Wednesday 9 February 2011

RAY'S NEW BOOKS



I've been busy the last few days helping Ray with edits for his second book, From Eden With Love, in his 31 Day Devotional Meditation series.  What a blessing this has been!
But I'm getting ahead of myself - or giving my excuses for the length of days between posting here?
Let me tell you a little about my wonderful, marvellous, loving and incredible husband. (Can you tell reading his "take" on marriage has made me fall in love with him even more deeply and thank God for the many years we have shared together?)
Over the years in church ministry, Ray has written a great deal, including many, many Bible Studies used in his church pastoral ministries and articles for church newsletters, journals etc. Years ago our church denomination's publishing division published his Bible study booklet called Rekindled - A Bible study for those who have made a rededication to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of their lives. As well as many other favourable comments, we heard that it had been used successfully by prison chaplains. 
There have been quite a few letters to the editors of local newspapers printed, articles in church journals, and I can't remember the first time he showed me a poem he had written but since then there have been a great number of those - which he is just a little shy admitting!
In fact I have had a rather difficult time over the years not to nag him too much about having other books published! But since he retired (officially) from the ministry, he did submit a devotion to Upper Room and now for several years has at least two a year in those Daily Devotional books that are read worldwide. The way these have been received encouraged him to self-publish a book of devotions called The Neurotic Rooster - Devotional Insights from an African short term mission experience. This book has been used by other short term mission teams for their daily devotions.
And now, at last to my immense pride and joy, he has been contracted by Even Before Publishing for the first two books in his 31 Day series.
Children - God's Special Interest and From Eden With Love are scheduled for release in the next few months. You can be sure I'll be telling you definite dates here but they are expected to be available so we can share - for the very first time - launching our books together in June.

And now he has just sent the edited manuscript, From Eden With Love, off to the publisher in Queensland and we wait to see if more revisions are needed.

And me? Well, now I get back to preparing the talk for the Westbury Rotary Club, then the Bible Study elective for the Baptist women's Conference in March and then... Well, perhaps I will try and discipline myself to writing more on my own new book.

Have to give you a reminder though. I have a post called BLOOD RANSOME on the  International Christian Fiction Writers blog. (Click on the name) The author, Lisa Harris, is an American missionary in Africa and a lovely friend of ours. We stayed overnight with her and her family in Johannesburg when enroute to Ghana in 2005. This novel is a wonderful read. It blew me away, made me sad - and mad - about the modern slave trade in parts of Africa. The second book in this series, BLOOD COVENANT is being released this month. If you become a follower of the ICFW blog and leave a comment on my post you will be in the draws to win a copy of one of these books. However, you now only have until tomorrow, Thursday 10th to enter. Don't miss out and don't forget to leave your contact details there!

And of course, I will also be having contests in months to come for my own Justice at Baragula out in May - as well as Ray's wonderful, challenging books.

5 comments:

  1. Congratulations to Ray on his two new books! The covers look great. May is going to be a busy month for you.

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  2. And great that you too will be busy with a book launch this year, Laura!

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  3. Hi Mary, You two have a special marriage. Bless your hearts of love forever. Rays books look great. Crystal xxx

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  4. We have been so very blessed, Crystal. When God gives a gift like our marriage we have to treasure it, protect it, never ever take it for granted, praise and thank Him and let Him use this blessing to bless others too!
    We do try to do all that and this book of Ray's and our involvement over the years presenting marriage courses to share with other couples has been part of doing that

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  5. Wow! These books look great. So glad to have found your blog Mary.

    Blessings to you
    Nicole :)

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