SOLOMON SUMMARIES: A solution for busy Christians

Solomon Summaries, a new service by Heather and Chris Goodman, provides solutions for busy Christians who want to both maximize their limited time and increase their awareness of both current and classic Christian non-fiction books. This unique subscription summary service provides subscribers with a 10-page summary of a non-fiction book, a review of the book, and group discussion questions every week. These summaries are not intended to replace the content of the entire book but rather to provide a synopsis of the key points from the book. Solomon Summaries encourages dialogue, helps readers decide which books to buy and read, and tickles minds with new ideas and concepts that might warrant further exploration by the reader.

Solomon Summaries is an excellent resource for pastors and other church leaders who want to keep up with current Christian books their congregations are reading. Additionally, church leaders can utilize the summaries to help select books for use in small groups and Sunday Schools or to be added to their church libraries.

Authors who write for the Christian market will also find Solomon Summaries useful in keeping up current thinking and trends.

52 books a year
X 10 hours to read

= 520 hours a year

Glean more wisdom with Solomon Summaries!

About the people behind Solomon Summaries:

Heather and Chris Goodman buy more books than they have time to read. Chris is a business and ministry entrepreneur who has a heart to connect Christians with culture, specifically through the Internet. He spends much of his time exploring the future of the Internet and missions with one of the largest Internet ministries, Bible.org. Heather, a graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary, is a writer and speaker on the intersection of Christianity, culture and the arts.

Passionate about books and how Christianity interacts with life issues, they started Solomon Summaries. They desire to encourage people to read and talk more about issues facing everyday people, help people prioritize their reading time, and incite business and lay leaders to read about subjects they ordinarily wouldn’t.

Chris and Heather live in Dallas with their six fish.

Tell me a little bit about your background and your family.

Chris-I have a strong background as an entrepreneur and business executive along with a passion for ministry and missions. I’ve served on the regional board for Young Life and the steering committee for Come Glorify Jesus a citywide prayer event in Dallas, Texas and currently spend much of my time thinking about the intersection of the Internet and ministry.

Heather-I began reading from the womb. Close to it, at least. When I was three, I memorized my favorite book (Raggedy Ann and Andy’s Please and Thank You book), even knowing when to look at which page. My mom told friends I could read. (She told them the truth after they oohed and ahhed.)

I’m passionate about books, music, art, and theology, particularly when they go together. My undergrad’s in music, and my master’s in theology. I write and teach (and read in between).

What do you like to do in your spare time? Hobbies?

We love to get out and experience God’s goodness in nature. We enjoy camping (tent camping, not cabins… but we do make sure to bring steaks and salmon), hiking up waterfalls and visiting the Dallas Arboretum. Then there’s the symphony and theater. Heather secretly wishes to be a Broadway star. She entertains herself by breaking out into song and dance (whether anyone’s watching or not!). We also love social-Christianity, living the journey of trusting Christ with one another and with others – getting together to discuss life’s struggles, triumphs and joys. And, of course, reading.

What has God been teaching you lately?

God had really been stirring a passion in our hearts to engage people in authentic, relevant, and transformational discussions about Christianity. Our society’s beginning to move to a more post-Christian culture. On the other hand, God in his grace leaves imprints of himself everywhere-in stories, art, business, and especially in the Church. We love talking about how culture intersects with Truth-how it shows Truth, and where it needs to be transformed by Truth.

Through Heather’s writing and speaking, Chris’ work with bible.org, and projects like Solomon Summaries, we have opportunities to help people see the Bible and God as relevant issues from practical everyday decisions about weekly financial and church life to bigger questions like purpose, calling and gifting.

Tell me about your relationship with reading over your life. How have books shaped you? Any one in particular?

LOL. We probably could not have two more polar answers to this question. I (Heather) love reading and engaging with the stories of life and meaning. In fact, I relish long lines at the grocery store, post office, and red lights when I can whip out a book and catch a few more paragraphs. Some of my closest friends are characters in books-Anne of Green Gables and Jo March, for example. I learn and understand Truth (i.e. ideas such as sacrifice, redemption, love, faith, humanity, corruption, creativity) through stories. Some of my favorites include Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler, Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo, The Living End by Lisa Samson, and The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

There have been some key theological books as well that have resonated with me and challenged me to think in a different way, such as The Character of Theology by John Franke, Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright, and currently The Beauty of God, a collection of essays about art and Christianity from a conference in Wheaton.

