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Enclave Publishing News

By Steve Laubeon July 19, 2014

A couple major happenings over on the publishing side of my world. Enclave publishing has two events that happened this past week.

Enclave Publishing Kickstarter main photo First is the launch of a Kickstarter campaign as a means to have fans of Science Fiction & Fantasy have pre-publication access to the new titles at a great discount.

Check it out!
Enclave Publishing’s Kickstarter Campaign

Second, we have launched a brand new web site. Please visit and sign up for the newsletter (and get a free e-book!).

Visit: Enclave Publishing

Thank you for all your support in this new venture!

When Your Agent Appointment Flops

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 17, 2014

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In keeping with my conference posts, I want to talk a little today about agent appointments. I’ll use agents as the example for brevity but this post can also apply to editor appointments. That is, what if the agent or editor doesn’t like your work? Don’t despair. Seriously. Here’s why: 1.) If you feel you stuttered or stammered, or otherwise weren’t at your best, …

Category: ConferencesTag: Agents, Appointments, writers conferences

Test Your Genre Skills!

By Karen Ballon July 16, 2014

Today feels like a writing day, so let’s try an exercise together. Write a scene, up to 150 words (no more!), about making a sandwich, but do so in a way that makes the genre clear. I’ll go first. Guess the genre: Almond butter. She hugged herself. Oh, he loved almond butter. But not just any almond butter. He loved the organic kind, the kind that had one ingredient: almonds. It wouldn’t take her …

Category: GenreTag: Genre, Writing Craft

Publishing in the Rear View Mirror

By Dan Balowon July 15, 2014

Every author, either self or traditionally published would like to write a book that sells today, but also tomorrow, next week and next year. Book publishing in all of it’s forms is the art of trying to predict what readers will want to buy in the future. I use the term “art” to describe publishing because no one who has been involved in book publishing for more than two weeks thinks it is 100% …

Category: Book BusinessTag: Book Business, Publishing History, The Publishing Life

Gone or Dawn? The Golden Age of Publishing

By Steve Laubeon July 14, 2014

Recently Philip Yancey, a revered and bestselling author, wrote an article mourning the decline of the golden age of Christian Publishing. His words got me thinking… Are the Golden Days Gone? I have heard a lot of negative statements about the book industry, and the Christian publishing industry in particular, these past few years. Statements like “the system is broken,” …

Category: Book Business

Fun Fridays – July 11, 2014

By Steve Laubeon July 11, 2014

Synchronized Kitties!

Category: Fun Fridays

Making Friends at a Writers Conference

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 10, 2014

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Conference time is exciting for everyone, especially those who are looking forward to meeting people they’ve only met over the Internet and reconnecting with old friends. For certain, strengthening relationships is one of the best benefits of any conference. But what about the person who’s new, who hasn’t had a chance to make lots of friends yet? What about the shy person who …

Category: ConferencesTag: Friends, writers conferences

How to Engage Your Reader: Guaranteed!

By Karen Ballon July 9, 2014

I have been a fiction fan for a lot of years—basically, as long as I’ve been reading. But lately, the books I’m drawn to are more memoirs and what I’d call creative nonfiction. Nonfiction message in a creative, unexpected format. As I’ve read these books, I’ve been asking myself why I’m drawn to them. No, more than that… Why I’m drawn into them. Lately I picked up another memoir, …

Category: Writing CraftTag: Craft, show don't tell, Writing Craft

ICRS 2014 – Observations

By Steve Laubeon July 7, 2014

A couple weeks ago the industry gathered in Atlanta for the annual booksellers convention (I.C.R.S. – International Christian Retail Show). This was my 33rd consecutive event and have enjoyed every one. If I may I’ll mention a few of the meetings we attended and then make a few observations. 1) Tamela Hancock Murray and Dan Balow attended as well. We tried to do our meetings with …

Category: ICRSTag: ICRS