This week I was contacted by a ”very big and famous publication” for ideas on famous Aussie Christians that they could interview for an upcoming piece (no, not me, sadly). What they were after was a list of Aussies who are household names – and who happen to profess to be Christians. They knew of the original “Australian Idol” Guy Sebastian and the latest “Masterchef” winner Kate Bracks - but could I help them find any others?

I love a challenge like this so instantly put on my detective’s hat! First, I referred back to an article I wrote for Footprints way back in 2004 on Aussie celebrity Christians. Some of it was still useful but it was interesting to note how many had disappeared from the limelight (I guess there’s a lesson in that for all of us!) … for example, Kate Garven (actress in “Home and Away”, who spoke of her faith with women’s magazines when they covered her 2004 wedding), Tim Harding (from the original Hi-5 line-up), Deborah De Jong (interior decorator on TV show “Changing Rooms”), and former Miss World Australia, Nalishebo Gaskell (who shared on her faith and how her crown enabled her to help others, in an interview with “Evangel Now!” magazine).

THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS

I was fortunate to meet and interview Colin Buchanan for a Footprints article, way back in 1998 – what a scoop for our fledgling magazine!  Colin has released several children’s gospel albums including “Follow the Saviour” and “Practise being Godly”, but is perhaps best known for his role as a presenter of “Playschool” on the ABC and Disney’s “Playhouse”.

Well known singer and actress Marina Prior has also spoken openly of her faith with women’s magazines such as the “Australian Women’s Weekly” and “Christian Woman”. According to her autobiography “Not Quite Ripe” Debra Byrne is another singer and actress, who has made a decision to follow Christ.

Over the years, reality shows have discovered a number of Aussie Christians who are very good at what they do – apart from the aforementioned  Guy Sebastian, ”Australian Idol” has introduced us to the talents of Paulini, Guy “Mutto” Mutton, Dean Geyer and Stan Walker, to name just a few.

Today, former “Perfect Match” hostess Kerrie Friend is a Christian and popular inspirational speaker. Journalist Leigh Hatcher has shared openly about his battle with Chronic Fatigue – and also about how his Christian faith has helped him.

Dianne Wilson was a presenter on Nine’s “Body & Soul” program, but is perhaps best known as an author of the best-seller “Fat Free Forever” and other books.

ART AND LITERATURE

Tim Winton is another author, of over a dozen books including “Cloudstreet” and “Dirt Music”. Winton was brought up in a Christian home, a “faith he maintains and which is subtly threaded through much of his work” (“Australian Women’s Weekly”, October 2002).

Carolyn Donovan’s name might not be familiar to Australians, but her face certainly is. As a model, she has been the face of Millers (and I’m sure that’s her in the Vanish OxyAction ad but haven’t been able to confirm it!). She has also written two books ”Journey of a Princess” and “Chooks in Stilettos” to encourage other women in the Christian faith. (You can read more about Carolyn here).

Ken Duncan is renowned internationally for his panoramic photographs of God’s awesome creation.  He has written about his faith in several of the  ”Australian Stories” books published by Strand. 

Artist David Hart (son of Pro) is also a Christian.  I had the privilege of interviewing David for the “Evangel Now!” magazine several years ago.; while Heather Blacklock is an indigenous artist whose story appears in Carolyn Donovan’s book, “Journey of a Princess”.

WIDE WORLD OF SPORT

Footballers often get a bad rap, which makes those who are “different” all the more extraordinary. Consider Jason Stevens, who played Rugby League for Australia. In 2002 Jason released a book “Worth the Wait: true love and why the sex is better”, encouraging young people to save sex for marriage, and  the difference Christ has made to his life. He has since married fashion stylist Rebecca.

Shaun Hart, former Brisbane Lion, amazed viewers of the opening game of the 1999 AFL season.  When the Lions’ head trainer had a heart attack, Shaun prayed even after medics had pronounced him dead.  After six minutes, the trainer miraculously survived.  He later underwent surgery and made a complete recovery.  Shaun “knows – and believes in – the power of God and prayer” (“Signs of the Times”, Nov 2001).  

