Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 17

My virtual book tour is almost over. Soon I'll be choosing a winner for that lovely set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs.

Today you can find me over at Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways. Nicole is a great friend and a talented woman who runs her own publishing house. They publish young adult novels, so if you're writing for that market you should check them out.

I wrote up a post about the blessings of friends for this stop. This is a very special post. If you haven't checked out any other posts during my tour, I hope you'll read this one at http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/cheryl-malandrinos-little-shepherd.html

If you missed what Amada had to say about Little Shepherd at her ASC Book Reviews blog in October, she kindly reposted the review this month so it could be seen by those following the tour. I love this review. You can find it at http://ascphotosanddesigns.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-review-on-my-correct.html

Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Closet Words Book Blast with Kim Hilton - Win $25 Amazon GC

From the Inside Flap
Taken word for word as heard from God, Closet Words is a collection of powerful and penetrating words written down in the stillness of a prayer closet. Hearing from God for several years, Kim Hilton began writing down what she heard. Encouraging, uplifting, and challenging words with a clear message to His servants, Closet Words gives a renewal and refreshing word to the Christian believer.

From the Back Cover
"As the leopard moves quickly in the jungle awaiting its prey so the evil one is lurking around waiting for the moment to devour you. The spirit is deep within you. Do you have your shield to deceive the one who is looking for you? Is your armor in place? Have you prepared for the battle? The battle is not for the weak but for the strong. Only those who are prepared will survive. Do not approach the battlefield meekly. You must know your enemy and fight him or he will overtake you in the darkness before you are even aware he is there. Arise - awaken! - Hear My bugle! I am calling those who are prepared to battle. Your victory is near".

"The days of rain upon your soul arrive. My spirit is pouring upon you as the rain pours onto the earth. Lift your eyes. Lift up your heart and feel my rain upon you. Become drenched in my spirit. Allow your heart to be soaked..."

Purchasing information:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Closet-Words-ebook/dp/B00ANM5KLE

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/closet-words-kim-hilton/1113932452

WestBow Press: http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Author/Default.aspx?BookworksSId=SKU-000600577

Kim Hilton, MCC, PCC, has a master's degree in Christian counseling. Founder of Closet Words Ministries Foundation, Kim is a teacher on prayer and listening to God. An avid writer of several books, Closet Words was chosen as the first book to be published with the proceeds going to Closet Words Ministries Foundation. A sought-after speaker and Bible Study leader, Kim has spoken at both national and local events. She resides with her husband on a farm and enjoys spending time with their six grown children and grandchildren. For more information on Kim Hilton or her work, please visit: www.KimHilton.org.

Enter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Terms & Conditions:
• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Certificate or Paypal Cash.
• This giveaway begins November 2 and ends November 29, 2013.
• Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, December 2, 2013.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If Rafflecopter form doesn’t load, please visit: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/10/17/pump-up-your-book-presents-closet-words-book-blast-25-amazon-gift-card-giveaway/

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 - Day 16

My friend, Kathleen, over at CelticLady's Reviews shares an excerpt from Little Shepherd and a link to the video trailer at http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-by-cheryl-malandrinos.html I'm so thankful to have such wonderful friends to support my writing and help me spread the news.

Christian Christmas Crafts

It's important to me as a Sunday school teacher and a Christian mom to have Christ-centered crafts for the kids during Advent. Here are links to some great ideas you can use with your kids.

So many wonderful Christmas crafts and ideas on how to have a Christ-centered Christmas. http://www.pinterest.com/kbus/christ-centered-christmas-ideas/

Confessions of a Homeschooler participated in a blog hop last December where she posted a series of ideas with links to other blogs that she titled, "The Ultimate Guide to Christian Christmas Crafts." This post also includes pictures of the crafts. http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/12/the-ultimate-guide-to-christian-christmas-crafts.html

If you're looking for easy and meaningful crafts to create this season, you can visit Making A Home. This post shows several easy ideas that both you and the kids will love. What's even nicer is the photos of the children making them. http://makingahome-pa.blogspot.com/2011/12/easy-and-meaningful-christmas-crafts-to.html

I hope you enjoy spending time with your kids and grandkids this Christmas season.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Bonus Stop

Freda from Freda's Voice has posted about Little Shepherd and the giveaway for a chance to win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs. Visit her post at http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2013/11/100-little-shepherd-cheryl-c-maladrinos.html

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Days 13, 14 & 15

The tail end of the week got busy because we are preparing for the church's annual Christmas bazaar and tag sale the Saturday after Thanksgiving, in addition to our daughter having a sleepover to celebrate her birthday. We had 12 giggling girls in our house last night. Not a lot of sleeping going on, either.

