In Print

June 2009

 
     
   

Faithbook of Jesus

NavPress will release next spring my first book, Faithbook of Jesus: Connecting with Jesus Daily, which I had in mind when I started as an Apprentice five years ago. I have a strong presence on Twitter, and that is how my agent and NavPress found and signed me.

— Renee Johnson, Grad

 
         
   

Article in Focus

My article, “No Longer Alone: A divorced man finds help and healing through DivorceCare,” was published in Focus on the Family in December. A year ago in February, I attended my first Writing for the Soul conference and met one of the magazine's editors.
— Gary Koenig, Member

 
         
   

DJ and Focus

Since finishing the Journeyman course I've had one article printed in Discipleship Journal, and I have two under contract with Focus on the Family. Thanks to the Guild and to mentor Douglas Hirt for the guidance.
— Kathy M. Nickerson, Grad

 
         
   

Conference Payoff

My first article in a national magazine, “Persisting in Justice,” appeared in the March/April Discipleship Journal. This is the direct result of attending Writing for the Soul, where I talked with Rod Morris, then of NavPress, and Sue Kline of DJ.
— Mary Kay Moody, Member

 
         
   

First glossy article

My article about my pastor's family will appear in the June/July issue of The Experience, our denominational magazine. This will be my first publication in a glossy.

— Andora Henson, Apprentice

 
         
   

Help & encouragement

My article, “Protocol Matters,” was published in the Shoal's Woman magazine for our area. Without mentor Joyce Ellis's wonderful help and encouragement I couldn't have done this. Recently I was also interviewed by our local newspaper about a book I've written, and also about a weekend writers conference at our church.

— Anna Michael, Apprentice

 
         
   

E-vangelism article

My article, “E-vangelism,” was featured on ChristianityToday.com's Today's Christian page. It's an account of my 20 years of evangelism online.

— Linda M. Au, Member

 
         
   

Inspiration in print

My inspirational article, “The Rose Bowl,” has been accepted by Purpose. Thanks for your training and resources.

— Rebecca Stuhlmiller, Member

 
         
   

College article series

I'm finishing the last of 27 articles on faith, service, learning, and leadership I've been hired to write for an area college alumni publication. It has not only taught me time management and made me more disciplined with my writing, but also given me exposure to working with a lot of different people.
— CJ Hines, Journeyman

 
         
   

Three accepted

I've had two articles and one short story accepted this year. They will appear in Christian Women, Above Rubies, and The Storyteller. Thanks so much to my amazing mentor, Norm Rohrer.

— Melissa Guyan, Apprentice 		 
         
     

Interview published

My interview article from lesson 8, “Still In Training,” appeared in the personal finance section of Wisconsin Christian News, an online newsletter. While it wasn't for pay, it's my first published article.

— Monica Frede, Apprentice

  
         
     
 
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Mal King Wins Operation First Book

  
   

After placing as a finalist two previous years, veteran writer Mal King won first place in the 2008 Operation First Book contest for a proposal for his memoir, Before the Last Leaf Falls. The announcement was made Thursday, Feb. 19, at the opening session of the Christian Writers Guild's annual Writing for the Soul conference.


The nonfiction book proposal contest, co-sponsored by the Guild and Harvest House Publishers, comes with a $10,000 prize. The winner's proposal also receives consideration by the Harvest House publication board.

By far the best of the four finalists for the CWG nonfiction contest is Before the Last Leaf Falls, said Harvest House senior editor Rod Morris.

  
 

"It reminds me a lot of [Pulitzer Prize-winner] Rick Bragg's writing."

"Mal's win is long overdue," said Guild owner Jerry B. Jenkins . "I have often said that I aspire to write like some people, but just surrender to others and enjoy their work. Mal fits the latter category. Until now he's been the best-kept secret in Christian Writing."


"Before The Last Leaf Falls seeks to reveal spiritual truths in everyday events," King said. "The book's panorama stretches from the Great Depression to World War II, and from that war to the present. Why the story form? Christ taught primarily by parable, by short narrative. By using stories and allegories, Last Leaf emulates His approach." The book's title comes from a doctor's prediction a few days after King's birth in May 1933: "That boy's too puny and sickly. I reckon he'll be gone before the last leaf falls."


King was born in rural Arkansas during the Great Depression. After a career in criminal justice, he retired in 1984 after serving as Chief Investigator for the Ventura County District Attorney. In the 1970s King joined the Christian Writers Guild and was mentored by Guild founder Norman Rohrer.


Since devoting full time to writing, King has written three unpublished novels. One, The Rustling of a Wing, won the Rupert Hughes Award at the 2003 Maui Writer's Conference and was a finalist in the Christian Writers Guild First Novel competition. Several of his short stories have won first-place cash awards from Writer's Digest and other publications. And one of his stories won Story of the Year and a thousand pounds from World Wide Writers (published in the United Kingdom).

 
 

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C.J. Darlington Wins Novel Contest

  
   

C.J. Darlington 's novel Thicker Than Blood received first place prize in the 2008 Operation First Novel contest awarded at the opening session of the Writing for the Soul conference, Feb. 19, in Colorado Springs. The prize includes $20,000 and publication by Tyndale.


"A story of two sisters separated after the death of their parents — one growing up to become a Christian, the other running off and making poor choices — is a concept that will appeal to our core audience," says Tyndale senior fiction acquisitions editor Jan Stob.

 
 


"The fact that one runs a ranch and the other works for a collector of rare books only serves to make the characters more interesting."

"One of the biggest thrills was seeing my book cover for the first time,"Darlington says. "They brought a poster of it out on stage, and I took one look and was instantly awed. It perfectly captures the themes of the novel. I am so happy with it."


Darlington began working on the story when she was 15. At age 23 she submitted it to the first Operation First Novel contest in 2004, placing as a semifinalist. "Over the next four years, I tweaked and revised," she says.


She recently finished a sequel to Thicker Than Blood and has started a third in the series. With her sister, Tracy, she operates TitleTrakk.com, a webite devoted to reviews of popular Christian music, films, and books and interviews with musicians and authors.


"C.J. has been most kind to me and my work through her website," says Jerry B. Jenkins , "so it was particularly gratifying to know that I had judged her winning work without knowing who wrote it. The finalists all come to me without names attached, so I was as thrilled as she to learn she had won."


Darlington has been in the used and rare bookselling business for more than a decade, scouting for stores similar to the one described in Thicker Than Blood before co-founding her own online bookstore. A resident of Hopeland , Pennsylvania , her short stories have appeared in various national publications including Live, Standard, Listen, and Gems of Truth. She also writes at cjdarlington.blogspot.com.


Begun in 2004, the annual Operation First Novel contest is open to members of the Christian Writers Guild who have not yet had a book published by a royalty publishing house. The winner is announced at the opening session of the Guild's Writing for the Soul conference. Present onstage when Darlington received the prize were three previous winners: Jan Watson ( Troublesome Creek, 2004) Tom Pawlik ( Vanish, 2006), and Jennifer Valent ( Fireflies in December, 2007).

The deadline for entries for the 2009 contest is October 1. Contest details are available at http://www.christianwritersguild.com/Contest.asp

 

  
     
   
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