I (Chris) see reading as a bridge that unfortunately has to be crossed to assess the wisdom I seeks – I love to learn but hate to read (he says with an antagonistic smile). I’ve been strongly influenced by books like Good To Great by Jim Collins, 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Trout and Reese in addition to Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson and Choose the Life by Bill Hull. Choose the Life has been a joyful, painful experience that challenges me to ponder living in submission to Christ daily and authentically.

We have one thing in common-the books we pile around the house, Chris because he wants to learn as much as possible, and Heather because she can’t be in a room without a book.

Where are you headed next?

Wherever my imagination takes me-as a nymph in a forest, a dolphin in the ocean, or an artist in Italy (Heather).

Seriously, we’d love to see Solomon Summaries grow and become a platform for engaging wider audiences (translations to other languages, broader topics etc.). Our heart is to encourage people to read more and to see books as gateways to “stand on the shoulders of giants.” We hope these books will spark discussions that will cause us to peer further into our own lives and will give us opportunities for Christian impact in a hurting, lonely world.

What inspired you to begin a business like this? Why did you want to start it?

I (Chris) found a growing chasm between the number of books I want to absorb and the amount of time available to read them (not so much due to time shrinking, but because there are so many amazing books). In the business world, I had access to executive book summary services for years to glean the latest business wisdom and I dreamed of something similar for Christian books.

I (Heather) am passionate about all things books. I love the idea of raising awareness of what’s out there.

In a culture that has adopted “I’m busy” as a standard response to the question “how are you?”, there seems to be an interesting opportunity to engage people in bite size chunks with the key points from a book on Christian living. Hopefully, this will help readers triage which books they want to look at further. Also, we want to help lay leaders choose good materials and resources for Sunday school classes, small groups, mentoring relationships, and leadership training and help pastors stay in touch with what’s out there and what their congregations are reading.

How do you choose the books that are reviewed?

We primarily choose books that are of interest to our audience-books they would like to know more about, books they are considering buying or books they’ve heard in a conversation and want to have an opinion about. We look at new releases, bestsellers, general Christian living books, and we have a poll on our website to find out what books our readers would like us to summarize.

How has it been working together as a husband-wife team?

It’s been a really great way of integrating our various skills and passions. Heather’s passion for reading and working with our team of summary writers to discuss truth balance Chris’ business, technical and missions interests. There are times of frustration to be sure, especially in the fast-paced, high cost start-up phase of a new ministry venture, but overwhelmingly we’ve found the experience to be very positive and something we can do together. It’s been a good lesson in learning to communicate better.

What is your vision for Solomon Summaries?

Well that is an interesting question. As future-thinking people, we have great interest in seeing Solomon Summaries become a platform for engagement and growth. Based on the initial reaction and how passionately people share the idea with their friends (and we’re hoping people will be very excited and share it with lots of friends), we are in discussion on a number of additional pieces of the puzzle (what Chris calls the blueprint) to offer value to book readers and small group book discussions. We’d also like to get the authors of the books more involved in the discussion. We’ll be paying close attention to subscribers and their interests and ultimately it will grow into what people want and need to help them in their lives.

A sample summary: The 10 Commandments of Marriage

FICTIONARY readers are eligible to receive a year’s subscription for $100 (regular price: $120, ~15% discount), and they will be entered into a drawing for a stack of books with their subscription. Be sure to reference FICTIONARY when signing up.

Solomon Summaries Blog Tour Stops

Thanks for stopping by Heather and Chris’s Solomon Summaries Blog Tour.

