On the Eve of Book Launch

Every author looks forward to releasing a new book. We count the days until we can change our social media and web pages from “coming soon” to “now available.” We look forward to holding the first print copy of our latest creation in hand, and unboxing many more.

After many months of drafting, revising, and editing, we finally get to turn our focus away from the words and onto the readers. We seek out in-store signings and podcast appearances while churning out social media posts by the fistful.

The trouble is, some of us are not good at marketing.  I count myself among that group, and now that release day for The Widower and the Washer is near, I find myself wrestling with questions that take me outside my comfort zone and beyond my areas of expertise.

So what do I do at this stage?

Tell Me about Your Book

In simplest terms, marketing is the process of telling people about something (in my case, a new book) of value that you are offering. Perhaps this is the easy part. If I’m in a conversation and someone asks me to tell them about my book, I have no trouble doing so. I can rattle off a synopsis or a summary as if I’ve been practicing for months.

But if I’m only selling books to people that I naturally converse with, my sales will fizzle very quickly. So, how do I expand my reach, find the right audience, and produce a message that gets their attention? Marketing experts have the answers to those questions, but I do not.

Instead, I continue to come back to the premise that as a Christian writer, I am doing Kingdom work. So I filter all of my marketing questions through this truth. Sometimes, this creates more unknowns, but it also leads to conversations that marketing alone cannot cover.

The Story Behind the Book

As I shared in my previous entry, I am excited to finally release The Widower and the Washer into the world, even as I struggle with the steep personal cost. As some of you have heard me say, it is both the most important and most impactful writing I have ever produced. (I dare add it is my best quality writing, but I will leave that judgment to the reader).

It’s important because it is the book that the Spirit led me to write, and He does not do anything without a purpose. It’s impactful because the experiences of my marriage and my grief journey—the triumphs and trials alike—reveal practical application of Biblical truths that matter to readers.

Of course, this naturally flows to a new question: which readers?

Who is My Audience?

When someone asks me, “What is your book about?” it is easy to answer. When that person asks the follow-up question, “Who should read your book?” that requires more thought. I want to say, “This book is for you and every person on your Christmas list.” But the answer is undoubtedly narrower.

When I was first preparing to draft The Widower and the Washer a year ago, I didn’t know who my audience would be, at least not entirely. I knew I at least had something to say to others who wrestle with losing a spouse, but my readership beyond that was hazy.

As I progressed deeper into the draft, and from there into the beta-reading phase, I began to understand more clearly which readers would benefit most from my book, including:

• Grieving widows and widowers. Perhaps this is the obvious answer, but it is worth highlighting. To be clear, this is not a how-to guide. I don’t provide a multi-step plan for working through grief. I can’t, because I’m not sure how many steps I’ve taken myself, much less which ones I got right. What I do offer, though, is company for the journey. If one of us takes a wrong step, we know there is a helping hand in reach.
• Married (or soon-to-be-married) people. Yes, this is a broad category, so let me add a qualifier—anyone who is interested in applying the principles of partnership to your marriage. Together, we’ll examine some of the Apostle Paul’s most profound statements on partnership and put them to use. Here again, I offer successes and missteps from my own experience for your benefit.
• Church communities. Again, this is a broad category, so let me emphasize the word community. Koinonia, as the New Testament writers called it, isn’t just for marriage; it is for the whole church. It is where we express our Christian identity. In particular, this book examines where partnership in marriage intersects with Kingdom work and the importance of a vibrant church community for those who are dealing with grief, loss, and struggles.
• Pastors and ministry leaders. Because you know who the people are in your sphere of influence who need this book.
• People who need another clothes hanger. I can’t tell you why this group benefits from my book without revealing spoilers. But I assure you, the answer is in the book (see Part 6).

Now that you know the ideal audience for The Widower and the Washer, you can check at least a few names off your Christmas list. Still, as fun as my attempt at salesmanship has been, I recognize that there is more to Kingdom work than just commerce.

God’s Story for God’s Purposes

As difficult and painful as it has been to lose Angela and continue in this life without her, I take comfort knowing that God is in my story. On purpose, and with a purpose. I know this because there is ample Biblical precedent of God shaping and using our stories for His glory.

Joseph

God chose Joseph to rescue the nation of Israel from famine and starvation. He set that rescue plan in motion when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. – Genesis 50:20

It wasn’t until the end of the story that Joseph fully realized how God’s plan for his life achieved the Lord’s divine purpose.

Mary

Mary didn’t ask to be the mother of Jesus. The Lord chose her and called her. Mary, in obedience, accepted the task willingly.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” – Luke 1:28

Mary probably didn’t feel highly favored when she considered how this turn of events would put her at risk of being scandalized, ostracized, divorced, or even stoned. Decades later, as Jesus breathed his last on the cross, Mary bore the weight of her calling. Still, the Lord used her life and her story for His glory.

Paul

Paul went through a whole list of trials, as he tells us in his own words:

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. – 2 Corinthians 11:24-26

Paul endured all of these things, he goes on to say, so that Christ’s power may be on display against the backdrop of his weakness. If his suffering furthered his mission, he gladly endured it for the sake of Christ. It makes one wonder if Paul might not have been as compelling or as credible if he had an easy, trouble-free journey.

God is Still Crafting Stories

I don’t pretend to assume that my purposes are anywhere near the scale of the work that God completed through Joseph, Mary, or Paul. But I do know that the same Lord who brought purpose out of these famous stories is at work in my story, your story, and countless others. So I trust Him to get my story into the right hands and use it for His glory, too.