Fun Friday: Alley Pal Hangout!

Hi All!

Author Crystal Walton

Angie here. Thank GOODNESS it's Friday! Phew! I've been busy on rewrites, and WIP crafting, and basketball and baseball, oh my! Youth sports and novels...fun fun!

Crazy week, but so glad to be on the Alley today.

We have had a great kick off to 2017. Lots of good posts on the Alley! This week, Laurie hosted author of Begin Again, Crystal Walton who gave a beautiful reminder about where we get our worth as writers, even in the face of a difficult review. I'm bookmarking the post for my own future sanity!

Check it out HERE.

We have GIVEAWAY news!

The winner of Tina Radcliffe's book giveaway, Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Tina Radcliffe and Classified Christmas Mission by Lynette Eason is....WINNIE THOMAS!

Congratulations, Winnie! (Please email Mary at maryveewriter@gmail.com with your address.)

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So, what else is going on? Around the Alley, January is always that time when we start dreaming about ACFW, get-togethers, and Skype chats. When we are trapped inside avoiding cold blustery days (well, maybe not Ashley and Karen), there is nothing better than day-dreaming about hanging out with friends!

 So...

Today, we want to have a virtual HANG OUT with you! Please answer some or all of the questions below, and share with us! We love learning about Alley Pals!

Hope to hear from you. Have a great weekend!

The One Review You Need to Make it {Guest Post with Author Crystal Walton}

Hi! It's Laurie :) I just met a new-to-me author and couldn't wait to introduce her to you. (I've apparently been living under a rock.) Anyway, I absolutely love what she has for us today. Take it away, Crystal! 
 

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"If you live for people's acceptance, you'll die by their rejection."

Ahem, excuse me while I go dig that arrow out of my chest. :)

That stings, doesn't it? We naturally desire acceptance. It's one of those built-in battles we all wrestle. And in case the vice isn't challenging enough on its own, the publishing industry steps it up ten notches by constantly measuring an author's value in neat, quantifiable metrics. Rankings, sales graphs, a convenient list of endless rejections from Bookbub, the number of hurtful reviews in the “place that must not be named” (*cough* Goodreads) ;) The list goes on and on.

Man, I know the pain of this struggle. When a careless comment in a review broke my spirit recently, my husband rested a tender hand on my arm, and in an equally gentle voice whispered, "You're remarkable to me."

I wanted so much to cling to his words and separate my identity from my work. But it’s hard, isn’t it? Our work is a part of us. And when we're thrust into a world where success hinges upon others' opinions, it's easy to end up staking our worth in those mass opinions and metrics (or lack thereof).

Which One Do I Listen to?

Before I dove into publishing, I remember reading an open letter to aspiring writers about things we should expect to encounter in the business. The author candidly warned that positive reviews will bolster our confidence but only for about a day. Negative reviews, on the other hand, will crush our spirits and be remembered forever. Ouch.

Lysa TerKeurst once shared about crying in a parking lot while scrolling through a website where readers debated her like she was a product on a shelf instead of a person with feelings. But while the criticism and rejection pierced deeply, she clung to the truth of her identity.

At a conference, she brought a stack of reviews to the platform and read them off, one by one. The first was a glowing remark about how amazing her work was and how profoundly it'd touched the reader's life. The next was a slam to Lysa's writing skills and a harsh critique of her theology. Back and forth, on and on it went. After several, she held them up and asked the audience, "Which one do I listen to?" The answer? Neither.

Ooh, that’s hard. But here’s the thing. Despite how much value the system places on reviews and outward accolades, the bottom line is this. There's only one review worth listening to. Ready for it?

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. By design. On purpose. With gifts to share and a voice that matters. Your value does not increase or diminish based on reviews or publishing metrics. You are loved unconditionally and irrevocably by a Father who puts His arm around you when no one else does and whispers, "You're remarkable to me."

When we ground our identity in that truth, the winds of rejection don’t relent. Doubts still thunder. Comparisons still taunt. But through it all, we continue to stand, anchored. Not in a quest of seeking affirmation, but in a journey of learning to abide in our calling.

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Author Bio: Crystal received her bachelor of arts from Messiah College in PA, married her exact opposite in upstate NY, and earned her master of arts from Regent University in VA, where she currently resides with her husband, David. Crystal writes contemporary clean romance fueled by Starbucks’ venti green teas. She’d love to connect with you at crystal-walton.com and Facebook.

Connect with Crystal:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/crystalwaltonwrites
Free Book: http://crystal-walton.com/new-release-mailing-list/ 

Check out her upcoming release: Begin Again: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAQDA8K