Reader Feedback - the not so Good and the Great

Plants bloom after rain falls, bringing color on the journey along the Appalachian Trail

I thought this was a perfect picture to illustrate what happened, and quite unexpectedly. Many weeks back I received some reader feedback cards having to do with my last book for Heartsong Presents - Wasatch Love. I must say it was rather discouraging. I received only negative remarks. One reader basically said the book had no redeeming value whatsoever. As was written - "I HATED IT!! Too much sex junk!! Not Christian!" Inspirational theme - "Where??" 

Another wrote - I would have enjoyed it more if - "Sin and fornication weren't taken so lightly and matter-of-factly. Forgiveness and true repentance should have been clearer."

I was devastated. I wondered if I had missed the mark with regards to this work. In fact, when the editor sent me the galley proofs for the book to be included in the fall re-release of the Utah series, I looked it over, trying to keep an open mind to see where it may have fallen flat. Truthfully, I could not see it. I believed that while the characters were indeed flawed (as we all are!) God provides a pathway to redemption. Through their situation, they were able to grow together in friendship and eventually in love.     

Fast forward. I open the mailbox today to find a fresh batch of feedback forms on my books. Inwardly my spirit groaned. More folks complaining about this godless work. But looking through them, there was not one negative comment. And nestled among the forms was a handwritten letter by a reader. I hope she won't mind me sharing some of her words that she wrote concerning Wasatch Love - 

"This (book) is one of the most comprehensive Heartsong Presents novels I've ever read on rebuilding relationships with God directly involved and doing the work.

"You fill the pages with how to's for love, finding Jesus, healing wounds, fixing relationships, caring for others...

"Thank you for helping to reignite my counseling efforts. You are dear to me."

Wow! Talk about a complete and total reversal. I thought I had blown it with this book. But I realized that this is really God's ministry. God's work. His work through what I can do with my meager means of writing. No, my books won't please everyone. Just so long as I please God with it and pray the story reaches those few to see the message - that with God, all things are possible.  

Veterans Day and My Book, Seneca Shadows

This Wednesday marks Veterans Day when we remember our fine men and women who have made the sacrifice in defending our nation. I have been humbled as an author to bring some of these valiant stories to life in my books, and one of them being Seneca Shadows, currently reprinted in the collection, Mountaineer Dreams that is in stores right now. It tells the story of a captain who trains soldiers for maneuvers on the famed Seneca Rocks in West Virginia and falls in love with a girl who lives nearby.

I just recently received the most lovely e-mail from a World War II veteran who happened to read Seneca Shadows. I'd like to share what he wrote to me:

"I just finished reading Seneca Shadows. It brought back fond memories of my time at mountain climbing school at Seneca Rocks. I recognized the picture on the cover instantly. I took to mountain climbing like a duck to water. It was the best time I had while I was in the Army. I was with the 95th Infantry Division. Following climbing school we had mountain maneuvers and practiced our new skills with the troops. We were then shipped to Europe and ultimately to Omaha Beach in France. I was wounded and after my recovery I was in the Battle of the Bulge. After WWII I went to college on the G.I. bill and graduated from Cornell University as an Electrical Engineer. Many years later I retired as a Senior Scientist. My brother and his wife were mountain climbers also. Since I don't have email access they are emailing this "Thank You" to you for me."

God bless this brave man and so many others like him who have served our nation (including my father-in-law, Ken Bliss) and those who are currently serving now, including my nephew Andrew Braun, the son of a friend, Dan Miller, and a son of another good friend, Phil McDowell. God be with them and preserve them in the fight for freedom. Pray for them and all our armed forces.

Promoting Part 2: Book Trailers

As I shared last week, there is a great deal involved in promoting your book. Writing is not all. Authors now need to get their books into the hands of readership so they can enjoy the fruit of one's labors - which is an entertaining story. This week I want to explore other areas of author promotion, specifically through the use of media. Above is the book trailer that Trailer to the Stars produced for my new release this fall, Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Many authors are now resorting to this new use of a multimedia presentation to promote books. It is like a commercial, if you will, to showcase the important aspects of the book and allow a glimpse between the pages through the use of visual arts, music, narration and special effects. Some choose to produce their own video trailers while others use professional companies such as the one that produced this video to make a quality product. While this avenue did require an investment on my part, it is a way to reach readers much like ads on television do to reach consumers. The money invested also pays for copyrighted material of photography and music (which authors need to be aware of when producing their own trailers) as well as a professional narrator. Having the trailer then allows for creative outlets to advertise the book on the Internet through web sites such as Christian Book Videos which then displays videos for potential readers to examine. You can also make DVDs of the trailer to pass around to interested readers and in bookstore promo packets, or to embed in other sites such as your Facebook account and web sites.

One day I have a desire to see a book brought to the big screen. For now this is my tease, if you will, a glimpse through photography and music that I hope will bring interested readers into the pages of this historical novel.

In Tribute of a Dear Fan of my Books...

For the next ten days I will leave this blog up - a tribute to the loss of a beloved fan of my books.

As a writer I tended to take my readers for granted. Those that have read my books and who have sought to talk to me about them. This week I lost a dear reader who deeply loved my work, and I suddenly found myself thinking about my readers.

Cindy enjoyed reading every single title I had. Over the last few months before she passed away suddenly, we were in contact through Facebook and enjoyed communicating with each other.

When I put up on my Facebook page a few photos from a fall hike I took (including the one seen here), here was Cindy's response to the collection -

"These pics are just like your books --=-- they take me on adventures that I cannot go myself! Thanks for sharing them!"

I am deeply grateful for all those who have enjoyed my work and have sent letters and e-mails of encouragement. They have spurred me on to continue in this challenging road of writing and publishing. There are times I found the road difficult. At times hard to press on. But it is fans like dear Cindy that have kept me on the straight and narrow and have allowed me to go places with my writing I never thought I would go. I will greatly miss her encouragement and enthusiasm.