I’m down south in the land of peaches—yep, visiting my kids in Georgia and having a wonderful time. In between changing diapers, playing with grandbabies, and dreaming about Barbies and FROZEN, I’ve been thinking about my promise to add more BFF Team members this summer.
Several folks applied last spring and were disappointed not to be chosen, so we want to open up the application process again and add a few more to our team!
But we want to be intentional. Angie, Tina, and I want to hear from our CURRENT team on a few things:
- What have you enjoyed most about being a BFF member?
- Have you learned anything new about the book-writing/publishing business?
- What changes would you like to see made in the way we communicate with the team?
- Other suggestions?
Please use the space provided in the “Comments” section below (on the webpage) to answer the questions. We may use some of your answers as testimonials when we begin advertising for the new team-member campaign on August 1st. New team members will be announced September 1st.
SPECIAL REQUEST:
When I return from my “Midwest family tour” on June 28th, edits on The Pharaoh’s Daughter will be waiting for me, and I need to outline the rough draft for Miriam. BOTH projects must be complete within six weeks—before I leave for Colorado Springs on Aug. 7th. Yep, another grandbaby on the way (Woot!), and another month away from home (Eeek!).
So, here’s my request:
I need BFFs to guest blog during the Fridays of July—while I’m editing and outlining. Anyone willing to write about your experience as a BFF Team Member? Or willing to share one of your posts about In the Shadow of Jezebel on my personal blog?
Please email me directly (mesu@mesuandrews.com) if you’re willing to write a new post or publish one of the private posts you’ve written for our Monday devotional. If I receive more than four volunteers for the Fridays in July, I’ll choose the posts randomly but make sure no one is posted more than once.
Thank You!
Thanks so much for your encouragement in all things—big and small. You’re an awesome group of folks, and I’m grateful the Lord crossed our paths. May His loving hand guide and bless you!
Comments 11
I have enjoyed reading the different devotionals and getting to know each of you from your written word. I loved reading the testimonials and comments about Mesu’s latest book and learning how it spoke to each of us. I enjoyed the call in session where we were able to speak with Mesu and learn more about “her” thoughts on In The Shadow of Jezebel. I love being part of a group of women who lift up Mesu and each other in time of need! I have learned that I am not a writer, but that is okay. God gives each one of us gifts and mine is not writing. (But I love to read.)
Being a BFF team member means being part of a group of readers & writers who love what I love—stories that make the Bible come alive in my imagination & show me God’s beauty in a new way.
Writing once-a-month devotionals gave me a small taste of how daunting deadlines can be. (Nothing like what pubbed authors go through!)
I think communication w/ the team is great.
For promos & sharing, I wonder if we could use Twitter a bit better. Maybe choose one day a week to all Tweet about Mesu’s book or the related Bible story . . .#MesuMonday #BibleFicFriday 🙂
Just my opinion, in future, maybe the giveaways could be a little less complicated. Don’t worry about highlighting all of our blogs so much.
Thanks & blessings, Mesu, Angie & Tina!
I agree with everything you’ve said here, Renee! The giveaways have gotten away from us every time we’ve tried! But we really will accomplish a simple one yet! 🙂
And I’ve really appreciated your devotionals each month. They’ve been a real blessing!
Tina
Being one of Mesu’s BFF’s was like meeting with a group of like-minded friends, to chat about books, ideas, and the Lord God we have in common. I enjoyed the devotionals and the camaraderie. We prayed for, cheered, and encouraged each other, as well as Mesu! I’ve been blessed by being a part of this group.
Hello,
Yes, I am enjoying being a part of BFF. I may not comment much but I do read and enjoy learing and praying along side of you and your leaders.
When I found out I was picked to be one of the BFF I didn’t realize just how much it would come to mean to me. I look forward to reading the blogs, newsletters and devotionals every week and learning more about scriptures. I feel the best thing about being in this group is knowing that you always have people to turn to, no matter what is going on, you will have the BFF family praying for you, giving advice, or just giving you moral support. I have never met any of the BFF fine ladies but I feel that I know them. It’s wonderful to be able to support Mesu with her writings, I might not be doing the leg work(or in Mesu’s case, the finger work) but knowing that she is counting on me to pray for her when she needs it is such a honor, for it makes me feel like I am helping her in some small way with whatever book she is working on. Being in this group is really a honor!!! Thank you Mesu, Tina and Angie for picking me.
Hi, Mesu.
Alternate BFF reporting in!!
