Want to Make the World a Better Place?

Then follow Michelangelo's advice - “Criticize by creating.”
If you don't like the way something is done, change it! Do it better.

Principles for Sharing Your Faith

Over the past several months, Dillon and I have been giving radio and TV interviews for Generation Hex, and one of the common questions we are asked is, "So how do I share my faith with someone who doesn't share the same beliefs?"

Here is what I've learned:

1. Listen first and talk later. Ask a person, "What's your spiritual background?" or "Did you grow up going to church?" These questions are open-ended and unjudgmental.

2. Throw your legalism, stereotypes and misconceptions out the window. But hang onto your personal faith and your wisdom.

3. Don't freak out at a person's response to your questions. In today's culture, it's not that uncommon for a person to say, "I'm a witch," "I'm a Rastafarian," "I'm an atheist," "I'm agnostic," "I'm New Age," "I'm no religion," and so on. Heck, someone might even tell you that he has seven wives, or that she was a member of David Koresh's compound in Waco. Everyone's experiences are different. And each person's story gives you clues into what makes that person tick.

4. Identify elements of that person's experiences and spiritual beliefs and use those to build natural bridges for sharing your own faith. For example, most of the time, people will throw the door wide open for me by saying, "I've tried Buddhism, and that's pretty interesting. And I spoke with a Jehovah's witness once, and that sounded good, too. I think that there are many paths that lead to God. There's no one way." And THAT will easily allow you to share, "I understand. There are many ways that seem right, but do you know what the Bible says? "There's a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death." But Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me."

I'll share more helpful principles in the days to come! Questions, comments, concerns about Generation Hex or anything you heard on one of our radio interviews? Please post a comment here.

Gen Hex Interview on Prime Time America

Today, Dillon and I gave an interview on our new book, Generation Hex, for Prime Time America on the Moody Broadcasting Network (WMBI in Chicago, 90.1 FM). The interviews will air for 2-3 days at the very end of October during the 4 p.m. Prime Time America show. At that time, you will be able to simply click on this link: moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramToday.aspx?id=11694 and then click on "Listen Live." Thank you for your support!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like... Halloween

The other day at Barnes & Noble, I noticed a new table set up with a sign reading "For Teens." At least 80 percent of the books on that table were related to dark fantasy, witchcraft, Wicca or the occult. They included the four titles from Stephenie Meyer's bestselling series, Twilight, as well as dozens of other books. Some of these series were even geared toward children and tweens, including Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan Series, including books with titles like Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses, Spells & Sleeping Bags, and Parties & Potions.

Let's face it: witchcraft has become an extremely influential element of our culture.
Let's say you were to strike up a friendly chat with a stranger at the mall, at your child's soccer game, or at a restaurant. If that person said that he or she was a Wiccan, would you know:

     -What Wicca is?
     -What Wiccans believe and practice?
     -How popular and widespread Wicca has become?
     -Why our culture says that witchcraft is "harmless," and how that viewpoint is skewed?
     -What the premise is of the Harry Potter books, Charmed, Buffy, and Sabrina?
     -How to share your faith with  a Wiccan or a pagan?
     -How to converse intelligently with a pagan without stereotyping him or her?

You know, before I began researching Wicca, interviewing pagans, and writing the book Generation Hex, I didn't know the answers to all of these questions, either. But now I do! And I want you, my readers, to discover what I did about Wicca and to be equipped with the truth. Check out Gen Hex on Amazon.com now! It just may be the best six bucks you've ever spent!

Want to Buzz Your Book?

Trying to create a BIG BUZZ for your book? If you are an author or media person working hard to market your book, check out the following incredible marketing resources:

 
      The best I've found is From Book to Bestseller by Penny Sansevieri. It contains fantastic, fresh ideas and also contains the addresses and phone numbers of tons of marketing venues, reviewers, and more. For me as an author, this book has been invaluable. NOTE: Be sure to double-check addresses, editor names, name spellings, etc. The most recent issue of the book was released in 2005.   
 
      Penny also has a book called Red Hot Internet Publicity that I have not bought yet, but plan to. If it's anything like the previous book, it's a must-have for every author.  
     
      Also check out Beyond the Bookstore by Brian Jud. It's about $25 on Amazon, and worth every penny.
     
