“When will your book be done?”
Go ahead, ask me. “When can I buy All the News That’s Fit to Tell and How to Tell It”?
I’ll try not to smile too big when I say, “Today!!!!!!!”
My proof copy—when I actually hold the book for the first time—arrived in time for my trip to Costa Rica. Volunteering at an Azmera Retreat, the second afternoon presented a workshop entitled “Newsletters Can Be Fun!” While my instagram was blowing up with “famous” authors all gathering in Michigan for the Festival of Faith and Writing, I was in a glorified closet (because it had good AC) talking to fellow cross-cultural workers about writing newsletters.
A small part of my missed that I was not with those in the “big league” when it comes to publishing books. But this room? These faces? This is why All the News—her nickname—exists. These women serving in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua were like me. They did not see themselves as writers. They plant churches, they work with youth, they have multiple outreaches going on.
One of the dirty little secrets in the world of cross-cultural workers is how many feel shame and guilt when it comes to newsletter writing. What a terrible motivational speaker in their heads! To make add to the complexity, many do not think of themselves as writers.
But in this day and age, we all are writers because of email, text messages, social media, and yes, newsletters. Because cross-cultural workers generally do not see themselves as writers, those in this room didn’t know writing is a skill that can be improved on like any other skill. I wrote this book for them. I took all that I have learned writing books and translated it into newsletter speak.
(Side-note obviously all of their hair has adjusted to the humidity. Mine? My hair spent the week being very poofy. But I digress.)
They were God’s gentle reminder that there are thousands of cross-cultural workers who want to connect with supporters and long for a resource like this.
All the News is divided into four sections:
- The Unseen Battle: Your mind-set
- Newsletter Specific Writing
- Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing
- Developing as a Writer
Because launch day is FUN! All of my books are on Sale in Kindle for $2.99. Yes, this includes All the News for $2.99 (Kindle, regularly $7.99) and $10.00 in print. Sale ends Saturday morning in the U.S.
This is the third time I’ve launched and again I feel a bit like I’m saying to you, “Do you like my baby? Will you, my people help raise her? Will you stand with me in the good times and hard? Will you still like me even when she disappoints or does stupid things?”
And all the people said, “We will!”
You might wonder, That’s great, but I’m not sure what to do. What can I do? Here are eight ways you can help with this raising of All the News:
1. Celebrate! Of course I hope this book sells decently because I truly believe that better newsletters will strengthen the bond between writer and reader.
But if this books sells and I have no one to share it with, what have I gained? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. What is worse than watching sports by yourself and having no one to high-five? Nothing. Okay, there are worse things, but in that moment, it’s pretty low.
I’m high-fiving you! Woot, woot! If you weren’t here reading this blog, there would be no book. This blog is where my own mindset shifted and I began to think of myself as a writer. We did it. Let’s enjoy this moment.
2. May I boldly suggest, buy a copy of All the News. Purchased copies through Amazon are the only way that Amazon will start to recommend All the News as an “also bought.”
3. But here is a simple way that won’t cost you a dime. This week it is annoyingly important to train the Amazon search engine—the second most powerful search engine right now. So, instead of clicking on the hyperlinked title, go to Amazon and in the search bar type in “all the news that’s fit to tell” FYI, Amazon only lets your device count once for searching for an item. So, thank you in advance to those of you just got the idea to pull up something on Netflix and hit the refresh button on Amazon and keep typing “all the news.” You can still do it, but Amazon will never know.
4. Suggest or give All the News to the head of your mission committee, a mission organization you know, or someone who has contacts in those worlds. Ask them if they would buy a copy for each of their cross-cultural workers. The best way a book sells is through word of mouth. If you tell them and they know you, they are much more likely to buy it. Physical copies available at a discount for orders of five copies or more.
5. Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It does not need to be five stars (though if that’s what your heart is saying, go with your heart!). Amazon is funny, she just likes to see the amount of reviews. The more reviews (even three or four star), the more Amazon will say, “Hey, maybe I should tell other people about this book.”
6. Tell someone about Love, Amy. You know tons of people I don’t know. You know people living in Sweden or working at this church or for that organization. You know you neighbor’s cousin who is moving to Brazil or your former coworker who writes boring newsletters. You know mission committee members and pastors and counselors.
7. Know a blogger? I would be honored to write a guest post or be interviewed. Know a podcaster? I’d love to talk about mindset, motivation, or other aspects of newsletter writing. Please put me in contact with them.
8. Take a picture with yourself and All the News and share on social media. Who doesn’t love a happy person with a book? And this cover will bring out the blue in your eyes.
Here is an image for Instagram:
Release days are so much fun! Next week I’ll share more about the back story for this particular book. I’m happy tired today.