On Wednesday, my virtual book tour stopped by Abi's blog, 4 the Love of Books. Abi has always been so supportive of my writing. I am blessed to have friends like her who are willing to share news about my books. In this post, I share my five favorite Christmas carols. You can find it at http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos_20.html

Another wonderful blogger is Mason over at Thoughts In Progress. She's always open to hosting me. You can check out the video trailer for Little Shepherd along with her post at http://masoncanyon.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-on-tour-and-giveaway.html .

On Thursday, I shared 5 Things about Me at Literarily Speaking. That post is at http://literarilyspeaking.net/2013/11/21/5-things-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos-author-of-little-shepherd/

Then on Friday, Cheryl from Cheryl's Book Nook reviewed Little Shepherd. You can read what she had to say at http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-giveaway.html

Follow my tour to see how you can win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 12

I am always humbled and blessed by the support of my fellow Guardian Angel Publishing authors. Award-winning author Nancy Stewart reviewed Little Shepherd today. You can read her comments on the book at http://www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-little-shepherd-by-cheryl.html The book trailer is featured, too, along with the giveaway for a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs.

Pelican Ventures Announces Acquisition of ChristianBookVideos.com

I received the following press release in my Inbox today and was granted permission to share.

Aztec, NM - November 11, 2013 - Nicola Martinez, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief for Pelican Book Group, a Pelican Ventures company, announced today that Pelican Ventures, LLC has acquired the ChristianBookVideos.com web site from Marketing Christian Books, Inc. This comes on the heels of the Pelican Ventures purchasing The Wordsmith Journal (now redubbed TWJ Magazine; twjmag.com a popular e-zine. "TWJ and CBV complement each other," said Martinez. "The goal of both is to spotlight wholesome entertainment with an emphasis on Christian products."

Edward Bolme, Managing Director for Marketing Christian Books, Inc. said, "I am pleased that Pelican Book Group has taken over the operation of ChristianBookVideos.com. I believe that this is a great move for the loyal fans of the site, and will secure the future of the original vision of this wonderful resource for Christian book lovers." 

ChristianBookVideos.com was launched in 2009 and features hundreds of videos for both Christian non-fiction and fiction. While the site had grown dormant in recent months, it now has been through a redesign and is open to receiving video listing submissions.

There is no charge to have a video listed on the site, however Featured Videos and Site Ads are available and are proven to receive more dedicated views as the next most popular video.

Videos placed on the site are also promoted on the Christian Book Videos Twitter® and Facebook® accounts, found respectively at http://twitter.com/christnbookvids and http://www.facebook.com/ChristianBookVideos

For more information contact:
Pamela Thibodeaux, Marketing Manager at:

 

pthib@pelicanbookgroup.com

Interview at Stories from Unknown Authors Tomorrow!

Hope you'll join me tomorrow at 1PM Eastern when award-winning children's author, Renee Hand, interviews me at Stories from Unknown Authors. We'll be talking about my second children's book, A Christmas Kindness, which was released by 4RV Publishing last year. A digital version was just released a few weeks ago.

Here is the direct link to listen in: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/storiesfromunknownauthors/2013/11/19/interview-with-cheryl-malandrinos-for-a-christmas-kindness

You can also call in to 619-566-0945.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 11

Meagan over at Blooming with Books was kind enough to review Little Shepherd today. I've worked with her for a while now and she's such a reliable blogger. Anyone would be blessed to connect with her. Hope you check out what she had to say about the book at http://bloomingwithbooks.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-review-and-giveaway.html

Little Shepherd VBT Results Week 2

I hadn't planned to talk about this, because I've learned over the years that watching your Amazon stats can make you crazy. I went out to Amazon to check stock of Little Shepherd and discovered that it is right now listed as #45 in the Top 100 best selling books in the Large Print, Children's Books category.

In addition, my stats, which before my virtual book tour were well over one million are now listed at 154,093. Each time I've toured with Little Shepherd I've gotten good results. Now, you're probably thinking it's because I'm in the business; but I can honestly say I'm not doing anything different than what I would do for any of my clients.

