Nathan Bransford

Filtering the Digital Deluge E-book self-publishing is changing the way authors succeed or fail. How should publishers and literary agents adapt to this new environment, and how should authors decide which route to take? Check out the lively discussion at Nathan Bransford’s blog.

Media Bistro

Here’s an Award to Be Proud Of! And the winner of this year’s contest for the "Worst Opening Sentence . . ." You editors out there? Take note!

Trend Watch

Don’t Text . . . But Read My Plate! Just as I try to get used to those annoying blue headlights on cars, now I might actually be mesmerized by the changing license plate in the car stopped ahead of me? Yikes!

Christian Post

Bestselling Author Needs Our Prayers Her books have sold millions and she’s been an inspiration to many more. Prayers for our friend Joni as she undergoes surgery for breast cancer.

Fox News

His Dying Wish It’s been sitting in a vault for nearly a century. At the wishes of the author, who died in 1910, his autobiography will be released this year—one hundred years after his death.

Los Angeles Times

So Are We Getting the Whole Story? A presidential (first lady, congressman, congressman’s aide) memoir is a hot ticket to the best-seller list, and a sought-out commodity for publishing houses. But who’s writing them and are we getting the facts, really? While ghostwriters are extremely valuable, how much power do they wield? —Elise Speiser

Yahoo! Finance

Who Knew Editing Could Be So Dangerous? Seriously, though, we want to be producing good books for a long time, so for those of us editing, designing, producing, running numbers, reading proposals, let’s do our best to stay healthy and avoid these six heath risks.

Some schools begin the day with everyone reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” together. It’s a way of honoring the nation and of showing unity. When we say, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands,” we are saying that we will be loyal to our “one nation.” Then we add, “under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Added in 1954, the phrase “under God” is more than a nod his way—sort of like saying, “God’s OK, or “See, we’re religious.” Under means submission, obedience. If a soldier, for example, says that he serves “under” a certain army officer, he is saying that the officer is his “commander” and leader. What the officer says, he does, no questions asked.

When we say “under God,” then, we are promising to listen to God and to obey him because he is our leader, our commander.

God is also acknowledged on our coins. Check one out and you’ll see the phrase, “In God we trust.” This means, simply, that we rely on him, not on money, government, or anything else to satisfy us.

Most Americans say the phrase in the pledge (and spend the money) so quickly that they don’t even know what they’re saying. When we say the Pledge, we’re pledging allegiance to much more than a flag or a country—we are pledging loyalty to God.

So why don’t we live like it?

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. (James 4:10)

To Do

At your next meal with your family, suggest that you say the Pledge of Allegiance together. After, explain to everyone what “under God” means. Then pray together, thanking God for this nation and for his love and goodness.

Also on this day . . .

This is Flag Day.

This is Family History Day.

1775—The U.S. Army was formed.

1834—Isaac Fischer Jr. patented sandpaper.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

OK—now you know, so you have no excuse. You may not mail your little brother or sister to anyone, no matter how irritating they become. (Admit it—you’ve had that thought.) Someone must have tried it; otherwise, why would we have a rule against it?

Usually we think of mail as a way of sending messages (and packages), of communicating, with others. And we love getting letters (and packages) from friends and loved ones. Especially birthday cards with checks enclosed! These days we can communicate almost instantly with cell phones and e-mail.

Communication is at the heart of any relationship. We need to talk, to express, to share, to explain, to clarify, to ask for help, and to receive counsel and encouragement. Think about your best friend at school. Even if you spent most of the day together in classes, in the halls, and riding the bus, you probably talked or e-mailed that evening too, right? And when you’re totally out of touch with this person, you can’t wait to fill him or her in on your experiences and to catch up. Friends communicate.

You have a relationship with God, right? So how much do you talk? Communication is vital to that relationship, too. So how much do you listen?

We talk to God through prayer. Paul wrote, “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18).

God talks to us through his Word, the Bible. Check out 2 Timothy 3:16.

No one, not even the government or the Postal Service, can keep you from communicating with God. So what’s stopping you?

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6)

To Do

Take a few minutes and write a letter to God, thanking him for all he has done for you, confessing where you’ve let him down, and asking for his help. Be specific. Put the letter in your Bible as a reminder of the importance of communicating with God.

Also on this day . . .

This is Race Unity Day.

This is Lobster Day.

1986—Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson were born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

Tacos are a favorite fast food. Tacos probably came to the States from Mexico, and, at first, were only available in California or the Southwest. Now we can get them anywhere. And we have all kinds of tacos, even taco salad.

The basic taco has ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and salsa (sometimes other ingredients, too) packed in a tortilla shell. So in each bite you get an explosion of flavors. No wonder they’re popular—easy to eat and so tasty!

Can you imagine a “taco” with only salsa or only lettuce or only sour cream? Of course not. It would be something, but certainly not a taco. The mixture and blend of ingredients give it flavor and interest.

The same is true with believers in Christ. The Church a wonderful mixture of personalities, cultures, histories, ages, races, gifts, and talents. This variety flavors the Church and makes it effective.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote about this, using the body as his example (not a taco). Paul said that every person in the church, “the body of Christ,” is an important part, even though each person is unique. If everyone had the gift of preaching and no one had the gift of administration, imagine the chaos. It would be like a body with several noses and no arms or legs. A body needs a wide variety of parts, working together.

He also wrote that we shouldn’t be jealous of others’ gifts. Instead, we should determine our gifts and then use them to God’s glory.

Think about your church, your part of the Body of Christ on earth. What differences in talents, spiritual gifts, experience, and wisdom do you see? Thank God for the variety. And think about your special contribution. What can you do in your church?

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

To Do

Interview four or five adults in your church, asking what they think are their spiritual gifts. Then ask a couple of adults who know you well to suggest possibilities for your spiritual gifts.

Also on this day . . .

1880—John Lee Richmond pitched baseball’s first “perfect game.” He played for the Worchester, Massachusetts “Worcesters.”

1929—Anne Frank was born.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.