Nicki Elson Takes a Turn at Controversy

Nicki Elson:  author of Divine
 Temptation

       Just to show I'm not the only one who can stir some controversy, I've invited Nicki Elson to come stir things up and toss out some of her own.   Nicki's got a book coming out on March 26th  (hey! That's tomorrow for those reading this today).    The opinions presented in this post are not necessarily those of the Tossing It Out management so if any rotten eggs are thrown, toss them in Nicki's direction.    I know that my readers are nicer than that, but do let Nicki know what you think in the comment section.   

Divine Temptation

I’m so excited—and yes, a bit nervous—about being invited over for Arlee’s Controversy Monday. He extended the invitation after I hinted about a controversy regarding my new novel, Divine Temptation (to release tomorrow!). I didn’t mean to write a controversial book. I’m just a Jesus-loving girl who also happens to like writing sexy books, and I didn’t think the two had to be mutually exclusive. I still don’t think they have to, but I’ve already come across those who beg to differ…and the book hasn’t even been released yet, so I can only imagine what I’m in for.

Now, I did fully expect to take some flak for including explicit sexual content in a novel that features a heavenly angel as one of the leading characters. On this point, I’ll refer you to my post Should I have faded to black? (written in response to an earlier novel, but it applies to this story as well), but what surprised me, and what I want to talk about today, is how unwelcome any ounce of faith is in a mainstream paranormal romance novel, even one about an angel.

I get that when reading a romance novel, no one wants a CCD lesson, so I appreciate the feedback that led me to pare back and even cut certain scenes. They weren’t plot essential, and now the story moves at a better pace, but what bruises my heart is to see that just the suggestion in the narrative that God is all-powerful or that Satan actually exists or that a person should feel guilty for their sins can set some people off.

I certainly don’t think that everyone in the world believes these things, but I also don’t understand why those who don’t believe choose to get irate instead of simply viewing my world as a fictional universe. The story is fiction, after all. I’m sure no one ever asked J.K. Rowling to qualify narrative statements to say “Harry had been taught to fear Voldemort.” In that universe, Voldemort does exist and he is evil. In mine, Satan does exist and he is evil. And God is all-powerful.

So why in a world that doesn’t flinch when fictional stories speak of Voldemorts or Aslans or Saurons as real beings, does flat-out stating core tenets of Christian faith in a work of mainstream fiction fluster certain people? Why is it more palatable when the characters are dressed up as lions and wizards?

Seriously—why?

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Nicki Elson
Author
www.nickielson.com

Links:

Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts

Divine Temptation at Goodreads (the 25th will be the last day to enter to win a paperback copy)

Author page at Amazon (Divine Temptation will release on 3/26, but Amazon has been known to post Kindle versions early, so it might be available at post time)

The Final Countdown

         This is it folks!  This is the week that the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2011 begins.  This past weekend I've watched as sign-ups for the Challenge surge toward the 700 mark.  Does anyone want to give us an 800?  Do I hear 1000?  You know at this point at the rate we're going it's very possible.

          There have been some great posts with tips on how best to approach the Challenge and ideas on how to make the experience easiest for all of us.  Please consider some of these great suggestions that others are making, and if you're doing something that you haven't seen anyone else mention please let the rest of us know.  Watch the blogs of all of my co-hosts this week for any other last minute ideas or words of encouragement.

          Soon we'll see who has what it takes to finish the Challenge honorably.  From last year's experience I think it will be most of you. 

          Some of the blogs signed up may have no intent in participating or will have decided to drop out for some reason--this is the nature of any blog event on this scale.  If you happen to run across a blog that is not actually participating in the Challenge or is only added to the list for show, please let me know so I can contact that blogger first to see what's happening, and if necessary drop them from the list.  We don't want any of us to be wasting our time clicking on blogs that have misrepresented themselves as part of the Challenge--I hope there are none like that.

           Also, let me remind you to follow blogs that you are not yet following.  No blog should end this Challenge without having at least 100 followers.   For those of us who already have a large number of followers this may not be such a major thing, but to those new blogs with only 5, 10,  or 25 followers, to reach 100 would be major for them.  Remember when you were just starting out?  Believe me, I will never forget.      

            Some of you have sent me some great ideas on how to make the Challenge better.  I truly appreciate these innovative ideas and I hope you will keep them coming.   For most of these suggestions it is too late to act upon them, but I will be definitely keeping some of these in mind for next year.