What I do believe makes a difference is that I promote each tour stop here and on my social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter) and sporadically on Google+ and Pinterest. That means, I'm reaching Pump Up Your Book's contacts with news about my book, plus my followers, and all of those who follow the blogs who are hosting me. I can type my name into Google or my name and the book's title into Google and come up with results that include many of my tour stops.

Virtual book tours provide great exposure for authors. I'm seeing that firsthand.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 10

Yesterday was a busy day for me because I attended the WriteAngles Conference today. I'm the registrar, so that meant I was finalizing everything for the conference so I could leave on time this morning. Here's a rundown of my virtual book tour stops for Friday.

My friend and fellow virtual book tour coordinator, Becky, featured me at her Paperback Writer Blog. She asked me to write an article titled "7 Things to Know About Christianity." I have to admit I found that topic intimidating. I hope you like what I came up with. You can find the article at http://paperbackwriter.rebeccaswritingsvcs.com/2013/11/15/7-things-to-know-about-christianity-and-the-little-shepherd-plus-a-giveaway/

Patty over at Broken Teepee featured my book trailer at her blog on Friday. She lives on a farm in Montana, raising goats. I order goat milk soap from her. It's the only soap I've used for years.I love following her blog because she's always featuring great products and shares some of the cutest pictures of her farm animals. She's also a fabulous cook. There are tons of recipes on her site. You can find her post for my tour at http://www.brokenteepee.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-by-cheryl-malandrinos.html

This post was actually featured on Thursday, but because I was looking at the wrong blog, I didn't find it. Silly me. I assumed one blog was running it and it was another. At any point, Joy over at Splashes of Joy was kind enough to a feature a guest post that I got to her late. I missed it when I was putting together guest posts for my tour. I was thrilled she was able to reschedule. It worked out well, anyway, because the guest post I wrote for her, "Finding Peace in a Busy World" is probably not what I would have originally written. You can find that post at http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/puyb-and-cheryl-c-malandrinos-presents-little-shepherd/

Some of these stops have the Rafflecopter form to enter my giveaway for a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs. I hope you'll check them out.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 9

There aren't any rules about authors visiting their own blogs during their VBTs are there? If one exists, I just broke it. I'm talking today about some of my favorite Christmas children's books. There's also a chance to win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs. Visit me today at http://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/my-favorite-christmas-childrens-books-giveaway/

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 8

Maureen from Maureen's Musings and her sons read Little Shepherd recently. A fantastic review appears on her blog today. It truly touches my heart when I read my book brought the Christmas story alive for someone's children. I hope you'll check out this review at http://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2013/11/pump-your-book-virtual-tours-presents_13.html

There's also a chance to win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs!

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 7

Katniss Everdeen might be known as "The Girl on Fire," but I'm "The Girl Obsessed with Christmas." Considering how harmful fire can be, I think I have the better deal. Today at Jenai's blog, Bookingly Yours, I'm talking about the idea of how what became Little Shepherd wasn't originally intended to be for children. This has always shown me that God knows His plans and I'm simply following his lead. You can read this article at http://bookinglyyours.blogspot.com/2013/11/guest-author-cheryl-c-malandrinos-vbt.html

One of my fellow Guardian Angel Publishing authors, Janet Ann Collins, is also featuring my book today. You take a peek at an excerpt and click on over to view the trailer. That post is at http://www.onwordsblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd.html It would also give you  a chance to check out her wonderful books, many of which I've had the opportunity to read and review.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 6

It's a new week for the Little Shepherd VBT. Today there are two posts. I share the greatest benefit of virtual book tours at Marilyn's Musings. My answer might surprise you. You'll find my article at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-greatest-benefit-of-virtual-book.html

As many of you already know, I love to cook and bake. At Authors and Appetizers, I discuss a staple of Biblical times: bread. You'll also find my mother-in-law's recipe for Holiday Sweet Bread. The link to that article is http://authorsandappetizers.com/2013/11/holiday-bread-by-cheryl-malandrinos/ If you make this bread, I would love to hear how it turned out.

On another note, I would like to take a moment to thank all those men and women who have served this country, keeping us and those around the world safe and free. Happy Veterans Day.

