Adoption

Shattered into Beautiful: Delivering the Brokenhearted from Abortion

Jeannie Smith

A non-fiction book of a woman’s journey through abortion recovery. Includes a personal testimony, insight into scripture, and shocking facts. Provides resources for spiritual healing, emotional encouragement and everlasting hope.

Your Sons O Zion

Theodorah Villion

Set in modern-day Israel, Your Sons, O Zion recounts the challenges and victories of young Jewish believers in Yeshua amid their army service and the Palestinian conflict.

Praying Through Your Adoption: A Complete Guide to Creating and Nurturing Today’s Forever Family

Michele Cervone Scott

Through real-life adoption stories, scriptures, and situation-specific prayers, an adoptive mother shares how families can walk by faith through the unique joys and challenges of an adoption journey.

Heart of a Birthmom: A Devotional Guide for Birthmothers

Terri Gake M.S

This devotional guide encourages women who have relinquished a child to adoption. The author — birthmom and family therapist Terri Gake — leads readers from placement to restoration while gently sharing her own story. It’s a great gift or ministry resource. Get a sneak peek at www.TerriGake.com.

Triumphing Over Adversity

Of course Celebrate Life embraces more than Right to Life and adoption. It’s a time to rejoice with everyone who has triumphed over adversity, stretched their faith and persevered to write it all down. You may find you are inspired in surprising ways! See what these communicators have to share:

A Little Child Shall Lead Them: The Story of Saving a Nation

Dr. Elizabeth Hynd

This is the story of New Hope Centre and the amazing children who live there. In a nation where AIDS has devastated the population, this is a home where children are trained to become the next leadership of Swaziland.

A Heart Like Mine: Finding God’s Will for Your Life

Cindy Scinto

Cindy Valenti-Scinto tells of her physical and spiritual journey with heart disease that led to a miraculous heart transplant. Whether you deal with illness, financial difficulties, or any type of heartbreak, Cindy’s incredible and triumphant story will change your own heart forever. http://www.cindyscinto.com

Miss Gloria: A Survivor of Terrorism

Ellen Bomer with Mary McNeil

Ellen Bomer emerged from the 1998 Al-Qaeda bombing of the US embassy in Kenya completely blind. Follow her long journey as she learns to overcome the obstacles and find joy along the way.

And He Will Lift You Up: A Message of Hope in Disability, Depression, or Fear

Zanina Jacinto

And He Will Lift You Up is a message that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with hopelessness and pain. It is the true story of a woman who lives with multiple disabilities, while raising a daughter with cerebral palsy. In her trials, God is her strength and her joy.

Beyond My Limits: Adventures with God on the Appalachian Trail

Charles Anderson

In 1992, Charles Anderson took his first of five million steps on a mission to share the gospel with fellow hikers along the famed Appalachian Trail. His story of determination and faith will inspire readers to answer God’s call to their mission in life—“beyond their limits.”

Post-Abortion

If you are interested in exploring more on the subject of the unborn, WinePress offers these compelling titles:

Never the Same

Gayle Everhart

An incredible story of God’s tender mercy and love as He takes a young woman’s post-abortion guilt and heartbreak and turns it into healing, joy, and a ministry for the unborn.

Into the Light: Rape, Abortion and the Truth That Set Me Free

Nicole W. Cooley

In the years after her rape and abortion, Nicole Cooley began the climb out of her life’s darkest pit. Learn how God turned her tragedies into triumphs and how she uses them to help hurting women.

Over Coffee (We Shared Our Secrets)

Julie Surface Johnson

In a post-abortion recovery support group, six women of varying ages find hope and healing as they share secrets surrounding their abortion decisions.

American Patriots in Prayer: The Rebirth of One Nation Under God

David Hamer

All Americans are in grave peril because our national sin of abortion has brought our country to the brink of destruction. David Hamer is urging all Christians in all denominations to unite in fervent corporate prayer to seek God for an American spiritual awakening.

