613 Media — Telling the Story

It’s been over a week since the Ark-La-Tex’s first book festival, “Author! Author!” That weekend was so jam packed for me. I was just coming back from Orlando and the International Christian Retail Show on Thursday. Friday, July 18th, I was getting ready for the book festival and my interview on KTAL Friday evening. So, I’ve spent the last few days trying to recover from this summer’s frenzied pace and all of my trips to promote “The 12th Demon: Vampyre Majick”.

Author! Author! was a wonderful experience. The organizers of the event did a great job and it can only get better from here on out. There were over 55 authors present and just meeting other writers from the region was worth it all! I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion with four other inspirational writers and getting to know them was worth the entire weekend.

Thanks to all who came out to pick up “The 12th Demon” and a copy of “Conquering Depression”. A dozen of my books were left over and are at the local Barnes & Noble. Elizabeth did a great job of putting together the book store and recruiting local authors. If you see her at Barnes & Noble say “hello”.

So, where am I headed now? I have several radio interviews scheduled in the coming weeks and I hope to have a second push of book signings the closer we get to Halloween. Barnes & Noble central headquarters ordered a big shipment so I will target some of their regional stores in late August, September, and October. Hope to see you there if you’re reading this blog.

I’m moving ahead in the coming weeks on the final rewrite of “The 11th Demon: Children of the Bloodstone” and I look forward to working with my agent on the future of the Jonathan Steel Chronicles.

Thanks again to Shelby at Phenix & Phenix for the awesome job of publicity. Things keep getting better!

CBA Day 2,3,4 and AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

My visitations to the exhibit floor and festivities at the International Christian Retail Show were interrupted by the necessity for doing two interviews. I was interviewed by the Marshall Messenger about the upcoming event in Shreveport, Author! Author! The article appeared in yesterday’s paper.

Then, on Wednesday morning, I was interviewed live by Irene Robinson the “Mighty Mess” on her morning talk show out of Monroe. We had a great time talking for 30 minutes. Thanks to Shelby Sledge, my publicist at Phenix & Phenix for all the good work! She has really outdone herself!

Tuesday evening, I had dinner with an old friend, Don Aycock and his wife, Carla. Don is a published author who has steadfastly encouraged me over the years and was instrumental in helping me find an agent. Don has edited and written a wonderful book coming out this fall. It is a compilation of stories from people whose lives were changed by Billy Graham and was put together by his grandsons. Don had the privilege of taking the many stories and tying them together into a narrative. Look for the book this fall. You can’t miss it. It sounds like a wonderful project.

As exciting as the ICRS was, I am stunned by the attention over this weekend’s event, Author! Author! It is Shreveport’s Book Festival and will be starting Saturday morning at 9 AM at the Municipal Auditorium. There are dozens of regional authors present speaking on a dozen different genres. All of us are signing and selling books and you will NOT want to miss this event. Check out the website, www.authorauthorshreveport.com for more information.

I’ll see you there!

Monday — CBA

It was the first official day of the International Christian Retail Show (they really need to come up with a more creative name!) and Sherry and I got there in time to start on the exhibit floor. Of course, we have just come from the Book Expo America and the comparison was inevitable. The ICRS is about one fourth the size of the BEA. But, after two and half hours we only covered six aisles on the exhibit floor.

Our first book signing came from Gary Chapman, author of the Five Love Language series. He was very kind and signed books for Sherry and I. Then, it was on to several authors I had never heard of. But, we ended up the day with over four bags of books.

My most exciting moment came in meeting Robin Parrish. I first learned about Robin through one of my favorite websites, infuzemag.com which has since folded. But, Robin wrote two incredible books in the same kind of thriller category as my two books. He was releasing his third book and doing a book signing so it was exciting to meet and talk with him.

A featured book at this year’s meeting is unChristian and we got to meet and talk to the two guys who this incredible book, Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. Every Christian should read this book for the following three reasons . . . Sorry, I was descending into my Dynamic Communications Workshop SCORRE process for communicating information. But, here are the three reasons. 1, the world is hostile to Christians and we deserve it. 2, the world is disinterested in Christians and we deserve it. And, 3, the world is confused about what Christianity really is and we are to blame. Buy the book and start changing things. Now. Today. I mean it!

We were a little miffed later on. We made reservations to eat at Le Cellier, the wonderful steak house at Canada in EPCOT. We ate there for a late lunch and came back to the convention for the 530 “New Release Party”. The brochure said everyone should come. The brochure said that dozens of authors would be signing their new books. But, the brochure neglected to say that only certain attendees could get in! We waited in line behind several hundred people and when we got to the door we were told we couldn’t come in because we had on “black” nametags. We had to talk to over 8 different people before it was explained clearly that only book store owners could come in to this meeting. So, we had driven all the way to EPCOT and then all the way back to the convention center only to learn that we weren’t allow inside and nowhere in the brochure was this made clear. Hope they learn from this. I didn’t even notice that different people had different color nametags. At registration this was not made clear! So, another learning experience at another huge convention. Sometimes, we just feel like we’re fish out of water.

