The Soup Man

By Guest Blogger Beth Shriver


This Thanksgiving my family was honored to meet the Soup Man. You could interchange it with Superman in my opinion. This man, with an army of helpers, serves six hundred meals a day to the homeless, five days a week. Thanksgiving is no different except the menu is changed. Turkey with all the sides including spice cake was served and there was a little extra for some to have seconds. We all like a full stomach on Thanksgiving, so did the homeless we served that day.

I met David Timothy, aka the Soup Man, through doing volunteer work. When David found out I was a writer he asked me to edit a book he’d written titled, Is God on Vacation? One Man’s Mission to Feed the Homeless. David thought he would learn from me but I learned more from him after reading his story. Having gone through the pain of hunger as a child David was driven to help those in need and so created The Soup Mobile, a van loaded up with food and another with tables to set up a food line.

I watched the reactions of my family as David explained our task for the day. “We have two missions today. The second is to feed the hungry. The first is to show them love.” David’s motto is to; feed his sheep, literally as well as showing care and concern. He explained that so many of us look the other way when we see a homeless person. And if we do interact we don’t want to shake their hand or look them in the eye. But that’s what they need most, respect and dignity, the very thing that has been taken from them and is a factor that keeps them from working their way off the streets.

My daughter has a passion for the needs of people and has gone with me on many of my mission projects. She’s never met a stranger and talked to everyone she met that day with no hesitation. My son has a heart of gold but isn’t as comfortable talking with strangers so I was touched to hear him respond with kind words to the people he was handing out clothes and toys to. My husband is a salesman so no problem with the interaction, but I didn’t know if he really wanted to go. But on the way home all of them had a story to tell or a person that especially moved them as they served. Like Lawanda, who sang with raised hands and praised the Lord for their food. Or Mr. Coltrane from New Orleans, ninety-six years of age and still plays the keyboard like he did as a young man playing the Blues in Louisiana. And then there was Mack, who lived on the street for fifteen years and is now a member of the Soup Man’s team. We had a good laugh talking about the Rocky theme music that blared from speakers on the vans as we drove up, letting everyone know we had arrived.

We were ‘starved’ when we got home late that afternoon; ironically we were hungry while feeding the homeless. It never felt better to have an empty stomach to feed. http://soupmobile.org/

Interview with Terrt's Client Amy Alessio

Amy, you are a client in addition to working as one of my editorial assistants. You contributed to and edited the short story collection "Missing" from Echelon Press and after your book for the library profession "A Year of Programs for Teens" was so successful you have a contract to do version two of it. Tell us about these projects.





The "Missing" anthology began when I wanted to do something about the news in the Chicago area especially about missing young wives, mothers and even young children. I had contributed a short story to Echelon's "The Heat of the Moment" in 2007 published for a charitable cause and I asked CEO Karen Syed if she could do another anthology, this time benefitting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I offered to edit it, and she agreed. My husband and I adopted our second child just as the stories came in and I did a lot of reading while Owen slept on the Boppy on my lap. My story is about Alana, an antiques store bookkeeper and her search for a missing sister, teen and disappearing cookbooks.

Young Adult Librarian Kimberly Patton and I wrote A Year of Programs for Teens and did many workshops as a result. That topic is something libraries often seem to need new ideas for. That's exciting - that so many places want to offer fun services for teenagers! American Library Association Editions asked us for a second edition, and we had done enough new programs to fill up another. It will be out in 2010. When we were in contract negotiations for that, editor Stephanie Zvirin asked me to write a readers/program guide on teen mysteries for 2011. Mysteries are a specialty of mine, and I review them for Crimespree magazine.

Working as your editorial assistant actually teaches me as much about my own writing as it does about the business. When I ask prospective clients to add more action or to reshape their proposals, I think about ways to improve my work as well!

What other writing projects do you have on your plate?

I am self-publishing another Alana story called Felled by Fruitcake on my site soon with recipes, and sales will help the local food pantry, which is really struggling right now. I'm just polishing it up.

