“So What’s Your Next Book?”

At the first book-signing for my first book, The ABC of Mannerly Me, people asked me about my “next book”.

This came as a shock; it had taken nearly two decades to write, illustrate and publish my ABC book, I couldn’t imagine starting another book.

As I continued to hear the “next book” question over the next few years, I formed a handful of ready answers that probably sounded off-putting. Answers like:

Margaret Mitchell only wrote one book.

Or: Why? Was something missing in my first book?

Meanwhile, my husband, Jonathan, also encouraged me to create a book based on my salvation testimony.  And, although I love sharing my testimony, I could not fathom how I could present it as a book, so I resisted.

Then about 3 months ago, my daughter-in-law, Katie, asked me the “what’s the next book” question.

Undeterred by my flip answer, Katie responded, “Your thinking you only have one story in you is a lie.  God has one book but so many stories. And I think your testimony will help so many people because it already has.  I know you love sharing your testimony in person, and you still should, but the book will help you get it out further.  Think of the apostles John and Paul: we never even think when reading the Bible, ‘I wish I heard it from their lips in person’. We are so grateful we get to hear it at all, and that’s what your book will do.  Now the devil doesn’t want a book like this in the world and he hates when we use our gifts from God and he hates it even more when we use them to glorify God.  So when you hit writer’s block or if someone tells you it doesn’t need to happen, know you are doing something good and ask God to show you if you are missing something.  BUT DON’T LET IT STOP YOU!  Be like Jesus, take a nap and pray.”

That night, I took Katie’s advice and asked God to show me if I should make my testimony into a book. The next morning, as I wrote in my journal, the parallel stories and images of a lost lamb and a lost girl became clear to me. I recalled questions I wish I could have asked my Dad, but for various reasons, the questions went unasked.  After putting down these thoughts, I wrote down this title: I Wanted to Ask My Dad.

As closed my journal, I received a text from Katie, again encouraging me to create a book from my testimony.  Knowing my favorite coffee blend and knowing a little about my relationship with my Dad, she closed her text with “spend some time with the Father who loves you like a daughter.  Make a Bulletproof coffee and go color with your Dad.”

There is no way Katie could have known my book would be centered around the relationship with my Dad.  The ideas for that element and the title had come to me only that morning as I wrote in my journal.

That is when I knew God has His hand in this and that I Wanted to Ask My Dad needed to be my next book.