get the on line reviews your book deserves

free ebook at Amazon from 4-6 July 2017

If you’re reading Jason Ladd’s new book, it’s probably because you’re writing one of your own. And if you write, you want someone (preferably lots of someones) to read it. When I blog (fairly rarely, but still) I’m writing and hoping that someone will read what I’ve taken the time to write. Writing a book means more hoping than a mere blog post. 

And that’s Jason’s premise in Book Review Banzai: The Unknown Author’s Ultimate Guide to Getting Amazon Reviews (Boone Shepherd LLC, 2017).  It’s a short read, and Ladd has an engaging writing style. I’m not very techno savvy, but even some of the technical stuff seems doable the way he describes and explains it.

I happen to have a young adult living in my house who can help me with some of that techie stuff, importing, extractions, spread sheets and the rest, so while he’s doing that, I can use some of the other techniques that Jason talks about to find the right people to  read the book and write a review. The title should have given you that clue.

Most people who I know have a book waiting to be written, but like me they don’t know where to start with the fun stuff that comes after the book is written: getting it sold. I like to read, and I notice that a lot of the books that I buy have an invitation to write a review and post it on my blog, but also, and especially on Amazon and other sites. I do that frequently, and as a result often get asked to read and review a book. (Free books, YAY!!!) But it never really dawned on me just how important those amazon reviews are when it comes to marketing the book.

So in a nutshell, this book is about finding the people that will read your book, and post the reviews that make Amazon and other online booksellers sit up and take notice (and when they notice, your book goes to the top of the list—can’t beat that for part of your marketing strategy.

Is it easy? Probably not, but if you’ve gone to the effort to write the book, and you want others to read it, you better be willing to invest the time.

And just so you know, Jason follows his own advice. He ‘found’ me and asked me to review his book. What are the connections? I frequently review books on my blog, and because he checked my profile, he’s seen that I retired from the Air Force. That military connection gave him something with which to personalize his emails. (That’s how he got me to review his book One of the Few)

            He also suggests that the author be willing to offer review copies of the ebook for free. Some of them go out before the release date, and sometimes you have to be willing to offer the free ebook even after publication. This is another tip he follows: Book Review Banzai is free on Amazon from 4-6 July.

                That’s right, you can get your own free copy of the ebook from the 4^th to the 6^th of July. Head to amazon dot com, next Tuesday morning, and start using Jason’s techniques to market your book on Tuesday afternoon.

5/5

Their Pain, My Perspective, and Finally a Response

We’ve all been in situations where we’re in close proximity to someone who doesn’t look like us. Some of the situations are temporary, and some much longer lasting.  Some people are forced into situations, and some make a conscious decision to experience life at a different pace than they might otherwise be used to. Immediately missionaries come to mind. They leave family, friends and home to go to a faraway place.

            And then there are people like Michelle Warren. Michelle and her husband made the decision to exchange lifestyles, but they didn’t go to a different continent to do so. Instead they settled in an area of Colorado. The only thing is, Michelle and her husband don’t look like most of their neighbors, and if they weren’t willing to study another language, they wouldn’t even be able to communicate with some of them. Their journey to proximity is detailed in The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action, (IVP Books, July 2017)

            I did more underlining in this book than I have in a long time, and have already used some of what I learned as part of a message for a chapel service at the local Rescue Mission.  Justice is a primary theme, and reading this book helps us see that we have a part to play in seeing justice come about. Biblical, not legal justice, restoration of people, not just punishment for wrongs (p 28). Life among people who are struggling helps us to identify that need for restoration.

            So, what is the deal with proximity? The simple answer is that it gets us close to the pain of an issue, changes our perspective, and most importantly requires a response. And as you can tell, from that 3 part answer, the simple answer is anything but simple.  

            Take a look at the communities that frame the lenses through which you see things. Do you live in one and work in another? Do you truly experience what others created in the image of God are living on a daily basis, or do you just brush shoulders with it during the short periods of time that you are in the vicinity, and then forget about it as you drive away? Michelle is truly experiencing it.

            Part I “Proximity Transforms Us” helps the reader understand what is meant by proximity, including the fact that to truly understand a different culture, we need to do more than attend some conferences or read a few books. It enables us to look beyond the surface for the underlying causes, and the possible solutions to some of the issues. And as we are confronted with the brokenness of others, we are also confronted with our own brokenness, which tends to help us understand even better what others are living through.

            Part II “Proximity Compels Response” is a little bit harder to read, simply because it forces the reader to decide “what am I going to do about it?” It’s one thing to read about an issue, to see it from a distance, and perhaps send a check, or ‘like’ on social media platforms. But when it becomes part of who you are, then a response is required. When proximity to the poor is a choice, you are privileged (108), and with privilege comes responsibility.

            And with Part III “Proximity for the Long Haul” there are some pointers. We can choose to move past fear, we can recognize and pray for healing for our churches, we can continue with our choice to be proximate, even when it is more difficult than we expected. We can live by faith, and stand with those who are already boldly making a stand, making the statement that enough is enough. In God's Kingdom we are all created in His image, and as such we should be willing to stand by our brothers and sisters.

            Earlier this year I was indirectly asked by a friend to choose a word for the year, a word which might shape and frame my actions and attitudes. The word I chose was justice, and this book is helping me with that effort. Michelle wears several different hats, but whichever one she is wearing at any given time is a reminder that proximity shapes us and has not only the potential to make our world a better place, but also the potential to mold us more closely to the Imago Dei in which we were created.

            I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  

            Highly recommended. 5/5

The NIV Bible comes alive for young readers

Another Bible for kids, and you should care, why? I was thinking something along the same lines, until I got my hands on a copy. NIV Kid’s Visual Study Bible (Zondervan, 2017) is the Complete New International Version Bible, and it’s especially geared for kids from 8 to 12 years old.

                What makes this one special? I’m glad you asked. Almost every page highlights one or more verses and offers an explanation. In a regular study bible, these notes would probably be at the bottom of the page, but here they are in the margins, and stand out, so your junior scholar can read them and get a better appreciation for the customs and culture of Bible times. Sometimes, as in an adult study bible, some of the linguistic nuances are explained.

                Additionally there are pictures, tables, and maps throughout, (cover material indicates ‘over 700 images’) that help to explain the context of a particular passage.  Although I’m MUCH older than the 8-12 years old group, I enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading the notes.

                I was so glad to see that the illustrations weren’t what one usually sees in a kids’ Bible; in this version, with the complete text instead of stories, excerpts, and paraphrases, the illustrations match a level of maturity that the 12 year old will enjoy (they’re not treating me like a kid anymore) but still at a basic enough level for the 8 year old to enjoy. 

                Sure to become a favorite for the young ones in your family, and I can envision a 9 or 10 year old not only reading this bible, but looking forward to reading it aloud to younger siblings or cousins.

                This has all the potential to become THE preferred Bible for Sunday school classes because the teacher has handy access to the supplemental information needed to help prepare a lesson (and encourage further study) and the students will delight in the graphics and explanations.

5/5

I received a copy of this Bible from Handlebar Central (and Zondervan) in exchange for the review.