How Hard Could It Be? When Dreams Start From Scratch
Hi Friends,
I’ve never met Laura Bartnick, but it wasn’t long after we crossed paths online that I knew I admired much about her: her heart for writers and their stories, her faith, her love of beauty in the natural world and people, her creative tenacity.
Early on, she combined them all on behalf of a small group of writers who first met in her living room.
As Laura puts it, [we writers had] “been editing each other’s work for so long that we no longer feared the red swaths of suggestion, the green marks or the purple bruises.” In the process, they’d completed manuscripts, and they wanted to publish.
Since traditional publishers were becoming ever more difficult to access, they decided to form their own publishing house, and voted to put Laura in charge.
“Why not try?” she thought. “How hard could it be?”
Very, she realized, as she dove into webinars on the publishing process. Procured licenses. Consulted CPAs. Hired editors and cover designers and learned to format manuscripts. In 2015, when Capture Books Publishing Company became a reality, Laura’s goal was to survive the year.
Survive she did—and through her efforts, a collection of works entered the world. Her perseverence, enthusiasm, and determination to honor God through these books stand as an inspiration to me and, I hope, to you who also dream.
Though Laura has now retired from hybrid publishing writers not already represented by Capture Books, she’s continuing to spread the word about indie authors through the publicity and marketing arm of her business.
And she’s generously shared an assortment of books for my next giveaway. Since I’ll be camping—not writing—next Saturday, you’ll have two weeks to enter this one. Reply by June 21 with the word CAPTURE, and I’ll throw your name in the hat for BOXES of assorted titles. TWO of you will win. I’ll announce the winner June 22.
Titles of the books I’ll send remain a surprise, but they’ll come from the award-winning medley you’ll find HERE.
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Many, MANY of you entered last week’s giveaway for If I Squeeze Your Head I’m Sorry, by Gwen and Rylan Vogelzang. The name I plucked?
COURTENAY LANCASTER
Congratulations, Courtenay! Please reply with your mailing address, and I’ll send the book off to you when I return from Idaho wilds later this month.
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And, of course, a few snapshots for you . . .
These brought Psalm 121:1-2 to mind.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
Ah. Every morning, every day, through His creation, God speaks.
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Changing the subject . . . One of you asked me why I dig puns so much.
Well, my friend Alice Mills says that a good one is its own reword.
What are you dreaming of these days? Write me? I’m eager to hear,
Love,
Cheryl
