LONG WALK UP (NEW BOOK!)
The Poignant Story About A Young Orphan Girl
who Becomes A Nation's First Female President!
Click to Read Long Walk Up (NEW BOOK)
, Spiral,
Love Has Many Faces (Read the book that earned a mention in one of
the world's largest magazines!) and Portia
You won't want to put them down!!
Books that deal with real life issues and help you begin to heal.
2005-2004 Newsletters
2007 and 2006 Newsletters are directly below
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The Book Lover's Haven
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[All copies of subscriptions are kept in print form. No one may subscribe anyone else to The Book Lover’s Haven. If you know someone who would like to subscribe, simply have them complete the subscription form at: http://www.chistell.com/newsletter_request.htm. No spam whatsoever is allowed or tolerated at The Book Lover’s Haven. Thank you.]
The Book Lover’s Haven
January 14, 2007 - Issue 1.07
What’s New
By Denise Turney, Author of Portia, Love Has Many Faces and Spiral
http://www.chistell.com – Where Books Always Make Excellent Gifts!
January is a symbol of newness. As we head into a new year, I encourage you to think about letting some things go so you can do more than make promises (resolutions and goals) to yourself. Let some things go, so you can make room for newness to enter your life. As a writer, editor, publicist, publisher or agent, that might involve letting go of the fear of failure and calling, writing or setting up and keeping an in-person appointment with someone who can help advance your career, someone you were previously afraid to connect with because you thought they were bigger than you (which is not the case).
Truth is, January rolls around over and over again. Only you can allow it to bring you “newnessâ€Â. So, what have you been putting off? What did you spend all of last year talking yourself out of doing, but knew in your heart, you should have done? Can’t think of a better time than right now to take the step to allow that very thing to happen, to allow that good/new thing to come to you.
Is it the start of a new book? Sit down and write the first chapter. Is it editing a book you finished last year? Get to it. Is it contacting an agent or movie production house to have your book made into a movie? What are you waiting for? Just do it and let this January, this year, be a “new†start.
To each of our readers, thank you for being here with us this month! Thank you for writing and for supporting a myriad of books! Enjoy this issue of The Book Lover’s Haven! Please tell other book lovers to visit us at – http://www.chistell.com!
In This Issue You Will Find:
*Contest/Writing Conferences/Book Fairs/Bestseller Lists
*Paying writing related job openings
*Positively Sane - Darryl McCullough
*Excellent web site links for readers and writers
t’s Coming In Future Issues:
*Poetry
*Knowing When to Take A New Path - Patsy Moore
*Upcoming Writing Events
*Paying writing related job openings
*Motivation and Advice for Authors
Enjoy this issue!
"You already have everything you need to succeed!â€Â
The Poet’s Corner
NOTE: The Book Lover’s Haven pays $50.00 for one-time rights for poems published in the newsletter. Poets interested in submitting a poem to the newsletter, email me. Thank you! Keep writing!
S-P-I-R-A-L
When the people you trust the most betray you
When you need them the most
When loving someone is not enough
GET YOUR COPY NOW AT!
http://www.chistell.com
FEATURE INTERVIEW - ABOUT DARRYL MCCULLOUGH: Darryl McCullough is the author of the books Perfectly Sane and Definitely Insane. Additionally, he is a contributing editor for the book A Gentleman Among Thieves. Darryl is also a columnist for The Cleveland Crusader and Wordz in Motion Literary Magazine.
PORTIA
C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E LIFE!
A book for women, men, everyone!
Buy it! Read it! Love it!
****
To read more about PORTIA, Click To:
http://www.chistell.com
MEET DARRYL
BLH: You are pursuing a B.A. in Business Administration and Journalism. How did you make the leap from non-fiction to fiction?
DM: Going from things that really happened in my life to things that were created solely in my mind, I felt would challenge me as a writer and instill versatility in my writing style. To conjure up a story, especially a good one…that is the real feat!
