10 Weeks of Holiday Book Sales

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

The next 10 weeks of the Holiday Season is as important to book sales as it is to any retail product. People buy books during the Holidays for themselves and for gifts. A large percentage of annual book sales are sold during the Holidays and writers need to be on top of the season and top of this sales opportunity. So where do we start?

Start Today with a Social Media Blitz – Those following you on social media are already fans, readers and followers. They know you and your works and will be receptive to your Holiday push. Start with putting them in the Holiday Spirit. Many people look forward to the season and will welcome your recognition of their favorite time of the year. This lets them know you too are on board with the Holiday Cheer. Prepare to present them with a daily contact for the next 10 weeks. This may sound like over kill but each message will be different.

Begin with the thought of Giving – Help them with their search of those needed gifts for family and friends. Make suggestions of your book or books as that perfect gift. Keep this in front of them daily beginning now. Remind them of how much they enjoyed your book and they would want to share that with others.

Giveaways- Early on begin giving away a book a day. Have them enter for the drawing with their name and email address. Then notify them and thank them for their interest and inform them if they won. When you notify them tell them, if they are not opposed, you would like to add their name to your contact list and notify them of future giveaways. You may also offer them a discount should they want to buy the book. You now have an additional contact to reach out to with each promotion. These can be daily, first come, first three contacts etc. Mix it up and keep their interest.    

Change your approach as we near Black Friday / Cyber Monday – As we near Black Friday November 23rd and Cyber Monday November 26^th we need to step up our approach just as retailers do. Begin various promotions to draw interest and sales.

Discounts- Expectation of discounts are a given this time of year. Some are waiting for this which tells them now is the time to buy.

BOGO- Buy one get one. One for yourself and one to give as a gift. Or you could offer buy one title get a second title free. There are various methods to use find one you are comfortable with or mix them up.

Cyber Monday – Now is the time to discount your eBook. Expectations dictate this with your readers/customers.

Hanukkah (Dec 2-10) - Have a promo each day of Hanukkah. A book giveaway or if you have 8 books give a different one away each day.

Christmas – Last minute gift giving is the approach going into Christmas. Sell that sense of urgency and offer a solution. After Christmas their gift cards may be used for additional book purchases. His could be a book they did not receive or discovered at gift giving time.

New Years – Have you made you New Year’s resolution to read more? Gear your promotion towards that.

With your due diligence by the end of these 10 weeks you should have made sales and picked up additional contacts for your email, newsletters, blogs and social media. Use all of these to announce each promotion as you go through the 10 weeks. If you need additional ideas just look to your local retailer and shadow them. They are experts at this!

Happy Holidays and many sales during the Holidays!

 

Week 2 of 10 Weeks of Holiday Book Sales

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

My blog previous post, 10 Weeks of Holiday Book Sales gave us some insight to Holiday Book Sales and some ideas how you can increase your book sales during the Holidays. We are now in week two of the 10 weeks and it is apparent many authors are on the right rack to an increase in sales.

The obvious sign for us here at Southern Writers Magazine is our Southern Writers Magazine's 2018 Holiday Catalog. It’s a great place to choose those holiday gifts for family and friends. You can check it out at Over 40 authors have taken this opportunity for an increase in Holiday Book Sales. 

Our Holiday Catalogs highlights each authors book or books but the catalog is shared many times over through Southern Writers social media and the social media of each author. Your effectiveness of a single ad is multiplied many times over through authors sharing with their followers. If you missed this opportunity be sure to sign up for the Summer 2019 and Holiday 2019 Catalogs. They will be announced in the Spring and late Summer.

Watch and be aware of other authors use of the Holiday media to make additional sales. Decide which methods interest you and be prepared to jump on board. Here are different ideas and remember it’s not too late to start. We are just into week 2.     

Start Today with a Social Media Blitz – Those following you on social media are already fans, readers and followers. Start with putting them in the Holiday Spirit. Many will welcome your recognition of their favorite time of the year. This lets them know you too are on board with the Holiday Cheer. Present them with a daily contact for the next 10 weeks. Each message should be different.

Begin with the thought of Giving – Help them with their search of those needed gifts for family and friends. Remind them of how much they enjoyed your book and they would want to share that with others.

