"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

The Battle for our Children

Hearing some of the exploits of the Oxford gang who have just been jailed has shocked the U.K. Last year the Government issued a report that said that a conservative estimate of how many young people had been affected by grooming and sexual exploitation was around 10,000 (under 18s) in the UK, with around 16,000 at risk. A former police chief has said that if people don’t think it’s happening they just aren’t looking hard enough. He also said the problem the police have is that young girls don’t even know they are victims. Girls are generally carefully chosen from difficult backgrounds, desperate for attention and affection.

There is a fight on for our precious kids. What can you do? Start with one. Stop right now, and ask the Lord to bring to your attention one child. Everyone can pray! I'm going to give a copy of 'The Treasure Hunt' to a brother and sister who have recently moved into the area and have started coming to Messy Church with their mum. What will you do? Don't let it be nothing.

http://dernierpublishing.com/treasurehunt.php

Thought for the Day - let's pray for deliverance for Christians in prison.

Just a quick thought for the day. I read this morning about Paul of Tarsus' miraculous deliverance from prison. The church was praying for him! So many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are in prison, locked up simply because they are followers of Jesus. We must pray for them! Perhaps, even today, by our prayers, some will be miraculously released. Let's pray big prayers, knowing that we have a God for whom nothing is impossible!

If you need a prayer pointer, perhaps this one might help:

"Pray for those in solitary confinement and those facing torture and death, that even in the valley of the shadow of death they will know the comforting presence of the Lord. Pray that the Lord will do miracles in setting people free from imprisonment and oppression and that all the wicked plans of the enemy to destroy the church of God will fail." Psalm 23:4, Acts 12:7-11, Romans 16:20, 2 Thessalonians 3:2

(Extract from 'Praying for Persecuted Christians' in the 'Prayer - just do it!' series.)
http://dernierpublishing.com/prayer.php

Welcome to the June 2013 Dernier Publishing newsletter!

Welcome to the June 2013

Dernier Publishing

newsletter!

 

Reading is the best!

There's nothing quite like a good book, is there! Here's a wonderful quote from Gustave Flaubert: “You forget everything. The hours slip by. You travel in your chair through centuries you seem to see before you, your thoughts are caught up in the story, dallying with the details or following the course of the plot, you enter into characters, so that it seems as if it were your own heart beating beneath their costumes.” As summer holidays approach, let's give our children some great books to read! According to data released by the Dept. of Work and Pensions, one out of every six children in the UK lives in relative poverty. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but we all know families who are strapped for cash. Could you buy some books for families who might not be able to afford it? Don't let kids miss out.

Sunday School Prizes

If your church doesn't give out books to children, perhaps you might ask the minister or youth leader the reason? If they are under the impression that kids don't read any more, ask the Sunday School children what they are reading. It might spur them to action! If the concern is financial, perhaps they might ask people in the congregation to make a special gift, or sponsor a book each. Giving books away is an effective, gentle way of reaching out to whole families with the 'message in a story'. With so much ungodly stuff out there, it's an excellent form of outreach. Can we afford not to?

Don't forget you can order our books from any Christian bookshop, as well as direct from us.

Sharing the Wealth!

From Australia: Completely unexpectedly, author Mary Weeks Millard received the following email (I've shortened it a bit!): “I really enjoyed the books I Want to be an Airline Pilot and The Birthday Shoes and was excited to find out that there was others that followed I Want to be an Airline Pilot. I enjoyed the parts when Emily Jane went to different countries in The Birthday Shoes and was a bit disappointed when she tried the shoes and they did not fit any more, as I realised that I had reached the end of the book. I am 9 years old, I live in Australia. Thank you for writing books that make me think about how fortunate I am. Thank you for making me think about how much I take for granted.” Sadly, though, not as many books have been sold in Australia as hoped. Please would you take a few moments to pray? Thank you.

From Ayeisha in The Gambia: “A couple of months ago I gave a copy of Mary Millard's The Birthday Shoes to the security officer at a local supermarket (who loves reading books and I have given him some books before from our bookshop to read). It was for his daughter. He later told me his daughter enjoyed reading it so much that she asked if she could also read the book (The Heavenly Man) I had given him to read. They are not Christians. I pray that these books will help people to seek to know Christ. And I will certainly make another gift of books to ... I've just thought of the children's wing of the national hospital!”

