Sex education for six-year-olds

So, six-year-old children are being given sex education, and children at secondary schools are being offered tests for sexually transmitted diseases in lunch time and after school clinics. This is apparently a response to high pregnancy rates.

Click here to read the Christian Institute article

We need to fight back for our children's lives. What can we do?

I suggest three things:

Pray.
We need to pray for the children in our families, for our church children, our friends' children, our children's friends, the children who attend our local schools, children in homes and schools we sponsor, or have links with. We need to pray for our minster's children, for missionary kids, for children in our town, in the UK, all over the world.


Put up our shields!  
We need to be pro-active in protecting our own families. If anything unsuitable comes on the TV, we should turn it off. We need to be a good example, and be watchful for those we are responsible for. We need to keep an eye on what is being beamed into our own homes. We need to keep computer screens where we can see them. We need to keep lines of communication open, and talk about issues as they come up. We need to start today, and stay vigilant. We can campaign with Care for the Family, Christian Institute and other charities/organisations that work for young people.


Get out our swords!
We need to give our children good Christian alternatives to the things that are bombarding them from all around, to fill their minds with good things and make sure they know what is good. We need to read Bible stories/Scripture verses with them, talk about the things of God, buy them Christian stories, music and DVDs. 


If you have 10-14 year-old girls, you might like to give them the excellent, relevant and fun Beech Bank Girls books by Eleanor Watkins. These stories, written from a Christian perspective, face all sorts of issues by six young teens, including friendships. You can buy them from your local Christian bookshop, or from following this link:  Dernier Publishing




May the Lord keep your children safe.


Janet









 

"Can I have some blood to play with?" and other news!

Welcome to the August 2013

Dernier Publishing

newsletter!

“Can I have some blood to play with?”

Our five year-old grandson stayed with us last weekend. After watching “Moses” on DVD (“Testament” series, get it from your local Christian bookshop!), he wanted to read the story in his children's Bible. He was particularly taken with the thought of God's power. Then he went out in the garden and played Moses. He had a stick which “turned into a snake”, and yes, he asked for some blood to play with! He wanted to turn the water in his bucket into blood, and some more to put on the doorposts . . . Great game, but I said no to the blood :-)

Anyone who would argue that what our children read and watch doesn't affect them, hasn't had children. In fact, we are all influenced by what we put into our minds. That's why the apostle Paul said, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

What are children's minds being filled with? What are they watching on TV, reading in books and magazines, seeing on adverts? What games are they playing? Have you seen the latest music videos aimed at quite young children, heard the lyrics, seen what they watch on YouTube? Even if you have parental guidelines on your PC, what about hand-held devices, where your children can watch and read anything 24/7? Is what they are taking in true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise?

The things our children are watching and reading is influencing them from within. It's affecting the way they think about things, what they believe, what they think is good, influencing who they want to be with, what they want to do.

Times have changed. It used to be safer to keep children at home than send them out to play . . . now the goal posts have moved. There is a battle on for our children in our own homes.

Concerned? Me too. We need to be aware of what is going on, and fight back.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Be a good example
2. Make sure you know what your children are watching, reading and playing
3. Keep open communication about all the above. Discuss their films, books, etc. with them
4. Veto if necessary
5. Make sure all home computers have parental controls switched on
6. Have screens in places where you can see what they are watching. Don't be fooled, check the tabs, homework can be flipped up as you pass . . .
7. Discuss the reason for your concerns with them
8. Offer Christian alternatives

If all this seems totally overwhelming, pick one thing from this list that you can do NOW. You could even print out the list, and pin it to your fridge! And if we can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We would love you to buy our books, because we have seen the difference they have made in so many children's lives.

If you would like to take a look, please do so here: www.dernierpublishing.com . . . or visit your local Christian bookshop.

You can also buy two of our e-books in the Kindle store: Mysteryin the Snow and TheTreasure Hunt

We are not keen on Amazon's ethics, and are planning alternative e-books . . . as soon as we have more news about that we will let you know!

