Tamela Hancock Murray

Gratitude for Christians on Social Media

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 15, 2023

Thankfulness is a gift we give ourselves.

Why be Grateful?

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, now is an ideal time to revisit our reasons for gratitude.

I’m thankful for the God we serve, a merciful God Who loves us no matter what mistakes we make and who rejoices in what we try to do to please Him.

I’m grateful for the people in my life and that the Lord meets my needs and beyond. That’s only a start. If I were to compose a list, this blog post would be so long that no one would read it.

Social Media

I’ve taken a break from social media, and now I’ll try to be more active by sharing helpful and uplifting posts. Since, as industry professionals, we’re all on social media, I’ll dedicate the rest of this gratitude post to Christians on social media.

Trusting Christian Writers

I’m grateful I can trust the writers I follow to offer God-honoring words I can safely post anywhere. My purpose in sharing articles is to inform and uplift, not to offend. I don’t need to add drama to my life by creating fights to send zingers to people who disagree with me. Negative engagement, especially with strangers online, is not about the issue or debaters. Disputes are about showing off with clever retorts. Here, winning is losing. That’s not how I want to spend my time. I respect you enough that I don’t ask you to spend your time fighting, either.

Appreciating You

I’ll add how much I appreciate those who read this blog and follow me on social media. You make my little corner of the online world a lovely place to be.

May every day you live be a blessed and joyous celebration of gratitude.

Books You Missed in School?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 1, 2023

To be great writers, we must be avid readers. To be informed citizens of the world, we must read widely. As part of my independent, ongoing education, I’m reading a few titles my teachers didn’t assign. One is The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Teachers mentioned the novel, but few readers in modern times seem to have read it. Initially published in 1905, Sinclair’s work exposed the …

Category: Book Review

Not Everyone Is Your Reader

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 18, 2023

As part of my voluntary continuing education, I’m reading books by authors celebrated during the past century. Many of these authors won significant literary prizes. Most sold millions of copies of their books while they were still writing. Yet, I only enjoy the work of some authors I’ve explored. Perusing the shelves of my local used bookstore, I have read the back cover copy of an …

Category: Marketing

Don’t Rely on Memories

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 4, 2023

Authors of historical novels may be tempted to rely on stories from friends and relatives to add truth to their words. After all, they were there, so they should remember, right? Maybe. Maybe not. I know how unreliable memory can be, and the truth came to light when I tried to retell a story about my husband’s and my courtship that our daughters hadn’t heard. I was delighted by the opportunity …

Category: Writing Craft

Out of the Bubble

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon September 20, 2023

The worst statement a celebrity can make when confronting, say, the police, is, “Do you know who I am?” Instead, they should say, “I hope you don’t know who I am.” But some celebrities think the world is their bubble and everyone knows them. I’m hardly a celebrity. My bubble is a speck. Case in point, I had just enjoyed attending a conference where I felt …

Category: Agents, Conferences

Will I Be Rich if I Win an Award?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 24, 2023

A notable goal of any author is to be recognized by the industry with an award. Even earning a place as a finalist is an honor, particularly when the contest is known to have many entrants. But if you win, will you be rich? Maybe, but probably not right away. Awards are typically granted well after a book has been published. By then, the first blush of excitement and intense book promotion around …

Category: Awards

As an Author, Do I Owe Strangers a Gift?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 10, 2023

When speaking to authors, I’m often reminded of a quote attributed to Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” When I wrote books for publication, a few favor-seekers would find me on social media and assume I had plenty of funds to send them gifts. If only that had been true! Books are expensive. Aren’t all published authors rich …

Category: The Writing Life

Agent Etiquette

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 27, 2023

Agent Etiquette: Ima Writer Interviews Literary Agent Empress Worthington In the interest of helping new authors learn the etiquette of approaching literary agents, the following is a conversation with aspiring author Ima Writer and literary agent Empress Worthington. Ima: I have an extraordinary manuscript, and I want an agent. Empress: Congratulations on completing your book! Do you have a …

Category: Agents, Book Business, Pitching

Fun with AI

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 13, 2023

Steve Laube always inspires me, and I found special encouragement from his recent post on artificial intelligence. AI provided an inaccurate biography of him, so I wondered if I’d have the same experience. I’m doing this field research, so you don’t have to! Chat gpt ChatGPT stands for “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer” Then it included a definition that sent me to a hyperlink to download …

Category: Trends

Your Servant, Madame

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 28, 2023

I enjoy historical novels; and so I often see the greeting, “Your servant, Madame.” This charming salute makes me think of my life. How can I be a servant to you? Here are some thoughts: 1. Overarching Purpose: I chose to enter Christian publishing because I hope to serve the Lord. Christian publishing provides a key service to our community by offering readers faith-affirming, uplifting fiction …

Category: Agents