Robert Roush's Blog, page 10

Royalties Hooray!

Okay, as you might guess from the picture on the left, we're not talking about Times Best Seller type sales. But royalties are royalties. And more importantly, we are now able to pass along our first support to Living Water International.

Now you might be asking, "Didn't In The Image of Man come out a couple months ago?" To which I say, "Yep, welcome to the world of publishing and passing along of profits." And these first royalties are not even for a full month. So, ultimately, yes I'm excited to finally see the many-many hours of writing, rewriting, editing, and publishing going toward a worthwhile ministry.

While we will not wait to pass along proceeds to LWI, the graphic on the left will be used going forward to indicate how we are doing toward raising the funds necessary to provide an entire well for an area in need of clean drinking water. This is our  God-sized goal for In The Image of Man. So, you might be asking, "How can I help?"

1. Buy In The Image of Man. Yeah, I know. That one's a bit obvious.

2. Read the book and talk about it with others. Good old fashioned word-of-mouth.

3. Write a review on Amazon. Think about it, this is the first thing you look at when you are shopping online.

4. Write a Goodreads review, vote for Image on Goodreads lists, and recommend to friends on Goodreads.

5. If you're a blogger, spread the word.

6. Share links on Facebook. For each new share of a post on Facebook, roughly 100 extra people see a post.

Most importantly, PRAY that God would do something special with this book!

'Till next time.

Sequel Under Construction

This has been an encouraging week in regards to my first book In The Image of Man. First, I received an e-mail from blogger, femmeflashpoint, informing me that they would be running a review of the book. This provided my first review from someone who was neither friend nor family. Though, through several communications over the week, I certainly consider the blogger a friend at this point. If you haven't read her review of the book at this point, I suggest stopping by to check it out. She writes an impressive review. And I don't just say so because the review was very positive on Image.

Second, a longtime friend who has spent considerable time in the bookstore industry wrote a review on Goodreads. While I believe it is impossible for any person to be completely unbiased in their review when they know the author, this is a person whose opinion and expertise in this field I greatly respect. This review was also quite positive on Image.

Finally, after many positive discussions, great reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and this blog post, I had a thought provoking discussion with my story advisor (my wife). And we came to the conclusion that while the story I was currently working on conveys a much needed message, it would not be fair to my readers to come out next with a book that was not the anticipated sequel to Image. I also believe that from a purely business perspective, it really makes the most sense to follow up the well received story of Image with its sequel.

So, I have set aside my current Work In Progress (WIP) to start work on the sequel. I'm excited to say that this weekend allowed me to get a great start on the next book in the Image series. As always, you can see some snippets from my writing at #WritingExcerpts on Twitter, or in the feed to the right of this blog.

Have you read In The Image of Man? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Also, please stop by Amazon and write a review. Basically, say what you liked, or didn't, about the book. Good reviews really can help the sales of a book, especially for a new author like myself.

'Till next time!

Story Rules Rules

Today I finished listening to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This leads me to two thoughts that I want to share.

First, yes I said listening to, not reading. I have found Audible is a great resource for me. As a writer, one exhortation you often receive is that in order to be an excellent writer, you MUST read often. And not just your favorites, but various authors from a variety of genres. Well, as a fulltime employee, a fulltime husband and father, and at least a part-time volunteer, with a fulltime passion to write and make a difference with my writing, the one thing that is truly a precious commodity is time. As such, I have found that listening to books is a great way to make use of my time driving from place to place.

Now let me say before you do, listening to books does not take the place of reading. You don't get to see the way the author makes use of white space on the page and the many other visual cues that reading allows you to pick up. Also, it goes without saying that if I'm driving while listening to a book, I'm probably not as focused on the details of word choice. And I might even miss a phrase or two when that pickup truck cuts me off at the intersection. Still, I get to enjoy and learn from many more stories than I would otherwise, while still leaving time to write.

I should probably also mention that I typically prefer to listen to my educational non-fiction books more so than novels. In part, this is because I so enjoy reading novels that I prefer to use my Audible time and credits on the less attractive non-fiction reading. However, I do much enjoy listening to novels such as The Hobbit.

This leads me to my second point. Over the past few years, I have spent considerable time learning to "follow the rules" in my writing. This learning has done nothing but strengthen my writing as I have learned from some of the best writers I know about things like deepening the POV (Point of View) of scenes, showing instead of telling, and developing believable characters. However, as I listened to Tolkien's classic, I was reminded that rules change. In fact I even wonder, if Tolkien were to write this incredible tale today, would it even get published due to the many "rules" that are broken. In all fairness, I believe it would for one simple reason.

Assuming he could get someone to read completely through the story without getting caught in the trappings of rule watching, a brilliant story is a brilliant story no matter what style is used to tell it. So while rules in writing are important and will ultimately result in stronger writing, following the rules without a great story is useless. Where as, a great story will transcend the rules.

As I said in the title, STORY RULES RULES!

'Till next time.