From UK: Ellie says: “I like Deepest Darkness because the girl Abi is ten and I am ten. Also I like things that have scary parts in. My rating out of 10 = 10/10 fabulous!”

From where you are: Over to you, let me know!

Need help with your church bookstall?

Running a church bookstall can be a confusing and lonely task, but help is now at hand! For just £30 a year, the new 'Together' mag from Christian Resources Together will keep you in touch with all that's new, so you can supply your church with the best resources! Click here to take a look: http://www.christianresourcestogether.co.uk

Special Offers

Just in case you haven't already looked, this month's special offer is a 'Bless ten kids' offer, with ten Deepest Darkness at ten pounds off! It's a bargain at just £49.90 for ten books! Brilliant for summer clubs and camps. To get yours, follow this link: http://dernierpublishing.com and choose *Special Offers* on the menu bar, or visit your local Christian bookshop. Next month we will have a different book on offer, so do go back in July!

Do you know a child with visual impairment?

Did you know that 'Deepest Darkness' and 'Beech Bank Girls, Every Girl Has a Story' are now both available in giant print, braille and audio versions for anyone who suffers from sight loss? All these can be obtained from the Torch Trust: http://www.torchtrust.org . Perfect for children with less than perfect eyesight. Why should they miss out?

Oh, and older people love the stories, too, apparently!

Well I've run out of room again – there's just enough room for me to say thank you to you all so much for your support. If you would buy a book or two, it would help us enormously towards our aim to bring out Beech Bank Girls 4 soon. If you haven't got anyone to give them to, what about a gift to your nearest school? Www.dernierpublishing.com/youthf.php to choose! Thank you for standing with us :-)

Janet

P.S. Do find us on Facebook (Dernier Publishing), Twitter (@janetwilsonxxx) and Linked-In (Janet Wilson). It would be great to get to know you better! If you ever have any questions or comments, please contact me. It's always lovely to hear from you :-)

10 Good Reasons to Buy Christian Fiction for the Children You Love

In the past, Christian fiction has had a bad name for being preachy, boring, badly written and old-fashioned. But now there are some brilliant, engaging, relevant stories that are just waiting to thrill our children! Why should we cough up the cash, though?

10 Reasons to Buy Christian Fiction for the Children You Love

1. Stories with Christian characters can encourage children in their own faith

Church kids are often thrilled to find a Christian hero/heroine in a 'real' story! They can also be inspired to follow their example.

2. We remember stories better than straight information

Jesus told stories for a reason! Not only are stories with a message so much more memorable than a list of bullet points, they are so much more enjoyable. Church and non-church children alike can learn about how valued they are, how the Lord loves them, and that prayer changes things, all through the medium of a great book.

3. It's great to encourage children to read books with Christian values

We are all influenced by what we put into our minds, and there is a lot of ungodly stuff out there filling our children's heads and hearts. In a world that is imperfect, stories written from a Christian perspective can encourage our children to find and stay on the right path. 

 

4. A novel is a non-threatening gift

Books make thoughtful gifts and are generally gratefully received. Why not buy books for children who attend Messy Church, kids clubs and camps?

5. Kids see faith being outworked in a way relevant to their own culture

Bible stories can become over-familiar to church kids . . . but it can be exciting to read about how faith works in every day situations, to children just like them.

6. Children make sense of their world through stories

Children can reflect on subjects such as faith, prayer, justice and forgiveness in the safe place of a story. If you have read the book, you can talk about these issues with them, too.

7. Children can lend books to their friends (at no extra cost!)

Why not buy a load for your own kids then lend them out to all their school friends and their families? Think of the potential! If you get tongue-tied, but would like to pass on the good news to kids going through a rough time, a book can take the message for you. 

 

8. Like to have spiritual input but can't due to distance?

Grandparents/parents/significant others who are separated from their children by distance (or who can't talk about their faith openly), but would still like to have some spiritual input, can do so by sending Christian books, or reading stories over Skype!

9. Like more family time? Reading stories together is great for bonding!

Reading an exciting novel aloud is a great way to spend quality time together. Discussing the plot and the characters' reactions to events is a great way to open communication.

10. Words are powerful – a book may sow seeds that will bear fruit in years to come

We have all read books that have affected the way we have thought about things. Never underestimate the power of a story to change lives.

Www.dernierpublishing.com/aboutus.php

Happy reading :-)

Janet

Welcome to the Rather Late Dernier Publishing Newsletter!

Welcome to the May 2013

Dernier Publishing

newsletter!

