Summer Workshops for Writers

UPDATE: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. THANK YOU.


Everyone is self-publishing these days, and there's plenty of information floating around online. Think you can find all you need online?

What you don't know COULD hurt you, and cost you a lot of money.

With the rising tide of indie authors, it is in a writer’s best interest to produce a quality project. You can do that best when you have a general idea of the publishing process and how to format your book so that it will be hard to tell your product from that of a traditional publisher

This summer, I will present the first two in a series of courses entitled “Writer’s How-To Workshops.”

The first workshop’s focus will be “Self-Publish Your Novel” and the second one will be “Self-Publish Your Nonfiction Book.”

There has never been a better time for authors to get their work into readers' hands and one way to do that is through self-publishing. Both workshops offer a general overview of the publishing process, and then give you hands-on experience to make it happen. In the past two years, we've published 22 books - most in two formats: print and digital. In these workshops, I'll teach you what I've learned, and how to avoid many of the mistakes I made early on.

[But aren't you a traditional publisher? Yes we are. I firmly believe in publishing traditionally, but there are times when self-publishing makes sense. We'll discuss some of those in these workshops.]

Self-Publish Your Novel

June 1, 2013

9 AM – 5 PM

Unicoi State Park

Helen, Georgia

Logo Room A

(Registration and set up begin at 8:30.)

This workshop will take you from a completed, edited novel (we’re not dealing with story and the craft of writing in this workshop) through a “do-it-yourself” publishing process, providing you with the information and skills for formatting, cover design, self-editing, and prepping for publication. We’ll walk you through every step of the process, provide you with a workshop booklet to take home, and be available for coaching to help you through any obstacles you may encounter.

Cost: $119

Registration fee includes workshop, materials and handouts, buffet lunch, and breaks. BONUS #1: includes 30 days of coaching AFTER the workshop ends. (You may choose the month – does not have to be in June, but must be scheduled within six months of the workshop.) BONUS #2: Autographed copy of the novel we dissect during the workshop.

Due to the intensity of this course and the one-on-one instruction, space is limited to 15 participants. Reserve your space today. First come, first served. Registration will close when spots have been taken.

Self-Publish Your Nonfiction Book

June 8, 2013

9 AM – 5 PM

Unicoi State Park

Helen, Georgia

Logo Room A

(Registration and set up begin at 8:30.)

This workshop will take you from a completed, edited nonfiction book (we’re not dealing with story and the craft of writing in this workshop) through a “do-it-yourself” publishing process, providing you with the information and skills for formatting, cover design, self-editing, and prepping for publication. We’ll walk you through every step of the process, provide you with a workshop booklet to take home, and be available for coaching to help you through any obstacles you may encounter.

Cost: $119

Registration fee includes workshop, materials and handouts, buffet lunch, and breaks. BONUS: includes one month of coaching AFTER the workshop ends. (You may choose the month – does not have to be in June, but must be scheduled.)

The two courses are similar in nature, although some of the skills taught are slightly different, due to the differences in the structure of fiction and nonfiction books. If you take one, you'll have most of the skills needed to publish fiction or nonfiction.

Due to the intensity of these courses, and the one-on-one instruction, space is limited to 15 participants. Reserve your space today. First come, first served. Registration will close when spots have been taken.

The workshops are intense. Be prepared to work. Bring your laptop, and if you have a manuscript ready – or at least a few chapters – bring it (on your computer, not a hard copy) and prepare to use it to learn the skills being taught. If you do not have a manuscript, a sample portion will be provided.

Registration closes Tuesday, May 21st, so reserve your spot NOW.

Welcome DRINK414!

If you've come to our blog after listening to Shelly Brown's interview with our author Fay Lamb on www.WTLN.com, we just want to say THANK YOU and WELCOME!

Here's a little video that shares a bit about our authors - Fay's on there, too! See if you can pick her out.



Today is the last day of our fundraiser to help our authors get this promotional package. If you can, won't you please help them achieve this milestone? We've got some great incentives too, and we'll even let you name your own reward if you prefer! (Although FaithFunder shows 0 days left, the campaign is still being funded  as long as that Fund this Project button is still live!)

Thank you for helping us spread the word about our books and about our authors. The more people we reach, the more opportunities we have for sharing the Gospel. And that's truly what it's all about, isn't it?

Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day! Publish his glory among the godless nations, his wonders to all races and religions. And why? Because God is great—well worth praising!

