Retreat Tactics

May 5-7 was the Omega Toowoomba Chapter 2017 writers’ retreat, and what an amazing time it was. Yes, you heard right. A retreat. To write. ALL weekend. (I can detect some green vibes out there.)

For non-writers, an all-weekend writing retreat might sound somewhat indulgent. For we writers, it might seem a lot of work to organise, a little craziness shoving that many focussed creative folk into one facility, and a great deal of travelling effort, depending on your locale. But what does one actually do at a writing retreat? Isn’t it just like a mini-conference?

Well, I’m pleased you asked … 😊

Yes, we all gathered, were fed (without having to cook, yay!), wrote, and lapped up inspiring and insightful words from our guest speakers, Deb Porter (Breath of Fresh Air Press) and inspirational author, Mary Hawkins. On Saturday, we welcomed our day attendees, and later, held contemplative conversation around the fireplace. Sunday saw opportunity for powerful collective worship and prayer over our writing projects. But the thing that stands out to me most, is how different the writing-retreat experience is for each attendee.

For me, I loved the common themes unfolding through each session, whether focussed on the spiritual or practical tips in writing and publishing—and, of course, the collective support and encouragement of so many writers gathered in one place.

Here are some ‘retreat reflections’ by other attendees:

I didn’t expect to write, but fulfilled my priority to retreat—but that’s my stage of the writing journey. I’ve said many times that deepening friendships of this smaller group sustains me more than a full-on conference.

~Ruth Bonetti, author, performance coach, professional musician, teacher

[M]y favourite part was sitting on the deck in the sun drinking coffee and eating toast as we read the word individuality yet together. Or it could have been that feeling of family fun and support. Or the high drama of building fires. Or the fact my phone was off the grid. Writing? Was it about writing? Did someone say writing?

~Jo Wanmer, author, preacher, pastor, grandmother, bookkeeper

I really loved my publisher appointment with Deb Porter. I’d been struggling with plot problems in my novel for about eight months and it just wasn’t working. Talking through some of those issues with Deb really brought clarity. It was hard at first to realise that I would have to undo some of those scenes, but by the end of the weekend, I felt as if a load had lifted. Yes, I have a lot of work to do, but I now have a plan and know what’s needed.  If you ever have the chance to do a publisher appointment, go for it. You’ve got nothing to lose except those rascally story problems.

~Nola Passmore, editor (The Write Flourish), psychology academic, all-round nice girl and liberated writer

It was a great time of fellowship and encouragement. I left refreshed and recharged.

~Deb Porter, presenter, publisher (Breath of Fresh Air Press), editor and writer

The workshops inspired me to create stronger content and avoid lazy writing. I was encouraged to hear about the different ways to publish a book too. Probably my favourite aspect of the retreat was the fellowship of other like minds. It's such a treat to be around other writers and bounce ideas off each other and actually have time to sit and create. It was awesome! ~Charis Joy Jackson, missionary, author, actor, filmmaker

The best part was getting the drop on the news that the trilogy Integrate, Replicate, Activate might be moving towards a fourth book. ~Anne Hamilton, author, mathematician, editor, speaker

Having deep conversations with other writers about writing, soaking up the natural beauty that surrounded us, having time to write and being inspired to write, and joining together in worship and prayer, praying for each other’s writing journeys—and seeing that previous year’s prayers had been answered.

~Jeanette O’Hagan, writer, reviewer, editor, doctor, theologian and master of a heap of other things

Thanks fellow “retreatees”. I’ll close on a final thought that, amidst all the elements of the retreat, sums up the ultimate focus for such a weekend …

Adele Jones is an award-winning Queensland author. She writes young adult and historical novels, poems, inspirational non-fiction and fictional short works, along with juggling family responsibilities and a ‘real job’ in the field of science. Her first YA novel Integrate was awarded the 2013 CALEB Prize for unpublished manuscript. Her writing explores issues of social justice, humanity, faith, natural beauty and meaning in life’s journey, and as a speaker she seeks to present a practical and encouraging message by drawing on these themes. For more visit www.adelejonesauthor.com or contact@adelejonesauthor.com