Appreciating Families

We can all take our families for granted. Who was it that said that you don't know what you're missing till it's gone? Sadly, people all over the world will be missing loved ones today – through bereavement, separation, divorce, illness, kidnappings, war, slavery, bombings, disasters and tragedies of too many kinds. Our hearts go out to people we know who are suffering, and those who we hear about on the news. But there is something we can do. Not for everyone, of course. But we can make a real difference, every day to the people in our world. And as they say, charity begins at home! After my first husband died, I went on a campaign to make every day special. My daughter and I wore clothes we had previously kept for 'best', lit candles for the evening meal, toasted marshmallows over the fire, walked in the woods . . . for no reason other than that we were together. We brought a rescue dog home (10 years later he's still with us!). We didn't wait for a special occasion to have a special day. None of us knows how long we have. We all of us need to love, laugh, live, NOW while we can. Our loved ones don't need our PRESENTS anything like as much as they need our PRESENCE. Why not grab the opportunity to do something fun/silly/memorable with the people who need you most, today? You won't regret it. (Unless someone takes an embarrassing photo of you :-))

My child doesn't like reading

Some don't, of course, but do they enjoy you reading to them? Most do! Family stories are a great way to spend quality time together. Discussing the plot and the characters' reactions to events is a great way to open communication, too. Children make sense of their world through stories, and this can be a great way for you, and them, to explore how they feel about things.

News!

A handful of our books are on their way to a children's home in Mumbai, India, and another pack to a school in a desperately poor area of Kenya. How amazing that former street kids will be reading Dernier books! Please pray for these precious children. Could you send a pack of books to a children's home/school you support?

We have a SPECIAL OFFER running for our 'Prayer – just do it! Praying for Church Leaders' booklets on our website. Bless your minister/vicar/pastor! Offer ends next week, so don't delay. http://www.dernierpublishing.com/offers_may13.php

I recently attended the Christian Resources Together retreat at The Hayes in Swanwick, to meet retailers from Christian bookshops all over the U.K. (plus a couple from a Christian bookshop in Denmark and two ladies from Ireland!). Lots of other publishers were there, too, and we had a great time. The only problem was that it wasn't long enough :-) This is me with our display (right). Some new shops made orders for our books – please do pray for more orders, so we can reach as many children as we can.

Sharing the wealth!

I thought it would be good to share some of our latest reviews with you – perhaps we ought to have a regular 'share the wealth' spot! To start the ball rolling, author Mary Weeks Millard sent the following: "Last week I had an adult from the Weymouth Methodist Church call in to tell me that she had bought one of my children's books and so loved it and it helped her spiritually, even though she had really bought it for her granddaughter." How cool is that!

And here are some reviews from a group of Year 5 children who read our books at school:

“I liked this book very much. I think that the overall message from this book is that people from different countries can be friends, that we are all equal and that God does answer prayers such as those of the boy found under the tamarind tree.” - Lottie (Under the Tamarind Tree)

“I would happily read this book over and over again!” - Caitlin (The Birthday Shoes)

“The story starts like a normal story but as you read on you realise how special and different this book is to the normal adventure or comedy. The book shows that no one should be afraid of anything if they believe in Jesus and God. Nobody should be afraid after reading this book to find someone they trust and tell them of their fears. This person might be able to help you and your fear. It is a story that shows that everywhere, even in the darkness, is full of light. This is a moving story with an ending that makes tears be wiped away and replaced with hope." - Alicia (Deepest Darkness)

“This book is quite emotional. Although I would say it is a heart-warming story, it shows you how unfortunate some children in Africa are and also how caring they are. This book is about a little boy's dream to be a pilot but I think it deviates a bit (in a good way) because they have a lot of problems. But then life isn't perfect, is it? It paints very detailed pictures in your head almost like you were there! I think the message in this story is : even in tough situations, 'God will always make a path for you if you respect and pray to him.'” - Bryonie (Living in Hope)

Well as usual, I've run out of room and I could say so much more! But until next time, may the Lord bless you all and keep you. And thank you all so much for your support and prayers – with your help we will keep pressing forward :-)

Janet

P.S. Yup, that's my rescue dog!

P.P.S. If you have any stories of how our books have encouraged or inspired, please do 'share the wealth': info@dernierpublishing.com I look forward to hearing from you :-)

Dernier Publishing Change of Distribution

Dernier Publishing Change of Distribution

This post is for everyone who wishes to support  Christian bookshops in our towns and cities - and of course, the retailers themselves!

