My Friend Dan by Joyce Hart

On a recent Facebook entry Gloria Penwell shared with FB friends that her husband Dan Penwell has only three months to live. This is hard news to receive.

I have known Dan for probably close to 28 or 29 years. Dan was the book buyer at Zondervan Family Stores when I first knew him. I was a sales rep at Whitaker House Publishing. My boss, Bob Whitaker, Sr. told me I had to get our books into the Zondervan Family Stores (at that time Zondervan owned the Family Christian Stores). I called Danny every week for months and I finally got an appointment to come up to the corporate offices for a meeting with him and the other officials of the company. I was terrified, but I flew up and bravely went into the meeting. I got on their radar and Zondervan Family Stores became my largest account. When I went up for appointments on a regular basis after that, Dan used to introduce me with, "This is Joyce Hart, she’s persistent and consistent.” It’s been a pleasure fellowshipping at Writer’s Conferences and ICRS with Dan. He is a dear friend.

Please pray for Dan, God could give us a miracle. Also pray for Gloria and their family.

John Vonhuf has sent out this message to writers (it can be to any friends of Dan)
“Fellow writers,

Many on this list know Dan Penwell. Dan has been an acquisitions editor at
AMG for years and was a frequent speaker at writer¹s conferences across the
country. He has had a number of health issues related to his battle with
prostate cancer. Gloria, his wife, recently posted on Facebook that Dan has
been given three months to live.

Would you please be a part of my effort to give Dan a booklet of personal
notes from those he has touched over the years. I invite you to write a
short note of how Dan has shaped your writing, helped you get published, how
he has encouraged you, or any other personal note. Let¹s share words of
gratitude and encouragement so Dan and Gloria will know how he has impacted
our lives.

Send me an email as soon as possible. Next week I will be asking writers at
Mount Hermon to do the same. We don't have much time to do this. Thank you.

John Vonhof
jvonhof@verizon.net “

Dan has bravely fought this illness for a long time. He has come to conferences not really feeling well. Many people would not have had the fortitude and stamina to teach and meet with authors as he has with his health problems. Be sure to write to John with stories about Dan’s encouragement to you. One thing I can say, he wrote the nicest rejection letters in the industry.

God bless and keep you,

Joyce

O Worship The King

O Worship the King written by Robin Grant and J. Michael Haydin







O Worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender,
The Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in Splendor,
and girded with Praise.

O tell of His might,
O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light,
whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath
the deep thunder clouds form,
And dark is His path
on the wings of the storm.

Thy bountiful care
what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air,
it shines in the light.
It streams from the hills,
it descends from the plain,
And sweetly distills
in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust,
and feeble as frail,
in Thee do we trust,
nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender!
how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender,
Redeemer and Friend.

AMEN!


I woke up singing this song this morning and thought I would share it with you all.
May today be one filled with Praise to the one who is worthy!

Diana

A Writer Has to Write - by Joyce Hart

I was reading entries on FaceBook tonight and there was an entry by Janalyn Voigt with the title “Called to Write.” This author says she has never been as busy as she has since she has been published. In the Writer’s Digest magazine March/April there is an article “Earn Money Doing What You Love.” What a cool thing to be able to make a living doing what you love to do. I’ve been able to do that. I love selling manuscripts for authors. I love reading books and I love being able to work from my home office. I admit some days it gets discouraging. I think this week I have had a record number of rejections. However, I also got some contract offers, and promises of offers in the next few weeks. I’m really glad; all those rejections were getting depressing.

At a writer’s conference I heard “A Writer Has to Write.” What is there about writing that is so compelling? Authors tell me that they have conversations by their characters running around in their heads. These characters seem so real the authors hate to leave a series, because they will miss them. I am fascinated by the things my clients tell me about writing.

It’s a wonderful thing to be able to make a living doing what you love to do. Is your passion writing? Then you’ll probably get published one of these days. Are you “Called to Write?” Do you have to write? Then find every opportunity you can to write, it doesn’t necessarily have to be writing for payment. Start out writing for free. Get the experience and get your name out on the web or wherever you can.

What about self-publishing? Is it an awful thing? I don’t think so. Many authors got their start by self-publishing and selling their books when they speak or online. I have one client who wrote a Christmas book and sold 2,000 copies right before Christmas, on his own. We took the book to a publisher and the first editor we sent it to bought it. It is a beautiful story; the title is The Paper Bag Christmas. It’s one of those stories than no one can read without crying, not even the men. An editor will seriously consider a book if you’ve sold 2,000 in two months. I have another one that I’m trying to sell now and haven’t found a publisher yet. This author sold 2,500 or more in a few months. So, I’m convinced that someone will catch the vision of this book one of these days.