AKA Lewis Theodore
A Peek at My Bookshelf
A Prisoner of Hope
Aspire 2 Blog
Bible Dude
Blame it on the Loud Mouth Gene
Gatorskunkz and Mudcats
Geaux 2 Girl
High Calling Blogs
In.A.Mirror.Dimly
In the Dailies
Leap of Faith
Michelle Pendergrass
Morning Cup of Coffee
One Glory
Portrait of a Writer . . . Interrupted
Relevant Blog
So You Wanna Be Published
The View From Here

Debut author Amber Miller keeps her PROMISES, PROMISES

Hi! My name is Tiffany Stockton, but I publish under Amber Miller (a combination of my middle and maiden names). Christa has been kind enough to invite me here today as a guest blogger to share a little about my writing journey and the process I utilize as a writer. She’ll also be spotlighting my 2 latest releases with ordering information along with this post.

So, let’s see. My journey began many years ago. I wrote my first short story in 5^th grade with several accolades from both my teacher and my fellow students. It was even entered into a ‘Young Writers of America’ contest and placed but didn’t get selected for publication. In 1994, during my Senior year in high school, the writing ”bug” bit me. My English teacher saw potential and, as an author herself, she encouraged me to pursue the talent further. I dabbled in fan fiction, short stories, and other writing for a few years. Then, in 2002, I took the step professionally to begin a career by joining a national organization called ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

Four years later, I sold my first book and took a rather scary step into the world of authorship. When I received the notification that my first book was going to be bought, the first thought that went through my mind is, “I have to tell someone!” Since the hour was late, and everyone had gone to bed, I logged online. The only one signed on was the man who is now my husband. Some people would call that ironic. I call it God. One of the biggest moments of my life, and the first person I tell is the man I would marry just 8 months later. Amazing!

Quite often, I’m asked what my writing process is like. Well, I don’t plot my stories in great detail. I begin with a basic framework and fill in the details as I go. It becomes more of an adventure for me as I journey with my characters from beginning to end and grow along with them. I’ve now written 6 books, and I could never tell you how any of them would end until I finished them.

Another question I’m often asked (as is just about any author) is where I get my ideas. That’s easy. Real life. *grins* It might seem like a pat answer, but it’s true. An idea can spark from a conversation, a TV show, a movie, an article in a paper, a book I’m reading, and so much more. There is no end to the stream of ideas and inspiration. People get ideas all the time. It’s putting those ideas down on paper and crafting a story others will want to read that takes the time and dedication and hard work.

Along those lines, for me, certain aspects of writing can be easy and others difficult. Writer’s block for me is cured by jumping to another scene and coming back to that troublesome scene once I’ve filled in spots further along in the story. Oftentimes, the act of writing something that will happen in the near future to my characters gives me the incentive and inspiration I need to jumpstart the scene that had me stuck before. I am by no means a stickler to writing a book in order. Movie and TV producers don’t film them in order. Why should I write a book from start to finish?

Writing dialogue is a breeze. I often nail my characters through their speech. The words and phrases they choose give them a unique quality all their own. And since I love to talk so much, it makes sense that I’m good at dialogue. But, description? That’s where I have a hard time. The lack of it for the surroundings and setting the scene has often caused holes in my stories. Were it not for my critique partners and a handful of readers who offer me excellent advice in this area, I’d be in a world of trouble.

Every book is usually a team effort. Rarely does an author go from start to finish to publication without a group of editors, proofreaders, critiquers and readers looking at it and making changes or suggestions. I am still far from mastering the description aspect. But every author has a pet challenge, right?

And every author gets into this business wishing they had known at the start of their career pursuit what they know now. For me, well, I am not the ‘common’ story. I was published before I turned 30 and have books released before any kids have come. So, I have already established a pattern and routine and placed a certain spotlight on my writing that will transition with the growth of my family. This means I won’t have to convince my family of the importance of my writing and my career. A good majority of authors don’t have that luxury and have to fight hard to gain the acceptance of their family so they can pursue their writing.

But if I could latch onto something I wish I had known, it would be the knowledge that starting early and being younger in this industry isn’t always better. It means I have to work twice as hard to be “accepted.” I have often encountered folks who are fifteen or twenty years older or even twice my age and more, who have treated me with the belief that because I have not passed certain rites of passage or earmarks along the way, I don’t “qualify” as one who can offer any advice to others. On the flip side, I have encountered those who have been inspired by my goals and determination and have found their own inspiration as a result. They commend me for going for what I wanted early in life, and gain a newfound desire in their own lives.

