Author, Photographer and Storyteller
Editor
Ministry
Educator, PR & Marketing
Other Books
Author, Photographer and Storyteller
Burton has lived on the family farm his entire life. He has spent more than 40 years photographing God's gift of nature on this 40-acre farmstead. The setting for these books is the homestead that his grandfather settled in northern Minnesota when he emigrated from Finland more than 100 years ago. Burton and his wife of more than 40 years, Debra, continue to operate the farm, raising sheep and chickens along with their co-shepherd Arya, the shepherd dog. They felt it was a perfect place to raise a son. This is the setting where he read stories to his son every night before bedtime. He has learned the timeless nature of these books as he reads many of the same favorite picture books to his grandchildren.Order any of the three books featured on this website by clicking the order button by each book.
Editor
For the past 40 years Burton has provided his editing skills to a variety of projects. He was managing editor of a corporate history book publisher. He is currently the editor of The Senior Reporter magazine in Minnesota.
He is a Gold Member of The Christian PEN Proofreaders and Editors Network, and a member of the Christian Editors Connection.
Burton is dedicated to helping other Christian authors achieve their dream of being published. His primary experience has been with self publishing independently, in cooperative efforts, with hybrid publishers and Kindle Direct Publishing. Burton provides substantive editing in adult nonfiction, fiction and children’s books.
He provides either writing or editing services on public relations and marketing such as sales flyers, newsletters, blogs, websites and magazine stories. If you are new to Christian publishing he can coach you on the process of publishing your first book from start to finish. Contact Burton through the contact form on this website to start the process of a project quote, and to move ahead in your Christian publishing journey.
Ministry
Over 15 years starting in the 1990s, he and his wife operated a ministry called Leadership BUS that taught teens and young adults leadership skills through being camp counselors. They worked with groups of volunteers to train church leaders across the nation to run day camps and have the teens plan and lead the camps, providing Christian role models for young children to look up to. They have taught young church leaders and camp staff through Christian Camping International in Russia and at Camp Penuel Costa Rica. In 2001, they published God's Day Camp-Your Teens Teaching Your Kids, a training manual for youth workers and camp directors on how to develop a teen-led day camp.
The Laines have been active in church planting, and feel their faith needs to be grounded in family and the local church. They are active as volunteer prayer ministers and prayer minister trainers. Burton is a gifted speaker and enjoys telling farm stories from his books, relating to how God works on the farm and in his life.
Educator, Public Relations and Marketing
As a former associate professor and a county 4-H youth development agent with the University of Minnesota Extension Service, his passion was encouraging youth to be the best that they can be. He has been a senior vice president of a regional marketing and public relations firm, and a consultant with the Small Business Development Center of the University of Minnesota. In these roles he worked with businesses to develop marketing and public relations strategies.
He currently works with a nonprofit as editor of The Senior Reporter magazine. His stories are richly illustrated with photography as he encourages seniors to be as active and healthy as possible. He reaches over 9,000 people in six annual issues of The Senior Reporter with his feature stories and photography that tell real life stories of inspiring seniors who are staying vital in the second half of life.
Burton has a Bachelor's degree in photo and editorial journalism and a Master's degree in adult education. He has been accredited and a member of the counselors academy of the Public Relations Society of America. A multi-national award winner as a photographer, writer and editor, Burton has had his stories and photographs published in more than 100 newspapers and magazines internationally. He has been a contributor to Group Publishing and the former Youth and Family Institute of Augsburg College.
Other Books by the Laines
The Laines published two other books in 2001. Burton published Positive Spin-A Manual to Promote Positive Images of Youth. Burton and Debra published Building Kids Into Leaders. This was an encouragement to parents of millennials, describing ways to involve youth in the church so they continue to be committed to their faith in the years after high school. These books sell directly from Burton for $15.00 each with free shipping.
These two books are no longer being offered on amazon.com. Use the contact form on this website as an inquiry If you are interested in either of these books or the day camp training manual God’s Day Camp—Your Teens Leading Your Kids. The training manual sells for $35 with free shipping.