Category Archives: Book Notes

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My Debut Novel ‘Destination Wedding’ is Now An Audiobook Courtesy of Recorded Books!!!

Hello World,

Y’all, I can show you better than I can tell you, but I’m telling you that your girl is back to regular blogging as of this post! Everyone is entitled to a break every now and then so I had to take a bit of a break. But now that I’m back, I’m happy to share some wonderful news with you: I RECEIVED A BOOK DEAL FROM RECORDED BOOKS AND NOW DESTINATION WEDDING, MY DEBUT NOVEL, IS ALSO AN AUDIOBOOK!!! GLORY TO GOD!!!

Below is the announcement from Recorded Books!!!

 

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I’m especially pleased with the nuanced narration by four talented actresses who portrayed the main characters: Tracey Conyer Lee (Jarena), Shari Peele (Senalda), Jasmin Walker (Mimi) and Lynnette Freeman (Whitney)!!! To listen to an excerpt, click HERE.

If you would like to know the backstory of how this all came to be, see an excerpt of my interview with David Wogahn of Author Imprints below…

Book Marketing Case Study—Destination Wedding by Jacqueline J. Holness

 

We first started working with Jacqueline in January 2019 for a release date of December 2019. Right there, that ought to tell you something: Jacqueline is not one to rush her book to market.

The reason I asked Jacqueline to answer a few questions is because she continues to actively market her book, a common characteristic of a professional self-publisher.

Now, more than eighteen months after her book’s release, Destination Wedding has won a major award, has been featured in a Barnes & Noble bookstore (and two independent stores), and on June 25 it is being released as an audiobook by the largest independent producer of audiobooks in the world.

In this interview, you’ll learn how Jacqueline has used—and continues to use—her networking skills and contacts to keep Destination Wedding in the public eye, how she got her book accepted into local bookstores, and the path she traveled before finally deciding to self-publish.

It’s also a story of perseverance, faith, and confidence.

PS: Don’t miss my summary of marketing-lesson takeaways at the end. If you read between the lines, many of her marketing tactics are as applicable to nonfiction books as they are to fiction books.

David: I know this is your second book. What did you learn from publishing your first book that you applied to your planning and marketing for Destination Wedding?

Jacqueline: I’m a planner in all areas of my life, even if I don’t always, regrettably, follow through with the plan! My first book, nonfiction, was published by a small company here in Georgia.

I knew that the company would have limited input in marketing and promoting my book; however, there is one critical thing that the owner of the company did for me that helped me with the trajectory of Destination Wedding. I will share more about that later in this interview.

Still, I had read that even with large publishing companies, authors were expected to do much of their own marketing and promotion, so I didn’t feel like I was being shortchanged. I created a marketing and promotion plan with the resources that I had available to me at that time, and I executed it to the best of my ability.

And how did that work out?

With my nonfiction book, I was able to garner a television interview with a local NBC affiliate and a mixture of national and local magazine and newspaper coverage. I must add that since I am a working journalist, I do have contacts in the media world that have helped when it comes to marketing and promoting. Through the efforts of a publicist that I hired, I was also interviewed on several radio stations. Additionally, I sold that book at a launch party and several in-person book events within Georgia and out of state.

This time around, I was interviewed on some of the radio stations where I had been interviewed before. I was also interviewed by another popular radio station in town that wasn’t part of my campaign with my first book. And I secured a thorough book review with a local newspaper that wasn’t part of my campaign with my first book.

With the increasing popularity of podcasts, I made sure to schedule several podcasts interviews as well. Some of these opportunities came through contacts I already had, but some of these podcast interviews came because I pitched my book to the hosts. Through my blog, After the Altar Call, I got contacted by the producer of a very popular YouTube show, The Jesse Lee Peterson Show, before the launch of my book. Prior to this interview, I was ignorant about the vast audience of YouTube!

