Guest Blogger Nola Haney

Today we have Nola Haney, Sales Manager for Barbour, joining us to share about a business trip she took to South Africa last Fall. She shared some of her pictures and adventures with us at a company meeting, recently, and we thought you'd enjoy hearing about her travels, too:

I went to South Africa on business in October 2010. Wow! Seems like a lifetime ago now.

Christian Art Distributors, Barbour’s exclusive distributor for southern Africa, invited me and acted as my host for most of the trip. I say “most” because I have cousin, Mary Gladman DeWitt, who lives in a suburb of Johannesburg and with whom I spent some time when I first arrived.

Mary met me at the airport and took me to a rugby game. I believe the teams were the Xerox Lions vs. the Pumas. Anyway, the favored team lost. It was interesting to watch, and my, the leg muscles those guys have!

Mary’s family treated me to dinner at Bomi, which features buffets of authentic local foods. It was all delicious. And Sunday afternoon they had a braai [barbecue] and I tried wart hog. Marinated, it is quite tasty.

Monday evening several Christian Art folks and I ate at MOYO, a very nice African restaurant in Johannesburg. Here I savored Springbok which is an animal similar to a deer or antelope.  Moyo is as much an African experience as it is a restaurant. It is filled with African art and African music reverberates throughout.

South Africa is a beautiful country. The scenery was as varied as a country can be. Spring was just beginning so much of the north was cool and very green. The south around Cape Town was warmer and very sunny and many of its residence were enjoying the beaches. Christian Art also treated me to a game drive on a reserve in KwaZulu Natal. The KwaZulu area where we stayed was browner and very rural. This area would remind you of typical pictures you see of Africa with the tall brown grasses that sway in the breeze. However, it was cool here and I was bundled in several layers on the game drive. My hosts mentioned that they had not gotten their expected rain fall in August so the water tables were lower than they should have been.

Along with Johannesburg and Cape Town, I was also in Durban.  I was very comfortable and never felt afraid on the trip, but I was rarely without a host either.

We made many store visits. There are some very large fashionable malls that could very easily be U.S. malls. South Africa is considered a third world country, but it has many 1^st world properties. Many folks have good jobs in factories, and offices just as we have here in the U.S. They have nice homes and drive nice cars.

But there is much poverty also, as there are not enough jobs for everyone. There are many immigrants from other African nations who have fled to South Africa for refuge. These may live in what are known as townships—shack-like dwellings without electricity or running water. Some poor citizens live in low-cost housing which are shacks with electricity and running water. One electric pole might feed 7 homes.

Barbour books are found in the same markets there as here— Religious bookstores, church bookstores, General Market chains, Mall stores, Religious chains. And just as in the U.S. the general market likes to place all books from a Christian publisher in the “Religion” section even though you and I know fiction would do well in the fiction section, children’s’ books in the kids section…

Having seen and experienced the First/Third world phenomena I now can understand a little better the decision processes and needs of my customer better and hopefully can help them as they select the books for the markets they serve in South Africa.

Our Submission Policy

We’ve been trying to get the word out but wanted to remind everyone again that we no longer accept unsolicited submissions unless they are submitted through professional literary agencies. Professional agents can contact Rebecca Germany or JoAnne Simmons with fiction proposals that fit our full-length or Heartsong Presents fiction lines. There are occasional exceptions to this policy including submissions from authors who don’t have an agent but are already established with Barbour and/or submissions from authors we have met at a writer’s conference whom we’ve invited to submit to us.

Our fictionsubmit email address is still receiving mail, but senders will receive an automatic reply with this message:

We no longer accept unsolicited submissions unless they are submitted through professional literary agencies. For more information, we encourage new fiction authors to join a professional writers organization like American Christian Fiction Writers.
www.acfw.com

Thank you!
Fiction Editors
Barbour Publishing

Introducing Jessie Fioritto

Today, we have Jessie Fioritto, an Assistant Managing Editor for Barbour, here to tell us more about herself.

How long have you worked at Barbour?
Since September 2010

What do you do in your current role at Barbour?
I’m one of the assistant managing editors. I review proofread manuscripts and handle the proofreading schedule.

What brought you to Barbour?
After I finished my copy editing certificate, I found the job listing posted on Barbour’s website.

What interests you about the publishing industry?
I have always loved to read. I have many cherished books from my childhood. I love being a part of producing more stories for others to fall in love with. I enjoy polishing others’ writing, and I’m very much a detail person.

Family/Home Life?
I live in Coshocton, Ohio, with my husband, Nic, and our two dogs. Our Chihuahua is named Chica, and our fox terrier is named Starbucks. Yes, like the coffee.

What’s your favorite food?
No question—chocolate. I have a hidden stash!

What's your favorite vacation spot?
Every year my entire family goes to Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. My dad went there with his dad when he was little. It’s so beautiful in the mountains. We go kayaking, water skiing, and tubing. We even get in some family yoga.

