God Gave Me the Courage to Self-Publish a Book
And it was worth the price
In the fall of 2013, post-college life slapped me in the face harder than I ever could have imagined. I constantly cried over my first breakup, friendship losses, and rejection from jobs in my field.
When I started working a minimum-wage job at a grocery store, I almost regretted going to college. I wondered if my degree actually meant anything. I started to think maybe pursuing writing as a career just wasn’t part of God’s plans for me.
At that time, I needed one good thing to happen to me. So I selected my best stories from college and continued writing to create a book. I thought, maybe if I publish a book, I would at least be able to say I accomplished something.
After a few months of research and subscribing to different self-publishing companies, I became desperate for one of them to publish my book. Finally, on a frigid winter day in early 2014, I received a call from a self-publishing company called Xlibris. I had never heard of them before, but I was happy that at least a company was impressed with my stories. They wanted to publish my book! The catch: It would cost $600.
While a big part of me was relieved and even thrilled to have caught Xlibris’s attention, another part of me was nervous and skeptical. $600 was expensive. And could I really trust the company?
I honestly don’t recall how much research I did to properly weigh out my decision on using Xlibris versus another self-publisher. I mostly remember weighing out the pros and cons of getting my book published right away.
Here were the pros on my list:
- I had enough money in my bank account to pay for Xlibris’ service.
- The stories in my book could inspire others.
- God provided me with an offer during one of the hardest times in my life.
- I might regret not taking a chance to publish a book when I was given one.
To some people, my quick and expensive decision sounded foolish. But the reality was that despite the cost and the stress I felt during the book publication process, I felt excited to have a goal that required deadlines! It was the first time since I had graduated from college that I genuinely felt motivated to wake up in the morning.
For months, I wrote, edited, and organized stories. I spent days selecting the cover photo, my author photo, and the font type and size. Even after I finalized my decisions, I spent weeks worrying if the book would look perfect.
By the time the book was released that summer, I was so happy! I felt like a mother who had just gone into labor after nine grueling months hoping and praying her baby would be healthy. My book was my baby. I finally realized that all the hard work, skills, and lessons I learned in college meant something. They gave me the courage and resilience to get a book published.
Yes, my decision was expensive. No, it was not well thought out. But God gave me an opportunity that does not come around often. Writing a book during one of the hardest parts of my life was worth the price.
My book is called Life Lessons and Human Emotions from God’s Great Blessings and Tests of Faith. You can buy a paperback version from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
For a less expensive price, you can buy an e-book version from the iBook store or Google Play. The book contains short reflections on my faith. You will also find stories and poems about my experiences from college, relationships, and mental health struggles.
I hope some of the pieces in this book lift you up on difficult days and that you will feel encouraged when you endure difficult times. No matter what, God loves you and has a plan for your life.