The Unpredictable Evolution Of A New Adult Colouring Book

Sometimes when we inquire of the Lord; He gives the most unexpected answers. I always find it is a good idea to listen, no matter how strange it may seem at the time. Recently, I questioned if He wanted me to continue in publishing.  I was financially stretched and it was demanding too much time from my family. I was in conflict. I knew He had initially called me to it, but the expenses outweighed the meager returns and I was tired. Should I continue? I knew I was touching lives with existing books but it was the 11th hour in practical terms. I hoped God would unveil new secure work opportunities and continue to use the existing books. What I heard was strange.

He told me to play; adopt the idea of creative exploration with no itinerary for a season. I had a sense that I may not earn anything for a time - to let go and trust. You’d think exploring creativity more freely would have been music to my ears, but I was disillusioned by the result of my efforts. Never the less, C’est la vie - I began to celebrate His instruction, decline most invitations for work and began to play.

Knowing what gives us joy

I experienced a relief as the demand lifted and began to get excited. A few things animated me; patterns, sketching in ink, hand lettering and typography. I challenged myself and questioned why I hadn’t adopted it before now. Around the same time I began sharing my illustrated church notes publicly. I was incredibly reluctantly at first but, it became easier as I saw God using my notes-powerfully! I began to combine all these areas in a daily indulgence of heavenly bliss!
A new illustration style blossomed, replicating elaborate line art suitable for adults colouring book illustrations. Friends began suggesting I make my work more accessible and to create a colouring book for adults.

I then realised what God was doing. His instruction lost some of its mystery. He loves to turn our passions into something special. He is also more interested in obedience than sacrifice. I couldn’t see a kingdom purpose but I could see a people purpose and that was enough for me. I also felt loved by His blessing my down time.

I began creating a colouring book as a collaborative experience. This colouring book would encourage others by combining affirming words and illustrations. Apart from scripture, these are the kind of words I incorporate into my life and enjoy blessing others with. The whole process was playful, exciting and invitational to everyone no matter what faith.

His way is the best and blessed way

Thankfully I have been blessed with pre-orders. I’m yet to see how successful the book will be financially but already seeing the joy it’s will bring others. The excitement from the community already has been electrifying. Should this be financial success I am planning eye surgery. I’m open to a miracle for my sight but if the funds become available through this book, it is laser surgery for me! Either way, metaphorically, it’s open my eyes to many lessons and blessings.

It’s my hope that the audience from this book draws more attention to other wonderful Christian books. It’s good for community to know Christians love creating books that build the health of our community and are not all are bible stories.

Positively Quote Colouring Book is unique. It is the first to be printed in beautiful sepia lines for an authentic artistic finish. The colouring book is A4 so illustrations can be inexpensively framed as gifts to encourage friends or displayed as reflections to encourage your own family. I pray it blesses you or a friend more now you know a little about the creation of it. More details here: http://kayleenwest.com.au/portfolio/shop/crafts-and-activities/positively-quote-colouring-book/

Kayleen West is a children's book Author and Illustrator from Victoria. 

Her picture books include Adoptive Father, Without Me?, Better Than A Superhero and Celia and Nonna

Her portfolio can be seen at: www.kayleenwest.com.au

Storytelling - an interview with Naomi Reed.

Naomi Reed is one of Australia's favourite writers and storytellers. With several award winning books and even more speaking appearances, it's sometimes hard to pin Naomi down for a chat. But I had the opportunity recently to ask her a few questions and, generous as always, she was eager to talk about her love of story! 

Penny Reeve: You’ve been writing for 8 years now, and one of the things I’ve often heard people say about you is that you are a ‘natural storyteller’. Do you believe storytelling came naturally for you? 

