S.D. Smith's Blog, page 37

New Stories With an Old Soul: And a Giveaway with Sally Clarkson

I’m so honored to be over at my friend Sally Clarkson’s blog today talking about New Stories With an Old Soul. She’s also giving away three copies of my new book, The Black Star of Kingston. Head over and enter the giveaway!

*****

 

“It is of the new things that men tire —of fashions and proposals and improvements and change. But it is the old things that startle and intoxicate; it is the old things that are really young. ”

G.K. Chesterton

This is my goal: I want to tell new stories with an old soul. I want to look forward, to hope and dream, to gaze through the fog to the certain dawn of the true New World. I also want to echo. I want my tales to resound with old words, old ways, old wisdom.

I want to make vintage adventure.

Who cares? Does it matter? I think it does. I think it does because the stories we hear shape us like nothing else. Hearing the phrase “Jesus is good,” is positive, but it is meaningless without a story. When we read to our children the story of Jesus raising the dead, healing the lame, and sacrificing himself, we get more than just the information. We get the heart, the hope, the joy, the pain, and the information. We get formation. Because we see and feel that Jesus is good. We know it in our souls.

Stories matter. Fiction shapes us in a deep way as well. Perhaps especially when we are young. But why new stories with an old soul?

My friend (and the illustrator for my books) Zach Franzen is kind of a genius. When I run out of clever things to say, I usually pull out a Zachism and run with it. (It’s about to happen again.) He has been a cheerleader for the “New Stories, Old Soul” side from the beginning. He contends that most publishers don’t want to release new books with old virtues. If people want those, it’s easier and cheaper for the publishers to just release the old books again. So the virtues featured in those books are for now, he says, trapped in amber. They are museum pieces. So Zach has been a partner in more ways than just by illustrating my books. He’s been an encouragement, believing that those old virtues can live on in new adventures—that they can be seen in the wild again.

I want to uncork some vintage adventure on a generation of thirsty young souls.

…READ on at Sally’s site!

It’s Black Star Release Day and I Need Your Help! (And You Might Win a T-Shirt & More)

The day is finally here! My second novel, a short prequel to The Green Ember, is out today. 

The Black Star of Kingston is available to ship right now!

I have three quick favors to ask. Can you help me out?

 

1. Get it. If you haven’t ordered a copy yet, please give this story a shot!

2. Review it. Please, give a rating and leave a review at Amazon (once you read it). It only takes a minute. It can be very short. Positive reviews are hugely helpful!

3. Share it. Share this link with your social media friends.

http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK

A suggested post if you need some help…(copy and paste)…

Twitter:

I’m excited that @SDSmith_’s new #RabbitsWithSwords book is out! #BlackStarOK promises a new story with an old soul.
http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK



Facebook:
I’m excited to share the news that S. D. Smith’s new #RabbitsWithSwords book is out! The Black Star of Kingston promises another great new story with an old soul.
http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK


Bonus Points: Leave a rating/review on Goodreads. 

 

Thank you so much, friends! I’m so grateful for you being on my side. If you do all 3 of those things and leave a comment saying you did, I’ll randomly select one person to win one of our high-quality, soft, beautiful Green Ember T-shirts along with a signed copy of the new book. And maybe I’ll send more than that to more random allies. 

I enjoyed writing and refining this little book, and I think it’s a good companion to The Green Ember. This story tracks the early fortunes of the rabbits who first settled in Natalia.

Whitson Mariner and Fleck Blackstar face old fears and new enemies, forging a legend that will echo through the ages.

Old wars haunt.

New enemies threaten.

An oath is born. 

A hero rises.

I believe in this story and I hope very much that you enjoy it.

Here’s a couple of  nice things people who are not my mom have said about Black Star.

—–

“For readers who loved The Green Ember, well- you’re in luck. S.D. Smith has done it again. The Black Star of Kingston is a book I’ll be shouting about from the rooftops for a long time coming. Jam-packed with harrowing adventure, startling courage, and the luscious vocabulary we all love in Smith’s stories, Black Star will not disappoint!”

