S.D. Smith's Blog, page 39

Sound good? Get your own copy, or buy one for all your grandkids and your less-than-grand kids.

Note: This is a slightly edited reworking of our wonderful kickstarter video created by Brian Patton. I hated for that video to only have a life that made sense as long as the kickstarter was ongoing. So I asked Brian to edit it this way and to mute the two times the word kickstarter was mentioned. The muting is momentarily a little weird, but it’s okay. It’s a good thing to share with people you believe may enjoy the book.

FYI. Here’s the place to send people who want to know about the book and where to find a copy that suits them: RIGHT HERE.

They can see buying options and read some reviews of the book. Many of the reviews are teeming with positives, much like my allergy test.

Here are two short sections from a wonderful piece about fasting (and feasting) from Peter Leithart. It’s a very positive article about the part of Christianity that is saying “no.”  A good read for modern people unaccustomed/hostile to hearing “no” and for ordinary evangelicals (like me) still a little confused about Lent. I strongly recommend it all….

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This helps us see where Adam’s fast fits in. Yahweh did give Adam a law of fasting, but only after inviting him to a feast. In the Bible, feasting is prior to, more fundamental than, fasting. “Eat, drink, and rejoice” is the first word God speaks to Adam, and it is the last word Jesus speaks to His bride. Fasting is essential to the story, but fasts are always ordered to feasts.

….

Of course, Adam didn’t want to wait. Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food, and desirable to make one wise, so she ate and Adam joined in. Adam sinned because he wanted it all now – wisdom, authority, a full belly, the whole abundant goodness of creation, now. He sinned because he grabbed for the feast. He sinned because he didn’t keep the fast, and as a result even the appetizers he already had were taken from him.

Jesus is the Last Adam because He keeps the fast. He enters a world that is no longer a garden, but a howling waste, and in that wilderness Satan tempts Him to break the fast, to be an Adam: “You’re hungry; eat this now. You deserve the accolades of the crowds; you can have it now if you jump off the temple. You want all authority in heaven and on earth, but your Father won’t give that to you unless you suffer an excruciating, shameful death; you can have it all now, no cross or self-denial required. It’s yours, and you only need to do a bit of bowing. Life, glory, power, everything you want, everything you deserve – you can have it all now.”

Jesus refused, and refused, and then refused again, and in so doing broke the power of Adamic sin. Jesus kept the fast; He waited, labored, suffered, died, and then opened His hand to receive all life, all glory and honor, all authority and dominion, that His Father had to give Him. He kept the fast, and as a result was admitted to the fullness of the kingdom’s feast, because by that time both it and He were ready.  And by resisting the devil, Jesus sets the pattern of true fasting and reveals a Lenten way of life.

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Again, please read it all.

Art: Paul Gustave Doré – The Temptation of Jesus

Or, As We Say in West Virginia, Pretty Dadgum Good

Well, thanks to you all spreading the word, we were able to give The Green Ember ebook to 15,450 people. That’s great!

We didn’t know what to expect, or really how to tell what success meant, but I think this can only be described as incredibly successful. It’s exciting to think of thousands of families meeting Heather and Picket and sharing their adventure. I’m a little worn out (already!) by some aspects of this author gig, but what continues to thrill me is telling stories to real children. I love hearing from these kids, getting their letters, and seeing their wonderful drawings. It’s a wonderful part of this journey for me. So 15,000 new readers to me means a bunch of kids. I love that.

Team Effort

I’m so grateful that so many of you have joined us on this adventure, and have been by our sides lending a hand at every turn. You can’t imagine how incredibly encouraging it is to have such fine friends. It’s hard to thank everyone individually, but I see your posts, your recommendations, your zeal to help us with this little project. I see and I’m encouraged and grateful. It’s a great advantage to have such saddlepals along for the adventure. We are so thankful. Serious business. Thank you!

The illusion that I can do this thing on my own has certainly vanished. My family, my publisher Andrew Mackay, our amazing team at Story Warren, and all our many friends, old and new have done so much. This is an incredible team. God has been very good to me in all this.