Other Aussie Christian sport stars include champion windsurfer Allison Shreeve; golfer Aaron Baddeley; swimmer Jessicah Schipper; Deb Lovely-Acason, Olympic weight-lifter; former jockey Darren Beadman and tennis great Margaret Court.

Betty Cuthbert, Olympic medallist, was quoted in the “Sydney Morning Herald” in 1996.  “A lot of people think born-again Christians are loopy … I wish they would take time to find out what it means.”

LET’S GET POLITICAL

Former Prime Minister John Howard and deputy Prime Minister John Anderson have openly spoken of their faith in Christ, as has former treasurer Peter Costello.

OUTSTANDING AUSSIES

Peter’s brother Tim Costello is CEO of World Vision in Australia. Although not necessarily household names, there are a number of other Aussie Christians who have achieved great things in various fields – Glenn Stevens, governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia; Hugh Evans, founder of the Oaktree Foundation; Hugh Mackay, psychologist, social researcher and writer; and Erica Bartles, former journalist turned blogger and media commentator.

Each of these celebrities is to be commended for trying to give our society positive role models in their chosen fields, and for their witness to the media and the public in general. 

However, we should never forget that like any of us, they may not always make the right choices – so let’s pray for them that they will continue to grow in God, and be strong ambassadors for Christ!

As you can see, this list will be ever-changing and evolving – if you know of any other famous Aussie Christians, would love to hear about it!

I just love watching The Princess Diaries movies - they would have to be two of my all time favourites! I keep hoping that a third movie (The Princess Diaries: and baby makes 3!) will be made, but alas, it doesn’t look likely.

Part of the appeal is watching Mia’s transformation from shy, awkward schoolgirl, into a poised and confident princess.

It is a typical “makeover movie”, a popular Hollywood genre – think The Devil Wears Prada, which also stars Anne Hathaway; My Fair Lady; Sabrina; Pretty Woman; Miss Congeniality; and Strictly Ballroom to name just a few.  

But what I particularly love about the Princess Diaries, is that this is more than just your typical Cinderella Story. We can learn much about calling and destiny from Mia’s example.

Make a difference

The reason Mia decides to accept her royal calling, is that as a princess, she realises that can make a real difference in the world. Rather than stay in her comfort zone Mia took a leap of faith, setting out an adventure that would change not only her life, but the lives of many others – for good.

Steep learning curve

In order to fulfil her destiny as a Princess, Mia is given a crash course in grooming, deportment and etiquette. She is taught how to walk, how to sit properly, which cutlery to use for each course, and even how to handle a fan. By the time we meet Mia in the Princess Diaries 2, she has spent five years learning not just royal protocol, but also politics, history, diplomacy, and languages to help her best fulfil her destiny.

A calling may cost

It is in the second Princess Diaries movie that we realise that a calling may cost. In order to become queen, an ancient ruling demands that Princess Mia marry within one month. Unfortunately, there is no Prince Charming on the horizon! It might seem unthinkable to us, but Mia is so dedicated to her cause and her people, that she is even prepared to sacrifice her own dreams of love and happiness.

Accept your royal birthright!

Mia didn’t know she was a princess until she was nearly 16 – but whether she knew it or not, she was still a princess. Maybe you’ve never realised before that God the Father thinks of you as His special princess – but whether you know it or not, doesn’t change the fact that you are His precious child.

Like Mia, you have a destiny – there is a corner of this world that can never be complete without you playing your part. And it is only the power of God that can take your ordinary, everyday life – and transform it into a makeover story that impacts all those around you!

NB. A version of this post was published in Footprints magazine several years ago. It’s still one of my favourites, so thought it deserved dusting off and sharing with a fresh audience!

A lot of people don’t “get” what it is we are trying to achieve with Footprints magazine – and have been doing ever since we started nearly 14 years ago. Which means that they also don’t “get” the magazine itself (by subscribing)!

(Ahem … If you are a regular reader of this blog, can I ask a favour, would you consider subscribing? The fact you’re a regular visitor here gives me the confidence to say “I know you’ll love it!” and – it’s only $16 per year for 4 issues. Okay, sales pitch over!)

