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!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Introducing: The Deliver Me book cover
You've waited long enough. I can finally post the front cover of the book! Here it is. What do you think?
Friday, December 10, 2010
168 Project's "Write of Passage" contest
As you know, I was a finalist with my short script, "A Cowboy's Faith."
When they announced the winner, and the two runner ups, I was not one of them. But I'm still a winner! I got farther in this competition than I ever dreamed I would going in. (As a first timer, I was just hoping to write a coherent enough script to be a semi-finalist.) Also, as a finalist, there's a real possibility my script will be produced and made into a real short film. And since it's based on a story in the Deliver Me book, how cool would that be?!
The 168 Project has posted all the finalists scripts to their web site, so if you'd like to read my script, you can find it here: "A Cowboy's Faith."
Enjoy!
When they announced the winner, and the two runner ups, I was not one of them. But I'm still a winner! I got farther in this competition than I ever dreamed I would going in. (As a first timer, I was just hoping to write a coherent enough script to be a semi-finalist.) Also, as a finalist, there's a real possibility my script will be produced and made into a real short film. And since it's based on a story in the Deliver Me book, how cool would that be?!
The 168 Project has posted all the finalists scripts to their web site, so if you'd like to read my script, you can find it here: "A Cowboy's Faith."
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Editing, book trailer, and more for the Deliver Me book
I have been so stinkin' busy I haven't updated you on the book in quite awhile! So much exciting stuff is going on. Here's a rundown:
Editing: The book has been with the editor, and I just got it back from her yesterday! So now I must go through her edits and fix what needs fixin'. She assured me there isn't that much, which pleases me. :-)
Front cover: We finalized the front cover and I love it. Hope you do, too.
Back cover: I hired a friend I met at a writer's conference to write the back cover copy for me. She does the same for some major traditional publishers, so I was thrilled to meet her and have her do this for me. She has a great mind for marketing, and had a lot of input for me, and next time I will know how to use her in many more ways. It was wonderful to have someone else write the back cover copy instead of everything sounding the same coming from me. It's cool to hear how someone else would describe the book, and it was also a great learning experience for me.
Purchased ISBNs: Had to buy my ISBNs to open the account with Lightning Source, who will be printing and shipping the book. If you don't know what an ISBN is, it's the International Standard Book Number and it is embedded in the bar code on the back of the book (as well as printed on the copyright page). It is 13 digits, and identifies my book from all others. It is required by bookstores, so if you're planning to self-publish your own book, your book will need one. If you go through a self-publishing company, they may supply you one (at a price, of course). You can't buy just one. They come in blocks of at least ten, so now I have my ISBNs for future books also. Buy your ISBNs from Bowker at https://www.myidentifiers.com/.
LightningSource.com account: It has taken a while to walk through everything needed to get this account open. I had to get a new credit card (since I had cancelled my business card some time ago when they raised the interest rate to an ungodly amount!). Took awhile for the card to come. Had to also buy my ISBN and had some other hoops to jump through. Finally: Mission accomplished.
Book Trailer: I booked the production of a book trailer for Deliver Me several weeks ago and that is now in the works. Looking forward to that! When complete, it should run around two minutes. I'll give you more details in coming posts. I've been asked what I'll do with my trailer. I can show it whenever I speak, loop it to play continuously on my laptop when I have a book table, post it on my blog and web site, point visitors to it on U-tube. I can burn it to CDs and give it out. Lots of possibilities.
Business Insurance: When I worked with my attorney to create the Publishing Agreement for each contributor to sign, she also strongly suggested I look into business insurance. I would never have thought of that on my own. Now the time has come and I've been looking into that and I think I have it arranged. What do I need business insureance for, you ask? Liability (someone trips at my booksigning), legal fees, stuff like that.
Registered Connections Press: I am publishing this book, Deliver Me, under the name of my brand new publishing company, Connections Press. So I also needed to register my publishing company (my dba - "doing business as") name with the Colorado Secretary of State. This means if someone comes looking for Connections Press, they can find me. I can also accept payments and do other business using that name. So I got that name registered.
Yep. Been busy. I'm telling you all of this because I hope it will help you to learn, possibly help you self-publish your book, or maybe even open that possibility to you.
I'm now the proud owner of Connections Press, a Lightning Source account, and ten ISBNs! It's exciting!