The Cost of Freedom

Today, millions of people celebrate freedom. Some celebrate their own freedom by spending time with family and friends, going camping, eating, drinking, partying, sleeping, relaxing outside or inside or beside. For many of us, Memorial Day has become more about being free from work than having freedom.

True freedom comes at a cost. Honorable men and women throughout history, US and beyond, have given their lives so others could live free. The call and need for such sacrifice exists no less today than ever. In fact, a tweet I received today got me thinking. It challenged my respect for our service men and women, or more directly the nobility of the causes for which they sacrificed. Do I believe that every battle ever fought under the American flag, or any other for that matter, was noble? Unlikely. 

So I guess the real question is, as I asked my tweet challenger, for what noble cause will you lay down your life?

As a follower of Jesus, I follow the One who demonstrated His commitment to true freedom by laying down His life for us all.

I don't know if I will ever be called to the ultimate sacrifice of my life. In the meantime, I have committed the life invested in my first novel to providing the freedom to drink clean water to those around the world who currently don't have that freedom. Second, I am committed to investing my life writing another novel for those currently in the slavery of human trafficking. This is both the focus of the story I’m writing and the destination of any proceeds God chooses to bless it with.

Now it’s your turn: For what noble cause are you willing to lay down your life?

Singing Like a Tweety Bird

Follow @AuthorRob If you haven't heard, I finally bit the bullet and joined Twitter. Over the past several years, I have grown quite accustomed to using Facebook. Twitter? That's a bird of a different color. Well, blue actually.

I am slowly gaining familiarity with how things work in Twitter land, such as hashtags. It took a few days, but my hashtag posts are finally showing up. Of course, I then find out that Facebook has had hashtags for nearly a year. Well, I guess I'm still learning Facebook also. Though, I think the value of hashtags in FB is much more up for debate.

I do find it interesting how quickly I've connected with other users of Twitter with similar views and purposes. Some of my new Twitter followers are also FB friends, but a lot aren't. Seems like Tweeters expect a much looser connection.

So, if you are on Twitter, stop by and say hi. Oh, and check out #WritingExcerpts where I will be posting one or two sentence snippets as I write the new book I'm working on. But don't worry, I won't post anything that will serve as a spoiler. Think of them more as teasers.

'Till next time.

Mom - The original Protagonist

You've probably heard it said, "Write what you know." This is a valuable rule for writers. In fact, one of the key storylines for the current book I'm working on is the relationship between the protagonist, a father, and his teenage daughter. This, I know.

As of now, I can't envision myself writing a book with a mom as the primary protagonist. Why not? Well, certainly not because they wouldn't have the skills, knowledge, or excitement necessary to fill a role that would create significant intrigue. In fact, I know many mothers, both within my family and beyond, that would make excellent leading ladies for a novel. No, it is not the qualification of the role that would keep me from this endeavor.

Rather, it is the qualification of the writer. I have been the husband of my wonderful wife for 25 years. Likewise, I've observed her in the role of super-mom for nearly 21 years. Yet, I'm not sure I could say with confidence that I would be writing what I know.

I'm afraid this is where many of my author friends have me at a disadvantage. They can and certainly have written stories with dads as the protagonists, despite being moms themselves. Does that mean they are breaking the "write what you know" rule? No, it means that I am convinced that moms, and women in general, understand us men a whole lot better than the other way around.

Trust me ladies, it's not that we don't try. But some mysteries are too wonderful for mere mortals to ever fully comprehend. Maybe someday, I'll grow bold enough to attempt the Protagonist Mom role in a book. But for now, I'll have to settle for wishing all you moms out there a very happy Mother's Day!

'Till next time.

Goodreads

Have you found Goodreads?

I have to admit, until a few days ago, I had never seen this site. Whether you are an author or a reader, I highly suggest heading over there. As its name would imply, this is a site aimed at connecting readers with books they would enjoy reading. The approach is not new. Online merchandisers often use similar techniques to suggest items you might like to purchase based on prior purchases and ratings. Also video subscription companies, such as Netflix, use the same technique to suggest movies you should watch.

In order to use Goodreads you do have to create an account. However, this is quite easy as you can use your Facebook account to sign in. You can choose whether or not you want information about the books you rate and read fed to Facebook. Once you have an account, the best way to get started is by rating books you have read. This is done using the typical click-how-many-stars rating system. As you rate books, Goodreads will begin to suggest other books that you might like to read. I think this is a great way to find new authors or books that you have not tried. If you're like me, you don't have unlimited time to read books. Therefore, you often find yourself only reading authors you are certain will provide a story (or content if non-fiction) you will enjoy.

So head on over to Goodreads and get to rating and finding some good books. I can suggest at least one book you might want to either read, rate, or review. :)

Seriously though, if you enjoyed reading In The Image of Man, I would greatly appreciate your ratings and reviews. Ratings, and even more so reviews, on sites like Goodreads and Amazon are the single best way for readers to find new authors, like myself. Well actually, that's not true. The best way is word of mouth. However, most of you probably aren't going to meet hundreds of readers who like books similar to Image, such as Peretti's Darkness books. So, don't just rate my book. Rate others you've read too. This will create associations to Image that will cause it to be suggested to other readers.