There are other ways to make money by writing. Write for organizations online. Write for magazines and newspapers. Write wherever you can find to write. Write Advertising, write obituaries. If it’s a writing job do it! Writer’s Digest often runs an article about writing online. For this particular information you have to invest a minimal amount of money. But since it comes from Writer’s Digest, I would trust the program. Network on FaceBook or other social networks. Amazing what you can find out on these networks. The main thing is to keep trying and keep writing. Don’t lose sight of your dream. Trust God to lead you. Sometimes the smallest job can lead to a very big opportunity.

Proverbs 3:4 & 5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” NKJV. Psalm 37 is another of my favorite chapters. When you’re discouraged, read the Word.

Thanks once more for reading our blog. We appreciate each one of you and pray God will bless all that you set your hands to do.

May God bless and keep you,

Joyce

Interview with Conference Director and author, Marlene Bagnull

Dear From the Heart reader, it is my privilege today to introduce to you, Conference Director and author, Marlene Bagnull.

Marlene thank you for joining us here today. Marlene you arrange and plan two writers’ conferences a year. Can you tell us when this first became a vision of yours? Exactly how did you begin the process and where has this journey taken you?

Actually it all started in early 1983 with the Nazarene Publishing House offering to help establish Christian writers groups. Shortly after that the editor of The Christian Writer asked me to plan a seminar for him in the Philadelphia area. I took a leap of faith and said yes to both opportunities little knowing that today I would be directing not one but two Christian writers conferences, each with a faculty of 60 plus. Truthfully, I’ve often said I would have run the other way. Why? I really wanted to serve the Lord, but self-doubts had a stranglehold on me back then. God has been so good to take me by the hand and grow me as He has grown the conferences.

What is the particular mission of your writer’s conferences?

My ministry and the ministry of the Greater Philadelphia and Colorado Christian Writers Conference is to encourage and equip Christians to “write His answer.” Whether through nonfiction or fiction, I believe our writing needs to point our readers to the answers that only can be found in Christ. This doesn’t mean quoting Scripture on every page or in every chapter, and it certainly does not mean preaching. Instead, I believe we need to be so grounded in biblical truth that it naturally flows through writing that is winsome and excellent.

I would imagine the planning of a conference is a lot of work. Do you have helpers?

As I was saying, I would have run the other way! It never ceases to amaze me how much work is involved in directing a three-day conference. Although this is my 27^th year directing Philly and 14^th year directing the Colorado conference, it doesn’t get any easier. I’m grateful my husband is now retired and is able to help with mailings and data entry. My three grown children, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law help each year at the Philly conference along with my three grandchildren. Well, Erin at 20 months, is still too little to help, but soon-to-be six-year-old Laura and her four-year-old brother Ryan love coming to the conference and helping. And then there’s my dear friend in Colorado, Margie Vawter, who assists me with both conferences. I’m very grateful she’s able to fly in and stay with us for a week or longer for the Philly conference. There’s also Wanda Dyson who coordinates the appointments for both conferences and lots of people who come alongside to help during the conference. Can I use more through-the-year help, especially in my home office? Absolutely!

Did your book title, Write His Answer: A Bible Study for Christian Writers and Write His Answer, A Book of Encouragement for Writers come before during or after the conference planning began?

The first edition of Write His Answer was released the day the Gulf War started. It, as well as the second expanded edition, both resulted from meeting the editor at a Christian writers’ conference. I waited until the 25^th anniversary of the Philly conference to make “write His answer” the conference theme. Immediately people began referring to the conferences as the
“Write His Answer Conferences” and so the theme has stuck. Given the ongoing crises in our world I can think of no better theme.

Do you have any other titles brewing about in your head?

I have about 15 chapter titles for another Bible study book for writers and would also love to do a how-to “write His answer” book, but right now I know I can make the greatest Kingdom impact by directing the conferences. There honestly isn’t much time for writing during the almost year-round job of directing.

Has it been a fun experience over all, planning and promoting these conferences? Do you have any miracles you would like to share with us? Any times when you believe God showed up in a very pronounced way?

