A funny thing happened on the way to finishing my book.

As I was about to write my first word on the last chapter, I got a call from my agent. It didn’t sound good when he said
“Are you somewhere you can talk?”
I sat down.
The publisher decided to table the new book.
You know, the one I’ve been sweating bullets on, ignoring people for, and sitting in my computer chair writing day after day nonstop for the last ten months. Yeah- that one.
The sales on the first one have not been what they expected, so they were afraid to invest any more. It was a two book contract, but I didn’t read the fine print “out clause” if sales don’t hit a certain mark. Suffice to say the picture below describes my mental state after I hung up the phone.

But the story isn’t over.
After my agent and I talked about why the book is selling SO well when I speak and not so well on it’s own, and how leaving my maiden name off after publishing fourteen books under that name might have been a bad idea and how I didn’t really know anything about social media when I got my contract, and how I wish they’d give it more time…yada yada yada (brief 90’s cutaway)
My agent agreed with me.
SO he called the big guy at the top of the publishing house, and told him about the maiden name thing and all my speaking gigs this summer, and the way the book sells when I speak, and the fan base growing… and the guy at the top said

Let me think about it.

Ok so it’s not a no yet. It’s a maybe no. But it’s also a maybe yes.
And WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING something amazing took place… I posted something on Facebook about needing sales to go up… and if you liked Finding Faith, please pass the word.. and BOOM. The book SOLD OUT on Amazon in one day.
(don’t fear, they will eventually be restocked).
Then I posted the Barnes and Noble link, and in two days the book went from 412,000 on the sales ranking list to 206. CRAZY AWESOME. And Thank you, for those of you who helped.

The story isn’t over.
And rather than wait to see how it all turns out and THEN write a blog about it, I decided to write one from the middle of the story. Because the middle is so often where we live.

The last chapter in my new book is “The more you trust the author, the better your story becomes.” 
Funny how God enjoys it when you actually live what it is you are writing about.
So in the meantime, I’m writing, and trusting and knowing My Author has my back. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. Even if I don’t know what He’s going to do.
I recently posted a 2 minute youtube video where I respond to the question “Where do you look for God when you are walking in the dark?”

You lift your eyes past your situation. And you trust that He has something bigger in mind than you can see.

So I thought I’d write a blog BEFORE I know the ending of the story. Maybe it will be an encouragement to press on in yours.
And if you are so inclined, I would love you to pray. And if you want to, spread the word:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-faith-in-the-dark-laurie-short/1117061337?ean=9780310337119

This book I’m writing is too far formed for it not to be birthed.
I have in my mind the way I’d like to see it happen.
We’ll see what The Author has in His.

Whatever it is, it just became a better story.
And it’s not over.

Neither is yours.