I maintain a blog on Vintage Cookbooks ( http://vintagecookbooks.blogspot.com ), and have just started doing library talks on that topic. I'm amazed at the response, and several places that hired me are asking me to sell cookbooks. I modernize older recipes and adapt them. For example - prunes are everywhere in the old cookbooks, and no one now wants them in cakes! So a cookbook proposal is in the works. I find this amazing - and so different from anything I'd imagine I'd be doing as a writer. I put a mini cookbook on Kindle to go along with my talks, too (it also helps the food pantry). That even includes some of my Grandma Curtin's recipes.

For fiction, I'm rewriting a young adult mystery and finishing an adult romantic suspense.

I know you are a young adult librarian and have been a national officer in your professional library organization. Tell us about that role and the programs you do along that line?

The Young Adult Library Services Association (http://www.ala.org/yalsa)is filled with energetic and welcoming people. It was a privilege to be elected to their Board twice, including a term as their Fiscal Officer. I've been involved with many projects for YALSA during those times and since, and one thing I do for YALSA is trainings for library staff on teen services. I have presented over 80 workshops and panels nationally on teen literature and services, and I always get as many ideas as I give, I think. Certainly I meet wonderful people doing great things for teens with often very little resources. I'll be doing an online class for them in February on Power Programming. The teens I work with at the library are always amazed that people want to hear me speak. They ask what I have to say!

What's the best piece of writing advice you ever got? The worst?

I took a class from J.A. Konrath which helped tighten up my prose a great deal. He also says that a writer who never gives up is called Published. Certainly your advice on presenting my writing and myself like a pro has made a big impact on my career. Honestly I had not previously thought about writing as a business to pursue with a plan or marketing strategies!

The worst? I did pay for a critique at a children's writer's conference once where the author told me I knew nothing about teens...

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

Open your mind to possibilities. If your story you slaved over does not get accepted right away, think of other talents you have and other ways to get yourself out there (and in front of editors!).

Thank you Amy for all you do to advance reading for young people.

Traditions Old and New

I pray you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. The gathering of family and friends around food and football for us (our tradition) was a bit different this year. My brother married into a Chinese family from New York and we enjoy all getting together and catching up at least once a year. But this means some of our traditions have changed.

Change #1 began with a 5 ½ hour trip to Easton Pa instead of a short jaunt over the mountain to my hometown of Johnstown (1 ½ hours away) or staying here in Pittsburgh with my husband’s family. We are like many families- alternating our holidays between his and hers. We had a Cajun turkey this year (just my brothers culinary whim), spicy, no gravy. We had Scalloped potatoes instead of mashed and roasted green beans (yum my personal favorite of the day) instead of Green Bean Casserole :-( Spiral Ham, fairly normal fair and a few other things I do not yet know the name of (Chinese pork and slimy vegetables). Five small children, all under the age of 7 provided much joy and laughter and even though there was no football game playing in the background, we took turns at playing tennis and bowling (Wii). My husband hurt his shoulder hitting the ball out of the park in the only Wii baseball game of the day, fiercely competitive with a 6 year old!

So while it was different, we were Thankful to be together and trust you all enjoyed offering thankful thoughts and praise to a Faithful God who is still on the throne, who is for us not against us!

Another New Tradition I am beginning, is the yearly reading of a few favorite titles that have positively affected my life over the years. Missionary biographies, Practical Christian Living titles, and for my families sake, a collection of healthy cookbooks. I will include a few favorite fiction titles that are like old friends to me and have become my classics, mostly mysteries. Among the titles I plan to re read, I have added this month’s book club title.

The Noticer, written by Andy Andrews is one of those books that can change one’s life. This small book has mine and I challenge you to let it change yours. The Noticer is small, 5 ½” by 8 ½”, has just 156 pages, with 10 short chapters and is a narrative fiction. There are no chapter listing at the beginning of the book and it contains no chapter headings, but I have named them in the notes I have taken while reading it.

