TRIUMPHANT TEENS SPEAK OUT!
Added: (Sat May 18 2002)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Contact: Allison Gappa Bottke
editor@godallowsuturns.com
507-334-6464
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TRIUMPHANT TEENS SPEAK OUT!
Acclaimed Book Series Calls for True Stories
SPRING/SUMMER 2002 -- FARIBAULT, MN -- The popular God Allows U-Turns book series announces a call for stories to be part of a very special edition of God Allows U-Turns to be published in 2003. The book, tentatively titled TRIUMPHANT TEENS: True Stories of Hope and Healing for Today’s Teens, will consist of real-life accounts of ordinary teens doing extraordinary things with God’s help.
Touching on hard-hitting, real life topics in today’s world, the series compiler is looking for nitty-gritty, true human-interest stories with a spiritual application, affirming ways in which faith is expressed in the daily life of a teen. “Today’s teens have a lot to say about God. We expect the true stories in this special volume to surprise everyone with their depth of feeling and poignant reminder of how God is at work in the hearts of young people around the world,” says Allison Gappa Bottke, creator of The God Allows Turns series. Bottke is looking for well written, personal inspirational pieces showing how faith in God can inspire, encourage and heal. Hope should prevail. These stories will touch the emotions of teens, showing how a change of heart, attitude, thought, and/or behavior occurred that clearly describes a u-turn toward God.
The broad audience for this book is ages 12-18, but most readers will fall in the 13-15, possibly 16, age range. “Our writers are a diverse group with no limits on age or denomination – but the story theme must involve a teenager and a teen topic,” Bottke said. “Perhaps you know a teen whose story is perfect but they choose not to write it -- you may want to write that teen's story using the byline, ‘as told to.’”
Triumphant Teens will include true stories in categories such as: Heroes and Mentors, Trends versus Tradition, Family and Friends, Music and Movies, Life Lessons, Ethics and Integrity, Peer Pressure, Virtue, Relationships, Trust, Courage, God’s Love and God’s Plan, Hope and Healing and the ever-popular chapter called: New Direction U-Turns.
“What God Allows Turns currently offers in our books, and what we strive to offer, is the message that no matter what our age when it comes to challenging circumstances, there is always another turn in the road, where there is hope and lives are changed. People around the world tell us how the stories in previous volumes of God Allows U-Turns have touched their lives and helped them turn toward God – now the time has come to develop a collection that will impact and influence teenagers around the globe,” said Bottke.
The first two books in the series, God Allows U-Turns and More God Allows U-Turns were published in 2001 by Promise Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing in association with Alive Communications, Inc. Volume three, God Allows U-Turns: A Woman’s Journey is scheduled to release in July of 2002 and volume four, American Moments: True Stories of Hope and Healing from National Crisis will release in the fall of 2002. Publishers Weekly says; “This is not a book to read in one sitting – the bite-sized chapters should be savored one or two at a time, like chocolates from a sampler.” The acclaimed book series is currently sweeping the nation and a national media and promotions campaign is underway.
The deadline for submission of stories for the “Triumphant Teen” volume is November 2002. Submissions must be from 500-1,500 words with a few exceptions for longer ones. The editor requests one time non-exclusive rights and will pay from $50-$100, depending on word count and if the story was previously published. Detailed submission guidelines and further information can be found online at www.godallowsuturns.com, by emailing editor@godallowsuturns.com or by writing to God Allows U-Turns, P.O. Box 717, Faribault, MN 55021-0717. Include a SASE.