HEY, WRITERS! I want to encourage you! a.k.a. Teaching for Writers Conferences

A novelist is a creator of worlds, and although this is a HUGELY IMPORTANT task, creating worlds doesn’t (usually) pay enough to cease creating and rest on your laurels. Never fear! Novelists can use their mad-creating-skills to help others. This brings us to the topic of teaching writing workshops at writers’ conferences.

One of best parts of my calling is being able to encourage writers. A long time ago, three BIG-TIME Christian writers encouraged me, and yes, I will drop their names. All three are NYT best-selling authors, and all three took time out of their schedules to speak to a brand-new author. 

Frank Peretti responded to me personally when my first novel came out and encouraged me to keep writing. Bill Myers did the same, communicating me with Facebook Private Messaging, to wish me success. The biggest boost of all came from author Eric Wilson (Fireproof) who dared to READ MY NOVEL when still in the early stages… AND HE GAVE ME A BLURB to use when it was ready to publish!

I mention these in connection with the thrill of accomplished authors teaching at writers’ conferences because THESE THREE AUTHORS ENCOURAGED ME WHEN I WAS JUST STARTING OUT. As soon as I had a few years under my belt, the LORD sent someone to ask me to teach a seminar for their writers’ conference. I praise the LORD that she did, because I have never looked back.

Every opportunity is a blessing and an honor, from small book clubs, small writing groups, to middle-size and larger full-fledged writing conferences, (so far) I have not had to turn any down. I have shown up for 7 people 2 hours away, and a hundred people just up the road. The quantity of ears isn’t important – it’s the chance to tell a writer, “YOUR BOOK IS IMPORTANT!” and “NO ONE CAN WRITE YOUR BOOK BUT YOU!”

The hard-working prize-winning poet and author, Rita Moritz of Pell City’s Writers Anonymous has asked me to teach at the MID-WINTERS WRITERS CONFERENCE six years running (2014-19) !!

The oft-published author Denise George and equally prolific writer Carolyn Tomlin hired me to teach 90-min sessions at their Boot Camp for Christian Writers, BEESON DIVINITY SCHOOL AT SAMFORD UNIVERSITY, 7 times!

I am excited to announce that Southern Christian Writer’s Conference has invited me to teach two workshops this year, so mark your calendar for June 7 & 8 – I want to see you in my class!

In closing, if you are a writer, attend conferences to learn! You may also one day, want to instruct a workshop. We need encouragement and we need to hear from those who have 1) been there and 2) found success.

Thank you to every conference organizer and book club scheduler that has ever asked me to visit. I look forward to my 2019 visits!

EXCITING NOVEL UPDATE:

My #1 Bestselling Christian Thriller/Vampire The Rabbit Saga series is hotter than ever with the Special 10th Anniversary Edition being released soon from Outskirts Press. A brand new edition to overtake and excite a new generation of readers. When Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider first came out in 2009, she went to #1 within the first few months, garnering 100 5-star reviews. Book 2 came out, Rabbit Legacy, and almost immediately, I suffered a family change that caused me to stop writing for several years. In 2016, Book Three, Rabbit Redemption finally came out, and then Book Four, Anomaly followed in 2018. Now, Book Five, Conundrum wants to be born. Let's pray for her as she is completed! Thank you to all who are down the rabbit hole with me!

2012 -- Let's Make it the Best Year Ever!

SO FAR SO GOOD! January 5th, and 2012 has started out with a bang in Ellen-Land. My Christian Vampire Thriller The Judging has received a few new 5-star reviews this week -- just enough to nudge it up the Top-Rated charts on Amazon. Thank you, guys! My company, The Author's Mentor (TAM) has just added two new clients and I'm excited to bring their book to life by birthing it into the physical world. And my physical fitness improves daily with my running and weight lifting. Yay!!

Some details...
Author Peggy Phifer's debut novel TO SEE THE SUN is nearly ready to publish. TAM created her cover and formatted the interior, and now we will help her self-publish. Here is a photo of the joyous author holding up the proof of her novel for the first time:

Let's see.... also, to regain my former self after 10 years of gluttonous living, I picked up exercise and proper diet in June 2011. Since then, I have lost 40 pounds. I went from a 18 to a 14, and will end up a 10 when I'm all done. It's not about being skinny, but about being healthy, and at 43, I want to make it happen now before it's too late! I intend to keep this way of life from now on, so wish me luck!

 I sincerely pray that 2012 is the best year yet for us all, and wish you all the most lovely of all lives!

Hugs from Alabama,
Ellen
(Please join me on Facebook! Let's be pals! )

Ode to the Writer with Too Many Novels in Her Head and Not Enough Time

May 24th, 2011, my 5th full-length novel (and my 6th book, including my anthology Feckless) was published by TreasureLine Publishing. Damascus Road has hit the ground running at the same time that my personal life took a totally different route-- divorce reared it's ugly head unexpectedly that same month. Odd how good things and bad things can happen right together, eh?

What now? I have so many more novels to write, two of which are finished and just need a month's tweaking; also a fantastic stand-alone novel about a modern young woman caught up in an ancient battle of gods and demons; a stand-alone vampire novel that reaches into the world of witchcraft and satan worship; and bringing up the rear, four totally adorable children's books, that are nearly ready to publish, save for a small amount of illustration to finish. I have plenty to publish, a willing publisher, so what's the problem?

TIME. I have no time!

Being divorced has recalibrated the way I use my time. Now a single-income family with a dependent teen child, 90% of it is now spent working to earn money for the bills, and the 10% leftover is used to promote my books that are already out. What's a woman to do? Answer: Create her own Company.

In July 2011, I officially opened The Author's Mentor, (Facebook page: LINK) a place where first-time authors and beginner writers can come for advice and info about the publishing industry. Asking about everything from "How do I get published?" to "How much money will I make on my first book?", my clients and I are having a blast peeking into this amazing and ever-changing industry. Evolving to favor the self-published author, the Publishing World is a maze that few can successfully navigate without a mentor, and when we come across something I don't know or haven't experienced, we find the answers together.

Business is good. The Author's Mentor now has more than 20 clients, and since July, have helped to publish more than 15 books and short stories, posting them to Amazon Kindle, Barnes&Noble Nook, and print editions through CreateSpace. See this link to see book covers and links of folks we've helped! LINK

Ode to the writer with less time to write. Don't worry, Rabbit Fans (as my readers are affectionately called)... I am still writing, and before long, you will see RABBIT REDEMPTION and TREE OF LIFE, those books you long for, to continue the series' you've already begun. I love to write and I love to share with you.

Let's all have a beautiful week and make something beautiful with the gifts we've been given!

HUGS and smooches from Alabama,

Ellen C. Maze

VIDEO Author Blog--Ellen correcting actual boo-boos in Proof Galley

Yo!
I mean, Greetings, World-Wide-Interweb!
I decided to do a video blog (vlog-LOL) so I could show you my proof galley of Damascus Road, my newest "baby".
This SHORT AND FUN video contains the following:
1. discussion of grammatical and punctuation errors in my manuscript
2. discussion of how I correct them inside my document on Word
3. discussion on the dozens of novels I am writing simultaneously
4. discussion of how to use funny photos of yourself to make friends
and lastly
5. discussion of my dumb sisters and the awesomeness of their sister (LOL--sister humor)

Please TWEET this with my Tweet-This button if you can!
Hugs and blessings
ellen
(the Hebrew at the end was "Barukh Hashem", "bless the name", a blessing like, "Praise God")