Being part of this group has been fun because it’s given me an opportunity to get to know more about “Mesu the Person” as well as “Mesu the Author.” I’ve also enjoyed meeting your team members, Tina and Angie. I see Angie quite often on Facebook and really enjoy our growing friendship. I’ve enjoyed reading the blogs and posts of many of your BFFs that I’ve met here. And, the “scavenger hunt” we did awhile back was a hoot!
Regarding the book-writing/publishing business ~ I’m an avid reader, but I’ve also been a wanna-be writer for a long time. I’ve learned here that writing involves far more than just putting words on paper and sending them to a publisher. The amount of research that goes into each of your books is daunting ~ and that’s just one aspect of the process. I’ve heard you talk about proposals and deadlines and having to cut words ~ so many things that most of us don’t think about when we pick up a book. But, you do all that and more and your dedication to your profession shows in the quality of your final product.
Regarding team communications ~ I’m on Facebook daily and that’s where I get most of my “Mesu” updates. I find it helpful that Angie posts links from there to the website where I can catch up on the latest BFF news and/or devotionals. I also get email updates, but like most of us, I get so much email I sometimes miss one that I really intended to read. So, for me, when I look for updates, it’s Facebook first, then the website, then email.
Before I sign off, I must admit ~ I’ve not always been a Biblical fiction fan, but that was before I encountered Mesu Andrews!! Your books, so rich with detail, bring characters to life in such a vivid way that I get drawn right into the thick of the story. I have found them to be both entertaining as well as a great way to learn more about what life was like “back in the day.” Best of all, your writing has helped me see that history really is His Story!!
Loving Him and each of you to infinity and beyond!
Becky
I still can’t believe I was picked to be a part of the BFF’s. I have NO writing talent, just love to read. What I have learned is there are some pretty amazing ladies out there with hearts of gold! I absolutely adore how women are encouraging each other for HIS purposes.
It has also given me a glimpse to your world Mesu. Can I just say how much I love and adore you? Your sweet spirit, your amazing writing talent, your ability to connect others….dare I go on?
Some days I can barely keep my head above water with our crazy life. I so appreciate the women here who keep pointing me back to the LIGHT!
Thank you for picking me!
Jeannine (aka J9)
A good book and a cozy chair is my idea of a vacation. I don’t even have to leave the great state of Arkansas to go somewhere new or to meet new people. More and more authors are putting themselves out there for readers and that is how I first met Mesu. After reading Love Amid the Ashes I contacted Mesu through her website and shared with her how much I enjoyed her book and how God was using her gifts to bring him glory.
Being one of Mesu’s BFFs is a wonderful privilege. Not only do I get to encourage Mesu but the simple act of sharing her books and the messages within them – perseverance, hope, forgiveness, faith under pressure – is my way of encouraging others. A trickle down blessing if you will.
The team is an amazing and diverse group of women whom God has tangled together. We learn from one another, we pray for one another, we build each other up!
Mesu has shared so many new insights about the writing process. I never knew that authors worked on multiple books simultaneously. Prior to being a part of the team I also wasn’t aware of the different “systems” and schedules that writers use to make their deadlines. It’s really all fascinating.
I believe that our team has great communications. The Facebook group is a great way of sharing content and I do enjoy the devotionals that you talented ladies publish for us.
I don’t have anything else to add at this time but I will brainstorm and comment again later.
Thanks to all of the BFFs who are willing to openly share your lives with me!
Big Hugs & Blessings,
Amanda Geaney
Author
WOW! I’m sitting here, alone for the first time in two weeks, ready to ball my eyes out. Y’all are so sweet. So amazing. Such fantastic encouragers! How do I even begin top thank you for all you’ve done during the past six months? I’m thrilled to hear you’ve been blessed by your experience as BFFs, and Tina, Angie, and I will continue to work to make it better. We love your suggestions! You’ve been SOOOOOOON gracious when our efforts have fallen short, and we believe the Lord choose the folks on our first team roster to be utterly grace – giving! Ha! Your comments above have done more than just encourage… I’ll use them to help describe what our new BFFs can expect with the summer campaign. Please begin praying with me now that the Lord will prepare the hearts of those He’s calling to join our group! Applications begin August 1 st, and new members will be announced on September 1st. Watch my Friday blog posts for more details! 😉
I have really enjoyed being a MBFF – learning some of the processes you have to go through to get the final product has been quite educational and also make me appreciate authors more. It has been a real honour to have been part of promoting your book to friends in New Zealand. Thank you for including me in your MBFFs. I’ve loved the encouraging and enthusiastic emails from Angie and Tina and others and the devotional a have been rather special. It’s amazing being part of a worldwide group all with a shared purpose of encouraging you, Mesu, and supporting you in prayer. This is a wonderful team of people and God has you covered in prayer throughout all the different time zones 🙂