–Sarah Mackenzie, author of Teaching From Rest and host of The Read Aloud Revival

 

“What a fantastic book! The Black Star of Kingston is another swashbuckling tale full of valiant heroes and daring adventures. But like Smith’s debut novel, it is also full of truth, goodness, wisdom, and beauty. Rarely have I read an author who has a gift for inspiring courage and imagination in both children and adults, but S.D. Smith has done it again! I cannot recommend Smith’s books highly enough. This is one that will be thoroughly enjoyed by children and adults alike. Five stars.”

–Jaime Showmaker, Goodreads 

 

The art is once again created by the amazing Zach Franzen. Not only is the cover amazing, but the interiors are wonderful as well. I can’t wait for you to see them.

Thanks again, friends. This is a good day.

It’s Black Star Release Day and I Need Your Help! (And You Might Win a T-Shirt & More)

The day is finally here! My second novel, a short prequel to The Green Ember, is out today. 

The Black Star of Kingston is available to ship right now!

I have three quick favors to ask. Can you help me out?

 

1. Get it. If you haven’t ordered a copy yet, please give this story a shot!

2. Review it. Please, give a rating and leave a review at Amazon (once you read it). It only takes a minute. It can be very short. Positive reviews are hugely helpful!

3. Share it. Share this link with your social media friends.

http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK

A suggested post if you need some help…(copy and paste)…

Twitter:

I’m excited that @SDSmith_’s new #RabbitsWithSwords book is out! #BlackStarOK promises a new story with an old soul.
http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK



Facebook:
I’m excited to share the news that S. D. Smith’s new #RabbitsWithSwords book is out! The Black Star of Kingston promises another great new story with an old soul.
http://tinyurl.com/BlackStarOK


Bonus Points: Leave a rating/review on Goodreads. 

 

Thank you so much, friends! I’m so grateful for you being on my side. If you do all 3 of those things and leave a comment saying you did, I’ll randomly select one person to win one of our high-quality, soft, beautiful Green Ember T-shirts along with a signed copy of the new book. And maybe I’ll send more than that to more random allies. 

I enjoyed writing and refining this little book, and I think it’s a good companion to The Green Ember. This story tracks the early fortunes of the rabbits who first settled in Natalia.

Whitson Mariner and Fleck Blackstar face old fears and new enemies, forging a legend that will echo through the ages.

Old wars haunt.

New enemies threaten.

An oath is born. 

A hero rises.

I believe in this story and I hope very much that you enjoy it.

Here’s a couple of  nice things people who are not my mom have said about Black Star.

—–

“For readers who loved The Green Ember, well- you’re in luck. S.D. Smith has done it again. The Black Star of Kingston is a book I’ll be shouting about from the rooftops for a long time coming. Jam-packed with harrowing adventure, startling courage, and the luscious vocabulary we all love in Smith’s stories, Black Star will not disappoint!”

–Sarah Mackenzie, author of Teaching From Rest and host of The Read Aloud Revival

 

“What a fantastic book! The Black Star of Kingston is another swashbuckling tale full of valiant heroes and daring adventures. But like Smith’s debut novel, it is also full of truth, goodness, wisdom, and beauty. Rarely have I read an author who has a gift for inspiring courage and imagination in both children and adults, but S.D. Smith has done it again! I cannot recommend Smith’s books highly enough. This is one that will be thoroughly enjoyed by children and adults alike. Five stars.”

–Jaime Showmaker, Goodreads 

 

The art is once again created by the amazing Zach Franzen. Not only is the cover amazing, but the interiors are wonderful as well. I can’t wait for you to see them.

Thanks again, friends. This is a good day.

Fine Friends & Free Success! How Did The Green Ember Giveaway Go?

I just wanted to quickly say thank you to everyone who shared our free giveaway. I was amazed at how many of our friends passed along our news, often with an encouraging endorsement. Thank you! How’d it go?

(ICYMI: I wrote about why these giveaways are helpful here.)

Lots of good things come from these Free Kindle days. One of them is this.

