Skip to main content

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter
4 comments

More on ICRS

Captain’s Log, Supplemental

Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is WEB OF LIES by Brandilyn Collins.
My Monday book giveaway is SECRETS OF THE ROSE by Lois Richer.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for WEB OF LIES and post the title for another book I'm giving away.

ICRS, revisted: Mark Goodyear was kind enough to mention my blog when he blogged himself in response to a negative LA Times article about ICRS.

Personally, I loved ICRS. All those booths with Jesus trinkets and stuff. Yes, I admit, there is a serious shopper hidden in me. Give this girl some cash and she's a dangerous force of nature.

Are those things all that bad? I love them. Okay, I admit, most of the Precious Moments stuff doesn't really appeal to me, but there are tons of other things in Christian bookstores that could entertain me for hours.

So what do you think? Jesus turning tables or walking through a marketplace?
Labels:

Comments

Delia said…
Wow! I just clicked through and read all of the different blog posts and article and I'm a little shocked. I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that people turned it into a big deal. Wow. I mean, who cares if we Christians want a stuffed animal with a "Jesus Loves You" t-shirt? And someone alluded to the fact that Christians were distancing themselves and fencing everyone else out by producing/selling/buying this type of merchandise? Oh my goodness, I see it so differently. If I'm wearing a "Three's Company, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit" t-shirt (which is actually possible, my Honey has one and I'm forever swiping his shirts), carrying my "With God, All Things Are Possible" keychain, and sharing "Scripture" candy with the neighborhood kiddos then I am only showing my pride in being a Christian and loving God and maybe opening up a door for someone who doesn't already know God to ask me about Him.

But, that's just my take on it. I probably would've loved ICRS too. In fact, I know I would've because I could spend countless hours inside my local Christian store.
Wed Aug 02, 08:15:00 AM 2006
Mark Goodyear said…
Maybe I'm naive, but I just don't see the big deal about Christians selling accessories.

One of the first booths when you walked in was selling pirate stuff. I saw the guy in his eye patch and captain's hat yelling, "ARRRRGGHHH!" and I thought, Cool! I love pirates. (They had coffee mugs and all sorts of neat stuff.) It wasn't offensive. It was fun. It was cute. And it was explicitly Christian.

One thing does make me nervous--so much explicitly Christian stuff might make us think our work has to be explicitly Christian to glorify God.

If I make pizza, I don't have to spell out Jesus with the pepporoni for my work to glorify God. If I make cabinets, I don't have to scratch "John 3:16" into the door to glorify God. Everything I do has Jesus' name written on it--because I'm a Christian.

It's a scary thought really. And one that should motivate us all to do excellent work.

(Camy, thanks for the link back. You're sweet.)
Wed Aug 02, 11:48:00 AM 2006
Mirtika said…
I think Jesus would sigh a bit at our doodad-obsession, but I think it's about the heart.

All groups like things that say, "This is what we stand for." Yellow or pink wristbands or red ribbons or a shirt with Che Guevara or a Peace sign. It's a connection device. An identity tag of sort.

Christians are no different. Yeah, we do seem to like a lot of tacky stuff, but we like it cause...ultimately...we like Jesus.

And I think Jesus would just ask us to be careful of crass consumption and wasting money, but he's happy we like him. :)

I see it this way: If the trinkets make folks feel smiley and they aren't too excessive and if they support more serious booksellin--ie, allow the store to thrive to sell Christian bibles, cds, books, and novels--then I'm find with the tea cups with verses and Bible covers in needlepoint and the mushy art and the cheap bracelets and the Noah's Ark stickies.

They're not trying to rip people off as the temple merchants were. Unlike the temple animals selling at racket prices, no one is saying, "You must buy these Testamints and this rapture T-shirt if you wanna serve God!"

Besides, I have several Bible covers and some Testamints. hah.

Mir
Wed Aug 02, 12:05:00 PM 2006
Dineen A. Miller said…
Love the pepperoni anaolgy, Mark. Although I'd really like to see that. LOL!