1 Chronicles 16:23-24

The Message

(bold, underline mine)

Only 10 More Days!

We only have 10 more days in our FaithFunder campaign. Have you checked out all the goodies available? Some of them would make AWESOME gifts for birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Writer's Day! :-) We greatly appreciate your support - this is an awesome opportunity for our authors. The fundraiser ends April 21st.

And remember, Fay Lamb took a dare (in an effort to avoid offering her own Skype session) to travel and teach/speak at any writer's group anywhere - on her own dime - for anyone funding our full project. (She double-dog-dared me back, so I'm tagging along too! "Get two nuts for the price of one!")


Here's a list of all the goodies you can get for your support:


Title : Count it All Joy!
Amount : 3.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Apr 2013
Description : Every contribution towards our goal will help! For a $3 donation, we offer you our sincerest gratitude for supporting our authors! We truly appreciate it!


Title : Book Bonanza!
Amount : 5.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : You'll receive a digital copy of any one of our books - your choice! Although the estimated delivery date says July, if you choose a book we've already published, we'll send those out during the month of May. If you want one that is published later this year, we'll get it to you upon its release. You may choose any book we've published/will publish through December 31, 2013.


Title : Paperbacks!
Amount : 10.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : Receive an autographed copy of any one of our paperback books published through December 2013. If the book has already been published, we'll get those out to you asap. If it is yet to be published, you'll get a copy hot off the press.


Title : Digital Nonfiction
Amount : 20.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Aug 2013
Description : This reward offers a bundle of digital nonfiction books including:
Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ by Renee Gray-Wilburn and Dianne E. Butts

The 3-book Prophecies Fulfilled Series by Dianne E. Butts: Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus; Prophecies Fulfilled in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus; Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus.

Parenting on Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years by Vicki Tiede


Title : Sisters!
Amount : 20.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Jun 2013
Description : Last year, we introduced Magnificent Hope as our "mascot." This year, we introduce her sister, Radiant Joy! We've not yet introduced her to the world, so you'll be one of the first to get information about her, and the very first to receive some of her merchandise! This reward includes some fun Magnificent Hope and Radiant Joy merchandise - a coffee mug, mouse pad, and some other fun goodies!


Title : Digital Fiction
Amount : 25.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Aug 2013
Description : This reward offers a bundle of digital books including these titles:
Stalking Willow by Fay Lamb;
For Such a Moment by Marie Wells Coutu;
Destiny Defied by J.A. Marx;
This Dance by Jerusha Agen;
In Love's Defense by Mary Annslee Urban;
A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke


Title : For Such a Moment
Amount : 25.00
Total Spiff : 3
Available : 3
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : Award-winning author Marie Wells Coutu offers a colorful 9x12 poster suitable for framing of Esther 4:14, the verse her book, For Such a Moment, is based upon.



Title : Faith Funded Authors T-shirt
Amount : 33.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : Custom-designed t-shirt with a group photo of all the participating authors and the phrase "Faith Funded These Awesome Authors."


Title : Professional Critique
Amount : 50.00
Total Spiff : 3
Available : 2
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : 10,000-word critique (by e-mail) of your manuscript by bestselling author Fay Lamb, and an autographed copy of her newest book, Stalking Willow. Critique may be scheduled with Fay by mutual agreement any time May 1-December 31, 2013, although we have put an estimated delivery date of July. (We had to choose one month.)


Title : Professional Critique
Amount : 50.00
Total Spiff : 2
Available : 2
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : 10,000-word critique (by e-mail) of your manuscript by bestselling author Jennifer Fromke, and an autographed copy of her book A Familiar Shore. Critique may be scheduled with Jennifer by mutual agreement any time May 1-December 31, 2013, although we have put an estimated delivery date of July. (We had to choose one month.)

Title : T-shirt and Books!
Amount : 60.00
Total Spiff : 5
Available : 5
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : Custom-designed t-shirt with a group photo of all the participating authors and the phrase "Faith Funded These Awesome Authors" and autographed copies of their books.



Title : In-Person Critique
Amount : 75.00
Total Spiff : 3
Available : 3
Estimated delivery date : Jun 2013
Description : One-on-one, face-to-face meeting (30 minutes) in St. Louis with best-selling author Fay Lamb for a manuscript critique of your manuscript's first 10,000 words. Manuscript must be submitted no later than June 1, 2013. Dates available will be June 22-June 25, 2013.