BLH: I loved the description of your book Perfectly Sane. How did you arrive at the title and is the book semi-autobiographical? If not, where did you get the idea for the book as the subject of Perfectly Sane is quite interesting?
DM: Thank you! I arrived at the title Perfectly Sane after I shared my thoughts about life experiences with other people. They would look at me and say, “You are crazy!†I begged to differ, and I would always say, “No…I’m Perfectly Sane!†The book is semi-autobiographical as it deals with my life and how I see life as a whole.
BLH: In Perfectly Sane, the main character, a young man who developed ulcers by the time he turned 16, was directed by his doctor to write out his problems. As a writer and as a reader, I have found literature to offer healing (both the practice of writing and also taking in what others have written). Have you found this to be true also? What do you think it is about writing that offers healing?
DM: Yes, I being the main character or main thinker in these compilations of short stories, poetry and essays that deal vastly with the past. I have always felt that if we do not try to correct our past, or at least try to understand it, we can’t move on into our future. If one looks at the least five years of their life and each one of those past years have been exactly the same, chances are that the next five years will be the same too! That is of course unless the person makes a change. Writing helps me to examine the cut, aid in the “healing†and go back out there and live!
BLH: Tell us about Perfectly Sane. What sets it apart from other books? What makes the characters unique and engaging, etc.?
DM: Perfectly Sane is not a novel. What sets it apart from other books is that it is a collage of many different stories. It gives the reader several chances to connect with the book. The book is made up of poems, short stories, discussions about youthful and adult experiences, as well gender issues.
BLH: One reader of your books noted that you "write about the pain of not fitting into society's norms". Do you agree with this assessment, and if so, do you write this way deliberately or is it a natural focus for you? Please explain.
DM: Yes. I agree with that assessment. Everyone wants to be cool and liked, especially when they are young. I was no different, wearing baggy pants, tee-strap shoes, designer shirts and sporting a Jeri-curl! That was the norm at that time. But yet I found that it wasn’t for me, as I looked just like everybody else. I write about these experiences not deliberately…it just comes out that way.
BLH: You also tackle relationships in your writings. It has yet to cease to amaze me the differences between how men and women view, perceive and approach relationships. The differences are amazing and both often think their way is "the right or the best way". As a writer, how do you manage to balance the male and female relationship perspectives in your stories?
DM: Men and women will never understand one another. It’s just not going to happen. Which is why rather than looking for love, longing for love…I just look for being content. Being content is not a bad thing, nor is it settling. All my friends that were in “love†are all now divorced. Just walk up to someone who has been married for thirty years. If you can find them, ask them if they are really in love? Hopefully they will not curse and answer the question truthfully. That’s when and where “contentment†shows its true colors. Women have told me that they loved “Tyrone,†who lived down the street and fixed cars in his mother’s backyard. But they married the polar opposite, who was stable and had health benefits. Even if we marry someone that we think is perfect, years later you fall out of “love†losing interest in one another. I try to learn from these experiences, inculcate them into my writings. The result makes some men and women hate it as I expose our secrets. But some readers love it as they think, wonder and even laugh at themselves and or their relationships.
BLH: Which do you lean more heavily on when creating a story - plot/outline or character development? Why?
DM: I focus on all of them. When I was younger, I just wrote and I believe that this is evident in my early stories in my book. But as I grew older my style changed and it keeps changing, even to this day. Anyone can tell a story, but not everyone is a storyteller. I write to capture all elements of a story. Some people like to get right to the point. But I like to take my time…going step by step to develop the story.
BLH: Have you always had a love of books and story or did you develop a taste for the art-form as you grew up? Please share with us an experience of when you knew you would become a writer.
DM: I was never a lover of books per se, but I have always loved a good story. I have always dreamed of writing a book and/or having one of my screenplays come to life. Living from day to day our lives are full of experiences, some good, some bad. The first time that I wrote, the story was about my frustrations out about my father being killed in a car accident and me having to growing up with an evil step father. The joy that came about after expressing these issues was phenomenal. I knew from that point on that I would be a writer.
