Reviewing my reviews and then moving on

My favorite review of one of my books was in The Western Recorder of all places! The state newspaper for Kentucky Baptists did a review of "Playing Hide and Seek with God" long after I'd ceased being a"Professional Christian" indebted to them for a paycheck.

The review went something like this. "I read the first couple of chapters of this book and got so mad I flung it across the room and stormed outside! After I cooled down I went and picked it back up and finished it. This is not pleasant to read but it's a book we must read."

How cool is that?

You can see why its my favorite.

I've got a notebook somewhere of all of my book reviews though I could probably find them all online if I wanted. It's not something I think about though they were fun when the books were published. Other than The Western Recorder, I really don't remember them.

My first book "The Society of Salty Saints" got the most and some woman gave a speech at a missions conference holding it up saying, "we need more Christians like this!" I'd already left the church when she said but I've always wondered if she was going to leave it too.

"Running with the Dolphins" got the next most though I got a lot of mail with that book. Some of it was hate mail! Chris Rice wrote a letter saying what a lousy person I am and 22 other people to signed it with her. I kept the letter and have it stuck in the notebook with the reviews.

Then after eight books in ten years, I stopped writing them.

Until yesterday.

Nine years after my last book was published my wife Sarah said, "I want you to write a book" and she went on to tell me what it should be about. She could have written it herself but for some reason she wanted me to do it. She may have been doing the laundry. I don't know.

That was six months ago.

It took me a long time to figure out how to get started which is the hardest part of writing a book. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightening and yesterday I finished the draft and handed it to her.

I was standing nearby when she finished reading it and said "OH MY GOD" and laughing at the same time.

I took this as a good sign.

Unlike book reviews I care most about what she thinks it ... especially when it was her idea in the first place.

Now its like getting pregnant. I have to wait around until it actually becomes a book. Then I'll look forward to reading the reviews which I will promptly forget.

Well, unless it's in The Western Recorder.