social media, Writing

Review, review, review please!

deborahanndykeman

Today is the last day you can get your free ebook for my newest release, When Faith Begins. It’s been a lot of fun having the book promotions for the When series of books. By far, When Love Grows was the most popular in the giveaway. I think it’s the cover…which goes to show, your cover matters…a lot! I love the color red, and it looks as though many others do.

If you are a writer, trying to get your book published, and then branding, marketing and hoping to sell your work…well you know it’s a long, difficult process. Most of us don’t hit the New York Times bestseller list the first time out, if ever. It takes daily contact with readers, your target audience, and places to promote your work. Some writers may use a blog, website, newsletter, Facebook, etc., to do this. Many use all of those listed and then some!

My WIP is a manuscript I wrote in 1998. It’s 124,000+ pages long, and I wrote it on a typewriter in two weeks. I had four children at the time. I got them up, got them dressed, tossed some food at them and then sat about five feet away from them to write. Repeated two more meals each day, and then did the reverse at night for bedtime. Those were the days when our oldest was 12 and our youngest 2. Those were the days when I still made bread every day, and we had healthy smoothies for breakfast. We didn’t eat out. I relied heavily on my 12 year old, who is now my editor.

But that book had to be written at that time, and I wrote 24 hours a day for those two weeks. I wouldn’t recommend that, but we artistic people can be strange at times. Maybe most of the time! Now, I am rewriting and editing that book, and the three others in that series that I wrote several years later. It will take me a while, because it is a mess. And when I hand it over to my editor, proofreader, etc., it will probably still be a mess.

I have so appreciated the feedback from my readers during this book promotion! But I want to clarify a couple items. Those that write and are trying to sell books, will understand. Today, my rating for When Faith Begins is here:

If you go to the above links…you have to go to the FREE section to see mine. Not the paid.

That is huge for me! My books are usually in the thousands, if not millions. But this is for the FREE ebooks. Not the paid list. I’ve had several people comment about my royalties now. I’ve made under $10 dollars this month. The book promotions are about me getting my name out there, and loving that people are taking the time to look at my covers, read a portion of my books online, and then even downloading them. If I can earn money off my books at some time, that will be super fantastic!!! But right now, people don’t know me, and that’s where all of you can help…and writers should be helping one another.

Authors LOVE reviews, even bad ones. It helps them tone and tweak their craft. Please ALWAYS leave a review when you read a book. My books are desperately in need of reviews. The other huge help to authors, and anyone promoting a business, is to SHARE on Facebook and other social media. Again, it gets their name and business out there for all to see. There can be so much wrong with social media, but sharing a business for someone is a great opportunity to help. (An apology here to an editor that told me I shouldn’t cap words, but…) 😉

Again, thank you for all the support. Prayers and best wishes for those of you struggling in this writing market. And of course…be looking for my next book promotion, because there will be one!

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Writing

Whoee!!!

deborahanndykeman

I usually try not to bore you with too many posts about my writing career. But I’ve been offering a promotion on my latest series. All three books of the When series have been free for a limited time. When Faith Begins started today. Get your free ebook copy until October 28th. When Love Grows promotion will end tomorrow.

But this post isn’t just about that. This post is to share some fantastic news with all of you. I was checking my stats on Amazon.

I was absolutely shocked to see When Love Grows at #18 in Western & Frontier Christian Romance, and #58 in Religious Romance!!! When Faith Begins is currently at #23 in Women’s Christian Fiction, and #42 in Contemporary Christian Romance!!!

Wow!!!

Remember, that is for their genre, not the overall ranking on Amazon, but the overall ranking is still pretty fantastic! Being around 1,500 in the millions of authors and books on Amazon is pretty special. Amazon’s rankings change very quickly, so you can be sure I’ll be watching these today, but it’s made my day!  Thanks to all of you for reading my posts and my books! Now, back to writing so I can do this again someday! 😉

Writing

Free!

deborahanndykeman

I’m having so much fun with my free ebook promotion for my When series of books! The first book in the series, When Hope Blooms garnered a lot of attention, many people ‘purchasing’ it. Right now, the free ebook promotion is on for the second book in the series, When Love Grows!

Get your copy until October 25th, midnight, right here: https://www.amazon.com/When-Love-Grows-Deborah-Dykeman/dp/1978088914/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=deborah+ann+dykeman&qid=1571850701&s=books&sr=1-3

When Love Grows - Tuesday Teaser

Be watching for the third book in the series and my newest release, When Faith Begins.

