by jphilo | Jan 12, 2010 | Book Updates
I’m pretty sure birth order explains my life long tendency to exaggerate. I was born smack dab in the middle of my sibs, three years younger than my blond and beautiful older sister, three years older than my carrot top, charming clown of a brother. In those circumstances exaggeration was a necessary survival skill, the only way to get the attention in the presence of siblings who had whole bucket loads of beauty and charm I didn’t have.
The downside of my childhood bent to magnify reality still haunts me. No one in my family believed anything I say unless tangible proof was provided. They still don’t. So for several years after securing Les Stobbe as an agent, all my rellies thought I was making him up because our business was conducted via email. A few years ago, Les and I met at a writers’ conference. He took several of his clients to supper, and our waitress took picture of the five of us. Armed with proof, I snuffed out my clan’s doubts by posting an “I told you so” blog and the photo.
In case they have niggling and unrealistic suspicions about my ability to doctor photos, more proof came to light a few days ago. Les emailed to announce his new website, StobbeLiterary.com. He also asked to put some information about me on his client page. (If you scroll down on the client page, you’ll find A Different Dream for My Child listed, too.) He probably thought I agreed because the exposure could boost my career.
But if that’s what he thinks, he’s giving me too much credit. I just want more proof for the fam. And now I have. If you don’t believe me, sibs, visit StobbeLiterary.com. My agent, Les Stobbe, exists!
by jphilo | Nov 19, 2009 | Book Updates
If you are one of the groupies who’ve been following the unexpected positive progress of the mystery novel set Ginger Work and I collaborated on, you need to sit down. I have some disappointing news. In a recent email from a very kind editor, we were informed that Bethany House has decided not to pursue publication of our mysterty manuscript, set in the wilds of northwest South Dakota and southeastern Montana.
Before you start sending condolences, please realize that the project stayed alive much longer than expected. And before you mutter anything unkind about the editor, you should know that she sent a very long and encouraging critique, suggesting ways to rewrite the story and expressing interest in seeing any rewrites we might do.
So as far as rejections go, this one was a winner. For me, it was also an answer to prayer, because life has been busy lately – what with book promotion, two blogs, an increase in speaking engagements, and a son getting married in April – and I knew something had to give. So I’d been asking God to make clear what to pursue in the next several months, and He sure did.
The day we received the Bethany House rejection, the editor at Discovery House (They published A Different Dream for My Child) to say they would like to see another book proposal after the first of the year. They’re interested in a guide for parents with spiritual applications, a practical companion for A Different Dream.
But don’t think the mystery has been abandoned. Ginger has my blessing to pursue the suggested rewrite and submit it on her own. And once there’s a break in my writing schedule, my fingers are itching to flesh out new mystery idea that keeps dancing in the back of my brain.
However, for the next month I’ll put meat on what are as yet the very bare bones of the requested book proposal. If you have ideas about issues that should be addressed, please send them my way. I need all the help I can get!
by jphilo | Sep 30, 2009 | Book Updates
Yesterday one of my writer friends directed me to a snazzy feature available at the Amazon web page for A Different Dream for My Child. Now, I knew the page was the place to buy the book, which you’re all welcome to do if you have some spare dollars burning a hole in your pocket. But I didn’t know that partway down the page were the statistics about how the book was selling. I’m not sure if the information is available to the general public, but somehow it shows up for me. Hmm.
Initially, I thought this feature was just about the coolest thing ever. Especially since my book was #17 in the category of Books > Children’s Books > Religions > Christianity > Devotional. Of course, that was before I realized what you may already have noticed. Different Dream is categorized as a children’s book, which it’s not. But still, I decided, when I discovered that narrow category had over 100 books in it, my baby was holding its own.
And this morning, when I checked the stats again, I was overjoyed to see Different Dream at #12 in its narrow category, and it had cracked the top #100 in the wider category of all Christian devotional books. “How about them apples?” I was thinking as my emotions soared. “Best sellers list, here I come.”
I was pretty smug, dollar signs dancing in my eyes, until I had to go to the page again this afternoon (Okay, so I didn’t have to go to the page; I just wanted to) and saw it had dropped to #27 in its narrow category, which as we know is the wrong category, and my spirits plunged.
By this point I was fed up, tired of my feelings rising and plummeting like those pesky line graphs we made in junior high math class. I hated making them way back when, and now here my innards were, an emotional facsimile of the same, dratted things. Dry, boring statistics I didn’t know existed had invaded and taken control of my life. Eww!
But, no more. From now on, to the best of my ability, I resolve to ignore the Amazon statistics. And I will implement that resolution after checking my stats one last time.
Bummer. #31
by jphilo | Sep 27, 2009 | Book Updates
After weeks of hair-pulling, mental anguish, and nail-biting www.DifferentDream.com, the website companion to my new book, is up and running!
You are cordially invited to visit the website and spend some time there. Your comments and advice concerning the topics discussed in the blog posts are most welcome, even coveted. My goal for the website is to provide a place for parents of special needs or very sick children to find advice, encouragement, hope and a community.
According to a book store manager I spoke with today, the distributor says it will be available at book stores around the middle of September. But according to the publisher, it’s set for release on September first. So it should be available for purchase through the link at DifferentDream.com or through these outlets:
Amazon
Christianbook.com
Discovery House Publishers
But, if you want a copy immediately, contact me. I have three cases ready to sign and sell!
by jphilo | Aug 27, 2009 | Book Updates
For the past week, every waking moment of my life (and this blog) has been consumed by the publication of my book. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. After all, I’ve been working toward this goal for almost four years.
But now and then, a writer needed to breathe normal air, not the heady perfume of printer’s ink and rising blog traffic statistics. In that case, this morning’s annual physical and mammogram were just what the doctor ordered. There’s nothing like being poked, prodded, bled, and squashed to deflate the ego and remind a person she puts her underwear on one leg at a time just like everybody else.
- Waiting for the nurse, the doctor, lab tech, and the rad tech to do their things left me with plenty of time to think about all the normal stuff waiting to be done at home.
- The basil needs to be clipped and turned into pesto.
- Me and Mr. Clean have a date with the kitchen that can’t be postponed any longer.
- Ditto for the Tidy Bowl man and the bathrooms.
- The dust on the furniture is getting thick.
- The weeds are winning in the flower beds, again.
- It’s time to organize my photo CDs and interview tapes, and speaking DVDs.
- I need to learn iMovie and turn my digital movies into demo speaking DVDs.
- First of the month – time to pay the bills.
Boy, was I glad when the lab tech jabbed me with a needle, and I had something less painful to think about.
But, I wonder, when will I get everything done? I figure right after I spend this weekend scrapbooking with my sister-in-law is soon enough. Unless my book becomes a best seller before then. Fat chance, but a writer’s gotta have her dreams.
by jphilo | Aug 21, 2009 | Book Updates
The first copy of
A DIfferent Dream for My Child:
Meditations for Parents of Critically or Chronically
Ill Children
was safely delivered on August 20, 2009
to Jolene Philo
Length: 267 pages
Gestation Period: Three years
Available for viewing: Immediately
Available for purchase: September 1, 2009
Purchase Locations:
Discovery House Publisher (receive a 10% discount)
Amazon
Christian Book Distributors
Christian Book Stores
Signed copies can be purchased from their mother, Jolene Philo.
