I've had a book that didn't get published for its content for a long time. (2008) It's a book of my heart, and definitely one I want to publish, but not at the expense of the story. I don't think it's unChristian in any sense of the word, but it deals with some hard issues: mental illness in the church, divorce, remarriage.
You know, stuff everyday people go through every day. Oh, but there is no wine in it. I'm safe on that count. LOL
I'm going through all the old versions of it. The overedited version. The original version, trying to decipher what to keep and what to throw away. There are some stories as a writer, you know must be told. As a publisher, maybe it doesn't make commercial sense. Though I will say even dealing in dark issues, it never takes the reader to a dark place. I think we survive by keeping our head above the fray. By laughing in the face of darkness at what we can find funny.
I will always remember how my mother and I laughed out loud at inappropriate times in "Rain Man" -- hey, that's a Tom Cruise movie I've seen! Just sayin' Anyway, when you've lived with a mentally-challenged family member, there is no end to some of the public humiliations. I could write a book on that alone! But as my mother and I laughed, we were given dirty looks by those people in front of us.
People who had no clue what it's like to live in our world. I want this book to show readers what it's like to live in someone else's shoes. Someone you may have judged harshly because you didn't have all the facts, and that's more important to me than any kind of advance. (It has to be because it cost me a pretty penny not to end it the publisher's way.)
Sometimes the publisher has their market, and you as a writer, have your vision. I think it's going to be very cathartic to see this vision published my way because my message is different than what the publisher had to say. In my estimation, mine is filled with hope. Theirs, false hope.
There are times when your publisher is absolutely correct, and there are times that your gut cries out, NOOOO!! This is one of those times. Their version of hope to me, rings false to me.
FYI, Ashley is on the backburner for the moment, but I will finish her. I promise! I just have to wait until the kids are back in school to get her voice back. Happy Friday all! Oh and my book, The Scent of Rain, released from the warehouse this week!
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-scent-of-rain-kristin-billerbeck/1108055402?ean=9781401685652
I just have to add that I told my son (who is helping me with formatting for the book and earning himself some money) as we were talking about pricing, what I'd sell the book for, and he said I should sell it for THIS price because that is good marketing, and I said, "Jonah, you know I have a degree in marketing?"
His answer? "Yes, but I play video games!"
I know there is logic in there somewhere, but I'm afraid. I'm very afraid.
