i’ve gotten a lot of email lately asking me advice on how to write a book and get it published. well, here is a post dedicated just to that topic.

the answer?

i don’t know.

but i’ll let you know as soon as i have it figured out :)

it seems as most of my adult life, i’ve had a laptop, usually work-provided. the same was true with my current job, except i was extremely spoiled. i had an iMac desktop AND an HP laptop. but, as part of the focus of my position changed, the laptop was put to use in a more effective way (meaning its owner as of a few months ago was no longer yours truly.)

first, i went through a freaking out period. i had no other computer at home except the laptop. my phone (which is back in working order, yay!) has microsoft word and email on it, but could i really write a book using those little letters on the keyboard?

fortunately, a friend saw my need and let me borrow a mac mini (and another friend lent all the peripherals) so at least i had something at home until i got my big fat (realistic and very modest) book advance (which one must have a publisher in order to get) and with that advance (from currently up in the air publisher) and my husband’s approval, a new laptop would be purchased.

as fortunate as i am to have such generous friends, my mind is not being so generous with sharing its creativity with me. i realize how spoiled rotten i have become with mobility and technology…the fact i am confined to my little ikea chair (which after sitting on for any extended amount of time will lower slowly…slowly…until one is awkwardly low to the ground)…and the gentle whirring and humming of my borrowed CRT monitor has somehow convinced me that i need the mobility in order to be productive. that i cannot be in one spot all the time and be productive.

which is a lie.

but is still very hard for my personality to sit in one place…especially when the cats jump up on the keyboard and what was an intelligible sentence turns into someiopdufthing lik3897e thcjjlskis.

all of this nonsensical rambling (which should have been put towards book-use) to ask for your prayers…i have a deadline in less than two weeks…i am struggling on a part of the proposal…my brain is fried…and as i type this, my husband is snoring on the couch and i just might go steal his laptop and run away for a few days.

hmmm….

especially books written by my friend eric bryant. i’ve known eric for the last few years - back in the xanga days of 2004 even - but have never met him in person.

anyway, this summer he released a phenomenal book titled, “peppermint-filled piñatas: breaking through tolerance and embracing love“ which if you have ever stepped one foot in mosaic LA, where he serves as a navigator, you are immediately embraced by such a sense of acceptance and love. then you get to know more and more people there, and see what they’re doing in the community, and in mexico, and in the world and you know this isn’t just some attempt to write a book - eric is living this.

fortunately, they are shipping eric all the way down to the lone star state on monday (as well as some other places) and i will be taking off as soon as i can from my little third-floor office to trek to fort worth to finally meet eric. check out the dates below and if he’s going to be near you (fort worth’s a couple hours away with traffic so no excuses! if i can drive a little, so can you), go meet him, support him, and bring him some chocolate chip cookies.

i don’t even know if he likes them, but it’d be a nice gesture. and if he didn’t, you could always eat them instead.

July 20 - Alburquerque, NM - City on a Hill Church - 7pm Discussion and Book Signing | http://CityOnAHillabq.org/

July 22 - Houston, TX - Ecclesia Church, 10:30am and 5:30pm - www.EcclesiaHouston.org

July 23 - Fort Worth, TX - Barnes & Noble Bookstore Discussion and Book Signing at 7pm (1612 S. University Dr. #401, Fort Worth, TX 76107)

July 25 - Waco, TX - Mardel’s Bookstore Discussion & Signing at 4pm (4324 West Waco Drive, Waco, TX 76710 PH: 254-399-9237)

July 26 - Austin, TX - Mosaic Austin, 7:30pm Discussion and Book Signing + Music from Rob Lowe of Balmorhea | http://www.MosaicAustin.org/

July 28 - San Antonio, TX - Wayside Chapel, 6pm | http://WaysideChapel.org/

July 29 - San Antonio, TX - Wayside Chapel, 9:15am and 11am | http://WaysideChapel.org/

July 31 - Phoenix, AZ - North Phoenix Baptist Church (event details & registration here)

August 2 - Cleveland, OH - Cuyahoga Valley Church, 7-8:30pm | www.CuyahogaValleyChurch.com | event sponsored by Church of the Hills

First of all, thank you to everyone who has helped promote Mad Church Disease. I think we will cross the 1000 survey mark before tomorrow and it has only been a week since the site launched. This could NOT have been done without you.

Anyway, I just finished my first outline for the book as part of the proposal going to some publishers. Before I finalize it, I want to make sure I’m not leaving out anything…as I’ve mentioned before - this isn’t just a book that I’m writing about what I think…I want to make sure that it is meeting as many needs…that I am searching for as many answers…as possible.

So, if you have any thoughts on what you’d like to see in the book, now is your time!

Let me know in the comments on the Mad Church Disease blog.

Also…this would be a great opportunity to solicit feedback from YOUR readers. Many of them have completed surveys but I don’t want their participation to end there. If you feel so inclined, please take this time to email them, or to blog about this, and point them to the MCD blog as I’d love for them to continue contributing to the content of the book as well.

I’m closing comments on this particular post in order to keep all the feedback on this topic over at the Mad Church Disease blog. I’ll see you over there — and remember — there are no stupid ideas!!

If you are really thinking about something, ask!

Thank you all for your hard work yesterday blitzing the internet! I think technorati picked up most of the blog reactions: ALMOST 200! That is amazing. That is mindblowing. Almost 200 reactions in 24 hours. Wow. I cannot thank you enough! I could not possibly mention every single person/organization who shared the cure by blogging or emailing but I thought I’d post a couple of things I weren’t expecting!

Check out the Technorati blog reactions here & click on a few of them to get to know some other awesome bloggers!

1) At 6:30 yesterday morning, I noticed in my Google Reader that FriendlyAtheist.com had posted it. At first, I was honestly a little freaked out. I love Hemant’s candor & honesty and there have been many, many times he has made me think about the way I think. Anyway, knowing he is as honest as he is…I opened up the link and was floored by his graciousness to help. I guess they don’t call him friendly for nothing! Thanks, Hemant!

Read Hemant’s post about the survey here.

2) ChurchMarketingSucks.com posted an interview. It’s not that I wasn’t expecting it, but I appreciate the fact they were concerned about the affect Mad Church Disease would have on potlucks.

Read the CMS interview here.

3) I got an IM from RagamuffinSoul asking me for a hi-res copy of my cover. Interspersed with “hahaha” and “Muahahahah” and “Just trust me” I sent him the cover. What was produced was nothing short of a work of art. You can watch it below.

At this point, I have about 500 survey responses…so…give or take 10%. If you haven’t posted or emailed or taken a survey…please help spread the love. 5000 is looking like a pretty big number…but 500 responses in one day is AWESOME and couldn’t have been done without you!

It’s here……….
MadChurchDisease.com is live!

How can you help fight Mad Church Disease?

1. Take a survey here.

2. Email all your friends, your staff, your small group, the people you volunteer with, and have them take the survey.

3. Fight by spreading the CURE! Post a link to the survey on your blog, and keep an image link in your sidebar (images here)

I can’t WAIT to see how God uses this! Thank you for all your support and prayers over the past week! I am so lucky to have such awesome friends (even if you do just lurk and I have no idea who you are…you still rock, baby!)

A special thank you to the group of about 100 people who signed up to be “Trailblazers” — these people tested the site, promised to post content today, committed to emailing over 4000 people combined, and are from over 25 states and six countries! Words can’t express how grateful I am!

So, let me know - How did you help fight?