Giveaways- Begin giving away a book a day. Have them enter for the drawing with their name and email address. Then notify them and thank them for their interest and inform them if they won. When you notify them tell them, if they are not opposed, you would like to add their name to your contact list and notify them of future giveaways. You may also offer them a discount should they want to buy the book. You now have an additional contact to reach out to with each promotion.  

For the perfect example of this giveaway concept author, DiAnn Mills has a 12 Days of Thanksgiving give away which she promotes on all social media links and via her email list of website subscribers. Here is the link to enter for a free giveaway from DiAnn Mills. 

  

Change your approach as we near Black Friday / Cyber Monday – As we near Black Friday November 23rd and Cyber Monday November 26^th we need to step up our approach. Begin various promotions to draw interest and sales.

Discounts- Expectation of discounts are a given this time of year. Some are waiting for them which tells them now is the time to buy.

BOGO- Buy one get one. One for yourself and one to give as a gift. Or you could offer buy one title get a second title free.

Cyber Monday – Now is the time to discount your eBook. Expectations dictate this with your readers/customers.

Hanukkah (Dec 2-10) - Have a promo each day of Hanukkah. A book giveaway or if you have 8 books give a different one away each day.

Christmas – Last minute gift giving is the approach going into Christmas. Sell that sense of urgency and offer a solution. After Christmas their gift cards may be used for additional book purchases. This could be a book they did not receive or discovered at gift giving time.

New Years – Have you made you New Year’s resolution to read more? Gear your promotion towards that.

Happy Holidays!

 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! A New Decade Begins!

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor of Southern Writers Magazine

Yes, at Southern Writers Magazine we say Merry Christmas! After  all that is what it is. So again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years from all of us here at Southern Writers Magazine. We hope your year has been a happy and prosperous one. There are still a few days left in the year for you to tie up any loose ends. But remember these last few days are also the last few days of the decade.

Author, p.m. terrell recently posted on Facebook, “There’s only two more weeks left in this decade. What would you consider your most memorable moments of the decade?” The response was amazing! Looking back over the last 10 years wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. A lot has happened and choosing the most memorable ones, although difficult, was a great opportunity to count my blessings.

Looking back also gave me an eye-opening moment to realize 10 years has passed in the blink of an eye. Another is about to start. So much planning and goal setting went into the last 10 years. I had to ask myself what my goals are and plans for the next 10 years. What have I learned and what do I hope to learn in the coming years?

As great as my last 10 years have been, I want the next 10 years to be the best yet? In order to assure that happens planning and goal setting come into play again. Also taking stock and knowing where we have been, will make us aware of what is possible. The next step is to set your goals higher. As business like as this sounds it can also be used to plan personal finances and family time. All parts of our lives are intertwined so we must plan as such.

So simply put it boils down to 5 questions. Where are you now? What are you excited about now? What would you change? Who makes the decision? What is the solution? With this  searching and planning you should have the best decade yet!

Back to p.m. terrell’s question, “What would you consider your most memorable moments of the decade?” For me that was easy. On December 17^th Nancy and I celebrated our 50^th Wedding Anniversary. We first took a trip to Hawaii. We then renewed our vows in the presence of family, including 8 of our 10 grandchildren, and friends in the little church in Arkansas we grew up in. We were fortunate to have the pastor that married us return to renew our vows. Now that’s memorable!  

 

   

Week of July 11, 2021 Top 3 Most Sold and Read Books on Amazon

These three books above are the most read and sold the week of July 11.

10 WEEKS ON THE LIST

Project Hail Mary

BY ANDY WEIR

218 WEEKS ON THE LIST

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

BY J.K. ROWLING

218 WEEKS ON THE LIST

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

BY J.K. ROWLING

wHAT MAKES PEOPLE FANS OF HARRY POTTER?

FROM 1 TO 3000 FACEBOOK FRIENDS IN TWO WEEKS!

By Char Jones

Recently I was asked about my explosive growth of Facebook Friends from one — thanks author Louise Mangos! — to 3000 Friends in the first two weeks. As any writer knows, social media is king these days. So pulled some thoughts together about the journey to how a red-haired girl whose first-read words were Burger Beer from a billboard.

BOOKS IN WOMB 

Always a reader. Came out of the womb with a book in both hands. Made a living as a writer for many years. Spent an equally long time in PR and healthcare marketing. Reviewing its full-circle coming.