BLH: Who are some of your favorite writers and what is it about their work you most admire?
DM: I would have to say Dick Gregory. He says what is on his mind about his own race as well as others. He is not afraid of the repercussions either. Some one told me that some of my writings remind them of Dick Gregory. I consider that a compliment.
BLH: What have you found to be some of the most effective ways to promote/market your books?
Subscribe to The Book Lover's Haven to read more of this and other exciting interviews, gain valuable writing tips, find out about literary job openings and much-much more!
To read more from feature interviews with established poets, screenplay writers, article writers, editors, journalists and novelists, subscribe to The Book Lover?s Haven today by CLICKING Here Now!
We’re online at:
http://www.chistell.com
Please stop in and visit us!
[All copies of subscriptions are kept in print form. No one may subscribe anyone else to The Book Lover’s Haven. If you know someone who would like to subscribe, simply have them complete the subscription form at: http://www.chistell.com/newsletter_request.htm. No spam whatsoever is allowed or tolerated at The Book Lover’s Haven. Thank you.]
The Book Lover’s Haven
December 10, 2006 - Issue 11.06
You Are The Gift
By Denise Turney, Author of Portia, Love Has Many Faces and Spiral
http://www.chistell.com – Where Books Always Make Excellent Gifts!
Think about each talent, each attribute you have. Think about each time you said something that caused someone else to laugh, then think about how laughter is one of the most effective forms of medicine. Think about how patient you were with a child or a friend. Think about how you allowed anger to move you to action, a step that helped ease a burden. Think about all the times you bought another artist’s work and supported someone else‘s dream. Think about how the stories you write touch someone else’s heart. Then think about the most special gift you have asked for, the one gift you think God has yet to give you, the one gift you think you simply cannot be happy without, and think about this - you are the gift.
To each of our readers, thank you for being here with us this month! Thank you for writing and for supporting a myriad of books! Enjoy this issue of The Book Lover’s Haven! Please tell other book lovers to visit us at – http://www.chistell.com!
In This Issue You Will Find:
*Contest/Writing Conferences/Book Fairs/Bestseller Lists
*Paying writing related job openings
*With Love - Georgia Woodbine
*Excellent web site links for readers and writers
What’s Coming In Future Issues:
*Poetry
*Upcoming Writing Events
*Paying writing related job openings
*Positively Sane - Darryl McCullough
*Motivation and Advice for Authors
Enjoy this issue!
"You already have everything you need to succeed!â€Â
The Poet’s Corner
NOTE: The Book Lover’s Haven pays $50.00 for one-time rights for poems published in the newsletter. Poets interested in submitting a poem to the newsletter, email me. Thank you! Keep writing!
S-P-I-R-A-L
When the people you trust the most betray you
When you need them the most
When loving someone is not enough
GET YOUR COPY NOW AT!
http://www.chistell.com
FEATURE INTERVIEW - ABOUT GEORGIA WOODBINE: Georgia Woodbine is the author of the book How To Make Big Bucks Without Selling Your Soul. She is also a motivational speaker and the founder of Spiritual Focus Publishing. Georgia has worked on projects with: Quincy Jones, Roc-A-Fella Records, Atlantic Records, Def Jam, PolyGram, WNYU Radio, Black Enterprise Magazine and the Apollo Theatre.
PORTIA
C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E LIFE!
A book for women, men, everyone!
Buy it! Read it! Love it!
****
To read more about PORTIA, Click To:
http://www.chistell.com
MEET GEORGIA
BLH: Spiritual Focus Publishing is an uncommon name for a book/literary publishing company. Why did you land upon this unique name for your firm?