That's good question, Camy. Jesus reacted as he did because the merchants were taking advantage of the worshipers. They had no care of glorifying God, only to line their pockets. Once again it comes down to motivation. I'm not saying everyone there had perfect motivation, but I do believe ICRS seeks to promote Christian materials to support the Christian community and to spread the Word.
Wed Aug 02, 12:47:00 PM 2006
Unknown said…
The only problem I have with Christian bookstores is the price. They charge more than, say, a mom and pop store. I've heard several people complain about this very thing. In a way, I do think they're taking advantage of those who will only buy a book from a Christian bookstore. But, then again, it's their choice.
Wed Aug 02, 01:13:00 PM 2006
Rachelle said…
Camy, I've noticed that most people who work for CBA book publishers are very disdainful of all the trinkets and Jesus-stuff being displayed at ICRS. The common feeling is that ONLY BOOKS are worthy items, and all that other stuff is just junk. It's quite a prideful attitude, and I must admit I've been guilty of it in the past.

But now that I think about it, I'm not sure I can rightly accuse those trinket sellers and manufacturers of doing anything wrong. They're not forcing anyone to buy anything. And we do not know their individual motives -- profit vs. serving God -- any more than we can be sure of the motives of any publishing company.

As others have pointed out, economic realities have forced the Christian bookstores to sell more than books, or they will be out of business. As it is, their continued existence is still in question. And I also want to point out to Chickey that the Christian bookstores don't charge more because they "can." They charge more because they have to. Again, the economic reality is that hardly any of them are making any money, and they're scrambling for ways to keep their doors open.

So, while I am a BOOK person through and through -- and I personally avoid all those trinket booths at ICRS -- I don't think it's a turning-the-tables issue. I think it's more of an issue of us book-people not being so arrogant and prideful.
Wed Aug 02, 05:41:00 PM 2006
Heather Diane Tipton said…
forget all that... lets get down to the real issue... did you get me a souvenir while you were at ICRS?? :o)
Wed Aug 02, 09:05:00 PM 2006
Anonymous said…
Oh dear, I think I'm going to be the one wet blanket here. :) I feel like some of that stuff cheapens what Christianity is. I think of the movie "Dogma" where this one Catholic church was considering a marketing plan where they'd promote "Buddy Jesus". (Big smile giving you a thumbs up.) I'm sure Jesus had a sense of humor and all, but is that how we want Christianity to come across?

Okay y'all, be sure to leave your hate mail on my blog and not Camy's. :)

-Alison
blog.alisonstrobel.com
Thu Aug 03, 07:04:00 PM 2006
Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Chinese Take-Out and Sushi for One

Captain’s Log, Supplemental My agent sent me an article from Publisher’s Weekly that discussed this incident: Chinese Take-Out Spawns Christian Controversy And here’s also a blog post that talks about it in more detail: The Fighting 44s This is Soong-Chan Rah’s blog: The PCS blog In sum: Apparently Zondervan (yes, my publisher), who has partnered with Youth Specialties, had put out a youth leaders skit that had stereotypical Asian dialogue, which offended many Christian Asian Americans. In response to the outcry, Zondervan/Youth Specialities put out a sincere apology and is not only freezing the remaining stock of the book, but also reprinting it and replacing the copies people have already bought. I am very proud of my publisher for how they have handled this situation. The skit writers have also issued a public apology . (I feel sorry for them, because they were only trying to write a funny skit, not stir up this maelstrom of internet controversy. I’ve been in youth work long enou...
39 comments
Read more

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7 is here!

You can now buy Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7: Spinster on my website! I think I managed to get the books set up correctly on my website (I’m not very good with my website software, unfortunately). You can buy the eBook , or if you buy the paperback , you get the eBook FREE! This offer only lasts until the book goes into Kindle Unlimited in February. 10% off coupon code for ALL BOOKS I finally got all the Lady Wynwood’s Spies regular paperbacks in my store, and if you use the coupon code website10 , you can get 10% off all the eBooks and paperback books in my shop!  NOTE: If you’re waiting for the Special Edition paperbacks, those will be available in my Kickstarter in January.
Post a Comment
Read more

December 20, 2024 Weekly Patreon Roundup and Holiday Shutdown

I know I just did a roundup on Monday, but I need to tell you that I’ll be on holiday break on my Patreon. So today’s chapter post is the last one for 2024. I’ll be back on January 3, 2025. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! REMINDER (Tier 3 book boxes): Be sure to answer the question at the end of the update post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/117341237/ BONUS: Free short story: How Laura Met Aya https://www.patreon.com/posts/118057800/ New early access AND bonus annotated chapters this week: (Tier 3: Miss Nell’s Assistant and higher) Protection for Hire : Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 Lady Wynwood and the Senhora’s Bargain (bonus story for Tier 2 and higher): Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 7: Spinster: Completed posting! Access to older chapters has been opened up to other tiers. https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-98508510 Thanks again for being my subscribers! Camy
Post a Comment
Read more

