couponer.

You can also find this review posted on the Amazon page for Deliver Me. There's a button you can press if the review is helpful to you.

Again, please visit either the blog or the Amazon page (or both!) and Like it, Tweet it, and/or Facebook it.  The blog has share buttons at the bottom of the post. On the Amazon page, you should see share buttons way, way at the top of the page -- in a shaded bar that runs along the very top of of the Amazon window.

When you recommend the book to friends and acquaintances, they are more likely to take a look themselves. This is how together we can get the book to those who really need it, those who the book can help. Your friend may not need it, but they may know someone who does.

You can also leave a comment on these blogs. Thank you!

Thank you for helping me get the word out about Deliver Me. If you have a pregnancy center in your area, or other similar organization, please send them a link and a note also. If they're helping people in unplanned pregnancies, they would surly want to know about this book, don't you think?

NaNoWriMo update

Whoo-hoo! I made it. The last day of National Novel Writing Month, but I passed the 50,000 word mark early in the day.

It was harder than it has been in past years and at times I didn't know if I would make it. But then I always think I'm not going to make it, and I almost always have.

NaNoWriMo is a huge boost to my writing every year. If you're a writer (or if you want to be a writer) and haven't participated, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. The benefits are out of this world. You can learn in a month what it takes others years to learn. Highly recommended!

My intentions for December are to slow down and enjoy the holidays!

Deliver Me: new book review

New new book review for Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True stories of Unplanned Pregnancy has been posted on The Jolly Blogger.

This review is also posted on the Amazon page for Deliver Me.

Please visit either (or both!) and Like it, Tweet it, or Facebook it. This blog has a Facebook Like button and a Tweet button and a Submit to StumbleUpon button at the top.

On Amazon, you can click a button if you found the review helpful. Did you know you can also Tweet an Amazon page? You should see a Twitter Share button at the very top of the Amazon page in a thin brown bar.

When you do these things, this helps spread the word about the Deliver Me book to your circle of acquaintances so if they know someone who needs the encouragement and resources and hope in the book, they can share it with them.

You can also leave a comment on the blog.

Might anyone you know be interested in Deliver Me? Might they have an unplanned pregnancy in their past? Why not let them know about the book through this new review? Thank you!

Racing for NaNoWriMo

It's been a little quiet here at the blog. That's because I've been racing to meet other writing deadlines, including NaNoWriMo.

Do you ever wonder how a writer gets it all done? In spurts and fits and any other way possible.

Each November I plan to take part in National Novel Writing Month. It's a challenger to write 50,000 words in one month. Anyone can take part--even you! I've taken part many years now--I need to go back and figure out when I first started. But this is one way I make a lot of progress on at least one project. Some years I work on more than one, so if one runs out of steam I can switch to another.

Only three more days left to make my 50,000 words, and I'm running behind, so I must get back to my NaNoWriMo-ing!

We WON! The Wordsmith Journal ad for Deliver Me

You did it! You helped me win the author's contest at The Wordsmith Journal!

We won a free ad for the Deliver Me book! Whoo-hoo! Thanks to all of you who signed up for their e-mail list under my name and helped me win. This ad will help get the word out about Deliver Me.

I have a lot to be thankful for this week!

Together, we're spreading the word so those in an unplanned pregnancy, or those who have an unplanned pregnancy in their past, can hear about the book and find the compassion and help they need. I'll let you know when the ad runs.

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson speaking tonight at Pregnancy Center Banquet

Looking forward to attending A Caring Pregnancy Center Annual Fundraising Gala this evening.

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson is the speaker.

Should be a very enjoyable evening!

(OMG. Now what am I going to wear. . . ?)

More New Toys on Deliver Me: True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy

A couple more new items to notice on the revamped blog:

• There are now three links over on the right, at the top. These link to the book's web site, my writer's web site, and the new ad that's running. (Jeepers, I didn't I have a link to the sites before now?! An obvious oversight on my part!)
• At the bottom of each post there are now share buttons, so you can share every post you like to your Twitter or Facebook account, or e-mail it to a friend. You can also post it as your blog post with a simple click. And you can recommend it on Google. I hope you'll make use of these buttons to share the blog and help spread the word about Deliver Me!

I'm hoping these new "toys" on the blog will help to spread the word about the Deliver Me book so that those who are in an unplanned pregnancy, or have one in their past that they still struggle over, can find this book that's filled with kindness and compassion and true stories that will help them.

