Holiday Chat Alert! Party with THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT authors Cecil Murphey & Marley Gibson on Thursday, December 15th @ 9pm ET!
Tis the season to be chatty! Join the co-authors of The Spirit of Christmas Cec Murphey and Marley Gibson, along with the books contributors, for an online holiday chat. The authors will be taking questions, as well as giving away copies of The Spirit of Christmas and other special holiday treats!
WHAT: Holiday Chat with Cec, Marley, The Knight Agency and YOU! WHEN: Thursday, December 15th at 9pm ET WHERE: Chat Room--http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545 HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of username and password. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat.
The 411 on THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS: At Christmastime, it’s hard not to get caught up in the shopping, the decorating, the party planning and the family drama—and too we often to lose sight of the true meaning of the season. But sometimes, through God’s grace or a simple twist of fate, we’re able to step back and understand what the holiday is truly about.
Don Piper on ABC Special "Beyond Belief" Tonight @ 10pmET!
Tune in tonight for Don Piper's apperance on ABC's Beyond Belief. Bob Woodruff is interviewing the New York Times bestselling author of 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, co-written with Cecil Murphey, about his life after death experience. More details at ABC!
Happy Release Day to Don Piper and Cecil Murphey of 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN fame! GETTING TO HEAVEN: INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR LIFE NOW is Don's first book in four years (Berkley, March 2011). This new book helps readers figure out how to live a happy and fulfilling, heaven-bound existence in their daily lives. Don's first book 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, co-authored with Cecil, has spent 181 weeks on the New York Times list so far.
Four Authors Four Categories -- One New York Times Bestseller List!
This week TKA has four authors appearing in four different categories on the New York Times bestseller list!
On the children's list, Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires series debuted in the #9 spot with the release of GHOST TOWN, and Gena Showalter's Alien Huntress novel, ECSTASY IN DARKNESS, premiered at #11 on the mass market list. Christie Golden appeared for the second week with her World of Warcraft title, THE SHATTERING: THE CATACLYSM at #17 on the hardcover fiction list, and perennial favorites Don Piper and Cecil Murphey (90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN) held on at #23 on the nonfiction extended list.
This is definitely cause for celebration! Great job ladies and gentlemen!
Submissions Call for New Holiday Book by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson
From the co-authors of the highly popular CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson are seeking submissions for their follow-up book, CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, to be published by St. Martin's Press in the fall of 2011, with a foreward by New York Times bestselling author, Debbie Macomber.
The project seeks true stories that emphasize the significance of the Christmas season. We get caught up in the busy-ness of the season—the shopping, the family drama, and the event planning--that we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes, through God's grace or what some call a twist of fate, we're able to step back and grasp the real meaning of Christmas and our lives are enriched. This is a great opportunity for authors of all kinds to participate in a successful compilation.
UPDATE: The winner of THE IMMORTALITY OF INFLUENCE by Salome Thomas-El with Cecil Murphey is whateverfor! Congrats :)
Leave your name in the comment section to win THE IMMORTALITY OF INFLUENCE by Salome Thomas-El with Cecil Murphey. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
The 411: Influenced in no small part by the powerful mentors in his own youth, the award-winning educator and acclaimed author of I CHOOSE TO STAY offers a commonsense, inspiring road map to mentoring kids to thrive in today's challenging world--and creating a legacy of success for generations to come.
With over twenty years of experience helping hundreds of troubled children excel academically and personally, Salome Thomas-EL has an action plan that all of us--educators, businesspeople, volunteers, relatives, and everyday folks--can use to reach out to the young people in our lives.
By identifying the most important areas in which mentors can affect the lives of young people, Thomas-EL shows how you can be of influence in ways you may not expect. Whether you decide to provide a professional influence by exposing youth to the dynamics of the workplace, or a healthy influence by modeling participation in sports and showing how to make healthful food choices, or an influence in good character through interactions that demonstrate respect, friendship, and discipline, you'll find that the immortality of influence is achievable in every arena of life. Anything is possible when kids are given our time, taught to care for themselves and others, and led by our example--not only at home, but in the community at large. For any caring adult, this book is an essential guide to making a difference--not just for today, but forever.
