Some years ago, as I shared yet another story from my travel experiences, a friend turned to me, looked me straight in the eye and said 'you should write a book'. He wasn't the first friend to have told me this. As usual I dismissed it out of hand due to the fact that I considered myself to be the last person on earth who should write a book and that it seemed like every other Tom, Dick and Harriet were in the writing business.
Since blogging however, I have managed to recount several stories over the years and I began to wonder how many stories I could find that might be worth the telling. I began collating them about 5 years ago and towards the end of last year had a collection of 21.
I wondered if this might be enough to make up a book and began to read and research everything to do with book publishing. One of the first questions I had to ask myself was to do with the audience. Who was I actually writing for? It was then that it occured to me. My purpose in sharing stories was to help people who might be facing the sorts of things I have had to face in life. From infertility and miscarriage through to cancer, I knew that sharing some of my journey might encourage and help others. Who better to share my story with than my own daughter who per chance happened to be coming up to her 21st birthday. If I could leave some words of wisdom, advice and encouragement for her then I would happily feel the book had been worthwhile.
I therefore self published the book for her 21st birthday. It was a one off copy with the 21 stories and smatterings of various photo's and pieces of art work I have done over the years that have helped me process life's journey.
I called it '21 love mum'.
I had thought this might have been the full sum of my literary genius and was happy with completion. It wasn't perfect, I didn't imagine it would ever be a best seller but it was a piece of me left for posterity.
Until......... I began to ponder the possiblity of a wider audience. I started to revisit and play with the manuscript and developed some thinking around it being a devotional sort of book. Each story being a stand alone piece that could provoke further thought and consideration from the reader. I was more selective in my choice of art work, choosing pieces that I felt would enhance the stories and communicate beyond the limitation of the written word. Much of the art work ended up consisting of mosaics I have made to mark various seasons of life.
This time I was brave enough to employ an editor who then went on to do a remarkable job of helping shape the book towards the excellence I so often give up on and I pressed on through.
The book is written, the devotional additions and pictures are almost in place and I am now in the serious position of needing to publish.
Only a few more decisions to be made, a book cover to be finalised and I will have in my hands a book that, like a restrained dove, can finally be set loose in the world.