Tabi socks, part deux

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.25.2008 (If you're on Ravelry, friend me! I'm camytang.) I made tabi socks again! (At the bottom of the pattern is the calculation for the toe split if you're not using the same weight yarn that I did for this pattern (fingering). I also give an example from when I used worsted weight yarn with this pattern.) I used Opal yarn, Petticoat colorway. It’s a finer yarn than my last pair of tabi socks, so I altered the pattern a bit. Okay, so here’s my first foray into giving a knitting pattern. Camy’s top-down Tabi Socks I’m assuming you already know the basics of knitting socks. If you’re a beginner, here are some great tutorials: Socks 101 How to Knit Socks The Sock Knitter’s Companion A video of turning the heel Sock Knitting Tips Yarn: I have used both fingering weight and worsted weight yarn with this pattern. You just change the number of cast on stitches according to your gauge and the circumference of your ankle. Th...
18 comments
Read more

I GOT A CONTRACT!

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.29.2006 I had a wonderfully funny blog post planned for today, but I got sidetracked by some news yesterday! Zondervan has offered me a three-book contract on my Asian chick-lit series ! I’m still stunned by everything that’s happened. The series is actually a 4-book projected Asian chick-lit series about four cousins who fall under the infamous family title "Oldest Single Female Cousin," and their ruthless, wealthy grandma applies pressure on each of them to improve their lack of love interests. I think the first book is tentatively scheduled to be released in August 2007. The blurb on the series is on my website here . Brandilyn Collins posted to the ACFW loop about my writing journey, and Tamara Cooper asked that I share it. And since you all know how much I like to talk , here it is. My writing journey: Like most writers, I have wanted to write since I was very young. (In high school, I wrote a fantasy novel that will never see the light of day ...
32 comments
Read more

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...
10 comments
Read more

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter
4 comments
Read more

A List of my Free Blog Reads

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, novella) Click here to buy the FREE ebook on all retailers Alex Villa became a Christian in prison, and because of his efforts to help stop a gang producing meth in Sonoma, he has been set up for the death of a cop. Can computer expert Jane Lawton find the evidence that will prove his innocence before the gang eliminates them both? Fantasy short stories: Pixies in a Garden in Kyoto There were pixies in the garden. Since she was in Kyoto, she was certain they were not called pixies, but she didn't know what they would be called in Japanese, and they certainly looked like what she imagined pixies would look like. The King’s Daughter The trees in the King's garden were full of colored pixie lights. The...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grace Livingston Hill romances free to read online

I wanted to update my old post on Grace Livingston Hill romances because now there are tons more options for you to be able to read her books for free online! I’m a huge Grace Livingston Hill fan. Granted, not all her books resonate with me, but there are a few that I absolutely love, like The Enchanted Barn and Crimson Roses . And the best part is that she wrote over 100 books and I haven’t yet read them all! When I have time, I like to dive into a new GLH novel. I like the fact that most of them are romances, and I especially appreciate that they all have strong Christian themes. Occasionally the Christian content is a little heavy-handed for my taste, but it’s so interesting to see what the Christian faith was like in the early part of the 20th century. These books are often Cinderella-type stories or A Little Princess (Frances Hodgson Burnett) type stories, which I love. And the best part is that they’re all set in the early 1900s, so the time period is absolutely fasci...
2 comments
Read more

Update

Captain's Log, Stardate 02.10.2010 Hey guys, So yeah, I've been offline lately. Been busy. Teaching an online class on synopsis writing and working on a new proposal. And no, I can't tell you yet. But every so often I'm on Twitter and Facebook , so be sure to check out my Twitter feed (it's also on the right sidebar) or find me on Facebook. Lately, all I've been tweeting is my shock at finding so many gray hairs all of a sudden...and I don't even have children as my excuse for having so many. Then again, Captain Caffeine says I'm the reason he has so many gray hairs, but I know he's just kidding because he had tons of gray hair when I first met him. Or at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
10 comments
Read more