Lorry Lutz's Blog, page 5

Is the story of the book on the cover?

Book covers are designed from different perspectives.  The author wants the cover to graphically display the purpose and heart of the book.. The artist tries to display his or her  artistic abilities .  The publisher wants a cover that  “sells!” The reader hopes the cover will tell her what this book is about.

Not every reader realizes that the author seldom has any control over the cover.  She may give suggestions– even a rough design, which may or not be used.  And as most authors’ contracts say, ‘the final decision rests with the publisher’.

Over the years I’ve had cover designs I’ve loved, and some I haven’t appreciated.  I received a suggested cover from Paternoster in England for Women as Rick Takers for God— a silhouette of two women’s faces, nose to nose, as though in confrontation. Instead the book was about women as leaders in the church around the world, joyfully and lovingly serving God.  I guess my disconcerted call from Turkey, where I was visiting my son, convinced the publisher he should try again.  And try he did with a creative cover that stands out from the rest.

I have included here the cover of my latest book, Daughters of Deliverance.  Do I like it?  Welllll– yes because it is very colorful  and attracts readers, which will please the publisher and probably my pocketbook.  But it doesn’t tell the story.  In fact, if you haven’t read Daughters of Deliverance  or the information on the back cover or on Amazon — what does it say to you?

Tell me, what do you look for in a cover?  What causes you to pick up the book , or click on Amazon’s picture to open and read?  I’m about ready to make suggestions for the sequel to Daughters of Deliverance.  It is titled The Queen’s Daughters. Consider yourself the artist for a moment.  You know little about the story — you really don’t have tie to read all the books you work on.  How would your cover fit the title?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rooting for another author in the family

Big day for my family.  My grandson-in-law launched his book, Jesus Journey.  I know the grueling hours this father of three put in.  I couldn’t resist writing him this letter:

Dear Trent,

I know what this day feels like.  The “baby” has been birthed—a relief and yet a bit of emptiness. Didn’t you grow with the people you wrote about, the insights you discovered, the creative challenge every time you sat down at the computer?

 

And you feel so proud of this “baby” but you don’t want to act proud.  Yet in order to get the baby to grow, you have to talk about it – you have to SELL. You almost feel as though you are selling yourself.

 

It looks like you’ve had some encouragement from your publisher. I’ve received  some new ideas about promoting my book, Daughters of Deliverance, myself today.  I’ve wanted to do a Facebook author page, but don’t know how.  I’ve struggled to write faithfully on my blog—and not very meaningfully either.  But we try and God moves the book along because He wants people to read and learn and be blessed.

 

I was encouraged to receive this review just a few days ago from a woman who serves on the board of a well-known and impactful NGO:

 

Just finished reading Daughters of Deliverance and wanted to thank you for sharing the book with me.  It was an incredible story that I had not heard before and of course it was so beautifully written.   The theme of wrestling and listening for what God wants us to do next in life was powerful.

Lorry

 

 

A Pleasant Shock

I had a pleasant shock today.  Daughters of Deliverance  rated ONE out of Amazon’s  top 100 free Inspirational Fiction books.  There’s still time for you to put Daughters of Deliverance  on your Kindle for  free through January 31. I check those numbers every day and there were days when it didn’t rank at all in the top 100.You can always buy either Kindle or print through Amazon books.

Publishing a book includes leaving yourself open not only to criticism but to undeserved praise.  I’m so thankful for the more than thirty readers who’ve taken the time and made the effort to write a review on Amazon. ( I need more! )

Here’s an example which encourages me to do all I can to see that  The Queen’s Daughters is published September 1,2017.

Although this is historical fiction set in the late 1800’s, the issues are as contemporary as today’s headlines. This is the story of Dr. Kate Bushnell, whose deep and authentic compassion for exploited women is matched only by her unflinching courage in the face of opposition. A good read. I’m eagerly waiting for the sequel, “The Queen’s Daughters”, which will complete the story of this extraordinary life.

I received a review that excited me several days ago which  opens up a whole new readership I hadn’t expected.Since teen-agers are so worldly-wise these days,they would understand  Kate’s passion to release women from sex-slavery.

While I was staying at my grandmothers house, I read your book ” Daughters of Deliverance.” I want you to know that I really like it and I think that you did a really good job writing that book.  I can’t wait for the sequel. Henna, 16 years old. ”

Since teenagers are so worldly-wise these days,they would understand  Kate’s passion to release women from sex-slavery.This  opens up a whole new readership I hadn’t expected.

 

 

 

Daughters of Deliverance

Writing a book has many stages — but  the most difficult for me  is to promote the book. Selling anything is not pleasant, even when it’s as great as Daughters of Deliverance.