Restoration

We have other uplifting titles that may spark your interest:

Bittersweet: The Restoration Continues

Gay Lewis

An eighteen-year-old, arriving at Bible school, discovers she’s pregnant. Then, twenty-five years after her adoption that “baby” reappears in the life of her mother, now with a husband and family. Bittersweet is a story of pain, despair, grace, forgiveness, and the miracle of restoration.

Exposed: Inexcusable Me…Irreplaceable Him

Shannon M. Deitz

This book offers faith-based encouragement for teenagers and adults who have suffered physical or emotional abuse. Through the extremely personal, no-holds-barred account of one woman’s journey down a self-destructive path, it addresses such issues as spiritual warfare, the need to be loved, and the need to relinquish control of one’s self to God.

The Gift of Scars

Melissa McCormick

Addressing issues of abuse, rejection, self-hatred, and guilt, The Gift of Scars explores the Father’s redeeming grace for those who fail to see their troubled pasts as treasures in the hands of an almighty God.

Apart from the new features, the Android-based, 7-inch tablet attempts to jump into the merging market between E-books and tablet computing. With rivals such as the iPad and various others, it will be interesting to see how Amazon’s latest release will effect the consumer interest in this ever-changing market. Beyond the black and white display of the previous Kindle, the Fire now features full color magazines, newspapers, movies, games, and other media.

What Does This Mean for Readers?

For those who enjoyed the portability and convenience of the previous Kindle, the Fire enables readers to experience full color, illustrated E-books in addition to the traditional black and white.

However, depending on your level of dedication to the “ink-feel” of your E-book device, the new features may also serve as drawbacks. The new screen does enable feature-rich, full-color books as well as TV, games, and music. But with a back-lit display, the fear is this will compromise the reading quality Kindle users have come to know and trust. With the focus of E-book readers drawing more into the entertainment and multimedia realm, the paperback may yet remain the top format for readers in the end.

What About Authors?

With the evolution or release of any E-book device, the temptation grows to create a quick PDF/E-book to stick on Amazon’s store. However, with the device incorporating more entertainment avenues such as games, movies, TV, and magazines—the need for a professional book stands at a higher level of importance than ever before.

What Do You Think?

As a reader, would the color display serve as a hindrance or help? As a writer or author, do you think new tablets help or hurt the goal of reaching readers? Feel free to leave a comment to let us know; we would love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

See complete list of stats and facts on Bowker.com

Further Study

Here’s a collection of additional resources and articles to learn more about the book publishing industry:

• A Simple Guide to Publishing Types
• Dangers of D.I.Y Series: 7 Reasons Not to Book Publish On Your Own
• Marketing Expectations: What Will a Royalty Publisher Do for Me?
• Before the Publisher: Finding the Right Agent
• The Authorprenuer
• Publish with Confidence: A Writer’s Checklist for Picking a Publisher

10 Tips for Successful Online Marketing

1. Observe: Take time to discover and understand what is going on and learn the best ways to participate. In order to do this you must first listen rather than immediately make your voice known.
2. Participate: Join the activity, contribute to the conversations, and offer useful insights from your experiences.
3. Contribute:  Your activities should be primarily sharing and less receiving.
4. Focus: Trying to do it all means that you will quickly burn out. Only take on as much as you can manage.
5. Talk: Start and add to conversations.
6. Be Real: Honesty is always the best policy. It is never a good idea to lie or exaggerate.
7. Don’t Sell: Social platforms are not the place to peddle.
8. Discuss: Be open to sharing your thoughts and point of view.
9. Affirm: Be positive. Negativity can get you into a lot of trouble.
10. Prioritize: Concentrate your efforts so that you don’t waste time.

Following these tips will help guide you through the basics of internet marketing and social networking.

What Do You Think?

Out of the tips shared here, which have worked for you? Do you have any which you could add? We would love to hear your feedback!

Within the last five to six years the book market has seen tremendous growth in the number of titles produced every year. This over-saturation of content is due to recent technology changes making it much simpler and faster for content to be produced. This has caused an influx in the book marketplace and book compete for exposure on the shelves. Furthermore, with the increase of content channels to readers are even more bias when selecting books.

