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!

… that is the question! Actually, that’s not quite true. The question is really what to blog about.

Here on the Footprints blog, my ramblings tend to be focused on a couple of themes: Footprints Women’s Ministries Inc; reading; writing; parenting teens; with the occasional forays into fashion, church life, or anything else that happens to take my fancy at the time.

The Footprints blog is not your everyday, garden variety blog, because it’s NOT just about my thoughts and experiences. It actually started as a mechanism to let our friends and supporters know what’s going on in the world of Footprints. But where does the world of Footprints end, and my world begin? They’re not that easy to separate!

I have sometimes worried that I should stick to Footprints matters on this blog, and start another blog for more personal writing. But there’s a few reasons that I haven’t. I was going to say that I’m lazy, and one blog is quite enough but I realised that would be lying … the reality is I’m just so busy that taking on another blog would probably be foolish. And then I would have the dilemma of writing something, and then trying to decide the best place to put it (it’s bad enough now - should my latest piece go on the blog, in the FOCUS ezine, or on the pages of the Footprints magazine itself?!).

I reassure myself by remembering that editors are people too, and that’s okay! Think of the editor’s column in any glossy magazine. Yes, they tell you about the magazine but they often share about their own lives … and these are the bits I probably love the best, because it helps me identify and relate to them.

From the feedback and comments gathered on this blog over the past year or two, I suspect my readers here are much the same. Because it’s my personal anecdotes and reflections which seem to receive the biggest response (judging my your comments anyway).

So forgive me if this blog continues to be a bit of this, and a bit of that; in fact, I hope you’ll enjoy it. Because that’s what life is like. You just can’t compartmentalise one part of it and keep it separate from another – they are all inextricably entwined, joined together, to become one beautiful whole. And all for the glory of Jesus!

Just received confirmation that I will be leading a workshop at the Faithwriters Down Under Conference in Sydney on Saturday 9 October. Very exciting! (The pic above is of a group that I led at the Alpha to Omega Literary Convention in Brisbane back in 2007 – or was it 2006? My memory is a little fuzzy!). The full program should go live on the website by the end of next week at www.faithwriters.com.

Closer to home – I will also be teaching a class about writing for magazines at the Word Writers Fair right here in my hometown of the Redlands (next to Brisbane) on 6 November. Although it is a Christian writing festival, not all sessions are specifically Christian and there is heaps for aspiring writers of various genres to enjoy – find out more at www.wordwriters.com.

Has anybody else been thinking about going to the Brisbane Writers Festival, which is 1 – 5 September? The full progam has been released, there were one or two things I was interested in but at $75 a pop – and on a workday – there’s just no way that I can make it. Have to admit that 95% of the program just doesn’t interest me at all.  Not sure why. Is it because I’m a Christian? Or that fiction / poetry etc seem to be the focus?

I found the following article buried in my computer archives, and thought it really captured my early enthusiasm for all things Footprints, as well as what the world was like back then (we didn’t even have a website!). As far as I can calculate, I wrote it in about 2000 when Footprints was only a couple of years old and posted it on a (now defunct) writer’s website, to help other writers.

At the time it was called “Promoting Your Newsletter or Zine … how to make them sign on the dotted line”, because in those days Footprints really was just a (magazine-style) newsletter.

Hope you enjoy the read, and perhaps you will find ideas and principles that you can use with your blog, book, or whatever writing you are doing …

As a writer, you will probably find that you spend just as much time marketing your work as you do actually writing it.

In January 1998 I started a non profit newsletter for Australian Christian women.  It all started because I saw a need.  Everything currently on offer was either not Australian, not specifically for women, or pushed a particular narrow doctrinal viewpoint.  I knew that I longed to read a magazine that was Christian, balanced, positive and uplifting – something that I would feel comfortable giving to my friends.  So that is exactly what I set out to achieve.  Now, two and a half years later, I am printing 350 copies of each issue, which are then sent throughout Australia and beyond.  “Footprints” subscribers come from all walks of life, different denominations and yes, we even have some dedicated male readers!

