Book Writing Webinar, March 1 at 10 am ($45 per person)
Getting Important Book Reviews, March 10 at 7 pm ($27 per person)
Guide to Successful Book Signings, March 12 at 7 pm ($20 per person)
Book Writing Webinar, March 29 at 11 am ($45 per person)
My publisher, Living Waters Publishing Company, is sponsoring some very important webinars over the next few months. If you've wanted to write a book, or learn what to do with your published book, don't miss these webinars. Register now to reserve your spot. I will be there. Hope to see you too!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Clarification
Several people have requested that I remove my former post, but I respectfully refused. My blog is here to serve the writing, reading and publishing community, and for me to learn. As my grammie used to say, "T'is there anything more beautiful?"
Some of you have tried to post some very ugly things about the Garys, and you will notice that I denied the comment. The point I'm trying to make is that neither they or you have the right to bash people. Bashing creates a negative atmosphere. What you must understand is the more negativity is spread, where there may not have been a problem before, there becomes one. Any publisher is going to go out of business if they are consistently bashed and shredded over nonsense that the larger houses do all the time. So, in essence, your decision to try to warn people create what you are trying to warn them about. I'm hoping this makes sense.
On the reverse side, I'm glad that Lacresha has taken the high road, rarely speaking and only dealing with facts. She consistently been very magnanimous toward them. Of course, this is no admission or denial of any guilt on anyone's part. But, a lot has been done and said in the public arena, which was a mistake on the part of the Garys. I cannot take that back. Whatever may have happened behind the scenes, there has been much contradiction. People who are writing have legitimate concerns on why there has been a sudden attack against the company, with the exception of her association with Aidana WillowRaven.
In conclusion, I am going to support my publisher and my friend. After speaking with all the clients and freelancers that I have, I know for sure that they are doing something right. Like any other house, it's not perfect. But, unlike most publishers, they are the first to admit it. Please, no more bashing of the Garys, as per the request of Lacresha. She was careful to tell me that the only help she truly needs is prayer and fellowship. This is God's way, and I salute her for choosing to do it His way!
Some of you have tried to post some very ugly things about the Garys, and you will notice that I denied the comment. The point I'm trying to make is that neither they or you have the right to bash people. Bashing creates a negative atmosphere. What you must understand is the more negativity is spread, where there may not have been a problem before, there becomes one. Any publisher is going to go out of business if they are consistently bashed and shredded over nonsense that the larger houses do all the time. So, in essence, your decision to try to warn people create what you are trying to warn them about. I'm hoping this makes sense.
On the reverse side, I'm glad that Lacresha has taken the high road, rarely speaking and only dealing with facts. She consistently been very magnanimous toward them. Of course, this is no admission or denial of any guilt on anyone's part. But, a lot has been done and said in the public arena, which was a mistake on the part of the Garys. I cannot take that back. Whatever may have happened behind the scenes, there has been much contradiction. People who are writing have legitimate concerns on why there has been a sudden attack against the company, with the exception of her association with Aidana WillowRaven.
In conclusion, I am going to support my publisher and my friend. After speaking with all the clients and freelancers that I have, I know for sure that they are doing something right. Like any other house, it's not perfect. But, unlike most publishers, they are the first to admit it. Please, no more bashing of the Garys, as per the request of Lacresha. She was careful to tell me that the only help she truly needs is prayer and fellowship. This is God's way, and I salute her for choosing to do it His way!
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Whole Living Waters Publishing Company Situation
So, I'm being drug, kicking and screaming, hollering and crying, into the middle of this mess. People have been trying to contact me all day long. I've purposely ignored a particular few of them. Others are persistently badgering me.
I don't have a really close inside track when it comes to money in LWPC's accounts. I don't do that kind of work. To answer everyone's question, I got my pay fine. I've not had a problem for five weeks, and hope never to have a problem. However, Lacresha did contact Jennifer, Holly, Marie and I sometime last week or so. She said they'd had a major problem with money missing and two expensive phone bills, plus a rather large IRS payment. So, she said she would be slowing down the pace for a month or so. We didn't ask for the information.
Because we have become friends, and because I have a legal background and am married to an attorney, she's been forwarding me everything: IM converstions, meetings, receipts, a few other things. I volunteered my husband's services. So, over the past three days, we've received enough for us to know that the company is not in any immediate financial jeopardy. However, though I can comment further about Robert and Marisa Gary, I won't. But, I'm staying with LWPC and Lacresha because everything a person swears is true isn't always. She is very honest, and very straight-forward.
I know that someone has broken into her personal and business emails, locking her out. Circumstantial, maybe? Maybe. Then, we took the bait to look over what is being spread as truth, and let's just say that my husband is fired up and ready to go on several points. Some of you know my husband and he is one of the best. When he says there is a case, there is a case. Lacresha is our only hold up. So, I deal with character first, and she's honest, even when it hurts her. I deal with skill next. She is talented, full of vision and Christian zeal to help. She knows this business. I know a little myself and an amateur couldn't fool me. Finally, I deal with motives. She's not getting rich in this business, so it has to be the people.