National Adoption Month and Day

Did you know November is National Adoption Month?

And this coming Saturday, November 19th, is National Adoption Day.

Did you know that Deliver Me has a whole chapter filled with stories of women who made the incredibly difficult but loving decision to give their child for adoption? Read about it from her perspective. For example, you can read "Release" by Joyce Sykes who, pregnant at 15 years old, had no home and no way to keep her child when she gave birth at 16.

Then read Joyce's second story in the book, "Life Line," which details how God brought Joyce's daughter back into her life, rather miraculously, more than thirty years later!

These stories will bring a tear of joy to your eye and lift your spirits. Celebrate National Adoption Month and National Adoption Day today! Find Deliver Me on Amazon now.

A new look for Deliver Me: True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy blog

Many readers of this blog follow or receive posts by e-mail, so you probably haven't visited the site for a while. The blog now has a whole new look!

I felt the old look was a little drab and colorless, so I played around and added some color. Of course it's kind of like remodeling a house. Once you start it, one thing leads to another...  I realized the title "Deliver Me" wasn't descriptive enough. If you're not familiar with the book, then that title doesn't tell you what the blog is about. So I wanted to add some to the title also. But the entire title of the book was too much. So now the blog title is "Deliver Me: True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy."

I hope you like the new look. Stop by when you have a chance.

Unplanned Pregnancy book's new ad on The Wordsmith Journal

In addition to the e-mail ad campaign mentioned in the previous post, the book now has an ad running in The Wordsmith Journal.

You can see the ad on this page:  Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy.  Scroll down.  It's on the left.

And while you're there, consider helping me win yet another ad for the book in The Wordsmith Journal by signing up for their e-mail newsletter and telling them Dianne sent you.  If I get the most people to sign up, I'll win a free ad!

Furthermore, if you're an author and you'd like an ad for your book, contact Pamela Thibodeaux at pthib07@gmail.com.

Psssst.  If Pamela's name sounds familiar, it's because she, too, is a contributor to Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy!

Exciting new ad: Unplanned Pregnancy? What do you do?

We've just launched an advertising campaign for Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy.

We're very excited about this new ad and hope it helps to get the word out about the book so those who need it can find it. Want to see the ad? Find it through this link:

Unplanned Pregnancy?  What do you do?

Let me know what you think of it!

Winner of the Writer's Digest subscription!

Congratulations Elsi Dodge!  I'll get that one-year subscription to Writer's Digest in the works for you.

Thanks to all the e-zine readers who stopped by.

Exciting stuff on the horizon!

Some really exciting projects are happening with the Deliver Me book!  Can't wait for them to launch...which should be in the next day or two.

Stop back by in the next few days and I'll tell you all about it.

Meanwhile, welcome "Dianne E. Butts About Writing" zine readers!  Leave your comment here!

The Wordsmith Journal - Help me win a free ad!

Have you seen the new Wordsmith Journal? I bought an ad for Delver Me to run in November and December. 

You can help me win another ad. You can sign up to receive the journal. Tell them Dianne sent you. Whoever gets the most new sign-ups wins an ad. I and Deliver Me sure could use that!

This is a new online journal aimed at reaching Christian readers, retailers, and music fans as well as libraries and other outlets. Check it out!

Sign up here:  The Wordsmith Journal mailing list.

Harold Camping's October 21

Have you read the article I wrote about Harold Camping's latest prediction that the Rapture would now occur October 21, 2011?

Find it here: "Here Comes Harold Camping's October 21, 2011!" at TheChristianPulse.com.

If you like it, I'd love it if you would Tweet or FB it!

The 168 Write of Passage Screenwriting Competition

Today starts the 168 Project's "Write of Passage" competition!

Scripture verses will be assigned this evening -- about 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

Entrants will then have 168 hours to write a short film screenplay that illuminates that Bible verse.  Twelve pages max.

Final scripts must be turned in by 5:00 PM Pacific Time next Monday.

You now what what I'll be scrambling to do this week!

Finding God Daily

I have a new writing gig. My posts will appear occasionally (about once a week, not any set, scheduled day) at the new blog Finding God Daily.

This is a fun new blog with articles and short videos. Content is family friendly and should be suitable for all ages.

I would love if you'd stop by and Tweet your favorite posts!

Book signing in New Mexico and Conference

I had a great time at the book signing in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The store made it so simple and easy to schedule the signing with them. Then they had a table and chair set up for me when I arrived. Store traffic was slow that day (due to all the bikers in town, clogging up the streets, taking all the parking slots). Forty thousand extra people in town makes business more slow?!  Who knew.