Obtaining positive testimonials provides validation that the title is worth the time spent reading. Consumers consciously or subconsciously ask themselves, “What’s in it for me?” In other words, how will reading this book enrich, entertain, or better my life? Endorsements provide an upfront way to quickly answer this question. If a well-known person in your reader’s marketplace indicates that this book is good then it provides authority from a voice they know and trust. This elevates an obscure author’s status.

Tips for Acquiring Endorsements

• Ask. In order to obtain endorsements an author must request them.  It’s important to overcome the apprehension of inquiry. However, it’s natural to have a fear of rejection.It is a shame for an author to miss out on a positive endorsement because they did not ask.

• Target Key People. It’s recommended to build a list of 25 to 30 well-known people to the book’s core readership and an additional 20-30 target readers. Research the web and bookstores to find endorsers who have reviewed similar titles in the same category.  When requesting general readers to write a blurb, exchange a copy of the book once it is in print and ask them to write a review on Amazon.com. This is a convenient way for authors to collect ratings for their book. Amazon.com ratings greatly influence purchase decisions from that site.

• Craft a Good Letter. Influencers in the target market should be queried while the book is in production. Craft a to-the-point letter or emails that solicits their endorsement. Tell the endorser why they have been selected, describe the benefits of the book, and indicate how they can return their endorsement blurb. It is important that the letter is written clearly and the recipient understands the request. List the other endorsers you are inquiring as this may peak their interest to see their name next to another well-known.

• Write Your Own Endorsement. Offer to write a blurb on the endorsers behalf-this makes it easier for them to submit a testimonial. If you are mailing the request, provide an advance copy of the current manuscript. Make sure that it is clearly marked as a working copy. Email inquiries can be made prior to sending a digital version of the book.

• Publicize Endorsements. Blurbs should be used in various areas for marketing a book title. A positive review from a celebrity should be placed on the cover. Additional reviews can be placed inside the book in the front near the copyright page. Authors who have websites should have a testimonial page and frequently update it as they receive reviews. Be sure to use endorsements on advertisements and marketing materials.

Conclusion

Endorsements are powerful tools that provide positive bias in the minds of readers. They can also be a real confidence booster for authors looking to market their titles. Don’t neglect this important step in the publishing journey.

Download Free endorsement letter Microsoft Word template.

Book authors face unique problems regarding business expenses. The production of a book can involve research, travel, office and editing costs. An author may work on a book for years before receiving any income from their project.

Does this mean that they lose the tax expense deductions in the year they were incurred? No, if an author can show they attempted publish their book and make a profit on the sale of their book and their writing business these expenses are fully deductible.

Some things to do to show you are serious about making a profit on your book and as an author are the following:

• Write and submit articles to magazines and newspapers to build a name and reputation for yourself.
• Contact publishers and send queries.
• Contact agents and send queries.
• Participate and attend writers’ conferences.
• Become a freelance writer.

Before you begin writing off losses year after year keep in mind the “hobby loss rule.” The IRS presumes that an activity is part of a business f it makes a profit during at least three of the last five tax years, including the current year. If not the IRS will assume you have a hobby, an activity not engaged in for profit.

In order to make a determination whether you have a business or a hobby, consider answering this list of questions, directly from the IRS:

• Does the time and effort put into the activity indicate an intention to make a profit?
• Does the tax payer depend on income from the activity?
• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control or did they occur in the start-up phase of the business?
• Has the tax payer changed methods of operation to improve profitability?
• Does the taxpayer or his/her advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?
• Has the taxpayer made a profit in similar activities in the past?
• Does the activity make a profit in some years?

For more information about business expenses and the difference between a business and a hobby visit www.irs.gov and refer to IRS Publication 535, Business Expenses, or type in “hobby loss rule” in the IRS search bar.

On the surface, DRM seems like a good idea. After all, copyright holders don’t want people making illegal copies of their work. Studios and publishers don’t want to lose sales because someone gives a copy of a CD or book to all their friends. In many cases, DRM is well-intentioned and designed to stop people from morally questionable, or downright illegal, actions.

