I am now reading, we are now reading, ‘The Book of Awakening’ by Mark Nepo. There are many passages that have been highlighted for reference not least ‘The Spoked Wheel’; in fact that made me cry; but that is for another post. Today I want to say about belief, in fact will probably post a few posts about belief in the future.
From the book of awakening by Mark Nepo…
‘January 11
Ted Shawn
Underneath all we are taught, there is a voice that calls to us beyond what is reasonable, and in listening to that flicker of spirit, we often find deep healing. This is the voice of embodiment calling us to live our lives like sheet music played…’
For me this whole passage was about belief. If we had not moved to France, and I had not had the time and the solitude to research and interact with others, I would not have written this book. I would have had the n’er do wells surrounding me and I would have struggled to have got off that wheel and hold on to my belief.
I had another post lined up for this week, but life as always has taken over and showed me the way and on Monday I was called and told my book had gone to publication. On Thursday this arrived.
After nearly four years of hard work, writing and re-writing my book, to hold it in my hand is something I cannot describe and it made me cry.
Within an hour people were messaging asking where they could buy it. I was about to reply and say that it was not available on Amazon or Barnes & Noble yet, but just thought I would check; and there it was! I cried again.
I cannot believe it. But why can’t I. At the end of the day I wrote my book in the belief that it would help others, and my blog (93,000 views and counting) and the comments and messages I receive proved that my belief was right.
I have experienced so often the ‘oh you’re writing a book (in the tone that implies that they should follow it up with ‘ of course you are’), or been asked why, or told you won’t earn any money from that, and so on. But I never gave up.
Our’s is a story that helps others in what often is the most traumatic time of their life. So it was never just about earning money, it was about helping others, it was about perseverance, and it was about not following the crowd. Ultimately it was all about ‘Belief’: it’s all about belief and never giving up.
So now it’s out there and I hope some of you will enjoy reading it.
Thanks for reading, this is part of my French adventure after all. I couldn’t have done it without living here.
Rosie
Making This Better is available internationally on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xlibris in both paperback & ebook.
Making This Better the book is now available including the journal entries for the first 5 years of our recovery & the whole 21 days of ‘The War’. Available internationally in paperback and ebook at Amazon and Barnes & Noble also available at Xlibris and Apple Books for iPad and Waterstones Bookstores for click & collect
I would love to hear your feedback.
Rosie’sFrenchAdventuresandIrish Shenanigans.com 
Congratulations, moisy. This is so fantastic! Well done. Huge achievement xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Paula, you are such a lovely lady ❤️❤️
LikeLike
I aim to buy your book Rosie. Really pleased for you. Is there a blog – or set of blogs – where you detail how you put together a publishing and sales plan? How you assessed the costs? What the logistics were? And what provided you with the confidence to push right on?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Blimey there are some questions! No there is no blog re how I did it, and need to see how well it sells.
There were a few things:
Firstly I needed to read someone’s pain when it happened to me, I would have bought every book available.
Secondly I shared it on a blog of the same name & the stats told me whether people were interested, and it seems as if they are. I also shared to relevant social media sites & engaged with them, including twitter. But I do have to build my profile-for my pseudonym and set up a Pinterest and Instagram site. I also set up a FB page, and a group (which ai need to promote).
I am also going to send the free copies I received to counselling groups, and will approach some agony aunts & some magazines.
I got a good deal with the self publishing company and I ensured that they could provide sales internationally (Amazon do not), they also had contracts with Amazon, Barnes & Noble in place & the book is available on Apple books.
The blog gave me the confidence, the response to it. If you’re thinking of what you have been publishing on your blog (which we love) I am no expert but I would set up a different blog specifically for that, in fact your one about Maggie’s legacy of a culture of selfishness and competitiveness really resounded with us. That is exactly why we left Essex and England! And trust me the English over here are even worse!
I know it’s all about social media including twitter, to get you out there, and I know my market is mainly America. I have made cyber friends with a number if fantastic people.
Just one other thing: I decided to listen to my gut and not the n’er do wells.
Don’t know if that helps.
R
LikeLike
Those are deeply helpful comments Rosie. I’m full of admiration, above all for your instincts (or logic) about how to target an audience. It’s a persistent slog, so you have had to be 100% behind your idea. Belief, as you stress, is the key.
I have copied and pasted your thoughts, and advice, for regular future reference.
My journey, strangely, was embarked upon (back in 2013) without me having any real idea of where the story was going. It kind of told itself, before I began to realise it was about the pernicious effects of money, war and official narratives. And their steady destruction of spirituality.
I had such a ball telling it (still do) that commercial strategies never entered my head. It was fun, and catharsis, and a way of seeing who among my friends and family did not have their heads rammed in the sand.
Again, appreciate you taking the time to explain those things.
Best, Kevin x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! What a wonderful compliment, that you have cut and pasted my words. Thank you.
I probably spend a couple of hours, over the day, on social media, and I know that if I don’t then things will drop. It is essential. Can I suggest that you put some tantalisers out on twitter, and on fb. It is easy to share your posts to both. Good luck and is your book about what you are sharing? Because we would buy it. ❤️
LikeLike
Again, really appreciate your food for thought. It’s about a maelstrom of things: super-heroes, debt, Maggie, the UK, religion, Southend-on-Sea. A story of fun and utter seriousness. A bit like me! x,
LikeLiked by 1 person