But, in spite of that, I learned a lot more about the Christian publishing industry. I met representatives from dozens of publishing companies. I’ve had a chance to look at the new releases and to get a better idea of which companies might be interested in the third book in the Jonathan Steel series. Because, as soon as I get home, I’m going to work on the third book and along with my new agent hope to find a major publisher soon.

I’ll be back tomorrow unless I’m lost again in another line!

She was a petite blonde haired young woman in a knee length sequined dress. Her arms were bare and it was a good thing so she could wield her violin. Surrounding her on the stage were her brother on the viola, another brother on the cello, her sister on another violin, another sister on the harp, her mother singing harmony, her father on the keyboard and two friends on percussion and bass guitar.

“Hi, my name is Annie and this is the Annie Moses Band.” Her eyes sparkled as she leaned into the microphone and began one of the most amazing musical experiences I have ever heard. The band was named after their grandmother and every one of the children on the stage (they were mostly grown except for the eleven year old brother who sat and watched) had attended Julliard music school. But the three songs they shared with the audience at the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando last night blew us away! The show was designed to introduce the audience to a wide range of music. But, this group defied any genre.

Cross Manneheim Steamroller with a jazz pianist with a celtic close harmony women’s ensemble with dueling violins in a classy, upbeat, high energy presentation of three classic Christmas carols and you might begin to imagine. But, you have to hear it to believe it! I cannot express enough how incredible this group was! Their first album will be out in October named, “This Glorious Christmas” and I predict this group will become as popular, if not more so than that famous steamroller mentioned above. Just to watch Annie “dueling” her violin with her brother’s viola while she jumper and danced in high heel shoes was amazing and would make any “River” dancer look like they were tiptoeing! The audience jumped to their feet in a standing ovation at the end of the song and, frankly, I could have listened to them all night.

Okay, Sherry and I have just arrived here in Orlando on Sunday evening for what was once known as the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) show. Monday, we will be attending the main events in what promises to be the Christian retail book store equivalent of Book Expo America. We missed hearing Anne Graham Lotz as our plane didn’t arrive until after 6 P.M. But, the concert made up for it.

In addition to this new group we heard, Nicole C. Mullens wowed us with three songs one of which is my favorite, “My Redeemer Lives”. She was followed by Brian Free and Assurance singing old fashioned gospel quartet music that blew us all away. Jeremy Camp brought the evening to a close and the nightcap was the entire group of singers inviting the audience to join in on “Shout to the Lord”.

What a way to start the week! I’ll try to give a daily report. I hope to begin networking and making connections to get “The 12th Demon” into some book stores. Oh, and along the way, Sherry and I hope to have some fun at that certain theme park down the street from the Convention Center!

God is so good!

I’ve received several more positive reviews for “The 12th Demon” and I can now officially announce that I have an agent. Jeff Jernigan of Hidden Value Group out of California is now representing me for all future books and I just signed a contract for him to negotiate movie rights for both of the demon books!

It has been a long, hard journey to this point. I’ve been writing since I was 13 and that was (as of June 13) 40 years ago! It seems that God is moving me into the limelight and I give Him all the glory and all the credit.

So, let me catch my breath.

Check out the new additions to www.steelchronicles.com. We’ve added links to the reviews (be wary — one review contains spoilers!) and a special page for any Christian Book Store owner. Basically, I wanted to encourage these managers to consider carrying my book in spite of its subject matter of, egad, vampires. At the Book Expo America a few weeks ago I met with a marketing specialist and he was stopped dead in his tracks when I told him my book was a blend of Christianity and vampires. But, judging from the reception I’m getting on these SECULAR book reviews, it must work! Praise God!

Next week, Sherry and I will be traveling down to Orlando to attend what was once known as the Christian Booksellers Association annual convention. It how has a new name, Christian Retailers International but it is still the Christian equivalent of the Book Expo America and is the biggest Christian publishing get together in the world. I’ll be meeting with my good friend, Don Aycock. Don is a fellow author who has steadfastly encouraged my writing since I first met him way back in 1990. He introduced me to my new agent and I hope to meet many new friends in the Christian publishing industry.

My next two projects, other than continuing to promote “The 12th Demon” are a joint book with Mark Sutton on the heart and, of course, the next book in the Jonathan Steel Chronicles, “The 11th Demon: Children of the Bloodstone”. The rough draft is finished and next week while traveling, I will begin the start of the final revision.

And now, I want everyone in the Ark-La-Tex area to check out this website: www.authorauthorshreveport.com. This our very own regional Book Festival and will be held at the Municipal Auditorium July 18 – 19, 2008. I will be participating in a discussion panel on inspirational writing. I will also be signing books on Saturday morning and hope to have all three books — The 13th Demon, The 12th Demon, and Conquering Depression. Mark Sutton will also be there signing his books one of which is Conquering Depression. The festival benefits the Friends of the Municipal Auditorium in their efforts to save and restore this classic building. So, check out the website and plan on coming Saturday, July 19, 2008.

Until then, look out for the demons!