Please stop bothering me with this. I'm with the company I trust and believe in. Anyone can say anything about people today and ruin a reputation it took years to build. But, I deal with facts. Neither I, Jennifer, Holly, Marie, nor has Jessica or Christine ever had problems cashing our checks, nor getting our Paypal money within a week's time. So, draw your own conclusions.
I don't have a really close inside track when it comes to money in LWPC's accounts. I don't do that kind of work. To answer everyone's question, I got my pay fine. I've not had a problem for five weeks, and hope never to have a problem. However, Lacresha did contact Jennifer, Holly, Marie and I sometime last week or so. She said they'd had a major problem with money missing and two expensive phone bills, plus a rather large IRS payment. So, she said she would be slowing down the pace for a month or so. We didn't ask for the information.
Because we have become friends, and because I have a legal background and am married to an attorney, she's been forwarding me everything: IM converstions, meetings, receipts, a few other things. I volunteered my husband's services. So, over the past three days, we've received enough for us to know that the company is not in any immediate financial jeopardy. However, though I can comment further about Robert and Marisa Gary, I won't. But, I'm staying with LWPC and Lacresha because everything a person swears is true isn't always. She is very honest, and very straight-forward.
I know that someone has broken into her personal and business emails, locking her out. Circumstantial, maybe? Maybe. Then, we took the bait to look over what is being spread as truth, and let's just say that my husband is fired up and ready to go on several points. Some of you know my husband and he is one of the best. When he says there is a case, there is a case. Lacresha is our only hold up. So, I deal with character first, and she's honest, even when it hurts her. I deal with skill next. She is talented, full of vision and Christian zeal to help. She knows this business. I know a little myself and an amateur couldn't fool me. Finally, I deal with motives. She's not getting rich in this business, so it has to be the people.
Please stop bothering me with this. I'm with the company I trust and believe in. Anyone can say anything about people today and ruin a reputation it took years to build. But, I deal with facts. Neither I, Jennifer, Holly, Marie, nor has Jessica or Christine ever had problems cashing our checks, nor getting our Paypal money within a week's time. So, draw your own conclusions.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Writers Write to Get Paid
I ran across a site a few weeks back that said writers write to get paid. This is not always the goal of writers though. Some write for the sake of spreading a message. Monetary benefit is a secondary benefit. Who am I talking about? I'm talking about those who write about things that affect nations of people. I'm talking about nonfiction and Christian literature.
I believe that writers need to always be honest with themselves. I write under 3 pseudonyms that I won't mention here. Still, my first 2 books were published by a vanity house. It wasn't until my third book that I was ready to pursue a relationship with a traditional, independent publisher. Now, with 4 books on the market, all under various names, I've worked my way up to getting advances and selling my writing. In fact, the latest manuscript I wrote was welcomed at Living Waters Publishing Company and I was awarded with a nice advance. However, this is going to be my second book with them. The first one, which I signed with them about two months ago, received a minimal 10% royalty rate. I got no advance.
My point is this: writers are being duped on two sides of the fence. On one side, there are greedy vanity presses who charge authors thousands of dollars without any measurable results for their books. On the other side, there are those authors who tell them that paying anyone to publish their books is ALWAYS a ripoff, that every publisher who accepts money is a scam or a fraud. There is a middle ground. There are publishers who can make life easier for those who have not honestly learned enough or don't have the capability to pursue Random, S&S, Zondervan and more.
Please look at my list of publishing houses that offer great services, even though they may actually charge you for those services. These are publishers who offer some marketing, editing, or other services. Don't allow someone who has a writing career already to stop you from pursuing yours the best way available to you!
I believe that writers need to always be honest with themselves. I write under 3 pseudonyms that I won't mention here. Still, my first 2 books were published by a vanity house. It wasn't until my third book that I was ready to pursue a relationship with a traditional, independent publisher. Now, with 4 books on the market, all under various names, I've worked my way up to getting advances and selling my writing. In fact, the latest manuscript I wrote was welcomed at Living Waters Publishing Company and I was awarded with a nice advance. However, this is going to be my second book with them. The first one, which I signed with them about two months ago, received a minimal 10% royalty rate. I got no advance.
My point is this: writers are being duped on two sides of the fence. On one side, there are greedy vanity presses who charge authors thousands of dollars without any measurable results for their books. On the other side, there are those authors who tell them that paying anyone to publish their books is ALWAYS a ripoff, that every publisher who accepts money is a scam or a fraud. There is a middle ground. There are publishers who can make life easier for those who have not honestly learned enough or don't have the capability to pursue Random, S&S, Zondervan and more.
Please look at my list of publishing houses that offer great services, even though they may actually charge you for those services. These are publishers who offer some marketing, editing, or other services. Don't allow someone who has a writing career already to stop you from pursuing yours the best way available to you!
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