Happy reading everyone!

A Quick Thought

When Simple Was Special

deborahanndykeman

If you are a city person, loving the lights and glamour, then this post is probably not for you! This post is about simplicity, and the pleasure found in having little, access to nothing.

Years ago, young couples wanting to marry and begin life together, didn’t start off with car loans, home mortgages or exorbitant rent. They didn’t plan for a vacation every year to an exotic place, running up credit cards to do it. What was a credit card?

At one time, life was based on survival. You hoped, prayed, and worked for a shelter to cover you, something to keep you safe and warm from the environment. Often times the home was built by a young man or couple. You grew your own food, made your own clothes, and were thankful to have loved ones around you. Maybe you had a small church to attend where you could fellowship with others. 

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Yes, life was probably difficult, a daily struggle, and your years on earth were not as long as they are now. But there is much to be said for simplicity, taking pleasures in the little things in life.

The world today, and those of us living in it, face a much different reality. Yes, we have beautiful homes, each child having their own space. A chef’s kitchen awaits us, while we spend a big percentage of our paychecks eating out. We have manicured yards that we may sit in once in a while, but much more time is spent keeping them that way. The lawn mower is more familiar with the grass under our feet than we are. If we have gardens, the goal is to grow big and beautiful, chemicals helping us along the way. The food harvested there is not for our survival, but a fun hobby.

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It is no wonder that the tiny house movement has become so popular. We are burned-out on surviving in this world today, trying to keep the pace at a fast and furious rate that our ancestors would not have tried, or even wanted.

I know I want off the merry-go-round. My head is spinning with all of the have-to items that we self-impose into our lives. I don’t want to have to be fashionably dressed, just decently clothed. I want to enjoy my yard in the peace and quiet of nature, and not worry about the town’s standards of what I should and shouldn’t do. I don’t want a career, but enough to meet our needs.

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I really wouldn’t mind living in a home such as these pictured, the only criteria being a porch for my rocking chair. For those of you that shake your head, saying I don’t know what I’m talking about…I do have a clue. I learned to cook on a wood cook-stove, baking seven loaves of whole-wheat bread every Saturday for several years. I’ve split firewood, unloaded cords of wood to heat a house for the winter. I am extremely grateful for my inside bathroom, and running water, but I could even get use to no electricity if needed.

It’s whatever we’ve become used to. What we’ve accepted as normal.

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I think I’m feeling nostalgic today. Autumn is playing for real now here in the mid-west. The trees are becoming bare, leaves scudding across the ground. My thoughts turn to outside chores needing to be done, and the holidays ahead. And like every year, I don’t want to be caught up in all the items that are expected of us. I just want to enjoy those people around me that care enough to be part of my life.

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In our world today, we have missed the bigger picture. We’re frantically trying to survive, by having the best education, successful career, showplace for a house, every opportunity for our children…and we have lost love for what life should really be about. That list above won’t last into eternity, and after we’re gone, we won’t care.

The holidays are coming and I challenge you as I will be doing myself to seek Him first in all things. Be thankful for what you do have in the forms of jobs, housing, family and friends. But strive to connect with what matters, and get rid of what doesn’t. All of us have much that we could put on a back burner…and especially during the next couple of months when we celebrate the holidays. Make time for family and friends. Put down the phone when in a public place and connect with those around you. And most certainly put the phone away and relate to the loved ones you’re with. They may not be there tomorrow.

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Strive to live a simple life among the luxuries of today. Think about those people and things that are really important to you, and make time for them. Don’t waste time on the other.

 

 

A Day to Remember, Marriage

To Thee I’m Wed

deborahanndykeman

Today, October 20, 2019, my husband and I have been married for thirty-five years. I never really thought we would get here. Just too busy living life and surviving on a daily basis…and now all those years are gone!

This is a transition time in our lives. So many unanswered questions about what we are to be doing now. So many tests in the areas of health and finances. So many thoughts on what we did wrong and what we could have done better.

Even though we are overwhelmed right now, we’re still on the right path…just walking very stooped and slow. The light is dim at times, but it hasn’t gone out. I hope and pray for better days, more memories to look back on and smile about.