Special Offer

For this month's Special Offer we have chosen the first in the Beech Bank Girls series, by Eleanor Watkins - excellent, relevant, fun Christian chick-lit for 10-14s! This brilliantly written book was shortlisted for the Christian Resources Awards in 2011 – a great accolade. You can read the first chapter online: BeechBank Girls.

The offer is here: http://dernierpublishing.com/offers_aug13.php or visit your local Christian bookshop. Excellent for Girls Brigades, Girl Guides, girls' schools, clubs, camps and you could even get ahead and buy them now for Christmas presents!

Buy ten copies this month for just:

£49.90!

That's a bargain, reaching 10 girls (or more if they share!) for less than five pounds each.

The book was reviewed by a panel of girls for Revelation TV. Part of the interview went like this:

"What were the highlights of the book - were there any good points?"
"All of the book was good!" "Were there any bad points?"
"No." "How has the book affected you - has it changed your perspective on anything?"
It's made me realise, whenever you need God and whatever trouble you're in, he is always there." "Would you recommend the book to your friends?"
"Definitely!"

If you are looking for a book which will encourage and inspire your 10-14 year-old girls in their faith, look no further! Here's a 'why buy' video on YouTube . . . BeechBank Girls.

Quick snippets for prayer.

I would be so grateful if you would pray for the following: 1. Some of our books are on their way to Morocco, 2. Please pray for all the bookshops who stock our books, 3. Please pray for guidance for us as there are so many projects we would love to be involved with, but have to wait for finances, 4. Pray that our books will be more widely known and used.

Thank you so much for all your support – for praying, encouraging, sharing our news and everyone involved in so many different ways. Without you, Dernier Publishing would not exist.

Janet

PS. Don't forget to print off your 'battle list'! And feel free to forward to your friends.

Dernier Publishing exists to produce excellent, relevant fiction to encourage and inspire 8-16 year-olds in their faith and show non-church kids what they are missing! If you have been forwarded this by a friend, thank you for your interest. If you would like to receive regular emails from us, just let me know :-) Email Janet

Moving!

Well, Dernier Publishing has moved! As I work from home, home and office moved at the same time, which has been . . . well, stressful! We will have a new P.O. Box eventually, but until that's finalised, mail will be forwarded from our Tonbridge address.

So, here we are in our new place in Orpington in Kent, with a beautiful view over fields to keep me away from work and much still to do to get sorted. I would have liked to upload some photos to show you our new place, but can't find the camera cable . . . I know it's here somewhere! Please do pray for us as we try to get back to normal . . . well as normal as we will ever be!

Some wonderful news to pass on while we have been off the Internet:

Shorlisted for Christian Resources Awards 2012

• Beech Bank Girls II, Making a Difference has been shortlisted for the Christian Resources Awards 2012 (Children over 12 category)! Many congratulations to author Eleanor Watkins for this accolade, second year in a row (last year the first Beech Bank Girls in the series was shortlisted). Maybe this year we might even win the award!
• We have had two orders of books for Kenya - one for a school, one for a children's home. It's so exciting to know that the message is reaching children far as well as near.
• We have commissioned a new book by Mary Weeks Millard, the sequel to I Want to Be an Airline Pilot and Living in Hope. It's called Under the Tamarind Tree and features all the same characters, plus some new ones too! It's a great story which I'm sure kids will love.
• Our new slogan is Message in a story! We have some publicity posters - if you would like one for your shop, church, school or whatever, please do let me know - or I can send the pdf so you can print out as many as you like!

Thank you for standing with us, for your interest and support. I'll try not to leave it so long next time!

March Newsletter

 

Welcome to the March

Dernier Publishing

Newsletter!

How much do you rate reading together as a family?