 

Most of you know that Dernier books have hitherto been distributed by Kingsway. We are grateful for all Kingsway have done for us, and for their fun and friendship too, but now we are hoping to forge closer ties with bookshops, by taking on the distribution within the Christian trade ourselves.

It's a big new venture for us, and I'd be most grateful for your prayers (and patience when we get it wrong!).

As you know, we are passionate about bringing the 'message in a story' to as many young people as we can, and look forward to working with Christian bookshops. We very much appreciate that nobody knows their customers' needs better than they do - they all  know their local schools, churches and communities better than we do, too!

I have met so many adults for whom reading Christian books as children made a huge impact on their life, that I am convinced that we must offer our children the same opportunity.

The one sector where print books is growing is the children's and young adults' market. Since Harry Potter smashed his way into the book records, kids have been reading again in droves, voraciously. Unfortunately, much of what is available now isn't necessarily helpful. There are plenty of novels with an atheistic viewpoint and many stories which have incited interest in the occult and witchcraft, violence, materialism and worldly relationships, but what about books where the Lord is God, where faith in the Lord Jesus Christ matters, where people pray and read the Bible?

We need to make sure that our children have this great alternative! We have mystery adventures for 8-11s, exciting dramas, girlie books for 10-14s, books set in Africa and Canada . . . and more! Some have an overt message, some more subtle, but all our books have the aim of encouraging and inspiring 8-16 year-olds in the Christian faith.

Please do consider stocking our books (or going into your local Christian bookshop and asking for Dernier books!)  and promoting them as widely as you can to your churches and schools, too. We would love to be able to help you reach as many young people in your communities as possible with the 'message in a story'.

If there's anything we can do to help you, please do not hesitate to contact us. Together, I believe we can make a difference.

 

Ordering Information (Please pass this on to your local Christian booskshop if you're not a retailer :-) Thank you!)

Before You Order:

1. Please register with us. Contact us if you do not have a registration form.
2. We will give you a customer number, which you will need to quote when you order, and on all correspondence

How to Order:

Choose from the following options:

• through the order form on our website (under 'Contact Us' menu)
• email info-at-dernierpublishing.com ( replace -at- with  @ of course!O)
• If you would prefer to order by telephone, please email us with your name and telephone number, and we will call you back
• we can send you order forms in the post

Discount Levels Offered:

Please contact us!

Minimum Order:

10 books

Carriage:

FREE to all U.K. destinations by City Link. Contact us for overseas postage rates.  We currently have plenty of stock of all our books! If there is a delay for any reason, we aim to keep you informed.

Terms:

Payment required in full, 30 days from date of invoice.

Events:

If you wish to take our books to an event, please contact us so we can discuss your particular needs.

Our Policy on Direct Sales:

Our aim is to reach as many children as we can. To this end, we do sell directly through our own website. In order to maximise sales, we have a different offer every month. Next year we hope to get organised enough to have national offers, incorporating bookshops as well as our own website. Watch this space if you would like to be take part in these promotions! We only suggest buying from Amazon to overseas customers.

Prayer

Please pray for us, and for all the children who read our books. Thank you :-) We can produce the books, but it is the Lord who touches hearts.

Please Contact Us

If you have any comments or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us – we are always glad to hear from you. We love to hear encouraging comments to pass on to authors and supporters. Equally, if there are areas where we can improve our service to you, please do let us know.

Facebook

Please find Dernier Publishing on facebook and follow janetwilsonxxx on twitter, so we can socialise virtually!

First Chapters Online

The first chapters of all of our books are online. For a sneaky preview, please do have a read :-)

Testimonials

“One lady who lives 17 miles away from church, came on Sunday. She came because she had read her son's book. She talked to the preacher after the service, and gave her heart to the Lord.”

 “It's now several weeks since we presented the books to our children in Kidz Church. I asked how they were getting on with them. They were very enthusiastic and have been swapping them round when they've finished their own. Most of these kids are reluctant readers, too.”

 “This is the best book I've ever read.” (We have lots of these!!!)

 “Another brilliant adventure! I really liked the new characters and stories. It taught me that when I'm feeling down, God is trying to show me how to think about and help others, which will make me feel better again. If we stop to listen to Him, he will show us the way.”

Thank you for reading this - may the Lord bless you all :-)

 

Janet