My dear friend, Vonda Skelton, hosted me on her blog the other day. She's a wonderful person, dynamic speaker, and a gifted writer, so I hope you'll visit her site and check out all the great things she's up to...including a writer's cruise and a critique business.
Do you love books? Do you like free stuff? Me too! So I'm really excited to announce a HUGE book giveaway. I've recently begun writing monthly devotionals, called "Faith Lifts: Deep Topics with a Light Touch." I'm having a lot of fun writing them, and I'd love to build my subscriber list. Here's the first devotional, so you can see whether or not it's something you'd be interested in.
So here's the deal: if you sign up for my devotional to come in your in-box once a month (just enter your email in the box on the top left of my website), I'll enter your name in the drawing for the big prize package. :)
I'll hold the drawing on May 25, and ship the books to the winner as soon as I receive their mailing address. Here's what I'm giving away:
Non-fiction:
A hot-off-the-presses copy of Heavenly Humor for the Woman’s Soul by Martha Bolton, Anita Renfroe, Patsy Clairmont and others (including Dena Dyer)
Fueled by Faith by Jennifer Kennedy Dean
Facing Every Mom’s Fears by Allie Pleiter
Let Your Life Count by Donna Partow
Building the Christian Family You Never Had by Mary DeMuth
Naked Fruit by Elisa Morgan
The Woman I’m Becoming by T. Suzanne Eller
Fiction:
Come, my Little Angel by Diane Noble
After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart
A Whisper of Freedom by Tricia Goyer
Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson
Fair is the Rose by Liz Curtis Higgs
Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
Children’s media:
Two books in “The Adventures of Bailey and Canteen” series: Lost and Found and Canyon Rescue by Eddy Bolton, illustrated by Jerry Pittenger (books with read-along CD’s, which include 6 original songs)
Veggie Tales DVD (Where’s God When I’m Scared?) from their “Classics” series
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So, good luck--and please tell your friends!
Check this out--it's an announcement for a cool writing contest with great prizes!
"Christian Women Online, in conjunction with Art Bookbindery, is sponsoring the 'Her Life Reflected,' writing contest. We are looking for essays that tell us how your mother, or a mother that you know, has reflected the heart of our Heavenly Father in her life. The winning essay will be one that is both written well, and of most importance, one that reflects God as being the central focus of one's life.
The contest is open to women aged 18 years and older, who reside in Canada or the United States. Employees of Art Bookbindery or regular writers of Christian Women Online, are not eligible to enter.
Our judges will choose only one winner. That winner will receive $400.00 U.S. from Art Bookbindery, 2 copies of Darlene Schacht's humorous book, The Mom Complex (one for you and one for mom!), 2 copies of Kathleen Carnali's music CD, Dangerous Prayer, 2 Proverbs 31 mugs from Mugs of Truth (a design idea inspired by CWO friend, Iris of Sting my Heart), and an autographed photo of Candace Cameron Bure along with a DVD of her testimony. Now that's a great package! We will announce the winner on Mother's Day, May 11th, 2008, and will publish the essay at that time."
So why not write an essay honoring your mother, enter it in the contest, and give it to her for Mother's Day? That way, even if you don't win the contest, you and your mom both win! :)
Good luck, and happy writing!
I'm so excited! I got a call from Mary DeMuth, director of the The Writers' View (an e-loop I'm a part of), who told me I won an essay contest. The prize? Registration and room/board at Mount Hermon Christian Writing Conference in California next March. WHOO-HOO!!!
I've always wanted to go to Mount Hermon but have never found a way. I'm so thankful to Cec Murphey--who donated five scholarships--and to the Lord for this opportunity. I'm especially excited because my agent hosts an advanced track each year at MH, and I can't wait to be a part of it!
Here is part of my essay. It will let you in on a little bit of my writing journey the last couple of years...
"The last two years have been very disappointing...Yet I know that my struggles are common in a volatile industry. I also know that the God who gave me my talent isn’t through using me...and that He delights in me. One day, I was playing a computer game with my youngest son. On the desk was a copy of my first book. Three year-old Jackson looked at the illustration of a frazzled mom on the cover and said, “Is that you?”