For publishing, it would be knowing just how much work has to go into marketing in order to spread the word and get yourself known. It often feels like you against everyone else, and you have to stay on top of everything in order to keep up with the competition. However, God wouldn’t have called me to this or provided the tools I need if He wasn’t going to stick with me and guide me through it. I still have a lot to learn, and I am remaining teachable, doing all I can to learn from those who have gone before me so that I might one day pass the torch as they have.

So, what’s next?

have sold 4 books with the promise of 2 more and 2 anthology collection repackagings of those 6 novels. By the end of 2009, I’ll have 7 books in print. This year, I’m working on finding an agent so I can diversify a bit more and get my foot in the door with trade-length fiction. I have 2 historical fiction novels and 2 contemporaries that I’d love to sell. Right now, I just turned in book #4 and am working on book #5, which is due in December. These two and the 3rd are part of my newest series, Michigan Brides, which is set in Detroit during the Industrial Revolution. My first three are part of Delaware Brides, which will be released as a repackaged anthology next year.

And that’s about it for me. Sorry for being so long-winded, but Christa asked for it. LOL! Kudos to those of you who have stuck it out with me and read all the way to the bottom. You deserve a reward.

I know just the thing. Leave a comment and be entered in a drawing for a FREE autographed copy of my 2nd book, Quills & Promises. If you like historical fiction and the Colonial era of America, this book is for you. It’s set during the French & Indian War, but the premise could just as easily be applied today with soldiers being separate from their loved ones. And if you want to read the first chapter, you can visit the books page of my web site (www.ambermiller.com/books.html). Christa will get in touch with me in a week or so, I guess, to let me know who won from the drawing. Good luck!

Thanks again, Christa, for having me here. It’s been fun.

Promises, Promises

Barbour/Heartsong Presents

Series: Delaware Brides, book 1

Ordering link: www.ambermiller.com/books.html

Has God forsaken Raelene?

What kind of God would take a girl’s family and leave her alone in a wild land where women have no voice? When Gustaf Hanssen promises Raelene’s dying father that he will take care of her, he finds himself bound to her happiness, her success, and her well-being in ways he never imagined. To keep his word, must Gustaf really oversee all of Raelene’s affairs, find her a husband, and maintain her farm, while she does nothing but scorn him? Can God reach through Raelene’s pain and self-centeredness and give her the love that awaits, if only she will accept His will?

Quills & Promises Barbour/Heartsong Presents

Release date: July 2008

Series: Delaware Brides, book 2

Ordering link: www.ambermiller.com/books.html

Innocence paired with wisdom beyond her years–

With these traits, Elanna Hanssen unwittingly captures the attentions of Major Madison Scott. Her honest desire to understand the war fascinates him, and he resolves to get to know this perspicacious young lady better. When he is called away to fight the French and the Indians, they begin a correspondence, cautiously baring their hearts to one another. Elanna has never known emotions like these before, but she is drawn to the integrity she sees in her major. When a writer for the first newspaper in the colony questions the major’s credentials and activities, however, will she allow her heart or her head to rule? Can true love grow over such distance and around such obstacles?

* * * * *

Amber Miller is an author and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband in beautiful Colorado Springs. They don’t have any children yet, but they do have a vivacious puppy named Roxie, who is half Border Collie and half Flat-Haired Retriever. Already nearing 65 pounds, she keeps them on their toes. And with her penchant for rising at 6 am on the dot, Roxie is giving Amber and her husband a good taste of what it’s like to be parents.

Amber has sold four books to the Heartsong Presents line of Barbour Publishing with the promise of two more before the end of the year. She is currently pursuing an expansion into trade-length historical fiction as well. Other writing credits include several writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and nine contributions to the book, 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage. A born-again Christian since the age of seven, her faith in Christ has often sustained her through difficult experiences. She seeks to share that with others through her writing.