Christmas Week Guest Blog and Giveaway DAY 4: Twila Belk
UPDATE: The winner of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson is Sarah! Congrats! Please send your physical address to contests(AT)knightagency.net.
A Note from Jia (a.k.a. the wizard behind the green curtain of this blog): Don't forget that we're having our annual online holiday party TONIGHT @ 9pmET. Chat with the CHRISTMAS MIRACLES authors Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson, along with contributors like Twila Belk! More than a dozen "presents" will be given out, in addition to a first chapter manuscript critique by one of our agents! Click here to bookmark our chat room. *hands mic to Twila* ----------------------
Deck the halls with Christmas miracles, fa la la la la la la la la.
As I sit here trying to come up with a brilliant blog entry, I could use a couple Christmas miracles right now. Number one would be that I actually get the blog entry written before it needs to be posted. Number two would be that my house would miraculously decorate itself. Am I the only one in the world with a naked Christmas tree and zero decorations on display? I shouldn’t be concerned—I have at least another week before Christmas, right? Then there’s the pile of presents to wrap. And the cookies and banana nut bread and bran muffin mix I wanted to make. There’s a ton of stuff hanging over my head right now.
But as I think about it, that’s the kind of stuff that doesn’t really matter in the long run. Christmas isn’t about decorations or presents or bran muffins. It’s about miracles—and one miracle in particular that happened in the little town of Bethlehem many years ago when a baby with the name of Immanuel (God with us) came on the scene. That was the first Christmas miracle, and God has been doing Christmas miracles ever since.
The dictionary describes a miracle as “an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.” I describe a miracle as “a big wow.” “Wow” is about the only thing I can say when something that doesn’t seem possible in the physical realm happens.
I work full-time with bestselling author Cecil (Cec) Murphey as his manager and personal assistant. He and author Marley Gibson joined forces to work on a wonderful book project called CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, published by St. Martin’s Press. It was already in its third printing before it released on October 13. I did a lot of behind-the-scenes work on the book. I’ve handled much of the publicity for it. I’ve worked very closely with the 44 contributors. And, because I’ve personally experienced many “wow moments,” I was able to contribute two of my own stories: “Poinsettias from God” and “It Took a Miracle.”
The book has 48 real-life stories of everyday people who have experienced life-changing moments of hope, comfort, and transformation. Some of the stories involve God’s perfect timing. Others showcase God’s provision or loving care at a difficult time. Some make the reader smile. Others bring tears to the eyes. They all serve as reminders that God still does miracles TODAY. They serve as reminders that GOD IS WITH US. That’s an encouraging message.
As I’ve corresponded with the contributors, I’ve learned of a few heartwarming stories that have happened because of the book.
The contributor copies of the book were a bit late arriving because of going into the third printing. Here’s what one contributor said: “I couldn't wait, so I ran to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES. It's beautiful! My friend and I were perusing it when a homeless man asked us about it. Long story short, God used that wonderful little book to bring a lot of hope and encouragement to him. It really was transforming for him. He went from very discouraged and depressed to eyes brimming with tears and filled with hope. He even started talking about his lost dreams and who God had created him to be.”
In a note I received this week, another contributor mentioned that she had a couple of memorable experiences because of the book. Her story, “Sean’s Question,” is the last story in the book. It’s about losing a child and how God touched her during that time. She said, “I happened to be sitting next to a man in a public place who had lost a child. I knew that this person had struggled with anger and other emotions due to the circumstances of the loss. Because someone talked about the book and he overheard, we were able to have a conversation about our common experience. I told him about sharing my story in the book and gave him a CHRISTMAS MIRACLES postcard. A week later I received a phone call from him at work, and he told me that he had gone out and bought the book after we talked, and that he had read my story and some of the other stories in the book. He said he didn't think it was a coincidence that our paths had crossed and that we had talked. He wanted me to know how much he appreciated it. He seemed very touched by the book.”