Fun? Not really. Years ago when I worked in the editorial offices of the American Baptist Churches I used to think that deadlines were exciting. They are anything but exciting and fun now. But does the conference work bring me joy? Absolutely! Even though the hours are often ridiculously long, the time pressures intense, and the computer glitches that seem to always occur during conference season stressful, I am so grateful Father has called me to this work. Each conference I see Him at work touching and changing lives, including mine! And every year He definitely shows up in a very pronounced way. One year that especially stands out in my memory is when we had two sheets of Styrofoam with little metal crosses on each that represented the number of Christians who had paid the ultimate price for their faith during the three days of the conference. I invited everyone to come and take a cross and then go back to their seats. We held our cross up and prayed for our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Last year in Philly C. Hope Flinchbaugh led a Chinese secret house church experience that she will repeat this year in Colorado. Words cannot describe the impact it had on all who participated.

How exactly does a writer’s conference meet the beginning author?

Jesus talked about building our house on a solid foundation. I believe that is what a Christian writers’ conference does for a beginning author. Beyond learning the basics and how to avoid all-to-common mistakes, the relationships that are formed are so important in encouraging a beginner to keep writing.

What do your conferences offer the published author?

For sure there is always more to be learned and friendships to be formed and deepened. Conferences also offer published authors valuable networking opportunities. One of the special features of each conference are the FOUR 15-minute one-on-one appointments with faculty that conferees choose.

Have authors that attended your conferences gone on to becoming published authors? Any one we might know?

Joyce Magnin has a debut novel with Abingdon and Christa Parrish met her agent at the Philly conference and is now publishing novels with Tyndale. Miggy Krentel was in her 80s when she went to the Colorado conference and landed a contract with David C. Cook. There are so many others. Thank You, Father!

This year what is the particular social justice issue you hope to bring to light for many that might not be aware of and what ones have you championed in the past?

Social justice issues and especially human trafficking will be highlighted at both conferences as well as the needs of persecuted Christians in China and North Korea. The August 12-14 Philly conference will offer a new continuing session on “Justice, Compassion & Advocacy” with Dr. John M. Perkins (also keynoting); Geraldine Ryerson-Cruz, advocacy writer, World Vision Int’l; Steven Lawson, senior editor, Regal Books; and a team of professionals.

What has been the hardest part of the fulfilling of this call on your life?

Without a doubt the spiritual battles. I remember Jim Watkins saying years ago that you can’t get several hundred people together and excited about writing for the Lord only to have the evil one say, “Isn’t that nice!”

What do you hope people will take away from attending this year’s conferences?

It is always my prayer that they will encounter God in a new and deeper way. Knowing Him is the key to making Him known in our writing.

Where can people find out more about you and the conferences?

In my “spare” time I manage three Web sites. The umbrella for my ministry is www.writehisanswer.com. It has Bible studies, how-to’s, info on my Write His Answer and Get Your Book in Print Seminars that I’m available to teach around the nation, a bookstore for writers, and more. Then there’s www.writehisanswer.com/Colorado where writers can register securely online for the May 12-15 Colorado conference. The Philly conference at www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia still has last year’s info. I plan to begin updating the site the end of this week and open online registration April 1. No fooling!

I confess to being Facebook, Twitter, and Shoutlife challenged although I do have an account with each. I know there’s so much more these groups offer that would help spread the word about the conferences, but until someone comes alongside to help me or Father miraculously grants me more hours in a day, I only occasionally post updates.

Would you like to offer our readers out there a last word of encouragement?

Keep your eyes on Jesus as the writer of Hebrews says. Stay in the Word. Trust Him and His perfect timing, and don’t give up. Stay on the growing edge spiritually and professionally. And to combat the self-doubts, disappointments, and discouragement that those who are truly called are likely to struggle the most with, order Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers through my online bookstore at www.writehisanswer.com.

Marlene, thank you so much for joining us here today and I hope our readers will check out your links here in this blog and make plans to attend one of your conferences. I have had the privilege to attend both and feel they offer some of the best workshops, and faculty appointments an author could hope to find.

From my heart to yours,

Diana

An Irish Blessing

Since it's St Patrick's Day and a lot of people know that I'm a 5th generation Irish storyteller and a 4th generation Texas Bull Shipper (you notice how carefully I said that word) that it might be appropriate to say a few words.

My Irish heritage goes back further than 5 generations, that's just as far as I can document the storytellers in the line, although I suspect they all are. My great-grandmother was an O'Green from Cork County, although they dropped the O on the boat on the way over and it just became Green. I know her daddy could spin a wee tale, so that makes five for sure.