In chapter ONE, Andy is young when he meets a traveling sage named Jones who introduces him to the biographies of well accomplished individuals. Young Andy was discouraged and homeless, lacking any conceivable goals. These biographies dramatically alter the course of Andy’s life, which we follow throughout the book.

Jones, notices things. Things that others do not notice. He is a Noticer. As he points these things out to the folks he comes in contact with, they change their perspective and consequently their lives.

Jones told one character that was consumed with worry and fear that only 8% of the things we worry and think about are legitimate concerns. Worry is focus on the wrong thing. Perspective. Gave me a lot to think about.

Jones asked the question of another; Five seagulls are sitting on the pier and one decides to fly away. How many are left? Think hard about this one he cautions.

The answer? Five, because the one only ‘intended to fly away’. There is absolutely no power in ‘intention’. Jones asks again; Have you ever noticed how often we judge ourselves by our intention but others by what they do? Perspective.

Traditions. What new ones have you recently begun? What ones would you like to start? As we form a list of resolutions as the New Year approaches, maybe re reading a few favorite titles is something you will consider. Add The Noticer to your list of Need to Reads either way. I think it will give you a new perspective on things. It did me. And who can’t do with a little new perspective?

From my heart to yours,

Diana

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day, a day to gather around the table, gorge ourselves on turkey and dressing, a whole table full of deserts, leftovers in front of the football games. Family gathered around. What a day!

Like so many other holidays the celebration of the Holiday has become the holiday itself. We tend to forget the reasons behind the event. We do that so often at holidays like Easter, July 4th, and most of all Christmas. For this one it should be easy, the name itself reminds us. It’s a day for stopping in our busy lives and giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives, something that shouldn’t be restricted to a single day, but for sure should be the focus on this day.

I feel sorry for those who don’t know who to give thanks to. Who do you thank if you don’t believe in a loving and protective God? Do they thank themselves thinking the blessings they enjoy are merely the fruits of their own productive labor? How sad.

It started with the pilgrims. They had the first Thanksgiving to give thanks for surviving the very difficult period they had just come through. They invited some of the natives who had befriended and helped them but they knew even with that help where the blessings they had enjoyed had come from.

I know where my blessings come from too, and it’s good to take time to stop and count them, to realize all God has done for us and to sincerely thank Him for all we have received. Too often our prayers are centered on our own desires and needs and more of them should be genuine prayers of thanksgiving.

We at Hartline wish you and yours a wonderful thanksgiving. And once we have counted up our blessings and truly given thanks there is nothing wrong with enjoying the three F’s – food, family and football. As long as our priorities are straight.

Have a great one!

Joyce, Tamela, Diana and Terry

A Fisher of Men/ Bryan Townsend

Tell our readers a little about yourself Bryan. Where do you call home and who makes up your family?

All of my life, I have lived in and around Talladega, Alabama. One of my anscestors came here as a scout for Andrew Jackson and one was the first Mayor of Talladega. Judy Babe and I met in church, in the nursery. I was a bed baby and she was crawling around on the floor. I do not remember not knowing her. Our first date was to the Sweetheart Banquet at the church when we were in the 4th grade. We started dating as seniors in High School, but waited to marry til later in life; I was 19 and she was 20. Last year we celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary. I told her we could go to the mountians, to the beach, even to New York or Paris; anywhere to show he how much I appreciated her. We wound up spending the day riding around in the country.

We have three children and four grand children. Our two boys are married and each has a little boy and a little girl and we are blessed to have all four grand children within an hour's drive of our home. Our daughter is not married, but dating seriously. Patti Anne works with me running my office and marketing my practice as a professional speaker. In a great part, due to her efforts, last summer Speaker Magazine named me was one of the Hot 25 speakers in the profession.