FACEBOOK ALOHA 

Rejoined two years ago to connect with far-flung theater friends across the globe ... in Australia, Malaysia, Saskatoon, and across the U.S. Wrote short pieces, got positive feedback from my creative tribe, which meant a great deal, so started doing more reviews. 

THANKS, MAGGIE HOPE! 

One of my favorite authors Susan Elia MacNeal announced on Facebook that early advance review copies were available on NetGalley for her fab upcoming THE PRISONER IN THE CASTLE. So I joined, got approval to review Susan’s book, and then did many many more. Just completed my 300th book review today!

SHOCKING 

Earned NetGalley Badges for doing 10, then 25, then 50 reviews — all posted on Goodreads — and when I stumbled on my Goodreads ranking I was shocked — #2 as a reader and #12 as a reviewer globally. Whew! 

ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’ 

Writers and publishers began to contact me directly, and Friend Requests rolled in. I did sweat equity too, spending time each day making requests myself.

JOURNEY OF 1000 CLICKS 

Began clicking “People You May Know” button to request friends among my bookish tribe. Soon found that potential friends already had upwards of 400 mutual contacts. A critical mass had been reached — Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” — and the more I clicked, the more swiftly the network grew.

WISHING UPON A STAR 

Now, I’ve set more goals ... for 5000 Friends (max #) on Facebook and on Goodreads. And 500 reviews by summer’s end on NetGalley.

LIES, MORE LIES AND STATISTICS 

Ignore the header. These current stats are true!

• 3642 Facebook Friends 

• 2078 Goodreads Friends

• 300 NetGalley Reviews

As I write, the Beatles’ “Long and Winding Road” plays. It’s been the best kind of trip so far, one for which I thank my many new friends! Brief update: reached NetGalley pinnacle over the weekend of 500 reviews. And just yesterday added new Facebook Friends from Moscow, Paris, Rome, Belgium, Brazil, Germany and Spain. Plus, this week had review requests or consultations with a London historical writer, an Israeli author of thrillers, an Egyptian literary short story author, and an American historical fiction biographer of Hedy Lamarr — all reflective of the power of social media. 

___________________________________________________________________ 

Char Jones writes book reviews and sundries on her Facebook blog, Literary Soirée. She’s a past entertainment journalist, medical writer and healthcare marketing executive. When she dies, Char wants to be buried in red lipstick, distressed jeans, and ruby cowgirl boots — with a book clutched in each hand! Social Media:  Literary Soirée  https://www.facebook.com/literary.soiree.5

How I Made it to Amazon.com’s Top 100 Paid Bestseller List…

By Kat Flannery

It’s a little frightening to consider the long climb up a list with more than 750,000 books on it, and to be quite blunt I had my doubts I’d ever do it again. My first book CHASING CLOVERS,made Top 100 in 2013 and every time I tried afterward ended in failure. I am not Stephen King, Nora Roberts, or Margaret Attwood whose name is reason alone for fans to buy their books…I’m just a small time author desperate to make a living doing what I love.

How did I get to #68 on Amazon Top 100 Paid?

Two months before, I’d been given my rights back on some of my books from my publisher. I decided to place new covers on them, a rebranding of sorts, and published them on my own. My assistant suggested I do a sale for the first book, LAKOTA HONOR in the BRANDED TRILOGY to showcase the new covers, and get more sales. It was a great idea and I was excited to show them off.

On a whim one evening I decided to try for a BookBub. If you haven’t heard of BookBub you need to research them. They have one of the best advertising out there for any author. Keep in mind it is difficult to get approved, and it is expensive.

To my surprise two days later I received an email from BookBub telling me LAKOTA HONOR would go out to their thousands of readers in three weeks!

Crunch time!

Let me be clear; to market your book will cost money. You do not need to spend thousands of dollars, but you will need to purchase ads. I have done this throughout my career whenever my book was placed on sale. Some have been promo’s I’ve gotten for free, others were articles, or blogs and cost me nothing, but for ads where you can potentially reach thousands of readers, you will need to spend money.

I had a budget of $900. I suggest setting a budget because it is easy to go over. I knew the BookBub would be the majority of my money. So I purchased a few smaller ads, Kindle Nation Daily, BookTweeters, and ran a Facebook ad. I blasted it all over social media, asking people to share and thanked every single person who did. I placed the sale in my newsletter, blogged and I was everywhere online I could be.