Naomi Reed: Well, that’s a difficult question to answer. For me, storytelling came out of desperation. We were living in Nepal, working with INF, and I was homeschooling our three boys – through our seventh monsoon and a civil war… so I started to write stories in an attempt not to go mad. And then I really enjoyed the process and I kept going. At the same time, people began to read my writing and they gave me a variety of feedback, some of it was good, some of it wasn’t. The tricky thing was that we were living on a rainy Himalayan ridge, with little internet access, or workshops to go to, so instead of googling the answers to my problems, I went hunting for second-hand books on writing, in book stores in Kathmandu. And then I kept practicing and noticing what worked and what didn’t work.

PR: So you sort of fell into it, and then realised you love it. Beautiful! I wonder if storytelling is something we all have the potential for, that it's an innate part of who we are in God's image? What do you think, can we all grow in our ability to communicate using story?

NR: Maybe the question is, do we really love telling stories? Do we delight in presenting God’s love and faithfulness in fresh and surprising ways? If we do, then we keep writing and we keep telling stories and we keep practicing because we can’t not do it. And then one day we wake up and remember that this natural thing that we do, is a gift from God himself, to be used for his glory, to be used wisely and well, in the place he’s allowed us to be. And then we want to improve even more!

PR: I've notice on your webpage that you're running several workshops titled: The Art of Storytelling. Is it your belief about storytelling that inspired you to present these workshops?

NR: Yes, I think storytelling is a wonderful means to present the gospel – to show people what it means to be known and forgiven and made right by a holy God – to show those truths with skin on. We all know that stories have the power to transport us, and delight us, and challenge us, and motivate us but they also connect us as human beings to each other and get beneath our defenses. Here we all are, in post-modern 2013, where it’s all about being real and vulnerable and connected, so we need to share our stories! And we need to do that as well as we possibly can – both the stories of God’s saving love for us and the stories of our ongoing human responses. Thirty years after reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, I can still ‘see’ her meeting the SS guard, years after the war. I can imagine her standing there, unable to hold out her hand, bitter and angry, yet praying. I can feel her hand by her side, but I can also feel God’s answer, his forgiveness, the love that comes from him. And thirty years later, after hearing hundreds of sermons on forgiveness, it’s Corrie’s story that moves me the most. It makes me realize that the world’s healing doesn't depend on my ability to dredge up nice-ness, but on God’s forgiveness through Jesus. My dream is that we all continue to tell stories like that, in ways that stay with people, that move them, that lead them into a deeper walk with God.   

PR: What do you believe writers can get from attending workshops on storytelling?

NR: Practice! There’s always more to learn about storytelling, and to put into practice. I think that the more we put pen to paper, or words in our mouths, and hear the way they come out, the more we improve. We may naturally have a sense of timing and pace and conflict and resolution, but it always helps to polish it or notice how these factors are at play in our work. It also helps to get feedback and listen to each other’s stories. In these day sessions, we’ll have time to do this. In the mornings, we’ll be learning how to craft and tell Bible stories, both in third-person and first-person, and then in the afternoons we’ll work on our own stories of faith. The exciting thing is that we now have bookings for six Storytelling days this year – Rooty Hill, Sylvania, Launceston, Central Coast, Melbourne and Tamworth. Wonderful!

PR: I agree. Thank you for your time, Naomi, and the inspiration you give us to keep writing and telling the stories of faith God has given us! But now, the big question... can you give us a hint at what you’re writing now?

NR: Yes, I can give you a very small hint. It’s got something to do with olives.  

PR: Hmm... sounds, tasty!  I'm looking forward to it. Will you hang around our blog for a few days in case people would like to ask you a question about storytelling and your workshops?

NR: I'd love to!

Penny Reeve is a children's author currently living in western Sydney. She became friends with Naomi Reed during the years they shared in Nepal (read Naomi's No Ordinary View and you might meet Penny's husband Richard desperately escaping a swarm of bees!).  

More information about Naomi Reed, her books and The Art of Storytelling workshops is available from her website. 

It only needs to be a small flame

We all know people who aren’t Christians who, at times when their lives are in danger or pain, or when they fear for the health of a loved one, or when they’ve reached the gutter of life, will pray to the God they’ve once heard of or once even known.

It makes me wonder… a person who doesn’t have a personal relationship with God must need more faith to pray that a born-again Christian who walks with God every day. These people pray with no assurance, just blind amazing faith.

