“I purchased this book at the recommendation of my Mom & sister who heard Mr. Shepherd speak & give his testimony, then read the book. I didn’t realize that once I started reading I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. This story is the ultimate witness of how God pursues us and puts special people in our midst to help guide us to His lovingly designed life path. A true testament of God’s love told from the perspective of an imperfect person like me showing everyone the perfect love of Jesus.” (C. Mann, Amazon Review)
I’ve shared about writing Jerry’s story in my last two posts. First about how I was inspired to write Jerry’s story of redemption and grace and then last Sunday about how Jerry’s letters he wrote home from prison made the writing possible. Those letters in Jerry’s own words brought the story to life.
But writing a story doesn’t always mean it will get out there where other people can read it. I believed Jerry’s story did need an audience and more than the audience of one that I was. Jerry wanted his story to be between the covers of a book so that his experiences might help others have hope in desperate times.
As I said in one of my other posts, my first inspirational novel had just been published when I approached Jerry about writing his story. I had the opportunity to write a couple more inspirational novels. I was on the way to resurrecting my lagging writing career. Writing a nonfiction book wasn’t exactly part of my recipe for success. But I dived into the story and wrote it anyway. But first I promised Jerry that one way or another I would see that the book was published if he let me write his story. Of course, I had hopes that a publishing company would pick up the book and make it widely available all across the country. But my fiction publishers weren’t interested. Memoirs are hard to sell unless it’s the story of some famous person. Jerry did not fit that billing. My agent at the time, sent it here and there with no bites. Actually not even a nibble.
Submitting for publication if you don’t have a contract in hand can be a slow and arduous process. Publishing house editors usually have a pile of manuscripts waiting for their perusal. Angels at the Crossroads was simply another story waiting to be read. Naturally enough, Jerry was eager for the book to be published, but the submission process dragged on. For a year. Now I know that many books make the rounds longer than that, are rejected time and again, and then land on the desk of the right editor and the rest can be history as the story becomes a bestseller. While I had hopes of finding a publisher, I really wasn’t expecting a bestseller. So I told my agent she could keep trying to sell my others stories, but I withdrew Jerry’s book and made the hard decision to publish it myself. That was a little before the rage of self-publishing stormed through the internet. Instead, I got brochures and information for several self-publishing companies. Some of them wanted more upfront money than I was willing to shell out. The book was too many words for some of the companies. I eventually settled on one of the companies because they promised a special typesetting process that would keep the book under a certain page count which would mean the book, although still overpriced in my eyes, would be more reasonably priced there than at some of the other companies.
So we made a deal. I gave them money and they started working on my manuscript to turn it into a book. I did a cover questionnaire and I thought I filled it out well. They did ask for some scenes and I did mention a climatic sunrise scene in the book. So I suppose I deserve some of the blame, but I was not expecting a pink background that as one person said made the book look like a daily devotional book. The company said I could design my own cover at additional expense but publication would have to be put on hold until I got that done. Jerry didn’t think the cover was as terrible as I did. The story inside was the important part, so we moved along the road to publication with the less than perfect cover pictured up top.
When the book finally came off the presses, Jerry was singing in the Patriot Quartet along with my husband. Jerry was the tenor. Darrell was the bass. Joe was lead and David was baritone. They had a great sound and traveled around all over to sing at churches and other events. Each concert Jerry would give a short five minute testimony. So it was great having his book on the Quartet’s product table. Without that outlet for his books, I might still be in the hole on those first publishing costs. But the book sold at those concerts and at other book events we held to get the book out to readers.
Some years later when e-books were becoming all the rage, I made another deal with the same self-publishing company to reissue the book so that it could be digital. But I wasn’t about to let it have that same cover. I contracted an independent cover artist who designed the new cover with a photo I found and purchased online. I could almost see Jerry as the man in the picture at those crossroads wondering which way to go next.
But I still thought the book was too expensive for readers. It was too expensive for me to even buy copies to sell. I let things slide for a few years since I was busy writing other books, but finally I pulled the book from the other company and once more re-issued it. This time with Amazon that meant it would have a reader friendly price. After another round of edits since I feel like I’m a better writer now than I was when I first wrote Angels at the Crossroads, we released it on Amazon in print and digital. I added Jerry’s name to the cover. If I remember correctly, the other company hadn’t wanted me to do that, but it has always been Jerry’s story. I just wrote it down. So now thirteen years after the book first came out, it’s out again, a bit slimmer but just as inspiring. The book has a few reviews on Amazon, but if you do read it, I hope you will consider adding a review there. I always appreciate those of you who do reviews. They are such a help to encourage other readers to give a story a try.
