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Apr24
Category Archives: financial
Apr12
“Faith & Finances: In God We Trust” – Q&A with one of writers
About the Book
Jesus spoke about money and material possessions more than he talked about heaven, hell, or prayer. He noted the relationship between a man’s heart and his wallet, warning, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” This contemporary retelling of the Rich Young Ruler brings a fresh look at the relationship between a person’s faith and their finances.
Great faith calls us to trust God, not our wealth. Read how others have cast off the golden handcuffs and learned to live the abundant life Jesus promised in this contemporary retelling of the Rich Young Ruler. Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence – turning the hearts of a nation back toward God one paycheck at a time.
About the Authors
Within the pages of Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust you’ll find spiritual insight and practical advice from Christy award-winning writer Ann Tatlock, plus best-selling authors, Loree Lough, Yvonne Lehman, Virginia Smith, Irene Brand, DiAnn Mills, Miralee Ferrell, Shelby Rawson and many more.
Read an Excerpt: http://www.christiandevotions.us/pdfs/F&F-Chapter-One.pdf
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Loree Lough talks about Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence. http://www.faithandfinances.us
Q: How did you hear that the editors of Faith and Finances were looking for writers?
A: I receive daily emails from Christian Devotions (“He Said, She Said”, “DevoKids”, “First Responders”, etc.), and one day while reading the daily devotion, I saw note asking for submissions.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your contribution to the book?
A: My entry, “I Want New Floors!” takes a comical look at the never-ending debate between husbands and wives about how to spend their money… and what to spend it on. Frustration and annoyance that are at the root of disagreements can, without prayer and contemplation, fester until they become anger and resentment.
Q: So you’re saying that you and your husband actually discuss things like new flooring without getting riled up!?
A: If we remember to pray before we start talking about the things on our “What I Want” lists!
Q: How do you differentiate between your “wants” and your “needs”?
A: Good question! And almost without exception, the things we bicker most about are the things neither of us really needs. It’s those crazy “wants” that cause all the trouble!
Q: Is it your opinion that lack of prayer can result in negativity in a marriage?
A: No doubt about it! We’re all like children when it comes to what we think we need, as opposed to what really is a necessity. Did I need new flooring? Well, obviously, not… because we’re still trampin’ around on the old ones! <G>
Q: Sounds like you and your husband have a good working relationship when it comes to money….
A: That’s because, after lots of time on my knees, the Lord taught me to respect my husband’s skills. He has always been great at balancing the budget, no matter how tight things got at various times during our marriage. It was only during those times when I fought him—because what I wanted wasn’t something that fit into our budget—that we had, ahem, “words”. Letting go and letting God? Excellent advice, because the instant I stepped back and let my hubby work his magic with our budget, I got more than what I needed. Sometimes, he found innovative ways to get a few of the things I wanted, too!
Q: Do you think the other stories in Faith and Finances will help people deal with money issues more effectively?
A: Without a doubt! Every story in the book is another example of how, if we only take the time to seek the Lord’s counsel, He will provide. I’ll take it a step further and say that this book would make an excellent gift for weddings, graduations, and anniversaries. What better present than peace and harmony in our lives!
Take the Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence Challenge. http://www.faithandfinances.us/challenge.html
Follow Faith & FINANCES on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Faith-FINANCES-In-God-We-Trust/262400030539
Share This Tour: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Faith-FINANCES-In-God-We-Trust/262400030539
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
From Amazon: $9.95 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982206542
Special Price: $5.95 (From Lighthouse Publishing – during the book tour) http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0982206542
Would you like to earn money promoting Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust? Contact books@christiandevotions.us to learn how.
We invite you to learn more about Faith and Finances during April and May while they tour cyberspace. To find other tour stops, visit http://bookpromotionservices.com/2010/03/02/faith-finances/ . For other details about the book or to get more information about Christian Devotions visit http://www.faithandfinances.us/. The book is for sale at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982206542
May12
10 QUESTIONS FOR…Praveen Puri, author of “Stock Trading Riches”
Author interview with Praveen Puri
Growing up in the Chicago area, Praveen Puri was interested in both the humanities/writing and math/science. This continued into college, where he majored in computer science, while getting a minor in history.
After college, he neglected the writer inside, and focused on his career as a programmer. As the years went by, Praveen started to get restless and started to explore a variety of subjects. He rediscovered his love of writing, while developing a passion for business, trading, simplicity, minimalism, and Eastern philosophy.
While on the surface this might appear to be a very eclectic mix of subjects, Praveen feels that the key principles that underline all his interests are simplicity and minimalism. Programming, trading, and writing are the disciplines he uses to express these qualities.
Today, Praveen writes and trades part time, while working full time as a vice president at a major bank. He has written Stock Trading Riches, as well as two Sudoku books. Praveen lives in the Chicago area with his wife (Rasika), son (Anshul), and 2 cockatiels (Mickey and Donnie).
1. Tell us about your latest book.
Stock Trading Riches teaches my trading system, which I am very passionate and proud of. It reflects principles from Taoism, jazz improvisation, simplicity, and minimalism. It allows anyone, no matter what their level of financial experience, to take charge of their investments. Not only does it make me money, but it feels like a form of meditation.
2. How did you get started as a writer?
I enjoyed writing in school, especially in junior high school and high school. I especially enjoyed writing essays in history class. I also loved computers, and I feel that programming is a marriage of writing and math/logic.