Also before the launch, I got an endorsement from Candace Bushnell, the writer whose life inspired the hit HBO series Sex and the City. That series, in turn, inspired Destination Wedding, which one Amazon reviewer described as “similar in style to Sex in the City but with an Atlanta chocolate twist.” I was thrilled to also get the endorsement of my favorite childhood author, an author who is a Georgia Writers Hall of Fame nominee. Both of these endorsements, along with other author endorsements I received, truly boosted in my confidence as I continued to execute my marketing and promotion plan.

Read the rest HERE.

Y’all, if you have ever enjoyed even one of my posts, I would really appreciate your support of my audiobook AND tell your networks to support it as well!!!  You can buy your copy at several retailers including Amazon/Audible, Audiobooks.com, Kobo.com, and Downpour.com.

Thank you in advance!!!

Any thoughts?

 

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How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide – NEW BOOK ALERT!!!

Hello World,

At this juncture in our nation’s history, when discussions of Juneteenth, critical race theory, voter rights, police brutality particularly toward black men, etc. are on a national stage, Brian Allain’s new book How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide has been released at a critical time. Below is a description of his timely book.

Our country has become quite polarized – what do we do about it?

Recent times have put a spotlight on the deep divisions in our society. Much has been written that acknowledges and describes racial, political, religious, and other divides, but there is little practical information on what we can do about them. How to Heal Our Divides highlights organizations that are taking real action to address these issues and heal divides in effective and practical ways. See how you can help make the world a better place.

I first met Brian when I attended his inaugural Publishing in Color writers conference at News Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 2018. The goal of this writers conference is to “increase the number of books published by spiritual writers of color. This includes groups such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinx Americans, and Native Americans, who have been under-represented in terms of the number of published books.  We seek to achieve this objective in two ways: (1) Publishing in Color conferences, and (2) a TON of free resources for spiritual writers at Writing for Your Life.” In fact, this conference is one reason why I was able to write a cover story for Christianity Today magazine. Read that testimony HERE. 

But this post is about How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide. See my interview with Brian about his book below.

1. As a white Christian man, what inspired you to write How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide?

There were three different things I experienced in 2020 that gave me the idea and motivation to pull together this book. First was my increasing distress with the polarization of our country. Second was the success of a video interview series called “Reading Hope in Trying Times” that I started right after the pandemic hit. I kept getting introduced to more and more people to interview, which was great. This in turn gave me the idea to do some sort of interview series after the election to address our country’s divides. The idea morphed from an interview series into a book with 33 different contributors. The third experience was that I read more than usual, and read several books about racial, political and religious divides.  They were all mostly about the history behind the issue, or about how we should look inside ourselves to examine our own biases. All very good subjects, but I found very little written recommending what to do about it. So I decided to focus the book around that – creating a practical guide filled with examples of organizations actually doing something to heal these serious divides.
2. What in your background prepared you for this work?
Without question, what made the book possible, and made it possible to pull together so quickly, was my network of relevant relationships with thoughtful, caring people who would either write a chapter or introduce me to someone appropriate who would. Many of the chapters are written by people leading organizations doing healing work across some set of issues.
3. Honestly, at this point, do you think through this book, our “divides” can truly be healed?
Well, I hope so!  It certainly won’t happen through the book alone, but rather by people actually getting involved with one or more of those organizations so that their efforts reach more and more people. The primary divides I wanted to address in the book were racial, political, and religious divides. But there is also a chapter that addresses bridging the divide between what are typically described as “fully-abled” and “less-than-fully-abled” or “disabled” individuals.

And what makes this guide practical?

What makes the book so practical is that it features all these organizations that are actually doing something.  Not just talk; not just theory; not just history. But actually holding training programs, discussion forums, hands-on experiences, and other means by which people can both learn and experience transformational change.

4. How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide has several co-authors or contributors. Who are they?

How were these co-authors or contributors selected and what was their response when you approached them about this project?

