Blog

The Four Key Questions

Posted by Timothy Burns on 1:13 pm in General | 1 comment

Getting your book in front of a traditional publisher’s editor requires mastering a document called a book proposal. A formal proposal presents an editor with essential information about your book, and does so in a concise manner. Imagine an editor’s office filled with projects, deadlines, books strewn about the floor. Each pile represents an author, book or potential project, and the editor also carries the responsibility of managing and generating corporate revenues. Meetings, phone calls, and deadlines define his or her day. Additionally, an editor has to react to authors who don’t meet deadlines, artists who don’t want their words changed, and a publishing board who, at the end of the day, has to justify decisions in terms of dollars and cents.

Into this well oiled, squeaky wheel-managed world you arrive, with little more than an idea and a spark of hope. If we were playing a childhood game of “Pick out which of the objects in the picture doesn’t belong” you just got circled with a bright red crayon. You are the foreigner in an editor’s world. Consequently, it’s your responsibility to learn to communicate and connect to an editor in the way he or she wants to receive information. This expectation gave birth to the book proposal, which is a five to six page document you must master if you expect to get an editors attention, and you have about two minutes. That’s all most editors will invest in a new proposal before moving onto the next.

While this may sound dire, you have one important fact on your side. You have something the editor wants. You have a new book, a fresh view of an old idea, or an experience that will encourage, inform and motivate the editor’s readers. You have a chip to play, and if played right it can turn into an offer for a book contract.

So here are a few pointers when you’re writing your book proposal.

• Read, reread and proofread your proposal numerous times. This is your one shot at making a first impression. Make sure you put your best foot forward.
• Search for a publisher that publishes the kind of books you are writing. A publisher known for novels isn’t interested in non-fiction, and vice versa. It’s your responsibility to know your market.
• You must answer these four questions:
• What is the book about, including the message and the take away value for the reader?
• Who is your target market; what other books are selling to this market, and why is your book different and better than you competition.
• Who are you, and why are you the perfect person to write this book. What about your experience, education, personal history makes you the person to write this book.
• As a writer, who is already listening to you, or what is your platform. Do you speak on the topic and have a blog with “XX” number of readers, a social media presence, etc. Platform translates into interested readers which becomes book sales for the publisher.

In the next few posts, I will break down these four questions, and fill in the content you need for your book proposal.

Finding the Right Publisher for your Book

Posted by Timothy Burns on 8:00 am in General | Comments Off on Finding the Right Publisher for your Book

Publishing houses are like books and authors. Not every book is for every reader. Authors become recognized for the work they produce. In the same way, every publisher has a specific audience, one that is demographically unique from the publisher across town. To use Seth Godin’s buzz term, they each have a unique tribe, and publishers take their tribe very seriously. At the forefront of an editor’s acquisition decision is a question as to whether or not their customers are likely to purchase “this kind” of book from them.

For example, you wouldn’t expect to see National Geographic publish the next Avant-garde novel. Tyndale House isn’t going to publish a weekend romance novel that made Harlequin Romance publishers famous. To do so would insult their tribe, which would result in immediate harm to their reputation and revenue.

So as a writer, it’s your responsibility to find a publisher that matches your book’s genre and message. Regardless of the type of book you’re writing, you will find a few publishers that specialize in your genre, and many that don’t. To find the right publisher, try this simple exercise.

• The next time you are at the mall, take some time in the local book store, and peruse the shelf where you want to see your book some day.
• Look at the existing inventory, and find out what publishers are printing the books that are similar to the one you’re writing.
• You now have a list of the publishers you will want to approach. Look these publishers up on the web, and take note of the other books they publish. Make sure you are targeting a publisher that is a “good fit” for your book.
• Now work at getting the publisher’s permission to send a proposal.

As we continue exploring the publishing process, you will find that writing your book is only 1/2 of the work. (some publishers say that writing is less than a third of an author’s work). While you are still crafting your book and polishing chapters, start looking for a publisher. You will find that you can approach publishers while you are still writing. You can often secure an invitation for a book proposal before you cross the last ‘T’ and dot the last ‘I’.

