UPDATE AND INFORMATION NEXT TOP SPIRITUAL AUTHOR CONTEST
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From: Andrea H.
Date: Monday, April 19, 2010, 10:50 AM
Subject: Update and information Next Top Spiritual Author Contest
ID: 269974

Hello everyone!

Whenever I enter the Lightpages for Evolutionary Women, Vessels of Peace, and Gather the Women, it takes my breath away. There is so much love in here. I want to be all gooey and lovey and gush all over you. So consider these opening words the gushing. I feel your incredible love and energy and I am grateful for your presence on the planet. Gush, gush, love, love.

Thank you for your wonderful e-mails responding to my last few posts. I will contact you with a personal message in the next few days. A number of e-mails were asking me questions about the contest. Let me clarify a few things here.

I have been posting about two things- The Next Top Spiritual Author contest and the Pepsi Refresh Grant Challenge. Two different contests.

Today I am going to write a few things about the author contest and on Wed, I will post more information about the grant. I interviewed my daughter, Mary last night and she gave me some great tips to share with you. Really great ideas!

To answer one big question: The Author contest is now closed to new entries. This is the first time they have done this. I hope it will become an annual event. There are over 3000 authors who have entered the contest. Round 1 will yield 250 authors who will advance to Round 2. We advance to Round 2 by having the highest score. 75% of that is from popular vote. The idea behind that is that if you can not promote yourself and your idea, how will you ever be able to sell your book? A reality.

Isn't that a great learning for all of us? I am a huge promoter of other women, but I have not always been able to stand up and say, "Here I am. This is what I have to offer." Participating in the contest has given me an opportunity to feel the joy and fear of that. I am growing every day!

(I am currently living in Youth hostels and hotels in Los Angeles. I am on an "Open to Inspiration" journey with my 17 year old daughter that has continued. This is our third inspired adventure in three years.)

If you have a book idea or a self-published book, I encourage you to follow along with the contest. Connect by supporting other people and do the same steps we are all doing. Here are some of the steps.

1) Listen to some of the audios and videos entered into the contest. Take notes about things you liked and things that you didn't like.

2) Create your own book pitch on audio or video. If you don't have the technology, find someone who does.

3) Think about how you would ask people to vote for you. Social media, in person, do you have a mailing list?

4) Ask people to view your book idea pitch. Ask them for feedback.

5) If your book idea was published, what would you offer with it? A free gift, a reduced fee in coaching, an audio meditation? Do you have a website or a one page landing page?

6) Where is your book idea leading you? To a business, coaching, speaking, more writing, a new job?

The contest has brought me visibilty. Why? Because I created a video, I have shared the idea of my book on Facebook, Twitter and in blogs. I have reached out to people. I took out an ad in a local publication in an area I lived and networked for 30 years. I created a Fan Page. All of this was from a place of inspired action that fit with who I am. You can do this without the contest!

Here are a few things that have happened to me in the last few weeks since the contest voting began on March 29.

Two people contacted me with a personal connection to a literary agent.

One friend has offered to connect me with her publisher.

I was on a radio show and am scheduled for a second show.

I have been asked to speak at a networking meeting for women in May in Baltimore and to focus on my book title: Open to Inspiration.

In addition, I have connected with about 40 authors in the contest. I have listened to their audios and videos. I voted for them. I have connected with them on Facebook. I can see that some of the connections will lead to joint ventures or media connections.

I believe in you! This e-mail may be the spark, the voice that is encouraging you to find and express yourself from a deeper place. Say, YES!

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Here is the list of contest authors who have contacted me from LightPages. If you are in the contest, and I do not have your link- contact me AHylen@mac.com to get on the weekly list. I will post this 2 more times. Voting for Round 1 ends on May 3.

1. Author: Tamara Herl

Title: Transcending the Bottom Line

Subtitle: Creating a Spiritual Work Ethic

Link: http://www.nexttopauthor.com/?aid=2411

2. Author: Margaret Adams

Title: Messages of Love

Subtitle: My Spiritual Experiences

Link: http://www.nexttopauthor.com/?aid=206

3. Author: Gina Villa-Grimsby

Title: The Optimystic Ride

Subtitle: How To Overcome Life's Challenges and Create Your Be Optimystic Plan

Link: http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=91

4. Author: Debbie Overberg

Title: The Golden Yolk

Subtitle: Tools to Transmute Energies

Link: http://www.nexttopauthor.com/?aid=2159

5. Author: Andrea Hylen

Title: Open to Inspiration:

Subtitle: The summer a woman discovered herself with a teenage daughter and the Jonas Brothers on a 10,000 mile road trip

Link: http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=49

Thanks so much for supporting the voices of women called to share their gifts