             Whoa!  Did I say next year?  Have I gone mad?  From the looks of things this year, the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge of 2012 will be massive with more improvements to make it even better.  But first things first--this Friday is April 1 with 25 more days of blogging to follow.  Have fun!

            Are you ready for the start of the Challenge?   Do you have any ideas that might make the Challenge easier for others?   Do you have any plans to post anything special this week about the Challenge?

Nicki Elson scored another online news article.   This one surprised me as it popped up on my "Google Alerts".  Thank you Nicki.   Check out the link.



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Why Would I Want To Do That?

The Big Question

          I'm sure many bloggers look at the A to Z Challenge and ask themselves, "Why would I want to do that?"   In fact, some of you who have signed up already may be having second thoughts and asking the same question.   You might as well be asking yourself the question, "Why do I want to blog?" or perhaps even, "Why do I want to write?"

          The last two questions I have seen frequently asked in the blog posts of others.  It's easy to question our actions when we are tired or frustrated or just unsure what our efforts bring us. And yet we persist from whatever inner motive drives us onward.  So in answer to the "Why" question about the A to Z Challenge we might just as well ask, "Why not?".

Another Take On It

          Jeffrey Beesler's World of the Scribe addressed some very genuine concerns about participating in a blog event like the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.   It's interesting to see the varied reasons why people don't want to participate or do want to participate.  I left a reply to Jeffrey's post.

My reply to Jeffery's post:

This is a great post, Jeffrey.

You, Summer, and Bryan have all made excellent points that illustrate the way I see the Challenge. The comparison to NaNo is a good one. Blogging from A to Z is a personal challenge--it has different meaning and purpose to each participant. The best thing about a Challenge of this nature is that it allows us to make whatever connections we want--with ourselves and our own abilities, bloggers with similar interests, the blogging community in general, etc. The reasons for doing it are as varied as the bloggers participating.

The main thing is to have a good time and get what you need from it. Stressing or self-deprecation is not a good thing for anyone to do, so I hope the Challenge doesn't have this affect on anyone.

 I know a lot of other bloggers have reservations about participating because of some of the things you mention.

Love posts like these that stimulate thought. That's what blogging should be in my world.

Lee
Tossing It Out and the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2011
February 2, 2011 9:03 AM

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Some Additional Points Of View
The Words Crafter from The Rainy Day Wanderer has a post which reviews some things we should remember during April and offers some new suggestions that I do not recall having seen before.  Her post is worth checking out.

Be sure to also check out the post by Nicki Elson where she will be delving a bit more into the subject of self-promotion through the press in her whimsically titled blog bit called Self-Promotion Sucks.  I think it will be worth your time since it comes from the voice of experience.

Marcus from Writing Investigated has an interesting A to Z navigation badge that some of you may want to check out.   See his post about it and you can direct any questions to him about this.

How About You?
Is there any news from any of you?   Anybody get press coverage yet besides Nicki?   Any major werewolf events after this past week-end's Supermoon?



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What Story Should I Tell?

This is the final part of a five part series on promoting in the media.  If you have not yet read the earlier segments, you can find them here:

Part 1 --  The Media Challenge
Part 2  --Why you should promote yourself?
Part 3 -- An easy way to get press coverage 
Part 4 -- What is a press release?


The Story Is You!

         This is the last in the series about getting press coverage (it's about time some of you may be thinking).  Once I got started on the topic though I began to realize that this is a very important topic for any of us who have, or expect to one day have, something to promote.  Even if we have someone doing our promotion for us, it's still not a bad idea to know the ins and outs of how publicity works.

         The promotion challenge that I extended a few posts ago was to try to get something in the media telling about the A to Z Challenge and what your role in the Challenge is.   Blogging from A to Z can be looked at as an international story since hundreds of bloggers from over twenty countries are participating.  Every one of you represent a link in a chain of interconnecting communication that extends around the globe.  In my eyes that can be seen as a story that is news.

         A story can certainly be written from the international perspective, however I am suggesting that if you choose to try my publicity challenge that you make the story about you.  You are a part of this larger challenge that is in its second year and has grown five-fold so far.  Think big!  And in the process see yourself as someone who has a story to tell.


What is your story?

