The Prodigal by Elizabeth Lee and The Visionary by Pamela S. Thibodeaux

This last month I've learned a lot by reading the works of two new authors, one, completely new, the other, only new to me. Both books speak of healing and redemption in seemingly impossible situations.

Ms. Lee self published her first book "The Prodigal" with Kindle Direct Publishing and Smashwords. This inspirational women's fiction deals with two sisters and a mother thrown into heavy, real life situations such as abuse and depression. They find it hard to deal with life and harder to continue belief in God. I asked Ms. Lee what she liked about her chosen mode of publishing. She liked "the speed of getting out the book." Standard publishing avenues often held up her book for months while she desired to get out her message of hope. She advised that "with the proper format and good cover, her book could go into a premium catalog and be distributed on iBooks and Nook." Good advice given by Ms. Lee for anyone else interested in formatting a book for this medium of publishing is "to get the Smashwords guide on Smashwords.com and follow the directions word by word. Do not skip steps. Then you adjust for Kindle guidelines. It takes a bit of time, but it's well worth the effort and it's free." This new author also has a historical "Honor and Lies" published in the same way. I've learned a lot about this new avenue of publishing as well as I enjoyed an enthralling story. I recommend checking it out.


I met Pam Thibodeaux, a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana now that she's moved to Texas. She's written for years and has come to be known by a tagline "inspirational with an edge." Her newest book "The Visionary" will be released on Nov. 16, 2011, but can be advanced ordered at the present time. Pam's writing was new to me, so I read this new book with no expectations, just curiosity. Truthfully, few people could handle the delicate topic of devastation caused from sexual abuse as a child leading to murder. This book demonstrates the breadth of God's grace. The tender way which she illustrates hope over a dark, untalked-about subject is unrivaled. I asked Ms. Thibodeaux what she liked about her publishers. "They are author-friendly - patient in helping new authors understand their rules without making them feel ashamed or embarrased." Besides women's fiction, she also writes inspirational romance and creative non-fiction. You can find her on www.pamelathibodeaux.com to learn more. I found her helpful and knowledgeable in all aspects of writing and her book, captivating.