I am blessed with a network of relationships with people who are already active in this type of work, so I reached out to them for their recommendations, and requested many introductions to individuals and organizations that I thought were a potential fit. I also wanted a diversity of voices, backgrounds, and areas of focus. I was incredibly grateful at how positive the response was. In a matter of a few weeks I had accumulated more YES agreements to participate than I had set as my goal. I was originally aiming at 25-30 contributors and ended up with 33.  Not only that, during the time since I stopped recruiting (because I had exceeded my goal) I have learned about many additional organizations that are doing similarly relevant and effective work. So I am hopeful that we can publish a second book, full of additional practical examples.

5. In the first chapter “Healing Our Divides: Why This Matters”, author Brian D. McLaren describes confirmation bias, complimentary bias and community bias, what are these biases and how do these biases impact our “divides?”

Brian McLaren wrote an excellent, inexpensive eBook that describes these and several other forms of bias. It is titled “Why Don’t They Get it? Overcoming Bias In Others (and Yourself)” and can be found here: https://brianmclaren.net/store/ The book includes examples of how Jesus used effective language to minimize the impact of these biases. An excellent read! 

Also, in the first chapter, I read that many stories of divisions being healed were included in the book such as Jeff Burns, who was “transformed from a self-described rabid Islamophobe into a peacemaker”; David Bailey, “who is helping people get a foretaste in the present of a more peaceful future among races”; and Mark Feldmeir, who describes how “faith communities are playing a role in un-dividing America.” What is your favorite story or chapter in the book and why?

Wow! That is almost like asking me which is my favorite child!  I have honestly not given any thought as to how to rank them. I am simply extremely grateful to all of the contributors for doing such a wonderful job. I think their chapters are well-written, and I am very impressed with the work their organizations do every day. And this project was on a very tight schedule with tough deadlines, so I greatly appreciated their timeliness in meeting those deadlines so that the book could be introduced quickly. I didn’t start recruiting contributors until late November, and we had a book available to order by May 18. That could not have happened without a massive amount of cooperation.

6. Who is your ideal audience for the book, and how do you plan to reach them?

I think the primary audience are people who already “get it” – they understand that our country has many very serious issues that need to be dealt with – and they want to take action in a way that will resolve the problems. Not sweep them under the rug, not demonize “the other side”; not just fight about it. They want to get out there, work with people, and solve problems!

7.  According to your biography, you have developed and led spiritual writers conferences at Princeton Theological Seminary, Drew Theological Seminary, Western Theological Seminary, the University of Southern California, Belmont University, New Brunswick Seminary, and several churches all as a second career. You were formerly in the business and technology world, what inspired this second career?

When I turned 60 I asked myself “what do you want to do with the rest of your life?” I had the great fortune to have worked for Frederick Buechner and his family, to bring him online and introduce him to a new generation of readers. So I decided to start Writing for Your Life (followed by Publishing in Color and other projects) in order to take what I had learned working for Mr. Buechner and help other Christian writers. It has been an amazing blessing!

Brian Allain leads Writing for Your Life, a resource center and conferences for spiritual writers, which includes the Publishing in Color conference series, intended to increase the number of books published by spiritual writers of color. Brian also leads the teams that produce Compassionate Christianity and How to Heal Our Divides. Previously Brian served as Founding Director of the Frederick Buechner Center where he led the launch of Mr. Buechner’s online presence and established several new programs and strategic partnerships.

Brian has developed and led spiritual writers conferences at Princeton Theological Seminary, Drew Theological Seminary, Western Theological Seminary, the University of Southern California, Belmont University, New Brunswick Seminary, and several churches. He led the publishing effort for the book Buechner 101: An Introduction to Frederick Buechner, in collaboration with Anne Lamott. All of this is a second career, coming after successful business and technology leadership in high-tech. Brian has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was designated a Palmer Scholar, their highest academic award.

For more information about Brian, go to writingforyourlife.com, howtohealourdivides.com compassionatechristianity.org, publishingincolor.com and  whoareyoutryingtoserve.com.