Bryan you and I have a unique agreement that I do not have with all of my authors. I am attempting to get a small gift book of yours picked up by a traditional publisher. I was honest with you at the start by telling you I only had so many desks I could take something like this one to. I would love it if you share with them about your ministry and how from it your small gift book was birthed.

The Parable of the Fly came about as a suggestion by a dear friend, Kay Blackwell. Kay and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries in Damascus, Syria. Judy and I became friends of theirs whild Bob was serving as the rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church and we would e-mail them daily in our efforts to support them and I'd send them the lessons plans from my men's Bible Class, the Whosoever Will Men's Bible Class.

I started the class four years ago, while they were in Syria. It's an outreach class, reaching out to unchurched men. We meet in a house next door to our church and we have some unique rules that seem to appeal to today's men:
no one called on to read, no one called on to pray, no dress code, and no one will fuss at you if you don't show up. We serve sausage biscuits, hot coffee and soft drinks each Sunday morning and have a thirty minute informal Bible study. In four years we have grown from 3 men to 47 men. We had 20 in attendance this morning.

What are you hoping your book reaching a traditional publishing house to accomplish that you haven’t been able to do with it as is?

Kay suggested my lesson plans were unique in their appeal to unchurched men and should be published. So, with God's blessings it happened. We self published 100 books to be used as an outreach tool. We give them to prospects and visitors. People started wanting to buy extra copies so we printed 1000 more. We've sold probably half of those just through word of mouth, maybe more.

The title of the book (The Parable of the Fly) came from one of my lessons plans regarding sin. Sin, like a fishing fly, is deceitful. It appeals to a man's selfish nature, and once he has taken the bait, like a fish, he's hooked. Fortunately for me, and according to the Apostle Paul, all men, there is a Savior, who when summoned, will come to your rescue, cut the line, and set you free!

The book is a small paperback, an easy read, and according to my fishing buddy and former missionary to Syria, Rev. Bob Blackwell, is "...the best explanations of the 'bad news' of sin, and the 'good news' of salvation that I have read." My friend Liz Curtis Higgs, author of a number of very good books including Embrace Grace, wrote of the Parable of the Fly, "I think your mission here is clear and you have indeed accomplished it. With appropriate metaphors, you are making the Gospel real and pertinent to men today."

Dr. George Ricker, retired director of Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center says it's a must give book. He has purchased and given away dozens to men who need to know the Gospel.

Bryan, I see a real need for a title such as this one. I know at the church I often attend, on Father’s day they always give every man a small gift book as a way of saying they are appreciated. I can see this title being a great one for this type of offering. For those that know what your book teaches, what a tool to have to pass on to another they are trying to reach.
Your ministry has taken you all over the country. How many times have you spoken this year.

This year, I've spoken a bunch. This past week I spoke in Kansas City, Louisville, Dallas and Spartanburg, SC. I got home about one o'clock this morning and taught the class this morning. Tommorrow morning I'm out of here about 6:00 AM going to Bismarck, ND. Next Thursday I speak in Birmingham and on Saturday in Dyersburg, TN. A few years ago I was speaking just over 100 times a year. We cut it back to about 75 now.

How can folks get a hold of you if they want you to come to their church or mens group to share?
I'm easy to reach. Everything you need to know about my speaking including my schedule is available at www.BryanTownsend.com. My e-mail address is Bryan@BryanTownsend.net. The site also lists products available which includes CD's, DVD's and a number of books I have written.

I would imagine that you have heard some life changing testimonies as you minister to these groups of men. Would you care to share one of them with us?

One of my members called and asked if I would conduct his father's funeral. His dad died in prison, serving a life sentence for murder. God used the occasion to make a difference in a number of lives.

My late friend Lester Massey was the first to join our class and became very involved in outreach. Often we talked about Rick Warren's suggestion that you have to get the unchurched on the porch before you can get them in the church. We consider our class in the house next door as a porch to the church. Lester died suddenly. All of our guys were honorary pall bearers. Lester got'em all in the church that day!