Still, we sold four books.  And left half a dozen more for consignment. If you're not familiar with how few books are usually sold at book-signings (unless you're famous), that's not bad.

Meanwhile, a friend to the book to the Rocky Mountain Conference for pregnancy centers and guess how many books sold there.  Four.

When I got home, I had a signing at church.  And sold four books.

All in all, not a bad month.

Book signing in ... (drum roll) ... New Mexico!

Well I'm in New Mexico for the Golden Aspen bike rally in Ruidoso, New Mexico. A nice (working) vacation. Hal and I are volunteer workers at the rally. But also, I'm working at selling Deliver Me.

On Saturday, September 17th, I'll be signing Deliver Me at Books Etcetera, 2340 Sudderth Drive, from 2:00 - 4:00.

If you happen to be in the area, please stop by!

Rocky Mountain Pregnancy Center Conference

It's kind of good news / bad news / good news. 

The good news:

The Rocky Mountain Conference for counselors and staff of pregnancy centers is holding its annual conference in Buena Vista, Colorado. Because every one of the 54 stories in Deliver Me is connected to a pregnancy center, and because the book is filled with inspiration and encouragement for pregnancy center workers, it's a perfect fit for the same people attending this conference.  I learned of the conference several years ago and knew when I got the book out I wanted to take it to this conference. The good news is that it's this week -- September 16 - 18.

The bad news:

I'll be on vacation this week in New Mexico and so I can't go to the Rocky Mountain Conference.

The good news:

Laura Hicks and the awesome ladies at the Arkansas Valley Pregnancy Center in La Junta are taking the Deliver Me book to the Rocky Mountain Conference for me! How awesome is that?!

I can't go. But the book can. Isn't that how a book should be...reaching beyond where the author can reach? Thanks Laura and Ark Valley.  You're awesome.

Deliver Me featured on Jeanette Levellie's blog

Jeanette Levellie of the blog "On Wings of Mirth and Worth" is doing a guest post on Monday, September 12th about Deliver Me over at http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/.

Please stop by. Leave a comment?

Thanks Jeanette!

Deliver Me on Facebook

The Deliver Me book has it's own Facebook page. Have you Liked it yet?

http://www.facebook.com/DeliverMeBook

Like the page and keep up to date on the happenings with the book!

Deliver Me on Pathways to Publication blog - Part 2

Sue Tornai has posted the second part of the interview about the Deliver Me book on her beautiful blog, "Pathways to Publication" on August 13, 2011.

Find it here: Pathways to Publication blog on Deliver Me - Part 2.

Please click over for a visit and leave a comment!

Deliver Me on Pathways to Publication blog

My good friend, Sue Tornai, posted information about the Deliver Me book on her beautiful blog, "Pathways to Publication" on August 6, 2011. This is part 1.

Find it here:  Pathways to Publication blog on Deliver Me!

Please click over for a visit and leave a comment!

Tune in for Dianne's interview on BlogTalkRadio's Hope for the Journey!

I will be Yvonne Ortega's guest on her Blog Talk Radio show this Tuesday, August 2, 2011, at 10:00 am eastern (that's 8:00 am Colorado time!).

Tune in here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hope-for-the-journey

See you then!

Are you a Book Reviewer and a Blogger? New Opportunity!

Are you a blogger? Do you review books on your blog? Check out the Christian Small Publishers Association's new "BookCrash" program.

http://www.bookcrash.com/

You get a free copy of a book to review if you promise to post a review on your blog and one other place, such as Amazon.com.

My Deliver Me book is part of this program, so you can get a complimentary copy of my book if you join the program! Click on "Women's" books and you'll see it.

Blog Post in Lamar, Colorado

I noticed Jan, from my former town, Lamar, posted a note about me here: http://lamarco.us/blog/?p=972.

Thanks, Jan!

A Glimpse of my Book Signing at ICRS in Atlanta, July 11, 2011

Marketing Christian Books, the blog from Christian Small Publishers Association, posted about the booth at the International Christian Retail Show two weeks ago.

Read it here: Booth #338.

In the third photo down, that's David Yanez. He's not only an author and publisher, but he also hosts a radio show. Immediately after my signing, David took Linda Evans Shepherd, me, and Joy Schneider down to the media room and did an interview with all of us. You can listen to it here: Midwatch with the Rev. Linda's interview is first, then mine starts at about 17:30 and runs around nine minutes, then Joy comes on.