Looking at the other Christian women’s magazines on offer, I have noticed many seem to be headed up by a pastor or pastor’s wife (rest assured there is absolutely NO chance of my darling hubby wanting to become a pastor and I refuse to get rid of him, so that option is closed to me!). This means they have the wholehearted backing of the pastor (their husband!) and the church; as well as some pretty influential connections in other church leadership roles … which leads to being able to have big names writing for and endorsing them, a natural “in” with church and ministry organizations that purchase advertising … so they have a bigger budget … and it’s easier for them to get it into other churches and women’s conferences and … the list goes on.

Jealous – moi? You bet I am! That’s because I believe so much in what God can do and is doing, through the pages of Footprints!

To be brutally honest, often when we have tried spruiking Footprints to various churches and their ministers, we usually meet with a very lukewarm reception. In fact often they look at us as though we have rabies! They just don’t seem to ”get” what Footprints is all about.

Maybe people in full time ministry are just so used to random wackos coming up with all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas, that they become jaded. So it’s hard for them to see that what might look like a weird and wonderful idea has run successfully for over a decade! Or, maybe they think Footprints is just a money making thing and we are trying to feather our own nest?

So what is it exactly that I think churches and pastors and Christian leaders AREN’T getting about Footprints? Think of it as a GIFT. Our gift to the body of Christ. The small subscription fee we charge is purely to cover costs. WE are a not-for-profit ministry staffed ENTIRELY of volunteers. We do this for LOVE (of God, and His girls), not money! Here’s just some of what I wish more people (especially ministers) understood about us:

• That we offer a valuable resource to not just support them in nurturing the women in their congregation, but it’s a great evangelism tool as well!
• That our magazine is by ordinary women, for ordinary women. Women don’t just relate to us, they interact with us! They chat on Facebook, email us their prayer requests, share their testimonies in the magazine …
• That we’re a lot more affordable – currently $16 per year for four issues compared to around $40, which is a lot easier to find when you are counting every cent!
• That we specialised in encouraging and uplifting Aussie women.
• That we have a unique reach to the many disenchanted Christians who no longer have anything to do with a local church.
• That we are also gladly received and read by many who are isolated by illness, disability or distance.
• That sharing Footprints with others, shows others you care!

It’s an ongoing dilemma. How can we ensure that people “get” Footprints (in both senses of the word)?!

Would love to hear your thoughts and ideas – and even MORE so if you are a pastor or a pastor’s wife!

That makes me sound incredibly vain and self-promoting, doesn’t it?!

Seriously though, I thought this photo by the fantastic Victoria from Purdie Photography (who generously provides most of our cover images) was so good it deserved to go on the cover – and NOT because I was the model.

I liked (and still love!) this particular photo because it’s bright and clear, with beautiful colours. And, the layout is perfect for a magazine cover, where the borders need to be free for headlines and other text.

But it’s more than that.  To me, this photo epitomizes all things Footprints! It’s sunny. It’s fresh. It’s natural. It shows a woman looking relaxed and content, a woman who may not be in the first flush of youth, supermodel thin, or a ravishing beauty, but a woman with a kind, happy face. This woman has a sparkle in her eye, and dare I say it, even has that special glow that only God can bring!

However when I suggested to the Footprints Team that I thought it would make a good cover, they seemed a bit shocked. I tried to explain my rationale, and that it really WASN’T about me wanting to indulge my childhood fantasies of being a model and cover girl - but I’m not sure if they understood.

The girls felt that using my pic on the cover would send the wrong message to our readers. They felt that it looked to “me - me - me” and screamed narcissism. They voted against it, and so alas, it will never be …

EXCEPT for the wonders of the web! So here, I finally get to share with you the cover *I* would have liked to have released!

Do you think I’m vain? Can you understand where I am coming from? Should it have been a Footprints cover  – for real?