      I also enjoyed the book The Making of a Bestseller by Brian Hill and Dee Power. This is an intriguing book featuring interviews with the industry's bestselling authors, editors, publishers, and others in the business. Very helpful.
 
      Also check out Jacqueline Duval's Publicize Your Book. It's similar to Sansevieri's book.
 
      Also see Dallas news reporter Jeff Crilley's awesome book, Free Publicity. It contains great ideas for getting your book and your business or ministry featured on TV, radio, and in print media.
     
      Will Work from Home is a great new bestseller that gives useful business and marketing tips for any writer/freelancer who works from home.
  
      Got more suggestions for me? Please post them below. Thanks so much!

Write a Review, Win a Gift Card!

Welcome to Leap of Faith! We are currently featuring a FREE $25 Starbucks gift card giveaway. Anyone who posts an AWESOME review of Generation Hex for us will be entered into the drawing to win the gift card! If you purchase a copy of Marla and Dillon’s new book Generation Hex and post a review on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or another retailer’s website, we will enter you to win. I know that all of you faithful readers love to curl up at Starbucks with a great book and a grande latte! I sure do, especially on a rainy day.

 

Here’s the Amazon link to purchase the book: amazon.com/Generation-Hex-Understanding-Subtle-Dangers/dp/0736924019/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217798029&sr=1-2

 

We appreciate your support and we look forward to receiving your feedback about the book! Thank you.

Quotes to Change Your Life

... one tidbit at a time.

 

Here's one: Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.

Big News: Harry Potter Movie #6 Moved to Next Summer

Just found this out yesterday: The sixth Harry Potter movie, which was set to release on November 21, 2008, has been moved to next summer. It will release on July 17, 2009. That's a huge decision for the studio to make! 
      In place of Harry Potter, on November 21, 2008, we will witness the release of the first movie based on Stephenie Meyer's bestselling Twilight book series. The movie is called "Twilight" and is based on the teen vampire romance novel of the same name. Expect LOTS of interest and buzz surrounding the releases of both of these movies.
      NOTE: The Twilight series is not directly related to Wicca itself, though it does contain references to vampires.
      If you haven't purchased Gen Hex yet, snap up a copy and read up on the trend of witchcraft before these influential movies come out! Here's the link to buy the book on Amazon: amazon.com/Generation-Hex-Understanding-Subtle-Dangers/dp/0736924019/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219083894&sr=8-1

Gen Hex Interviews... Listen Live Online!

Dillon and I have an interview tonight night at 8 p.m. central time on Raw Talk in Albuquerque.
   Please listen in online! Here are the next four interview times.
  
   Note: After the interviews are completed, you can listen to them on podcast on the sites listed below.   
 

   Sunday, Aug. 17
   8-9 p.m. CT
   Raw Talk
   M88, Albuquerque, NM - Go online to m88.org/rawtalk.asp and click on "Listen Now." 
 
   Monday, Aug. 18 
   5-6 p.m. CT
   Life Today Radio
   KGFT, Southern Colorado - Go online to kgftradio.com and click on "Listen Live."
  
   Friday, Aug. 22
   10-11 a.m. CT
   The Matter at Hand
   WGRC, Lewisburg, PA - Go online to wgrc.com/wgrc-christian-radio-programs.htm and click on "Listen Live."
  

   Monday, Aug. 25
   9:30-10:30 a.m. CT
   Prime Time America, Moody Broadcasting Network
   WMBI, 90.1FM, Chicago, IL - Go online to moodyradio.org and click on "Listen Live." After the interview, click on "Podcasts" to listen to the interview.

NEW Free Books for August!

Well, my quirky and fun English teacher from Sarah Scott Junior High School, Mrs. Everly, would be telling me "You're a day late and a dollar short" right now. I'm a bit late (like a week) announcing the FREE books that we are giving away this month on Leap of Faith. But it's worth the wait!

 

This month's FREE books are:

 

-The Shack by William P. Young

-150 Ways to Raise Creative, Confident Kids by Silvana Clark

-Walk with Me Today, Lord: Inspiring Devotions for Women by Emilie Barnes

-What Can Be Found in LOST by John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs 

 

Want to enter the drawing? Simply e-mail me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com and let me know which book you want to win, or post a comment below. I will put the names for each book into a bowl and draw the winners on Aug. 31. If you are a winner, I'll contact you personally, and I will also post the results here on Leap of Faith.