To Thee I’m Wed is the title to the first book I published. The character of Jason Miller is my husband, and I hope that I portrayed my husband’s patience, his enduring love for his family, and his dedication to his marriage in that book. Men such as Jason and George are hard to find. And without George, our marriage would not be what it is today.

Happy Anniversary, George! I pray that we have many more years together. I share these three pictures because they make me smile, and I think of all the reasons that I fell in love with you back in 1984.

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Marriage, Our Christian Walk

Truth Be Told

deborahanndykeman

When I first began this blog in 2015, my goal was to write about me and my family, and light issues that would help my readers connect with me as a person. I didn’t want to bombard  with just writing topics. For one thing, I don’t have a master’s degree in writing anything. I rely heavily on my editor to fix all that I do wrong. I don’t know much about branding or marketing. I go to others and read lots of other posts about it to broaden my knowledge base. And considering sales of my books…I have lots more to learn in those areas! 😉

So now, four years later…I’m still a little mired down in this blogging world. I read other sites that are really successful. I try to figure out what they are doing right, and what I’m doing wrong. I wonder if my scope of topics is too large, or the site just not interesting. I’ve even considered starting over, but what would my focus be?

Truth be told, my knowledge base is marriage and family. It’s what I’ve done for all of my adult life. Sunday, the 20th will be my husband and my 35th wedding anniversary. It’s one I’ve looked forward to. Others celebrate by going on a cruise, having another ceremony to rededicate their married lives, or going out for a nice dinner. I thought that by this time in our marriage, we would be doing the same. We won’t be. I think spam is on the menu this year.

My husband and five children have always been the world to me. It’s what I invested all my time in. Some may say that was crazy, and that I didn’t plan for the future. I always thought it was the best way to plan for our future together. But children grow up and have families of their own, they move away, and they make their own choices in life. I am no longer in control of all of that…and maybe I never really was.

So, here I sit at almost 55 years of age. This past year as been beyond difficult in so many ways. There are days when I feel as though the rug has been yanked out from under us, and we haven’t hit the floor yet. But when we do, it’s going to be bad. My faith has taken a serious hit, and there are more days than not that I would like to run away and be a different person.

This Life is Real…and so are the Answers. I truly believe that. None of us live in a fairy tale world with light and laughter, flowers and fun, around every corner. Many of us deal with darkness and tears, an inability to breathe because of all that has been dumped on us. The flowers in our lives are dead and crumbled, blowing away in the wind, and a smile is hard to summon.

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I don’t have a master’s degree in anything. Just a lot of learning through difficult experiences. I try to share that in my books. In my books, there is an answer for that struggling character. Writing helps me work through all that has been allowed in my life. This blog has been a release for me to express all that bottles up…whether it be good or bad. I pray that my books reach people and the struggles they have in their lives. I pray they find an answer.

So for now, I’ll stick with what I’ve been doing here, and I welcome any suggestions to improve.

Philippians 4:6-7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all [a]comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Writing

New Release!

deborahanndykeman

It’s autumn here in the mid-west! Yay! Cooler weather, leaves turning, and that autumn aroma of damp and wood smoke. I’m loving it! What better time for a new release?

When Faith Begins - Love

When Faith Begins is the third book in the series that began with When Hope Blooms and When Love Grows. It is available in paperback and e-book right here: https://www.amazon.com/When-Faith-Begins-Deborah-Dykeman-ebook/dp/B07Z28984V/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=when+Faith+Begins+deborah+ann+dykeman&qid=15712

If you haven’t read the first two, or need a refresher, they are available on Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million (BAM). Or, right here: https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Ann-Dykeman/e/B01B2BYPK6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_8&qid=1571243983&sr=1-8

It’s autumn! Pick up a great book and snuggle beside the fire with a hot drink. Have a great day!

A Quick Thought, Our Christian Walk

Take a Moment…

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and think.

 

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning and all you had was what you thanked God for yesterday_

When life becomes difficult, we tend to focus on the problem and trying to solve it. When life seems hopeless, and not worth living, we try a multitude of things to ease the pain.

What if we concentrated more on being thankful for what is?

 

Writing

NaNoWriMo

deborahanndykeman

Everyone connected with writing has heard of National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November each year. It is commonly referred to as NaNoWriMo. The goal is to write a 50,000 word count manuscript between November 1st and November 30th. It’s to be a rough draft. There are even places that you can sign in so that you have encouragement to keep going from others typing their fingers to the bones.

