Why I’m Downplaying My Book Launch in Response to Ferguson (and What I’m Doing Instead)
This week, three completely unrelated events have converged to present me with an odd conundrum and an interesting opportunity.
The first is the Thanksgiving holiday, a time for Americans to pause and give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy. We focus on the good things we have in life rather than the things we would like to have.
The second is the ramp-up to my first book, 30 Days of Evernote for Churches, that’s releasing next Tuesday. I’ve spent a good deal of my spare time the last three months writing the book, putting together some great bonuses, and planning the launch.
The third and most significant is the current state of affairs here in St. Louis. Since August 9, the entire city has been on edge because of the shooting of Michael Brown. This past Monday’s announcement of the grand jury’s decision not to indict Darren Wilson resulted in massive protest, a good deal of looting and destruction of property, and the highest level of collective fear and tension I’ve ever seen blanketing a whole region. (The only exception might be 9/11, but that was different because it happened in a different part of the country.)
I don’t live in Ferguson but I teach at St. Louis Christian College, which is only a few miles from Ferguson. We cancelled classes Monday night and closed the offices on Tuesday to ensure the safety of students and staff. Thankfully our school hasn’t been directly affected by the protests and destruction.
No one would blame me for going ahead with my plans for the book launch on Tuesday. That would include all the normal things related to a launch: asking people to post social media messages and Amazon reviews, sending lots of emails to my subscribers, and trying to draw people’s attention to the cool stuff I’m doing.
None of things are bad. In fact, if you’re launching something you’ve worked on for a long time, and you’re proud of it, you should want to promote it. But with all the unrest and suffering happening right here in my backyard, it doesn’t feel right to be heavily promoting my product. At least not right now.
The book is still going to be available starting next Tuesday, Dec. 2. The publisher, ChurchMag Press, has already set the date and there’s no reason to change it. However, I won’t be making a big deal about it next week.
Instead, I want to honor the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas by showing my gratitude and giving away some items. Those who purchase 30 Days of Evernote for Churches from ChurchMag Press or Amazon will receive several bonus items. But as a way to say thanks to you for being a reader, I will make these bonuses available to you completely free of charge, no strings attached.
I’ll go into more detail about this in a post on Tuesday, when the book will be available. But for now, I ask that you pray for peace and healing in Ferguson, the St. Louis area, and the numerous other cities around the country where there are protests happening.
Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll give you details about the Evernote book. But for now, enjoy Thanksgiving, hug your loved ones tightly, and thank God for the incredible blessings in your life.
