Hey everyone!
Book Reflections: I need to point this out, because so many of my readers are confused and one of them even decided to argue with me about this issue. If you read and enjoyed The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 1, then you need to read its two sequels: The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2 and The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love. If you buy The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2 and The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love, then you are not buying the same book twice all over again. One of my readers tried arguing, that he already bought The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2 (not realizing there was a Part 2, which follows Part 1), because the front and back covers for The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 1 and The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2 are exactly the same, except for the purple banners, which read "Part I" and "Part II."
The front and back covers for The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love have the same artwork as both Moon Book 1 Parts 1 and 2 for two very important reasons; 1. Using the same artwork for all three of these books saved me money and it saves you money as well; yes I'm a cheapskate (that comes from being ethnically Jewish) and 2. One of my favorite pastors, whom I like to listen to on YouTube, the Reverend Doctor Jordan Cooper, is sad, that his copies of Martin Chemnitz's systematic theology books, which are a series, don't all match. I'll include a link to the YouTube video "A Tour of my Office" by Dr. Jordan B Cooper, so you can get the context of what I'm talking about. Yes, I had a Lutheran pastor, who isn't my personal pastor, inspire some of my business decisions. I really like, respect, and appreciate Dr. Cooper and his work. As a side note, I do recommend, that you read Dr. Cooper's book The Great Divide: A Lutheran Evaluation of Reformed Theology along with my books. Martin Chemnitz was a Lutheran theologian from Germany, who lived after Martin Luther. Granted my series The Rising of The Rising Moon Trilogy isn't a series of Lutheran Systematic Theology books, but they still have a lot of Lutheran Theology in them. Many of my fictional characters are Lutherans and spoiler alert Emily McMermaid starts her life in the Anglican Church in Ireland and she eventually converts to Lutheranism out of love for her best friend Richard McMurphy in The Rising of The Moon Book 3. Yes, I'm planning on having a Moon Book 3, even though I haven't settled in on a subtitle for it yet.
One of my other vocations in life is being an used book dealer. I sell both my books, which I've written and published, and the used books, which I find here-and-there, in my two booths at Jen's Furniture and Collectibles (JFC) on High Street in between Circle K Gas Station and Zion Lutheran Church (NALC) in St. Marys, Ohio. My used books are mostly $1, $2, and $5. I sell my new books, which I've written and published, on my websites and at most of the stores, where I sell books, for $15, but I only sell them for $10 at Jen's Furniture and Collectibles (JFC), because JFC is the only cash-only store, where I sell books. Plus I sell them for $10 directly to people, if they have cash on them.
With my vocation of being an used book dealer, I have learned a lot about other authors, their books, and their readers. I've read some of Danielle Steel's older novels and I like them. Granted I haven't had the time to read some of her newer novels. I've been slowly reading Danielle Steel's novel Big Girl, since the main character and the "Big Girl" in the story is named after one of my favorite English Queens, Victoria, and she and my character Emily McMermaid are not small girls by any means. As a side note, if you only know, where I stand theologically and politically, then you might not know, that I'm a straight chubby chaser. Emily McMermaid is my view an idea woman and I'll need to do blog post on Emily someday.
However, some women complain, that Danielle Steel's novels are basically all the same. These women assert, that Danielle Steel recycles characters and plots. I haven't noticed this and my grandma, Rozella Smith, who is my main editor besides myself, doesn't see this either. My grandma has read some of Danielle Steel's newer novels in addition to her older novels and she doesn't know, what these other ladies are talking about. Some women, who like my novels, Danielle Steel's novels, and Nora Roberts' romance novels, think, that my writing style is very similar to Danielle Steel's style and Nora Roberts' style. My grandma and I along with some of my other readers don't see this, but hey as long as those women are enjoying my novels, Danielle Steel's novels, and Nora Roberts' novels, then it's all good. My former pastor, Reverend Mike Hughes, said, that "The purpose of being in business is to serve others." He's right about that. Getting back to those women's complaints, that Danielle Steel just recycles characters and plots, my grandma and I don't really see it. How does that particular complaint relate to my books? My novels The Adventures Richard McMurphy and The Rising of The Moon Trilogy have many of the same characters in them, but the stories are different.
I do have some stand-alone novels in the works, but those are taking a backseat to my Norse Mythology book and my history books. Sadly there are only 24 hours in each day and only seven days in each week, even though I would prefer 50 hours to be in each day and eight days in each week. That would make life a lot better.
November 2019 Book Signings: My 2019 Christmas Book Signings will take place in November 2019, but I haven't decided yet, if I'm having any Christmas Book Signings in December 2019.
1. I’ll be having a book signing at Jen’s Furniture and Collectibles (JFC) on High Street in between Circle K Gas Station and Zion Lutheran Church (NALC) on Santa Claus Saturday 2019 (November 23, 2019) from 11 AM to 3 PM.
2. I’ll be having a book signing at Jen’s Furniture and Collectibles (JFC) on High Street in between Circle K Gas Station and Zion Lutheran Church (NALC) on Black Friday 2019 (November 29, 2019) from noon to 6 PM.
3. I'll be having a book signing at the 2019 Holiday Showcase Craft and Vendor Show at The Centre at 601 N. Main Street in Bluffton, Ohio on Small Business Saturday 2019 (November 30, 2019) from 11 AM to 3 PM.
General Rule About Book Signings: I’ll be signing copies of my Christian romance novels The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 1 and The Rising of The Moon Book 1: Changing Tides Part 2 and my latest book The Rising of The Moon Book 2: Faith, Hope, and Love and my Greek and Roman Mythology book A Survey of Classical Mythology at all of my book signings. More books are coming soon! :)
Stores Carrying My Books: My new books, which I’ve written and published, are also available at the following stores: Brunner News Agency on Flanders Avenue in Lima, Ohio, Jen’s Furniture and Collectibles (JFC) on High Street in St. Marys, Ohio, The Menagerie at 1178 Indiana Avenue in the St. Marys Business Complex in St. Marys, Ohio, Readmore Hallmark Stores out at Eastgate Plaza and on Elm Street in Lima, Ohio, Wagner’s IGA Grocery Store in Minster, Ohio, in the Book Mart section of ohiobookmart.com, and in the Shop section of my website ohioirishlutheranpress.com .
Thank you and Happy Christmas!
James W. O’Flannery, President and Founder of Ohio Irish Lutheran Press (OIL Press)
Link to the Reverend Dr. Jordan Cooper's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce4LyJzl9wg