When my husband and I were in college (he wasn’t my husband then– not even my room mate)one summer  we decided to sell World Book encyclopedias.  You probably don’t remember those beautiful red bumpy- textured covers with a black and gold title.  They really were a great family product– full of pictures in the years before TV.

The training class was superb. It sounded so easy. Just walk up to the door and knock.  A harried housewife answers and you tell her about this wonderful product that will entertain her children by the hour.  And educate them at the same  time.The harried house wife goes back into her kitchen for the  jar where she’s been saving for “something special,” brings out $100, and you’ve made a sale.

No, it didn’t work like that. Instead I didn’t want to knock on that front door.  I even prayed that there would be  no one at home.  You can imagine that I sold very few World  Books.  To be  honest — none!  My husband made 100% more sales than I did. He sold one– and we quit.

That must have been sixty-eight years ago.  And here I am selling books again.  But this one is fun.  I wrote it myself about a  courageous, persistent, caring woman  who obeyed God by rescuing women from mistreatment and slavery. Readers are telling me they  can’t wait to read The Queen’s Daughters — the rest of Katharine Bushnell’s story — coming out Sept. 1

So glad for others who help sell my book.  Those wonderful reviewers who keep moving the Amazon algorithm up — how else can you get Amazon’s attention? And  I’m thankful for a very  young journalist from the Highlands Ranch Herald who took time to hear my story, and write it.

I don’t even have to knock on your door.  You can go directly to Amazon  to read it for yourself.

Sorry that you can’t read the article .  It’s really pretty good, except I have 18 grandchildren instead of 8. Couldn’t figure out how to enlarge the type.  Just trust me. It’s good

 

 

Adding the dogs’ names

Well, I pulled a real goof the other day.  It reminds me of the days when I had five active youngsters in the house, and two dogs– sometimes with a litter of puppies.  Life was busy and I was often in a rush and inpatient — you know what it’s like to be a mother.

So now and then  I’d try to get Rodney’s  attention  and I’d start with, “Nathan–Mark–Randy–Sheila–Rodney.”  And one of the kids would laughingly add,”Shane– Floppy- Isipoogoo….”  Those were our dogs’ names.  It wasn’t really that bad, but they loved to catch me out.

So it must be the same thing with my books, which become like children while I’m working on them.  I just noticed that I pulled out the name of one of my favorite books – Destined For Royalty—,  in place of Daughters of Deliverance, in my blog the other day. Can’t believe I just caught the mistake now!

Sorry about that. Just be glad I didn’t go through all the other nine books before I got to Daughters of Deliverance.

By the way, several have asked for signed copies of the book.  Contact me through my blog, give me your email address and I’ll let you know how to do that.

The book is Launched

I have to admit my stomach was churning as I got ready for the launch of Daughters of Deliverance.  My friend Dody helped me put invitations into cubbies here at Wind Crest. Daughter Sheila prepared the door prizes and decorated the tables.  She walked into the Lounge where the Launch party was held, carrying  a large bouquet of Proteas, the South Africa flower– a gift from my children. My son Mark came all the way from New York where he’d been on a business trip to celebrate with me. Two grandsons and their wives slipped in after we’d started, and my niece and her husband came.  About fifty friends from Wind Crest attended.

But what really is a launch party? I’d never had one for my precious books. I finally realized it was a celebration for me.A card I received says it all:

You Worked Hard…REALLY, REALLY HARD…

Put in the hours, battled the frustrations…

Gave of your blood, sweat and tears,

And now finally it all paid off.  Congratulations!

Reviews are slowly coming in on Amazon– which not only make me feel good, but hopefully will encourage you  to buy and read Destined for Royalty.  More about the book and the life of its heroine, Katharine Bushnell, another time.  For now, I just want you to celebrate with me that the ten-year project of research and writing has finally been  reached publication.  You can read more about  Daughters of Deliverance on Amazon’s book page.

 

 

 

 

 

Launch Day at Last

It seemed it would never come.  Ten years in the making!  Today–December 1,2016– Amazon launched Daughters of Deliverance and the reviews are coming in.

To celebrate I’m having a Launch Party here at Wind Crest, the active retirement community I live in.  You should see my living room.  It’s piled with books, prizes, table decorations.  I’ve even been persuaded to display copies of of my eleven books published over the years– even the little 48-page booklet of youth programs I wrote for Youth Alive in South Africa back in the 70’s. (I think I was almost as awed to hold that little book when it was printed, as I am today.)

I couldn’t fall asleep last night wondering if we have enough cookies and cider for those who come.  Or would only a few people show up? Of course I can depend on my dear family; two of my children and several grandchildren will be here to boost my morale.