Over the last two Free Kindle offerings we’ve shared, over 30,000 people downloaded The Green Ember.

30,000.

New readers.

Okay, sure. Not all of those people will read the book. But even if just a fraction of them do, then that’s an exciting thought. Because we want this story to reach readers all over.

We hope lots of them will go ahead and order the new book. The Black Star of Kingston releases on July 13. We hope many will sign up for my newsletter.

I’m excited about the new book. I’m excited about the new readers. But mostly–honestly–I am really encouraged by how many of you are enthusiastically supporting us. Thank you so much! It’s so good to have friends. It’s a gift to have allies. It’s a blessing to know…

You’re on our side.

 

 

UPDATE: FREE DAYS ARE DONE The Green Ember is FREE! Can You Help Us Spread The Word?

The Green Ember is FREE. Get it now. Share it now. 

—

This little adventure has been fun. Writing is necessarily a lonely vocation, and the “self-promotion” part of the job is fraught with real and imagined perils. But one thing I’ve been so grateful for has been the constant, enthusiastic support we’ve had from our friends. That’s you. You have shared your enthusiasm for the book(s) with everyone you know and helped us reach a surprisingly big audience. We never would have imagined that in less than 8 months, The Green Ember would reach over 20,000 readers.

While sales have been incredible for a small-time debut, most of those readers got copies when the book was free. You helped us reach a LOT of people. We think that led to many folks buying the book in print after they read it. We heard from some people who said just that.

When you offer a book for free, you run the risk of getting a bunch of negative reviews. In fact, most of our less-than-favorable feedback on Amazon did come from people who downloaded it for free. Consequently,  it wasn’t the kind of book they might typically have chosen or enjoyed. No big deal. The great thing was that the so many other people who got the book left great reviews, and their “verified purchase” status lends credence to their recommendation. That has helped a lot of new readers take the plunge. (Amazon reviews are massively important for small-timers like us.)

I share all of that with you to shed some light on why it helps (in a number of ways) when you share the news that Ember is free. Some folks have asked if we are losing money, and though I know it might seem like it, we are mostly concerned with growing our readership. We have confidence that the book will connect with the audience it’s meant for and one of the best ways to reach them is through a limited giveaway.

Can you help spread the word? The Green Ember is free on Kindle for the next three days (July 7,8, & 9). We want to reach new readers and hope, additionally, to encourage people to order a copy of The Black Star of Kingston.

Black Star releases in just six days. (Got your copy ordered yet?)

What can you do?

Just share it, man. If you think it’s something readers of any age would enjoy, then share it.

The best thing would be to share a picture of your family/kids with the book and a thumbs up, along with the link. (http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree)

If you’re not sure how to do that, then you can copy and paste this:

For Twitter

FREE TODAY! A new adventure with an old soul, #TheGreenEmber. And check out @SDSmith_’s new book, #BlackStarOK. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #Free

For Facebook

FREE TODAY! If your family loves a new adventure with an old soul, get The Green Ember, for $0. Also, check out S. D. Smith’s new book, The Black Star of Kingston. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #RabbitsWithSwords

—

Thank you, friends! Your help is so greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: FREE DAYS ARE DONE The Green Ember is FREE! Can You Help Us Spread The Word?

The Green Ember is FREE. Get it now. Share it now. 

—

This little adventure has been fun. Writing is necessarily a lonely vocation, and the “self-promotion” part of the job is fraught with real and imagined perils. But one thing I’ve been so grateful for has been the constant, enthusiastic support we’ve had from our friends. That’s you. You have shared your enthusiasm for the book(s) with everyone you know and helped us reach a surprisingly big audience. We never would have imagined that in less than 8 months, The Green Ember would reach over 20,000 readers.

While sales have been incredible for a small-time debut, most of those readers got copies when the book was free. You helped us reach a LOT of people. We think that led to many folks buying the book in print after they read it. We heard from some people who said just that.