Isn’t that just like God? He does miracles around the book about miracles!
Are you longing for a touch of the miraculous in your life right now? I’m not talking about the finish-the-blog-entry type of miracle or the getting-the-house-decorated miracle. Maybe you’re discouraged because of circumstances beyond your control. Maybe you’re wondering how you’ll make it through the next few weeks. Maybe you’ve run out of hope. I want to encourage you to remember that God is with you. He’s still in the miracle business. And Christmas is the perfect time to let God show you Himself in a fresh and new way.
May your eyes and heart be open to the miracles God wants to do on your behalf, and may your days be filled with joy, peace, and hope in abundance.
Merry Christmas!
BTW—You’re invited to join us for lots of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES talk tonight in the TKA chat room. Cec, Marley, and many of the contributors will be there. We’d love to “meet” you.
CHRISTMAS WEEK CONTESTS: Remember, there are TWO ways to win! Each day this week (December 14th - 18th) a guest blogger will give away a signed book to one person randomly chosen from the comment section. Today's prize is CHRISTMAS MIRACLES by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson! Check back in this post tomorrow morning to find out if you are the winner!
Also, at the bottom of each post there is a scavenger hunt question. The answer can be located somewhere on the author's website. Send in all 5 correct answers* to the scavenger hunt questions, and you will be entered in a drawing to win a TKA Surprise Christmas Stocking filled with books and holiday treats!!!
SCAVENGER HUNT QUESTION (4 of 5): Which one of the CHRISTMAS MIRACLES authors (Cec or Marley) once worked as an elementary school teacher? Visit www.ChristmasMiraclesBook.com to find the answer!
*Please note, that the correct answers to the scavenger hunt questions must be sent in at one time. You must collect all 5 answers and send them in one email. Entries for the scavenger hunt will be accepted from Friday, December 18th thru Sunday, December 20th at midnight. The winner will be announed on this blog Monday, December 21st, 2009. If you have any questions about this contest, please contact contests(AT)knightagency.net.
UPDATE: The winner of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson is Rain Maiden! Congrats! Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net. Sorry for the late announcment. It's morning somewhere! :-)
Leave your name in the comment section to win a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson! The winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Also, don't forget that Cecil and Marley will be the featured authors at our annual online holiday chat party! TKA Santa will be on hand to give out more than a dozen prizes, including a first chapter critique by a TKA agent. See the post below for futher details!
The 411: A man lies gravely ill in the hospital on Christmas when he hears angels singing and immediately makes a full recovery. A little boy with dyslexia sits down to read a Christmas book and realizes that his disability has vanished. And a woman’s faith is renewed by the chance discovery of a simple nativity set.
Many ordinary people experience God’s grace during those special moments when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday, but a time for miracles. Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson bring you the real-life stories of everyday people who have experienced these life-changing moments of hope, comfort, and transformation—all during the most wonderful time of the year.
TKA's Annual Online Holiday Party - Be There or Be Square!
Every year, The Knight Agency holds the best holiday party in town. Why is it the best? Because you don't have to go outside into the cold, snowy night, shop for the perfect outfit or make polite conversation with tiresome co-workers. *wink* Best of all -- we've give out prizes. Lots of prizes.
This year we are featuring the authors of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, Marley Gibson and Cecil Murphey, along with the book's 50 contributors on December 17th @ 9pm ET. Prizes include copies of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (natch!), plus selections from other TKA authors and a first chapter critique by one of our agents with a ONE WEEK turnaround!* Wowza! Make sure you mark your calendars for this event!!
The 411 on CHRISTMAS MIRACLES:A man lies gravely ill in the hospital on Christmas when he hears angels singing and immediately makes a full recovery. A little boy with dyslexia sits down to read a Christmas book and realizes that his disability has vanished. And a woman’s faith is renewed by the chance discovery of a simple nativity set.
