Cleared for Planting, my first published book

Five Years

It is five years this month since I saw the fruits of my labor with my first published book. I receive my boxes of Cleared for Planting from the publisher in March of 2015. I met representatives from the publishing house at a writers' conference. They told me to send them my manuscript, and they accepted it right away. I can still remember how excited I was.

The publisher took 2 years to publish

As they published more of my books, I saw that the publisher took longer and longer to bring a book out. I realized, if I was going to get all my stories told, I would need to move faster, so I also began to publish with a smaller, print-on-demand publisher as well. However, as I got more comfortable in the field and more knowledgeable of publishing, I decided to follow in the footsteps of two of my well-known author friends and turn to indie publishing. It gave me more control and allowed more profits to go to the scholarship fund for missionary children.

To be independently published

To date, I have published 24 books and have the 25th (From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea: Lessons from Elijah and Jonah) coming out in April. It will be my second nonfiction. Twelve of the books are currently on Audible, and we're working to produce more. Gradually, my fan base and sales have built and are still growing. The more books I publish, the more this is true and the busier I stay trying to manage it all, but I am pleased where this five-year mark finds me as a writer. God has truly guided and blessed. May the praise and glory go to Him!

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