It got me thinking that it would be amazing if every Christian writer could write one book for this market; a book that could stand alone on a bookshelf in a regular bookshop; a book that could tell a secular story that is so clever and so attractive to those without faith that it would light a very small candle at the base of the cross and lead the reader to gaze in awe at the rough texture of the wood that’s visible behind the candle then peer up into the charcoal sky to search for the outline of the body of the man who was flesh but was also the Son of God. And if our book could tweak a subconscious desire in them to open a Bible, even if the reader has to go to a library to find one, if our book can cause our reader to seek out our God, what a miracle we have been a part of!

But how to write a book that sparks this interest without preaching at the reader, whether adult or child?

Perhaps you’ve read a regular book that got you fascinated in something new: a novel about a country you’ve never been to that sparked the thought in you ‘I have to go and see that’, or a sci-fi novel that suddenly makes you want to Google how many moons Jupiter actually has.

It only needs to be a paragraph, a sentence or a word that lights the taper. But when it’s lit, and if the writing is done well, the curiosity in the person’s mind and heart won’t be quenched. They will seek God.

Here’s an example of what I’d like to achieve. JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series. I know many Christians are against these stories, but I hope you’ll understand where I’m going with this. Go for a walk along the shop or library shelves near the Harry Potter books. Alongside are copycat, fantasy novels about wizards. But there are books and gimmick packs about wizardry. And this is the point – Rowling wrote a story about an orphaned boy and the story is about the unfair things that happen to him and his fight for survival, with a backdrop of wizardry… and, today, kids everywhere are curious about wizardry. They dress like Harry or one of the other characters, buy the toys and read the spell-books.

We have the power of our creator. We are made in His image and He has given each of us a gift to be used for His glory. We use this gift to edify and entertain the people of God, and, wisely like we are treading on eggshells, we can use it to reach out to the lost. Our writing can lead people to buy into our God, to read His word and to seek truth. Our readers may seek out other books by the author they just read, or they may seek a church or a Christian friend. But we have the gift to light the taper that will lead our readers to begin their search.

www.jackierandall.com

Your Words are Powerful

I'm sure you are familiar with the beginning  of John's gospel.
'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...Through Him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ 
Would you allow me to interpret the beginning of the Bible in light of this scripture? 
'In the beginning The Word created the heavens and earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep...and the Word said, "Let there be light!'


As authors it is imperative we understand the incredible power of words. Four words ignited the creation of the world. Four words turned 'formless and empty' into the beginning of the world as we know it. A few more well chosen sentences formed the sun, moon and stars, land, oceans, wild life and plant life. 
'But,' I hear you argue, 'Those words were uttered by the Almighty God. They carried His power and authority.'
I agree. But look at what comes next!
God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..."
We are created in God’s image. Everyone of us is just like Him. We are spiritual beings, placed within a body meticulously crafted from the ground. 
Therefore, by definition, we are creative. But as I'm talking to a bunch of authors. You know you're creative. You can feel that blood flowing through your veins.
You are born with the ability to create your world using your words - just like your heavenly Daddy. As believers we carry the same power that God used when he raised Jesus from the dead. (Eph 1:19-20) This is why Jesus expected His disciples to speak to the storm, to multiply the loaves and fish, to command demons to leave.
The truth is we do create our world with our words. The question is, what type of worlds are we creating? Are they hopeful or fearful, positive or negative,  rich or poor...
Do we declare faith over our circumstances, or do we agree with the circumstances? 
As I preached about this subject a few months ago, a lady sat weeping throughout the message. She told me after the service that her unborn grandchild had been diagnosed with severe brain deformities a few days earlier. She went home with a determination to create her world. For the rest of the day she spoke life, health and wholeness into that child. She claimed her authority from Ephesians 1. The next morning she continued her verbal assault on the heavens. That afternoon, she received a phone call. Further tests showed the child to be completely normal.  A few weeks ago, he was born whole and healthy. She changed that little boy's life by the power of her words!
As authors, we are word-smiths. We hold within our fingers the greatest power on earth. We craft ideas that others grasp. When those words come out of their mouths, they create their worlds! 
What an incredible privilege! What a great responsibility!
Will we stuff up? You mightn't, but I sure do! Then I use the power of my speech to seek His extravagant forgiveness and ask Him for the words to put things right. 