However, DRM is also incredibly annoying and inconvenient for law-abiding customers who pay fairly for their music or e-books. If you legally purchase some music, you should be able to listen to it where and when you choose, and on whatever device you choose. If you buy a DVD, you should be allowed to watch it on your DVD player or on your computer or on your cellphone. But DRM makes this either impossible or so complicated that it causes massive frustration.

There are many arguments on both sides of the DRM debate, but the most compelling one to apply to e-books is simply the real-world example of the music industry.

For years, the major record labels resisted even the idea of digital music files. Then people discovered that it was easy to create digital MP3 files from CDs – so, instead of lending a friend your CD, you could copy it to their computer and take your CD home again. The music companies lost a lot of money this way. So, eventually, they decided to release legal digital downloads of songs and albums – loaded with draconian DRM. The most popular outlet for this was Apple’s iTunes store. For six years, it sold music to customers and restricted them from listening to it on anything other than their computer or their iPod – and only after going through an “authorization” process for each device. This did almost nothing to stop music “piracy” – mainly because, for anyone with a bit of curiosity and motivation, DRM is easy to remove. What it did do was irritate vast numbers of paying customers.

In 2009, six years after Apple started selling DRM-ed music, they scrapped the whole thing. Amazingly, this did not lead to a massive increase of music piracy. Nor did it lead to a catastrophic slump in iTunes sales. In fact, quite the opposite. iTunes has continued to grow into one of the biggest sources for music sales in the world.

Learning from the Past

So here’s why that history, and the lessons we can learn from it, are important for e-books. Right now, if you buy the latest bestseller on the Kindle, you can only read it on the Kindle (or Kindle software). One way or another, it’s tied to your Amazon account with DRM. If you decide to switch to an iPad, you’ll have to download the Kindle app. If you decide to switch to a Nook – well, you’re out of luck. None of your DRM-ed e-books will work. The same scenario holds true for all the other e-book stores. The Wall Street Journal pointed out the same problems.

The intentions are the same. To stop illegal copying (and to limit your choice to a particular store so they can control the pricing). But the problems are also the same. DRM is not going to stop anyone who’s serious about making a copy, but it is going to frustrate paying customers who simply want to be able to read an e-book on whatever device they choose.

Right now, most publishers and retailers are making the same mistake as the music industry. They’re kicking and screaming to hold on to control that they don’t really have and will eventually lose anyway. It’s inevitable that the result will be the same – sometime within the next few years, DRM on e-books will be scrapped.

Plan for the Future

Rather than put e-book readers through that long, torturous waiting period, WinePress Publishing decided to just skip to the end and do the sensible thing in the first place. All e-books purchased from our on-line store are DRM-free.

For customers, this means total convenience, flexibility, and choice. For authors, it’s a great added-value feature and encourages positive word-of-mouth. The idea of releasing their book with no protection from DRM can make some authors nervous.  However, in reality it provides a big advantage. If you’re a new, unknown author, even having your book copied and spread around can be a huge benefit. First, it means more people actually read your book. And second, it’s the same as giving away promotional copies but at no cost to you.

If you’re going to publish an e-book, don’t be fooled by proprietary retailers into thinking DRM will benefit you. Don’t penalize your paying readers by restricting their choices. These are the readers you want to cultivate and connect with to build your platform. Yes, there are always going to be people who will grab something for free – but the majority will happily pay for good content and they should be rewarded by your trust. In addition, you’ll also get some great word-of-mouth and marketing kudos.

Additional Resources

Here is some further reading on this topic which you may find useful:

• The Downside to Easy E-Book Publishing: Spam Books
• Should I Publish an E-book or Printed Version?
• Paper to Digital: Tools and Tips for Marketing Your E-book

The same unscrupulous spammers that threaten to fill your email inbox every day with offers to buy cheap medication or amazing opportunities to cash in on someone else’s inheritance are now targeting e-books. They take public domain, or very cheap, content – which is usually some form of advertising disguised as a real book – and then simply upload it as a new title on sale at $0.99. By saturating the market, they increase their chances of finding people who will buy at least one of these spam books. Even if they only trick a small percentage of the millions of e-book customers, that still nets them a big profit.

There are now thousands of these “spooks” (spam + book = spook!) overwhelming the market, as spammers rush to join the new gold rush. Many of them openly promise to teach others how to make fast money by producing more “spooks.”

