Monday, December 31, 2012

Social Media Monday—Top 10 Ways to Fail Spectacularly with Social Networking


This past year, everywhere you turned someone was offering help on how to succeed with marketing, aka social media. Today I’m going to turn the tables and give you my top 10 ways to fail spectacularly with social networking.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

Greetings!

I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful holiday season. I'm spending time with the family and will resume blogging on Friday, December 28. Thanks for following us in 2012. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2013!

Blessings, 
Edie

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Weekend Worship—A Holiday Blessing


Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith . . . Hebrews 10:22

Our son’s first deployment was the first time our family was apart during Christmas. I found myself dreading the holidays and consequently postponed decorating the house. This was way out of character for me. I’d always delighted in filling the house with multiple trees, twinkling lights and all the trimmings of Christmas. But somehow it didn’t seem right to celebrate so abundantly when my son was halfway around the world in the middle of a war.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday Review—Some of My Favorite Writing Conferences for 2013

BRMCWC Awards Banquet, Photo Courtesy of Mary Denman
Today I'd like to highlight some of my favorite writing conferences that are coming up in the first part of 2013. There are literally hundreds to choose from, but I only endorse those I've been to or where I know the majority of the faculty personally. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

My Real Life Love Story


Today is our thirty-first anniversary. I don’t normally post on a Wednesday, but I decided to share my real life love story.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Evaluating the Writers Path


The writing path is a journey of a lifetime
I’ve found the writing path to be the journey of a lifetime. At times it’s fraught with discovery and at others, discouragement. I’ve learned how to avoid some of its pitfalls by spending some time each year gazing back at the way I’ve come.

This time of year, with Christmas and New Year's close at hand, my thoughts turn backward as I evaluate the past year and prepare for the next one. I've given up New Year's Resolutions completely and find the freedom from those expectations a major relief.

Monday, December 17, 2012

My 13 Social Media Predictions for 2013


We’ve seen a lot of changes over the last twelve months. Some were easy to predict, others, well…not so much. I’ve spent a lot of time researching what the experts have to say, and I’ve decided to weigh in with my thoughts. So here’s my personal list of Social Media Predictions for 2013.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Weekend Worship—Where was God?


He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Its times like these when we want to
know, "Where is God?"
Have you ever wished you understood God completely—understood why He allows things to happen? This week we’re all reeling from the children who were killed in Newtown, Connecticut. To be perfectly honest, I don’t believe there are words that can bring comfort to those families involved. The hurt is too senseless, too cruel, to horrific to ever be bandaged with words.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Thursday Review—Take an Unbiased Look at Your Site


This time of year I’m already looking ahead to what’s to come. I enjoy the holidays, but sometimes it feels like life is on hold and I’m ready to get back into a routine. One of the things I can do, is get everything ready to go when the New Year blossoms. Part of that involves taking an unbiased look at my site.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!


The Next Big Thing…we’d all like to hear our book spoken of in those terms. Not likely, but who knows, I might help you find it! 

I’m participating in a blog hop, exposing my readers to some new authors. For those of you who aren’t familiar with a blog hop, it’s a series of posts linked to each other across the web. I’d like to thank Staci Stallings  for tagging me to participate!

In this particular hop, I’m answering ten questions about my latest WIP (Work in Progress). Feel free to post questions and comments!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

My Top 10 Gifts for Writers!


All I want for Christmas…

‘Tis the season of gift-giving and, with Black Friday just around the corner, I’d like to propose a few. Most of us are members of critique groups or have a special friend who’s a writer. Here is my top ten list. Consider these a jumping off point, use them for your own Christmas list or as a way to bless another writer this season.

10. A Christmas ornament. This could be something that pertains directly to a WIP (work in progress) or be more generic in nature. Through the years, my critique partners have gifted me with some amazing Christmas ornaments and I look forward to adding them to my tree.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Social Media Monday—How to Verify Your Website for Pinterest


Pinterest is a social network that’s becoming more and more popular as a social network. If you’re not sure how to utilize this versatile platform visit my post on How to PersonalizePinterest.

But you may be missing out on part of this valuable resource if your website or blog isn’t verified. When you filled out the profile section of your Pinterest account there was a place to list your blog/site address. That’s great, but to make that a clickable link you must verify your site.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Weekend Worship— Don’t be Afraid of Red on White


“Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?” Luke 14:34


This weekend I’ve been privileged to be on staff at the first annual Lightning Bug Literary Festival in Canton, Mississippi. This has been an amazing experience in many ways, but one of the highlights has been the faculty I’ve gotten to serve with. I’ve known several of them for years, but others are now new friends. I had time to sneak into a few of their workshops and have come away refreshed and reenergized by what I’ve heard. I was particularly impacted by the insights of filmmaker Brian Bird.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Life Lessons—It's Never too Late

by Reba J Hoffman, Ph.D.


It's never too Late to follow your dream

I hear individuals all the time saying they wish they would have done something earlier in life, because now it’s too late. I can understand that if you wanted to be a child idol and you’re 35. I’d say that dream is gone. If you want to be a wide receiver for the NFL and you’re 62 AND female, chances are that ain’t gonna happen.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Thursday Review—Christmas Writing


by Lynn Huggins Blackburn

With all the things we have to do during the holidays, it’s easy to set our writing aside. But what if we could incorporate our writing into some of our favorite holiday traditions? Here are a few suggestions that will help you “keep calm and write on” during this busy time of year.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Make Your Settings Sing—Using Narrative as a Tool


The writing world is cyclic, just like everything else. Right now, the cautionary phrase on the tip of every critique partner’s tongue is show don’t tell. They’re right, of course. Showing draws the reader deeper into the story, and adds an immediacy to the reading experience. But many well-meaning crit partners often label narrative or exposition as telling. 



Narrative is an integral tool that a writer uses to make the scenes come alive. Without good narrative the story isn’t grounded. So how do we make our settings come alive? We let the reader view the story’s settings through the filter of the POV character’s emotions, experiences and beliefs. Look at the examples below to see what I’m talking about.



Monday, December 3, 2012

Social Media Monday—Resize an Image with Your PC or Mac


In this age of social networking it seems that every platform has a different size requirement to post images. Because of that, it’s imperative for you to be able to resize an image with your PC or Mac. It’s not hard…once you know how to do it. So today I’ll take you step-by-step through the process for Mac and PC.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Weekend Worship—Second-Mile Living


And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:41

The Patriot Guard stands at attention at the funeral
of a fallen soldier.
This past week I found myself at yet another military funeral. I’ve lost track of the number I’ve attended in our community this year—a sad commentary on the world where we live. Every one I’ve attended has been incredibly moving, but the passage the chaplain chose for the funeral sermon this time has stayed with me all week.