GW: I landed on the name Spiritual Focus Publishing after I prayed for guidance. I wanted a title that represented the company’s brand as well as the company’s purpose. Spiritual Focus Publishing encourages, motivates and empowers people through spiritual, personal and business development. The name is a perfect fit.
BLH: Was there a specific event that happened in your life that caused you to begin to focus on the connection between the spiritual and the physical? If so, please tell us about that event/experience?
GW: Heart wrenching and painful experiences inspired me to keep journals. It was like therapy for me to write down the things I was going through. I learned a lot when I revisited those journals. Writing helped me to see the big picture in my life. I prayed and prayed for God to give me answers for the roadblocks, setbacks and pitfalls. Writing helped me keep my faith and strength to continue to move forward even in raging storms. I worked in the entertainment industry for over 10 years and got to a point where I could no longer hold on to what I thought was my destiny. I had pretty much hit rock bottom and had no one to turn to accept God. At the time, I had no idea that I would be writing books and speaking to people.
BLH: Sometimes we discover a key to a level of success and are tempted to keep the key to ourselves or bury the key as we may be afraid that another will gain equal or more success than we have. Have you ever had this struggle, and if so, how did you gain victory over it?
GW: As I look back in my life, my deepest desires were always to be successful, but I had to learn what my motives were for success and I had to dig deep. I had to ask myself, why do I want this so bad and what's driving me to have this success. I had to let go of any selfish desires and negative characteristics to become the person God created me to be in order to find real success. The secret to success and living a life of fulfillment is being able to live in purpose and living in purpose is being able to impact the lives of others. I strongly believe that once we understand our motives, there will not be a need to try to hold on to the keys of success that have been given from the spiritual realm, because it's not ours to hold on to, but we are the vessels in which it should flow to reach others.
BLH: Georgia, there are a myriad of books, tapes, DVD and CDs that speak to us about success, gaining financial wealth, peace, etc. What do you offer that is different from what is currently on the market?
GW: I agree there are many books on the market that target these areas. What separates what I do from others’ efforts is that I am able to pull spiritual, personal and business development ALL into one book and then deliver the message of how my life was changed. People identify to real things that they feel, want and need. I thank God everyday for the way he has used all of my painful experiences to make a difference in the lives of others and allow me to share the real truths of what it takes to live a successful life spiritually, emotionally and financially.
BLH: Tell us about your book How To Make Big Bucks Without Selling Your Soul? What does your book offer to its countless readers?
GW: How To Make Big Bucks Without Selling Your Soul reveals the secrets to living a life of fulfillment. The book will save you from making costly mistakes from living in a world of false hopes with no guarantees, while providing information on various stages of personal, spiritual and business development that contribute to your destiny and to you finding true success.
This easy-to-read book was developed to help people who are searching for a greater life of purpose and seeking to change from unfulfilling careers and dead-end relationships. It will help readers build and live in their highest potential within God's grace. It bares effective strategies that people can use to find the business that is best suited with their natural abilities, skills, and talents and will open their eyes to the great things that God has in store for them. Books can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and local bookstores listed on the website. Order by phone: 888-340-3409. Order Online (3-5 Business Days) - www.spiritualfocuspublishing.com
BLH: You also own G&J Consulting, a firm that offers copy writing, marketing and promotion services. How can writers and publishers benefit from the services you offer at G&J Consulting? And please also let us know how writers interested in working with you can contact you.
GW: G&J Consulting Services provides 'sharp' copywriting. We offer powerful strategies on how to market, advertise, and promote your business, product or service, through effective communication that "gets write to the point." We provide services such as: Bios, Brochures, Marketing/Promotion Consulting, Pitch Letters, Press Releases, Sponsorship Proposals, Website Content, Workshops/Seminars. We can be reached at toll free at 888.269.9084 or email info@gjconsulting.biz. We also offer initial free consultation.