If you scroll down to the fourth photo... Who is that?!

Deliver Me on Kathi "Easy Writer" Macias' blog

Kathi Macias has posted a nice display with my guest post on her blog. It's the July 22, 2011, post at http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/ I'm very grateful!

Please check it out here: Guest Post from Author Dianne E. Butts--on a very important topic.

I keep trying to leave a comment but that function doesn't seem to be working right now.

Deliver Me book reviewed!

Emily M. Akin at the Tennessee Christian Reader blog wrote a very nice review of Deliver Me! It is good for me to get some reviews, since I've had very little input from outside sources. It is gratifying to hear from a reviewer that I did a good job with the book.

If you're interested, please pop over and read the review. Leave a comment if you wish.

If you're a contributor to the book or have another interest in it, please consider linking to this review from your own site or blog.

Emily also posted her review on the Deliver Me book's page at Amazon.com so you can read and comment on it there also.

Book Signing at ICRS and Radio Interview about Deliver Me

What a great trip I had! So much happened I'm going to be writing about it for several posts. I took a computer with me, but I was so busy I never got a blog posted.

My book signing on Monday went really well, I think. I spent the morning walking the aisles of the convention with my little fliers I'd made with the information about my book signing. It had a copy of my book's cover, the title, and then the book signing info:

Monday, July 11

BOOTH: #338

3:00 - 4:00

Christian Small Publishers Association Booth

I'd made 500 of those little fliers (four to an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet) and I was determined to hand them all out. I didn't make it. But I did hand out a bunch of them! My goal was to get enough business to give away all the copies of my book that I had brought.

The Christian Small Publishers Association (CSPA) required me to supply 75 books. At this book signing (at ICRS -- the International Christian Retail Show) we don't sell books. We give them away. (Crazy, right?)

I was one of five CSPA authors. The others are David Hope, Peter Stanway, David Yanez, and new member Joy Schneider. We helped each other with our book signings by standing in the aisle with CSPA catalogs and directing passersby to the book signing.

Don't forget that I missed all the deadlines to be in the daily newspaper that tells which personality is signing which book in which booth at what time. (Yeah, now I'm a "personality.")

Anyway, my strategy must have worked because by 4:05, all my books were gone! I've got to hand it to the CSPA folks. They seemed to know that a person can sign 75 books in an hour. I had a couple of lulls, but that was it. I would guess that 90% of the people in my line were folks I recognized from handing them a flier, so it was good that I did that.

The response to my book has been tremendously positive. I haven't had a negative reaction yet. Whenever I tell people about my book, I can see their face light up. That's a good sign. Lots of people say the cover is "beautiful," and that's huge since people really do judge a book by it's cover.

There was another CSPA author signing right before me. So as soon as he got up, I sat down and away we went. And do know who stood in line to get one of my books? It was about the second or third person in line. I looked up and there was Cecil Murphey! I have stood in line at past ICRS shows to get one of Cec's books. To see him in line to get one of mine, well... I think that might have just been the coolest thing ever. It was because Cecil graciously gave me a scholarship to the AWSA conference that I was even at the ICRS convention. What a blessing that man is.

Then, I guess it was about half way through the signing that I looked up and there was another familiar face stepping up for one of my books. This time it was Linda Evans Shepherd. Now Linda is not only my friends, but the founder of AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and it was she who urged me to join the group and come to the AWSA conference and so I wouldn't have been there without Linda either.

And if all of that wasn't enough, David Yanez invited all these authors to be on his Internet radio show! And so after I finished my book signing, Linda Evans Shepherd, Joy Schneider, and I walked down to the media room and did the interview. You can listen in at David Yanez Ministries. Linda was interviewed first, and then me, and then Joy, so if you don't want to listen to Linda's, you can fast forward. My interview starts at about 17:30 and runs about nine minutes to approx. 26:45. I hope you'll take the time to give it a listen, link to it, and/or leave a comment.

That was only my Monday! It was a great experience. More highlights from my other days to come...

I'm now a member of AWSA! And I'm at ICRS!

I've known Linda Shepherd for around twenty years, and I remember when she started the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). I have never qualified for the group before. The qualifications have been modified over the years, but at least it used to be that to be eligible to be a member we needed two books published and needed to speak outside our home state to a certain number of people so many times a year. I definitely didn't qualify! But since I just published my second book, Deliver Me, in April, I suddenly met that requirement. But the other?