Jo Wanmer is excitedly awaiting the arrival of her first book, 'Though the Bud be Bruised.' It will be released by Even Before Publishing on 1st June. Her hope is for the words in this book to bring life and hope to hundreds of readers.

The local bookstore versus the world

I just spent a couple days at a tradefair for the Christian Booksellers Association of Australia. It was a good time, but a lot of work as always. I am challenged whenever at these events by the plight of the small bookstores and the plight of the big stores.

Most Christian bookstores exist for multiple reasons, not just for the sale of books and gifts. Many exist to provide volunteers an opportunity to talk to strangers about God, pray with people, donate or give to people time or resources for their development and so on. As such the Christian bookstores are on the frontline for ministry in Australia, yet they are struggling. Why are they struggling? We all know - don't we?

First people are buying their books from overseas. Now I don't think there is anything wrong with this, lets face it we all want to save a dollar. But what does saving a dollar really mean? Could it be worth sending that little bit extra to help support your local store? Most of the local little stores are working for the people and set up primiarly to be a place where they can help the community. Many churches have little bookstores that are open at least a couple days a week, but there are also some churches that don't even open through the week. Where do people go if they want some support? Perhaps they don't anymore ... I am not sure, but I do believe the bookstores can fill this gap if we help support them to. So spend $20 on a novel by Paula Vince at your local bookstore instead of buying it for $14-$15 from overseas. Yes some of those overseas places are cheaper, but then you can even give it a flick and feel the book. Also see it as a ministry. By supporting your local store it keeps them there ...

Secondly we are buying our books in digital formats. Ok so this might be where it is necessary for bookstores to go e too. The major bookstores are selling ebooks online now and you can download their apps to make it easier, so do give it a go! But then with never going to a bookstore you will never get to see some of the new stuff they have.

Thirdly a spiritual battle... see Jo Wanmer's post from a few days ago....

One of the issue for Aussie Christian authors is that who is going to search for our books online if we don't know we exist? Who is going to be there for us? If the smaller bookstores take on our titles and then have them sitting there when your readers visit the store they will find them! So we need the stores even to get our names out there and then perhaps still sell more digital editions as well.

So what do I suggest? Do a bit of both, support your local small store, support your local big store, buy online and write reviews (yes almost all the major places have review writing options so write them up there so they might be seen and sell more - supporting one another...) and buy your digital editions. Do a bit of all of it! :) Christian writers should be reading each other and working together. I know many of you are and well done! Keep it up :)

PS many of the smaller stores sell more non-fiction than fiction. Challenge - go and get an Aussie fiction book from your local store and rave about it to them. They may not have even read it and don't know it is sitting there. Tell them you loved it and then they might promote it too! A great trick and hopefully it will help encourage them and be inspired too.

Behind the Words on a Page

Would-be writers are told ‘write what you know. Write what you like to read the most!’
Great advice. As I reflected upon it however, I felt short-changed.

I know a lot of things to varying degrees. Life has given me some interesting experiences. When wrapped up in God’s grace and intervention there is some story telling merit to be found in them.

When I first began to write I had some hard lessons to learn! I liked to read westerns and war stories. Could I write them? No! I hadn’t experienced what I like to read. That was depressive.

Life took a dramatic turn when the Lord Jesus stepped on my toes and my heart opened to His presence. I loved His Word. Now, I’m far from being a scholar or theologian but I wanted to share my Lord and His teachings. But how? Not being a novelist and being ignorant of Point of View and unimaginative in dialogue there was no best seller poised on my fingertips. Various devotional books, such as ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers arrested my attention. ‘I’ll write one of those’, I said to myself. Ha!