Over the past 13 years, Footprints magazine has published articles on hundreds of topics, to entertain, inform, and inspire Australian Christian women. In Issue 33 (Autumn 2006 – pictured), we listed just a few … how that list has grown in just five more years! (newer articles are in italics)

A

anger management, alcohol, addictions, angels, anorexia, Avatar, Asperger’s Syndrome, abortion, Adam & Eve

B

Bible versions, babies, beauty, Bible College, budgets, blessing others, breast cancer, bullying, bipolar disorder, boredom

C

counselling, career choices, craft, finding the positives in cancer, calling, changing churches, creche, celebrity Christians, chronic pain, the Crocodile Hunter, coping with change, colourwise, climate change, cooking,

D

dreams, depression, decorating, Dead Sea Scrolls, dads, death and dying, domestic violence, the Da Vinci Code, disabilities, dinosaurs, disasters

E

Easter, empty nest, evangelism, Easterfest, education, evolution & creationism

F

finances, forgiveness, fashion, feminism, fear, feng shui, friendship, flirting, faith, finishing strong, fasting

G

grieving, gifts, good books, goal setting, gratitude, guilt, grace, God-incidences

H

hospitality, Hillsong, home schooling, Harry Potter, healing, home management, honesty, homelessness

I

infertility, inspirational authors, insomnia, identity, image, intelligence

J

jealousy, joyboxes, journalling, jokes, jewellery for Jesus

K

kids, kindness

L

laughter, luck, love languages, Lord of the Rings, loneliness, life begins at 50, love & marriage 2nd time around

M

missionaries, marriage, meditation, MOPS, making memories, miscarriage, the Matrix, Mardi Gras festival, music and its many benefits, menopause, Michael Jackson, making your misery your ministry

N

names and their meanings, New Year’s Resolutions, saying “NO”, New Age, new people at church

O

Outback Christians, offensive ads, op shopping, orphans overseas, old age, optimism, Oprah, ordinary people

P

prayer, Promise Keepers, PMS, purity rings, passion in marriage, pastor’s wives, politics, pester power, PKs (preacher’s kids), peace, poverty (as a gift), parenting, pottery

Q

quiet time habit, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, quotes of note, caring with questions, quilts

R

recovering from abuse, romance, road rage, robbery, random acts of kindness, reading

S

suicide, SIDS, Santa, solo parents, Schoolies Week, singleness, September 11, submission, the Secret, school chaplains, super heroes, serving God, self-harm, stress, scrapbooking

T

travel, temperaments, television, teens, tsunami, tragedy, testimonies, Titanic, tithing,

U

un-birthdays, unsaved husbands, UFOs, unemployment, unequally yoked

V

Valentines for life, violence in society, voting, vacations, vision

W

witchcraft, watching your words, warm fuzzies, worship, witnessing, wisdom for women, winning over worry

X

eXorcism

Y

Y2K (how long ago it seems now!), young people, the Year of Jubilee

Z

zodiac

If you have been thinking of writing for us, but are feeling dismayed that your chosen topic has already been covered in this list, take heart – it has been many years since some of these stories have been published and it could be time to tackle them again, from a fresh angle! Don’t forget to check out the Writers Guidelines page on the Footprints website, or email our editor for her current Wishlist of subjects and themes at editor@footprintsaustralia.com.

Or perhaps you remember some articles that we haven’t listed here … or you have an idea for a future story idea! Don’t be shy, leave a comment!

In the past few months I have received quite a few enquiries asking for advice on starting up a small publication! (I must make it look incredibly easy LOL! Or maybe God is up to something and about to revolutionise the Australian Christian publication industry?!). No doubt there are others who are wondering the same thing, so here are just some of the things you will need to consider before launching your own publication:

1. Title: Check your magazine’s proposed title and make sure it’s not trademarked or registered to somebody else. After much prayer, our magazine’s title “Footprints” came to me in a dream, and at first I thought we shouldn’t use it because it might be “stealing” from the well-known ”Footprints” poem … you know the one … “one night a man had a dream …”. But when I investigated I found there is no copyright on titles, and it was permissable as long as we weren’t cashing in on the name or trying to claim their reputation.  I know of another Christian women’s mag here in Australia that started out as “Embrace” but soon hit difficulties with that name, so after the first issue became known as “Enhance”! So it is definitely worth checking.
2. Finances: I didn’t have an ABN or formalise the financial arrangements until last year …  it was a “hobby” more than anything, I certainly never intended it as a money making opportunity. Besides, I had no idea how to go about it anyway LOL! I did take the time to talk to an accountant, who felt that Footprints was really such small fry the tax office wouldn’t be interested anyway. Up until last year I just had a bank account in my own name, and because my bank knows me well, they let me call it the “Footprints” account and printed this on my deposit book (eg Janet Camilleri Footprints Account). Not only did this mean they were happy to accept cheques made out to Footprints, and not just to me personally. It also made my life easier when it came to cashing money orders made out to Footprints – the post office would only accept them when I showed the deposit book with the Footprints name on it, and I had to use our name and address stamp on the back of the money order. (Not sure why … anybody could get an address stamp made up for under $20!). Not all banks are as helpful, I had some major hassles in the early days and ended up having to switch.
3. Not for profit status: Last year, the Footprints Team decided to incorporate (that means, we are not intending to make a profit from our activities), and we got an ABN. A minimum of seven committee members is required to go down this path. It has meant that we have had to formalise our accounting, meeting procedures etc. Twelve months later I can say that it’s not been an easy road but the time was right and God has helped us every step of the way.  A condition of incorporation has been taking out public and property liability insurance, which is an added financial burden.
4. Legal deposit: Make sure you register for an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), a unique number used to identify a print or electronic periodical publication. (Books have an ISBN).  To apply or find out more, visit http://www.nla.gov.au/services/issn.html. You will need to send a copy of each issue of your magazine to your State Library and also the National Library in Canberra, under the legal deposit requirements.
5. Count the cost: think, pray, and consider the cost. Running a publication requires commitment. Readers don’t want to pay for a subscription only to have the magazine fold or discontinued due to the editor / publisher losing interest! I know when I started Footprints, I realised that this would quite likely be a lifetime commitment on my behalf. Could I see myself remaining passionate about this magazine for a year? Five years? Twenty years? The rest of my life? Another tip: it helps to have a good team of people behind you too!
6. Hold tight: Magazine / newsletter publishing is not always easy. There are busy times and deadlines, when you have to put your own personal needs aside. There are drops in circulation and advertisers. Finances might be tight. To ride out these tough times, you need to  KNOW that you have heard from the Lord to do this thing. Make sure you have a couple of Scriptures or promises to hang on to. For me, it was the verse about “if it is of God it will happen; if not it will fail”. I forget where it’s from – maybe one of Paul’s letters? Also “out of tiny acorns, mighty oak trees grow” – God really impressed on me to start small (where I was at) and just do that, and He has lead me on and grown it from there.

I hope that I haven’t totally discouraged you! As you can see, there is a lot to think about before you even begin planning your first issue.  I look back now and am amazed about how much I have learnt, and how far Footprints has come in 13 years of publication. If you do decide to take the plunge, it is incredibly rewarding, doing what you love, particularly as an act of worship to serve God and His people. Each new issue brings me a real sense of achievement, and I have met some wonderful people along the way, and developed many new skills.

Don’t forget to send me a copy of the launch issue of your new publication!

Janet Camilleri
Footprints Women’s Ministries Inc
PO Box 1962
Cleveland DC Qld 4163

If you’ve died, it means you’re in heaven with the Lord. So really, for Christians whether you’re celebrating a birthday or celebrating in Heaven, it’s a bit of win-win situation!

It was my birthday earlier this month – 7th January. I’m now 44!  And here’s another birthday – Footprints is 13 this month! Oh no! Another teenager in the family!

Speaking of teenagers, the next issue seems to have developed a bit of a “teen theme” which is quite appropriate considering! But what has really amazed me as I look back over the pages and stories I have chosen, is that several are about surviving and enduring hardships and trials, and learning to lean on God in the tough times. This was all before the floods that have devastated Queensland and parts of Victoria and NSW … seems God knew what was needed and was guiding me in article selection, even before the events happened.

Our 13th birthday issue will be out in the second half of February!

For those who are not familiar with Above Rubies, it is a Christian women’s magazine that was started by Nancy Campbell in her homeland of New Zealand back in 1977. The Campbells then spent several  years in Australia, before making their home in Tennessee in the United States.

I first came across it as a young Christian teenager. Coming from a family fractured by divorce, violence, abuse, alcohol, mental illness and promiscuity, the articles and stories on wholesome family living really touched me.