Thanks all, 'till next time!

Book or E-Book?

Which do you prefer?

It's strange to think, when I first started writing In The Image of Man, no one would have asked this question. The first Kindle e-reader came out in 2007 and the iPad in 2010. As hard as it is to believe, I began writing Image in 2007. Don't worry, it didn't take me seven years to write the book. In fact, I completed the first draft later that year. However, it wasn't until a year later that I discovered just how much I had to learn about the craft. The next book, which I am currently writing, will NOT take another seven years.

Anyway, I've had some fun discussions lately around the topic. Do you prefer e-books or physical books? I always thought I preferred physical books. I love the tactile feedback and the awareness of just how far I've read. However, the first time I took my Kindle on vacation with me, I was hooked. One device or several books, which would your prefer to carry around?

Well either way you like it, they're both available. Head on over to Amazon or CreateSpace and pick up your copy. But first, let me know which you prefer.

Passion Week - Day 8: The Firstfruits

Today’s Scripture Reading:   Lev. 23:9-14; Matt. 28:1-10; 1 Cor. 15:20-28

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Where do I start today? There is so much that could be said. But I am going to focus primarily on the Feast of Firstfruits. If you're anything like me this is probably something you haven’t heard much about. However, the significance of the timing of this festival is incredible. God told Moses to tell the Israelites that when they entered the Promised Land and harvested their crops, they were to celebrate by bringing the firstfruits to the priest. He would then wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted on their behalf. This was done after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It is important to note that this was not after the High Sabbath but rather the weekly Sabbath. Thus this was always done on the first day of the week.

Now we have the women, including Mary Magdalene and others, coming to the tomb on the first day of the week, and finding the tomb empty. Christ was risen, the first of the harvest of those who have fallen asleep. Christ was the firstfruits just as 1 Corinthians 15:20 tells us. Just as we were made dead to sin in Christ, so we were made alive in Christ. This was a day of triumph. 

Throughout scripture, God continually used this time of the year to demonstrate a renewed hope for His people.  This was true for the nation of Israel, and now it is true for all who trust in Him as their source of Salvation.

Questions for Reflection:

Do you face issues in your life that seem impossible to overcome?Are you willing to trust in the power and love of Jesus who overcame death itself to be our Firstfruits?Finally, are you willing to proclaim the hope you have in Him? ebook available at Amazon Thank you for joining me for an in-depth look at how the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits all pointed to the perfect sacrifice offered by Jesus on the cross. I hope you found it both enjoyable and life-changing.

Check back often for updates on my adventures in publishing my book, as well as writing and editing the next one, not to mention all the other fun adventures that may come along.

HE IS RISEN!!!

Passion Week - Day 7: A Special Sabbath

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Ex. 12:7-20, 13:3-10; Romans 6:1-23

"The Festival of Unleavened Bread to the Lord is on the fifteenth day of the same month. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work." (Leviticus 23:6-7) 

Today I want to look at two things. First, as we see above the 15th of the month of Nisan, the day after the Passover, was to be treated as a special day, in which no work was to be done. This would have been referred to as a High Sabbath, or Special Sabbath depending on your translation. We saw yesterday in our reading, in John 19:31, that John said the bodies on the cross should not be left there during the Sabbath. John notes that this Sabbath was a high, or special, day. 

Many people assume, as do some translations, that because Jesus needed to be taken off the cross before the Sabbath, that the crucifixion had to have taken place on Friday, the day before the weekly Sabbath. However, when you study the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, you see that the day after Passover was always a Sabbath, regardless of the day of the week. It was a High Sabbath. Each year, this High Sabbath fell on a different day of the week. Much the way, our 4th of July celebration falls on a different day each year. While it is possible that Jesus was crucified on Friday as tradition holds, what is known for certain is that Jesus would have been placed in the tomb by 6:00 p.m. at the end of the 14th of Nisan to avoid this High Sabbath. As I've said before, the day of the week isn't important. The fact that Jesus was the perfect Passover sacrifice, that is what is important.

The second thing I wanted to look at today is the significance of the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We saw in today’s reading that this celebration was in recognition of God delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt. This was the first day the Israelites were free from slavery to the Egyptians. Likewise, the 15th of Nisan was also the first day after Jesus’ death on the cross. Therefore, for a world in bondage to sin and death,  it was the first day of freedom from this slavery.

It is important to remember however, that God did not immediately bring the Israelites into the Promised Land. He first led them into the wilderness. This time provided a period of testing and trials for the nation. Often, the Israelites responded in disobedience and a desire to return to the slavery out of which they had been delivered. It wasn’t until this rebellion was removed from the nation that they were brought into the Promised Land. Likewise, God does not immediately deliver us from this world, but rather He uses our time here to sanctify and prepare us for eternity.

Questions for Reflection:
Do you ever find yourself drawn back to the slavery of sin from which you have been delivered? Take some time to pray and ask God to forgive your impatience and unwillingness to live as the new creation he has made you.