Posts Tagged ‘Ambassador International’

Children’s Book Combines Entertainment and Learning Tools

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Author Teaches Kids the Meaning of the Word, Literal

Literal LilyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Remember what it was like to be a child? To be excited about the first day of school? Not always understanding the things grown-ups say? Author Kate Hanscom does in her new children’s book Literal Lily (Ambassador International; December 2012; $14.99, hardcover) as she explores the use of language in a creative and imaginative way.

The charming story follows curly-haired Lily throughout the day as she shops for her first ever day of school. Lily’s learning experience begins when her mother exclaims, “Rise and Shine” which Lily proceeds to take literally as she adorns herself in sparkles and jewelry.  As the story continues, she learns that phrases are not always taken word for word and that language can be a fun tool used to express how one feels.

Hanscom, a new mom, says the idea for the book came to her in the middle of the night while she was pregnant with her daughter Allie. “My niece served as the model for Lily and my mother-in-law illustrated the book,” Hanscom says. “So it’s truly been a family affair.” The book teaches children not only about the use of language, but also manners and daily routines through everyday scenarios and lively characters.

About the Author: Kate Hanscom resides in central Massachusetts with her husband and daughter. With the love and support of her family, Kate decided to fulfill her dream of publishing a children’s book. Self described as loving “bright colors, fancy paper, fresh-smelling candles, writing, music, swimming, making lists, flip-flops, a really good pen, and french vanilla coffee”, Hanscom allows her own personality to shine through Lily in her first children’s book.

About the Illustrator:  Lynda Hansocm earned a BFA from St. John’s University and an MAT from the Rhode Island School of Design. Working as an art teacher for years, Lynda taught young children and teenagers alike how to express themselves through artistic forms. She continues expressing her passion and talent through book illustrations such as Literal Lily and previous book Tough Tommy. She lives in Northern Connecticut with her husband and credits her daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grand-daughter as inspiration.

To learn more about the author and her book Literal Lily, visit www.katehanscom.com or www.facebook.com/KateHanscomAuthor.  For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

10 Must-Follow Christian Authors on Pinterest

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Are you interested in reading Christian Books? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Are you eager to know all the books they wrote? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! Do you want to know their interests and lifestyle? Just follow the authors in Pinterest! You will see all the books written by them there. What is more, you will know more about your favorite authors’ interests. The following list shows the brief introduction of the authors and the Christian books published from Ambassador International.

1. Carrie Daws, Ryan’s Crossing, Crossing Values: Over the years, God rewrote Carrie’s dreams to include being a stay-at-home mom and a writer.

2. Daphne Webb, Mississippi Nights: DM Webb lives, along with her two sons and a variety of pets, in the beautiful state of Mississippi. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

3. Holly Durst, Chocolate Socks: Holly’s love is writing children books. The idea for writing her first book came when Holly was given a gift of a box of chocolate and a pack of socks.

4. Jennifer Freitag, The Shadow Things: Jennifer Freitag writes fantasy and historical fiction from her home in South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two cats. Her inspiration flows from writers like C.S. Lewis and Rosemary Sutcliff, both of whose works have influenced her first novel, The Shadow Things.

5. Lindon and Sherry Gareis, Declutter Now!: Lindon and Sherry Gareis, founders of Action Plan Ministries, debut their writing career with Declutter Now! They are small group leaders and certified Christian Life Coaches from Glendale, AZ with hearts that desire to serve God in a mighty way. They love being outdoors, love being together, and are committed to a lifelong honeymoon…

6. Marcy Lytle, Life is Fluid: Marcy Lytle is currently editor of two local magazines in the Austin, Texas area. She is married to Jon, and they have two children, Kamrin (who is married to Tyler) and Conner.

7. Renee Metzler, Total Home Makeover: Renee Metzler is a freelance author who lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters and cat. After beginning her career as a mother and home manager in 2002, and feeling “lost,” she began to research secrets to the trade of home management, and the idea of Total Home Makeover was born.

8. Steve Goode, Marriage Triage: Stephen Goode is the Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Senior Adult Ministries at Northside Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stephen’s burden and passion is to lead married couples and individuals into a deeper walk with Jesus Christ.

9. Shawn R. Jones, Pictures in Glass Frames: Shawn is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she began her professional writing career. She currently worships at the Resurrection Center in Delaware under the leadership of Dr. S. Todd Townsend and Dr. Cleo V. Townsend.