I had words and I had a pen. That’s a dangerous combination. However as I tried to bring construction out of chaos the finished work was lifeless. In the pleasure of God He had to take me from theory to knowing by experiencing what I would develop through words. Combined with experience, the Lord wove into my heart the missing ingredient called passion. Much to my frustration this took time. But it was essential if ever I was to have something worthwhile to say. Without passion any writing will not live, faith will remain a theory and love will be but an illusion.

I write what I know. It has taken years of being shaped, crushed, rebuilt, pruned and stored before finding expression in print. I’m not young anymore and how many words will flow only the Lord knows. Still, without His taking me through the school of life’s experience and teaching me from the wisdom of others how to write, my desire would have simply expired in the mire of incompetence.

Allow me to close with the following poem. I think it will clarify what I’m trying to say.

I Wanted to Write

I wanted to write
A poem on love
Burning with desire!
It was so calculated
With words evaluated
For rhythm and rhyme
But,
Something amiss
Romance asleep
It was simply still life.

Then,
You came into my life!

I now had to write
My poem of love
For my heart burned
With a love unearned!
Words glowed on pages
Blazed through the ages!
Now,
Writing on fire
Romance alive
It was passionate life!

For,
You are now in my life.

Raymond N. Hawkins 23/1/2012.

Ray is the author of ‘The Neurotic Rooster’ devotions from three short term mission trips to Africa. (Self published). Then through ‘Even Before Publishing’ he has had ‘Children – God’s Special Interest’ and ‘From Eden with Love’ (the Biblical teaching on Marriage) available in Christian bookshops and on ‘Kindle.’

Ray is married to Mary, a multi-published Inspirational Romance author.

Aussie authors writing Aussie books for Aussie readers

As Australian readers we have fed ourselves on a basic diet of US literature, with an occasional book from somewhere else as a side dish. With the advent of Word Writers Fair, CWD and other writer networking events, we have now feasted on Australian books. That is, we, the passionate writers, have. Most of Australian Christians don't know we even exist.

As a reader I seek a good strong story. I'm choosy about what I read. I was an Aussie who mostly read books from well known Americans, because I could choose an author I was confident about. 

About a year ago, I realised that if I want my book to be read, I better see what is out there in the Australian market. Not all books are my chosen genre, but I've discovered many really good reads.  I've also read some that have made me cringe because they aren't well written or edited. So how do we lift the profile of Australian Christian Authors?

Many of you are working very hard on building an on-line presence, finding speaking engagements and signing books. All this is making a difference. And together we are encouraging each other to polish our work to very high standards.

This is good, but have we really assessed the battle we fight. Have we identified the enemy? Are we fighting American authors, Australian apathy and ignorance or the difficulty to penetrate the larger book stores? 

Is the problem with our stories or the standard of our writing? Is it our publishers  or editors? Or is there a bigger enemy?

Aussie authors have an important story to tell. God is planting within us a new level of revelation. We are on the cusp of the move of the Holy Spirit that was prophesied over Australasia, firstly by the early explorers and then by prophetic voices a hundred years ago. God needs skilled writers Downunder! Writers able to present His message to the rest of the world. He needs good publishers, thorough editors, and brilliant illustrators. He needs you.

So what is the enemy? Or who is our enemy? I believe our struggle is not against flesh and blood (or mindsets and prejudices), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph 6:12)

It is logical when you think about it. Why would our enemy sit on his hands and let us build our profile unhindered. So look around your life. Can you see the dirty paw prints of an accuser, a liar, a thief anywhere? Has he planted a hand grenade of hopelessness, or discouragement in your family or business – or in your heart? Has he discredited you in the industry?

How, then, do we fight the hidden guerrilla warfare that Satan delights in? I know you guys follow these principles, but allow me to list them.

·        Believe that Jesus paid for all our mistakes, imperfections etc

·        Remove all unforgiveness

·        Confess all sin aloud so the enemy can’t use it against you

·        Worship & read the Word

·        Practice the presence of God

·        Pray.

Then get out your big bazooka and blast the enemy off your playing field. The Lord taught me to do this, once again using Ephesians. This is the way I pray.

