Book Clubs

Today a facebook request from a friend, made me stop to think. She was looking for a book club for her son. Kids love getting mail and packages filled with fun books would be wonderful. It would encourage reading for sure. So I went on a hunt for some children's book, book clubs. I have not tried any of these out, if you have, PLEASE leave a comment, and let us know about your experiences.

 Books Online Children's Book of the Month
DoubleDay Book Club
Children's Book of the Month

If you have a book club to add, please feel free to do so in the comments.

More Southern Traditions...

Tea
My husband and I have traveled and lived in the north for several years, but we are southerners through and through. I will never forget when we lived in NY we went to this restaurant with some friends. We ordered tea, they brought it to us hot. So we re-ordered tea, iced and sweet. Yeah, no. They didn't serve sweet iced tea, they served iced tea, you sweeten it yourself. Now all good southerners know you sweeten you tea as you make it, or the sugar (all two cups of it) does not dissolve.  Oh my word! What they brought us was nasty, it was black, instant tea. We promptly re-ordered cokes.  Surely they couldn't mess up a coke.
Now the funny thing is, years later, over twenty now, we don't drink sweet tea anymore. We do like our tea brewed but prefer it unsweet now, and I even love hot tea during the cold months. Especially hot peppermint tea.
Shoes
I have to laugh, some friends from Mississippi are visiting my state and went to Walmart, where they of course saw a grown woman with no shoes on. Now I do want to say, Mississippi is the south too, but there is as much difference in Mississippi and Arkansas as there is between Arkansas and NY.  I know I have lived in all three states, so I feel qualified to make that statement. Now here is the shoe rules at my house.  You don't have to wear them in the house, or even running outside to stand with the dog when she does her business, but you MUST wear them out to stores.  My son loves to skip the shoes when he hops in his car and runs to a drive-thru. Momma fusses. So I am sitting here barefoot, telling all my fellow Arkansans, to please wear your shoes to Walmart.
Talking
I have to say, I love to hear southerners talk. There is a comedian named Jeanne Robertson who is from the south, who is so fun to listen to. Her drawl is perfect, She is from North Carolina and her accent is just so fun. I was in a store yesterday and this gal said something and I had to look twice to make sure it wasn't Jeanne, she sounded just like her. Now here is the deal, not all Southerners talk alike. I was amazed at the difference between the way, we talked and the way they talk in Mississippi, when I lived there. To my ears it often sounded like they were talking with a wad of cotton in their mouths. One of the things I was told the most that I didn't say right in MS was all my words that end with "ight" I still don't know what I was doing wrong there.  
So I just wanted to share some fun insights into how this Southern girl thinks, about her tea, her shoes and how she talks.  

Guest Post with Linda Fulkerson

First of all, I want to thank Cindy for letting me post on her blog today! And second, I want to introduce her readers to the result of a recent “God-nudge” – Marketing for Christian Writers . . . promoting our words in order to spread His (MarketingforChristianWriters.com).

For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been involved in marketing for about 15 years, mostly as a

strategist for small businesses, but a few weeks ago, I got this, well, God-nudge, telling me to use my experience to teach Christian writers how to be better marketers. So, I’ve been busy getting this launched ever since.

What is Marketing for Christian Writers? It’s a hub of resources. At the moment, you can find “Today’s Tip,” a weekly poll, and blog posts, as well as relevant content I’ve found from other sources and posted to the Facebook page, LinkedIn group, Twitter, etc. We also have a free email-training list. When you sign up to join the list, you’ll get access to a free report – 102 Ways to Market Your Stuff. (I say “stuff,” because it includes not only writing, but speaking, consulting, and any writing-related business ventures you may offer.) Plus, you can subscribe (again, for FREE), to receive email updates from the blog so you don’t miss any of the Today’s Tips or other posts.

What’s coming down the pike for MforCW? A podcast (which will launch this month, Lord willing), video training (some free, some paid), a members’ area with exclusive content, and resource articles. Another feature for the site which is being added this month is guest posts by authors who share their personal marketing experiences and tips. My hope is to make this site a one-stop resource for all your marketing information and training, and my goal is to have most of these features implemented during June and July. (Yes, of this year!)

And if there is enough interest, I may create a forum where people can post and answer questions. What are your thoughts on the forum idea? Would you use it? Would you participate by posting both questions and answers? Thanks for your input.

Since you took time out of your day to stop by and read this post, I want to share with you a FREE and quick & easy tip to help you better market your writing. This tip literally took me 15 minutes to complete, but it’s a huge step toward preparing you to sell books online, especially at the Kindle marketplace.

Today’s Tip:

Set up your author page at Amazon.com. If you’ve already done this, then kudos to you, because this page is a HUGE asset to online marketing. Kindle is a great stepping stone for those seeking traditional publishing or for those whose manuscripts have made the rejection rounds and need a publishing home. And if your book falls into the latter category (as my novel, Wings of the Dawn, did), there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Last time I checked, only 6% of books are published traditionally. That means those of use who seek alternative methods of publishing are in the 94-percentile – an A in most grading systems!

So, how do you set up your author page?

1. Go to authorcentral.amazon.com and set up your account. If you already have an Amazon.com account, you can log in with your username and password. Otherwise, look for the “Join Now” link.
2. If you already have books for sale at Amazon.com, they will automatically appear on your author page. Pretty cool. But if your books don’t show up, scroll down and look for the Add or Remove Book link in the footer.
3. Create a unique URL so it’s easier to share with others. Mine is amazon.com/author/lindanixonfulkerson if you want to take a peek at my author page. (Note: I’m working on a book titled Marketing for Christian Writers, so while you’re visiting my author page, please click the link in the upper right-hand corner to receive an email when the book is published if you’re interested.)
4. Next, you can upload images. Add a pic of yourself or other images you want to upload. The book images will show up for you. You can also upload book trailers, video interviews, or videos from book signings.
5. Link to your Twitter feed. This simple step is now more powerful than it may seem at first, because in May 2014, Amazon.com launched the ability to purchase books DIRECTLY from tweets – crazy, huh? Learn more about #AmazonCart here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/socialmedia/amazoncart
6. If applicable, add events to your profile, too – speaking engagements, book signings, appearances, etc.
7. And another powerful tool for your Amazon Author profile page is the ability to link your blog’s RSS feed. I’ve linked the Marketing for Christian Writers feed to my author page at Amazon.com.
8. Share your link with others via social media, on your website, etc.

I’ll be glad to answer any marketing questions you have – just post in the comments area. (Note: If your question requires a complex answer, I’ll do is write a blog post about it and put a note in the comments of which date it’ll be published.)

Decoration 2014 A Southern Tradition

The first weekend of June every year, marks decoration at the Dennard cemetery. For southerners, this marks the time we go to the cemetery and decorate the graves of all our loved ones. It is high-lighted with a church program, which is followed by a potluck dinner. This is a time you see people you haven't seen in a while. Sometimes since the year before and sometimes longer, if they don't make it there every year.  This is not a sad time, or it isn't for me. I enjoy seeing the bright and beautiful flowers that are on the graves, and I enjoy visiting with old friends and family  I just wanted to post this, to let you know I am ok. I don't struggle with this event. Yes my son passed away, yes we miss him daily, and we wonder all the what ifs, but God has been gracious and granted us peace. We know John is in heaven and we have the hope of joining him there someday.  I like to take pictures just as a way to dedicate to my memory, the years of his passing.  So to all my friends, thank you for your love and for your hugs.  Here is right back atcha..((((((HUGS)))))