Insider Info on Isaiah’s Legacy!
I’ve heard a few questions are floating around out there, so I thought I’d give a little inside info to my faithful subscribers!
First, a little about the book:
You can read the book’s description on any online retailer or on my website, but what you may not know is how terrified I was to write it!
I knew early on that I would write the ancient King Manasseh with the same struggles as a modern adolescent who was placed on the spectrum as high functioning (HFA). HFA would be a controversial topic for even a contemporary Christian author, but to weave it into an ancient setting . . . well, the thought of it made my editor’s teeth itch.
As you might guess, I did more than a little research—both on autism in general and with real people specifically. First, I queried four mothers of HFA adolescent boys, asking them to read twelve chapters of my VERY rough draft. After some fantastic feedback and major changes, I talked with a fellow author, Pepper Basham, who has worked for twenty years as a “speech-language therapist with specialty in social communication disorders” (laymen’s terms: speech therapist for autistic teens). I also reached out to a friend-of-a-friend who works with HFA young adults, transitioning them from parents’ homes to group/independent living. Everyone said the exact same phrase. “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”
So when you read Isaiah’s Legacy, if Manasseh doesn’t act exactly like someone you know with Asperger’s or some other level of autism, good! My most important goal—and greatest concern—was to ensure Isaiah’s Legacy in no way portrayed Manasseh’s evil as a result of autism. His sins resulted from poor choices as with the rest of the world. But my hope is that through Manasseh’s incredibly powerful prodigal story, readers will come to understand both HFA and the human heart a little better.
Isaiah’s Legacy FAQ:
- Should I Pre-Order the book?
- YES! And then visit: https://mesuandrews.com/isaiahs-legacy-pre-order-giveaway-campaign/ to enter the Pre-Order Giveaway! The Grand Prize (ESV Illuminated Bible Journal – whole Old Testament set) is one of my new favorite things! 2nd and 3rd prizes are my new audiobook releases (Love Amid the Ashes, Love’s Sacred Song, Love in a Broken Vessel, & In the Shadow of Jezebel).
- Why do pre-orders matter to me? Pre-orders count toward the book’s first week sales, which shows bookstores it’s a good title for their shelves and raises a title’s discoverability on Amazon (and other online retailers).
- When will I receive my Pre-Ordered copy?
- If it’s a digital copy (Kindle, iBook, etc) or audiobook, you’ll receive it on February 18th – Launch Day!
- If it’s a paperback, you’ll receive it 2-3 days after release day.
- Do I have to read Isaiah’s Daughter (ID) BEFORE Isaiah’s Legacy (IL)?
- No. IL can stand alone as King Manasseh’s story of rebellion and redemption. However, ID introduces you to Manasseh’s parents, Hezekiah (Hezi) and Hephzibah (Zibah), telling the heart-rending story of their lives and love.
- Though ID was the first book in the Prophets & Kings series, Of Fire and Lions (OFL) was technically the second book—and is connected to Manasseh’s story because Jerusalem’s exile (which occurs in OFL) was the direct result of Manasseh’s rebellion (Jer.15:4). So Prophets & Kings book #3 (IL) is a bit out of order chronologically but very much fits under the umbrella of this trilogy’s storyline.
- Will you give away Free Copies of IL?
- I never give away free copies of my new release during release week; however, some bloggers give away copies when they post interviews that week. Watch my Facebook & Instagram accounts to find those interviews!
- Will you give away SOMETHING ELSE FREE?
- I’ll give away LOTS of great things under “Free Resources” on the IL page on my website (https://mesuandrews.com/books/isaiahs-legacy/)! You’ll find a FREE, downloadable companion Bible study for IL (written by my good friend and Bible teacher, Shawna Duvall), a FREE bookmark order form, and a link to a downloadable excerpt from the novel as well.
- You can also find a FREE devotional on the YouVersion Bible App titled, Manasseh: 7 Days to an Unchained Life. (I’ll share the link on my social media channels as soon as it’s available.)
- My BFF team will also do a SCAVENGER HUNT Blog Tour the week following release (Feb 19-25) in which we’ll give away LOTS of prizes! Watch our FB Live Party for details!
- Speaking of the FB Live Release Party—will the format be similar to before?
- YES! Our daughter, Emily, and Shawna Duvall (author of the companion Bible study) will co-host. We’ll read a favorite excerpt from IL, give away a prize every 10 minutes, and announce the winners of the Pre-Order Giveaway! I’ll also answer YOUR questions as you write them in the comments section!
- Join us on Tuesday, 2/18/20, at 8-9pm EDT by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/MesuAndrews/
If you have any other questions, please reply to this newsletter to ask me directly! I’d love to hear from you!