Well, at the Colorado Christian Writer's Conference Linda asked me why I hadn't joined AWSA yet. I told her I didn't qualify. She said they're just looking for two forms of communication. A radio talk show. Host a TV show. Blog. Newsletter. Then she asked me what I was doing in Hollywood. I told her about some work I'm doing (which I'll tell you later) and she said I qualified! So I joined AWSA.

You might qualify for, and benefit from, AWSA too. Find more information here: http://www.awsa.com/ .

Then...of course Linda asked if I was attending the AWSA conference. I've known since Linda started AWSA that its conference was held right before the start of the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). I also knew ICRS was in Atlanta this year. I've been to ICRS two times when it was close to me in Denver.

Even though I have a new book out, I had no plans to go to Atlanta. I don't have the money in my writing account to make the trip for the conference. And I felt the only way the expense of going to Atlanta for the AWSA conference would be worthwhile for me was if I could have a book signing at ICRS. But the chances of me, who published my own book, having a book signing at ICRS are slim and none. Unless God makes it happens. I guess God had other plans.

If you're familiar with the International Christian Retail Show, you know it's extremely challenging for a self-published author to have a signing at this convention. If you're not familiar with ICRS, it's a trade show for publishers and Christian bookstore owners. Publishers pay, no doubt, thousands of dollars for a booth at the convention. Little ol' me, as the publisher of my own book and on a shoestring budget, obviously can't do that. But Linda reminded me of the Christian Small Publishers Association (CSPA). I'd seen their booth at the previous ICRS shows I'd been to and I always thought if I self published another book I'd join. Well, I contacted them and, even though I'd missed all the deadlines, they said I could join and still have a book signing in their booth at ICRS. Of course there were fees to pay to do so. And because I'd missed the deadlines, it was too late to get my information printed in the Show Daily, so I'd have absolutely no publicity for my signing. And I still wasn't sure I could afford the AWSA conference and all those fees. Plus I have to provide 75 books (at my expense) for the book signing. All the books at ICRS are given away free. So...what do to?

Well then Linda granted me a scholarship from Cec Murphey for the conference registration. That did it. How could I say no? So, now in Atlanta. We just wrapped up the AWSA conference and the Golden Scroll awards banquet is tomorrow. 

I'm signing my book at ICRS on Monday, July 11, from 3:00 - 4:00 in the CSPA booth #338. Since I won't have any publicity, I made fliers with my signing time and booth number and I plan on running around handing them out Monday. Beyond that, I'm depending on God to take care of my publicity, too.

All of this has come about in just the last couple of weeks, and I'm absolutely amazed.

Echoing Strains of "Taps"

My article "Independence Day Brings Echoing Strains of Taps" appeared July 1, 2011, in the Faith column on www.TheChristianPulse.com.

If you've never read or sung the lyrics to the familiar song "Taps," you can find them in that article. To me, they are hauntingly beautiful and comforting.

Hope you had a happy and safe 4th of July. May God continue to bless America.

Book Table at Walk for Life fundraiser

Whoo-hoo! It was kind of spur of the moment--only made arrangements last Thursday to have a book table at the local Walk for Life today. Wasn't sure I wanted to work yet another Saturday. But as it turns out, I'm so glad I went!

Some of my friends prayed I'd sell out of books. Those prayers were answered -- sort of! I did sell more books than I had, but I still came home with some.

I took 24 books. I sold 9. But then the very last person to visit my table wanted a whole case! She wants everyone in her Personhood organization to have one. The book comes in cases of 38 -- more than I had! So she wrote me a check and I'll order the case and have it shipped directly to her from the publisher. Cool, huh?!

I also sold a copy of Dear America!

I have a standing offer to pregnancy centers and organizations: they can have the book for half off the cover price (to sell for fundraisers, a premium to give for donations, a gift for staff members, to show donors what their dollars are accomplishing, etc.) So I will be donating half the cover price ($7.50) of those nine books to the pregnancy center that held the Walk for Life. (Not for the case because the organization that ordered the case is getting them for half off, plus shipping.)

Dianne's first book, Dear America, featured on ACEWriters for 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001

This week ACE Writers Spotlight has its spotlight on my first book, Dear America: A Letter of Comfort & Hope to a Grieving Nation. I wrote this book in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on America on September 11, 2001, and it is being reintroduced for the 10th anniversary of that historic day coming in a few months.