When you offer a book for free, you run the risk of getting a bunch of negative reviews. In fact, most of our less-than-favorable feedback on Amazon did come from people who downloaded it for free. Consequently,  it wasn’t the kind of book they might typically have chosen or enjoyed. No big deal. The great thing was that the so many other people who got the book left great reviews, and their “verified purchase” status lends credence to their recommendation. That has helped a lot of new readers take the plunge. (Amazon reviews are massively important for small-timers like us.)

I share all of that with you to shed some light on why it helps (in a number of ways) when you share the news that Ember is free. Some folks have asked if we are losing money, and though I know it might seem like it, we are mostly concerned with growing our readership. We have confidence that the book will connect with the audience it’s meant for and one of the best ways to reach them is through a limited giveaway.

Can you help spread the word? The Green Ember is free on Kindle for the next three days (July 7,8, & 9). We want to reach new readers and hope, additionally, to encourage people to order a copy of The Black Star of Kingston.

Black Star releases in just six days. (Got your copy ordered yet?)

What can you do?

Just share it, man. If you think it’s something readers of any age would enjoy, then share it.

The best thing would be to share a picture of your family/kids with the book and a thumbs up, along with the link. (http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree)

If you’re not sure how to do that, then you can copy and paste this:

For Twitter

FREE TODAY! A new adventure with an old soul, #TheGreenEmber. And check out @SDSmith_’s new book, #BlackStarOK. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #Free

For Facebook

FREE TODAY! If your family loves a new adventure with an old soul, get The Green Ember, for $0. Also, check out S. D. Smith’s new book, The Black Star of Kingston. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #RabbitsWithSwords

—

Thank you, friends! Your help is so greatly appreciated.

The Green Ember is FREE! Can You Help Us Spread The Word?

The Green Ember is FREE. Get it now. Share it now. 

—

This little adventure has been fun. Writing is necessarily a lonely vocation, and the “self-promotion” part of the job is fraught with real and imagined perils. But one thing I’ve been so grateful for has been the constant, enthusiastic support we’ve had from our friends. That’s you. You have shared your enthusiasm for the book(s) with everyone you know and helped us reach a surprisingly big audience. We never would have imagined that in less than 8 months, The Green Ember would reach over 20,000 readers.

While sales have been incredible for a small-time debut, most of those readers got copies when the book was free. You helped us reach a LOT of people. We think that led to many folks buying the book in print after they read it. We heard from some people who said just that.

When you offer a book for free, you run the risk of getting a bunch of negative reviews. In fact, most of our less-than-favorable feedback on Amazon did come from people who downloaded it for free. Consequently,  it wasn’t the kind of book they might typically have chosen or enjoyed. No big deal. The great thing was that the so many other people who got the book left great reviews, and their “verified purchase” status lends credence to their recommendation. That has helped a lot of new readers take the plunge. (Amazon reviews are massively important for small-timers like us.)

I share all of that with you to shed some light on why it helps (in a number of ways) when you share the news that Ember is free. Some folks have asked if we are losing money, and though I know it might seem like it, we are mostly concerned with growing our readership. We have confidence that the book will connect with the audience it’s meant for and one of the best ways to reach them is through a limited giveaway.

Can you help spread the word? The Green Ember is free on Kindle for the next three days (July 7,8, & 9). We want to reach new readers and hope, additionally, to encourage people to order a copy of The Black Star of Kingston.

Black Star releases in just six days.

What can you do?

Just share it, man. If you think it’s something readers of any age would enjoy, then share it.

The best thing would be to share a picture of your family/kids with the book and a thumbs up, along with the link. (http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree)

If you’re not sure how to do that, then you can copy and paste this:

For Twitter

FREE TODAY! A new adventure with an old soul, #TheGreenEmber. And check out @SDSmith_’s new book, #BlackStarOK. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #Free

For Facebook

FREE TODAY! If your family loves a new adventure with an old soul, get The Green Ember, for $0. Also, check out S. D. Smith’s new book, The Black Star of Kingston. http://bit.ly/TheGreenEmberIsFree #RabbitsWithSwords

—

Thank you, friends! Your help is so greatly appreciated.