“No, sweetie,” I said, “but mommy’s name is on the cover. See here—it says, ‘by Dena Dyer.’ “
“Oh!” Jackson said, grinning, “I love Dena Dyer!”
Stunned, I blinked back tears. “And I love you!” I replied. Later, I pondered what Jax said, and why it struck such a chord with me. I painfully realized that somewhere in the midst of having aspirations and trying to serve God with my talents, I’d slipped into being goal-driven instead of God-driven. I’d begun to care more what the publishing world said than what my Heavenly Father said about me.
With my child’s help, I am beginning to finally “get it.” He, just like the members of my precious family, doesn’t care how many books I sell. They love me no matter what!
I won’t quit writing, and I’m convinced God doesn’t want me to. But instead of writing just to be published, I’m doing it once again as therapy and to share with others the lessons God is teaching me. One thing’s for sure--it’s more fun this way!"
To celebrate the birth of my friend Jenn's fabulous new website, she's having a book giveaway for the next three weeks. To participate, simply visit her site, go to the contacts page and e-mail Jenn to let her know you're interested in the drawing. Books she's giving away are:
1. Velveteen Mommy, by Jenn Doucette (2 copies to give away, autographed)
2. Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This, by Jenn Doucette (2 copies to give away, autographed)
3. Up: Devotions for Faith that Connects, by Tim Baker & Jenn Doucette (autographed)
4. Murder By Mushroom, by Virginia Smith (autographed)
5. Sushi for One? by Camy Tang (autographed)
6. Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, by Mary DeMuth
I've read most of those books and they are all great. So be sure and visit Jenn's site and enter! :)
Got this in my in-box today: I bet a lot of you have great stories that would be terrific in this new Chicken Soup volume.
"What a busy life a Stay At Home Mom leads! She has so many different jobs that it is difficult to keep track of them all: cook, housekeeper, teacher, laundress, facilities manager, chauffeur, psychologist and nurse are just some of the many jobs that she is required to perform. And she is on call twenty four hours a day. Some days she seems to get everything done and feels like a master-performer, and other days, well, she feels like a bumbling clown!
Chicken Soup for the Stay At Home Mom's Soul will share the trials and tribulations, the happiness and laughs, and the heartwarming and touching moments of being a Stay At Home Mom.
Topics will include but not be limited to:
A Mother's Love
Insight and Lessons
On Gratitude
On Sharing and Giving
Through the Eyes of a Child
Overcoming Obstacles
Letting Go
Time for Me
We're looking for inspirational, true stories, 1000 words or less, that will make our readers laugh, cry, or sigh. Stories should be positive, universal and non-controversial. The point or message should be evident without preaching. No essays, commentaries, tributes, philosophical or biographical pieces will be accepted.
You may submit more than one story, whether original or a favorite from a magazine, newspaper, or other source. For each story selected in the book, a 50-word biography will be included about the author and a permission fee of $200 per story and $50 per poem will be paid. The submission deadline for this title is February 29, 2008.
Please submit your story through our website. Be sure to select Stay At Home Moms as the book title.
Due to the volume of stories we receive, we are unable to respond to each contribution. Finalist, only, will be notified prior to publication. Please know we never publish anything without written permission from the author."
I'd be honored if you'd hop on over to my friend Lorri's blog to read her interview with me. Lorri is a nationally-syndicated radio host, speaker, and a dear friend. She asked me some great questions (like has faith always been easy to hold onto and what books have influenced me)!
Christa Allen interviewed me and the conversation is posted on her blog today. So come on over and check it out. And thanks, Christa!
Welcome to my Internet home-away-from-home. My name is Dena Dyer and I'm a mommy, wife, writer, speaker and performer from Texas. I'm so glad you stopped by!
If you're a ragamuffin mom like me, I hope you'll find encouragement, hope and lots of laughter ('cuz humor heals!) in the posts and links on this page.
If you're a women's ministry director or meeting planner, hop on over to my "Grace Notes Ministries" speaking page to find my topics and endorsements from those who've heard me speak. And if you're an aspiring writer, take a look at the new page I've created just for you. Whatever brings you to "Mother Inferior," I hope you'll kick your shoes off, stay awhile--and come back often. You're welcome here--and you never know just what you'll find!