Many ordinary people experience God’s grace during those special moments when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday, but a time for miracles. Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson bring you the real-life stories of everyday people who have experienced these life-changing moments of hope, comfort, and transformation—all during the most wonderful time of the year.
EVENT DETAILS:
What: Online Chat with the authors and contributors of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES
Where: TKA Chat Room When: Thursday, December 17th @ 9pm ET How To Chat: (1) Click on this link: http://client1.sigmachat.com/sc.php?id=115545 (2) Enter a username and password (any combination) (3) Click Login
*The winner of the first chapter critique will not be able to submit their work for the one week turnaround until after our holiday break (we need rest too!). So, anytime after January 4th, 2010 this prize can be redeemed. If you have questions about this contest or chat, please email info(AT)knightagency.net.
Shannon K. Butcher Chat Transcript Available & CHRISTMAS MIRACLES Gift Basket Giveaway
Last night, TKA hosted a chat for Shannon K. Butcher, author of BURNING ALIVE and FINDING THE LOST in THE SENTINEL WARS series. We had an amazing time and gave out a lot of fun prizes. If you missed it, you can read the chat transcript here!
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Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson are on a mega blog tour this week to promote their book CHRISTMAS MIRACLES. If you visit one of the blogs below and leave a comment in their post, you'll be entered in a contest to win the very special Christmas basket featured below. November 23rd is the last day to enter a comment.
90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN Celebrates 3 Years on NYT List
On October 23rd, 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN celebrated 3 years atop the New York Times bestseller list. The original edition of the book, co-authored by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey, has over 4.5 million trade paperbacks in print and shows no sign of slowing with 156 weeks on the NYT list under it's belt (114 weeks have been spent at or above the number ten slot).
The inpirational book chronicles the story of Don Piper's car accident, his time in heaven after he was pronounced dead on the scene, his return to earth, and his grueling recovery.
Piper has been welcomed by readers around the globe to share his experience. This month, a special edition of the book was released for young readers: 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN: MY TRUE STORY.
Don Piper was interviewed for a segment featuring near-death experiences on MSNBC's Today Show. Piper, famously, was pronounced dead on the scene after a fatal car accident in 1989. After 90 minutes he regained consciousness to the amazement of medical personnel. The book based on his experience, 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN (co-authored by Cecil Murphey), has hit every major bestseller list, most notably holding steadily onto a spot on the coveted New York Times bestseller list for 151 weeks. The book has touched people on a global scale, and it's popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
Guest Blogger Cecil Murphey's Advice for Writers in the New Year
He called and said, "I haven't had a book contract in six years." He had published six books in the late 1980s. He went on to ask me if there could be age discrimination because he's 67. I assured him that wasn't the case. For about 20 minutes he told me of the terrible ordeals of trying to publish in today's market.
I explored a number of possible reasons before I finally asked, "How does your writing today compare with what you did twenty years ago?" He assured me that his current work was as good as the former.
I didn't say this to him but I thought, that's the problem. Your answer should have been, "It's much better now."
I've noticed that many writers reach a certain achievement level, develop a following, and they stop improving. That's sad. We can always get better.
One of the things I've recently done to improve my writing was to buy a new English book. I'd never been able to remember terms like restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. This book uses essential and nonessential clauses. That makes sense.
I decided to stick with that book and keep learning. My new goal is to submit manuscripts so good that frustrated editors will exclaim, "I couldn't find even a misplaced comma."
I'm aware that the book business is having health problems right now (like all the other industries). My recent proposals might not make the contract stage. I won't like that; however, I want to be able to say that the writing is better. That makes me more competitive. Most of all, it's a good feeling to know that I've improved and that my latest manuscript is better than the one before it.
To learn more about Cecil Murphey, New York Times bestselling co-author of 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, visit www.TheManBehindTheWords.com.
