HOT HOT HOT

Yay Summertime!


It is Summertime for sure isn't it. I do want to tell you that I am still living without pain. God is so good! Terry thinks he has the girl he met all those years ago back. I just had to give the Lord another Praise over that. I am so grateful.

Elk's Resolve sales are clipping along. I can't help but daydream about what it would be like to be a best-selling author, but that is in God's hands.
A friend of mine from Australia emailed me the other day. She blogs a lot about books. She reads a ton of them. We "met" when I asked her a little over a year ago to do a blog for me on Nan's Journey. She read it and wrote a very nice review for me. She interviewed me at Christmastime again and has been very supportive and encouraging. She sent this email to a herd of us authors to see if we would like to do another interview and promote our latest books. I jumped at the chance.

I couldn't help but think about how kind and helpful she is to all of us...non-best-sellers out there. I decided to "pay it forward". I sent a similar email to the authors I had in my email list. (If you didn't get this email, you are still invited.) I want to do an interview of each of the responders. I know some pretty amazing writers and I think you will be interested in what they have to say.
Elaine

The first author I want to introduce you to is John Shumaker.
John, I am so happy you took the time to answer a few questions that I think my readers will be interested in.

1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?

My name is John H. Shumaker. The two books I’ve written are: The Mystery of the Alpha and Omega and The Strategy of Spiritual Warfare Exposed (What Goes on Behind the Scenes and Why).

2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
I’ve been a Bible teacher since 1985. My wife, Carol, and I have 5 kids, 10 grandkids, and 3 great grand kids. I’ve been a professional firefighter for 40 years and have started a Chaplain program with the Colorado Springs Fire Department. I’ve also started chapters of the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters and a chapter of Firefighters for Christ. Through Firefighters for Christ I’ve given out over 65,000 cassette teaching tapes and have mailed them world-wide.

3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?

I decided to try writing about 3 years ago. I didn’t do this because I felt led to be a writer, but I just wanted to try my hand at it and see where it led.

4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?

The books I’ve written can be used for Bible studies. This would include Sunday School, home Bible studies and private Bible study. The strong points of my books is that I use the Bible to comment on the Bible – in other words, going through my books you will explore the Bible in it’s entirety. I also include the Bible verses in my book so you don’t have to set the book aside to look up the reference. In addition I spent about 2 years studying one-on-one with a Messianic Rabbi.

5. Are you a reader? What are you reading right now?
I love to read. My daily schedule is to get up between 0300 and 0330. I spend a couple of hours every day studying the Bible and reading. I’m currently reading Marriage: Fantasy vs Reality.

6. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
In my first book, The Mystery of the Alpha and Omega, I took 18 verses from the Old Testament and expounded on how Jesus is revealed in the original Hebrew text. I have found that there are over 570 references in the Hebrew text that identifies Jesus and His role as God and as Messiah. I’m currently writing a commentary on these verses. Due to the size of the book, I’m not sure if it will go to print or not. At any rate, it will be available on my web site: www.jhshumaker.info

7.What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them? The biggest obstacle I’ve found so far is not in writing the books, but in getting them marketed. Since I’m an “unknown” and I don’t have an alphabet to put behind my name, it’s hard to get the books into the hands of people that have the right connections to get the books promoted in Christian book stores. They are currently in Boarders and Barnes and Nobel, but the people that would be interested in what I’ve written about would look in Christian bookstores – not Boarders and Barnes and Nobel.

8. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
I can be contacted in several ways:
· E-mail: jhshumaker@comcast.net
· Web site: www.jhshumaker.info
· Phone: 719-337-4545
· Snail mail: John H. Shumaker
P.O. Box 7187

Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7187

Thank you so much John. (His wife is a hoot! I love her so much.) Pictures of his books will not load on this format, so you can check them out at his websites or at http://nansjourney.blogspot.com

See you next week. I hope you enjoyed this.

Release Date For Elk's Resolve Is Here!

