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Posts Tagged ‘Amanda Robbie’

Messy Houses: An International Problem

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 7 November, 2014| 2 Comments »

It’s more than a year since my book The Ministry of a Messy House was published. It’s been a fun year, seeing something I can’t quite believe that I produced stocked in catalogues and bookshops and conferences. I’ve had opportunities to speak on the grace of God in our messes and muddle and have a couple more speaking engagements coming up next year. People have commented encouragingly on the book here and in a few other spots on the internet. Comments have come from the UK and also further afield: Australia, New Zealand and the US I think.

And this week I’ve had confirmation that The Ministry of a Messy House is going to be translated and published in Germany by Neukirchener. The contract has been signed but I’m not sure when it will be available to buy. I can’t say that a German translation was something I anticipated as I was writing! The proposed new title seems rather lengthy:

Herrlich Unperfekt: Erfrischende Geständnisse einer chaotischen Pfarrfrau

which according to Google translate is:

Delightfully Imperfect: refreshing confessions of a chaotic pastor’s wife

I think they may have sussed me out….

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New Year Book News

Posted in Books, Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 January, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I think you’re all *probably* aware that last year I wrote a book. Over Christmas a couple more reviews appeared online – Mark Cresswell posted on his blog and E D Farr posted on Amazon

And my publisher, IVP, have a special offer on e-books which expires today. Books are priced from 99p, and The Ministry of a Messy House is going for £2.50. The e-books work on Kindles and other specialist readers, and on tablet apps, but you could also read it on your PC or laptop if you don’t have those gadgets. If you like, of course.

I’m now waiting with a little trepidation to see what unexpected things the Lord has in store for me in 2014. I already seem to be committed to a speaking engagement in March (and one in 2015 – nothing like planning ahead, eh?!). And now I have something new in January too. I will be travelling up to the UCB studios in Stoke on Trent to talk about mess and the Christian with Paul Hammond for his Life Issues programme. Not until the end of the month, so I have time to clear my head from the Christmas fuzziness that seems to have set in. I’m not sure when the programme will be broadcast, but I’ll let you know…

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Messy Winners!

Posted in Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 16 December, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Morning all. I have drawn names from a bread basket this morning and am pleased to announce that the winners of a free copy of The Ministry of a Messy House are:

  • fabulouslyfreefrom
  • Dawn
  • Jenni Thompson
  • Liz Davis
  • Claire
  • Keith Bools

If you email your postal address to thevicarswifey AT gmail DOT com, I shall package your book and send it out asap. Probably tomorrow, as I am away for the day today. If you didn’t win but still want a copy, ThinkIVP (my publisher’s bookshop) has the best price, but you can also get the book at Amazon, 10ofthose and The Good Book Company if that’s more convenient for you. Also available as an e-book, including a Kindle version, if you want to start reading immediately!

MMH IVP marketing tweet

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Messy Advent Giveaway

Posted in Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 9 December, 2013| 30 Comments »

If you’re like me, you probably have one or two (= about a hundred) things left to do to prepare for Christmas. Here in the Vicarage, we have been reading a few of the Jesse Tree readings at teatime but have so far failed to actually get a suitable twig to hang the decorations from. We’ve been pulling the decorations from their tin as we read. And then popping them back, saying ‘We must get a twig to hang these from’. And failing. Are things a bit upside down in your house too? Maybe you even have a few (all the?) pressies still left to buy. Or you need some encouragement in the final flapping. So, in a spirit of festive helpfulness, I have six paper copies of The Ministry of a Messy House to give away in time for Christmas.

Tell me below the latest you’ve been up wrapping on Christmas Eve in the comment box below and on Sunday evening I’ll draw six names out and post your book out first thing next Monday.

MMH IVP marketing tweet

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All the News (Well Some Edited Highlights Anyway)

Posted in Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 25 November, 2013| 1 Comment »

Vicarage life has been as busy as ever this weekend. A few highlights:

  • Gone is back. He’s just out of prison and has set up camp under our hedge. He had a hostel place available, but he hates hostels so hasn’t gone there. He spent his release money on an mp3 player and a mobile phone (which he’s already lost). The Vicar gave him a hat, scarf, gloves and a big coat. The coat is also lost. We also provided a sleeping bag, blanket and mat. But it’s pretty chilly there out under the hedge and Gone is frailer again. Trouble is that he’s one of those people who struggle to operate within the system that’s provided. He reminds me of the Lady in the Van whom Alan Bennett wrote about. Do pray for him and for all those trying to help.
  • We had a Ladies’ Craft Night. Dreamer had printed lovely fliers and told lots of people about the evening. And she and I had a meeting on Monday all about the crafts and plans for the evening. But then family illness meant she had to be away from the parish. So a couple of valiant church ladies stepped into the breach and helped me to set up and heaps of people helped to clear up afterwards. And somehow, by God’s grace, I managed to prepare the crafts AND a talk – all very simple, I hasten to add. And we had a wonderful night of chatting, creativity, delicious puddings and thinking about how Mary prepared for Christmas. Happily, the only problem was that there wasn’t enough time. So plans are now afoot for an Easter Craft Night – a great way to get church and friends together and share both the gospel and our lives.
  • We went out for Sunday lunch at SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE. An unusual experience for us – and a lovely one. Our friends are Tongolese so we ate rice and fried chicken and sweet fried dumpling and lots of other yummies with spicy sauce on the side. It was so so lovely to have a Sunday off catering and God’s timing was perfect – the Craft Night was the previous evening.
  • A couple of people have posted reviews of The Ministry of a Messy House over the weekend: Rachel found it encouraging and Gary‘s favourite story was the one about the communion bread (I think this is everyone’s favourite). Martha hasn’t posted a review, but an interview with me about the book.
  • My kitchen is very chilly. So much so that I’m even going to do some ironing and hope the heat from the steam will defrost my fingers.