Title : Fiction Bundle
Amount : 75.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Aug 2013
Description : This reward offers a bundle of paperback books including these titles:

Stalking Willow by Fay Lamb
For Such a Moment by Marie Wells Coutu
Destiny Defied by J.A. Marx
This Dance by Jerusha Agen
In Love's Defense by Mary Annslee Urban
A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke


Title : Nonfiction Bundle
Amount : 75.00
Available : Unlimited
Estimated delivery date : Aug 2013
Description : This reward offers a bundle of nonfiction books including:

Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ by Renee Gray-Wilburn and Dianne E. Butts

The 3-book Prophecies Fulfilled Series by Dianne E. Butts: Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus; Prophecies Fulfilled in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus; Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus.

Parenting on Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years by Vicki Tiede

All four books in the Life Lesson series: Life Lessons from Grandparents, Life Lessons from Moms, Life Lessons from Dads, Life Lessons from Teachers.


Title : Publisher Lunch in St. Louis
Amount : 75.00
Total Spiff : 2
Available : 2
Estimated delivery date : Jun 2013
Description : Lunch with the publisher, one-on-one, to discuss books, publishing, marketing, your book - you choose. Lunch offered in St. Louis June 21-25. Time and location will be mutually agreed upon by both parties.

Title : Publisher Lunch Atlanta
Amount : 75.00
Total Spiff : 3
Available : 3
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : Lunch with the publisher, one-on-one, to discuss books, publishing, marketing, your book - you choose. Lunch offered in metro Atlanta any time during the summer months, 2013. Time and location will be mutually agreed upon by both parties.


Title : Book Clubs!
Amount : 100.00
Total Spiff : 1
Available : 1
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : A special package just for book clubs! Receive a 30-minute to 1-hour Skype session with bestselling, award-winning author Jennifer Fromke during a book club meeting. The club will also receive up to 12 digital copies of Jennifer's book A Familiar Shore and some exclusive content of the author's choice that has not been provided elsewhere prior to club meeting. Although the delivery date is marked as July, the author and book club coordinator will work out a time that works for both parties, May 1-December 31, 2013. (We just had to pick one month.)


Title : Book Clubs!
Amount : 100.00
Total Spiff : 1
Available : 1
Estimated delivery date : Jul 2013
Description : A special package just for book clubs! Receive a 30-minute to 1-hour Skype session with award-winning author Marie Wells Coutu during a book club meeting. The club will also receive up to 12 digital copies of Marie's latest book For Such a Moment and some exclusive content of the author's choice that has not been provided elsewhere prior to club meeting. Although the delivery date is marked as July, the author and book club coordinator will work out a time that works for both parties, May 1-December 31, 2013. (We just had to pick one month.)


Title : Bolivian Bounty
Amount : 100.00
Total Spiff : 1
Available : 1
Estimated delivery date : Jun 2013
Description : Children's book author and missionary Peggy Cunningham is assembling a gift basket with Bolivian handmade items especially for this reward.

Title : Dinner & Books!
Amount : 150.00
Total Spiff : 4
Available : 4
Estimated delivery date : Jun 2013
Description : Enjoy dinner with all five authors and their publisher in St. Louis on Monday, June 24th. Faith Funders for this reward will receive autographed copies of all the authors' books published by Write Integrity and Pix-N-Pens, and will be treated to a fun and memorable dinner.

Title : Authors' Best Friend
Amount : 500.00
Total Spiff : 2
Available : 2
Estimated delivery date : Aug 2013
Description : This reward offers a deluxe gift basket filled with so many goodies we can't list them all here. You'll receive autographed copies of all books represented at ICRS this year (10 authors, 15 or more books!), some personalized Magnificent Hope and Radiant Joy merchandise, a personalized video of various scenes and events during our week in St. Louis, made especially for you, a handmade scrapbook you're sure to treasure, and some special goodies contributed by many of our authors.

You'll also receive a special certificate proclaiming you as our Authors' Best Friend! (Only TWO in the entire world!)

She took the Dare!

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be sharing some of the rewards you'll get when you donate to our St. Louis fundraising efforts.

Today, I'm going to share one that's not on the list.

Fay Lamb is notoriously camera shy. And apparently she's Skype shy too. We were sharing information about the two Skype-with-an-author book club rewards, and someone asked why there wasn't a Skype session with Fay.