It was as a young wife and mum who had recently re-discovered the Lord, that I also re-discovered Above Rubies. I even had an article published in it! So when I heard they were having a weekend camp to mark their 20th birthday celebrations, my friend and I decided it would be just the spiritual encouragement and refreshment we needed.

In many ways, it was a lovely weekend, and I did come home recharged and enthusiastic. But I really didn’t enjoy the sessions that were taught by Nancy. Something in me just couldn’t take to her. If you saw the TV interview on 31 October, you will know what I mean when I say that she has a very saccharine sweet voice, that to me seems very fake.

But it wasn’t the voice that disturbed me. Rather, it was the message she was teaching – and again, you would have seen it in the TV show last night as her message hasn’t changed in the past 13 years! What really rang alarm bells with me, was when she took a Scripture and twisted it – Romans I think – something about the women leaving their “natural way”, which she interpreted as society falling apart because women no longer spend their lives childbearing and breastfeeding. In actual fact, when you read it in context, study the original language etc, it clearly refers to homosexuality not childbirth and breastfeeding!

At the end of the camp Nancy and the other leaders wanted to lay hands on and pray for everybody … needless to say, my friend and I stayed in our seats during the altar call. We couldn’t get out of there fast enough!

We did have a bit of a laugh before going to bed, when we both snuck into the ladies to take our contraceptive pills, something that would have been very frowned upon in that group of people!

At the time they were some signs of their extreme beliefs in the magazine (eg home birth, home school, no contraception), but not too much. So I was shocked by how full-on the camp was. I have noticed over the years that they are becoming more and more extreme and legalistic – for example, are you “poisoning” your family with store bought bread? Don’t you know you should not only be baking your own bread, but also grinding the wheat to make it (and probably growing it too!).

Please understand, I am NOT against home birth, home schooling or large families. But I believe it is up to the individual family to make these sort of decisions prayerfully – it is between them and God ONLY.

What many people don’t know, is that the Above Rubies camp was a real turning point in my life. It was on this camp that God gave me a yearning for a non denominational, Australian, Christian women’s magazine that was not off on a tangent, legalistic, and ”whoopy” …… something that was wholesome, inspirational, and yet I could give confidently to my unsaved friends without them thinking we are all completely weird … Three months later Footprints was born!

The TV program described Quiverfull (Above Rubies) as a cult. I’d never thought of it that way before, but I’ll let you make up your own mind - just consider some of these common warning signs of a cult:

1. A charismatic leader (a quick look at the comments on the No Longer Quivering website  and you will know that Nancy is definitely charismatic).
2. Followers are isolated and encouraged to stick with “like minded” people only, and have an unreasonable fear of the (outside) ”world”.
3. Followers feel they can never be “good enough”. A cult will teach a gospel of  good works in place of or in addition to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, in the Above Rubies / Quiverfull world, it is not enough to be saved by grace. If you are a woman, your place is in the home. You should practise natural birth control, have home births, and home school your children, to be acceptable in their books (I’m sure there’s more but these are just some of the more dominant messages you will find in their magazines). Ephesians 2: 8 & 9 clearly tells us that it is by grace we are saved through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man (or woman) should boast!

Hosting a book launch is a bit like organising a wedding – but the good news is it doesn’t have to be as expensive! The key is partnering with others wherever possible.

Just like a wedding, there are many things to consider: venue, guest list, invitations, catering, entertainment, photographer, decorations, book table, ushers, a running sheet, and the all important thank-yous! 

Venue: The obvious choice is to host your launch at a bookstore, but there are plenty of other possibilities, such as a church, hall or café. Think about the subject matter of your book – if it is about fashion, hold your launch at a boutique. If your book is about education or for children, ask the local school. Your library would probably be very interested too!

For my first book launch, my own church women’s ministry supported me by hiring a room at the local cultural centre (as we didn’t have a church building of our own at that stage). The second time around, I chose a café attached to a large church. 

Guest List: Invite everybody you can think of! Many people have never been to a book launch and will be intrigued enough to come along, especially if you can entice them with free food and/or entertainment. Don’t forget to invite your family, your friends, your church, your neighbours, your workmates, your writing buddies, and of course anybody who supported you during the writing of your book.

