AngelaBenson.com

Don’t forget that the Read the Bible in 90 Days Challenge starts Sunday, January 1. I’ve purchased the 90 Days Bible so I’m using the plan provided there. If you don’t have the Bible or any Bible, you can register as a user at the 90 Days Bible web site to get online access to the daily schedule as well as the Bible readings. You can also download the daily schedule here. I think the online access and the schedule dowload are great services the publisher and author are providing for those who are unable to purchase the 90 Days Bible. Let me know when you get started.

I’m going to present, here and now, the list of the smartest people on the Internet. Here goes, in no particular order, because these people are just plain brilliant.

Carol Ann Culbert Johnson: Just check out her 2005 Top Ten Reads. You’ll have to scroll down a bit. Her list is on the right side, about halfway down the page.

Dee Stewart: Take a gander at her Gospel Fiction Top 10. Dee also has an interesting discussion of the term, gospel fiction. Let me know what you think.

If you’ve looked at the links above, you know that Dee and Carol Ann included The Amen Sisters in their 2005 Top 10 lists. This post is a special thanks to them for letting other readers know they enjoyed the story. So, Dee and Carol Ann, here’s a warm thanks from my heart to yours. May God grant you both the desires of your hearts in the new year.

I recently had an interview with Kevin Dawson of A Story to Tell on Global Talk Radio. Global Talk Radio is an internet radio station that broadcasts live and also makes their content available for on-demand listening for around six months. My interview airs on Monday, December 19, at noon ET. It is available now for on-demand listening. I’m the fourth of five interviews on December 19, each lasting about 10 minutes. You should be able to fast-forward to my interview if you don’t have time to listen to the others. I was a bit worried about how I would sound, but I think it turned out well. If you have a few minutes, take a trip over, listen to the interview and let me know what you think. Just scroll down to the archives and click on the show date (December 19, 2005).

I learned this past weekend that The Amen Sisters was in its second printing. How did I get this piece of news? The old-fashioned way, of course. I opened a book that was purchased by a friend and read the copyright page. Near the bottom of the page, directly under the text, “First printing, September 2005,” I found the numbers “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ” and no “1″. Well, the missing “1″ indicated that the book is in its second printing. A missing “1″ and a missing “2″ would mean the book is in its third printing. Get it? Good. We’ll have a test on Friday. Psych!

So what does second printing mean? You would ask, now wouldn’t you? Well, it means the book is in its second printing. Duh. Okay, I’ll explain a bit better. When a book is first published a specific number of copies are printed. This is the first printing. The publisher prints more when orders reach or exceed the quantity on hand. Hence, subsequent printings.

I bet you have another question, don’t you? Yes, I knew you did. Now you want to know how many copies were printed in each printing. I want to know as well, so if you find out, please drop me an email. For now, I’m just happy to know that there is ongoing demand for The Amen Sisters. I pray it continues a while longer.

Now check the copyright page of your copy. The first person with a copy from the third printing will get a prize. I haven’t figured out yet what it will be, but it’ll be a goodie. Wink, wink.

Okay, I’m taking on Mary Griffith’s challenge to join her and her friends in reading through the Bible in 90 days. I’ll admit that I’m shaking in my boots here, but I’m also determined. So what do you think? Do you want to join us? There’s even a Read the Bible in 90 Days Bible to use as a guide. Of course, you can use your regular Bible, but what’s a Challenge if you don’t get to buy something new? Anyway, the commitment amounts to about 45-60 minutes of Bible reading a day. Now that doesn’t sound like a lot, does it? Well, maybe it does, but it’ll be time well spent. I’m going to do it and I’d love for you to join me. Mary and friends are starting on January 1, which is a great way to start the year. Come on, y’all. We can keep each other encouraged through the process.

Saturday, December 10, 2005
5th Annual Book Club Conference
23rd Annual Kwanzaa Festival
Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Branch
DeKalb County Library (Georgia)
2861 Wesley Chapel Road
Decatur, Georgia 30034
Phone: 404-286-6980

The lovely ladies above and I attended the 5th Annual Walk Worthy Press Fiction Function in Detroit on this past Saturday, December 3. The event was, as the kids would say, totally off the chain. I was blessed beyond description. There were about 250 readers in attendance along with five Walk Worthy authors, Denise Stinson (Walk Worthy publisher), Peggy Hicks (Walk Worthy publicist), a staff of wonderful women from Borders, and a blessed and highly talented set of actors. I wish you all could have been there. We had singing and praying and acting and eating and encouraging and gift-giving and all the other good stuff that happens when people gather to serve God. It was a wonderful time. All I can say is that you should have been there. It was a blessing to meet so many readers and to see how much they valued and appreciated Christian fiction.

If you were there, share some of your thoughts on the event so that the folks who couldn’t make it can be blessed through you.

If you weren’t there, you can try to name the authors in the picture. And you have to name their most recent book as well. Let’s go–left to right.

Signing
Saturday, December 3, 2005, NOON- 2:00pm
Walk Worthy Press Holiday Fiction Function
Hosted by Borders Booksellers
Held at Eastlake Baptist Church
2400 E. Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, MI 48215

Signing
Friday, December 2, 6:00-8:00pm
Shrine of the Black Madonna
13535 Livernois Ave.
Detroit, MI 48238