Liz at Lutheran Geek writes movingly about her Lent spent in the NICU with her new son. Many blessings and prayers for all of you!
Sophia ponders one of the most common comments made to bereaved parents.
Also from Sophia, we have a post on Holy Week and one on preaching on the cross.
Good conversation has followed the latter, both in Sophia's comments and at Pastor Joelle's place.
Ruth at Work in Progress asks for our help! I'll let her tell the story: "I've submitted a novel, Take Wing, to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and it has advanced to the quarter-finals. That means that out of 10,000 entries, it is in the top 500, based on an excerpt (the first 10,000 words, or about 35 pages). Cool, right? Right now Publishers Weekly editors are reading all 500 manuscripts in their entirety, to winnow the 500 to 100....eventually the winner will get a book deal. Actually, last year’s contest (the first one) resulted in between 4 and 10 book deals, depending where you get your info. I think that Harper Collins editors also look at the top 100, later. The point is: this is an incredible opportunity to get in front of the “right” editor!
Here’s where you come in. All 500 novel excerpts are posted on the Amazon website, and anyone can download them, read them, and write and post a review. It’s easy to do, fun, and totally free. Don’t let the process make you nervous, there are no tricks.
Could you take the time to download my excerpt, read it, and write a review? Please? The deadline is Friday, April 10. If you have some particulary harsh criticism, that’s fine, but please leave those comments on my blog, rather than the Amazon site. I want to hear what you have to say, I just don’t want the judges to hear if you don’t find anything to like!
Here's the link to the free download!
Let us know what's going on with you this week...either post in the comments or point us to a blog post. And for future weeks, don't forget to send your nominations to wednesdayfestival@gmail.com.
MaryBeth, thanks so much for posting the link about the Amazon contest for me! I know folks are super-busy right now, but I'm so glad to put it in front of people, maybe they can ask their reader-husbands to do it! thanks again!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Ruth! That's awesome!!! :-D
ReplyDeleteI've been reflecting on the Stations of the Cross since last Sunday, taking one station each day on my blog. If anyone would like to see these reflections so far, you will find them here.
Peace!
Hedwyg
Ruth...WOW!!!!
ReplyDeleteI found a quote last night which has been attributed to Oscar Romero...but in fact is not. Pop on over here to check it out.
New poll in the Search the Sea sidebar . . . and trying to navigate Holy Week in this Desert Year (my other blog).
ReplyDeleteRuth and Y'All-- I love learning the writer's craft in the company of so many skilled and gifted mentors!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, whenever I can't make sense of the world, I go hunting for words that will open up another view or a more helpful perspective. Often the English language itself is unhelpful. Then I try "speaking in tongues"--writing and thinking with the help of a few foreign-language dictionaries.
So...if anyone wants to explore Holy Week themes in Lowland Scots, c'mon over here! (Don't worry, I include translations for the hard parts.)
Looking forward to reading the excerpt. Very exciting!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, for a little light reading today, feel free to stop by and check out the conversation with a (almost) 4 year old in the car last night.
A little sovereignty of God here, a little irresistable grace there. I've got a little Calvinst on my hands!
I've got a bunch of other Holy Week posts below that one (I've been post happy this week after quite a long dry spell) including some of my own struggles with cross/betrayal/atonement theologies. Feel free to check any of that out, too.
Congratulations, Ruth! I have a friend who submitted a novel too, so now I have TWO to read before April 10. YOW!
ReplyDeleteOne of my poems was just published in the spring edition of "Everyday Journal." This edition's topic is "Women in Theology." If you would care to take a look, see my blog entry here.
Did I mention that my novel is about a clergywoman? I should have mentioned that! Thanks everyone who even considered reading -- during such a busy time.
ReplyDeleteYay, Ruth! How exciting! Best wishes for authorly success!
ReplyDeleteYay, Ruth! How exciting! Best wishes for authorly success!
ReplyDeleteI'm blogging my way through Holy Week:
ReplyDeleteSome poetry on the lectionary readings, including: Love Like Mary
And here are the stations of the cross I put together for my seminary: Stations.
I'll have posts up about the whole experience of Holy Week at seminary here.