Letters to Ethan: A Grandfather’s Legacy

Posted by Timothy Burns on 1:29 am in Book Reviews, General | Comments Off on Letters to Ethan: A Grandfather’s Legacy

Getting Permission

Posted by Timothy Burns on 10:51 pm in General | Comments Off on Getting Permission

Getting permission to send an editor your book proposal is a “chicken and the egg” dilemma.  Most publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts or proposals – unsolicited being the key word. Yet publishers print and publish books every year. They have to be talking to someone, right? So as a new author, how do you get your proposal in front of an editor?

Assuming you don’t want to go to jail as a stalker because you follow an editor to his home, church and favorite grocery store, there are a few things you can do to connect with editors, and secure the coveted invitation to submit your proposal.

The most successful way meet an editor and pitch your project at a writers’ conference. Many national publishing houses fill 20 to 30 percent of their annual production calendar by connecting with authors at writer’s conferences. The advantages of attending a writers’ conference are too numerous to list, but here are a few as they relate to editors and book deals:

• If you set time aside, and paid to attend a writers’ conference, you’re saying to an editor that you are serious about your craft.
• At a writers’ conference, you meet and talk with editors personally. The publishing business is built on relationships. Face time with an editor allows him or her to meet you, the author behind the words.
• Many conferences invite editors for the purpose of meeting their conferees. Editors are in acquisition-mode while at a conference. This means you are connecting with them at a favorable time for both of you.

Most conferences provide only limited time and appointments with editors throughout the conference. If your target editor’s dance card fills up before you secure an appointment, here’s another tip. You can often sit with an editor at lunch and dinner, and pitch your elevator speech then. I once pitched a book project while walking across campus between sessions to an editor I couldn’t meet with personally. While he turned me down, he gave me names and emails of two editors at other publishing houses across town, and allowed me to use his name when I contacted them.

Don’t let the “no unsolicited manuscripts” clause be an obstacle to your publishing goals. Invest in yourself, get to a writers conference, and find a way to connect with the editor you believe may be interested in your proposal.

Book Review – The Light under the House

Posted by Timothy Burns on 8:10 am in Book Reviews, General | Comments Off on Book Review – The Light under the House

Deliver Me from Evil

Posted by Timothy Burns on 9:37 pm in General | Comments Off on Deliver Me from Evil

How did you come up with the idea for Deliver Me From Evil and the Freedom series?

It actually came out of a phone conversation with Andrea Mullins, the publisher at New Hope. We were discussing the Extreme Devotion series (about the persecuted Church), which I was still working on at the time, and we began to consider topics for a second series. Andrea was the one who suggested human trafficking, and it really struck a chord with me. The more I researched it and worked on the proposal, the more excited I became about joining forces with others working to abolish modern-day slavery, which is exactly what human trafficking is.

What was your favorite scene to write in Deliver Me From Evil?

This book/series has been the most difficult I’ve ever written, simply because the subject matter is so dark and heavy. More than once I had to walk away and clear my thoughts before moving on from one scene to another. But interspersed between the heartache and tragedy are several lighter scenes (written and incorporated into the book out of necessity), dealing with a pastor’s family and their Bible college-bound son who inadvertently discovers the human trafficking ring and becomes involved in the heroic and dramatic rescue attempt. Any scenes revolving around the absolutely functional and loving life of the Flannery family are my favorites.

What was the most difficult scene, and why?

There were many difficult scenes in this book due to the subject matter, but the hardest had to be when the main character, 18-year-old Mara, realizes that one of the younger girls is being tortured and killed in an effort to extract information and punish her. Though the actual violence is done offstage, Mara experiences each blow and muffled scream, as does the reader.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? If not, how did you catch the writing bug?

Oh yes, I never wanted to be anything else. From the time I discovered the power and allure of words, I was hooked! I was an avid reader before I started kindergarten. A short story I wrote in the third grade was turned into a play for the entire PTA, and I won all sorts of awards for poetry in high school. I even told my then boyfriend (now husband) Al when we were in our early teens that I was going to be a writer one day.

How do you go about writing your fiction books? Which comes first for you, plot, characters, and/or theme?