Little Shepherd VBT Day 5

Only one stop today, but it's a good one. Between the Covers gets up close and personal in this new interview. I share a little known fact about myself that might make you chuckle. Check it out at http://bookexcerpts.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/up-close-and-personal-with-cheryl-c-malandrinos/

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Days 3 & 4

So, in case you haven't guessed, I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off; trying to promote four other books along with my own tour. It probably doesn't help that I manage so many blogs and contribute to others. I simply must put it all in the hands of the Lord and believe He'll work it out.

I have some special posts for you to look at.

At I'm A Reader, Not A Writer I talk about message-driven fiction and how the goal should be to empower children, not preach to them. You can find my article, "Share Your Message, but Don't Beat Readers over the Head with It" at http://www.iamareader.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos-guest-post-giveaway.html

Next you can move on to Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews where I answer her five questions. Then Sharon provides a lovely review that brought tears to my eyes. You can find this at http://www.garden-of-books.com/2013/11/five-questions-with-cheryl-malandrinos.html

Little Shepherd also picked up another glowing review at Margo Dill's Read These Books and Use Them! What I really like about the way Margo reviews books is that she provides ideas for book discussions and activities. You can find her review at http://margodill.com/blog/2013/11/06/little-shepherd-a-perfect-book-for-christmas/

My fellow Guardian Angel Publishing author, Donna J. Shepherd, asked me about a "topsy turvy" moment in my life. It took a while to choose one--since there are so many--but I hope you'll stop by and see what I have to say. You can find me at http://donnashepherd.blogspot.com/2013/11/topsy-turvy-moment-and-blog-tour-with.html

You'll also find chances to win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs if you visit these blogs. Good luck!

Christian Non-fiction Titles on Tour with Pump Up Your Book

As a book publicist, I don't always get a chance to choose the books I represent. I do, however, try to stick with books in certain genres when I can. Here are two books I'm representing in December that I thought might be of interest to you.

Taken word for word as heard from God, Closet Words is a collection of powerful and penetrating words written down in the stillness of a prayer closet. Hearing from God for several years, Kim Hilton began writing down what she heard. Encouraging, uplifting, and challenging words with a clear message to His servants, Closet Words gives a renewal and refreshing word to the Christian believer.

The world cries out for the fulfillment of Christ's model prayer. The opposite of some foolish utopian dream, here is an imaginative but realistic Biblical guide to that world. Thy Will Be Done presents a powerful depiction of a sinful earth redeemed and transformed by Christ as proclaimed by the prophets. A lifetime study of the Bible's specific instructions for loving God and loving man fuels the author's thoughtful extended, everyman essay. A few simple Biblical principles guide a systematic and practical approach to a fulfilled Gospel life, providing the needed tools.

The author weaves a tapestry of possibility–Christ's people growing as salt and light, putting flesh on the Bible's vision of blessing in every aspect of human life and endeavor. The message brings joy to all peoples and glory to the One who came to save the world. Let us hasten the day!

"Ron Kirk comprehensively applies the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life." (Peter Hammond, The Reformation Society, South Africa) Hammond, The Reformation Society, South Africa)

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 2

Abi from 4 The Love of Books was kind enough to feature the Little Shepherd video trailer I created back in 2010. I'm thinking of making a new one since it's a bit long. But for now, I hope you'll check it out at http://myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos.html 

When I think about online book promotion, my mind instantly floats to bloggers like Abi, who help authors, publishers, and publicists by sharing their love of reading with others throughout the blogosphere. Managing multiple blogs, I know how much time blogging takes if you care to do it right. I am grateful for bloggers like Abi who are willing to take time out of their busy days to share my books with their readers.

Little Shepherd VBT 2013 Day 1

And so it begins. Today is the first day of my virtual book tour for Little Shepherd. There have been a few changes to the schedule, which often happens. But you will definitely find me at A Story of a Writer, run by my friend and critique partner, Beverly Stowe McClure. She has posted a nice spotlight with a reprint of her review of Little Shepherd from when it was first released. You can find it at http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/2013/11/little-shepherd-blog-tour.html

If you've never read anything by Beverly, I encourage you to check out her books. Whether she's writing contemporary fiction or historical fiction, she knows what's important to young readers. She just finished touring with A Pirate, a Blockade Runner, and a Cat, which I think might be my favorite of hers that I've read.

On another note, if you visit my book's tour page at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2013/08/01/little-shepherd-virtual-book-tour-november-and-december-2011/ you can enter for a chance to win a set of 2 Little Shepherd mugs. Nothing like curling up with a hot cup of tea and a book.

Thanks for your support.

