For my birthday, I asked for a book several friends had recommended—and I’m so glad I did. Lately, I’ve become rather impressed with this little book (187 pages). Because each chapter is topical, focusing on a specific sin, I’ve been first going to the chapters that address areas I know are a struggle for me. The book is Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges. If you’ve never read it, I highly recommend you go get a copy. Now and then you may find me referring to it here because that’s how impressed I am with it—and how much it has stirred my thinking about several key areas of my life. And how I love passing on its truths to others. Yesterday, I was reading the chapter about anxiety and frustration and came across this wonderful quotation from John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace.” “[One of the…
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See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. #6: Once my novel is accepted, my publisher will take care of the rest. The “rest” as in . . . what exactly? The printing? Yes, you don’t need to worry about that. The editing? For the most part, though you will be involved in final edits of some kind. Perhaps even a revision. And of course you’ll have a last look before the printing. The marketing? No, not all of it. This truth was one of the biggest surprises for me. After my first novel was accepted, I was amazed by how much I was expected to do myself. Once upon a time, authors could (for the most part) write their books and not worry too much about marketing. Those days are long past, especially after this nasty economy walloped the publishing world across the side of the head. Publishers must work extra…
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Every year for five years now, Mike Dellosso has delivered a treat for us readers of suspense. I’ve been following Mike from the beginning and have always been astounded by his pace, his exemplary work ethic, and his consistent quality. He works a full-time job and juggles family life too. I know what goes into writing these types of novels, and the task is no small feat, especially in a market that is tough to break into and draw enough sales to keep a publisher happy. God has gifted Mike in an amazing way and opened doors for him to keep producing and reaching readers. Congratulations, Mike! Frantic is another quality addition to his ever-growing collection. With this offering, I felt that Mike ventured into some new territory by delivering a more literary flavor. He spent more time developing his characters (Marny’s sense that he’s “cursed”) and their backstories. The…
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