The first draft is complete!

In early February I quit typing on my MacBook. I leaned back, breathed deeply, and gazed around Barnes & Noble from my perch in the corner of the cafe. It was finished. Well, the first draft was complete, anyway.

In the summer of 2020, I began writing during the much-needed sabbatical my church graciously provided. While riots across the country flared, fears were fomented and masks and social distancing divided us, I wrote.

When that fall approached, ministry, life and family swamped my schedule - all in good ways, and my writing project sat. I only wrote sporadically as our church moved into its first ministry building (we met in the local middle school for 18 years! - until the pandemic forced us out).

Life plunged forward. Last summer, our church was gracious and gave me July off to focus on completing the book. I wrote like crazy, but didn’t get done. It was difficult to pick up after a long absence, remembering tone, direction and what I’d already written. The progress was encouraging though, and when August came, so did a light at the end of tunnel.

Then the book sat for another busy season of ministry. Pastors in college towns know what I mean. It’s exciting to welcome back students and to minister to families when school starts. Over Christmas, I began bringing the writing train into the station. Then last month, at Barnes & Noble, I wrote the last line of the first draft. Complete (for now).

My book

What did I write? It’s tentatively titled From Fisherman to Shepherd: The Story of Peter. It’s an in-depth account of the most well-known apostle’s life and times. Here’s a snippet from my query letter to agents and publishers:

It’s a narrative biography of the apostle Peter’s life that reads like a novel while also landing thoughtful spiritual insights like a pastoral conversation.

It’s written for Christians who are overly familiar with Peter. The brash fisherman, the water walker, the three-time denier of Jesus will transform into a dependable shepherd who they can both identify with and learn from over the course of the book. It’s written for the skeptic who is tired of religiosity but who wonders if anyone “real” has discovered a way, truth or life in spirituality.

This book is whimsical, with scatterings of chuckles and a few sighs over well-trod dad joke paths. This book is also deeply encouraging. The reader will be drawn into each chapter and episode of Peter’s life and discover why he was so inspired by Jesus. Ultimately, that’s what the reader will take away - a fresh and profound look at the Jesus that Peter followed, defended, denied and finally died for. This Jesus transformed Peter from a fisherman to a shepherd so much so that Peter wrote in his last communications (1 & 2 Peter) about being a shepherd, not being a fisherman.

Next steps

Here’s what’s going on now:

• I sent 25 manuscripts to friends, leaders and family as “advance readers,” asking them to read for readability, encouragement and feedback. I want to know how it “lands” with people, if it keeps people turning the pages.

• I’m sending query letters to a some agents and contacts to begin the pathway to traditional publishing. I self-published my first book Super Center Savior: The Joy of Living Between Sundays.¹ While it was a positive experience, I’d prefer a traditional publisher with this much more significant work.

What can you do?

• Prayer. I’d deeply appreciate your prayers for favor, contacts and a relatively smooth path to publication. As a pastor, I’ve already pivoted back into this season of activity, ministry and preparation for Easter. Your prayers and God’s faithfulness would be an encouragement.

• If you have a contact with an agent or publisher, please share that with me. If you are an author and are wiling to “validate” me with your connections, that would be a blessing as well.

Thank you!

I appreciate you following my blog/Stack! I’ll keep you updated here! Please subscribe so you’ll get the word as developments happen (and paid subscribers are a special form of encouragement to us writers)!

1. By the way, I’d appreciate it if you’d grab a copy from Amazon or any online retailer, read it, AND leave a review there. Authors who have self-published depend upon reader reviews for their books to get noticed. Also, share it on your social media with friends.