Most mums and dads read to small children, but many give up when they're older. It's tempting to ditch this good habit due to time pressure, but if you have tweenagers, why not keep this excellent family habit, and read an exciting Christian book together in the evenings before bedtime . . . you can discuss the issues raised and just enjoy each other's company! Don't put it off - your children will grow up before you know it - don't miss the opportunities given to you today, because today will never come again. Mother's Day would be a good time to start :-) - it's not too late to pop to a shop or order online www.dernierpublishing.com. If you do not have children this age yourself but know a family who does, why not buy them a book?

Recent encouragements

World Book Day: Authors Eleanor Watkins (right) and Mary Weeks Millard both visited schools for World Book Day. Eleanor said afterwards, “I was truly amazed at the interest the children showed in books, and some of the things they asked. Also that there was a real openness to my own books, which all have a Christian worldview. The Year 2 teacher has read one of my books for younger ones to the class, and there was a lot of interest in the BBG [Beech Bank Girls] series. One of the girls asked for the names of all the BB girls, and I donated the three books to the school library along with several others. The kids were asking where they could buy them too. So it was a very encouraging and worthwhile morning.”

 Revelation TV: I was interviewed for Revelation TV last month for a Children's Book Review programme! Since then one of the producers told me, "We are planning two more programs over the Easter Break, and one of our panel members, Joseph, read the other book you sent us “Living In Hope” and he really loved it. We would like to review “Living in Hope” on the next programme." :-)

 Reviews: If you haven't read our blog post stacked with encouraging reviews and comments, it's not too late! Just scroll down or click on the right somewhere . . . :-)

 

Seasonal purchases

'Mystery in the Snow' is a mystery adventure story which takes place during an unseasonal fall of snow in the Easter holidays. Ravi, Debbie, Lance and Joel find themselves with a problem: Ravi's shed has been burgled. The plot thickens as an old lady's handbag goes missing, then a cat disappears. Can all these things be connected? Join the Christian friends as they find answers in unexpected places. The sequel to 'The Treasure Hunt' - Perfect Easter reading for ages 8-11 :-) 

“So exciting that I couldn't put it down!” - Lydia. Available from your local shop and online.

 

 

'Heaven is a wonderful place' poster

Maybe you could use this 16 x 20” uplifting poster for an all-age worship service over the Easter period, or to illustrate the Easter story at your toddler group, Sunday School, RE lessons, assemblies . . . or as a gift for children you love? £4.00 each exclusively from our website, www.dernierpublishing.com. Contact us on info@dernierpublishing.com for quantity discounts :-)

 

 'Praying for Persecuted Christians' from our Prayer – just do it! series.

Easter is a time when we remember Christ's sufferings on our behalf. Many of our brothers and sisters all over the world are now suffering in His name – we have the privilege of praying for them. What better time to do so than over Easter? Excellent for family prayers, individual prayer, for prayers in all-age church services and for young people's groups. Help your young people begin a lifetime of prayer – you could hardly do them a bigger favour. Each 8 page booklet has 30 simple prayer pointers to enable anyone to just pray. Order online: www.dernierpublishing.com/prayer.php  

90p per single copy, discounts for larger quantities.

Our Future

As some of you already know, Dernier Publishing will be moving from Tonbridge to Orpington this Friday, 16^th March. We can't order a new P.O. Box number until we've moved (don't ask!), but in the meantime post will be forwarded from our old address: P.O. Box 403, Tonbridge, TN9 9BJ, UK. Our email address remains the same. Please pray for us as we move, especially that all technology will survive! Oh, and that we will stay sane :-)

Please continue to pray, too, that the Lord will keep 'enlarging our territory'. Once we have moved we hope to commission new books, but we need the finances. We would like to advertise our books as class readers in Christian schools, run a campaign for books for Sunday School prizes, begin distributing seriously abroad, perhaps to the USA and Canada . . . there are still so many children to reach. And we need your help! Perhaps the Lord will give us the desires of our heart . . . and maybe do even more than we could ask for or even imagine. :-)

With grateful thanks for your continued support,

Janet

PS Wishing all mums a very happy Mother's Day on Sunday!

