I have a HUGE announcement that I'm going to make on this blog--on Thursday! And on that day, I'll also give away a bunch of my audio downloads to a few people who comment on THIS post! So leave a comment do check back in.
Wanna hint? It has to do with my next big project. I've been signed on to do something big, and I so want to share it with you. I just need to sign on the dotted line first.
It's been a whirlwind of a journey around my house for the last few months as I've been trying to get this finalized, but I'm really excited (and I hope you will be, too!). But in my other life online I don't blog for moms, I blog for speakers and writers. I have training for those who want to develop a speaking or writing ministry.
And last week I wrote a long post about my journey. I thought you may want to read it, just for some inspiration and to understand where I come from a little better. Here's the beginning:
My story starts in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, back in August of 1996. My son Christopher was sleeping in a bassinette after I had given him his bottle. He was born with a serious heart defect, and would never come home (until he reached his ultimate home with Jesus a month later). But on that particular afternoon I was just enjoying him, singing to him, letting him rest, memorizing his face.
And as I was doing that, I overheard one of the nurses tell another nurse an absolutely hilarious story of something that had happened to her the weekend before.
I went home, wrote up that story, and sent it to Reader’s Digest.
A month later I received a cheque for $200 (which I split with that nurse). And I thought to myself: I wonder if there are other magazines that take little anecdotes like that, because I’m sure I can think of more!
So I started doing research on the internet for markets for writers, and lo and behold, Sally Stuart’s annual book Christian Writers’ Market Guide came up. I ordered it.
It arrived shortly after my son’s death. And in those months where I couldn’t do much else I started to leaf through it. And I found a whole host of magazines that I had never heard of that wanted Christian articles–even some that wanted articles on grief.
I had never met any other writers before. I had never written for publication before (except in academic journals). But I figured I could do it, and I sent off a query to Today’s Christian Woman, then the largest of the Christian magazines. No one told me you weren’t supposed to target the biggest first. They took my query, and I started writing articles. Lots of them.
For the next few years, as my babies napped, I wrote. I was published in all the major magazines (many of which, unfortunately, have since gone under), and five years later I decided it was time to start a book. So I pulled out Sally Stuart’s book again (I had a more recent version), and I looked at all the Christian publishers who would take a book proposal without an agent. I bought a book on how to write a book proposal, and I spent six months writing as good a one as I could. I sent it to eight publishers. One took it.
Here's the rest. And now you know so much more about me! Leave a comment to enter my contest, and then come back Thursday and you'll know even more! (tomorrow's Wifey Wednesday will still be here, too!)
Sheila if anyone deserves this success, it is you. Your generous kindness and mentoring of others is now coming back to you in full! God bless and enjoy every moment..what ever it is!! Brenda J. Wood http://heartfeltdevotionals.wordpress.com
As always, loved reading your post. Didn't get to the outsid elink yet but def going to check it out to get the rest of the story! Looking forward to the announcement and the new book!
Surely look forward to the announcement, as I look forward to reading your posts each day. Aslo looking forward to reading your books. Just realized I SHOULD have put a couple of your books on my Christmas list...
I found you first through your christian speakers blog... such a great idea - thank you for the encouragement there as I toy with ideas of how God might use me. And THEN I found this blog which is oh, so fun! :)
Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next. :)
I am so glad I found your blog. I share a lot of your parenting and marriage stories and advice with my close friends and mom's group. You have been such a blessing and inspiration.
About Me: I'm a Christian author of a bunch of books, and a frequent speaker to women's groups and marriage conferences. Best of all, I love homeschooling my daughters, Rebecca and Katie. And I love to knit. Preferably simultaneously.
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I'm so sorry about your baby boy ~ I'm happy you were able to find your way to writing. You've touched many lives a speaker and writer.