What’s the knock-on effect of this giveaway?

We hope that connecting to so many new readers means many will stick around for future stories. We hope and believe that many will buy print (or audio) copies and stay connected with our newsletter. We’re seeing that happen to some degree already, but we’ll have to wait and see how effective the Give Thousands of Books Away for Free strategy proves to be over time. I think it was a good decision.

Getting High

The book got really high, to #15 at one point, in the entire (free) kindle store and #1 in several categories, including all children’s books. It still (for the moment at least) ranks highly on the paid side of Amazon kindle sales, and is currently #1 in Christians Fantasy. Now that’s not the biggest deal in the world, but it means something. It means people keep buying the book–not in great numbers, certainly, but they do keep buying it. I’m glad for that!

Okay, I just wanted to give those who helped out so much an update.

Thanks for being on our side. There are more adventures ahead!

I can’t believe I didn’t receive more angry postcards about my discussion of Essential Oils last month. That was some weak outrage. Come on, aren’t you people mad about stuff and eager to spew venom online? Enough about you, let’s talk about me. Seriously, do you know how weird it is to talk about yourself a lot? I try to disassociate from it a little so I can survive. That’s healthy, right?

The honest truth (as opposed to the dishonest truth) is that there are two things happening when I “promote myself” on social media and in newsletters etc. One is that I’m hesitant and really reluctant, so I can agonize over it. Strangely, I think that’s when I’m most vulnerable to pride. Other times I’m listening to those voices of people I trust who remind me that this is a vocation I should not be ashamed of and that a healthy, if difficult, part of this job is communicating about what’s happening. And that includes genuine excitement. It’s a challenge, but I need to keep on it, finding a good balance that informs and (hopefully) engages, but doesn’t feel like a constant assault.

Feel free to write me with good advice about this.

Audible listeners (like me) can pick up a copy of The Green Ember now for a credit. If you do, please consider leaving a nice review.

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[REDACTED]  THIS IS THE PART WHERE I HAD AN AWESOME OFFER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS ….Mend your ways!

Our Nonessential Oils business is flourishing and our graphics guy (Will Smith) has designed a logo. It’s all legit now.

And now, an E.O. joke.

Q: Do you know what the Essential Oils user at the hospital said to the nurse?

A: Nothing. Essential Oils users never have to go to the hospital because Essential Oils.

Yep, we’re doing a few of those. It’s kind of a pain (reluctant self talking), but also a great way to share the book beyond our intensely loyal and deeply intelligent audience. And all flattery aside, we can definitely use your help. So I’m asking if you’ll please do the following.

What you’re sharing is a free book, so don’t be shy!

If you want help, here’s a message our crew has carefully crafted after hours of research on the internet…

Just copy and paste! Maybe share this picture (by Will Smith).

Or come up with your own, original take. Anyway, we’d be so grateful if you would consider sharing that on one or all three days of the giveaway.

This is only for the next two days! So, please go ahead and share the free joy.

Consider it a birthday present to me.

Today I’m 38. I’m not sad. I’m so grateful. This has been a wonderful year where I’ve been overwhelmed by the love and support of an energetically encouraging group of people. Among them, you.

We named our third son Micah, and his birthday is coming up soon as well. I love the name Micah because it means “Who is like the LORD?” The answer is an eternal silence. No one is like our God, who pardons sinners, who delivers justice, who sent his son to rescue rebels and remake the world.  I love being a part of the New Creation and I long with al my heart for the New World. Oh kingdom come, Immanuel.

I’m headed to Charlotte in late February and Memphis in early March. If you have a class/homeschool group/whatever that would like a visit from me for some reason, let me know. Thanks!

Book of the Month: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Uster. Gina has been reading this to us for the past few weeks and it has been so fun for us all. It’s hilarious and clever. And speaking of Read-alouds…

Podcast of the Month: The Read-Aloud Revival. I listen to a few pods, mostly about soccer and the Bible, but this has become my new favorite. I’m slightly biased because I’m scheduled to appear on it soon, but I was a fan first. Sarah Mackenzie is a fantastic host, with lots of vision and insight. But the best thing about the pod is Sarah’s infectious cheerfulness and humility. It’s a winsome, informative invitation (no guilt, no pressure) to make reading a central part of our family culture. It’s great.