Marley Gibson Takes On Christmas: Submissions Needed for Christmas Miracles Book
I'm thrilled to announce a new book I am working on with New York Times bestselling author Cecil Murphey, CHRISTMAS MIRACLES. It will feature short stories from everyday people who've had their lives miraculously touched at Christmas-time.
I can't begin to describe how excited I am to work on this book! Not only are we with an amazing editor and a powerhouse publisher, Rose Hilliard at St. Martin's, but I get to work with The Man Behind the Words, bestselling author Cecil Murphey!!
I've had several people ask me how this all came about and all I can say is that God brought us together. A couple of years ago, Cec lost his house in a tragic fire. He lost everything. Our agent, Deidre Knight, contacted her clients to let them know about Cec's loss and asked if any of us could reach out to him, to please do so. I only knew of Cec from his book 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN, but Deidre speaks the world of him, so I just had to do something to help.
My office was moving at that time and we were in huge de-clutter and dispose mode. We had stacks and stacks of office supplies that were either going to go in the trash or to a local charity. All I could think of was that Cec is this amazing writer...and he has no office supplies. So, I got a ginormous box and filled it with everything I could get my hands on that was going to go to File 13 anyway...a laptop case, paper, pencils, pens, ruler, paper clips, binders, scissors, post-its, tape, staples, stapler, staple remover, tape dispenser, pen cup, markers, highlighters, index cards, etc. I received the nicest letter ever from Cec, who was blown away at my generosity. Of course...it was the right thing to do!
Flash forward to early this spring when Cec and I met face-to-face for the first time. It was like seeing a dear friend. Deidre took one look at us and said, "Y'all need to write a book together." (Imagine it being said in Deidre's lovely accent.) So, we brainstormed and played around with ideas with Deidre and thus, CHRISTMAS MIRACLES was born.
The great thing about this project is we need your submissions! If you or anyone you know has a true story of a Christmas Miracle, we want to hear it! Here are the guidelines for submission as per our Christmas Miracles website:
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Christmas Miracles is a book project by New York Times bestselling author Cecil Murphey and young adult author Marley Gibson who have contracted with St. Martin's Press for late 2009 release. We seek true stories of miracles that took place at Christmas. They must revolve around that special time of year.
We prefer first-person narratives.
This is an excellent opportunity to see your writing in a book with other outstanding authors. You must follow these guidelines: • Deadline for stories is December 24, 2008. • All entries must be double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman, Word document. • Stories may run from 900 to 1,300 words. We will not consider longer pieces. • We will edit all stories we accept so that they have a unified voice. • Your name will be listed with your story and you'll have a four-line information/resume paragraph at the end of the book. • Every story must have a positive solution that results from a miracle through events or timing at the Christmas season. • Every story must have a positive application. That is, you must tell us what you learned from that miracle or how it changed your life. • You may send an original or a reprint. (If a reprint, please tell us where it was published and assure us that you own the reprint rights.)
If we accept your story, you will retain rights. You'll also receive a $50 honorarium and a free copy of the book when it is released in October 2009. We will offer special discounts for contributors who wish to buy additional books. (We will send that information to you.)
90 Minutes in Heaven Marks the End of Second Year on NYT Bestseller List and Receives Special Recognition from USA Today
90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN marked an incredible milestone on November 2, 2008 – the passage of more than two years on the New York Times Nonfiction Bestseller List. The book has spent a total of 104 weeks on the NYT list, and 96 of those weeks were spent at or above #10.
A recent article from USA Today also recognized the book’s phenomenal success, tapping it as #124 on its list of the bestselling titles of the last 15 years. Penned by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey, 90 MINUTES has undeniably earned its place in the annals of publishing history with over 3.5 million books in print. Other well-known titles spotlighted by USA Today include the entire Harry Potter series, THE DAVINCI CODE, THE ALCHEMIST and LORD OF THE FLIES.
Tis the season to be chatty! Join the co-authors of The Spirit of Christmas
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