Depending on how big a splash you want to make, you could invite along some dignitaries – local politicians, community and business leaders, or the local media.

Just remember: the more you invite, the more are likely to turn up and the more books you will sell!

At the “Clues to your Calling” launch in 2003, there were about 100 people in attendance; at the “Decadence” launch in 2008 at the café, we had about 70 women (and would have been hard-pressed to fit anybody else in!). But I have been to heaps of book launches where twenty or thirty people seemed like a crowd, because a more intimate venue was chosen.

Invitations: Nothing beats a personal invitation, and with computers and the wide range of stationery available today, it’s easy to make your own. For “Clues to your Calling” we had a purple theme (to match the cover of the book), and I made invitations out of sparkly lavender card, with plain white inserts glued in (see picture below). You could use a pad of party invitations , or photocopies that you can hand out to all and sundry!

If you want to open your event up to the local public, a notice in your local paper and posters in nearby shop windows, bookstores, or your chosen venue (whether a church, hall or café)  would also be a good idea.

Don’t forget to encourage guests to RSVP, so you can keep track of the numbers for catering purposes. Be aware though that many people don’t let you know they are coming, or say they will be there and then don’t turn up. Australians are notoriously bad at RSVPing! I have learnt this the hard way. At the “Clues” launch this didn’t matter so much, but at the “Decadence” launch unfortunately I still had to pay for those ten people that didn’t show up. 

Catering: What sort of food are you going to feed your guests? Hors d’oeuvres? Morning tea? Wine and cheese? Who is going to serve it, and how are you going to pay for it?

As mentioned earlier, the “Clues to your Calling” launch was done in partnership with my church women’s team. A few of the ladies contributed a plate of goodies, while another (who loves catering and cooking) oversaw all the catering arrangements and was capably assisted by her teenage daughters at the actual event. This was great as it was one less thing I had to worry about!

In order to help cover the costs, we asked for a “gold coin” entry fee to the event. This made it affordable for everyone and I was able to give this money back to the women’s team.

As the “Decadence” launch was held at a café, they provided an afternoon tea for just $10 per head, which was exactly what we charged our guests. Or you could charge slightly extra to help you cover the costs of a performer or the invitations or whatever. Just remember, the more expensive it is, the less likely people are to come, and the less books you will sell.

Entertainment: Try to think of something that ties in with your book’s theme. At the “Clues to your Calling” launch, the whole night was a celebration of people contributing their talents and callings, a great example of my book’s message! Some young people from church played background music, and later perform a couple of items. A couple of dignitaries – our women’s pastor, and my writing group president – gave short speeches, and being the author, I also got to share a few words.

At the launch of “Decadence” we took a slightly different tack. This time our guests were all women, so we had a couple of icebreaker games (you can find heaps on the internet) to start things off. A gospel singer performed a couple of songs which she was happy to do in exchange for the opportunity to sell and promote her CDs at the event, and our speaker was a DJ from a local Christian radio station.

Perhaps you could do a short reading from your book, or show a Powerpoint presentation of photos relevant to your subject matter.

Lucky door prizes are also fun – tape a ticket under a couple of chairs before hand, and then ask everybody to check beneath their chair. Or hand out raffle tickets at the door. Of course, the prize would be a copy of your book/s!

Why not celebrate with a cake? A cake-cutting (just like at a wedding) is fun, and also a great photo opportunity! 

Photographer: You will be too busy to think about taking any photos, so assign this task to a snap-happy friend or family member – ask them to be your official photographer for the occasion! Not only will you capture precious memories, you can use these in media releases and publicity for your book.

Decorations: Some of the Footprints Team Members assisted with the decorations at the “Clues” launch. They cut out large stars from purple and silver cardboard, which we then stuck around the walls of the room with blu-tac. We also had a few arrangements of purple helium balloons tied with silver ribbon, to add to the party atmosphere.

