Shouting Out

     I read an article written by a man who self published a book that was the #1 bestseller in non-fiction on Amazon.com for a few days. He described exactly what he did to publish and market his book, and then at the end tallied up the total cost. He spent about $30,000.


     As a writer pursuing authorship, that number freaked me out a bit. I don't have and probably won't ever have that kind of cash to spend on a book.

     I noticed that most of the $30,000 was spent on marketing. The author paid for an animated trailer, radio interviews, an audiobook, and more. He even paid people to market the book in various places for him.

     Then God said, "Let there be a light bulb above Cadi's head."

     This author had to go to tons of different places to market his book, from blogs to business websites. But what if there were a place, a group, so well known for their coverage of media, that if your book could be featured in this place, thousands of people would be sure to see it? What if it were a crazy combo of talk show, podcast, video, radio, blog, news report, and any other kind of media? What if this place was THE place that authors would want to be seen on? That readers would enjoy watching? That EVERYONE who loves a story will want to follow?

     That was the beginning of StoryShoutOut.
     So, I started it. I want StoryShoutOut to grow into a reliable hub that will entertain and educate lovers of story. I am making it to be an entertainment center for everything relating to stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

     Of course, I expect this project to take years before it gets any sort of following. But I am building a great team to help me with the blog posts, videos, interviews, giveaways, and, of course, stories. It is going to be a fun ride.

     Here is a link to the site: storyshoutout.com. Please come visit! And if you would like to be involved, just go to the contact page and let me know.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Sticky Notes

  

  Just over a year ago I told you, my faithful readers, to save a sticky note reminding you to check back here for some exciting news.

     As I said, that was a year ago... and, unfortunately, I still cannot tell you the news I wanted to.

     I was going to announce the publication of a poem-story of mine in an anthology. But it hasn't happened yet. I don't know that it won't happen sometime, but it is taking much, MUCH longer than I expected.

     So, yup, I'm still an unpublished writer.

     I know I've talked about this before, but it's really nuts how God's timing doesn't work the way we picture it will. "COME ON, GOD! DON'T I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ME?!" Nope.

     Thankfully, He doesn't leave us hanging for long. Suspense always has a culmination.

     Right now, I am still writing. Nanowrimo will be an unofficial endeavor this year; no way am I going to make 50,000 words this time. I'll be working as much as I can on a new (top secret) book with the working title "Flight." My other book, the one I have been working on since I began this blog, if currently in time-out because it refuses to speak to me. Bad book.

     I went back to Word of Life this summer to work in the bookstore again. Someday, I want my own bookstore....

     Oh, that's right, I was talking about suspense!

     Well, God has given me another project to do while I work on becoming a published author. It's a big project. Hopefully, it will become a HUGE project.

     What is it, what is it?! Are you dying to know??? Is the suspense killing you?!

     I was planning to tell you. Then this post got long. Sooo, I guess you'll have to wait until the next post.

     Which will, I promise, be posted later THIS WEEK. Not next year. You have my word.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Dropping the Mask

    

     To most people who read my blog, the only name you know me by is “Storyteller.” I’ve been keeping my identity a secret, evading questions and carefully hiding any traces that would lead to my real self. But every masquerade has an end.

     The time has come. You have been so kind to indulge me this long. Now I am going to step out of the shadows and finally answer some of your questions.

Are you a boy or a girl? This used to be one of the most debated issues, so if you haven’t already figured it out, I am pink.

    





How old are you? I am 20 now. Or I would be, if I were human. 
   



Where do you live? Somewhere south.

    


What is your real name? Cadi Murphy. (Whew, that was harder to write than I expected!)

Why did you have an alias? It started out as a safety precaution. I didn’t want my information open to just anyone on the internet. But as I learned what was ok to say or not to say, I kept the name “Storyteller SilverLoom” for fun.