Quote of the Month: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”  –Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Music of the Month: Son of Laughter/Chris Slaten. I love this guy and I love his music. Do yourself a huge favor and get his EP. Amazing.

Okay, thanks for getting this far in the newsletter. It’s like finishing a boring marathon where most of the eaters are asleep. Oh, yeah, didn’t you know it was a hot-dog eating marathon?

Peace to you,

Sam

That’s right: FREE. As in, gratis.

For the next three days, a person may virtually waltz into the virtual Kindle Store and, without offending virtue, walk out (with thegoods) without paying. It’s legal shoplifting, and I’m asking if you’ll do it.

You’ve probably seen these things.

There’s a way in which they don’t help: people getting the thing you nearly killed yourself to produce for free, thereby constituting a substantial loss in profits.

On the other hand, it gets your book into a lot of hands, and maybe hearts, and then maybe people want a print copy. And if they love the story maybe they tell others about it. The hope is that word spreads.

That’s where you come in. 

Can you help us spread the word? If you loved the book, or you just want to help, please share this info for the next few days on social media.

Here’s a suggested Twitter tweet:

A great book for kids & families is FREE today on Kindle. #TheGreenEmber by @SDSmith_, a new story with an old soul. http://bit.ly/TGEeBook

And here’s one for Facebook:

There’s a great book for kids & families called #TheGreenEmber by S. D. Smith. It’s FREE today on Kindle. If you love a good adventure full of truth, beauty, and goodness, get this new story with an old soul. Like I said, it’s FREE, but not for long.   http://bit.ly/TGEeBook #RabbitsWithSwords

Or best of all, make it your own.

Thanks for being on our side!

Get The Green Ember on Audible. :::::::: Get The Green Ember at our store.

Below I’ll share how you can get the audiobook for half-off an already very low price (for a few days only).

We’re so excited about The Green Ember audiobook. I love audiobooks, listen to them all the time, and I’m so happy with how this turned out. Joel Clarkson nailed the narration performance. He did all the voices so well (I keep hearing from kids who love different ones best). He produced the project as well and it’s top-notch. But wait, there’s more. Joel also composed original music for the intro and the ending of the book. I love it. I think you will too.

Okay, here’s how you can get half-off the audiobook. Two easy things.

1) Sign-Up for my newsletter here.

2) Do a short (or long) review of the book at Amazon.

Then all you need to do is go to our store (HERE) and when you checkout use the code REVIEWEDIT and you’ll get the audiobook for a mere 5 American dollars.

Note: This offer expires on Friday the 13th. February 13, 2015.

Okay, here’s your free preview. Gather the kids around and give them a generous helping of #RabbitsWithSwords. I hope you enjoy it!

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Image doctored awesomely by Will Smith.

“Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as author and reader!” –Sam Sith

Great news! Our book is back in stock at Amazon. FINALLY!

We’ve been waiting for this for a while. I’m sorry for those who had to wait. Get your own copy now!

And if you’re not signed up for my newsletter, please do right here. It’ll be worth it. It’s fun. Ya gotta believe me, ma!

And while you’re there,  how about leaving a review for your ol’ pal, Sam Sith…er, Smith?

Okay, I’m done telling you stuff and asking you for stuff. Feel free to get back to that TV show where the thing happens and then it’s like, what just happened and all we’re like, uh uh! No Way! and stuff.

May the Farce be with you. 

Hallo!

We are literally having a blast. You are being blasted to Smithereens. Or I am blasting to Smithereens. Somebody is exploding here.

#Smithereens #Blast #Successing

It’s all happening.

November and December were bananas and we were not quite able to keep up with demand and have over and over run out of stock on Amazon. Good problem, sure. We finally, after much travail, have received our second printing of the book. So hopefully that will end this most irritating sight.

Of course you can always get copies from our store, which is best for us. But Amazon will be in stock soon. 