I ask that the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which he has called me, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  and his incomparably great power for me because I believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Because of that power within me, I negate the work of Satan in my life, the life of my family, my business and my book. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Hallelujah!

(Eph 1:17-32, Isaiah 54: 17, Phil 3:13)

Maybe you would like to join me in making a way in the Spirit for the Christian book industry in Australia. Pray aloud and pray with passion. Let’s turn the tables and become hidden soldiers scattered around this country, pushing back enemy strongholds and releasing the good news of Jesus!

Jo Wanmer is excitedly awaiting the June release of her first book, 'Though the Bud be Bruised'. She is a passionate speaker and is available to speak in any state on topics such as 'How to protect your child from sexual abuse' 'You can create your world', 'Victory over darkness', 'Should we forgive the unforgivable.' Jo can be contacted on jowanmer@gmail.com or on Facebook. 

Why? A journey to publishing

People often ask me why I started a Christian publishing house. So since this is my first blog post (ever by the way, I haven't blogged before) I thought I might share that ...

 

I am a would-be writer! How many of us are out there in Australia - 1000s. How many in the Christian market - heaps... and we would all love to get published... right? Well I was one of them, still am some days, but then I discovered ...

 

... there weren't that many places to "get" published and self-publishing was expensive and tough marketing it on your own.

 

So somehow I thought, hey I could help people get published and then it was like God said - try this. So I started Even Before Publishing, a traditional publishing house for Christian authors. After all why not? It wasn't so much of a journey or even a reason why, it just sort of happened. Interestingly though now I know why I did.

 

 Running a Christian publishing house has a lot of advantages:

 

• I get to read some great new manuscripts
• I get to work with and support new, aspiring and established authors
• The books we publish are often suitable for a range of markets and make great gifts for our friends and family... reaching more Aussie readers.
• It is a wonderful experience to get behind authors and get their inspiration to readers

Running a Christian publishing house has a lot of challenges:

 

•  I don't really enjoy saying no when authors submit, but sometimes we do have to, unfortunately there are a lot of manuscripts out there
• It is a changing industry, what is going to happen next? ebooks, digital printing and so on... this could also be an advantage, but there is lots to watch to see what to do next and what to focus on.
• Running a business has its own challenges and all Aussie authors are still working for real breakthrough in Australia.

So when asked why I started it, I guess my answer is "If God is for us who can be against us, so why not!?" And I have found I like publishing more than writing most days! It is a privilege to work with so many Aussie writers.

Awesome Aussie Authors

In around the year 2000, I remember searching through bookstores, complaining there wasn't enough Australian Christian fiction, particularly historical romance - my favourite genre. Sure, there were books set in Australia written by non-Australians, but I always found problems with them. For example: crocodiles were called alligators, cyclones were called hurricanes, Aussie terms used in the wrong context. It was enough to frustrate me.

That's when it struck me that I should attempt to write the kind of novel I was looking for. Until then I was muddling around with contemporary stories. So, I came up with an idea for a trilogy, set to work and quickly discovered a passion for historical writing. Incidentally, that first novel is finally coming into publication in November this year as Ellenvale Gold.

Since then, however, I have discovered several Christian Aussie writers, and the number has continued to grow. This year I am proud to say that half the books I have read this year have been written by Australian's. Not all of them were historicals, but I don't mind that. Soon enough there will be plenty to fill my whole year of reading I expect. I adore reading about my own country and my own culture and my own history and I'm sure many others do too.

I count it a privilege to be numbered amongst authors such as Meredith Resce, Mary Hawkins, Paula Vince, Carol Preston, Dorothy Adamek, Sandra Peut, Julianne Jones and Rita Stella Galieh, only to name some of them. There are still others I have not yet read.

If you have not read any of these authors' books, I would encourage you to look them up. Go into your local Christian bookstore and ask for them by name. There is a lot of Aussie talent out there and they are all worth supporting.

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Amanda Deed resides in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne where she fills her time with work, raising a family, church activities and writing historical romance novels. For more information, see:
http://www.amandadeed.com.au/
http://amanderings.wordpress.com/