The ACFW Conference
The American Christian Fiction Writers Conference is coming up September 21-24 in Dallas, TX. This will be my second time to attend, and I can’t wait. Last year I learned so much and met so many incredible people. Some of you might get all excited about movie stars. Not me. I get a thrill out of meeting authors.

If you have even the barest hint of a dream about being a writer, make your way to ACFW’s conference. The agenda is rich with opportunities to learn and hone craft. But the best part is the chance to spend time with a bunch of Christians and hear God.

I went last year not sure what to expect, but God clearly spoke to me several times through people, worship, and a prayer offered on my behalf. It was a rich time. So rich, I’ve counted down since February to the date I’d board a plane and head back. Now to get my next manuscript all spit and polished and ready to talk about.

Fourtieth Birthday Party
Nope, I’m not talking about mine — fortunately, I have quite a few years left till I hit that mile marker. Chris Weil, author of Forgiving Solomen Long and Deliver Us From Evelyn, turns 40 on August 9th. Instead of sending presents to us, he’s giving the presents away.

Every person who buys Deliver Us From Evelyn from Amazon *on Chris’s birthday* will be thanked BY NAME in his third novel, KINGDOM COME (in stores April 2007).

BUT THERE’S MORE! You *also* get the super-limited compendium 40 AND COUNTING, the literary equivalent of a “bootleg box set” in convenient pdf form. This collection offers 40 rarities:

40 AND COUNTING: STORIES A brand-new collection of 10 short stories, including four that have NEVER been published.

40 AND COUNTING: LISTS 10 pages of crazy lists, like I’ve done over the years for 7ball and now every month in CCM Magazine. You know, stuff like “Signs Your Neighbor is a Leprechaun” and “Signs You Need to Get A Life.” (It makes you laugh AND it makes you think.)

40 AND COUNTING: COMICS Includes “Que Es Amor?” — a BRAND-NEW tale written by me and penciled by my wife, Erica. PLUS: An assortment of scripts, pitches to Archie Comics, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and even some rejection letters.

40 AND COUNTING: WHATNOT “Lost” material from Forgiving Solomon Long and Deliver Us From Evelyn, fanfic from my younger days, a preview of my upcoming best-selling zany crime suspense thriller Kingdom Come, and more!

REMEMBER: Wednesday, August 9

BONUS HOURS: For your added convenience, the event goes live 6PM Tuesday, August 8 and ends NOON Thursday, August 10. Complete Details: http://www.studiowell.com/Birthday06

I enjoyed reading Forgiving Solomen Long. It was offbeat and well written. If you’ve had an eye on his books, this sounds like a good day to buy them.