Within a few hours LAKOTA HONOR started to drop drastically on Amazon.com’s Top 100 Paid List along with Amazon.Uk and Amazon.ca. LAKOTA HONOR even dropped down to #10 on Kobo, which I’d never done before. Even more startling was my author rank. It went from over 600,000 to #15.

Be still my beating heart!

What made this experience so rewarding was not only that I made the Top 100 and stayed there for three days, but that my readers, friends and family all shared, posted, tweeted, and were excited right along with me. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to live my dream of being an author, and for that alone I will forever be grateful.

__________________________________________________________________ 

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. A member of the National Romance Writers of America (RWA), and other writing groups. Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. She volunteers her time teaching writing classes and giving back to other aspiring authors. She’s been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career, and continues to write for blogs and online magazines. A bestselling author, Kat has been on several bestseller lists. The BRANDED TRILOGY is Kat’s award-winning series. With seven books published, Kat continues to produce up to two novels a year. Creativity is in all aspects of Kat’s career. She co-owned Prairie Dog Publishing from 2008-2013 where she published anthologies giving proceeds to local charities. She does Social Media and Marketing for her own career and businesses; writing ads and other content. Kat is the CEO and owner of Picco Press where she writes, publishes, markets and mentors other authors. Visit Kat at: www.katflannerybooks.com Find her on Facebook: Kat Flannery, author Follow her on Twitter: @KatFlannery1 Get Kat’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cQmCzL

How to Write a Book in Five Months or Less in Your Spare Time, Part Two

By Theresa Oliver

Part Two continues today from Theresa Oliver. Part One appeared on Friday, Feburary 3, 2017.

   

MY WRITING PLAN:

I decided to write two scenes per chapter, with each chapter between 10-20 pages. Then, I decided that I needed to write at least twenty chapters per book. At writing one chapter per week, I soon finished my book in less than five months.  And you can, too.  

It’s important to note that on some weeks, I could write more, which was great. But if there was a day that I couldn’t write, I remembered my commitment to write at least one chapter a week and didn’t beat myself up over it. Since then, I have written six books with more to come.

BOOK DESIGN: Along with being a published author, I am also a teacher. When I was teaching middle school, I wanted to encourage my students to write and began researching ways to break writing down into digestible bites. That is when I found Fraytag’s Plot Pyramid, one of the best descriptors of how a short story—and novel—is written.

If you notice, here is how Fraytag broke down plot: introduction, rising action, conflict (not pictured), climax, falling action, resolution (not pictured), and denouement. It’s important to note that Fraytag said that three-fourths of the action happens on the left side of the pyramid, and only one-fourth happens on the right. After all, once the conflict is resolved, there is no story, right?

WRITING YOUR BOOK:

When you start writing your book, do not waste too much time on back story. Introduce your characters, basic plot, and conflict in your first chapter, and hit the ground running right away. Start your book off in the action. Give the reader enough information to get to know the characters, but do not linger there. You can give the reader the details of the character’s past as needed. Remember: your readers are on a need-to-know basis. As writers, we must hook the reader within the first chapter, or else why should the reader continue to reading?

It’s important to note that at the end of each chapter, the writer must leave a bit of a cliffhanger to keep the reader coming back for more. Only one sentence or two will do, but no more. This will keep the reader on the edge of their seat, wondering what will happen next, and will keep the reader turning the page.

Also, when you first sit down to write your book, do not worry about knowing every detail that will happen during the course of your book. When I sit down to start writing a new book, I know what will happen at the beginning, middle, and end, but only in points: point A, point B, etc., but the beauty of writing is in connecting the dots, using scenes to connect the points together into a cohesive book. So, don’t fret if you don’t know everything that will happen in your book right away. Trust your characters and let them lead you—but only to a point. It’s important for the writer to maintain control of the direction of his or her book. I always have a mental outline of my book, but if you are one to write out a detailed outline, then do it! Just don’t be governed by it. Use it as a writing plan, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it when needed … as long as you keep your book on track, headed toward your intended outcome.

CONCLUSION:

So, this is the strategy that I use to write my books and you can, too. You might think that it just can’t be this simple, but it is. The most important thing to do is to follow the plan and to do it. Don’t let the vision of writing a whole book intimidate you. Do for yourself what I did for my students: break it down into digestible bites, set a goal, then make a plan to achieve your goal—and stick to it! You can do it. Whether you are a seasoned veteran published author or a novice to the writing game, you, too, can write a book in five months or less in your spare time.

