Would You Like to Win a Book?
I'm running a subscriber drive. I've almost finished a proposal for a new book that I'm hoping to win a contract for, and I'd love to show my new publisher that I've got a good reading audience. For this reason, I'd like to DOUBLE my subscriber list.. To automatically WIN a FREE book from me, send five people to subscribe to my website mailing list AND this blog, Woman of Faith. They will need merely to enter their email address on the pop-up form on my website AND one of the forms on the right side of this blog.
Anyone can subscribe, but only US residents can win a free book for recommending friends (Sorry). Five friends may seem like a lot, but I know you can do it! Besides, I'm giving you a book for your efforts. If you've already enjoyed my work, you'll have one to give away as a gift. Books make excellent gifts and mine will particularly appeal to most any woman in your life. (Men, too, have reported enjoying my books, so don't be afraid to ask men to subscribe, or to give them a copy!)
How Does It Work?
Use my email template below to make this easy. You'll recommend me to your friends, assuring them that I won't spam or otherwise cause regret for joining me. When you send your email to your list, copy me in on it, so I'll know who sent them when/if they subscribe. Include your full mailing address at the bottom of your email so I can mail out a book to you. If five of your friends don't subscribe you won't get a book, so be sure to encourage them to do so! Below is a suggested message you can use (simply copy and paste it into the body of your email) to make this even simpler.
What Will You Receive?
I have enough books to award about 200 of you with a free one. I won't guarantee which of my books you'll receive, but again, if it turns out to be something you've read, you'll now have a brand-new, autographed copy to find its way beneath someone's Christmas tree, or to a birthday celebration, etc. If you receive Before the Season Ends, you'll have a book to give away that even includes the gospel message!
Why Am I Giving Away My Books?
I've been doing less speaking and teaching lately, as I obey the Lord's promptings to focus on my family. This means my books aren't moving the way they used to, which would be okay except that we're also prayerfully preparing for a possible out-of-state move. I love having books on hand for when I do events, but I'd like to clear out the boxes before we have to fill the moving truck!
Something Else
My regency trilogy is officially "out of print." This means you can pick up a used copy at a low price RIGHT NOW--but eventually these used copies will peter out and then the books will be scarce. Who knows? You may be getting a book in its first edition that will become valuable some day, especially considering you're getting it brand new and autographed. (I don't mean this as, MY books must become valuable! It's just that regency readers are notable book collectors. When they like a book, they keep it and talk about it. For a long time. When new readers go looking for one of my books, you'll have one!)
Who Should I Invite?
Think of people you know who are intelligent and enjoy books. Please don't ask those who are seldom online or won't open email. (Since I write for ages 12-99, this should be easy!)
Here's an email template:
(Either download the doc using this link, or copy and paste this into the email you send your friends/family/reading buddies, etc.)
Hello!
I just wanted to let you know that an author I like is running a subscriber drive, and giving away free books as an incentive. Linore Rose Burkard writes Inspirational Romance. Her books are good clean fun-- and historically accurate. She's asking me to send five friends her way to subscribe to her quarterly email newsletter, and her blog, Woman of Faith. (You don't have to be a woman to enjoy either, by the way!) If I get her five more subscribers, I win a book! It's that simple.
Linore won't spam you, share your email, or otherwise pester you--she promises! If you'll subscribe to these two venues (her website and blog) I will win a free copy of one of her books, and I'd love that! Also, once you subscribe, you can send five people her way and win a book, too!
Subscribe to these two places: (You must join BOTH for me to get a book)
1.Linore Burkard's website (http://www.LinoreBurkard.com. A pop-up form will appear. Enter your email)
2. Woman of Faith Blog (http://todayswomanoffaith.blogspot.com. Enter your email into the box on the right side.) And that's it!
Also, since I need five people to subscribe to win a book, could you please let me know if you've become a subscriber? (Just hit reply and say "I've subscribed!" And if you choose not to, I'll need to know so I can invite other friends!)
Thanks so much for helping me win a book! I honestly think you'll enjoy Linore's beautifully illustrated newsletters full of historical tid-bits, and her blog has book reviews, recommendations, devotions, news-alerts and even recipes!
Click the links above to subscribe, and thanks again!
(Your name)
(Your full mailing address, for me, since you've copied me in on the email.)
(You can include this graphic in your email if you like!)
One Last Thing
If you're interested, you can request my very first book, which is the print-on-demand version of, Before the Season Ends. (I can honor this request as long as copies last.) If you're a writer and have the Harvest House edition, you may find it worthwhile to see the changes that were made before they took the book to print. Many of the changes were done by me, but some of them were done by Harvest House editors. If you've considered (or are considering) self-publishing, you'll have a "before" and "after" copy of one book to compare versions. Notice what changes were made and ask yourself, Why? Did the change improve the book? What can I learn here for my own writing?
I'll share updates on the subscriber drive here on the blog as well as in my next newsletter which I hope to have in your in-box before the end of the month. In the meantime, send out those emails and let me send you a free book!
Gratefully Yours,
Linore
BEFORE YOU GO:
Below is a re-post from something I wrote for Tiffany Amber Stockton's blog recently, which, if you haven't already seen, I thought you'd enjoy.
Authors are (Imperfect) Mommies, Too!
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| Me with my two oldest girls, a few years back. Like my wallpapers? I do all the wallpapering in our home! |
Last spring, while I was working on a book called Ship of Dreams,
my 9th grade daughter called from school one day. (She is the younger one in the picture, above.)
"Mom, I missed the bus. Could you pick me up?"
"Okay, honey."
"But could you wait a few minutes, like, say, twenty to thirty minutes, and then get me?"
"Sure, honey."
I hung up with the happy reassurance that I had more time to go on writing the scene from my novel that was actually rather thrilling. It was a pivotal scene in the book. WELL...
About an hour later the phone rang.
"Mom?"
"BETH! Oh my gosh! I'm sorry! I'm on my way!"
And thus goes the life of a writer. If she had wanted me to get her immediately I could have done that, no problemo.
But to let me get back into a pivotal scene of my current work-in-progress? Uh-oh.
A writer has to be living the scene if she or he wants it to be believable. For me, I have to be living it in order to write it at all.
Once I had her in the car on the way home, my daughter looked at me with a miffed expression.
"So, what happened?"
"Bethany," I explained patiently, "You have to understand. I was on the Titanic with more than 1,000 passengers who were going down!"
She looked at me for a moment, thinking, and slowly smiled. "Okay, mom. I get it."
For more on the life (or, er, the imagination of) a writer, see my blog post on The Writing Life,
here.