 

For every person you direct to Leap of Faith to enter the contest, you will receive one extra entry to the drawing for the book of your choice. So send 'em on over here, folks! Blessings, and enjoy the books!

It's Easy: Sign Up for the Blog Tour!

Lots of friends and fellow writers have been asking, "How do I sign up for the Generation Hex blog tour?" It's simple! And it's not too late! 

 

Just e-mail Tina Howard, blog tour aficionado and tech-savvy writer extraordinare, at toddntinahoward@gmail.com. Let Tina know that you want to participate in the Gen Hex tour, and she will give you all the info you need. She will contact our incredibly generous publisher, Harvest House, and ask them to send you a copy of the book to read. Then, you can just visit the Gen Hex centralized website where Tina has posted articles and interviews about the book. You may copy and paste blurbs from that into your personal blog site or web site, or you may add your own comments and reviews of the book as you feel led.

 

Thanks, friends! We truly appreciate you and your support of Generation Hex. With your help, we can get the word out about Wicca - one of the most influential spiritual trends ever to sweep across our nation.

The Latte Factor

I've been reading a book called Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach. It was recommended to me by a Christian friend who knew that my husband and I are working on tightening up our finances so we can reach certain financial and ministry goals. 

 

Bach talks about "the latte factor." He talks to many women who say they can't save money, but when he asks them about their morning routine, they admit that they stop by Starbucks every morning for a latte and a muffin... or coffee cake... or a scone. That adds up to at least $6 a day. Bach says that if you can cut out the latte and save that money, you can save $180 or more a month. Not bad!

 

I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but the other day, I decided to try a McDonald's vanilla iced coffee. (The summer temps in Texas soar above 100 degrees every day, which is CRAZY!) Anyway, the iced coffee was delicious, and I shelled out exactly $1.72 for a small one, which is in a Starbucks venti-sized cup.

 

SO... if you can't completely forego the coffee, maybe try Mickey D's! :) Read below for some great summer snack tips.

Great Snacks under 100 Calories!

So... I've been writing so much about Generation Hex that I decided to share some great health tips with you today! I try to stay in shape, eat well, and keep my "temple" in good condition. Sometimes it's tough, though, when that chocolate brownie ice cream starts calling my name from the freezer...  

 

Let's face it - I like SNACKS! What kind of snacks are actually healthy? Here are 20 snacks under 100 calories:

 

1 Fudgsicle or popsicle

3 cups of air-popped popcorn

1 large apple

1 small banana

1/2 whole-wheat bagel with 1 teaspoon peanut butter or lowfat cream cheese

1 cup Kashi puffed wheat cereal or plain Cheerios

6 vanilla wafers

1 handful Triscuits, Wheat Thins, or Club crackers

1 small pear

2 ounces of low-fat cheese

6 ounces of nonfat yogurt (I like Yoplait.)

1 small orange

1 kiwi fruit

1/2 cup of fruit sorbet

6 ounces of apricot nectar

3 tablespoons of raisins

4 Hershey's Kisses

2 tablespoons of almonds

1 cup of Teddy Grahams 

1/4 cup of dried fruit

 

Have other suggestions? Please post them here.

Get "Generation Hex" on 8/08/08!

It's here! Generation Hex has officially launched. We are asking friends and family to buy the book on FRIDAY, 8/08/08 - the day of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.  

 

The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com and christianbook.com. I believe christianbook.com has the best value, for only $7.99 plus shipping. You can also stop by and pick up a copy or two from your local bookstore! 

 

You may also order an AUTOGRAPHED copy from yours truly for $9, which includes the price of shipping! Please consider ordering a few personalized copies for family, friends, or parents who may need to know more about Wicca and the influence of witchcraft in our culture. And if you know anyone involved in Wicca, by all means, please give them this book! We hope it will change their lives.

 

To order an autographed copy of Generation Hex, simply e-mail me at marla_alupoaicei@yahoo.com and send me your address, and I'll ship the books out to you right away. Thanks so much! 

 

WIN A FREE STARBUCKS GIFT CARD! If you would be willing to write and post a review of Generation Hex on a website like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or another site, you may enter our drawing for a free Starbucks gift card. Just let us know when you've posted your review! Thank you!