10. Tica Tallant, What Is Beautiful, Jazzy and the Dog Walk: Tica Tallent has been an educator in public schools for ten years- having earned a Master’s Degree and was selected “Teacher of the Year.”She has now begun a new business – “Professionally Blessed” where she shares her love of fashion and motivates women and men with wisdom for living a complete life.

 

And don’t forget to follow Ambassador International on Pinterest as well!

$2.99 Kinde Sale Ends Friday!

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Now’s the time to load up your Kindle with great Christian fiction because our $2.99 sale ends on Friday! Hot new releases and old favorites are all marked down to $2.99. Enjoy great titles including:

LukewarmLukewarm by Will Montgomery: Lukewarm is an apprehensive adventure that takes place in Nashville, Tennessee through relationships seen via the eyes of freelance writer Luke Jennings, his actor/waiter roommate/best friend Blair (B) and his song-writing sister Harvi. Although Luke’s love life starts out as the least promising, he has the most developed philosophies and rules on friendship, dating and other interactions between genders. Luke wades through awkward waters with an ex-girlfriend, ring shopping with his dream girl (who’s in love with another man) and begins dating a Facebook crush. When B gets a part in a major motion picture and Harvi’s boyfriend shows her who he really is, hearts are changed and eyes are opened to new possibilities. Throughout these experiences, Luke fills the reader (and his friends) in on his astutely accurate discoveries on human behavior and post-modern love. BUY NOW

Finding TomFinding Tom by Simeon Harrar: In a small southern town Tom Weston collapsed in a heap on the red earth. She couldn’t be gone. He wasn’t ready to say goodbye. He closed his eyes and saw again the stiff corpse laying in the bed upstairs. This was not a dream. A tale of grief, faith, and hope, Finding Tom follows the life of teenager Tom Weston as he strives to make sense of his shattered world. Given an opportunity to escape Podunk Greenwood and his past, he finds himself at the gates of the highly prestigious Locklear University. Tom and wealthy roommate, Charles Montgomery, are fatefully paired to tackle the pressures of school, family, and their impending futures as they join a mysterious secret society together. When blonde bombshell Julia Stine walks into the picture things only get more confusing. BUY NOW

simmer down mr cSimmer Down, Mr. C by Scott Bitely: As a naïve undergraduate, Ted Carter has big dreams. Though TV did nothing to prepare him for his role as an educator, it certainly inspired him. Fresh out of college, Ted is ready to impact eager-to-learn minds. As summer fades, and September inches closer, he reluctantly accepts the only job he’s offered: a sixth grade teaching position in his hometown of Coleman, a small, quiet village tucked away in the hills of northern Michigan. A wild ride of unexpected trials and awkward moments as a raw first-year teacher ensues. BUY NOW

the color of my heartThe Color of My Heart by Sarah Martin Boyd: Living in the foothills of North Carolina, Laura Carter has it all: a nice home, wonderful adoptive parents, two lovely teenage daughters, and a to-die-for handsome husband. As they celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July, she’s certain that nothing could ever shatter her perfect American life: Or could it? An unexpected letter from her great-grandmother brings Laura face-to-face with her birth family. At their first, shocking meeting, she receives a stack of diaries that trace a heartbreaking voyage from Africa to Jekyll Island, Georgia, via a slave ship. Thanks to the missionary who lived with her ancestors in Africa and taught them how to speak and write English, Laura holds in her hands a gripping record of their lives. Could the realities of her mixed-race heritage destroy her family? BUY NOW

New Book Shares Fictional Account of Devastating 1913 Ohio Flood

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Catching RaindropsAuthor Shares Story Through the Eyes of 12-year-old Maggie

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Heavy rains in March of 1913 created what is still known as the greatest natural disaster in Ohio history. Dayton flood levies broke putting downtown under 20 feet of water, gas lines ruptured sparking a series of fires and in the end at least 428 people were killed. A century after this devastating natural disaster author Crystal Hoblit is transporting readers back in time through the pages of her new book, Catching Raindrops (Ambassador International; November 2012; $ 9.99, paperback).

The book shares the disaster through the eyes of 12-year-old Maggie, visiting family in Dayton when the flood strikes. Maggie endures heart-wrenching tragedy and harrowing danger as she attempts to escape the devastation. “I’ve lived in Ohio my whole life,” explains author Crystal Hoblit. “I’ve always been intrigued by this event in Ohio history and I wanted to teach a new generation about what happened through this piece of historical fiction.” Catching Raindrops also includes important life lessons about living each day to the fullest. “We should cherish every moment and always believe that God is there around us,” says Hoblit.

