Archives for 2016

Christmas in Story

By Karen Ballon December 7, 2016

December is here, the time we celebrate the greatest story of all—the advent of a holy baby/Savior. Of course, my favorite version of the Christmas story is found in Scripture, but I love that the spirit of that story can be found in countless venues and styles of story.

So I thought I’d share my favorite Christmas books and videos with you fellow storytellers, in case you’re looking for something to watch or read. And I’d love to have you share your favorites as well.

Here you go!

Movies

Miracle on 34^th St (the Maureen O’Hara version, of course)
Christmas in Connecticut (the Barbara Stanwyck version)
Ernest Saves Christmas (Yes, seriously. Cracks me up every year. “Them’s pizen snakes!”)
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
Babes in Toyland
White Christmas
The Holiday Inn
Die Hard (What can I say? It’s a tradition with my husband and I.)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original animated version. LOVE Boris Karloff’s “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch…”)
Muppets’ Christmas Carol (“Light the lamp! Not the rat!”)
The Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart version)
It’s a Wonderful Life
Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Christmas Pudding

Books

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (I adore this story. “Hey! Unto you a child is born!”)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie

And I’ve ordered a new book that I just discovered: Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien. What fun!

So how about you?

The Send…A Proposal’s Weakest Link

By Dan Balowon December 6, 2016

You spend hundreds and hundreds of hours writing and re-writing your book. You work meticulously to craft a proposal for an agent or publisher. You talk to your friends about the big step you are about to take, the step of sending your proposal out. The power of email will carry your message to the world. Then you copy 135 names into the email address field, use a generic greeting and send it out …

Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, Get Published

Writers Learn to Wait

By Steve Laubeon December 5, 2016

Good publishing takes time. Time to write well. Time to edit well. Time to find the right agent. Time to find the right publisher. Time to edit again and re-write. Time to design well. Time to market well. While there can be a lot of activity it still feels like “time” is another word for “wait.” No one likes to wait for anything. Our instant society (everything from …

Category: Book Business, Contracts, Get Published, Indie, Marketing, Steve, The Publishing Life, The Writing LifeTag: Agents, Book Business, Contracts, Editors, Get Published, Marketing, Traditional Publishing

Fun Fridays – December 2, 2016

By Steve Laubeon December 2, 2016

This is way too much fun. Imagine an entire gymnasium, on its home court, during a college basketball game, being completely silent…until something special happens. Enjoy this ESPN story about a Taylor University tradition.

Category: Fun Fridays

The Writer’s STEP

By Karen Ballon November 30, 2016

As some of you know, I have asthma. As does one of my very best friends. And you know what these two…ahem…”seasoned” asthmatics love to do? Hike! Yup. We plod along, coughing and wheezing and laughing (or, to be more accurate, gasping) about how they’ll find our poor deceased selves on the path, but that’s okay, because at least we went out doing what we love. I realize that people who don’t know …

Category: Career, Encouragement, Faith, Get Published, Inspiration, The Writing LifeTag: Encouragement, Faith, The Writing Life

Deadlines…A Date With Destiny

By Dan Balowon November 29, 2016

We need to create some new English words to describe certain things. For instance, I do not like the fact that people who handle money for others are called “brokers.” I also dislike the term “deadline” as it indicates something negative will occur at a certain date or time. Maybe it is why some or most people are fearful of deadlines. I do not like a “line of death.” Even “target date” has a …

Category: Contracts, Editing, The Writing LifeTag: Deadlines, The Writing Life

Who are the Major Retail Outlets for CBA Books?

By Steve Laubeon November 28, 2016

[This post had to be updated and revised in March 2017 and again in August 2019 due to numerous changes in the industry.] The question came up recently asking which retail store is the most important to a CBA publisher for selling print editions of their books? And to which store are the most books sold? CBA is a label to describe the Christian book market. It used to be an acronym for Christian …

Category: Book Business, Book Business, Book Sales, Economics, Marketing, Publishing History, The Publishing Life, The Writing Life

Fun Fridays – November 25, 2016

By Steve Laubeon November 25, 2016

Try the choreography with your family this weekend! (link to the instructions at the end of the video.) The first 45 seconds should be easy enough. But then gets a little more fun. Your group may not sound as amazing as this one however.

Category: Fun Fridays

Getting Ready to Give Thanks

By Karen Ballon November 23, 2016

No doubt about it, it’s been a tough year. In publishing. In politics. In our nation. In our world. There are so many things to worry about, to be frustrated about, even to fear. And yet… God is. Whoever runs the country…God is. Whatever personal or professional trials you face…God is. However discouraging circumstances may be…God is. Whatever is happening… GOD. IS. As we prepare to celebrate …

Category: Personal, TheologyTag: Faith, Personal, Theology