Editing: The book has been with the editor, and I just got it back from her yesterday! So now I must go through her edits and fix what needs fixin'. She assured me there isn't that much, which pleases me. :-)
Front cover: We finalized the front cover and I love it. Hope you do, too.
Back cover: I hired a friend I met at a writer's conference to write the back cover copy for me. She does the same for some major traditional publishers, so I was thrilled to meet her and have her do this for me. She has a great mind for marketing, and had a lot of input for me, and next time I will know how to use her in many more ways. It was wonderful to have someone else write the back cover copy instead of everything sounding the same coming from me. It's cool to hear how someone else would describe the book, and it was also a great learning experience for me.
Purchased ISBNs: Had to buy my ISBNs to open the account with Lightning Source, who will be printing and shipping the book. If you don't know what an ISBN is, it's the International Standard Book Number and it is embedded in the bar code on the back of the book (as well as printed on the copyright page). It is 13 digits, and identifies my book from all others. It is required by bookstores, so if you're planning to self-publish your own book, your book will need one. If you go through a self-publishing company, they may supply you one (at a price, of course). You can't buy just one. They come in blocks of at least ten, so now I have my ISBNs for future books also. Buy your ISBNs from Bowker at https://www.myidentifiers.com/.
LightningSource.com account: It has taken a while to walk through everything needed to get this account open. I had to get a new credit card (since I had cancelled my business card some time ago when they raised the interest rate to an ungodly amount!). Took awhile for the card to come. Had to also buy my ISBN and had some other hoops to jump through. Finally: Mission accomplished.
Book Trailer: I booked the production of a book trailer for Deliver Me several weeks ago and that is now in the works. Looking forward to that! When complete, it should run around two minutes. I'll give you more details in coming posts. I've been asked what I'll do with my trailer. I can show it whenever I speak, loop it to play continuously on my laptop when I have a book table, post it on my blog and web site, point visitors to it on U-tube. I can burn it to CDs and give it out. Lots of possibilities.
Business Insurance: When I worked with my attorney to create the Publishing Agreement for each contributor to sign, she also strongly suggested I look into business insurance. I would never have thought of that on my own. Now the time has come and I've been looking into that and I think I have it arranged. What do I need business insureance for, you ask? Liability (someone trips at my booksigning), legal fees, stuff like that.
Registered Connections Press: I am publishing this book, Deliver Me, under the name of my brand new publishing company, Connections Press. So I also needed to register my publishing company (my dba - "doing business as") name with the Colorado Secretary of State. This means if someone comes looking for Connections Press, they can find me. I can also accept payments and do other business using that name. So I got that name registered.
Yep. Been busy. I'm telling you all of this because I hope it will help you to learn, possibly help you self-publish your book, or maybe even open that possibility to you.
I'm now the proud owner of Connections Press, a Lightning Source account, and ten ISBNs! It's exciting!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Now I'm a finalist!
Well what do you know? Last Friday the 168 Project announced its list of finalists. The semi-finalist list was whittled down to 11. (They said they just couldn't get it down to ten!)
And guess who's on the list! http://www.168project.com/news/261.cfm
I'm especially excited since my story in my script was inspired by the Deliver Me book.
As a finalist, do you think someone might want to actually produce my script into a short film?
There will be one winner with a cash prize and a meeting with Hollywood producer Ralph Winter, and two runner ups. Those will be announced tomorrow evening, Wednesday, November 17th.
If you want to tune in and watch it live, go to http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-168-film-project. You will have to set up a free account. The announcement should be around 7:30 PST. If you tune in, use the chat to let me know you're there. My user name is DianneWrites. Hope to see you there!
And guess who's on the list! http://www.168project.com/news/261.cfm
I'm especially excited since my story in my script was inspired by the Deliver Me book.
As a finalist, do you think someone might want to actually produce my script into a short film?
There will be one winner with a cash prize and a meeting with Hollywood producer Ralph Winter, and two runner ups. Those will be announced tomorrow evening, Wednesday, November 17th.
If you want to tune in and watch it live, go to http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-168-film-project. You will have to set up a free account. The announcement should be around 7:30 PST. If you tune in, use the chat to let me know you're there. My user name is DianneWrites. Hope to see you there!
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