BLH: You have a broad range of experience in the entertainment industry. You have worked on projects with Roc-A-Fella Records, Maurice Malone, Quincy Jones, Def Jam, PolyGram, Black Enterprise and Hot 97. From your first-hand experience, what would you say are 5 key steps writers can take to gain increased exposure for their books?
GW: Some key steps writers can use is to constantly market themselves and:
Know Your Customers - Define your target audience, when you focus on your target market, you can laser-in and attract a more profitable clientele.
Existing Customers - Follow up with your existing customers to get more business for the same product or to offer them additional products and services.
Customer Incentives - Develop incentives for your customers to tell associates and friends about the value of your products or services.
Bartering - A great tool to promote your business and trade your product for advertising space or for another company's product or service.
Distinguish Yourself - Develop a "Unique Selling Proposition" to distinguish yourself from your competition. (A unique selling proposition is a condensed statement of what you offer, something special and notable).
BLH: What last words of encouragement or advice would you like to leave with our subscribers at The Book Lover's Haven?
GW: In order to discover the promise within us, we have to figure out how we are going to use the problems in our life to meet the promise that God has for us. Sometimes situations can throw you off track, especially when it seems like all of your problems are coming at once. The unexpected twists and turns are there to stretch you and prepare you for what's ahead. While we are going through the problems, tests and challenges, we have to pray that God keeps our mind focused on the foundation the vision was built on. We have to trust that our Father has a timetable and knows exactly when it is right for us to move ahead.
Sometimes pressure leads us to making the wrong decisions about relationships both personally and professionally. But, once we learn how to hunt God like we hunt money, relationships, houses, cars, and all of these external material things, we can trust that he will make pearls out of our problems. Everybody loves to seek and find. There is a universal pleasure that is experienced in looking for something you want and finding it. Imagine seeking the greatest treasure of all -- God's promise for your life.
Matthew 6:33 states: "But, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
Writing Quote:
"Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy." -- Kahlil Gibran
Subscribe to The Book Lover's Haven to read more of this and other exciting interviews, gain valuable writing tips, find out about literary job openings and much-much more!
To read more from feature interviews with established poets, screenplay writers, article writers, editors, journalists and novelists, subscribe to The Book Lover?s Haven today by CLICKING Here Now!
Latest Issue
Listening to Your Heart
By Denise Turney, Author of Long Walk Up (NEW BOOK), Portia, Love Has Many Faces and Spiral
http://www.chistell.com – Where Books Always Make Excellent Gifts!
At times the world moves with so much speed, it is hard to hear, let alone listen, to what our hearts are saying. Yet, one lesson I have learned more than once involves the importance of listening to my heart. It is from our heart that we learn what we most want to do and who we most want to share our lives with. To do this some people take a few moments to be still and quiet each day. Others enjoy a walk in nature. Then there are those of us who tap into what our heart speaks to us by sitting down and writing. This issue of your Book Lover’s Haven features the author of a book that focuses on the value of listening to one’s heart. While reading her book I couldn’t help thinking about the times I heard from but ignored my heart’s call, a choice I am determined not to make going forward. I hope you’ll join me and commit to allowing the song that is in you to be heard day by day as you continuously choose to listen to and follow your heart.
To each of our readers, thank you for being here with us this month! Enjoy this issue of The Book Lover’s Haven! Please tell other book lovers to visit us at – http://www.chistell.com! We are giving away FREE sample chapters of our latest titles. Email me at RCampb3422@aol.com with “New Books: Free Chapters†if you would like to read the sample chapters. New titles will be out this year.
In This Issue You Will Find:
*Contest/Writing Conferences/Book Fairs/Bestseller Lists
*Paying writing related job openings
*Listening to Your Heart – Linda Pressley
*Excellent web site links for readers and writers
What’s Coming In Future Issues:
*Poetry
*Upcoming Writing Events
*Paying writing related job openings
*The Muse – Kenneth Harvey
*Motivation and Advice for Authors
Enjoy this issue! Send comments or questions to me.