It seems a long way from those early days when I begged all of my friends to sign up, to help get it off the ground.  Nowadays, I have never even heard of the majority of my subscribers, let alone met them!  But it hasn’t come easily.  I have noticed that half, maybe more, of the time I spend working on my newsletter is to promote it – rather than writing, editing or layout!

The best advertisement by far is “word of mouth”.  Encourage your regular readers to sign up their friends with little incentives – a bonus issue perhaps.  “Footprints” offers special “mate’s rates” or a cheaper price for bulk subscriptions sent to the same address. For some strange reason the postage is cheaper for these amounts so we pass on the savings to our readers.  What I am finding is that when readers sign up for their next subscription, they will usually order more than one, to give out to their family and friends.

The other difficulty is getting people to sign up again once their year’s subscription is due to be renewed.  I’ve had a lot of success by offering a three year subscription at a reduced rate.  Readers appreciate signing up for a good price, and not having to worry about writing or sending a cheque for quite some time.  With a yearly renewal, that twelve months seems to roll around awfully quick!

I am interviewed on Community Radio (a Christian station) every three months and that is  another great way of pulling in subscribers.  Later this year I will be appearing on a Christian women’s chat show on Cable TV for the same reason. (Sadly, this never happened!)

I also “speak” and run Footprints writing workshops at ladies groups and meetings, which generates subscriptions as well.  And, I send two or three press releases and/or photos to the local paper each year about big events happening in the “Footprints” world – for example, when we celebrate an anniversary, to promote one of my speaking engagements  or the Ladies Retreat which we will be hosting later this year.

I also make a point of getting involved at community events such as the Easter 2000 fete which the churches in my area put on, or at conferences.  I have a display stand, free sample copies and plenty of leaflets which I take with me. At Easter 2000 I organised the Mum’s Sanity Corner tent – playdough for the kids, and free tea/coffee for the parents. It was a quiet spot for young families to unwind, and parents could feed and change their babies.  This was quite suitable as women or parents are “Footprints” main target audience.

When we first started out, I sent a few introductory packs to churches, usually including some free sample copies, flyers and a reference from my pastor.  However, it didn’t seem to generate any response so I have stopped doing it – it cost too much for little or no results! When I phoned to find out the general reaction to the packs I had sent, they seemed to think I was “selling something” so weren’t interested. Sadly, they didn’t  catch the “Footprints” vision. “Footprints” is a not for profit newsletter – I make nothing out of it and neither does anybody else involved with it. I feel it is something God has called me to do. I would love to see churches take advantage of our discount rates and give “Footprints” to their congregations, or unchurched ladies in  their community – to bless them, to inspire them, to encourage them, to inform them.  It hasn’t worked; but you really do have to be willing to try anything and everything.  Continue only with those methods that get results!

I’ve also taken out ads in other Christian publications; or I write articles for them and they give me a bit of a promotion in my by-line.

I am working on getting a website up an running as well, I think that would be an excellent promotional tool.

The funny thing is, when I do get new subscribers they’re always like, “This is great!  Why didn’t we know about this before!” which kind of makes me laugh because as you can see I’m doing all I can to get it out there!

My dream is to one day see “Footprints” go from its current black and white format to a glossy full colour publication.  I’d love to see it on the shelves of Christian bookstores or  even newsagents around the country.  According to my research, retail outlets and distributors will not take me seriously until I have developed a solid subscriber base on my own.   Imagine if I went to the biggest chain of Christian bookstores and said “I have this newsletter with 1000 subscribers without any help or distribution” – I’m assured they will want to stock it as they will see it as a going concern.  One day!

 I wish you the best of luck as you try to make a go of your own particular writing concerns!

I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but I believe passionately in the ministry of the written word, and what God can do with it …  But don’t take my word for it! I’ve compiled just some of my favourite letters, testimonies and readers’ comments received over the past twelve and a half years.