On St Pats day everyone wants to be Irish. I was at a conference in San Antonio when it rolled around a couple of years ago and everyone in the place was trying to be Irish to the core. When they found out I was the real deal I became something of a celebrity. Given my size they speculated that I might actually be a leprecauhn disguised in a ten gallon hat. Someone pointed out that leprecauhns were very little men but someone else quickly pointed out “not in Texas.”

I neither confirmed nor denied it and still stand by that position. If you look up the definition of leprecauhn it says "they usually take the form of old men who enjoy partaking in mischief." Ask my wife if that isn't true.

Should any of you be superstitious, or if you just don't want to take chances, the famous "Luck of the Irish" is only transferable on this day by receiving an Irish blessing, preferably from a real leprecauhn. For that reason I will now pronounce upon you the most famous of all the Irish blessings:

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Oh, yes, it's also said that you can capture a leprecauhn and find the location of their pot of gold, but that's back in the old country and you'd have to catch one over there to accomplish that.

Interview with Terry's Client Bryn Jones

What is your latest project? Tell us about it.

The book is called The Next Chapter. It is a thriller where Sal Russo, a writer, finds his career in a freefall after losing his wife and daughter to a terrible accident. While missing deadlines and facing an ultimatim from his publisher, he finds a mysterious package in his garden. In it, he finds a chapter detailing a young girl's abduction. It ends with a challenge: Write the next chapter in her life, or she dies. Proving this is no mere hoax, the package also holds a plastic bag with a heart inside. Meanwhile, the police are investigating the girl's abduction as well as the reappearance of bodies of girls who'd gone missing years earlier. At each of the body dump sites the police find a page of one of Sal Russo's novels. With evidence mounting against Sal as a suspect, his only chance for vindication is to write the next chapter and save the girl before time runs out.

How did you research for this book?

I set the book in Bloomington, Minnesota and its surrounding cities since that's where I live. I called various law enforcement agencies, including the Bloomington Police Department, the FBI regional office and the BCA. I spent hours reading police procedure for abductions and crime scene investigation. I also had a contact who gave me detailed information on the Mall Of America's security procedures for the abduction scene.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

In the most unsuspecting places. For this book I woke up with an idea of a writing game where one person starts a story and the next person has to continue it. In my sleep-adled brain, I wondered what would happen if whatever someone wrote, it really took place. Around the same time I was doing a lot of thinking about God's sovereignty and why bad things happen to good people. I had an idea of a story that would show how even though God is directing our fate, he sometimes allows us to go through terrible things, knowing that he's working it to our ultimate good (in this case, Sal Russo directs the girl's fate in his writing).

What has been the hardest part of writing your latest book and how did you overcome it?

Getting from one chapter to the next. The first 100 pages were both fun and hard. As I got into the story, my outline changed completely and at times I felt like I was driving blind. I overcame the writing by doing what I call the Dean Koontz method. I wrote each chapter over and over until I had it down to what I wanted it to be. Then I moved on to the next. This allowed me to focus in on each scene and craft it for tone and feel. It also allowed my brain to get the story's tempo. I noticed the chapters get shorter and more intense as the story moved toward its climax.

What do you hope people will take away from reading your book?

That while we don't understand why God allows bad things to happen to us, He is in ultimate control and both sees us and knows us.

What new projects are you working on?

I'm working on a thriller/Adventure where treasure hunters are looking for the broken fragments of the original Ten Commandments that Moses brought down and shattered at Mt. Sinai.

Where can people find out more about you and your writing? The programs and speaking that you do?

I have a web site, www.brynjones.celestialsign.com. There you can read about me, view a few sample chapters of my novel and read a number of short stories that have been published.

What is the best writing advice you ever got? The worst?

The best advice: My mom: "Is that the best word you can use to describe that?" also a book called "Between the Lines."
The worst advice: The market doesn't like novels with writers as the main characters. Or men. Male writer characters aren't going to sell.


Anything else you'd like to take this opportunity to say?

Writing fiction is like being a superhero. There's this gift that seems so hard to use, is often overlooked or underappreciated, and yet it comes with great responsibility to use properly and constantly, regardless of compensation.

_____________________________________

Notes From the Fla Christian Writers Conference shared by Diana

Dear Reader; I wanted to share with you a few of the highlights from the Fla Christian Writers Conference I just returned from this past Sunday.