I usually get what I call “a niggling in my soul,” which eventually emerges into the very basic theme of the book. I hate outlining and writing proposals because I do NOT develop plots or even characters ahead of time. I start with a couple of main characters, a starting and ending point for my story, and just let the rest unfold as I go. I know. We’re not supposed to do it that way, but it works for me, and I so enjoy the surprises as the story develops and my characters take over. So much fun! So long as they don’t try to lead me away from my pre-determined ending. Then I have to reign them back in a bit.

How do you get your ideas for your books?

I have ideas coming out of my ears! I am a seriously addictive idea person. You want ideas? You can have my overflow! My challenge is to figure out which ones are worth pursuing. Not every cute or fun or even meaningful idea that pops into our head is meant to be a book. I pray, think, study, bounce them off people, etc., before committing to moving ahead with one of them. For the most part, however, nearly all my book ideas are, to one degree or another, born out of some moral or social issue that I care about.

How can we find out more about you, The Freedom Series, and other books you are writing?

Please visit my website at KathiMacias.com.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (ChristianSpeakersServices.com).

The Oxbow Report by Mike Purington

Posted by Timothy Burns on 10:35 pm in General | Comments Off on The Oxbow Report by Mike Purington

As an author of one book and now with a second book coming out next year and four other manuscripts as you said waiting to see the light of day, what prompted you to start this project, and where can the reader get more information on the series? And I guess a follow up question would be, why do you think you’re qualified to write on such a controversial subject and to undertake such a project?

For information on “The Oxbow Report” and the series they can visit my website at mikepurington.com. To answer the rest of your question, I think a little background on me would probably help.

From the time I was old enough to read, books became a way of life. I grew up in northern Minnesota, and at that time we had no television or radio, so reading was the only outlet we had. My grandmother who raised me was a huge fan of Zane Grey so I started out reading westerns. From Zane Grey I went to reading books by Louis L’amour. At some point I came across the comic strip Buck Rogers and then found a copy of “Armageddon 2419 AD.,” and its sequel, “Airlords of Han,” by Philip Francis Nolan and became hooked on science fiction. As a side note, a lot of my report cards from school had the following comment, ‘if mike would get his nose out of his books long enough to listen he would be a good student.’ So reading came early for me. Later on I discovered H. G. Wells and started reading some of his novels. Some of his books are among the classics of science-fiction, like, “The Time Machine”, “The Invisible Man”, and “The War of the Worlds”. I think it was his writing that influenced me that while still in high school I wrote my first very bad novel, but I think that’s where my love for writing really started. Later on I read George Orwell’s, “Nineteen-Eighty-Four” and “Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World”,  “A Space Odyssey” by Arthur C. Clark, and later “Battlefield Earth”  by L. Ron Hubbard, just to name a few.

In 1966 came Star Trek, and the list goes on. In all of these sci-fi thrillers evolution is talked about as fact and not what it really is, a theory. I was fortunate in that while reading fantasy I had a Christian Mother and Grandmother that taught me the difference between fantasy, reality and the scriptures. They soon realized that what I was reading could not corrupt me any more than television, hence shortly after leaving the country life and moving into town my mother bought our first television and we entered the age of electronics. That teaching is not happening to day, and that’s one of the reasons for the writing of these novels. Science fiction for me was just an updated western, good guys against the bad guys, cowboys against the Indians, thus I became a John Wayne fan. Today the lines of science, religion, and fantasy are blurred as in the case of the religion of Scientology. With all that being said, it brings us to the answer to the question. For years I had looked and asked the question, why someone doesn’t write a good book in the form of a novel that would use the argument of evolution verses creation as the background for the novel. I had just finished reading the first “Left Behind” book by Jerry Jenkins when the thought struck me. Why don’t you do it? And I did. After eleven years of part time writing the first book hit the stores.

I guess this is a twofold question. Are you writing a series where one book builds on another or just a series of Christian science fiction novels, and if you are what do you hope to accomplish?