An outreach tool … 

“Even though I am not remotely religious, I enjoyed reading it very much.”

“I am not a religious person but if I keep reading Footprints, you might convert me!”

The unsaved workmate of a Footprints reader was so moved by an article she burst into tears as she read … (not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! But I think it shows that God was touching her in a very real way.)

“Your magazine is a wonderful outreach tool, spreading God’s word in a special way to Australian women.”

“I take my copies to playgroup and they get devoured!”

Help for the Christian journey  …

“As a new Christian, I get very inspired by older Christans.”

“Your encouragement really helps me in my Christian walk.”

“It really fills my heart with praise when I read Footprints.”

“Footprints is a great REAL ‘let’s look at how we do the Christian life’, and women having a ‘heart to heart’ sharing magazine.”

Timely …

“There are always articles that touch me and meet me where I am, at that time.”

A reader told me about how she was speaking to another family whose teenage daughter suffers from depression. Apparently the only thing that stopped this girl from committing suicide a couple of weeks beforehand, was an article on Christians and depression in Footprints!

“Often when I’ve been going through a difficult period in my life, I have prayed for an answer and found one (or at least a guideline) in Footprints.”

Tackling real issues …

Footprints is able to cover topics that you may never hear about in a sermon at church. For example: honouring the pastor; how to know when it’s time to leave your church; even godly fashion tips!

“Each issue there is diversity and some very relevant articles that are not afraid to address certain issues.”

“The article on bipolar disorder was spot on timing.”

“Thank you for covering mental health issues like this one.”

“Thank you for raising awareness of disabilities.”

Putting it into Practise …

“My dear friend gave me a special gift, a subscription to Footprints. I did not realise just how precious her gift was until I read the article on forgiveness … a turning point … it is such a blessing to have this weight lifted … now I have peace.”

A youth home group leader told me her group was so inspired by an article on purity rings, that they held their own purity study and ceremony. They made their own rings, and took photos, made certificates, etc. The other youth home group leaders thought it was such a great idea they followed suit!

“After reading a review in Footprints, I bought the book – loved it and couldn’t put it down!”

Touching lives …

“So many articles struck a chord with me.”

“I found your website by accident – one of those God-incidences. It was such a blessing I’ve told others!”

A reader said that we really need to include tissues with each copy for “us weepy sensitive types”!

“Every time I read one of your magazines I feel peaceful.”

“My hubby reads them too!”

Helping the lonely …

Footprints has become a dear friend to many. We have had letters from readers who were lonely after moving; living in the outback; and missionaries overseas, who have all been comforted by Footprints.

“Footprints is a life raft for me,” wrote one young mum.

“Reading the magazines gives me the feeling that I am not alone in this world.”

“It’s nice to know that we can be connected with other Christian women in spirit.”

“I can see that there is a community of Christian women involved with your magazine who care.”

Reconnecting friends …

“I had an email from a lady I knew from a bible study group years ago. She saw the ad for my book in Footprints and emailed to congratulate me and catch up. It was lovely to reconnect and catch up on what God is doing in our lives.”

“Last issue I read an article by a lady whose name I recognised from almost 40 years ago (nursing training in the 60’s in Brisbane) … we have been able to renew our friendship by email!”

Keeping on keeping on!

A reader went to a session at the Brisbane Writers Festival on “small magazines” (as opposed to those backed by multi million dollar corporations) and learnt that sustainability was a definite challenge, regardless of readership target. “You and your team have just cause to celebrate 50 issues!” she wrote.

Just this week I got an email to say that Christian Woman magazine is no longer going to produce a print version, but only online, due to cost factors. Yet somehow Footprints continues …

“I see this magazine becoming huge.”

“I see your magazine as warm oil blessing everyone it touches.”

Seeing Answers to Prayer …

We have been invited to pray for various readers over the years – for family or relationship issues, depression, and infertility. Only God knows who has been touched as we pray, but I *do* know that there are even a couple of “Footprints babies” out there!