In this small book I shared my story along with:

• ten tips for getting through the grief following the loss of a loved one,
• answers to questions including "Who are the Muslims?" and "Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?",
• a fascinating retelling of the story of the Bible like a five-act play,
• and ten practical tips to help beginners in how to start reading and understanding the Bible.

You can learn more about the book in the article on ACE Writers Spotlight. Click the link above or go to http://acewriters.com/books/, click on "Blog." See post for May 28, 2011.

This book is available on Amazon.com here: Dear America
Signed copy available from me directly: contact me at dbwrites @ juno.com
Coming soon to SignedByTheAuthor.com.

Have a wonderful, relaxing, safe, and meaningful Memorial Day weekend. May God continue to bless America. My heartfelt gratitude to those veterans who have protected America so I may live free in the land I love and serve the God I love.

Met Deliver Me contributors in person

One of the really cool things about attending writers conferences is that sometimes you get to meet people that you've worked with only through e-mail or phone previously.

I've met Shirley Reynolds at the Colorado conference and got to hug her neck before. It was wonderful to see her again (although I feel like we hardly got to talk at all this time). Shirley, did I even hug your neck? Shirley has a wonderfully powerful story about adoption in chapter 7 of Deliver Me. Her story is titled "The Life Savers."

Also this year at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference I got to meet Kyleen Stevenson-Braxton. Kyleen and I have e-mailed, of course, during the making of the book, and we've talked by phone once or twice, but this is the first time we've laid eyes on each other. It was so cool to meet Kyleen. Her powerful story is titled "Sing, O Barren Woman" and appears in chapter 4.

It is always such a cool blessing to meet the writers who have so blessed me over the years. God bless you and your writing, Shirley and Kyleen!

Fun at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference

I had a great time at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference.  The two workshops I taught seemed to go well. I got a lot of good comments on them. The first workshop was "Ten Tools for Marketing Your Book." I taught both workshops on Wednesday, at the very beginning of the conference. One dear lady came to me on her way out at the end of the conference on Saturday and said that some presenters have great information, others know how to present it. She said I had both! What a great compliment! She then said my book marketing workshop was one of her top three for the conference. Wow.

I sat on a panel about "Self Publishing" with about a dozen other authors and specialists who help people who self publish their books, and I was quite surprised that many of the questions were directed to me personally. I got to talk about my adventure of self-publishing Deliver Me. Of course I had both my books, Deliver Me and Dear America, in my hands and got to show them off. I also got to show my books during both my workshops.

I think being able to show my books helped my sales (of course). I sold eight Deliver Me's and three Dear America's, which was a very pleasant surprise! That may not sound like a lot to you, but I think it's pretty good. My pamphlets also sold well, and I sold one set of my taped seminar.

Many people said they were going to show Deliver Me to their local pregnancy center. What a blessing!

The conference was the usual long days and short nights and full to the brim. And at the end, I really wished I didn't have to leave!

If you're not familiar with my first book, you can find it here: Dear America: A Letter of Comfort and Hope to a Grieving Nation.

Introducing the Deliver Me book trailer

Introducing my new book trailer! Click the play arrow and give a listen.



How cool is this?!

It's also on YouTube, where you can link to it. Or leave a comment. Just click on the title and it will take you there.

The 168 Film Project Aftermath

I so totally failed to blog every day of the 168 Film Project. There was absolutely no time. Long days. Short nights.

So how did it end up? Well, we ended up with a movie. But the movie was not without its problems.

We had sound problems and weather problems. (The wind blew a lot which created some of the sound problems.) We had equipment problems. We had other problems.

Needless to say we weren't in the running for any contest prizes or awards.

So if the point was to come out of the contest with a really cool, award-winning movie, I guess we failed at that, too. But if the point was to make a movie so we could learn all we could and gain experience in film-making, then I'd say it was a shining success!

One thing that kept me busy that week was working with a reporter on an article about the 168 Film Project. A bit of a role reversal with me being the interviewee rather than the interviewer. You can read the article in the Pueblo Chieftain here.

Has it really been six weeks ago?! Life has been a whirlwind since then and I have so much to tell you! But that will take some time. So for now, let me just say that RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 168 FILM PROJECT, GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?!

Deliver Me was published! That's right. It's out!

The official release date was April 12th. That's part of why life has been such a whirlwind . . . and part of why I've been too busy to blog. (Okay. I know. Is anyone ever really too busy to blog?) Well, it seems everything in the world conspired to keep me away from the blog.