Above all this is a celebration, not just of the lovely book that Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas put out for me, but I’m celebrating  God’s faithfulness in nudging me to keep on writing — through loss and change, through slowing down as I inch (oh no, I’m flying) towards 90.I feel that God has privileged me to spend these years studying and developing the character of Katharine Bushnell.  And through her I too have learned to trust Him more and to do all I can to “finish well” as Kate did. (That’s coming next September when Daughters of the Queen will be released.)

 

Squanto and the pilgrims

Read on!  there is a connection between Daughters of Deliverance and  Squanto’s story!

Reading Breakpoint  this morning, I  the learned the story of Squanto– a five year old Indian boy who was kidnapped by  Spanish traders  who had landed five years before the pilgrims.  Squanto was fortunate enough to be sold to a well-meaning monk in Spain who taught him about the Christian God. Later Squanto  made his way to England. There he worked in a stable for a kind Englishman who taught him English and looked for passage to the new world for Squanto. Ten years after he was captured, his benefactor found a way to send him home.

Sadly Squanto found his whole Wampanbog village had been decimated by an epidemic. A year later the Pilgrims arrived and settled on the very land where his village had stood. Squanto greeted them in English and became a friend to the Pilgrims.In the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto “became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died.” Squanto died asking  prayer that he would go to the Englishman’s God in heaven.

There are many people like Squanto whose lives of sacrifice and compassion for those who  in need are lost to history. I was taught that Indians and Pilgrims praised God together for the harvest; today’s history books probably debunk that.  But Squanto’s life is kept alive, written in the diary of Governor Bradford.

One of the reasons I researched and wrote about the life of Katharine Bushnell was to bring her life and work alive.  Squanto helped to keep the early Pilgrims alive that first year they struggled against the elements in their new homeland.  Katharine’s compassion and persistence against the sin of sexual slavery kept women and girls alive in the 19th century. Her story, told in my historical novel, Daughters of Deliverance comes out next Thursday, December 1, on Amazon or through me. lorrylutz.com

Thanks for Squanto’s story written in  Breakpoint Commentary, originally  by Chuck Coleson. John Stonestreet and Eric Metaxis currently write the daily commentary.

 

 

 

Down to the wire/almost

Twelve days till launch day.  Daughters of Deliverance will become public.

Amazon has already posted it , but no one can buy, or even review it until December 1, 2016. I have a small stash of books in preparation for the launch party on that night. Invitations have been issued, cookies and cider ordered, and door prizes arranged.

A special list of readers have a one-time-read- only-file  in the hopes that they will write a glowing– or even not so glowing– review for Amazon. Evidently Amazon’s algorithms will determine if my book has drawn in enough reviews to give it a boost.

The promo cards arrived from the printer which I’ll use to invite people to the launch party.  You probably won’t be in the vicinity that night to attend , but I shared the card above so you may know how to buy the book for yourself.*

I learned recently that  129,864,880 books have been published in all of modern history according to Google algorithms.  That makes  Daughters of Deliverance the 129,864,881st book to see the light of day. Which may make my contribution to the world’s wealth of literature infinitely small and unimportant, but the value  of Katharine Bushnell’s life and work among mistreated  women has impacted countless lives.

*The book’s description reads:  1886 Kate begins work with women in Hell’s Half Acre, then on to the white-slavery dens in Wisconsin’s brutal lumber camps.  Trusting God, she sends her report to the governor.  Will he listen to the plight of these young women?  Or brand her a liar?

Good intentions

Somewhere underneath the pile of paper on my desk is a to-do list from a month ago.  My plan– to write on my blog every Saturday.

Here I am — lost the list –and haven’t written a word.

But there’s progress. Today I’m writing a blog twenty-four hours ahead of schedule to let you know how things are progressing with my latest book, Daughters of Deliverance.

I see it on Amazon– that’ s almost as exciting as holding the print book in my hand. Amazon is clever — they’ve put the teaser out: the cover, the price, a few words to intrigue you.  But the launch  date is almost a month away. Someone wrote me yesterday that she has already ordered a copy!!

This blog is just a teaser as well.  You can read Daughters of Deliverance now if you are willing to write a review by December 1.  Contact me through this blog, or on my Facebook and I’ll send you the information, not only how to get a pre-launch ebook, but even how to put a review on Amazon.  And they are clever too.  No help from them until the reviews start rolling in.  So write a few words — even if you didn’t like the book (how could you). Every review counts.

Here’s a word from the Psalms that I keep on my desk to encourage me — and now you.

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Thy loving kindness, O Lord, is everlasting Do not forsake the word of Thy hands.  .Psalm 138:8

Lorry

LorryLutz.com