I am so happy that the release day for Elk's Resolve is here. I have several events scheduled to promote my books and that makes me very happy. If you are looking for someone to speak to your group, maybe a new or unexpected face to stir things up, contact me here. We can discuss what your group is doing and where you want to go with the event.

I realize that most people wonder how a fiction writer can make an impact on real life. Let me explain that in both books, Nan's Journey & Elk's Resolve, very real life issues are addressed. Even if you have not gone through tragic circumstances all of us deal with unforgiveness, depression and self-doubt. (Those are a few of the things brought out in the books.)

For those of you who have already read my books, THANK YOU SO MUCH! If you would take a moment to write a review on them at amazon.com, it would mean so much to me. Constructive criticism is encouraged. I appreciate your insight.Check out my updated website: elainelittau.com

Health

I remember thinking when I was a kid that people were very odd when they would say things like, "at least I have my health..." I thought at the time that of course you have your health. What are you talking about? Through the years I have learned to appreciate the sentiment.

When I was 18 yrs old and at Bible College my room mate grabbed my Pepsi and took a drink while I was in the bathroom. When I entered the room and took another swig of the drink she said, "Oh yeah, I might still be contagious. I had mono." After a time I became very sick and sure enough I had mono. My body has not been terribly strong ever since.

I have enjoyed seasons of great health and seasons of challenges.My 20's were filled with hospital visits not only for the births of my three sons but for bouts of pneumonia, gall bladder, and other things. My 30's and 40s I was pretty healthy. Now I am challenged with fibromialgia. My doctor is wonderful and he has helped me a lot in management of all the stuff that goes with it. I have been attempting to go by all the suggestions he has given me and taking all the vitamins and meds etc.

Today, I feel great! I know that is trivial to a lot of people, but there are very few days in my life that I have been able to say that I am experiencing no pain...at all! How great is that? This is a "red letter day"! (Someone asked me what a red letter day was? What does that mean? On our old calendars all the holidays and Sundays were marked by having the numbers in that square written with red ink. We looked forward to those special days so when something great happened we said it was a "red letter day".)

I realize that there are a whole bunch of people who are in a lot worse shape than I will ever be. I pray that one day you will be able to feel better. I am praying for your "red letter day"!

The Little Red Buckets a Story of Family and Giving by Lynda M. Nelson

One of my wonderful nieces loaned The Little Red Buckets by Lynda M. Nelson to her mother, my sister. My sister liked it so much that she loaned it to me. It is a short little book with a big message. The descriptions of time with Grandmother brought the smell of home made bread and lavender to my mind. I could picture the sweet face of the little granddaughter on the aging woman's lap.
It was a picture of the influence a grandmother or friend can make in a child's life because they take the time to talk of things other than the "tyranny of the urgent." (such as: "Make your bed. Are you ready for basketball practice? Don't do this or that. Get your homework done." Grandmothers have time to talk about life issues and times past. Their input is invaluable to the next generations. This was a lovely book.

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

When I opened the small package I was amazed at how pretty this small pink Bible is. My granddaughters (ages 2 & 4) were dazzled by the pretty cover with the crown and textured lettering. I was happy to see that it was more than a Bible Story Book, but also a handbook for parents to guide their small child into the truths of the Bible. Within the pages are plays for the little ones to perform, object lessons to drive home certain concepts of the stories, songs, and worship. Thomas Nelson Publishers really outdid themselves with this book. It is truly a tool for parents who wish to write on the "tablets of the heart" of their little girl. I would recommend this Devotional Bible for any child.

Elaine Littau
Author of "Nan's Journey" & "Elk's Resolve"

June is one of my Favorite Months

June is one of my favorite months of the year.
Terry and I really enjoyed the time we spent with our grandchildren. We look forward to the summer visit from our Colorado kids and grandkids.This time we were able to have our Texas granddaughter join in on the fun. I think they have gotten very close to each other and will miss one another very much.