Training up new writers …

“I appreciate having a place for my writing …”

“It was such a thrill to see my work in print!”

“I love how you laid out my article.”

One of our writers even went on to win the Australian Young Christian Writer of the Year award!

So there you have it.  The readers have spoken – they love Footprints magazine! I just want to give God all the glory, and hope that you are as encouraged to read these testimonies, as I was as I put them together!

Ten years ago, when I was a young mum at home, the internet was in its infancy and a computer was a luxury in most homes, not a necessity. I had lots of penfriends to keep me occupied but it wasn’t the same … how I wish I’d had the outlet of blogging back then. I love the immediacy of feedback and conversation with others, not to mention the fun and support of the blogging community. It would have been great when my children were small and I was quite isolated at home. I’m sure I would have been an avid blogger!

Just think … if I had been born just ten years later, my life could have been so very different. If I had been a dedicated blogger, I may never have felt the need to start Footprints magazine. And how many people would have missed out on being blessed by it?!

It made me realise, that God had the perfect plan for my life all along. I was obviously born for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)!

Because the next issue of Footprints (due out in May) is our 50^th, it will feature quite a few articles relating to the big 5-oh – including Life Begins at 50, and the Year of Jubilee.

So did Woman’s Day really steal my idea? I doubt it!  But even if they did, the truth is that’s where a lot of editors (including me) get their inspiration from – other magazines!

As Mia Freedman, former editor of a number of Aussie glossies including Girlfriend and Cosmo, says … “An editor once told me ‘there’s no copyright on ideas’ and I’ve never forgotten that. Provided you did your own version, I saw nothing wrong with being ‘inspired’ by other sources … Editors get many of their best ideas from other magazines.”

I know that as I browse through other magazines, I am constantly mulling over page layouts, article ideas, headlines, and graphics that would work well in Footprints. Some magazines are more helpful for this purpose than others. I love “Psychology Today” for layout ideas, and “Notebook”, ”Marie Clare” and “Reader’s Digest” when I’m brainstorming topics and titles.

But other magazines are not the only places which provide me with inspiration. I also find ideas for articles in Scripture and from sermons, on TV shows and at conferences, as well as whatever is happening in my own life or the lives of family and friends. Many a chat with friends or at our small group has become fodder for my writing!

As the Good Book tells us, I guess there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)!

PS a note of thanks to Footprints supporter and frequent blogger Michelle, who has favoured us with this “sweet award”!

This award goes to a blog that you always visit and hate missing anything that they’ve posted. So here are some of my personal favourites …

On the Edge of Ordinary

Squigglemum

Oh Happy Day!

Moments for Mum

 Accept the award if you wish – copy and post it, share the love!

It all depends on the audience! If I am writing for Footprints then the second is true; but in my day job of producing community newsletters, I am a writer who just happens to be a Christian.

No matter what I am writing, or who I am writing for, I have adopted Philippians 4:8 as my motto:

“Finally brothers (and sisters!), whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think (and write!) about such things.”

It has been twelve years since I first started writing for publication – to make the most of this gift which I believe is from God.  It’s true that the majority of my writing has been for a Christian audience, so I have shared stories of answered prayer, devotional thoughts, theological pieces and inspirational items.

However I’ve also written numerous articles for the “secular” market. Does that mean that God can’t use this aspect of my writing? No!

Take the numerous stories I had published in a bridal magazine. My articles offered helpful advice to engaged couples on achieving a beautiful wedding on a budget, or dealing with the difficulties of divorced parents.

My heart’s desire is to inform, inspire and encourage others when I write. That principle can be applied whether to a Christian or secular market!

If you are a beginning or aspiring writer, take heart. As writers, we are often walking a tightrope between career and ministry. Although we are all keen to get as much experience as possible, let’s not get side-tracked by the almighty dollar. Yes, we may still dream of fame and fortune. But we don’t have to sacrifice our moral standards by writing sleazy stories, just to “get published”.