But as of this evening, Deliver Me  is on Amazon.com! How cool is that?

I'll try not to leave the blog so long this time. I have so much happening that I want to fill you in on. Until next time..

Camera's Roll Tomorrow!

What a whirlwind! The last few days have been so busy! You know what? I haven't been here for a few days, and at this point I can't even tell you what I did on those days. I did something. I can assure you of that. Oh yea. Bought food and props and stuff and thing.

This morning I picked up actress Martha Schad and team member Micah at DIA. Then back home by noon.

At 2:00 was interviewed by a reporter from the Pueblo Chieftain. That article will run on Saturday. Then she wants to talk to me again in a week.

Can't believe cameras roll tomorrow! At 11:00 local time.

I doubt I'll be able to do anything here on the blog for the next three days at least. Will be long days!

See you on the other side! (Pray for us!)

And oh by the way -- got the second proof copy of the Deliver Me book and it looks TERRIFIC!

(EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AT ONCE!)

The Fundraiser

The dinner yesterday went extremely well! We had a sparser crowd than we had hoped, but isn't that the way it always goes? Made enough to cover the insurance. Whoo-hoo for that!

Today we revised the script, chose the actors for the parts, called all of them, printed releases. . .

I'm tired. Going to bed. It's a wild ride!  Gonna get wilder.

The Scrip! The Script!

Uh oh! Did I miss a day on my blog?! Where did that day go?

The script! We're still working on the script. While time ticks away.

The fundraiser dinner is tomorrow. (Can't make it? Make a donation to our film here!)

Can you believe we roll camera in less than a week? Yikes!

Back to the script. . .

Writing with a Team - 168 Film Project script

Our 168 Film Project has a Team of writers. As a freelancer, I'm used to working alone. So how do you work as a Team? Especially when people are in different locations?! Two here in Colorado. Two in Los Angeles. One in Iowa?

Not to mention all the ideas floating around.

We're working on getting a story to come together for all of us, and then working on getting it down as a script.

It's a challenge, but it's a good challenge!

***  Make a donation to our film here! ***

We got our assigned Bible verse! - 168 Film Project

We received our assigned Bible Verse from the 168 Film Project! The verse we need to portray in our story is . . .

                                    DRUM ROLL PLEASE! . . .

Genesis 9:8-10


We received our verse the evening of Super Bowl Sunday. We got ours early because we're out of the Los Angeles area. The teams in LA got theirs yesterday.

We're off an running to write a story!

*** Help us fund our movie with a donation here. ***

Read about a Crazy Act of Faith

TheChristianPulse.com posted my article about the 168 Film Project last Friday. You can find it here: "A Crazy Act of Faith."

Please visit and rate the article or post a comment. Thanks!

Tonight is "Verse Night"!

I know what you're thinking: What the heck is "Verse Night"?


Last summer when I was attending the Act One Program, some of my classmates and I got together as a team to enter the "168 Hour Film Project." This is a speed-filmmaking competition. We get a short time (168 hours = 1 week) to produce a short (11-minute) film based on a Bible verse! I hoped I could contribute something of value by helping the team in Los Angeles write the script from here in Colorado.

So before Christmas, our team's leader, producer Nancy Bevins, got all available team members together by phone to get the ball rolling. She asked each of us what locations we had access to. When it came my turn, I reminded her that, um, I'm in Colorado, ya know? So . . . She said, "Yeah. What locations do you have?"

I said, "Well, um, we have some mountains out here."

The conversation continued and about five minutes later I said, "Hey! I know something fairly unique that I get you in Colorado: Bikers!"

One thing led to another and guess what? We're filming our short in Colorado. The whole team is coming to my house!!

Nancy and I have been working hard to get things ready for cameras to roll on February 17th and, boy, it's a ton of work. But hey, what an education I'm getting! I'm getting to see--and take part in--the whole production side of filmmaking! Something this little writer never thought she'd get to do. Most people only get an education like this in Hollywood. But for me, Hollywood is coming to my house. Literally!

So, what is "Verse Night"? All 168 Film Teams are assigned their own unique Bible verse that we are to base our story on. Bible verses are assigned ten days before production week--this year February 6th. So, around the end of the Super Bowl, we'll get a phone call and the folks at 168 Headquarters will tell us what our verse is. That's Verse Night.

I have to tell you that there is a lot more going on at my house. Like the publishing of my Deliver Me book. But there's even more totally wild unbelievable things going on. I'll tell you more later. Right now I'm pretty swamped!