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Find the Messy Book

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , , , on 16 November, 2013| 1 Comment »

A friend tagged me last night on Facebook with this picture of her copy of The Ministry of a Messy House. It took her a while to find it on the table. Looks almost identical to our hall table. Although I think there’s a miniature Amy Pond figure there rather than a toy gun. I’m sure there’s some great ministry going on in her house.

Messy book lost

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Messy Link

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 4 November, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I have just got round to putting a direct link to my publisher, IVP, on the blog. It’s at the top of the right hand column. If you click through you’ll get to the ThinkIVP website, where IVP books (and books from other Christian publishers) are available at great discounts. You can get The Ministry of a Messy House there for only £5.99 and the e-book version at £5 – the cheapest pretty much anywhere. ThinkIVP donate 20% of all spending on the site towards Growing Timothys – providing books to leaders in Africa and across the majority world. So if you’re wanting a copy, you know it makes sense…

IVPheaderNB This makes me an IVP affiliate, so I receive a fee for referrals. If you buy a few books I might buy a takeaway and save on the washing up one night. Or do something more godly with the money – I shall have to think of a creative giving idea to go with the book.

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Published! Sort of.

Posted in Books, Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 7 October, 2013| 4 Comments »

It’s a strange feeling. My book is physically made. And here it is, on a proper bookstall at the Midlands Women’s Convention this weekend just gone:

For sale!

For sale!

I even saw a few people there buying the book. Including some that I didn’t even know. And now I’m not quite sure what will happen. I have a plan for a launch type event in Birmingham on 26th October. And possibly something in Lichfield too. And I’m going to speak to a women’s bible study group next week. I’ve not really done speaking stuff before, but I’ve had a few requests in and am going to give it a whirl.

We’re in a slightly strange in-between time as the official publication date is not until 18th October, but if you go to the Northern Women’s Convention next weekend you can get a copy and The Good Book Company will be stocking it at the London Women’s Convention the weekend after. It’s worth going to the conventions even if you don’t buy my book, incidentally. Jodi Hinds’ talks on Hebrews 12 in Derby were encouraging, warm and gently challenging – she’s speaking in Manchester. Lizzy Smallwood is giving the talks in London – and is always worth listening to.

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The Big Book Countdown Begins

Posted in Church, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 30 September, 2013| 2 Comments »

It’s a busy season in the Vicarage. These last few weeks we’ve had a Confirmation service, multiple bring and share lunches, sick kids, secondary school open days and a new Ministry Trainee all arriving at once. And to top it all, my book is about to be published. Less than a year ago I was up front for a few brief seconds in a seminar at the Midlands Womens’ Convention and next Saturday, as a direct result of those few words I shared (mainly about this blog), my book will be available prior to the official publication date at this year’s convention at Derby County Cricket Club.

Normally IVP send their authors their own special copies before the book goes on sale. But my book has gone so close to the wire that the first copy I see will most likely be with Jonathan Carswell of 10ofthose, who is running the bookstall at the convention. I shall be at the convention with some lovely ladies from my church, but am hoping to be about near the bookstall for a bit. Maybe I’ll see you there?

The Good Book Company have been publicising The Ministry of A Messy House too. We had this flyer in the post a couple of weeks ago:

Look! On the same page as C S Lewis!

Look! On the same page as C S Lewis.

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My Book! Being (Pre-)Sold!

Posted in Books, tagged , , , , , , , , on 5 July, 2013| 7 Comments »

I came back from a day off trip to look at pianos to a bit of a surprise today. Our ancient piano was condemned by the tuner the other week because a bunch of keys have stopped playing and are only fixable at the cost of more than a replacement instrument. And the Engineer is just starting some new pieces and is finding the absence of random notes rather tiresome. So off we went to inexpertly chose one.

When we got home there were a few posts on my social media to tell me that the ever-enterprising Jonathan Carswell at 10ofthose has started to offer my book on pre-order. And my publisher IVP, are also offering it from their bookshop. I’m still needing to finish my approval of copy edits but there it is, on proper websites, with Ian Mitchell’s great illustration on the front. Ian’s never seen my kitchen but seems to know it surprisingly well, including the design of the chairs, the countless piles of clutter (tax files this week) and the iron left out optimistically in case I am suddenly overcome with a spurt of domesticity.

When I saw this I wondered if IVP had organised it to give me the jolt I need to finish the editing tasks that are waiting in my email inbox. Since I finished all the tax forms this morning, I really have no excuse now. Apart from the lovely sunshine. Have you seen how gorgeous it is out there? I promise I’ll do those edits next week. Honest.

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