At the “Decadence” launch, our theme was gold and red roses. We bought some roses from a wholesaler, and had some in vases, as well as leaving some loose to decorate the display and book tables. I bought some gold fabric to drape over tables, and printed out colour copies of the book cover which I laminated and stuck on the walls. Finally, we sprinkled all the tables with gold confetti.

The Book Table: To decorate the all-important book table you will need tablecloth/s, and copies of your book (of course!). You may like to print and frame a cover of your book to place on the table. And don’t forget a receipt book, cash box (I recommend a $50 float in small change), and pens so you can sign copies for your fans! As many of the guests will want to spend some time chatting with you, the author, it’s a good idea to have a couple of other people to handle the sales part.

Ushers: Make sure you have a couple of designated “greeters” at the door of your event, to collect the entry fee (if any), to hand out lucky door tickets and/or name tags, and generally make people feel welcome. 

Running Sheet: So that things run smoothly, prepare a running sheet beforehand and give a copy to anybody involved in the “formalities” of your event eg performers, speakers, the café staff.  That way everybody knows what is happening and when.

Thank Yous: It’s important to make a point of thanking everybody for all their help – after all you may need them again at your next book launch! You can do this by mentioning them in your speech, or in the acknowledgements page of your book. Make sure you give a copy of your book to those who have been especially helpful and/or provided their services for free!

Just like a wedding, you could follow up with a thank you note to each of your guests. Or, send them home with a cake bag or even a party bag!  At the launch of “Decadence” we gave each of our guests a small organza bag of goodies, including a fridge magnet, some sweets and a couple of other tiny treats, to show them that we appreciated their presence at our special day.

Most of us have organised a party or even a wedding at some stage in our lives. As you can see, organising a book launch is very similar. You’ve worked hard and have something extraordinary to celebrate – the launch of your book. This is your special time – enjoy it!

The celebrations for our 50th issue continue – this time, with a blog tour!

So what is a blog tour? I hear you ask! Well, it’s a bit like when an author goes on a book tour to promote their book – stopping at different towns to participate in interviews. A blog tour is the online version – where the featured book/author (or in this case magazine & editor) make guest appearances on different blogs.

So here’s your complete blog itinerary – a complete list of what’s happening, and when!

• Thursday 24/6 - thanks to Wendy from On the Edge of Ordinary  (http://mmuser.blogspot.com/)  for kicking things off. Although currently in Brisbane, Wendy will be moving back to Japan within the next few weeks!
• Friday 25/6 – we jump over the border for an interview with Julie south of Sydney at  http://worksformehomemaking.wordpress.com/.
• Saturday 26/6 – Back up to sunny Queensland, where our host today is Kay from the Gold Coast, at  http://heartsoulexchange.blogspot.com/.
• Sunday 27/6 – Catch our latest interview with Michelle, also from the Gold Coast http://michelledevans.blogspot.com/.
• Monday 28/6 – Moving on almost to Melbourne, with Kathie from Victoria at http://proverbs31-woman.com/.
• Tuesday 29/6 – Back up to the southside of Brisbane for a chat with Lil from  http://motheringmisadventures.blogspot.com/.
• Wednesday 30/6 – Head on over to Brisbane’s northern outskirts for Corallie’s feature on Footprints at  http://buchanan-beeline.blogspot.com/.
• Thursday 1/7 – Joni from the Blue Mountains in NSW plays host to the Footprints blog tour today at http://every1matters.wordpress.com/.
• Friday 2/7 – Go west dear reader, as we chat with Narelle from Perth at www.momentsformum.com. (Narelle is also our WA state rep).
• Saturday 3/7 - Back to the Brissie girls, with the popular www.squigglemum.com for an interview with Catherine.
• Sunday 4/7 – Still in Brisbane, with Paula at http://paulassharingspot.blogspot.com/.
• Monday 5/7 – Heading west – but not quite so far this time! Stopping in with the bubbly Kelly in Toowoomba at http://beafunmum.com/.
• Tuesday 6/7 – And finally, an interview practically in our own backyard with Tabitha in the Redlands at http://tabithabird.blogspot.com/.

Footprints would like to thank each and every one of our hosts on our 50th issue celebration blog tour … please encourage them with your comments to let them know you’ve visited!

Hope you enjoy – and tell your friends – all about our blog tour!