I would really like to blog every day about the 168 Film Project, like I did throughout Act One last summer, and I'm going to give it a shot. But honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to keep up. I'll try. So stay tuned. I'll let you know what verse we get!

• We need a short budget to make our short film in the short amount of time. If you'd like to donate to the project, you may do so here: Harley Heat. Thank you!

The Deliver Me Proof Copies

Well we had a few glitches with the book. So we've been working hard to correct them and I think we've got it whooped!

Next, we'll upload the new version of the book and get another proof copy . . . just to be sure we got it whooped. That should happen next week.

In the mean time, you wouldn't believe what has been going on at my house! Next time, I'll tell you more.

Exciting Deliver Me update!

It's at the printer!

The Deliver Me book was uploaded (digitally) to the printer on Monday, January 24th! Hooray!

What's next?

Next I will receive a proof copy of the book from the printer. I should receive that within a week. We've also ordered a proof copy for my typesetter/cover lady, and it is being shipped directly to her. When we receive our proof copies, we'll take a careful look and see if everything looks as it should. Sometimes, I'm told, something can go haywire--something just doesn't turn out like it looks like it would on the computer screens. So this is our chance to check everything out and, if there's a problem, to fix it before the book gets printed.

Mark the calendar. It's a special day!

Exciting News! - Publisher interested in Grandparenting book and we need Stories!

Well things just keep getting more exciting all the time. As if enough wasn't happening here, a publisher who has been considering a book proposal by my co-athor, Renee Gray-Wilburn, and I has requested the full manuscript!

This is a compliation, and so we need stories to complete the manuscript. Here are the writer's guidelines. Please consider them carefully as you decide if you have a story that might meet our needs. Thank you!

Writer's Guidelines Updated 1/10/11


Grandparenting through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandkids for Christ

Renee Gray-Wilburn and Dianne E. Butts are compiling a new book by, for, and about grandparents. Currently about one-third of all adults are grandparents, and we wish to provide a helpful book filled with encouragement and ideas through true stories of grandparents who have been successful in influencing their grandchildren for the Lord. Besides true stories, the book will contain resources including practical application points and personal study questions.

Grandparents, we need your stories! Stories need to show how you, as a grandparent, have overcome obstacles to influence your grandchild toward Christ. Examples of obstacles could be long-distance grandparenting, when your grandchildren’s parents are not walking with God or are divorced, and Christian children with whom you’ve been able to establish a successful partnership. Besides the obstacle(s) you’re working through, we need to see as a result of your influence some kind of spiritual fruit in the lives of your grandchildren. This doesn’t mean all problems are resolved or challenges met, but rather shows that you are walking through this journey with God. Examples of spiritual fruit may be the grandchild learning to pray, wanting to go to church, or asking about Jesus. Please don’t feel limited to these examples.

Keep in mind that these need to be stories, with a beginning, middle, and end, a point of conflict, and an encouraging resolution. It’s helpful to include practical tips for how you’ve reached your grandkids so we can encourage others who may be in your situation. If you feel you have a compelling story but cannot write it yourself, please contact us anyway. We can help bring your story to life!

Please know that writing under a pseudonym (changing names and shadowing minor details to protect family relationships) is acceptable and we will respect that should your story be chosen for publication.

We’d like each story to be around 1500 words. Each story published will pay $25 along with one contributor’s copy. Your bio will be included. We have a tight deadline of February 28, 2011. And, of course, sooner would be better!

Feel free to pass these guidelines along to anyone you think has a story to tell. This is a great opportunity for a writer to have a story published!

Submit stories as an attached Word file or questions to either Renee Gray-Wilburn at waywords@earthlink.net or Dianne E. Butts at dbwrites@juno.com.

Practicing Patience - Update on Deliver Me book

The typesetting has been a much bigger task than I anticipated and has taken much longer than I thought it would. We are inching along on that and getting close to the finish line.

Also, you've seen the front cover of the book. (See the previous post.) But we still needed to design the back cover and the spine. That, too, is being done and is nearly finished.

As you know, I was hoping to have the book by the end of 2010. Doesn't it often seem that with everything important that we anticipate with great excitement, there comes a point when it feels like all the universe is against us, trying to stop us, trying to discourage us, tempting us to quit?

We can give up. Or persevere. I vote persevere!

We're nearly there and, again, I'm hoping to have the book available soon.