 

Eleanor Watkins, author of 40 books!

Back in August we put up a brief profile of author Eleanor Watkins, but as Beech Bank Girls III (recently released) is Eleanor's 40th book - wow, what an achievement! - I thought it would be nice to have a longer piece. Eleanor has kindly written the following fascinating account of her childhood on a farm in the Welsh borders, how she came to follow the Lord, and a bit about her writing career to date. Enjoy! :-)

“I think I was conscious of God from a very early age. As a family we attended an Anglican church; I loved the words and rhythms of the Prayer Book service and often pondered their meanings. Our church was a tiny rural one, looking as if it had been dumped down in the middle of a field, sister to the Parish church in the village and much beloved by the diarist Francis Kilvert, whose books are full of names and places I know well. We would walk to church, wearing wellies in wet weather, over a mile of fields, hills and dips, narrow lanes and streams to cross.

Living in the depths of the countryside reinforced my deep inner feeling that there must have been a master Creator behind the wonder and beauty of the natural world. Our farm perched on a hillside overlooking the beautiful Wye valley, facing the misty blue ridges of the Black Mountains across the river. My brothers and I had a hundred and twenty acres of fields, streams and woodland as our playground and we knew every inch of it; each tree, every bend in the stream, the damp places where golden marsh marigolds and delicate wild orchids grew, the reed-fringed pond where we took our jam jars to collect frog spawn, the best horse chestnuts for conkers. We built houses in trees and dens in bushes, dammed the stream and diverted channels to create islands. We also sometimes did forbidden things, like building fires in woodland, or squeezing through holes in hedges to trespass on neighbours’ land. Looking back, it was an idyllic childhood, free of restriction - we truly ‘walked in Eden.’

  

Our farmhouse was draughty and sadly lacking in mod cons; one cold tap supplied all the domestic water, heating consisted of open fires and a couple of smelly oil heaters. We read by oil lamps or in bed by candlelight (fire hazard!), the toilet was at the bottom of the garden down a long and shrub-fringed path, scary in the dark, and we bathed in a tin tub in front of the kitchen fire. My parents were hard-working and often hard-up, but our house was full of books and magazines, from encyclopaedias to classics, poetry to farming magazines and children's comics. We all read avidly, studied the things that interested us, travelled to other times and places through the printed page. My brother wanted to be a naturalist, and I knew from very early on that I wanted to be a writer.

A turning point in my life came at sixteen, when three friends and I went to our village hall to see a film and listen to a visiting evangelistic speaker. As the evening progressed I had the growing conviction that these people knew Jesus in a personal way, and, more importantly, that his death on the Cross that I heard about in Sunday services had been for me, personally, and that I needed to make a decision; to accept him into my heart and life or to reject him. I had the uneasy feeling that the former decision might restrict my blossoming teenage social life, so I headed straight for the door when the meeting ended. My friend, though, persuaded me to respond to the altar call, and together we duly stayed behind for counselling. Once pinned down, I prayed the sinner’s prayer with sincerity, and really felt that something significant had happened.

Over the years, I’m amazed at the way God has kept his hand on me through many ups and downs, wanderings and strayings (on my part), heartaches and problems and happy times, and the incredible diversity and wonder and adventure of life lived with Jesus. I’ve met so many amazing people and learned and experienced so much in so many ways, from the joy and wonder of being filled with the Holy Spirit, to the pain of church splits and the hard work of setting up new enterprises. I don’t always understand what God is doing, but I do believe that, in the end, ‘all will be well, and all will be most well, and all manner of things will be well.’(Julian of Norwich)

I’ve written stories since I could hold a pen, and had my first acceptance at the age of 21, when Christian Herald newspaper accepted one of my short stories for the princely fee of three guineas! They took several more, and later published a children's serial which I had started when I was sixteen and finished a few years later when I was looking for something to do during my baby son’s nap time. My first book was published by Victory Press in 1973, the story of a boy and a fox cub. By then I was a farmer’s wife and mother of three small boys, living in a farmhouse in the lee of the Black Mountains facing across the valley to my childhood home. Life was busy, but I persevered with the writing and more books followed with Victory Press. A lean spell in publishing came later in the 70s and 80s, and I turned to short stories and articles, selling a respectable number to various magazines in this country, Australia and the US. Children's fiction was my first love, though, and it was with relief that I discovered Lion Publishing, who helped and nurtured me enormously, and later Scripture Union and Kevin Mayhew.