If we commit to loving and helping others through the medium of print (or web), by offering information, inspiration and encouragement, God will honour and bless our endeavours. If it touches just one heart, it makes it all worthwhile.

I’ve just finished reading Mama Mia: a memoir of mistakes, magazines and motherhood by Aussie writer, blogger and former Cosmopolitan  editor Mia Freedman. 

Obviously, as a magazine junkie, editor, and mother myself, there was much I could relate to in its pages! I enjoyed the behind-the -scenes stories of Mia’s magazine career, from her days as lowly work experience girl at Cleo to Editor-in-Chief of Cosmo, Girlfriend and a couple of other titles. Nowadays, she has converted to the medium of the internet, with a blog which she says is ”exactly like producing my own magazine every single day, with no barrier between me and my audience”.

Her observations and experiences of the magazine industry not only inspired me, but I also learnt much. Here are just some quotes that particularly resonated with me:

“Edit for your readers, not for yourself.” (This was also a message that came through loud and clear at the editor’s conference I recently attended in Manila).

“My biggest challenge was finding a new way to tell old stories.” Seems I’m not alone when it comes to that … every year we need Christmas themed articles in Footprints and it is so hard to find something that has not been done to death!

“When there are too many drivers at the top, magazines quickly go off the rails and lose their voice. You can only have one vision if you want the magazine to be authentic. Editing by committee is a disaster.” Although we have a Team at Footprints that help with editorial, packaging and mailout, promotion, prayer etc, at the end of the day … there can be only one! (Now I sound like the Highlander!)

“An editor once told me ‘there’s no copyright on ideas’ and I’ve never forgotten that. Provided you did your own version, I saw nothing wrong with being ‘inspired’ by other sources …Editors get many of their best ideas from other magazines.” Too true!

But this book is so much more than just one woman’s climb up the career ladder. Mia shares from her heart, in particular her struggle to find that delicate balance between being a wife, mother, woman and worker.

Mia often talks on her blog about her “Smug” and “Crap” lists. Smug = the things you feel you have done well as a mother such as breastfeeding for twelve months or whatever; and Crap = the things you feel guilty for. In a perfect world, these two lists would balance each other out but the reality is that the crap usually far outweighs the smug!

In fact this week she asked what her readers are feeling smug and crap about right now – straight away I thought of how I roared at my kids a couple of nights ago. They came into my room and sat quietly beside me while I was trying to do some work on the computer, but before long they were arguing over the last chocolate chip cookie (I might add that they are 15 and 13 … do they ever grow out of this stage?!).  Although I asked them nicely to move on, it was only when I yelled and blew my top that they got the hint!

It was a lot harder to come up with something for the smug list … but I ended up realising that at least I ap0logised to them the next morning. As I lay in bed that night, I’d felt God convicting me that they had only wanted to be near me and have some of my attention (Footprints deadline? what deadline?!).

How about you? Care to share from your smug and crap list for this week?!

The good news is, there are quite a few people here in Australia doing their bit to change all that. One of them is Rochelle Manners. Not only does she run a small publishing house, Wombat Books, this year she has also launched Light The Dark, a family friendly party plan. Her motivation behind starting Light The Dark was to provide an outlet for sales and promotion of Australian Christian products – particularly books.

But she hasn’t stopped there! Rochelle has also organised The Word Writers Fair, a fantastic opportunity for Christian writers in south-east Queensland to not only hone their craft and learn from experts, but also to network with other writers.

It goes without saying that I’ll be there! Registration is extremely reasonable and includes a free book – you can choose from one of at least half a dozen that will be launched at the event! Personally I have my eye on two – “Climbing Mountains: one young woman’s journey through breast cancer“ by Stacey Charbachi, and “A Design of Gold“, a novel by Paula Vince.

The Word Writers Fair will be held on Saturday 28 November at New Life Christian Church, 60 Thrush Street, Inala. You can find more and register at: http://www.thewordwriters.com/index.html. Hope to see you there!