“God’s grace shown forth in this story of love and protection. This is a great story and kept me wanting to see how God was going to be there next as his life changed.” (Amazon customer)
This is my last post about writing Jerry’s story and the last post for you to leave a comment and be entered in a drawing to have a chance to win a copy. The deadline for entering is midnight EST on February 2, 2019. You must be at least eighteen years old to enter. Print version open for United States or Canada. If an international winner, that person would get an e-book version. I’ll pick two winners by random drawing on Sunday.
So thanks so much for going with me through the journey of getting Jerry’s story in a book. And as always, thanks for reading.
Have you ever made a promise to someone that turned out to be harder to keep than you expected?
What, if anything, about Angels at the Crossroads has grabbed your interest about Jerry’s story?
Comments 24
Definitely a book I need to check on. I like the second cover the best!
Author
I would expect you to like the second cover best, Linda. The first one was all wrong for the story. I do hope you will check out Jerry’s story. It’s a powerful testimony to the mercy and grace of the Lord.
Jerry’s story sounds like a good read!
Author
Glad you think so, Ola. Always fun to hear from you here.
Looking forward to reading it at some point in time, autobiographies are one of my favorite genres to read. I mix them in with the fiction.
Author
I enjoy biographies too, especially those that have diaries and letters that put me right back in the time with them, Loretta. I read them for research sometimes.
I’m looking forward to reading this book. I may ask for it for my birthday.
Author
Love getting books for birthdays and Christmas. Guess that’s why I have books stacked in a lot of places. I met a man at a book signing once who said he’d rather have books in his cabinets than food. I’m glad I don’t have to make that either or choice. 🙂
Sounds like a good book for me to read.
Author
I hope you will like the story when you get a chance to read it, Birdie. I do appreciate you reading my books. This one is different but it is a powerful story. Not because I wrote it, but because of the amazing grace of the Lord.
I loved the book, and it’s interesting to read about how you finally got it published. I’m thankful you persevered.
Jerry’s story helps us all understand that no matter how hopeless our own crossroads may look, we’re not alone if we trust God. I’m hoping I can get my brother to read this amazing story…as it mirrors his own story in many ways.
Author
I appreciate you going ahead and reading the book, Lavon. Did you leave a review on Amazon? Somebody did and it was a great review for the book. I do hope you can get your brother to read it too if you think it will make a difference in his life. Prayers for him and for you. So many people are struggling with problems these days.
After reading this, I went to Amazon and bought the book. This sounds like a keeper and a book is always better to hold than a kindle. I love to hear testimonials of how God works in lives to bring His saving grace. Keep writing…love all your books.
Author
Thank you, Joy. It’s such fun to have friends from high school days read my books. I really appreciate that. And I do agree that I’d rather hold a book than a Kindle though I do read Kindle books sometimes. I also appreciate a reader who doesn’t want to wait to see if they might win a book, but just go ahead and get it. You must be like me. Not one of those people whose name rises to the top in a giveaway drawing. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the story of how Jerry’s life story was published,Ann! I appreciate your and Jerry’s perseverance in getting his story out there to point others to The Lord,friend! ✨ Isaiah 43:18-19✨
Author
Perseverance is a quality most all writers need in abundance, Emily. And I’m sure you know about persevering too. I’m happy the book is out now at a more affordable price for most readers.
As I was looking at the cover again I remembered my aunt telling me about when she got saved.She was walking home from church.(this was around 80 years ago) and she said she had been praying the whole time.When she came to a fork in the road she stopped and prayed hard and turned it over to the Lord and got saved right there.
I know that isn’t about Jerrys story but thank you for jogging the memory of my aunt telling me about her experience.
I am looking forward to reading more about Jerrys story.
Author
Thanks for sharing that story, Lisa. I think we probably don’t share our Christian salvation experiences enough. Everybody likes to hear those personal experience stories. I like that she stood at a crossroads or a fork in the road and decided to give her decision up to the Lord. Turn it over to Jesus. That sounds like good advice for many decisions.
Jerry’s story sounds fascinating as does the process of finally getting it published. I have a friend going through the same loops to get his last book published. It, too, is not his usual genre, but is a very good book.
I would love to be a winner of Jerry’s book as my budget is very limited.
Author
I’ve thrown your name in my drawing hat, Nancy. Maybe this will be a lucky time for you. I hope your friend finds a good way to get his book out for readers.
Yesterday, purchased e-book version for PC Kindle. Eager to begin this non-fiction experience.
Author
So nice of you to go ahead and buy the book, Doris. I appreciate that and hope you will be glad you read Jerry’s story.
I would love to read this book, and, will look for it on Amazon. My neighbors attended the church where the Patriot Singers came every year. I know they heard Jerry’s testimony , I just wish I had gone to their church that Sunday morning.
Author
I’m sure you would have enjoyed their concert, Donna. They have a great sound. They’ve changed singers since then. Jerry doesn’t sing with the quartet now and they have a different lead singer too. Jerry does solo singing and preaching to fill in when the regular pastors aren’t at a church. He’s had a lot of ministry opportunities since the time of his book.