Beech Bank Girls III: Christmas is Coming!, published this year, is my fortieth book, not counting the dozen or so manuscripts, finished and unfinished, that lurk in my files. I began the Beech Bank Girls stories after reading something similar in secular teenage fiction and wondering how it would work if the girls telling the stories had experienced Jesus in their lives. The first couple of publishers I approached were dubious, then I met Janet through the pages of the ACW magazine, she liked the stories and the rest, as they say, is history. The latest book was inspired by the bitter weather of last winter which started before Christmas – I thought it would be fun to have a pre-Christmas story with a cold and snowy setting. The girls themselves are not goody-goody or super-spiritual, they are ordinary girls who laugh, cry, fall out sometimes, face heartaches, make mistakes, act silly and have a lot of fun. I want the readers, above all, to have a sense of how precious they are to God, how much he loves them just as they are, and to know that he has wonderful plans for their lives.

I write mostly in longhand, in a spiral-bound manuscript book, editing each days’ work later the same day, editing it again when it goes on the computer – and then again, and again…… My three pieces of advice to budding writers? 1. Read. 2. Write. 3. Make sure you have a good editor. I can’t emphasize that enough. However well you think you’ve edited your work, there will always be things you missed, or that could be improved on. Whether a lot or a little needs to be changed, a good editor is a must.

 

A few years ago, on a trip to New England, I visited Walden Pond and was very taken with Thoreau’s idea of a little hut in the woods, having the fanciful notion I’d like one to write in. My husband, bless him, took this on board and some time later obtained a small wooden hut and set it up in our own woodland. It was a nice idea, but alas!, very little writing has been done there. The grandchildren play in it and I go there occasionally to watch wildlife, or to have a scream or rant without danger of disturbing the family or upsetting the cat! These days, I can’t get by without piles of books, concordances, notes on bits of paper, the phone, and a computer with Google, Amazon and Facebook to provide distraction at regular intervals. Plus a comfy armchair, central heating and a cup of tea, of course!"

Eleanor at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Sandown Park in May.

All three Beech Bank Girls books, for girls aged 10-14,  are available from good bookshops everywhere (support your local Christian bookshop if you can) or direct from our website  www.dernierpublishing.com/youthf.php at price £5.99 each. For more information about these books and our others, scroll down to previous posts, find us on facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dernier-Publishing/173040439575 or check out our website!

Advance Information for Booksellers

Please find below the 'Advance Information' sheet we will be sending to Booksellers. Well, kind of - I've discovered that cutting and pasting documents isn't as simple as it looks for the images! Still, all the information is there . . . If you are bookseller and you do not receive information from us, please contact us with your address and we will be delighted to add you to our mailing!

Thank you all for your support :-)

Advance Information: Release date: 1^st October 2011

Living in Hope

A delightful, inspiring story by Mary Weeks Millard, set in rural Rwanda (sequel to I Want To Be An Airline Pilot). Shema can now go to school and his dream of becoming an airline pilot has moved one step closer - but he and his family and friends still have many exciting and dangerous challenges to face in the Village of Hope; will their faith triumph?

“Everybody should read this book, because it is amazing, fun, very emotional, and you will learn so many things about how children cope living in Rwanda.” - Matthew 

For 8-11s / Price: £5.99 /

ISBN 9780956904300

Beech Bank Girls III

Christmas is Coming!

The third in the brilliant Beech Bank Girls series by Eleanor Watkins

Along with the excitement of Christmas, life holds its challenges for the Beech Bank Girls. Family, friendship and faith issues – the friends face them all together!