Happy writing!

______________________________________________________________ 

Theresa Oliver grew up in southern Indiana, across from Louisville, Kentucky, in Clarksville, Indiana. In her childhood, she fell in love with the power of the written word, a love affair that has continued her whole life. She moved to Florida, where she has lived much of her adult life. She attended the University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tenn., and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree, News Editorial sequence. She also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, Early Childhood Education sequence, from Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Ga. She is currently a writer, a full-time teacher, and the owner of Write More Publications and TNT Author Services. However, her greatest adventure is as a mother of three beautiful boys. Oliver currently resides in Kissimmee, Florida, with her husband and children.

If It Weren’t For Bad Luck…

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

The current threat of Hurricane Matthew to our eastern coast has reminded many of us of the damage suffered from Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Hugo was a category 4 hurricane when it came ashore just north of Charleston, South Carolina on September 22nd. There were 35 people killed and damage was in the $10 Billion range. It was the costliest hurricane to date for the U.S.

Having a friend working the damage as an insurance adjuster I was receiving photos and information of the damage on a regular basis. It was overwhelming thinking what the people were going through. He shared the hardships and the progress as it happened. He had spoken of the difference in the damage to homes and property on the west side versus the east side of the eye. The east side, the strong side of the hurricane, brought great destruction. The west side was less.

One lady was fortunate she was on the west side and seemed to be spared the devastation others suffered. She was farther from the center of the storm and thus was able to have easier access to supplies needed for survival and rebuilding. Within weeks she had her home repaired and back to normal. It was at this point she wanted to get away and relax. So she decided to visit her sister in California.

Her sister lived near Santa Cruz on the edge of the Forest of Nisese Marks State Park. It is a beautiful area and a great place to just relax and enjoy a visit with her sister. While there sitting on her sister’s deck, she was included in another of our country’s great natural disasters. On October 17^th at 5:04 pm the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. This is the earthquake better known as the “World Series Earthquake” disrupting the 1989 Series at Candlestick Park.  The State Park and her sister’s home were in the epicenter of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake. She had gone from one disaster to another.

I personally do not believe in bad luck or good luck. 

I believe we are where we are for a reason and a purpose. The reason you are somewhere may be simple. Your job took you there, you are on vacation there or as this lady did you are seeking comfort and relaxation with your family after a major event in your life. The purpose you are there is for you to determine. Her purpose may be to comfort and console her sister. Having just gone through such an event she will know what she is feeling, what to expect and what to do. But that is my view. Fortunately as writers we can not only write what our beliefs are but we can write from a viewpoint of any belief. So for me “bad luck” is not out of bounds.

We all know of people, or we may be such a person, that has suffered multiple disasters, losses or runs of bad luck. Take their story and run with it. Everyone wants to hear how we are fortunate compared to others situations and we should count our blessings. And while counting your blessings be mindful of others and the tragedies they are suffering today.  

        

Your Bluebird Cafe Discovery

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

Malcolm Gladwell has written several books one of my favorites is TheTipping Point. It was about the small changes that brought people, products or government to a point of success or change. A recent trip to Nashville and The Bluebird Café reminded me of a tipping point.

The Bluebird cafe is small 90 seat music club which will usually have 4 composers or singer/songwriters present their talents. It is a great way to see new or established talent and experience a step along the way in the music business. I was fortunate to be able to attend a benefit there for the Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy. In the middle of the show   one of the artists which was experiencing her first performance at the Bluebird stopped, pointed to a spot at a table in the back and said, “Garth Brooks was seated right back there when he heard The Dance for the first time. The Dance was written by Tony Arata and Brooks recorded it as the 10^th and final song on his self-titled debut album. It remained at number 1 for 3 weeks. Quite a success story for both the writer and the singer. Why was this noted in the middle of her performance?

This young hopeful was saying this was possibly one of the steps, changes she must go through if she is to achieve success. It has happened for others this way. It could happen again. But she must experience this. This is also true for authors and I want to share two of my favorite examples.

·        Andy Andrew’s book The Butterfly Effect was shared with Good Morning America host Robin Roberts. Roberts showcased it on “Must-Reads”. Not long afterwards it was a #1 Bestseller.