Guest Post: How to Tell if Your Book is Ready to be Published bu Jessica Jimenez

You’ve spent a long time pouring over your book making sure that every part is flawless. Your book has been sent to friends, old English teachers, and even a few editors. However, you haven’t taken the plunge and had it reviewed. This is the most crucial step because publishing houses will determine if they want your book based on these reviews. You need the review to be successful if you want your book to be printed and sold in stores. The following list will help you know if your book is ready to be officially reviewed.

1) Make It Typo-Free Your book needs to perfect – grammatically speaking. If not, then you run the risk of an editor closing the cover at the first typo or misspelled word. Ensure that everything is correct before you send it off. It always helps to have another person read your work because s/he can help you identify any redundant passages or phrases that are confusing for the reader. Your overall goal is to present the publisher with a hard copy ready to be sold. Even if s/he wants to make some edits, your book needs to be as close to perfect as you can get before you send it his/her way.

2) No Second Guessing If you’re second guessing a character’s development or any plot holes, then don’t send it to be reviewed. You need to work through these problems before the book is reviewed. If people have questions, then you need to be able to answer them confidently and knowledgeably. Someone who is unsure about his/her work won’t be able to sell it. Thus, any doubts over plot devices need to be quelled now if you’re going to proudly stand by your book’s content, no matter what.

3) Give it to Friends You should give your book to friends to read and review. If it resonates with peers, then you know you’ll have a good chance of selling it. However, you need to pick truthful friends who like to read that are in your target demographic. Don't send it to an under-critical relative because you want positive reinforcement!

4) Create a Substantial First Sentence Many publishers will give your book the first line test, and if it doesn’t pass, then it goes in the trash. In short, your book needs to capture the reader’s attention from the very start. If a publisher cannot sit through your material because s/he finds it dull, then there’s no chance that it’ll get put onto store shelves. Make your first sentence interesting and dynamic enough to get people wanting to read more. This is just the beginning of knowing if your book is ready or not to be reviewed. Ultimately, you’re the only person who knows the answer. As the author, you’re the one who knows the soul and essence of the book. If it’s ready, then you’ll be ready to promote and sell it to the highest bidder.

Jessica Jimenez writes all about social media, networking and the business of communications. Her recent work is on the Top 10 Best Online Masters in Marketing Degree Programs.

Updated Little Shepherd VBT Schedule

More generous people have agreed to host my Little Shepherd VBT. Below you will find my updated schedule. I hope you'll follow along. I'll also be blogging here along the way.

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Nov 4

Book spotlight at The Story of a Writer

Book review at Margo Dill’s Read These Books and Use Them!

Nov 5

Book review and interview at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Book trailer reveal at 4 the Love of Books

Nov 6

Guest post at I’m A Reader, Not A Writer

Nov 7

Guest post at This Little Book of Mine

Guest post and book review at Topsy Turvy Land

Nov 8

Interview at Between the Covers

Nov 11

Guest post at Marilyn’s Musings

Guest post at Authors and Appetizers

Nov 12

Book review at Janet Ann Collins On Words

Guest post at Bookingly Yours

Book review and giveaway at Mom Loves 2 Read

Nov 13

Book review at Maureen’s Musings

Nov 14

Guest post at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection

Nov 15

Guest post at Paperback Writer

Book trailer reveal at Broken Teepee

Nov 18

Book review at Blooming with Books

Nov 19

Book review at Nancy Stewart Books

Radio interview at Stories from Unknown Authors at 1 PM.

Nov 20

Guest post at 4 the Love of Books

Book trailer reveal at Thoughts in Progress

Nov 21

Guest post at Literarily Speaking

Nov 22

Book review at Cheryl’s Book Nook

Nov 23

Book review at Freda’s Voice

Nov 26

Book trailer reveal at CelticLady’s Reviews

Nov 27

Book review at ASC Book Reviews (ASC Photos and Designs)

Guest post Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways

Nov 29

Book spotlight at Cheryl’s Book Nook

Book spotlight at Rose & Beps Blog

Book spotlight at Frugal Canadian Coupon Mom

Book review at IE Mommy

Blogging at Christian Children's Authors

I'm blogging today at Christian Children's Authors. You'll find my review of A Star in the Night by Jennifer Gladen posted at http://christianchildrensauthors.com/2013/11/01/book-review-a-star-in-the-night-by-jennifer-gladen/ I hope you'll stop by.