“This story shows that God is an amazing father who really cares for us and our problems, no matter how big or small they are. A definite 10/10.” - Ellie

Chick lit for 10-14s / Price: £5.99 / ISBN 9780956904317

Beech Bank Girls, Every Girl Has a Story. This book was shortlisted for the Christian Resources Awards 2011, Book of the Year, Children over 12 category.

Beech Bank Girls II, Making a Difference

Distribution information:

Kingsway Communications:

T: 0800 8409560, E: tradeorders@kingsway.co.uk

Gazelle Book Services:

T: 01323 521777, F: 01323 521666, E: sales@gardners.com www.dernierpublishing.com

Dernier Publishing chick-lit for 10-14s

 Here are our books by Eleanor Watkins for 10-14-year-old girls - they are such great stories! You can read the first chapters of all our books on our website - follow the links after each book and click on more info :-) All these books are equally suitable for encouraging young people in their faith or to show non-church girls what they are missing! Who will tell them if we don't? A book is such a non-threatening gift; we need to make the most of every opportunity we have, because the time is short.

Beech Bank Girls, Every Girl Has a Story by Eleanor Watkins

Shortlisted for Christian Resources Together Book of the Year Awards, children over 12 category . . . which means that this book is one of the three most popular books in the UK for this age group!

This is the first of  the Beech Bank Girls books. Eleanor is such a great author - her 40th book is due for publication soon! This is an immensely readable and truly inspiring series of novels, not hiding from any of the most difficult issues of teenage life.

In this story, six teenage friends draw nearer to God and each other through real life issues in a moving, honest and fun way. Amber, Holly, Willow, Annie, Rachel and Chloe share their laughter, their tears, their hopes, their fears and their secrets with each other and with us. Miracle and party included!

 Here are some reviews: 

“Really enjoyed it and found it helpful at the same time.” - Claire

“I loved reading about the different girls' lives and how they struggled with different problems at school, at home and with their Christian lives. It also teaches us more about God, like how he knows each and every one of us, he loves us all, listens to us and will help us with everything.” - Emma

“I have really enjoyed reading this book; it was engaging and its cliff hangers pushed me to continue reading on.” - Sade

ISBN 978 0 9536963 4 5 / £5.99

http://www.dernierpublishing.com/beechbankgirls.php

 

 Beech Bank Girls II, Making a Difference by Eleanor Watkins 

The second book in the Beech Bank Girls series. More chick-lit for 10-14s! Not long after Chloe's party (Beech Bank Girls, Every Girl Has A Story), the Beech Bank Girls are back! Holly is in Australia, but Willow, Amber, Chloe, Annie and Rachel discover that they do not have to wait until their gap year to start helping people in need. An interesting hike, a new culture on their doorstep, an emotional night out . . . the girls learn from some tough issues that they can make a difference right where they are and have lots of fun at the same time!

Here are some reviews: “A very exciting, fun to read, really well written and easy to understand book. Looking forward to the next one!” - Taylor

“When the girls get into bad situations or dilemmas, they all get together and pray . . . makes you want to read more and find out what happens next.” - Ellie

“A great story.” - Eleanor

ISBN 978 0 9536963 7 6 / £5.99

http://www.dernierpublishing.com/makingdifference.php

 For information on Beech Bank Girls III, Christmas is Coming!, see previous post entitled 'Books for autumn release' :-) I can't wait for this book to arrive. When I first read the manuscript, the word that came to mind was 'inspired'. It really does touch on important issues in a way which is so encouraging - friendships, eating disorders, the true meaning of Christmas to name but three.  Eleanor told me that she had prayed for inspiration for this book more than for any other she has ever written. Bearing in mind that this is Eleanor's 40th book, that's saying something. I do truly believe that all three of these books could touch many girls' lives. A wonderful way to show the girls that you love, that it is great to be a Christian!

http://www.dernierpublishing.com/coming_soon.php