Till The Green Ember Rises! T-Shirts Now Available

Shirts for Sale!

Tree Shirt? Get yours here!

These feel really comfortable. I’ve had mine for a few weeks and I love it. It’s a very soft, high-quality shirt. Still feels the same after many washes.We have just about every size, including toddlers. The toddler shirts are light grey, with black print.



We have a limited inventory, so you need to hustle to be sure we still have your size.

We like ‘em.

Now, a word about the designer of this fine item of clothing.

Our friend Erin Tegeler, an amazing artist, created this design. It’s based on an illustration Zach did in The Green Ember of an attacking rabbit. It features the oath that resounds in Ember and ties the two books (Black Star and Ember) together.

Erin has an eye for beautiful things, is a compassionate, thoughtful person, and one of the world’s very bets photographers. She’s also funny and cool. Her and Pete live in Washington, with their beautiful kids.

We loved this design so much that Andrew (the publisher) put it on the back of the new book.

Thank you, Erin, for this awesome design and for all the encouragement you Tegelers have been to us.

 

 

Falling Into An Inkwell

Oh, man. Our Story Warren Family Conference, Inkwell, was incredible. I’m so grateful for how it went. We had around 250 kids with their families together all day for an amazing experience.

Inkwell is a day for Unbottling Imagination. Why? For Kingdom Anticipation. It’s a fun, funny, and friendly event. But the heart of the thing is serious. As our culture withers in many ways, we aim to be a part of tending the soil, of cultivating again a love of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness. It’s a day where kids can be exposed to ideas and instruction, but can also be inspired and given a vision for hope and a kindled imagination.

I think one of the most wonderful things that happens is that the kids get to meet, hear from, and be close to some amazing people. Men and women who are submitted to the lordship of Christ in all of life and who are pursuing creative vocations with excellence. I have often said that I would do the whole thing just for my own kids to have this experience.

The kids were immersed in Storytelling with Andrew Peterson, Illustration with Zach Franzen, Poetry With Rebecca Reynolds, and Songwriting with Randall Goodgame. And there was so much more! Joe Sutphin wowed the kids with his amazing drawings and kindness. We had countless volunteers from the Church at Charlotte, an amazing ally for us in this endeavor.

For me, it’s a bit of a blur. I did speak a few times, to everyone at the opening and closing, and in a session for parents. I also got to help my brother Josiah teach kids a Zulu song and another song about longing for the kingdom of God with Skye Peterson. (That girl can sing!) But my perspective on the conference was as a leader, and so I took a lot of joy from the incredible work our team put in and am overwhelmed by the generosity of our volunteers and partners.

I wanted to do a big, thoughtful post about the day, but this is the best I can do at the moment. It’s from my perspective so lots of pictures of me (sorry!), but it might give you a flavor of the day.

This was also the very first place  The Black Star of Kingston  was available. Many readers got their copies and I must have signed a hundred books! That was fun. I LOVED meeting all the enthusiastic readers, the kids and the parents, and it was a big encouragement for me to hear from many of you in person.

Thank you!

I hope we can keep doing Inkwell every year. It’s a special day. I love being a part of Story Warren.

Here’s some more pictures, most either taken by Tim Briggs, Josiah Smith, or Jessi Smith.

Laura Peterson. So awesome. And the rest of our group captains. James Witmer, Kelly Keller, Kristen Peterson, and Glenn McCarty.

Peterson twins with magic photographic awareness.

I also got to teach the kids at Church at Charlotte on Sunday while Zach painted! The lesson was from Daniel 3. The three Hebrew young men and the fiery furnace. Fun fact: Afterwards, I told Zach that CAC had an art gallery and they would probably be thrilled if he wanted to donate his painting to their gallery. He replied. “Well, I already donated the painting to their dumpster.”

Jon Aman, beginning to put the letters together and form words. Proud of you, Jon!

Joe and Gina Sutphin. Joe is feeling good because of his hair situation.