·       Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were brilliant motivational speakers and great marketing men. Their new book Chicken Soup for the Soul had sold many copies. They wanted more. They had given away thousands of copies but they needed to get it into the hands of what they called “big mouths”. Big mouths are celebrities with access to the media. They sent books to the O. J. Simpson jury. The jury was sequestered so this was one thing they could have. The jury were seen arriving each day with the book under their arm. The media asked about it and they received national attention.

“Three simple rules in life:  If you do not go after what you want, you'll never have it.  If you do not ask, the answer will always be no.  If you do not step forward, you'll always be in the same place.”  

----Nora Roberts

You never know when, where or how the right person will discover your work but if you know of things others have done you too can use that to get it out there in front of people. Not everyone that performs at The Bluebird Café becomes a “success”. But your odds are much greater if you do. It is a step, or one of the changes that must occur to increase your odds. 

Discover what others have done and put it into motion. Southern Writers Magazine with its input from authors is a great place to start learning.     

     

How do I write novels?

By Jolina Petersheim

Sometimes I still don’t know, and I’ve been on a learning curve for seven years.

I signed my first two-book contract when my firstborn daughter was twelve weeks old. I remember those days with fondness, though I struggled with mama guilt back then. My daughter’s favorite spot was snuggled on the nursing pillow on my lap, so I spent hours sitting on the couch, feeding her and typing—the laptop carefully positioned on the fold-out coffee table, her hair decorated with pieces of lettuce from lunch.

I struggled with mama guilt because I thought I should be doing something besides typing while she slept. I remember one afternoon watching her doing “tummy time” on the mat at my feet and thinking she looked lonely, so I scooped her up and put her back on the pillow. I had babysat for years, and there’s an eleven-year gap between me and my younger brother, but motherhood was a different story.

I was responsible for this child’s well-being, and what if what I did was not enough? So, I made sure to never put her down.

Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20, and if I could clear my tired mama eyes and put my hands on my achy twenty-six-year-old shoulders, I would tell myself it’s okay to have a creative outlet to pour myself into while also physically and emotionally pouring myself out for my child.

We lived in the middle of nowhere back then (and that’s saying something because we’re still twenty minutes “from town”), and my husband worked nine-hour days. All I had was my little girl, on the pillow, and this story about motherhood in all its beautifully challenging forms.

I thought writing was taking away from motherhood, but the truth is, writing helped me understand the beauty of maternal sacrifice while receiving a far greater reward.

That plump baby on the nursing pillow is now almost seven: the eldest of three sisters with fluffy hair and contagious giggles that transform into cat fights and then teary grins. For almost seven years, I’ve taken two hours in the afternoon to write, and in those years, I’ve learned that to be a good mama means I must take time to refill the well before I continue pouring out.

So, how do I do it? I don’t rightly know, but one day that will change. My three girls will have homes of their own, and more than likely, families of their own, and I will have all the time in the world to type. And as I write what I have learned during these beautifully challenging years, I will smile while envisioning my own daughters, sitting down on the couch or at the kitchen table, using a few hours in the afternoon to fill themselves back up before continuing to pour out.

____________________________________________________________ 

Jolina Petersheim is the highly acclaimed author of The Divide, The Alliance, The Midwife, and The Outcast, which Library Journal called "outstanding . . . fresh and inspirational" in a starred review and named one of the best books of 2013. That book also became an ECPA, CBA, and Amazon bestseller and was featured in Huffington Post's Fall Picks, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and the Tennessean. CBA Retailers + Resources called her second book, The Midwife, "an excellent read [that] will be hard to put down," and Booklist selected The Alliance as one of their Top 10 Inspirational Fiction Titles for 2016. The Alliance was also a finalist for the 2017 Christy Award in the Visionary category. The sequel to The Alliance, The Divide, won the 2018 INSPY Award for Speculative Fiction. Jolina's non-fiction writing has been featured in Reader's Digest, Writer's Digest, Today's Christian Woman, and Proverbs 31 Ministries. She and her husband share the same unique Amish and Mennonite heritage that originated in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but they now live in the mountains of Tennessee with their three young daughters. Jolina's fifth novel, How the Light Gets In, a modern retelling of Ruth set in a cranberry bog in Wisconsin, releases March 2019.