Fay explained, and then said that, in lieu of a Skype session, if someone would donate the entire fundraiser amount - $3500 - she would go speak or teach for any writer's group anywhere, on her own dime. After conversations back and forth, she wasn't just bluffing - she's serious! She'd rather meet you in person than Skype with you. Crazy as that sounds, if I'm honest, I'm the same way!

THEN, she double-dog-dared me to do the same thing! Since Tim had run to Lowe's, I agreed before he could talk me out of it! So, if someone donates the $3500 before April 21st, you'll get Fay and I to come teach or speak at your writer's group! (And with us, you never know what other kinds of surprises we might have up our sleeve!)

Check out Faithfunder, watch our fun video, and then, please consider helping us. If everyone we know gave only $3, it would more than fund us! Check out all the fun rewards - t-shirts, manuscript critiques, lunch with the publisher (in St. Louis OR Atlanta!), Skype sessions, and more. And all proceeds will be put toward this event and future marketing if we go over the $3500.

Fay made a great post on Facebook today and I'd like to share it so you'll know why this is important to us:

From Fay Thompson Lamb: We'd really love to have your support for our introverted writers tour to St. Louis. I'm proud to be an employee for and a writer for two of the best small presses in the Christian publishing industry. I believe in small Christian presses. I think God is raising up wonderful publishers to take over where many in the large publishing industry are lacking and moving into secular mode. If you've had the pleasure of reading some of the awesome work or if you are a writer from a small Christian press, will you help send some very caring authors to St. Louis this summer so that we can represent the industry? We're having fun with the contest and we're not asking something for nothing. Our writers--even those who will not be joining us in St. Louis--have offered some neat items and opportunities for your donations.


We honestly, truly thank you for your support. This is a huge mission and we're loving the journey!

I'll share more rewards on Monday.

St Louis or Bust!

This year, we have an opportunity to send five authors to the International Christian Retailer's Show (ICRS) in St. Louis where our authors will have an opportunity to meet and network with bookstore owners, book buyers, and readers - by the thousands! They'll also be given an opportunity to each have a one-hour book signing, where we'll give away copies of their books to those in attendance! And they'll have the opportunity for media interviews, too. 

The five authors we'll be featuring during ICRS are:

Dianne E. Butts

• Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ
• Prophecies Fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus
• Prophecies Fulfilled in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus
• Prophecies Fulfilled in the Life of Jesus.

Fay Lamb

• Stalking Willow
• Charisse (The Ties that Bind Series)

Vicki Tiede

• Parenting on Your Knees: Prayers and Practical Guidance for the Preschool Years

Peggy Cunningham

• Really Rare Rabbits (children's series)

Marie Wells Coutu

• For Such a Moment (Mended Vessels Series)

We need to raise $3500. The authors are all paying for their own travel and accommodations for the trip, so the $3500 will be used for the promotional package used during ICRS, and toward the cost of the books we're required to offer for free during the book signings. The books are not allowed to be sold during this time, because they're used as "samples" to give away to book buyers in hopes they'll stock our books in the future. Any funds raised over the $3500 will be put toward marketing - we love to market our authors, and use creative ways to get word out to readers. 

Due to the generosity of our authors, we have some awesome rewards planned for contributors to this opportunity. A few contributors will have the opportunity to have dinner with all of the authors and their publisher in St. Louis! Others will receive a Skype session with the author of their choice for their book club, and digital copies of their books for club members (and some exclusive content too!) We're giving away t-shirts, Magnificent Hope and Radiant Joy merchandise (Radiant Joy is still a secret, so keep an eye out for her arrival!), manuscripts critiqued by professional editors and authors, a basket of gift items from our missionary author who lives in Bolivia, and even lunch with the publisher! Because of the timing of the project and of some of the rewards, we've had to put limits on the amounts available for some. So if you see something you want, grab it quick before someone else takes your spot!

We're raising the funds on FaithFunder - click here to choose your reward and contribution level!  And be sure to check out the fun video we made of our authors!

Why are we doing this?

Most authors dislike the marketing aspect of the publishing business. As publisher, I work around the clock trying to get word out about our books. Why? 1) Because I believe in our authors! I'm proud of their books, and want to get them out to as many readers as we possibly can. 2) Our books are our mission - and readers are our mission field. Every book that goes out has the potential to share the Gospel message in some way. The more exposure we can give the author - the more marketing, the more promotion - the bigger that mission field gets. 

Won't you please help us promote these authors?

THANK YOU!!