Now on to something we won’t run out of until the internet breaks. (Looking at you, North Korea.)

Fantastic News!

The audiobook for The Green Ember, produced and performed Joel Clarkson, is now available! Joel did a great job and I think families are going to enjoy his dramatic performance. Joel composed music, performed, and produced the entire thing. And it’s wonderful! He did voices for each character with great range and emotion. It’s really good and, as a huge audiobook fan, I’m very excited. Kids love to listen to stories while they work, play, or travel. (So do I.)

It’s on sale now for a mere $9.95! [SAVE TEN AMERICAN U.S. BALD EAGLE BEN FRANKLIN DOLLARS]

Would you consider taking five minutes and doing a short review of the book on Amazon? It would be very helpful and Audible (audiobook) shoppers will see them and it will help so much. Thanks!

[REDACTED]  THIS IS THE PART WHERE I HAD AN AWESOME OFFER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS. Mend your ways!

Blog Reviews

We had at least two generous blog reviews for The Green Ember, both by friends. Here’s one by Loren Eaton and this one is by Glenn McCarty. Both of these guys are wonderful writers and I’m so grateful and honored by their words.

LIKE my Facebook Author Page…or this rabbit and you have a problem.

Thanks to my brother from the same mother, Will Smith, for the awesome images!

Goodreads

I’m loving it. Find The Green Ember there!

Essentially Oily

Our family is doing well and we are grateful for God’s kindness to us through pain and joy. We had a wonderful Christmastide filled with feasts, fun, family, and frankincense. I still don’t know what frankincense is precisely, but it’s in the Gospel of Matthew and I think it was mentioned in one of the 8 bazillion essential oil adverts I saw on Facebook.

Once I made an errant comment on Facebook, musing on the possibility that an essential oil might exist that one could pour into one’s ear that would block one from ever hearing about essential oils again. My publisher texted me and threatened to cancel the book because I was ruining my relationship with our target audience.

“Our target audience is oily moms?” I asked.

“No, you idiot,” he said, “it’s moms who do lots of research and know stuff because of that research and also because of parties and research.”

“Oh,” I said. “Sorry. I am now on board with essential oils.”

“Good, because these people are the heroines who divert a portion of their essential oil money to buy your stupid rabbit book.”

“Oh, right.”

And so, I just want to say that, due to marketing, corporate greed, audience test group data, and internet research and stuff, I have totally changed my mind about essential oils and now I believe in them and I confess my former sins and I want to convert and get anointed with essential oils in the most religious way possible.

My wife, who is a user of E.O., will be administering the rite. Pray for me.

Does It Seem Like I’m Done Talking About Essential Oils?

Nope. Feeling myself keen, but not up to the high stakes involved in the Essential Oils business, I plan to open a Nonessential Oils business. It will be just some oils you can definitely live without. Our logo is a person shrugging with the letters N and O above his head.

Okay, that about does it. But before I go, here’s some things of the month…

Something Somethings of the Month

Book of the Month: Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. There’s  a lot about hushpuppies in there, but it’s pretty good.

Awesome Picture Drawn By My Son of the Month:

Video Game of the Month: None. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Board Game of the Month: Ticket to Ride. Very fun for a wide age-range. Play is fast, but strategy is involved, and it’s great fun for kids and adults. (Thanks, Ming!)

Sport of the Future: Soccer. You might as well embrace it, America. Up the Reds!

Quote of the month:

“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for lots of people to keep on doing evil lots and lots and really make an effort this time, you lazy evil-doers.” —Jellybean Highfive

Seriously now. I know this episode was heavy on (alleged) humor and a little lighter on sincerity, but please understand something. I am so honored by your care and grateful for your kindness to us. I feel like we have lots of great partners near and far. Thank you so much.

So long, saddlepals!

Sam

My pal Andrew’s new/old record is out, and it’s wonderful. Get it here for your own. But here’s a taste…to see what it tastes like, as Nacho Libre has said.

This is fantastic. It is the dedication featured in Plum’s autobiography, Over Seventy. It rivals his near-perfect comments on critics. HT: The Literary Interest.

What a fellow!