I am trying to get events lined up for the summer. Book signings, speaking, and just keeping in touch with everybody. One of the things I have to keep reminding myself to do is write. Book #4 is started on my computer. I need to get back at it, but stuff happens. You know, important stuff like:
Hugging those grandkids while they are here.

Keeping up with my marketing plans.

and, let me make a confession here...farming. Yes, I am a face book farm town addict. I wonder what they call the 12 step program on a cruise ship for that- "memorial for friends of Old MacDolald"? For subscribers who don't have a clue what I am talking about, you will have to log in to my blog and watch the video I made called "Cruise Ship Blunder". It is the video where I am wearing a dopey hat. (nansjourney.blogspot.com)

Anyway, a friend or two convinced me that farm town was fun. It is. It is a stress reliever as well as a stress producer...kinda like husbands and kids huh! I wish my real garden would grow as well as the one on facebook, but I guess that would mean that I would have to actually plant one. (bummer)

I have Book III of the Nan's Heritage Series written. It is tentatively called "Luke's Legacy". I will level with you. It does cost a good bit of money to get the books published. Although Tate Publishing and Enterprises is not a vanity publisher, they are a partnership publisher. That means that each author contributes money to the publishing of their books. The more books that have sold, the less contribution has to be made for each title. After 5000 copies of the books have been sold, the money I put in to the publishing process will be refunded to me. I said that to say this: I am saving back $1 per book sold to go toward getting "Luke's Legacy" published. Some readers have given a $5 deposit toward their purchase of "Luke's Legacy" when it comes out to speed up the process a bit. When any of my books are sold it does help my credibility with the publisher so I want to thank you for your purchases. I wanted you to know why it takes so long before the next book comes out. I am striving to get the word out and sell as many copies as I can because Book III is my favorite to date. I am sure that if you liked "Nan's Journey" and "Elk's Resolve", you will love "Luke's Legacy". Don't give up on me. We will see it in print sooner than later...hopefully.
Until next time, your taking the time to talk about the books is the best advertisement I could ever get and I thank you for all that you do.
Elaine

Happy and Sad

This has been a week of distinct contrasts for Terry and I. It began as a joyous week as we began the wonderful adventure of caring for our four grandchildren for a couple of weeks.
Somewhere in the middle tragedy struck. Terry's sweet sister passed away suddenly. The week that Terry took for vacation and fun with the children became a week filled with the sad task of contacting family and friends, putting together funeral arrangements, and attending the funeral. I am afraid that I was not much help to him because I had the children with me. We got through it and still can hardly believe it all happened within a span of a few days.

I want to tell you a little about Terry's sister, Anna Mae. She was a dear person. We became very good friends in the 34 years that Terry and I have been married. If I were to write a book about her life, editors would say that it was far-fetched in the sorrow she faced and that I would have to tone it down.

She married John after she finished high school. After a year they had their first baby, Larry. He died at birth. Later they had a daughter and then a son. When the boy was in his 20s he was killed in a car accident when he hit black ice. He had just finished college and was ready to begin a career and family with his young wife. Several years later their daughter developed brain cancer and passed away. She left a teen-age daughter and young son. The granddaughter grew up and had 2 daughters. Their son's widow adopted 2 little boys.

A couple of years ago John had a severe heart attack and had to be in hospitals all around the nation to try to find treatment that could save his life. It was a miracle he was still alive with the amount of damage he suffered. He lost his fight for life last August. Anna Mae was pretty much alone except for her teen-age grandson who lived in the town and her grown granddaughter who lived some miles away. Her daughter-in-law also called on her too. Of course, they had school and children to care for. Anna Mae watched over her 92-year-old mother who moved into town from the farm and helped her adjust to town living.

Many times Anna Mae asked me why it was that her family all had to die. Those are questions that I never had an answer for. All I could say was, "I don't know." I really will miss her but I am blessed having known her. She left the world a better place.
Elaine