Any thoughts?

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Becoming a Mother Over 40 & Beyond…Janet Jackson isn’t the Only One…A Mothers Day Testimony & Miracle…

celeste

Hello World,

Editor’s Note: I originally published this blog post on Mother’s Day 2016, but for the benefit of my new subscribers, I decided to publish this blog post again because a miracle never gets old. Additionally, C. Celeste Marshall will be sharing her testimony on a radio program tomorrow, May 10, 2021. See those details at the end of the interview…

Last month when Janet Jackson announced she was postponing her tour to focus on creating a family with her husband Wissam Al Mana, my friends and I via text (our easiest way to communicate in our busy lives) speculated on whether Ms. Jackson If You’re Nasty was indeed with child at 49 years old (now our speculation has been confirmed) and whether being 40 or older is too old to become a mother.

Below are a few of our responses:

“It is weird.”

“It’s a miracle. If that is her dream. My friend just had a baby at 48. Not planned.”

“My grandmother had my mom when she was around 40. My aunt around 44. I had my son at 41. Let her story be a leap for womankind. She has led a fabulous life and is now embarking on a new journey.”

So Janet Jackson isn’t the only one who has defied the odds. That is the testimony of C. Celeste Marshall, a college friend who struggled with infertility for 10 years before finally giving birth to her son Terry Simeon Marshall in August 2013! Celeste recently released her book “Memoirs of a Barren Woman” Below is my interview with her about her journey to motherhood and her new book!

When did you get married, and did you want to be a mother when you first got married? Tell me about your desire to be a mother.

My husband, Todd, and I got married in 2001.  We were immediately ready to start our family.  During this particular time, we had a few nieces that I was very close to and we played the parent role for them at times.  My desire to become a mother intensified as I saw them grow and several months had passed and nothing had happened for us.

How and when did you find out you were “barren” or couldn’t conceive children? How did you husband respond?

After almost a year into our marriage, with no success, my doctor at the time felt that it was time to see a specialist.  A few days following this appointment, I remember getting the call at work.  The news was devastating, and work was not the place to receive it.  I was told that I would not be able to have children.  The doctor suggested that I have several female organs removed and that my best chance would be to try in vitro.  My husband responded in a very supportive way and tried to act like it would be fine if we weren’t parents, but I knew that his desire to be a father was just as strong as my desire to be a mother.

Why did you keep believing you would be a mother one day although you were told you couldn’t have children? Did you ever have any miscarriages? What were you doing for those 10 years?! Did you consider adoption?

In 2006, while recovering from my first surgery (fibroids and endometriosis), God led me to a scripture in II Kings.  It was II Kings 4:16.  It read, “this time next year you will be holding a son.”  I anticipated the day that I would be able to say that I was pregnant because I had never had a positive test before.  I never had any miscarriages because time after time I was always told that I would not be able to even conceive a child.  I had received a prior promise from God in 2004.  So during this time of waiting on God to fulfill His promise, I fasted and prayed about my desire and His promise.  After several years passing and my “this time next year” not happening, I mentioned adopting to my husband but he was not open to it.  I knew that it was my spirit settling and trying to rush God’s hand.

When and why did you decide to fast and pray and what was the result? Tell more about it.

I thank God that at the time of receiving this news, I was already saved and was a member of a church, Free Chapel, where fasting is literally one of the church’s foundations.  My pastor teaches it often and each year our church does an annual fast which has become a global practice for many denominations at the beginning of the year.  I had seen the results of fasting and praying in my own life and also in the lives of others in the church.  It is a powerful tool often overlooked in the Christian world.  I challenge anyone to try it for themselves.  When you abstain from food and replace it with the Word of God, there is an intimacy that comes only from fasting.  There are several types of fasting.

What was your “life-changing decision” after your fast?