I do think about this each year. But November is a really difficult time for me to write. The holiday season is upon us, and we have several birthdays, mine included in the month of November. Not to mention that turkey day is a pretty big celebration towards the end of the month. But…if you aren’t well on your way by Thursday, the 28th this year, you’re probably not going to get that 50,000 word count accomplished.

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Since I left my job as the activity director at our local nursing home this past August, I have been writing. I had my third book in a series started before I began the job on January 15, 2018. I had about 20,000 words written. I had also designed the cover and had it ready to go. Well of course, the best laid plans always have a hitch in them. During that year and a half, the publishing program I used went over to Amazon. So many changes there. Yes, I was already a part of KDP, but now it was all-encompassing. The new publishing format changed the way covers are created. So will probably have to start from scratch with my cover.

The good news…since I left my job on August 9th I wrote 48,000 words in about a month! This also included me doing some of my own editing along the way. So, in my own little world I’m going to count that as my NaNoWriMo. It’s a huge feeling of satisfaction to know that manuscript is finished and now ready for my editor to take over. Two proofs were ordered yesterday, and now I need to learn all I can on how to get that cover I designed into the new formatting.

I know I’ve had many readers asking about the third book in this latest series. I’ve had many readers encouraging me to write and keep it up. A huge “thank you!” goes out to all of you. Without that, it would have made it very difficult to continue thinking about writing over the past year and a half. It would have been very easy to give up and concentrate on another career. I absolutely love to write and could do it 24/7, but life has to happen along the way. This includes having a home, fixing meals, laundry, and paying bills. We all know that those basics of living can get in the way of our dreams. The key it to juggle them while you still pursue your dreams. Encouragement from others along the way is huge!

I’m shooting for an early November release of When Faith Begins. Our community has an event held in early November called Candle Light Charm. I usually have a table set up for this event. Our community has been extremely supportive with my writing. Many have purchased my books at this event and others. The local library has been phenomenal with their support, and they are SO appreciated. My daughter just shared a photo this past week of When Love Grows being displayed with a review from one of the librarians. We also have a store in our town that has my books for purchase. All these go a long way in supporting an author, and keeping that drive to get another book out there.

So, I’ll be updating about the release of When Faith Begins. In the mean time, please read When Hope Blooms, and When Love Grows, or read them again to refresh your memory!

October Front Cover                 When Love Grows Cover - 6.2 x 9.5 measurements

If you would like to visit my author page on Amazon, here it is: https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Ann-Dykeman/e/B01B2BYPK6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1568484768&sr=1-1

As always, I would love to hear from you, and if you are taking on the NaNoWriMo challenge, the best of writing wishes for you!

Where do I go?

Hello! Are you out there?

deborahanndykeman

Growing up with a father that worked for IBM meant many moves over the years. I became accustom to starting a new school, and trying to make the best of it. I have always been a bit of a loner, so that lifestyle probably worked fairly well for me. Changing schools didn’t give a lot of time to get involved very deep, so I didn’t. Even though we have now lived in our little town for almost twenty-five years, and our house for fourteen, I still find it difficult to really fit in and feel a part of everything.

Those old feelings are coming back as I navigate this blog once again. For the past year and a half, I’ve been working full-time as the Activity Director at our local rest home. I loved the job…my co-workers and the residents making it extremely hard to leave. But I just couldn’t keep up the pace any longer. I have some health issues that I’ve dealt with for about twenty five years, and they need to be taken care of. But because of the job, health and life in general, writing was sitting in the ‘way back’.

Everything changes after a time. The same with WordPress. I will have to learn new stuff on here again. But, I hope to reconnect with many of you on here, and gain some new friends. So, be patient as I learn the ropes, and try to update.

I am currently writing the third book in a series. The first two books are When Hope Blooms and When Love Grows. This WIP is titled When Faith Begins. As you can see below, my goal was to have it finished in 2018. Just a bit behind! I am so excited to be writing again. Last week I managed 12,000 words, and I’m hoping to have it finished soon! It was becoming very stressful to have readers coming up to me at events and asking if I had another book for them! As a writer, you don’t want to let your readers down, especially those that have been so loyal.

Wordpress Book Page - Landing Page (2)

So this is a quick “Hello!” hoping you all are still there. I’ll post more when I can clear a path!

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