On the third anniversary of publishing my first book
Foggy outlook. Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash "So, how are book sales going?" Not one but two people asked me this at my not-remotely-book-related networking happy hour tonight. As friends who enthusiastically circled the periphery of my writing, contracting, and publishing journey for AMEN?; QUESTIONS FOR A GOD I HOPE EXIST , they meant well with their questions and had no way of knowing that today, almost three years to the day when AMEN? launched , I have moved the goal posts entirely. For all the non-writers reading this reflection right now, first let me say: Book publishing is a tough business. Assuming you manage to complete a manuscript, pitch it, land an editor or agent, have a publisher acquire the book, or publish it yourself—where each step is a herculean task involving creativity, time, dedication, endurance, and an unshakeable sense of self—then you face this statistic as presented by Michael Castleman in the Spring-Summer 2025 issue of The Authors G...