As we launch this book and wait to see how God will use it, I want to end with the benediction I gave at the end of the acknowledgments:
I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3
Love,
Amy
Contact form for inquiries as to me speaking to your group about transitions or newsletters, buying bulk orders, or your thoughts on the Broncos’ chances next year.
by Daniel Mason.
by Esther Emery—From my notebook where I record what I read: “Esther is the kind o f story teller people dream of being. She is deep without being preachy. She is funny without going for cheap laughs. She is in love with Jesus in a way that rings true. She is real and profound in a way that invites people into deep waters.”
by J. D. Vance—Gorgeous story teller! Many of his stories from Kentucky sounded like they came from the 40s or 50s, but he is younger than me! Read this to wrestle with learned helplessness and personal responsibility. Also to see the power of have one (or more) solid adult pour into a kid (in his case, his grandma).
by Hope Jahren—Hope writes of her 20 years of working in a science lab with her lab partner Bill. I love when I finish a book and care about a subject in a way the “pre-reading Amy” would have laughed at. Books that change me are keepers. I wrote, “Their passion for soil, plants and trees are infectious! I love plants even more. Trees are amazing.”
by 
by Helena Sorensen—Also read for Velvet Ashes book club. Sorensen interacted with us and was an absolute delight! “Helena writes in such a way that familiar topics can be seen from unfamiliar angles. The idea/reality of all we lost in The Fall hit home again.”
by Alice Broadway—Alice is in a writers group I’m in and this book was first published in the UK and unavailable in the U.S. Mutual friend Tanya made sure this book found its way into my hands and I am grateful! “This may been the next YA trilogy. Alice is super talented!” Deals with the subject of a faith crisis as one grows up. Book two is in process and I cannot wait!
by Rachel Joyce—I loved this book! So many parallels with A Man Called Ove—I sort of annoyed anyone within a seven mile range with my over analysis of Harold and Ove. Strong themes of purpose, aging, regrets, and redemption.
by Rumer Godden—First of all, 640 pages, so gold star to me. But that is not why it made my top-17 list. If you are interested in cloistered life, this is a must-read. Godden tells the story of Phillipa, an “older” convert in an insightful and sensitive way.
by Michelle DeRusha—I blogged about this here: 
by 
by Tanya Marlow—I blogged about this book here: 
by 
by Verlyn Klinkenborg—”I didn’t realize there was so much to be said about the sentence :). An engaging books that will have me over-analyzing sentences in a good way.”
by Patrick Lencioni—By far the best book I read this year when it comes to fostering a healthy work environment. I could NOT stop talking about it all summer. Every organization needs “smart” people — good with strategy, marketing, finance, and technology. Too many organizations think that having “smart” people is the advantage. They are wrong. A system also needs to be “healthy”—minimal politics, minimal confusion, high morale, high productivity, and low turnover. “Healthy” is the true advantage.
by Christ McChesney and Sean Covey—
by Abbie Smith—”Filled with laughter, tears, searing honesty and gorgeous writing, this is one of the best reads of the year. Quite simply, this is a stunning book. Smith writes about motherhood in such a way that whether you have had children or not you can relate to having Stretch Marks you don’t expect. Let the gentle waves of this prose wash over you and water your soul.” Amy Young, author of Looming Transitions and Love, Amy (How fun is that!! I’ll have to tell you how I met Abbie in another post. She is delightful!!!)
by Me (Amy Young)—Being an author and having people read your offering to the world is a humbling, exciting, encouraging, awkward at times, empowering, and so vulnerable you want to throw up and never look anyone in the eye again. Above all? A complete honor. If 
by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. Sheryl’s husband dropped dead on the basketball court, dropping her into Option B for her life. Interested in learning about fostering resilience? This book is for you.
by Susan David. If you find yourself stuck in a pattern of thinking or behaving that isn’t helping you? This books will help.
by M. T. Anderson. From Amazon: “This is the true story of a city under siege: the triumph of bravery and defiance in the face of terrifying odds. It is also a look at the power—and layered meaning—of music in beleaguered lives. Symphony for the City of the Dead is a masterwork thrillingly told and impeccably researched by National Book Award–winning author M. T. Anderson.” Longest siege in recorded history (872 days) and more people died in this siege than all of American and British deaths. Fascinating and disturbing.
by Jill Ker Conway. Okay, so half read in May, half after the challenge began. My friend (and also an author) Kay Bruner recommended this memoir for the Velvet Ashes book club. From Amazon, “Conway spent her first 11 years in the windswept grasslands of Australia, where her father owned 30,000 acres of arid land. Though his ability to understand the land was extensive, an eight-year drought finally defeated him, and he comitted suicide. A few years later, Conway’s oldest brother died in an automobile accident. The two deaths plunged her mother into depression. Out of this tale of hard work, drought, and sorrow, Conway emerges with character and personal strength.”
by Gene Luen Yang. From Amazon: “Jin Wang starts at a new school where he’s the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn’t want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he’s in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee’s annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny’s reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again.”
by William Styron. If someone you know and love has experienced or experiences depression and you don’t, this memoir is for you. Styron is able to verbalize his experience in such a way that you will go, “Oh, wow, it’s like that?” A short, but powerful read.
by Omar Saif Ghobash. I discovered this book in the library trying to find a book by or about the Dalai Lama. Ghobash is interesting because he is half-Russian, half-UAE, studied in London, and is now the ambassador to Russia from the UAE. These letters were written to his sons. He seems more of a moderate muslim. It wasn’t a bad read, but didn’t really help me understand a perspective that different from a western educated person.
by Honoree Corder. 
by Ed Cyzewski. I loved this book. Though I didn’t come out of the Catholic tradition, I found Ed to be a fellow companion in seeking to add contemplative practices to his life.
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