By Jean Kavich Bloom As an avid fiction reader and a fiction editor with more than thirty years in the Christian publishing world, I understand the power Christian fiction can have. Perhaps that’s one reason I’m concerned about a topic that can be a Pandora’s box of emotions and opinions—the message a fictional character’s response to sexually oriented advances sends …
ACFW Conference Prayer: Editors (Day 31)
2018 ACFW Conference 40 Days of Prayer Day 31 – Topic: Editors at the conference Psalm 141:2—May my prayer be counted as incense before You; the lifting of my hands as the evening offering. Most gracious heavenly father, we lift up each editor who will be attending the ACFW conference. I pray you will prepare their way to Nashville. Open …
Ensemble Cast
by Christa Kinde In our books, the main character rarely operates alone. Depending on the needs of the story, we provide them with friends and neighbors, romantic interests and rivals, critics and supporters. The first book in my new YA trilogy is steadily building an ensemble cast of mongrels and misfits. All of them are needed. The story couldn’t happen …
ACFW Conference Prayer: Emcee Brandilyn Collins (Day 32)
2018 ACFW CONFERENCE 40 DAYS OF PRAYER DAY 32 – TOPIC: BRANDILYN COLLINS AS SHE EMCEES Psalm 66:16 – Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. Father God, in Jesus name we come before You, asking Your blessing on Brandilyn Collins as she emcees the conference. We ask that …
What Do You Do in the Calm After the Storm?
By Glynn Young It’s the calm after the storm. For months, it’s been days and weeks of intense writing, rewriting, editing, re-editing, adding to, and subtracting from. I thought novel #4 would be a relative slam dunk, since large chunks of it have existed for more than a decade. All I had to do was add a few thousand words …
ACFW Conference Prayer: Finances for Attendees (Day 33)
2018 ACFW Conference 40 Days of Prayer Day 33 – Topic: Finances for Those Attending Psalm 121:2–My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Heavenly Father, You are the God who provides. Nothing is too hard for you, so we come to you in faith and ask that You would provide the finances for those attending conference …
Surviving the Sophomore Slump
By Laurel Blount When I sold my debut novel A Family for the Farmer to Love Inspired in August of 2015, I was over the moon. I had finally stepped through the golden door of publication, and I felt sure from now on I’d be dividing my time between signing books, signing contracts and signing royalty checks. But then my …
ACFW Conference Prayer: Those Teaching Workshops (Day 34)
2018 ACFW Conference 40 Days of Prayer Day 34 – Topic: Those Teaching Workshops Proverbs 8:1–Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice? Heavenly Father, Thank you for the men and women who will be sharing their wisdom through workshops at the conference. We pray even now as they prepare that You would guide them in what they …
Words, Words, Words
by Shirley E. Gould When I was in elementary school, I learned a saying… Sticks and stones may break my bones, But words will never harm me. This childhood saying was meant to encourage kids to not allow what other classmates say to hurt their feelings. But words do hurt! They stay in our memory and mold what we think …
ACFW Conference Prayer: The Worship Band (Day 35)
2018 ACFW Conference 40 Days of Prayer Day 35 – Topic: The praise band as they practice and lead worship Psalm 150:6–Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Lord, we thank You for those You have brought together to usher us into Your presence through music during the conference. We pray for health over each band …