NEWSDAY TUESDAY ...

With a lot of general market editors at the  Library Convention and CBA editors (and Chip) off at ICRS, it's been quiet around here. Or as quiet as it can be when you work from home, have decided to finally prepare your office for re-flooring, and kids are around begging for food, rides, friends, screen time, food, chores (yes, they beg for chores - when the word "bored" leaves their lips that's what I hear) and food. 

We're pulling together a kids book swap in the neighborhood next week - it's encouraging that though we're in a neighborhood rich with pre-teen boys, they are all avid readers. I'm looking forward to hearing the discussions these guys have about their favorite authors -- they get SO passionate about everything at this age. Personally, I've just started reading LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave. Just into it, but I think it's going to be a gripper. 

I'm also working hard to get through submissions - some I've held on for way too long, admittedly. It's hard for me to admit I simply can't take on everything, but I'm coming around. It is nice that we now have Amanda on board to take a look at projects as well, though she's received over 500 submissions since we announced adding her to our staff. Obviously she's going to be slow in getting back to folks, so y'all be patient, k?

At this point I'm reading submissions from about three months back. If you've not heard from me and I'd offered to take a look (spare me, please, if you sent me a query beginning "Dear Agent," or some other randomness and are wondering why I haven't bothered to answer you ) please feel free to write me and check in. It could be that I've decided to decline your work but didn't have the common decency to let you know about my decision (sorry, it happens though I do try to make sure it doesn't) or that I'm still thinking about it (that happens too).

Aside from the relative quiet, carpepping, great submission catch-up, and summer reading frenzy going on around here, there is a bit of other news.

CHRISTY AWARDS

Congratulations to ALL the winners (and to the nominees, for that matter). And a big WOO-HOO to MacGregor Literary author Lisa Samson for her inspiring keynote address at the award event AND for winning in the Contemporary Standalone category for her book THE PASSION OF MARY-MARGARET (Thomas Nelson). 

CONFERENCES

Chip represented us at ICRS this year where he found virtually no candidates for his annual Jesus Junk awards. Told me today that the selection of Christian Kitsch was rather abysmal, actually. Once he recovers from the crushing disappointment he'll be sharing more about ICRS. Keep an eye out (what an odd expression that is...) for his post.

ACFW registration is in full swing. If you're a Christian fiction author (or a fiction author who is a Christian) and haven't registered, don't delay. It's a very well organized and effective conference. Chip, I, and Amanda will all be there this year. Being organized and effective, no doubt.

Chip, Sandra, and Amanda are also looking forward to representing the agency in full force at the Oregon Christian Writer's Conference directed by our very own Pat Rushford and keynoted by Bill Myers and Jeff Gerke. 

Sandra has recently agreed to join faculty at the Wesleyan Conference in Indianapolis in November 2010, and the Florida Christian Writers Conference in March, 2011.

EVENTS

July 23rd - 24th, Lisa Samson and Susan Meissner will be presenting the next Master Seminar: Adding Depth to Fiction 2 at Lisa's Lexington, Kentucky tea cafe, Cuppa. Don't miss out on your opportunity to learn from these skilled and talented writers.

HOT BOOKS

Irene Hannon's IN HARMS WAY (Revell) remains on the top twenty list of CBA best selling fiction titles.

Jay Payleitner (52 THINGS KIDS NEED FROM A DAD, Harvest House) and Carla Stewart (CHASING LILACS, FaithWords) were both popular stops at ICRS - their books ran out before their signatures did. Way to go, you two.

So fun to see Carla's book displayed front and center at Barnes & Noble. A great summer read, for sure.

So, tell me, what are you reading this summer?

Comments

[Cheryl Barker]

I recently won copies of Carla's Chasing Lilac's and Mary DeMuth's Thin Places and am just waiting for them to arrive so I can dig in to them. Have both been on my want-to-read list.

[Angie Breidenbach]

I really enjoyed being at the Christy's. I saw Chip across the room, but never got to say hi. Lisa's keynote was excellent!

[Cheryl B Lemine]

Hello:

My summer reading has included: Tears of Joy (In Sickness and in Health - a Cancer Survivor and Caregiver Share Their Story) by Jerry Hanks and Bobbi de Cordova-Hanks

Very helpful. It made me laugh and I needed that since my sister is in her third round of dealing with cancer.

Current: On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

On Deck: The Reason for God - Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller

Thanks for your helpful posts! My kids are older teens so I don't usually see them until noon at which time they want breakfast!

Cheryl B Lemine
www.cherylblemine.wordpress.com

[Susan K. Stewart]

What?!! No Jesus junk?!? What has happened to Christiandom? What will we do for Christmas presents? Please tell Chip to take a closer look, he's bound to find something buried under a "I {heart} Jesus" tee-shirt.

[Julie Surface Johnson]

Hi Sandra,

Here's the stack I'm taking with me on vacation: Writing the Breakout Novel (Donald Maass), Life in Defiance (Mary DeMuth), Testimony (Anita Shreve), Thin Air (Bette Nordberg), Double Trouble (Susan May Warren), FireStorm (Jeanette Windle), The Wives of Henry Oades (Johanna Moran) and A Name of Her Own (Jane Kirkpatrick).

[Laura Droege]

Oh my goodness: Chip couldn't find anything to award his "Jesus Junk" award? I may have to do something about that...I'd hate to see Chip be disappointed at next year's conference.

Would going to the ACFW conference be valuable for a Christian writer who isn't aiming for the CBA publishers? I've wondered about that in the past, so I thought I'd ask.

What I'm reading: all kinds of books dealing with suicide/mental illness, so I can know what's already been published and how my novel fits in and differs from those novels. Lots of upbeat beach reading...though maybe it's appropriate to read depressing novels at the beach, given the oil spill.

[Stevie Rey]

Hi Sandra, Chip must be in a severe depressive episode at the lack of Jesus paraphernalia. My advice is just to make some stuff up. That could be creative and fun! I'm still awaiting the "Jump for Jesus Mini Trampoline" myself. What am I reading? I think I am about to pick up "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and I'm thinking about trying to make it through another fiction book which tends to bore me (truth is stranger...and more interesting to me). Good luck to Amanda with those 500!!! I bet there are at least three Golden Nuggets in them thar hills!!! :-)

Grace and Peace and Cornbread,
Stevie Rey
Author of The Hillbilly bible

[Nicole]

On a Vince Flynn/Mitch Rapp reading mission. Love them.

(Julie, Firestorm is terrific.)

About to read Ronie Kendig's Nightshade. Sometime in August, Steven James' The Bishop, Francine Rivers' Her Mother's Hope, Erin Healy's Never Let You Go. Ack! So many more, too.

[Nursing top]

intereting! Aside from the relative quiet, carpepping, great submission catch-up, and summer reading frenzy going on around here, there is a bit of other news.