Part of the problem, ironically, lies in the fact that e-book publishing is just too easy. All you need is some text, a cover image of some kind, a few minutes, and you can “publish” an e-book. It will look terrible, it will be full of typos and formatting errors, and it will probably be quickly buried in the avalanche of other e-books published in the same way. But it’s in the on-line retailer’s interest to have a huge catalog of e-books, especially since they take 30% or more of each sale. So of course they try to make the idea of personal digital publishing as accessible and appealing as possible.

Where does that leave genuine authors with real books to publish? The Reuters article quoted one company as saying this: “Obvious signs of spam include poorly designed covers, the lack of an author’s name on the cover and bad formatting.” Unfortunately, this description could apply to many new authors’ first attempts at e-book publishing.

Avoid Publishing a “Spook”

Here are five simple tips to help your book avoid becoming a needle in a haystack of “spooks.”

1. It’s been said many times before, but the importance of a high-quality, professional cover design can’t be emphasized enough. Don’t settle for anything less. Readers do judge books by their cover.

2. Make sure your book has been properly formatted and typeset before it’s converted into an e-book. This makes a much bigger difference than most people think. Despite having “reflowable text,” e-books can accommodate a wide variety of sophisticated typesetting features to enhance the reading experience – but only professionally produced books will take advantage of this.

3. Don’t skimp on editing. A book – whether in electronic or printed form – is only as good as the content. An editor with experience in your book’s specific genre can work wonders to improve the overall quality, maximize your credibility, and generate positive word-of-mouth.

4. Don’t go cheap. The idea of free and easy “publishing” with a single on-line retailer might sound appealing, but you get exactly what you pay for. If you want to do it right, it’s well worth paying for professional e-book publishing. You will normally save a lot of time, reach a wider audience, and have the benefit of expert support.

5. Be sure to have a print edition. Special “e-book only” offers can work well for authors who are already established or have already built a platform, but not so much if you’re new and unknown. If you know how cheap and easy it is to publish an e-book, then so will most of your potential readers. They’re looking for something that tells them to take your book seriously. Most spammers and “spooks” won’t have a print edition, so it gives your book an instant credibility boost.

Conclusion

The flourishing e-book market is a great opportunity for all authors, new and experienced alike. However, as with anything new, there are those who will find a way to exploit it. Beware, but don’t be discouraged. Actually, it’s an even bigger opportunity for authors who invest the time and effort into quality that will stand out from the crowd.

Further Reading

Here are some additional useful articles on this subject:

• Should I Publish an E-book or Printed Version?
• Paper to Digital: Tools and Tips for Marketing Your E-book
• Ten Things to Consider Before You Publish an E-Book
• Publish with Confidence: A Writer’s Checklist for Picking a Publisher

© felinda – Fotolia.com

Even Dollar Amount Formula:

• E$ = Even Dollar Amount for both book price and sales tax
• (1 + ST) = 1 plus sales tax rate in decimals
• BP = Book Price
• E$/(1 + ST) = BP

First determine the even dollar amount you would like to charge for your book and sales tax and put the value into the formula.

Example Formula

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you want to charge $12.00 for your book, including sales tax.

With this information we can find:

• The price of your book
• The sales tax amount due for your book
• $12.00/1.086 = Book Price
• Book Price is $11.05
• Sales Tax at 8.6% ($11.05x.086) = $0.95
• Total Cost of Book with Sales Tax = $12.00

Note: You may encounter a rounding error of $.01 with some calculations. Add or subtract this amount from the book price.

Which Formulas Have You Used?

Are there formulas you use as a writer that would be helpful to others? Feel free to leave us a comment to share what has worked for you.

© Marja Flick-Buijs – Fotolia.com

You may wonder, “What’s the problem with a publisher holding a contest? If they want to offer authors the chance to publish free of charge, why would anyone have a problem with this?” The answers are found in another question. Do contests really benefit the author? Continue reading to learn which contests are helpful for upcoming authors—and which should be completely avoided.

Who Benefits: Author or Publisher?