       Each of you has a unique story to tell about who you are and what you do.  Your ulterior motive should be to gain a foothold in your future, or if you already have something to promote, in the present.  Your story should have a broad appeal that speaks to many.    In other words, it's not just about your book or whatever you are promoting, but also about how you are connected to your world and to those who read your story.

         In the context of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge of 2011, let me offer some of the following ideas that you could apply to your own blogging story:

1)   Your personal journey--the story of your book, product, blog, or what have you and how you will tie it in to the A to Z Challenge.   If you did the Challenge last year, how did it affect you?  Where are you going in the future?  This is a human interest story.

2)   Your art and your life as an artist -- Yvonne from Welcome to My World of Poetry  or Vinay from I Rhyme Without Reason  both gave us a poem everyday of the challenge last year and will be doing the same this year.  Others of you may be presenting your arts or crafts.  We are all artists in some form or another.  Perhaps this can be part of your story--your creations presented on the world stage via the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

3)  Your cause or charity -- Perhaps you might be blogging in April using topics related to a charity or a health issue.  Something like this can offer great opportunities for publicity.  For example, if you were planning a series of articles about "Diabetes from A to Z" you might contact the local branch of a Diabetes Awareness group.  You could let them know what you plan to do, get their endorsement, and maybe some quotes from a spokesperson and put it all in a press release.  This approach could be taken with any group that has a cause to promote.

4)   Your knowledge or expertise -- If you are going to do your A to Z series on a particular field of knowledge such as science, social studies, literature, etc, you might arrange to give a presentation to a school class, at a library, or to some other group about your field of knowledge. Notify the paper about this and tell your blogging story as part of the news release about the presentation you have given or are scheduled to give.

5)  Your ties with the community -- Are you going to blog about the area where you live--the history, the people, the sights?  Ally yourself with a local museum, chamber of commerce, tourist bureau, or another local group and get some publicity for the A to Z Challenge tied in with the group you are with.

6)  Book, music, or other reviews --  Contact the entertainment editor of the local paper or find some of those free entertainment publications that you often see outside of restaurants, music stores, etc and try to get a story about your month of reviews.  Who knows--you might end up with a job reviewing. 

Use Your Imagination!

         Above, I have offered just a few ideas to stimulate your thinking.  In a publicity story you need to find that which is unique to you and how you integrate your uniqueness into your community.  Ask yourself what makes you special, what your unique talents are, and why people would be interested in your talents.   Then you want to tell where and when readers can find out more about you, which in this case is the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April.

        If your story is written in an intriguing manner and tells a good story, readers will be interested in you and in the Challenge.   With the publication of an article you will have expanded your presence in the public eye.  Done right, your story will leave the readers wanting more and the next time they hear your name they might remember it.

Seeing Is Believing!

        I have put forth the challenge and we have the first article.   The amazing Nicki Elson, author of the novel Three Daves, got her first article on an online news site affiliated with the Chicago Tribune and you've got to read it cause it's darn good. 
Check it out:   Nicki's news story

        As you can see Nicki did it right.  She got information about herself, her book, and the A to Z Challenge all tied together in the story.   And her topics for April sound pretty cool too!  So let's give Nicki a big hand and then drop by her blog, follow her, and let her know what you thought of her article.   She hasn't stopped there either--she said she will be submitting the press release to other papers in the Chicago area including print media.

       Nicki's story is proof that it can be done.  Now who's next--we're anxious to read your stories.

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If you've been trying to figure out what to write about in April, be sure to check out Jeffrey Beesler's World of the Scribe today (3/17).   He will be offering some ideas about picking a topic--a helpful post not only for the A to Z Challenge, but for anytime.

Tomorrow (3/18) on Jen Daiker's blog Nicki Elson will be a featured guest.  If you missed Jen's post on Monday she had some A to Z tips that might be of help to you.

Also tomorrow Alex J Cavanaugh will be delivering another interesting post with tips for the A to Z Challenge.

Oh, and in case you didn't notice, last night we hit 500 participants signed up to the Challenge.  That magic entry was submitted by L..Diane Wolf at Spunk on a Stick.  Drop by and tell her hello and while you're at it check out her Monday post, Finding and Pitching to the Media--WHAT A GREAT POST!  This is the perfect accompaniment to what I've been talking about this week.  She provides some super useful links so do not miss this post.


Happy St Patrick's Day!


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