What are your hobbies?
I love to read, but I also like to get my hands dirty. I have renovated houses with my dad since I was a kid. I also decorate wedding and birthday cakes.

Thanks for joining us, Jessie!

Happy Birthday, Becky!

Becky's birthday was yesterday, but she's still celebrating today. I like to stop at a cute little coffee shop called Simply Cinnamon in Bolivar, Ohio, on my way to Uhrichsville every Monday morning, so I brought Becky a Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk muffin for a a belated birthday breakfast. Then at noon a few of us from the office went to lunch together for a quick bite during a busy Monday. Of course, I didn't think to bring my camera. :(

I hope you've had a wonderful birthday celebration, Becky!

Valentine's Short Story Contest 2011 Winners!

We've chosen our winners for the Valentine's Day Short Story contest!


The Grand Prize goes to Kay Chandler for Cactus, Tumbleweeds, and Iris, which very creatively incorporated 23 Heartsong titles.


Runner-up prizes go to Barbara Lukow for Through Fire and Ice and to Becky Melby for The Marriage Masquerade Ball.


And an extra special runner-up prize goes to Alexander Curtis (son of 2009 winner, Barbara Curtis) for being the youngest and only male entrant! His story was titled Roses and Doves.


Thank you to everyone who entered!!!

Cactus, Tumbleweeds, and Iris by Kay Chandler

Cactus, Tumbleweeds, and Iris

by Kay Chandler

The day Papa waved the ad in my face, the caption sent shocks down my spine: “Wanted—A Maid to Love.”

“Read it, Lily. He’s perfect for you.”

I didn’t want to read it—I’d seen enough. Though my father received a generous stipend, which I’m sure he considered more than my worth, the idea of being a bartered bride caused me great angst. Papa fumed and accused me of reading too many romance novels—works of the devil, he called them—claimed my head was in the clouds. He handed me a letter from my intended and took me to the train station.

Though I dreamed of the kind of love I read about in Clara and the Cowboy or Romance Rides the Range, I had no hankering to live in the land of shoot-’em-ups, where deer and the antelope played. Yet, here I was on my way to Wyoming to marry a cowpunch I’d never met. The marriage masquerade would take place before sundown on the morrow. I pulled out the letter.

“Dear Lily, I can tell from your father’s response that we’re polar opposites. Being the lightkeeper’s daughter, I’m sure you’ll miss the ocean, but I trust you’ll like your new life in Wyoming. My wife died three years ago. The house and my beautiful Iris could use a woman’s touch. I’m looking forward to same.

Sincerely,
Jake”

The color in my face must have changed many times, going from a washed-out pale to exposing amber to a glow-in-the-dark red. I felt sick. He wanted a gardener for his irises, a housekeeper and a woman to touch? The Ice Carnival in New England wasn’t as frigid as the cold words penned in the heartless letter. My long-held romantic dreams flew out the window like a fine, feathered friend.

As the train pulled out of Crossroads Bay, the whistle made a lonely sound. Autumn rains splattering the window were no match for my own river of tears. I looked across the cotton fields and saw Cottonwood Manor and remembered the grand parties we held there, not so long ago. The columns of Cottonwood needed paint and the white roses out front needed pruning, yet I’d always think of it as home—a place where the dogwoods bloom and pink azaleas grow profusely. But Papa was a gambler, and not a very good one. Becoming the lightkeeper and selling me to highest bidder was Papa’s way of recovering from debt.

I shuddered, picturing myself slaving for a dirty cowhand in a shanty surrounded by cactus, tumbleweeds…and a few irises.

“Last stop, White Doves,” the conductor yelled. Not eager to depart, I waited until the last passenger disembarked. Gathering my skirt, I stepped from the train and glanced about. I saw no one. All the way, I prayed for God to intervene. Now that He had, I felt a strange emptiness. Was it possible to experience both sadness and gladness? Can fire and ice occupy the same space? Did I dare go back and tell poor Papa he had to return the money?

I drooled when a tall handsome sheriff stepped from nowhere and grabbed my bags. “Excuse me, Miss,” would you happen to be Miss Lily Adams?”

My heart did cartwheels as I gazed into his cobalt blue eyes. “Yes, and you’re—?” My pulse raced.

“I’m Jake.” He led me into the sheriff’s office, where a little girl sat in a wheelchair. A minister and two witnesses were waiting. Pure Serendipity?

I repeated the vows, “For better or worse,” but from my vantage point, all was better.

He picked up the child.

“Yours?”

His brow furrowed. “You seem surprised. I explained about Iris in the ad.”

I smiled. Not letting on, I said, “She’s prettier than I imagined.”

The little girl grinned, stealing this heart of mine. “I like her, Daddy.”

He had a lovely home in town. He picked a bouquet for Iris, and one for me. “Welcome home, my darling bride,” he said as he swept me up and carried me over the threshold.