3. What does a typical day look like for you?
I wake up and work 9-6 for a major bank. I rarely go to the office downtown – instead I work from my home/office. After work, I spend the evening with my wife and son. After they go to bed, I write for a few hours before turning in.
4. Describe your desk/workspace.
It’s a large desk with my Dell laptop and a speaker phone. Behind me, I have a hutch and shelves. My Macbook and printer are there.
5. Favorite books (especially for writers)
“How to Sell Your Book on Amazon” by Brent Sampson, Peter Shankman’s PR book, and any book by Joe Vitale.
6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you
I’ve been to both a summer and winter Olympics, and to an NBA Finals game. I once saw Tony Bennett perform at the re-opening of a major Chicago area mall. I later saw him at an art store, and he was signing autographs. He asked me how to spell my name, and I was nervous, blanked out, and gave him my driver’s license! He looked at me a little weirdly, and copied my name off my driver’s license. I lived my whole life (42 years) in the Chicago area – which seems strange when most people around me seem to have lived in many different places.
7. Favorite quote
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” by Leonardo da Vinci
8. Best and worst part of being a writer
Best: The feeling I get while reading a sentence that I have reworked and crafted to my satisfaction.
Worst: When I re-read something that I have previously written and then feel like rewriting a sentence or paragraph. This then leads to wanting to rewrite something else, and so on… With writing, programs, and trading systems, you have to learn to accept them at a certain point, resist the urge to tinker, and move on.
9. Advice for other writers
Just write! Fight writer’s block by writing the middle of your story first. Then, go back and craft/polish your work by adding the beginning and end. On my blog “Tao of Simplicity”, I also have articles on Hemingway’s tips for minimalist writing. This includes using action words and vigorous English.
10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.
After Stock Trading Riches was published, I re-read it, and kept seeing things I wanted to rewrite! As I said above, you have to discipline yourself to reach a feeling of satisfaction with your work, and just learn to accept it as is – without anymore tinkering. So I actually destroyed the original Word version of the book! I only kept the PDF version. So, if I really want to “rewrite” it, I would have to write a whole new book.
Where can people buy the book and learn more about you?
My book is available at Amazon.com and Target.com
My Book’s Website: http://www.stocktradingriches.com
My “Simple Trading System” Blog: http://simple-trading-system.blogspot.com/
My “Tao of Simplicity” Blog: http://tao-simple.blogspot.com/
Apr27
10 QUESTIONS FOR…Lee Martinson
Author interview with Lee Martinson
1. Tell us about your latest book.
“A Heavenly College Education on an Earthly Budget” is a door that opens into to a new world of what real learning and real education is, and how a student can get it on his own terms, and for less money. It teaches such things as how important having a vision is—in fact it shows how having a vision is even more important than a college degree and more important than goals.
It shows how to disaster proof an education so the student can be assured of getting a job. It shows how to fall in love with, and become good learning all over again. It has 10 proven financial aid planning steps, and how to get admitted and win scholarships. It provides tools, techniques, and shortcuts for finding a college that will set the student’s brain on fire.
2. How did you get started as a writer?
I love words. I collect words. I play with words. One night I had a dream about a song, and that turned into a string of 40 + songs that I wrote lyrics for. Then one day I started writing instructional material for clients and it slowly got bigger and bigger and more creative. It then turned into a vision, which became a book, and a mission.
3. What does a typical day look like for you?
Get up; read the scriptures, newspaper etc. Have a leisurely breakfast with my family, and read something inspirational together. Perhaps play with my kids for a few minutes. Drive to the office.
At the office my day consists of writing, talking with clients, working on projects etc.
4. Describe your desk/workspace.
Desk? I have 7 desks. One is reasonably neat and that is where I meet with clients. The others are behind a divider and are cluttered with all the different projects and things I am working on. Two of them are higher desks that I stand at. I cannot bear to sit all day—it puts me to sleep.
I do some of my best thinking and working while on my feet. I think that there is an additional reason besides that of helping me stay awake. It is also because since I don’t have time to shower every day, when I stand, my nose is further away from my feet and it appreciates the distance, allowing my brain to concentrate on the task at hand.
5. Favorite books (especially for writers)
A Tale of Two Cities. A pillar of Iron. The History of the Peloponnesian Wars. The Agony and the Ecstasy.
6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you
· I’m still married to the same woman I started with 22 years ago.
· I once had a water balloon fight at Roseanne Barr’s house. She was my cousin’s best friend while they were growing up.
· I don’t always follow the crowd—in many ways. For instance, did you know that if you sit on the bed, grab your pants in both hands and then roll back on the bed, sticking your feet in the air, you actually can put your pants on both legs at once? Sometimes I do that, just to start the day creative and different.
7. Favorite quote
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
8. Best and worst part of being a writer
The best: The thrill of living out your passion on paper and having people appreciate it.
The worst: Taking all the risk and working so hard and then realizing it isn’t going anywhere unless you get better at marketing.
9. Advice for other writers
Ahead of time, know how and where and to whom you will market the book, and then keep that in mind as you write the book. This forces you to write better and more cohesively, so it will be tailored for the right audience.
10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.
One thing that made my writing so enjoyable was that I concurrently read classic books that inspired me and gave me ideas—and even epiphanies at times. It really lit up my brain and made it so that words would just flow out at times.
Where can people buy your book?
If they go to www.LeeMartinson.com , there are links to Amazon, and Barnes and Noble, or a link to buy direct. The thing about going there first is that they can also get a free report about Financial Aid and Admission Tips.
Ask Wendy-The Query Queen 