“You already have everything you need to succeed!â€Â
The Poet’s Corner
NOTE: The Book Lover’s Haven pays $50.00 for one-time rights for poems published in the newsletter. Poets interested in submitting a poem to the newsletter, email me. Thank you! Keep writing!
S-P-I-R-A-L
When the people you trust the most betray you
When you need them the most
When loving someone is not enough
GET YOUR COPY NOW AT!
http://www.chistell.com
FEATURE INTERVIEW - ABOUT LINDA PRESSLEY: Linda Pressley was born in Philadelphia, PA. She traveled to South Carolina with her mother and siblings before moving to New Jersey. She and her husband reside in Princeton, New Jersey. She holds three degrees: Management and Marketing; Communications; and Organizational Management. My Song is her first title.
MEET LINDA
BLH: Where does your inspiration to write spring from?
LP: I was inspired to write by my grandmother and mother, who always told engaging stories. I grew up believing that everyone has a story to tell.
BLH: In your book My Song, one of the main characters, a woman named Carla is encouraged to listen to her heart throughout the story. Why do you think that is an important message to share with a larger audience?
LP: Often we make decisions based on logic or flawed reasoning. Like Carla, I believe that if we listen to the messages of the heart, we feel better about the decisions that we make at the end of the day.
BLH: Do you find that readers who know you personally have a tendency to think you are Carla rather than viewing Carla as totally separate from you, the author?
LP: That’s an interesting question. Some readers ask me if the Carla character is based on me and my personal experience. And some say they can see some of Carla in me. But Carla, like all of the characters, is based on people that I know as well as elements from my creative imagination.
BLH: Your book has a gorgeous cover. How important do you think it is to a book’s success to have a cover that accurately portrays what the story is about?
LP: I gave the cover a lot of thought and in working with the designers discovered that they couldn’t get the concept right. A fellow author told me that once readers have read the novel, the cover has less significance to them. So I made some compromises in working with the designers and agreed with the cover you see.
BLH: Being that you are also a businesswoman, what similarities have you found between the writing profession and the business world? Has have these similarities helped you as a writer?
LP: As a training consultant, I found that the two writing styles are different. Writing fiction allows me to be descriptive and creative. While writing in a business environment requires me to practice brevity and conciseness.
BLH: Briefly tell us what My Song is about?
LP: My Song is a story about a young lady trying to find Mr. Right, when she hasn’t figured out who she is. She knows what she wants in a man, but allows herself to be swayed after a period of celibacy.
BLH: What do readers tell you they enjoy most about My Song and who are their favorite characters?
LP: They like the story because they can relate to at least one of the characters or one of the events that the characters experience. The characters cause them to be reflective and they like that.
BLH: Has publishing your first book met with your expectations? Has the process been what you thought it would be? Why or why not?
LP: It was indeed a labor of love and I had no real expectations, except for getting it done. Working with the folks at iUniverse made it much easier than I could have anticipated.
BLH: What advice can you offer new writers who are seeking to promote their title?
LP: A fellow writer, Ms. Denise Turney, advised me to never loose sight of the fact that writing is a business and to make sure that I treat it as such. After publishing, I understand exactly what she meant.
BLH: Who are some of your favorite writers and what is it about these writers you appreciate most?
LP: Maya Angelou, Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon, Khalil Gibran, Terry McMillian, Mary Higgins Clark to name a few. Their writing comes to life on the page and pulls you into the story.
BLH: What can each of us do to encourage literacy in the global community? I stress this because the United Nations notes that more than 700 million people in our global community cannot read or/and write. The numbers are staggering. We need to act now to alleviate this pressing condition.
Subscribe to The Book Lover's Haven to read more of this and other exciting interviews, gain valuable writing tips, find out about literary job openings and much-much more!
To read more from feature interviews with established poets, screenplay writers, article writers, editors, journalists and novelists, subscribe to The Book Lover?s Haven today by CLICKING Here Now!
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