Crystal Hoblit lives in the flat, but lovely area of southwest Ohio. Catching Raindrops is her first novel, a project she has been working on for five years.

To learn more about the author Crystal Hoblit and Catching Raindrops, visit Facebook.com/CrystalHoblit. For interview requests please contact publicist Alison Storm at [email protected].

 

 

How to Use Pinterest to Promote Your Book

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pinterest-buttonPinterest is a very popular social media site and is a great stage for authors to present their platforms. However, when you are marketing your books, you need to keep your eyes on book sales! I’m going to share some tips about Pinterest marketing for authors. When you promote books on Pinterest, you should take every opportunity to drive users back to your Amazon book page, the iBookstore, or Barnes & Noble sales pages so people can quickly and easily buy your book. I will introduce some basic rules, similar to that in Facebook and Tweeter, for using Pinterest to promote books.

1. Create an author pinboard. Let people know more about you. Tell your followers and readers who you are, where you came from, and how you came to be a writer. Give them a glimpse into your world. Pin photos of your hometown, what inspires you and your writing process.

2. Stay engaged in the communication. Repin, like, and comment on other people’s Pinterest content. Follow the Pinterest boards of authors you like. Do not just present your own books. We need connection to others. The more you engage with others the more likely they are to follow and repin your content.

3. Promote the Pinterest “P”. Put the Pinterest logo on your site, blog and all the other social media, so your readers will know they can also follow you on Pinterest.

4. Use keywords. Make sure the names of your boards have catchy titles. Keep keywords into your descriptions so if someone is searching they’ll have a better shot at finding you.

5. Choose great content. Pinterest is all about the visual. Pick great pictures and videos. The better your images are the more likely you are to get a repin or like.

And if you’re on Pinterest, be sure to follow Ambassador International! We’d love to connect with you there.

Join Us on Pinterest!

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pinterest-buttonWe are very excited to announce that we are on Pinterest! Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse boards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. If you are interested in Christian books, follow Ambassador International in Pinterest! We are pinning lots of fun stuff including:

Ambassador Books: check out the latest titles published by Ambassador, including old favorites!

Favorite Verses: In our Favorite Verses board we will post Bible passages that have been particularly powerful for us. Check out the amazing way artists are combining scripture with their art forms!

Book Club Food and Decor: Get tips and ideas for your next book club meeting!

Awesome Author Quotes: Get inspired by the words of famous authors of years gone by as well as current writers.

If you’re pinning, give us a follow and we will happily follow you in return. We want to see what beautiful things you are finding on the web as well. Happy pinning!

 

 

Book Signing Event for Declutter Now

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delcutter nowLindon Gareis and Sherry Gareis will hold a book signing event at the Spokane, Washington Lifeway store to promote their new book Declutter Now!. Lindon and Sherry Gareis, founders of Action Plan Ministries, debut their writing career with Declutter Now!, a book for REAL people dealing with REAL life! Discover the tremendous joy possible when living a decluttered life for Christ.

Who: Lindon and Sherry Gareis

What: A Declutter Now! Book Signing

Where: Lifeway, Heritage Village, 9310 N Division St, Spokane, WA, 99218

When: 12/15/2012, 1 pm. – 3 pm

 

Holiday Book Signing Events for The Christmas Donkey

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Christmas Donkey Cover‘Tis the season for The Christmas Donkey! Author Donna Thornton will hold book signing events in four different cities to promote her children’s book The Christmas Donkey.

 

Greenville, SC

Where: Mast General Store, 111 N. Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601

When: 12/9/2012, 12 pm. – 4 pm

12/22/2012, 11 am. – 4 pm

 

Columbia, SC

Where: Mast General, 1601 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201

When: 12/8/2012, 12 pm. – 4 pm

 

Asheville, NC

Where: Mast General, 15 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801

When: 12/1/2012, 12 pm. – 4 pm

 

Hendersonville, NC

Where: Mast General, 527 North Main Street, Hendersonville, NC

When: 12/23/2012, 12 pm. – 4 pm.

 

 

 

Book Signing Event for The Twelve Gifts of Life

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The Twelve Gifts of LifeCindy Champnella will hold a book signing event at the Bloomfield, Michigan Barnes & Noble to promote her new book The Twelve Gifts of Life.

 Who: Cindy Champnella

What: The Twelve Gifts of Life Book Signing

Where: Barnes & Noble, 6800 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, MI 48322

When: 12/4/2012, 6 pm. – 8 pm