Sunday, October 2, 2011

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.






10 comments:

  1. Great reviews! The idea of self-pubbing intimidates me but kudos to Lee for getting her book out. Pamela's book sounds intriguing too, and sad. Thanks!

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  2. You're sure welcome, Pam. I will be reading more of your stories. Jessica, thanks for posting. Pam's story is sad, but ends victorious. That's the best part.

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  3. I tried to leave a comment yesterday, but Blogger wouldn't let me.
    Pleased to see you both here because Christians live in the world and face tough stuff. In the end, and during the trouble, we gain victory in Jesus when we focus on Him.

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  4. Thanks LoRee & Jessica! Yes, the book does end victorious through Jesus with HEA!

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  5. Thanks so much for the review, Janet. If anyone wants to talk more about self-publishing or formatting for self-publishing, let me know. I'll help however I can!

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  6. Thanks, Mary Beth, for your generoisity to offer helping.

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  7. Enjoyed reading Pam's responses. The Visionary sounds like it's one of her best. Tackling tough subjects while remaining inspirational to her faith has always been one of her strong points. Congratulations, Pam, on yet another good book.

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  8. Thanks, Velda for your comment. I met Pam about 7-8 months ago & have been impressed with her willingness to help new writers. The Visionary is very good.

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