ANNOUNCING New
e-book release by comedic author, Janice Hanna Thompson: I Must Decrease: Biblical
Inspiration and Encouragement for Dieters
Sure! As
a comedic author, I usually write light-hearted stories. I’m known as the funny
girl. I get the giggles and chuckle my way through most situations. Not
everything is funny, however. When it came to my weight, however, I had very
little to laugh about. Most of my readers didn’t realize the health crisis I
was facing as a result of the added pounds. I needed to get things under
control, so I started counting calories and watching what I ate. Out of that
came my non-fiction book, I MUST DECREASE (which released in paperback in
2005). The book is set up in a daily devotional format and it meant to bring
humor (as well as dieting tips) to Christians who need/want to lose weight.
The title
came as a result of a prayer time at church. I’d gone up for prayer and the
gentleman praying for me used the scripture (John 3:30) as he prayed for me: “He must increase, but I must
decrease.” For
whatever reason, it got me tickled. I’d never thought about that particular
scripture having anything to do with dieting before, but it suddenly felt
right.
Can you tell us about the layout
of the book?
Each
day’s devotion offers the following:
·
Ticklers: A humorous quote or “thought for the
day” to tickle your funny bone.
·
Tidbits: A “Did You Know?” area offering tidbits
of information from multiple sources.
·
Traps: Common misconceptions and/or food “traps”
we often fall into
·
Tricks: “Tricks of the trade” to help you stick
with your plan
·
Treats: Clever snack and food ideas for the
healthy eater
·
Testimonies: Personal testimonies of others
who’ve faced the weight loss challenge and won (including some prominent
personalities)
·
Treasures: Daily scripture reference
·
Tips: Devotional for the day, based on the daily
scripture above
·
Turning Your Focus: A variety of ways you can reach out to others
·
Today’s Food Choices: A reminder to write down
your daily food choices
·
Thoughts on Paper: Encouragement to keep a daily
journal entry
Why did you choose the humorous
approach?
Being
overweight is nothing to laugh at, but most people who want to lose weight are
tired of the serious, "Thou shalt not" approach. Many are ready for a
lighthearted look at weight loss--"a practical devotional approach that
offers scriptural advice in a way that encourages and never condemns. I decided
to share light-hearted ways that dieters could lose weight and still keep their
humor intact. This way I could keep my funny bone intact while losing weight.
Who contributed to the book?
I MUST DECREASE contains tips and testimonies from several well-known (and much-loved)
Christian authors, including Mary Connealy, Lena Nelson Dooley, Martha Rogers,
Kristin Billerbeck, Laurie Alice Eakes, Carrie Turansky, Marcia Gruver, Deb
Ulrich, Gina Bishop, Pam Hillman and Lynette Sowell. I adore these ladies and
am so grateful for their input.
Who can benefit from this book?
I would
say that anyone concerned with his or her weight (or the weight of a loved one)
could benefit from reading. Whether you want to drop five pounds or 150 pounds,
this is the book to help you achieve that goal.
Can you tell us about the special
feature?
This
e-book version of my devotional contains a few of my favorite low-cal recipes.
Bon Appetite!
What sort of feedback have you
gotten from readers so far?
Here’s
what one Amazon reader had to say: “This Book Works!
I loved this book. As soon as I started reading I was not only motivated to
lose weight, but inspired that I actually could this time. I lost 39 lbs and
feel free from the bondage that food can put you in. This is a lite-hearted
book with biblical principals as well as helpful hints to rid yourself of
unwanted pounds without "Dieting" or "Dieing" to eat. The
journal pages have been so instrumental to my progress, do not read the book
without using the journal section daily!” May 26, 2011 (by megamomma)
Why did you decide to offer the
book for free for the first five days?
I love
the kindle select program and thought it would be fun to jump-start the process
by giving away the book from February 22nd – February 26th.
Readers can download the book for free by following this link to I MUST DECREASE.
I would
love to! More than a year ago I started a private group on Facebook for a
handful of ladies (like myself) who wanted to have the camaraderie of fellow
Christian dieters. The group has since grown! Men and women are welcome to join
us, but if you do, be prepared to share recipes, fun and tidbits from your
personal journey. What happens in I MUST DECREASE stays in I MUST DECREASE!
That’s why the group will always remain private. To
apply to the group, follow this link to I MUST DECREASE.
What happens when the “freebie”
days end?
The book will still be available for purchase on Amazon (and
eventually on Barnes and Noble).
Any advice for the
road?
Sure! Make sure you write down what you eat every day. This
simple process forces you to look at the calories/carbs you’re consuming. It
also makes you very aware of the slip-ups! I use a great site called fitday.com, which I highly recommend!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the
pseudonym Janice Hanna. She has published nearly eighty books for the Christian
market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances,
nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more. She particularly
enjoys writing light-hearted, comedic tales because she enjoys making readers
laugh. In addition, she enjoys public speaking and mentoring young writers.
Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of
the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. Her
tagline, “Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters!” sums up her take on life.
Connect with
Janice!
Facebook: JaniceHannaThompson
Twitter: booksbyjanice
I Must Decrease Facebook page
PHOTOS:
Book cover:
Author photo:
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