This was the second year that the Fla Christian Writers Conference was held at the Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center located in Lake Yale Florida and my first time in attendance. What a beautiful venue for the conference. Each morning we were greeted by incredible beauty even if the temps were low and our breath could be seen as we walked over to the cafeteria where our breakfast was served. The food was very good and in plentiful supply. The dinning hall was banked by windows with a lovely view of the Lake and was wi fi wired.

The most outstanding feature of the landscape to this Pennsylvania girl was the Spanish moss draped trees. It gave the campus an Other Worldly feel. Mysterious and exotic. The perfect backdrop for the eclectic group pf writers editors and publishers assembled.

I thought I might share some of the wisdom imparted to us from the highly qualified faculty I was privileged to be a part of.

Three of the keynote speeches were given by Cec (Cecil) Murphey. For those of you new to Cec, he is an author and Ghost Writer of award winning titles, and has had 108 books published, 17 of them fiction. Cec’s current bestseller is 90 Minutes in Heaven, which he wrote for Don Piper. Another title he is well known for is, Gifted Hands,The Ben Carson Story, a personal favorite of mine. You can find out more about Ces at www.themanbehindthewords.com/ .

Cec spoke to us, "Don't be afraid to say things your way. Be as open and transparent as possible. In Christian writing it is easier to sound like everybody else. Be as real and as true to yourself as you can. Let us know who you are." He implored us to take risks, reminded us that we had something to offer others that only we could offer. "You don't have to be brilliant- be authentic!"

A second keynote speaker was Jesse Floren from Focus on the Family. Oh my goodness, he has us all laughing so hard and groaning the next! His introduction gave us a take away tag line, "Writing Will Make You Sick!" If you know anyone that was there- ask them to explain that one for you! We will never forget it! (Has to do with riding upside down in a P51 Mustang airplane for his first story for Focus.) Jesse also shared that we should realistically examine ourselves to see if we are meant to be a writer, Is the writing life for me or am I meant instead to be an editor, a marketer or an agent? Also, "You can't be a writer without hope. You must apply Christ's words on servant hood to the writers life. Serve your reader, serve your subject, serve the tools of the trade and serve the editor.We all have blind spots- editors often know best. Lastly but most importantly, serve God." He shared a quote by Ken Dyer, "The words you write, they are not sacred, nor the pen and paper but the heart that God moves is."

Author Jerry B. Jenkins spoke Saturday night. What a wonderful glimpse into the heart of a gifted writer. He shared the many 'malapropisms' his friend often said, making us LOL. He told us, "writers are good readers, great writers are great readers." He shared many excerpts from his favorite writers, driving home his point. He challenged the writer to write concisely and to use words the reader would understand, being careful to get out of your own way. Two scriptures Jerry shared were Psalm 91:1&2 and Joshua 4:19-24.

A highlight for me was getting to sit in on three workshops presented by Zena Dell Lowe titled Screenwriting- Using Hollywood Storytelling Tools. Most everything Zena presented is applicable to the novel fiction writer. She blew me away, pointing out by example many films I had seen, describing what they had lacked or succeeded in doing right. She stressed the importance of a writer telling a normal story in a unique way. For Example: Finding Nemo was a coming of age movie. Told in a different way. "Figure out your genre and write for it." "Action must have action, comedy must be funny." " Writers work better with boundaries". Sharing about spiritual gifts and demonstrating the fruits of the spirit, Zena reminded us it was not what we did but HOW we did it. "Don't carry the mantle without seeking God." Zena continued, "The writer must do a good job of telling the truth. Don't protect the reader by withholding truth from them. There is a lot of criticism that we think we hold the corner on truth- well we do!" Zena's told us to present the truth and let the Holy Spirit work. I highly recommend trying to catch this screenwriter at a conference near you!

In addition to these there were workshops on blogging, marketing, public speaking, writing a great book proposal, to how to make your reader care. I hope this gives you an appetizing taste of what a writers conference has to offer. We encourage you to attend one if you can.

I made a new forever friend in my roommate Nina Bergman as well as met many talented unpublished authors. An album of pics can be seen at my FB page. Stop over and take a look. Some of you will see many familiar faces.

A final note: A recurring thread of discussion through out the whole conference and from most editors we have talked with this year, is the need for authors to present the highest quality writing to their agents and editors. Hone your skills at workshops such as these, through online courses, and in critique groups. Make it an easy decision for the editor to chose your manuscript above the others placed on their desks.

Thanks for stopping by.
From my heart to yours,
Diana