Karen Ball

Christian Book Awards

By Karen Ballon May 1, 2012

Congratulations to our client Mesu Andrews (represented) for winning the 2012 Christian Book Award for best New Author!

Here is the list of winners:

CHRISTIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR

Nearing Home, Billy Graham (Thomas Nelson)

Category: BIBLES

ESV Student Study Bible (Crossway)

Category: BIBLE REFERENCE

Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, Glen G. Scorgie (Zondervan)

Category: CHILDREN

The Story for Children, A Storybook Bible, Max Lucado, Randy Frazee, and Karen Davis Hill (Zonderkidz)

Category: FICTION

The Queen, Steven James (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)

Category: INSPIRATION

The Law of Happiness, Dr. Henry Cloud (Howard Books)

Category: NEW AUTHOR

Love Amid the Ashes, Mesu Andrews (Revell/ Baker Publishing Group)

Category: NON-FICTION

Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, Greg Paul (Thomas Nelson)

I had a conversation with a writer friend a few weeks ago. She was telling me that the book she’s writing is, at the core, a romance, and no one was more surprised than she. “I don’t know a thing about writing romances,” she confessed. “Any tips?” I sent her an email with my thoughts, and that was that. Then she emailed me a few days ago:
“I just re-read this [email] as I'm still struggling …

Category: Craft, Karen, Romance, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Romance, Writing Craft

Three Steps to Freedom!

By Karen Ballon April 18, 2012

It’s The Most Wonderful/Terrible Time of the Year

It comes every year, and every year we wait for it with a mixture of excitement and dread. No, I’m not talking about taxes.

I’m talking about the award season.

From the ECPA Book of the Year awards to the Christy’s, the Genesis to the RITA, the Golden Heart to the Carol, and all the gazillion contests and awards in-between, online groups, …

Category: Encouragement, Get Published, Karen, Marketing, Writing CraftTag: Awards, contests, Encouragement, News

Are You a Storybird?

By Karen Ballon April 11, 2012

I’m always hearing about authors who get stuck. Whose creativity has hit a wall. Who have hit a point in the story that they’ve lost interest.

Or there are the down times. When emotions have them hogtied. They’re too sad or depressed or frustrated or overwhelmed to write.

Well, I don’t have a cure for all of those things, but I do have something that can help. It’s called Storybird, and it’s …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Personal, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Writing Craft

It’s A Brave New World

By Karen Ballon March 14, 2012

I’ve been in publishing for lo, these many years (over 30), so you’d think the work would be pretty much second nature for me. No so! In fact, just this last week I did something completely new!

I edited a book, in four days, using Skype and Dropbox.

The amazing thing about this isn’t that the author and I got the book done so quickly, but that it was SO MUCH FUN! We parked on Skype for …

Category: Book Business, Get Published, Karen, TrendsTag: dropbox, Editing, skype, Technology, Trends, Writing Craft

Writers’ Conference Spotlight: Mount Hermon

By Karen Ballon February 29, 2012

One of the best-loved conferences is the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. This year the conference will be held from March 30th to April 3rd. I first went to this conference in the late 90s, and have returned every year since. I love the heart of this conference, which is all about uplifting and encouraging, and about honoring the One who has called us to this amazing task. So, as …

Category: Book Business, Conferences, Get Published, Guest Post, KarenTag: Conferences, Get Published, Writing Craft

A Gathering of Twitches

By Karen Ballon February 22, 2012

This blog is from one twitch to another. Let me explain…

My husband loves that I’m a writer. He loves my creativity and passion. And he loves how happy I am when I’m writing. He knows when I’m writing because I get “twitchy.” Translation: Distracted. Otherwise occupied. Caught up in scenes and conversations no one but I—and that multitude in my mind--can see or hear. He knows that when the …

Category: Conferences, Craft, Creativity, Get Published, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Karen, writers conferences, Writing Craft

A Visit with Angela Hunt!

By Karen Ballon February 15, 2012

Today’s guest blogger is Angela Hunt, a master craftsman and wonderful woman. Angie is one of the first novelists I ever worked with, so we go back a loooong ways. In fact, I think we’ve been friends now for almost 25 years. She’s agreed to share her thoughts about writing, the changes in publishing, and how she refuels creativity. So without further ado, ladies and gents, I give you the amazing …

Category: Book Business, Book Business, Guest Post, Karen, The Publishing Life, Writing CraftTag: Angela Hunt, Publishing A-Z

Let Creativity Flow (Part Five)

By Karen Ballon February 8, 2012

As promised last week, when all else fails to spark your creativity, give one of these a try. They almost always work!

1. Do something relaxing. Take a pad and pencil or a mini-recorder along to capture ideas when they spark. Some relaxation ideas:

A nice, long bath
Play with your pet. If you don’t have one, go to the dog park and borrow one!
Go to a movie
Cook something you …

Category: Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Karen, Writing Craft

Let Creativity Flow (Part Four)

By Karen Ballon February 1, 2012

Great discussions on creativity, everyone. Just reading your comments is sparking my creativity! So here are the last of my thoughts on what you can do when that well of ideas seems to have run dry:

Take a Time Out. Remember how that works? Time outs? When you were a kid and got a little out of control, Mom sent you to the Time Out chair to cool off. Well, this is a similar principle. Too often …

Category: Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Karen, Proposals, Writing Craft