When people ask, "How are you doing?" I reply, "I've been better, but I was younger at the time!" A few weeks ago, I caught up with Judy Babe. We're both 61 and will be until her birthday in January.

Now Bryan, not being the young pup you used to be, how many years do you plan on continuing in this ministry? Are you training anyone to take your place? Are there others that are doing what you do?

I have no plans for retirement. My dad's favorite song was "We'll Work 'Til Jesus Comes" and he did. I plan to follow in his foot steps. I will speak and teach this class as long as God sees fit to keep me here in good enough condition to do so. I hope I'm training everyone in the class to take my place. Each Sunday morning I face a circle of 18 or 20 men who just a few years ago were not involved in Bible study or church in anyway. God has allowed me to watch them grow spiritually and I'm quite sure he has big plans for all of them. You know God, He uses the unlikely to accomplish the unbelievable. If He calls me home tomorrow, He'll have someone there to teach next Sunday.

Oh, I'm sure there others doing what we are doing. Sure, there needs to be more. That's part of my motive in seeking a publisher for the book. With greater distribution I believe there are many, many Godly men out there who could do a better job of starting an outreach class for men than I have done. Just reading the book might motivate them to do so, and it would certainly give them some ideas about how to do it.

Have you had to overcome any obstacles in your ministry?

No serious obstacles. You get a little criticism now and then, but that's a good sign. Where there is no friction, there is no motion.

The number one item on my to do list right now is Humor on the Square, a show our class sponsors each year to raise money for the Red Door Kitchen which provides food for Meals on Wheels in Talladega. We've sold half the tickets, the show is less than two weeks away, and we want it to be another sell out. As soon as I get back from North Dakota, I've got to get out and help the guys hustle tickets!

Where do you get your inspiration and energy? It has to be exhausting at times traveling like you do all year long.

Every good and perfect gift comes from above. There's really not much I can do. I just ask God to do it and thank Him for letting me be there when it happens. When I was younger, I did have more energy. Right now, I'm just trying to fake it as long as I can! I asked Mark Cubine to teach the class next Sunday, I'll try to be there, but will be driving back from Dyersburg, TN on Saturday night and do not expect to get in until about three o'clock in the morning. Bill Perry's going to kick me if I start snoring during class! That's another one of our many class rules, it's OK to sleep during class, but you are now allowed to snore.

Right now, I've got to pack and take a nap, otherwise, I'm going to miss the flight to Bismarck.

Thank you Bryan- such passion for the lost is an encouragement to us all. Let us examine ourselves and see what we might do to offer hope to those that have none.

From my heart to yours,
Diana

On Becoming a Self Published Author

Because of the self-publishing discussion taking place on several blogs, I wanted to make a few comments. I am never involved in any author's efforts to self publish, but there are some authors who benefit from this process. Case in point is my uncle, Eldridge Bagley.
You can visit this link to read a little about him.
www.somerhill.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bio&key=289

In case you're wondering, I call him Eldridge rather than Uncle Eldridge because he is like a brother to me. Eldridge is a self-taught artist based in Southside Central Virginia. The subjects of his oil paintings are unique to a certain lifestyle, time, and place in that area. He still lives with his wife and son on the same farmland my grandfather bought, using a loan from my great-grandmother, back in the 1930s. His paintings are usually nostalgic, showing glimpses of rural Virginia life in the mid-twentieth century. Since I'm from this area and my parents and other relatives still live there, (I am writing this just before going back to celebrate Daddy's birthday), the scenes Eldridge paints hold a special place in my heart even though many depict events that took place well before my birth.

Eldridge has published several books that are a natural extension of his work. I believe most people who seek out his art and books are:

1.) Eager to recapture their own memories of life on a family farm in Southside Central Virginia;
2.) Interested in the history of Southside Central Virginia;
3.) Collectors of his style of artwork; or
4.) Those with immediate ties to our family and/or the area.

