Join me in the Journey?
I just released my debut novel, The Fabric of Hope on Friday, March 17, 2017. That was St. Patrick’s Day, perfect for this Irish Family Legacy novel. I’ve enjoyed doing a few book signings, interviews, etc., but no matter how you cut it, it’s a lot of work to let other know about any book baby you birth.
The reality is, there are so many books out there that it’s easy for The Fabric of Hope to get lost in the crowd. So I need you, my friends. Would you be willing to journey with me in getting the word out?
I’m forming an “Influencer Launch Team”—friends and readers who help me promote my book in exchange for a free copy of the book. So what does an “Influencer” do?
- Post an Amazon review. Your review doesn’t need to be fancy. Just a sentence or two would be great. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Hope-Irish-Family-Legacy/dp/1542890861/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1487430815&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=the+fabric+of+hope+by+susan+g+mathis
- Post on Social Media. You can post your review on your social media pages, and I will also email you a list of tweets and Facebook posts, links, and hashtags to share on your Twitter and Facebook accounts. If you are on Pinterest, Goodreads, Instragram, etc., please use the list there as well. And, of course, it’s always great to repost and retweet my posts (or any posts you see about the book).
- Blog. If you have a blog and would like me to be a guest blogger, I’d be happy to do that. Or if you know of someone who has a blog who might be interested in interviewing me, a personal introduction would be greatly appreciated.
- Create awareness. If you have a book club, I’d love to be a guest author for it in person or through Skype, Google Hangout, etc.
- Take pictures. Send me photos of you with the book, on a library or store shelf, at a book club, etc.
- Pass the word. Tell your friends, family, local library, etc.
As a member of my Influencer Launch Team, you will receive a free e-book and be entered in a drawing to receive a gift box with a signed paperback as well as a special china teacup and a selection of tea!
The truth is, word-of-mouth is the most powerful way to make a book successful. So I’d like to invite you to be an Influencer—as long as I have room on my list and as long as you agree to promote the book.
How will I help? I’ll send you an email with step-by-step ways to write a review, and I’ll provide Facebook and Twitter posts to make it super easy. We’ll have contests and giveaways from time to time and you can easily post or repost these as well.
Interested? Awesome! Just send me an email at susangmathis@gmail.com, and let’s get started. And thanks, for joining me on the journey. You are a blessing!
St. Patrick’s Shamrock
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, because I’m Irish, and because I just released my debut novel, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, I want to share with you how St. Patrick used a simple weed to share the Gospel.
St. Patrick lived in the fifth century Ireland where the shamrock clover was abundant, even a staple food for livestock. The shamrock is a weed that grows quickly and is hard to get rid of. In Ireland it was everywhere, so as Patrick traveled the country, he had a ready-made symbol that he could easily find, pluck, and use as a teaching tool. Sounds like something that Jesus would have done, doesn’t it?
As he spoke Patrick would note that the shamrock has three leaves, just as there are three persons in the trinity. In using the shamrock as a symbol, he taught about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who they were, what they did, and how they could change the listeners’ lives. Then, whenever folks would see the shamrock in their garden or fields or yard, their minds would instantly connect to the Trinity and think of God. Brilliant!
As Patrick traveled throughout Ireland spreading Christianity, the shamrock became an important symbol of the Trinity and of God’s work in man’s life. Even today, the shamrock is Ireland’s national symbol and still points to the Trinity as well as to 1 Corinthians 13:13, “and now these three remain: faith, hope, and love”. The number three is so important to the Irish that they use three cords in their Celtic knot, in their three-fold repetitive rhythm of Irish storytelling, in their idea of past, present, and future, and a lot more.
So when you see a shamrock during this holiday, remember that it means so much more than just “the luck o’ the Irish.” It’s represents biblical truth, wise teaching, and a beautiful way to share God’s story.
What tools, symbols, or stories to do you use to share the Gospel?
Irish Heritage
According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau, about 56.7 million Americans say they have an Irish heritage. That’s nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population, and many Irish still retain a sense of their Irish heritage, including me. I love tea, Celtic music, step dancing, and the color green.
When Irish immigrants came to the U.S. and Canada, they weren’t looking for a handout. They were looking for hope and a future for them and their children, a topic I cover in depth in my upcoming novel. These immigrants took many of the menial jobs, everything from farming to hard labor to domestic work. And in large cities, the Irish are known for being at the top of the public service sector, especially law enforcement, teaching, and firefighting.
The Irish have contributed to the American culture in so many ways: literature, film, art, politics, law, medicine, and sports, just to name a few. Irish-Americans you’d know are Walt Disney, Judy Garland, Pierce Brosnan, and Presidents such as Kennedy, Reagan, Andrew Jackson, and over a dozen others.
So why am I sharing this with you? Because, whether you have Irish heritage or not, you do have a heritage—traditions, beliefs, and achievements that are a part of your history. Your heritage has laid a foundation for you, whether you are conscious of it or not. Exploring that heritage will enrich your life, if you take the time to do so.