My heart hammered shamelessly. I suddenly had the urge to write a riveting romance novel. I’d call it Lily and the Lawman.”

Introducing Samantha Phillips

Today we have Samantha Phillips, Production/Layout Artist for Barbour, here to tell us more about herself.

What’s your nickname?
Most people call me Sami or Sam

How long have you worked at Barbour?
I started working at Barbour August of 2010

What do you do in your current role at Barbour?
I love my job!!! I am a Production/Layout Artist and I design anything from book interiors, book wraps, and also book cover treatments.

What brought you to Barbour?
I grew up in New Philadelphia, Ohio and have also done clerical and data entry work at Twin City Hospital in Dennison, Ohio. When I heard about an opening that was in the area I jumped on the chance. I feel so lucky to work for a company that also values God and His teachings.

What interests you about the publishing industry?
As a little girl I was either writing short stories or drawing. My twin brother, Zach, and I would pretend we were characters in our favorite books, and still to this day I love getting lost in a great book. I love being a part of passing on someone's story.

What's your favorite food?
Anything found at the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner!

What's your favorite vacation spot?
Somewhere warm with a sandy beach

What's your favorite Bible verse?
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"

Name something you miss about being a kid:
I miss the notion that time didn't exist. Summer vacation seemed like it was a year long, and Christmas could never come soon enough.

Name something you love about being an adult:
I love all the opportunities adulthood presents…from travel to finding what you are passionate for. As an adult you can keep dreaming as you did as a child, but now you have wings to go after those dreams.

What's your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
I love to listen to music and to zone-out into something creative, such as drawing or writing. On the colder Sundays it's always nice to curl up in comfortable clothes and watch a classic movie.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I love to bake pies from scratch

Thanks, Samantha!

Valentine's Day Contest 2011

We did this contest back in 2009, and it was so much fun, we want to do it again!

So, as before, in the spirit of love and romance, let’s have a short story contest. Here are the details:

• Create a story that incorporates as many titles as possible from the recent list of Heartsong award winners.
• Keep word count between 500-700 words.
• Submit the story by Friday, February 18th to editcafe@barbourbooks.com
• Entries will be judged based on number of titles incorporated AND the quality/creativity of the story. In other words don’t just throw the titles in. The story needs to be creative and make sense! :)
• What’s in it for you? A fun way to practice your writing skills and a GRAND PRIZE for the winner of a dozen great Barbour books. We’ll include at least four new 2011 releases in the prize package and some nonfiction books, too. If we have enough good entries, we’ll also do a couple of runner-up prizes.
• The winner(s) will be posted on the blog by February 25th.
• Any questions? Post a comment.
  

Happy writing and Happy Valentine's Day!

Introducing Shalyn Sattler

Today we have Shalyn Sattler, Director of Trade Marketing for Barbour, here to tell us more about herself.

What’s your nickname?
My name is Shalyn, but a lot of family members and friends call me “Shay” for short. I also get “Shay Shay” from time to time, which only a few people can get away with.

How long have you worked at Barbour?
I’ve been at Barbour full-time for about 5 ½ years now. I also spent 3 summers and Christmas breaks interning here when I was in college.

What do you do in your current role at Barbour?
As Director of Trade Marketing, I basically oversee all marketing and publicity efforts for our books. This covers a large variety of things from advertising, press releases, in-store merchandising, trade show planning, catalog creation, etc.

What brought you to Barbour?
I was looking for summer work during college and sent my resume to Barbour. I was so thrilled when they hired me as their marketing intern—and extremely lucky that it is only about 5 minutes away from where I grew up.

What interests you about the publishing industry?
What I love about specifically the Christian publishing industry is that the books we are creating and promoting have the potential to touch so many lives. If I ever find myself getting overwhelmed, I try to remember how important our work is and that keeps me going. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true.

What’s the worst job you ever had?
I washed walls at my old high school for part of a summer. My hands were constantly wrinkly and dry. Not a fun time.

What are your hobbies?
I’m a pretty low-key girl. I just like to hang out with friends and family, go to the movies, get coffee, walk our dog, play with my niece and nephew, and buy shoes, of course.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I am dying to go to Hawaii! Ocean, beaches, luaus, hula skirts, leis, coconuts…sounds like heaven.
Name something you miss about being a kid:
Saturday morning cartoons. I have such great memories of eating cereal and watching Gummy Bears with my sister and brother. I can still sing that entire theme song.

Name something you love about being an adult:
Freedom! I can go anywhere I want, stay up as late as I want, and even run with scissors if I want to (although I wouldn’t recommend that).

Do you have any hidden talents?
As weird as it sounds, I’m really good at rhyming. If I thought it would actually be effective, I’d rhyme on every ad that we do. I don’t think my boss would like that very much though.

Thanks, Shalyn!