Though some might think I’ve won many awards or graced several bestseller lists, that would be incorrect. I’m much more like the tortoise than the hare when it comes to my writing career–steady and faithful, not a quick or shining star.
I have to admit…I squealed when my agent notified me today that In Feast or Famine made the ECPA June 2023 (Fiction) Bestseller List. 😆 (Click the button to see the whole list.)
Only the 2nd Time!
No one knows better than me how completely I rely on the Lord to write anything. I don’t write for awards or to please reviewers or even to get another publishing contract. I write for an audience of One, the only One who will someday judge every word I’ve written according to the Truth of His Word. That’s what always directs my stories, and–by God’s grace–it always will.
Before today, I’d only graced the ECPA Bestseller list one other time with my novel, Isaiah’s Daughter. Those sales had a lot of help from Lifeway Bookstores who used it as their “Book of the Month” Book Club choice in the month it released. I’d always chalked up my bestseller status to a one-time fluke. (You see? Even established authors have to deal with “smoky thoughts.”)
So, when I saw In Feast or Famine had climbed into that #25 slot on the ECPA’s list, it felt like summiting Mt. Everest, y’all! It was something my God alone did all by Himself–well, with YOUR help, of course!
It Refines, Not Defines
Awards and accolades have never defined me, but too often I allow people’s opinions to shape my mood or motivation. When some unexpected blessing comes–like my agent’s email with bestseller news–it’s a chance to turn celebration into praise for my gracious Heavenly Father.
Were it not for the hard lessons, long days, and difficult choices, the blessings wouldn’t be nearly as sweet. Remembering the refining journey of conceiving the initial idea, brainstorming with author and editor friends, writing, re-writing, editing (MORE editing), planning all the marketing and promotions materials–the journey is the greatest reward of all! What a wonderful support system surrounds me, both personally and professionally, to help me grow in Jesus and in the craft of writing I’ve come to love.
Celebrate the Lasting Bestsellers!
What a joy to see some of my very favorite books of all time on the bestseller list with me! Hannah Hurnard’s Hinds Feet on High Places (published Nov. 1979) is the only allegory I’ve read that absolutely ravaged my heart. I’ve done entire retreats based on this book and each time come away with a more intimate experience of God’s love and grace.
Two of Francine Rivers’ all-time classics remain on the list, Redeeming Love (the first novel I ever read), and my still-favorite-EVER biblical fiction, A Voice In the Wind. If we count A Voice in the Wind with Francine’s Lineage of Grace series (also on the bestseller list), and add them to In Feast or Famine, we’ve got three #BiblicalFiction in the top twenty-five bestsellers this month! Woot!
Ready To See the Whole List?
(Just in case the link above changes with time…)
Congrats to all those on the ECPA’s Bestseller List this month! May the Lord continue to richly bless you and your writing journeys, my friends!
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