The first question we ought to ask ourselves is, “Who really wins the contest in the end?” Every author’s message is unique and needs special attention. Sometimes it works well to test the market with a print-on-demand, lower-cost solution—while others require a large-scale print run with a full-fledged, nation-wide marketing campaign. If you enter your manuscript into a contest, how can you know that the publisher really can provide everything needed for your book to succeed? Assuming you win, of course. For example, if the publisher is limited to only basic print-on-demand distribution, what happens three months into the publishing process when you realize a large print run is a better fit?

The author may not lose money from a scenario like this, but the main concern is the loss of valuable time which could have been invested in studying, learning, and implementing the most effective publishing solution. One way or another, though, the publisher receives a great deal of promotion, recognition, and potential sales—capitalizing on authors who see the opportunity to publish for free. So this begs the question, who really wins these contests?

Additional Resources

• Publish with Confidence: A Writer’s Checklist for Picking a Publisher
  A checklist of essential services and options you should look for in a publisher.
• Before the Publisher: Finding the Right Agent
  Useful tips and advice for finding a publishing agent.

Contest Winner Does Not Equal Royalty Published

Another misconception concerning publishing contests is that authors who win gain the status of being royalty or traditionally published. While winning the contest may give authors greater exposure to traditional publishers, it does not automatically give them a royalty deal—especially if the contest-holder is a self-publisher. In most cases, the book will still, by all definitions, be perceived as self-published. The only difference is that the costs of self-publishing have been covered by the contest prize. A common theme with these contests is to suggest that authors also have the chance to become traditionally published. However, authors have that chance already, contest or no contest.

Additional Resources

• A Simple Guide to Publishing Types
  A clear and simple guide to the three types of book publishing.
• PubToons #12: Publishing Definitions
  A comic depicting different publishing misconceptions within the industry.

The Fine Print

To some degree, we’re all familiar with “fine print.” Even radio has its version with the man who jumbles out “some restrictions may apply,” “see website for details,” or other rapid phrases at the end of commercials. If you’re one of the few individuals who actually ventures onto “the website” to see the details, you’ve probably discovered that finding them is about as painful as tracking down a piece of hay in a needle stack. Even if you do find them, making sense of them requires even more time.

© Brett Mulcahy – Fotolia.com

The same applies to a publishing contest. More than likely, the application or submission form will be loaded with fine print. Sometimes, “free” will even have a meaning other than the standard definition—i.e.  ”free” often turns out to mean “not free.” Be sure to read these details and do some research before entering. Better still, research the publisher to find if they are really a team with whom you wish to partner if you “win.”

Additional Resources

• Dangers of D.I.Y Series: 7 Reasons Not to Book Publish On Your Own
  The top seven reasons an author needs the help of an expert team to produce a book.
• The Authorprenuer
  A guide for the writing adventurer to jump into book publishing.

Contests Worth Entering

Don’t worry, it’s not all bad. Beyond the sales gimmicks of new publishing contests, there are many contests worth entering. Occasionally, a traditional publisher will seek out the latest upcoming writer by holding a contest. They don’t ask for entry fees or have strict requirements, and the prize is a real royalty publishing contract often worth up to $10,000. These publishers usually have an established reputation, have no strings attached, and benefit simply by finding great authors. Now that’s a contest worth entering—and winning!

© aberenyi – Fotolia.com

There are many contests that can benefit writers by providing opportunities for them to gain exposure, receive feedback, and improve their writing. Some sites for writers specifically restrict contest announcements and, at the same time, list some of the dangers to be aware of.

Additional Resources

• WinePress of Words: Freebie Friday
  Here on WinePress of Words we hold straightforward contests for additional items.
• Writer’s and Editors Contests (see submission guidelines)
  A list of current writing contests.
• Writer’s Digest Competitions
  More contest opportunities for writers.

Your Turn: What Do You Think?

This is an open discussion and we would love to hear your input. Do you think publishing contests have a more positive place in the industry, or should they be avoided? What would you want from a contest? We appreciate any feedback you have on this article. We’re always looking for ways to improve WinePress of Words by becoming a more useful and relevant resource for writers of any kind.