For me, my Irish heritage runs deep, but I forgot about a lot of it in the busyness of living life. It was everything Irish in my childhood home, and the color green was prominent. I learned a strong work ethic and my Irishness became a part of me.
So when I started researching about Ireland and the Irish for my novel, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, I realized that my Irish heritage, in a large part, made me who I am today. I assessed all of it—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and embraced once again the “Irishness” of my heritage. I am proud to be Irish!
What foundations of heritage have been laid for you? I’d love to know!
Placing the Facebook Face
Because I work from home, I often feel a bit isolated, as many writers do. Each morning and evening (and sometimes at lunch), I check my Facebook and find “friends” out there doing the same thing I do—working alone, with only my computer and the characters in my story.
Many Facebook friends I know face-to-face and they are “real”. Some I feel like I know them from reading their books, blogs, or posts. And some of them I’d just like to know personally one day.
So when I attended the Writers on the Rock conference recently, I was surprised to see so many familiar faces. There were dozens and dozens of them. My mind raced. I tried to pull information from the far recesses of my mind. I panicked more than once.
How do I know them? From Focus? From the local ACFW chapter in Colorado Springs? From other writers conferences? From a book? Where? Finally I went into default. It had to be Facebook!
“We’re Facebook friends!”
Woman after woman smiled and said, “Yes! I know you!” She, too, was obviously as relieved as I was to place the face.
After a simple friendly chat, or sometimes over a meal, we Facebook friends made the transition to real, live friends. I knew that a few of them would become lifetime friends. But most of them would continue to be long-distance writer friends who, although Facebook would remain the primary means of communication, had also become “real”. I now know not only their faces and posts but also their voice, their mannerisms, their laugh. They were real people to whom I could relate.
And that is precious. Precious to connect on a deeper level. Precious to know the “real” person, even on a limited level.
So to all my Facebook friends who are “real”—thank you for sharing a bit of your life. And to you who I “know” through your writing, through the stories you tell or the transparency you show in your blogs or posts—thank you for sharing a bit of you, too. You all make my life richer, wiser, and a little less lonely. And for that I am grateful.
How has finding “real” Facebook friends impacted your life? I’d love to know!
What’s in a Family Tree?
I love researching my family tree, and in the midst of doing so, I came across some interesting research. Much of that has become a part of my first novel, The Fabric of Hope, which will release in just a few weeks!
But knowing about your family heritage isn’t just for writing a novel; it’s about knowing who you are.
Studies show that the more individuals know about their family history, the better they are able to handle the challenges that life brings. And research proves that people who know about their family heritage have better self-esteem and feel more in control of their lives, even if their heritage isn’t spotless.
When my children were young, my mother came to visit and, through a series of events, we decided to tape her stories. We’d ask simple questions like, “Tell us about your pets.” “Tell us about difficult illnesses you got through.” “Tell us about your school days.” “Tell us about holiday traditions you had.”
“Tell us about your favorite toy.”
“It was a pig’s bladder,” she replied.
On and on we went for two weeks, and it was fascinating. We learned so much about her, our family, and what it was like “back then.” We still have those tapes, and they are a treasure to each of us.
Why is this so important? When we know about we family history, we are simply more resilient and see life in the larger context of history. We belong to something bigger than today’s individual challenges and can look beyond the tough things we’re facing today. We can see and hear and know that others have faced some pretty hard things but have overcome. So we can too.
Family history gives kids an anchor, a foundation from which they exist and live and can thrive. And they can find hope and healing in their family stories.
One caution: If the family history is riddled by abuse and/or disfunction, stick to the positive things like traditions, funny stories, and things that will build them up and not tear them down. After all, they are a part of that family, even if there has been a death or divorce.
So tell family stories often. Interview and record your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents telling stories while they are still here. You will help your kids become resilient, well-rounded children who know that they are an important part of the human story.
How do you pass on your family heritage? I’d love to know.
What an Adventure!
I recently returned from visiting my family in South Africa. It was an amazing trip, full of love and laughter, new baby cuddles and little girl giggles. Seeing my daughter mother her four girls and watching my wonderful son-in-law be the daddy that I always dreamed of for my grandchildren was just plain thrilling.
For five weeks we enjoyed holiday fun, tea parties, story time, and lots of playtime. We got to go on lots of adventures and enjoy special times together. But before I knew it, I was returning to the States—and missing my granddaughters tremendously.
Yet I count my blessings; I’ll name them one by one.
I get to Skype with them and WhatApp text and sometimes even call. I send them Valentine’s and we enjoy lots of fun over the internet.
In today’s world of families spread all over the globe, it’s a blessing that we can get there in just a day and a half instead of the several week voyage by ship or not seeing them at all.
My daughter has blessed me with not one but four beautiful granddaughters, all born in South Africa. I’m so glad I get to see them through Skype.
And I get to come home to a beautiful home, a wonderful part of the world, great friends, and an amazing life with a loving husband and all the blessings of being his wife and companion.
Life is good. I am blessed, and I find joy in all that God has done!
How about you? What blessings has the Lord given you lately? I’d love to know.