Read more about her at her web site: www.ambermiller.com

* * * * *

“Amber Miller skillfully carries her readers back to a time when women had little say in their lives. PROMISES, PROMISES is a story about a woman, Raelene, struggling with this perception and the man, Gustaf, that helps her. God has surely brought the two together but will Raelene accept his will? Powerful characters and an intriguing plot will keep readers mesmerized. Talented Amber Miller is an author to watch and with two more books in her Delaware Brides series to come, fans should be ecstatic.” ~ Donna Zapf (rating 4 stars), CataRomance Reviews

“PROMISES, PROMISES is a book that will keep you quickly turning pages. The story is heartfelt, and deeply emotional. The characters are realistic and entertaining. I found the story to be one that while set in 1739 could just as easily apply to today. The message of faith plays a big part of PROMISES, PROMISES and only adds to the emotional pull of the story. Ms. Miller has written a story that promises to keep you reading and engaged until the final page is turned. This is book one of Ms. Miller’s Delaware Brides series and a sure indication the next books will be a blessing and a pleasure to read. I look forward to enjoying them just as much as I did PROMISES, PROMISES. I highly recommend readers find a copy of Ms. Miller’s story today.” ~Wendy Keel (rating 4½ stars), The Romance Readers Connection

BOOK ROAST: brain food

INTRODUCING…BOOK ROAST

“Serving up authors and books lightly grilled and seasoned with humor.”

We slice and serve one author a day for fun and prizes and a good, old fashioned roasting. First, we whet your appetite with a short excerpt from the author’s book, followed by three questions loosely related to the passage. Some questions are silly, others are straightforward and the rest are plain crunchy. For dessert, the author picks the winner who answers the most questions correctly – or the most creatively. We like spice, but some authors prefer things sweet, which makes Book Roast deliciously unpredictable.

The prize: a free copy of the author’s book (and an occasional surprise!)

Each contest runs 9am – 9pm Eastern Time (U.S.)

Best of all, authors will pop into the blog throughout the day to answer questions, share a laugh and toss out some insider tidbits.

Upcoming Specials

September: Danette Haworth, Mary Cunningham, others tbd

CAMY TANG: the loud Asian chick…don’t hold the wasabi

Camy Tang is my guest blogger today. her second book, Only Uni, is now available. I “met” Camy online several years ago, and I had the opportunity to face-to-face meet her at the recent American Christian Fiction Writers Conference.  She’s a petite dynamo whose faith and passion for helping people shine. Camy thought it might be fun to have a meme for a guest blog post, so here it is!

Favorites:

 Favorite Sounds 1. Gurgling water in a stream or brook 2. Fire crackling 3. Rain falling outside 

Least Favorite Sounds 1. Children crying 2. The vacuum cleaner—yes, I admit it, I’m afraid of my own vacuum cleaner. 3. A crying dog—it makes me feel sad. 

Favorite Flavors of Candy   1. Chocolate  2. Peach  3. Melon 

Biggest Fears     1. Heights           2. Captain Caffeine dying suddenly      3. Being raped 

Biggest Challenges 1. Self-discipline for pretty much everything—eating, exercise, writing 2. Not buying yarn when there’s a SALE! 3. Getting up early in the morning 

Favorite Stores 1. Amazon.com      2. Knitpicks.com  3. Trader Joe’s 

Most Used Words 1. No way!      2. Um 3. What’s for dessert? 

Favorite Pizza Toppings 1. Mushrooms 2. Sausage  3. Garlic 

Movies Recently Watched  1. Pride and Prejudice (BBC miniseries, and YES, I watched it for like the 20^th time) 2. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Good, but a bit confusing and a bit sad, too) 3. Zodiac (good) 

Favorite Fruits 1. Bing cherries 2. Seedless grapes  3. Blueberries 

Favorite Vegetables1. Brussell sprouts—I kid you not! I just ate them for the first time a few months ago, and I LOVE them with garlic and butter!  2. Asparagus  3. Corn 

Your turn! Leave your answers in the comments or leave your blog address.

Camy Tang is the loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick lit. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own writing  journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind.   

 Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away five boxes of books and 25 copies of her latest release, ONLY UNI.