Zach telling a fish story and relating it to the intriguing reality pointed out by Scandinavian art historian Vilhelm Volfjhelm’s theory that salt makes fish taste salty.  Ergo, chaos of the first order and social change in the politics of English soccer hooligans.

AP writing Christian cuss words on his board and refusing to apologize.

 

 

This is the Dream (Merch) Team! Will Smith and his Immortals. Jon Aman, Ming Selig, Lynn Holloway, and Will. Lynn’s hair alone brought in hundreds in sales.

The art project for 7 and 8 year olds was amazing.

Rebecca Reynolds is brilliant and fun.

My favorite Inkwell picture. This is a wonderful human being, I’m sure of it.

This is also my favorite. I love this kid (my nephew) and this man (my Randy).

These are the AMAZING art ladies. Eva and Deborah, take a bow!

Randy challenging kids to take over the class “IF YOU CAN” by the ancient right of trial by combat.

Becca deciding the fate of yet another gladiator.

–

Here’s a picture of many of the staff and volunteers who came early and stayed late.

Thank you.

Thanks to all our team, but I’ll single out Andrew Mackay, my partner, who was a beast. So much behind-the-scenes work and sacrifice. I am “out front,” but that’s not possible unless Andrew is working incredibly hard behind the scenes. Julie Silander’s hospitality and enthusiasm is a pillar of Story Warren. Without her, this conference doesn’t happen and probably Story Warren would not exist either. She’s our ambassador extraordinaire and a key to Inkwell. Carrie Givens was the link between Story Warren (she’s on our staff) and Church at Charlotte (her day job). She coordinated volunteers, endured hardship from my frazzled self, and basically was like the glue putting it all together. Thank you, Carrie! And to Tim Briggs (and Ken, Jimmy, Dave, etc.) and everyone at CAC, thank you. You guys made it so much easier on us and were tremendous partners. We feel really blessed to be connected with you.

I thank God for what he has done at Inkwell.

 

The Black Star of Kingston is Available for Pre-order!

It’s available, friends! Please do us a solid and order yourself a copy (or several) and share this with your friends! (And in case you’re wondering, we DO want you to order from Amazon and please use our link.) Black Star releases on July 13.

Thank you so much!

Paperback link.          Kindle link. 

Now, a bit about this book. I have heard from so many readers of The Green Ember who have shared with me that they really connected with the oath.

My place beside you, my blood for yours,

Till the Green Ember rises, or the end of the world!

It’s neat to me that the t-shirt (which features the oath) is almost ready at around the same time that The Black Star of Kingston is available to order. (I love Erin Tegeler’s design.)

Black Star is the origin story for that oath, and an engaging prequel to The Green Ember.

It is not the sequel I keep hearing demands to produce. I’m very happy so many of you (especially kids) are excited to find out what happens next with Picket and Heather and the others. I AM working on that. I’m making good progress but, as many of you have pointed out, it takes time to “make it good.”

For now, here is Black Star. Ready to satisfy for the moment, I hope, your cravings for #RabbitsWithSwords.

I am delighted with this story and I hope you will be too. It is wonderfully illustrated, as was The Green Ember, by Zach Franzen. I love how it came out and I certainly hope you will enjoy it.

It is shorter than Ember, closer to the usual length for a middle-grade novel. It is set around a century before The Green Ember and is the first in a new series we are calling Tales of Old Natalia.

The Green Ember is full of references to this past and these characters, most especially in the oath. It is something like the Star Wars prequels, or, perhaps more accurately (but less reverent?), a kind of “Old Testament” to Ember’s “New.”

The Tales of Old Natalia will, I hope, feature more books, as will The Green Ember. Our plan is for them to grow up together, each developing the story and back story of the rabbits of Natalia.

If that’s confusing, just ignore it. The case is pretty simple.

Here’s a story about rabbits fighting for survival. They have hands and they use swords. They also have hearts.

This one is about Fleck, a common coal miner with uncommon virtue, rare vision, and a heroic soul. He takes his place beside King Whitson Mariner in a desperate defense of a their new world.

I hope you’ll pop over to Amazon and preorder your copy now.