For me that question could take a whole book, but I’ll try to answer it in a couple of paragraphs. Mark 16:15 says, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel.’ In some translations it says ‘in your going.’ So I think a better question would be, how does this book or a series of books differ from typical creation and evolution books?  Let me answer the question in reverse. There are many Christians who really haven’t given this subject serious thought and accept what is being taught through a theory called theistic evolution, or the blending of science and religion to make scripture fit the science book rather than science fitting scripture. There are also the teachings of young and old earth creation who continue to fight over who’s right and who’s wrong. On the other hand there are those who believe in Darwinian evolution and would not darken the door of a church, because to allow a deity into the evolutionary process, that deity could also show up in other areas, so the question is, how do you, ‘in your going’ let them know the truth? The problem as I see it, is a lot like Count Dracula. You kill him off in one movie and he comes back in another. We have a lot of groups with good intentions, each of these groups are trying to drive the proverbial stake through the heart of evolution. But evolution like Dracula will always be around, so what is the answer? I’ve, as well as those who are hard core Darwinian disciples  And the answer is in a book, or a series of books that allows the characters in the story to discuss points of view and the arguments of the day without the reader going on the defensive, and at the same time giving the reader enough good stuff to read and puzzles to figure out that even when they disagree with the theology of the book they will like the substance and continue to read to find out what happens in end. So, to answer your question, it is Christian, and it does include futuristic technology, so in a sense you could call it science fiction. But it also includes the mystery of where did we come from? There are puzzles that need to be solved, and relationships that include people falling in love. An yes it is a series where one book builds off the previous one. My goal is to write a series of books that people will enjoy, and like one person said in their endorsement, “Mike Purington has brought to his readers a gripping novel. The excitement grabs you from the first chapter; the events keep you turning the pages and the characters keep you enthralled in the plot. You will find yourself living between the lines of the text as you identify with the characters.” But the goal is also to build the kingdom. For throughout the story ground is plowed up and seed is planted. And in time I or others may plant, water, and  harvest. In the end the goal is to place enough doubt in the mind of the reader that they may check the facts for themselves rather than relying on those who teach a theory based on an assumption.

Can you give us an idea of where the series is going and some of the subject mater?

I can give you the lead-in as found on the website. A 100 years ago the greatest mystery was about to unfold, M-Theory was being discussed, reality … well it just may be an illusion … and parallel universes were possible. In 2040 Oxbow had been discovered and string theory had now become reality. One of the questions confronting science and the Challenger Crew was, which reality were they in? Discover how choices made by the Challenger crew and those they come in contact with not only effect the present, but the past and the future. Can choices made alter not only the present, but the future and the past? Can a statement alter reality?

Find out along with the crew of Challenger as they try to unravel the mystery of oxbow. What does it mean, does the ancient language that oxbow was translated from hold the secrets of creation, will they finally answer the age old question that all have asked? Did we evolve or were we created? Are the ancient scriptures valid in the creation account, or are we just a product of random selection as Darwin suggested? Did the ancients actually know the secrets of creation, or were they lost in time and if so which time? Do the scriptures reference the original creation or was man created in a re-creation? Are the secrets to creation hidden away just waiting to be re-discovered? Are we just the product of an elaborate hoax, or is God who he said is and was? For Paul La Baugh, a seeker of truth and a believer in the scriptures, and now assigned to the Challenger as counselor to the Captain he must use his knowledge of scripture to help solve the puzzle of Oxbow.

At book signings and other events one of the most common questions asked, was one that I covered earlier. How does this book or series differ from typical creation and evolution books? The answer is the series explores the question “what if” through its characters.

• What if religion is just that…a way for man to explain what he does not understand?
• What if evolution happened as many scientists believe?
• What if we are the product of alien intervention?
• What if the Bible is indeed true and God does exist?
• What if man was created by God and through free will or the right to choose man denies God to the point God honors their decision and ceases to exist?
• If indeed God did create and God ceases to exist what happens to the universe He created?
• Does this all take place in reality, or does man move from reality to an alternate reality where what man speaks becomes reality?
• Does all this take place in our universe or in a parallel universe?
• And the ultimate question, if man has moved from reality to an alternate reality or a parallel universe how does he get back to the reality he left?

These questions and more confront the crew of Challenger as they seek to understand and resolve the mystery of Oxbow.

Now that we have covered the book and the series to come, can we get to know a little bit about the author?