Except for the third group, which includes art collectors worldwide (I understand a person in Switzerland bought one of his paintings), you can see that Eldridge's loyal audience is within driving distance of his house. He can reach them through relationships with local merchants, through art shows he attends himself, and the gallery that represents him in Richmond, Virginia. Here is the link:
http://www.glavekocengallery.com/Artist-Detail.cfm?ArtistsID=96


Eldridge will never make the New York Times Bestseller list with his books, but since he can reach almost all of his defined audience on his own, he is what I would call a successful self-published author.
Eldridge also enjoys the fact he can control the content and covers of his books.

In light of seeing Eldridge's success firsthand, my advice to authors considering self publishing is to define your audience, and determine the best way to reach that audience. If self publishing is the best way, investigate the best company and process for you. Consider initial expense and level of editorial support. Don't depend on marketing support.

Whatever you decide, we at Hartline wish you the very best.

Until next time,


Tamela

Interview with Terry's Client Andy Von Loenen

Today we'll be talking with client Andy Von Loenen:

Andy, how long have you been writing?

I sold my first article in 1987, so I guess you could say that’s when my writing career began. But I discovered the love for writing in my senior year of high school. English composition was my first-hour class and my curmudgeonly teacher would often walk in the room and, without saying a word, write on the blackboard a subject and expect at least a couple of pages on that subject by the end of the hour. Sounds tough, but I loved it. It helped me realize I had something to say and that writing was the way to say it. It kindled a little spark that, over time, became a fire.

What genre do you write and why?

I have written a lot of non-fiction—instructional materials, construction articles, that sort of thing. But I’ve taken up writing mysteries of late, romantic mysteries, if that’s a genre. I like mysteries. I guess it’s the who-dunnit aspect—trying to it figure out before I get to the end. And the ones I’ve enjoyed most always seem to have a romantic element to them. I think I’ve read all the Sherlock Holmes adventures (in fact I give them away on my web site) and, as great as he was at solving mysteries, nobody, even Watson, was ever able to get really close to him. In that sense he was invulnerable, almost machine-like—somewhat less than human. I want my characters to be human, vulnerable, capable of suffering emotional pain, capable of knowing joy—of giving and receiving love. In the end, I think that’s what we all want.

Tell us about your book, Justice for Amy.

Justice for Amy is a story about redeeming love. It centers around a man, Clay Ramsey, a widower, who rescues a woman from a man who is attacking her in a parking lot—only to have her die in his arms an hour later. The police suspect suicide, but Clay cannot accept the idea. Even though he knew her for only a short time, something of a bond formed between them and he feels compelled to find out what really happened to her. Along the way, he meets her older sister and together they search for the truth. They fall in love with each other in the process, but there’s a real question about whether their love will come to fruition or whether they’ll even survive when they fall into the hands of the killers.

What inspired you to write this book?

As a Christian, I see writing as a way I can serve the Lord. I wanted to write a book that was a little gritty, because I think that’s the way real life is. I wanted to explore the subject of evil, its effect on people and why it exists in a creation that God pronounced, “very good.” And I wanted to try to provide some answers to the questions a lot of people have about evil and why God allows it in the world. What better way is there to do that then to show, in the context of a story, how it impacts the lives of people?

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a novel about a woman whose husband died in a boat explosion in Lake Michigan five years ago…or so she thought. Without giving away too much of the story, he winds up really dead and she winds up in jail for killing him. And you’ll have to read the book to find out more. I’m also thinking about updating and re-releasing a classic work on prophecy. But I haven’t made my mind up about it yet.

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

The best way is through my web site, http://www.andyvl.com. Anything I’m writing or working on finds its way there first. People can also contact me through the site, sign up for Sherlock Holmes, download the first chapter of Justice for Amy or access any of my other free downloads there. People who sign up for Sherlock Holmes are eligible for special pricing on signed books and they’re always the first to find out about book releases or anything else I happen to be working on.

Thank you for visiting with us today.

My pleasure.