My life-changing decision following a specific three-day fast in 2012 was to cancel a surgery, which would have been my 3rd during this 10-year period.  The doctor wanted me to have a full hysterectomy, but by the time the pre-op had rolled around, we had agreed on a partial hysterectomy.  It never felt right in my spirit because I knew my body had to be whole in order for God to fulfill His promise. However, my doctor deemed it necessary, but following that three-day fast, and hearing from God on 12-12-12,  I canceled the surgery completely.

How and when did you discover you were pregnant? Were you scared during your pregnancy after all that happened to you? Why or why  not?

I was back at work from Christmas break, and I knew I was “late” but really thought that it was stress related since I had spent most of the Christmas break caring for my niece who had broken her ankle.  I took an outdated pregnancy test at work of all places.  I had them everywhere because I always anticipated each month…..hoping…..praying…..waiting……When it came back positive I was elated and scared at the same time….when you read the book you will know why 🙂

What was it like to finally give birth to your son? When was he born? How old were you when he was born?

My pregnancy was good, but the delivery was a battle.  And when I say battle, it was a spiritual battle! He was born in August 2013.  I was 40 when I found out I was pregnant, and I delivered him when I was 41.marshall

Do you have any final words of advice for would-be mothers who are having difficulty having children or who are ready to give up? What about fathers who are married to women with these challenges and desperately want to be father too. Any advice for them?

I tell everyone not to put God on a timetable.  We have in our minds by what age we should do this, this and this.  If we are truly in line with Him, and we seek Him daily, then we have to trust Him with the desires of our hearts.  When so much time had passed for me, I started changing my prayer…for God to remove the desire and He never did.  I knew what He had promised me, specifically a son, but satan is real and while God had given a promise, satan took advantage of any weakness and tried to steal my promise from God.  However, each year, as I would fast and pray, God would always confirm His promise to me, but of course I grew weary in waiting, but I stood on His promise and His Word: specifically II Kings 4:16.  And to the husbands of barren wives, never make your wife feel “less than, inadequate, or insufficient.”  Because these are the word satan would whisper to her.  satan often tried to remind me that the one thing a woman was created to do, I could not do…I felt broken at times, but I know that God does not make mistakes.

book

Why did you decide to write “Memoirs of a Barren Woman?”

My book was truly written out of obedience.  I never desired nor imagined that I would write a book.  After I had my son, I started getting invitations to give my testimony and what I realized is that God used my household for the basis of this testimony but He did not intend for it to stay there. I believe that my testimony if for anyone believing God for anything.  We all have a “barren” area in our life, male or female.

Was it difficult to write and publish “Memoirs of a Barren Woman?”And what has been the response?

 The book was not difficult to publish so to speak because God led me to the right resource the first time I inquired.  However, I had no idea about all of the editing.  There was so much back and forth for several months, actually over a year.  I started questioning what I had started because there was just so much delay.  But even in delay, I tell you God is working…putting things together.  The number of people who have reached out to me since reading my memoir to tell me the impact that it has had on their life spiritually has been overwhelming.  Young, old, male, female, single women, even women with children have commented on how my book has impacted their life in some form.  I look forward to sharing it on any platform God gives me.

Below is a video of Celeste giving her testimony at her church Free Chapel:

To find out more about C. Celeste Marshall or contact her, go to her Facebook page. Click on this link to buy her book.

Happy Mothers Day to all mothers, but particularly to mothers who are 40 years old and over! And see this poem written by C. Celeste Marshall in which she includes how she will be sharing her testimony on Monday, May 10.

This poem that I’ve written is the harsh reality of so many women, on this Mother’s Day. I pray for those that desire…

Posted by C. Celeste Marshall on Sunday, May 9, 2021

 

***Again, just be sure you see this, C. Celeste Marshall will be on radio station WGTJ Glory 97.5 FM/1330 AM at 9:05 am. Following the community focus segment with Ms. Millie Miller of Get Out Stay Straight/ Restorative Ministry, she will be sharing her testimony.

Any thoughts?