As a professional for many years in the technology sector, I have tried to use my ability to make the complex uncomplicated and to create a futuristic technology understandable to my readers. Fifteen years of research and writing allowed me to bring “The Oxbow Report” the first in the series to be published in 2006. It is now 2011 and we are reintroducing the book along with book two “Two Dimensional Man” that should be out sometime early summer of 2012. The series “The curse of the serpent” deals with a subject we are all familiar with. As we are all aware the Evolution vs. Creationism debate has been and will always be in the forefront of discussion.

I was born and grew up for the most part in Northern Minnesota. I spent three years in the military working on the army’s largest nuclear weapon, the Pershing Missile System. After college I spent 17 years in the computer industry working on large computer systems and 17 years working in the medical field on chemistry and hematology instruments. There was a lot of travel and a lot of time spent away from home. It was during that time that the story started to germinate. I retired in 2005 due to a company reorganization and the first book, “The Oxbow Report” was published in 2006. I have a daughter who just finished college and am married to my beautiful wife of 32 years. I enjoy fishing the East Texas lakes and I look forward to deer season every year.

Where can my blog readers find out more about this blog tour and free copies of this book?

For more opportunities for a FREE copy of The Oxbow Report, please follow this CSS Virtual Book Tour on Twitter (@Christianspkrs) or Facebook.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speaker Services (www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com).

Christian Publishing University – Educating and Equipping for a Higher Purpose

Posted by Timothy Burns on 12:26 pm in General | Comments Off on Christian Publishing University – Educating and Equipping for a Higher Purpose

Welcome to The Online University for Christian writers. The New Christian Publishing University contains all the information writers need to engage the publishing process, and move their manuscript off their desk and into the market place.  For less than one cup of Starbucks coffee a month, writers can get involved and educated through the new Christian Publishing University. Check it out.

Christian Publishing University

Word Weavers West Michigan

Posted by Timothy Burns on 4:48 pm in General | 1 comment

As of spring 2011, the West Michigan Fellowship of Christian Writers became Word Weavers West Michigan. We are pleased to be members in Word Weavers International, a 15 year old organization committed to training talented Christian Writers.  As a group of writers, we work to raise up and release talented Christian writers who will influence the culture and the country with their words.

Word Weavers West Michigan is committed to providing the Three C’s that every writer needs to become a polished, professional, published author.

• Conferences: As a Word Weavers member, writes have discounted access to writing conferences across the country.
• Critiques: Members can bring samples of thier work to each meeting, and receive critical, yet compassionate input on their writing. Word Weavers West Michigan meets twice every month and provides in-depth critiques of your latest work, and to train you how to read and write with a more critical eye.
• Community: By connecting with a Word Weaver chapter, writers are inspired, equipped, encouraged and trained to raise the quality of their writing from average to excellent.

Find out more about Word Weavers West Michigan can be found on Meetup.com here.

Writer and Speaker Timothy Burns

Posted by Timothy Burns on 10:57 pm in General | Comments Off on Writer and Speaker Timothy Burns

Timothy Burns lives and breathes America’s Heartland. He writes to influence personal faith and national culture from a socially, politically, and religiously conservative point of view. “Growing up, I felt about the same about God as does today’s postmodern culture. God was irrelevant, outdated and unnecessary in modern context”

Today, as an inspirational speaker and writer, Timothy brings a fresh look at traditional Christian life, and a genuine passion for connecting God’s Word to 21st century living. Fundamentally conservative in his theology and a master storyteller in his delivery, Genuine and transparent, he connects emotionally with his audiences and creates the expectation of a transformational experience.

When writing, his topics span from Christian living & apologetics, to conservative politics & leadership. One of Timothy’s favorite topics is the hidden benefits that arise from difficulty. One of Tim’s favorite writers put it this way.

“Sometimes it takes pain to connect my head to my heart” Glenn Kaiser

In addition to his first book, Forged in the Fire, Timothy has self published a non-fiction compilation book Your Exceptional Life Begins Now. He’s contributed to half a dozen nationally published books in the past few years, and has written for business and academic customers on 3 continents. He’s written over 800 ‘How To’ articles for writers and web sites, and speaks regularly at professional and personal development conferences.