     I hope you are wondering, “Why reveal your identity now?” Why, I’m so glad you asked! But I can’t tell you just yet. Keep your sticky notes close by and check back here soon for some seriously epic, exciting, entrancing, enchanting, extremely extraordinary news!

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Announcement and Allude-ment

     It is the middle of October. Which means November is right around the corner. Which means, to many crazy people, that Nanowrimo is closing in quickly. And this year, I am one of those crazy people.
     Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month, for those of you who don't know) is an annual writing frenzy. Writers from all over crack their knuckles and set to their keyboards about a crazy endeavor; writing a novel in 30 days. The actual set goal is 50,000 words.
     This is my first year of officially joining the crazy side. I'm so excited. And a little intimidated. I have an incomplete outline... and 50,000 words in 1 month is a lot! But I am determined to get my novel written.
     So, who is also joining the ranks of the crazy people? What are some crazy stories you have from past Nanowrimos? What are some of your apprehensions?

     After you comment, write a sticky note to remind you to check back here soon. My next post will, I think, interest you. Let's just say that I am going to answer a certain much debated and much asked question.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Refreshments, Anyone?

    

     Here is a public confession: I’m stupid. Now, don’t try and tell me different, all you compassionate people. It’s just true. But it’s ok, ‘cuz no matter how smart I am, there will always be someone smarter than me. I don’t have to be clever. I just have to follow the right Person.

     When I came home after going to the Word of Life Bible Institute for a year, I thought I was pretty clever. I thought that because I had spent a whole year studying the Bible, Satan would have a hard time tripping me up. I thought I would never go back to the person I had been. I was prideful. Yup, you know where this is going.

     Fall. Splat. After just a little while, I stopped reading the Bible consistently. I lost interest. I lived for myself instead of having a servant mindset. I fell back into old sins. I was basically useless.

     Around Christmas time, my dad asked me, “Have you thought about going back to WOL to help with summer camp?” Yeah, I had. But I procrastinated in trying to contact anyone to see if they could use me. Honestly, I didn’t really want to go back. It was too uncomfortable.

     Praise the Lord, He is faithful to pull me off my lazy rump! He hates my comfort zone way more than I do. He proved that once again, when I got a call from the STC coordinator earlier this year.

     STC stands for Summer Training Corps. It is a group of young people who do all the behind-the-scenes work during summer camp. Most of them are volunteering teenagers. They do everything from washing dishes to manning the rock wall.

     So, ring, ring, STC coordinator calls me and asks, “What are you doing this summer?”

     “I have a feeling you are about to tell me,” I think. I was right. He asked me to come back to WOL for the summer as an STC Supervisor, which means I would be over a few teenagers in a work area.

     Comfort zone collapse. Blam. I was a camp counselor last summer, but we got new campers every week. STC is nine weeks of working and living together. I felt unprepared to be in leadership for that amount of time.

     Turns out, I needn’t have worried. The four girls under my supervision were amazing. I had so much fun with them. Our work area was great too; we were in the camp bookstore! (Shout out, Michelle Black!)

     God used this summer to remind me that I have to trust and obey, because there seriously is no other way. I realized that I needed discipline and accountability. I needed to stay rooted in His Word and pray continually. Not because I should, but because I love Him and desire to know Him more. It’s nothing I did not know before, but like I said, I’m stupid, and I forget. I am so thankful that He continues to remind me. He is faithful. 

     Friend, we are all stupid. But it’s ok. It doesn’t surprise God. He doesn’t want us to get smart, He wants us to get into Him. Let me encourage you to get refreshed. Put aside distractions for a while. Spend some time – yes, a long time – reading the Bible. Pray. Ask God to continually turn your heart toward Him. It is one thing in your life that you will never regret. And don’t stop there. Joshua 1:8 says that if we meditate on the Word all day every day, we will be successful. I don’t know about you, but I want to be successful in God’s eyes.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST
     Philippians 3:8-14

(Lemonade picture: wikipedia.org. Word of Life Summer Camp Instagram picture taken by the WOL Tech Guys)