SPECIAL EDITION: I need your help: Final four days of Barnes and Noble’s special Rising Star Special Collection

I’ve never sought fame or fortune with my memoir, Grandma’s Letters from Africa. I’ve only offered it up to God to use it as He sees fit.

Flannery O'Connor said, "When the book leaves your hands, it belongs to God," and that’s exactly how I have always looked at it.

I offered the book up to God, praying He will use it—and He has, often in ways I could not have anticipated.

The memoir has received three honors along the way: Editor’s Choice, Rising Star, and Reader’s Choice.

And then a few weeks ago Grandma’s Letters from Africa received this additional honor that includes phrases like “hand-picked” and “up-and-coming authors.”

Here’s what arrived in my in-box:

June 17, 2011

Dear Rising Star Author,

Congratulations! Your book will be listed in the Barnes & Noble Rising Star Special Collection on bn.com (Barnes & Noble) and will be available through this exclusive boutique through the end of the month of July.

It is very important to promote, market and drive traffic to your title listed on the Rising Star Special Collection page at bn.com. The demand and traffic you drive to this page is watched and followed by the B&N national buyer. Website demand is an instrumental piece when a buyer is considering stocking a title in store.

Below is the link for the Rising Star Special Collection

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/iUniverse-rising-star-books/379000118/?cds2Pid=16451&linkid=1563532

Best Regards,

Rising Star Board

In the left column of the blog for Grandma's Letters from Africa (http://www.grandmaslettersfromafrica.blogspot.com/) you’ll find endorsements from Bob Creson, President/CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators; Don Parrott, President of The Finishers Project; and others.

You’ll also find links to a couple of reviews there in the left column, one by Laura Frantz and the other by Anne Holmes.

Almost everyone says they laughed and cried when reading Grandma’s Letters from Africa.

Here are additional comments readers have sent me:

“…I started reading it aloud to my husband …. and we laughed (and I cried) as we related to your stories.… Thank you for your open, honest letters to Maggie and for being willing to share them with all of us! I sense God is going to use your book in our lives.” SHC

“I went to sleep with your book last night. I LOVE it. It’s so beautifully written, and brings you and Africa to life in such a gentle and sweet way.” GH

“I just finished reading your book 5 minutes ago. Thank you so much for sending it. I really, really enjoyed the reading. Your descriptions are so clear and interesting. I cried with the beauty and love that you end with in the Psalm of Africa and the Postscript. What a great tribute to your faith and perseverance, the grace of the African people, and our great and loving God!” KH-W

“I asked mom if she was done with your book, and if I could take it and read it. She said ‘only if you promise to bring it back.’ She said she read it in only a few sittings, and she wanted to read it again.… I see why momma wants to have the book back.… I'm half way through the book. I think I could use five more. One for my friend,  … one for the [church] library, one for me, one for [Pastor Mike], and one extra to give away when I need to.….”  PR

Do you know someone who’d enjoy Grandma’s Letters from Africa?

Your pastor? Your Missions Committee Chairman? How about a copy for your church library?

You can buy it for them as a gift: (at a reduced cost!)—remember to use the special link, (you’ll need to scroll down):  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/iUniverse-rising-star-books/379000118/?cds2Pid=16451&linkid=1563532

Or you can forward this blog post to them. Just below this blog post, you’ll see little gray and white icons that allow you to e-mail this, post it to Facebook, share to Twitter, Google Buzz, or +1.

Please help get word out. I have only four more days!

Spread the word!

Special Edition: Exciting news

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Reposting from June 20:
(I don't know where it went, but it's not here any more!)

Special Edition:
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming
to announce exciting news

Whoa! I’ve never sought fame or fortune with my memoir, Grandma’s Letters from Africa. I’ve only offered it up to God to use as He sees fit.


Flannery O'Connor said, "When the book leaves your hands, it belongs to God," and that's how I have always looked at it.

I offer the book up to God, praying He will use it to encourage mid-lifers to consider missions, especially timid, unadventuresome people like me.


For whatever reasons—only God knows—the memoir has received three honors along the way: Editor’s Choice, Rising Star, and Reader’s Choice.


Then a couple of days ago Grandma’s Letters from Africa received his additional honor that includes phrases like “hand-picked” and “up-and-coming authors.”


Here’s what arrived in my in-box:



June 17, 2011


Dear Rising Star Author,


Congratulations! Your book will be listed in the Barnes & Noble Rising Star Special Collection on bn.com (Barnes & Noble) and will be available through this exclusive boutique through the end of the month of July.


It is very important to promote, market and drive traffic to your title listed on the Rising Star Special Collection page at bn.com. The demand and traffic you drive to this page is watched and followed by the B&N national buyer. Website demand is an instrumental piece when a buyer is considering stocking a title in store.


Below is the link for the Rising Star Special Collection


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/iUniverse-rising-star-books/379000118/?cds2Pid=16451&linkid=1563532


Best Regards,


Rising Star Board



Friends, let me ask: Do you know people who are wondering how to spend the rest of their lives?


Maybe Grandma’s Letters from Africa can help. Here’s what I mean:


At midlife (which can begin around age 40), often people ask themselves, “Is this all there is?”


Boredom can set in and people grumble, “Is this as good as it gets?”


I call that a holy discontent, a nudge from God (or maybe even a kick in the pants) urging them to re-evaluate their life’s purpose.


A time of awakening to a deep-down desire to use their training, career experience, and expertise in a bolder way for God.


My prayer is that God will use Grandma’s Letters from Africa to help people explore working on the mission field—for a few months or a few years.


My prayer is that Grandma’s Letters from Africa will help people get ready for that change, for the next chapter in their lives.


You can help your friends, and the book, in a couple of ways:


You can buy people a gift: Grandma’s Letters from Africa (at a reduced cost!) —remember to use the special link (you’ll need to scroll down): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/iUniverse-rising-star-books/379000118/?cds2Pid=16451&linkid=1563532


Or you can forward this blog post to them. Just below this blog post, you’ll see little gray and white icons that allow you to e-mail this, post it to Facebook, share to Twitter, Google Buzz, or +1.

Seize the opportunity! Remember, this offer goes through July only!