Culture Makers Update: Where We Are Now

My husband’s book has been out for a few months now. We had be told by many that first-time authors have a slow start and that perseverence and creativity are key to long-term success. So we have been approaching this as we do many other ventures: step by step, piece by piece, a little here, a little there…you get the picture.

I thought it’d be fun to do a little update. We have no idea how many books have been sold due to the fact that it is being sold through so many different venues. Success, however, isn’t just measured in book sales. And writing this book never was about the sales.

One of the things I keep telling my husband about his book is that I think he has made an attempt to reach people other authors don’t consider reaching: beginners. After all, there are some wonderful, deep worldview books out there. But we constantly encounter people who would be totally overwhelmed if you asked them to read, for instance, Total Truth. It isn’t because these folks are of inferior intelligence. It is just that beginners in any subject need an introductory text.

Okay. I could go on and on, especially since I am biased. He he.

What I really wanted to talk about was the progress of the book so far.

• Bookstores. It’s harder than we thought, in this age of online booksales, to get the book in an actual bookstore. But so far, the book is selling at Berean, and was also placed in an independent bookstore called Russo’s.
• Book signing. This is coming up. If you are local and want to drop by Russo’s at the Marketplace, there is a Culture Makers booksigning starting at 1pm. Come by and say hello! If you have an unsigned copy of the book and want to remedy the situation, bring it by. If you haven’t bought the book yet, this is a chance to do so. And if you don’t read, but want to chat, that is fine, too.
• Online reviews. We are still expecting more of these, but there are a couple that went live in the early weeks. The first was from Jennie at Foundations. The second was from Kansas Mom at Our Home on the Range.
• Christian school curriculum. This was something that took us by surprise, because Si didn’t pursue this. Sean McDowell, who wrote the Culture Makers foreward, is also designing a Bible class for a Southern California Christian school. Si’s book will be required reading for the course, and will be covered thoroughly over roughly eight weeks. This was truly a blessing we didn’t expect.
• Class in session. Si is midway through teaching his annual Christian Worldview course at our church. As his wife, it has been interesting to watch him improve with each year. He is doing an amazing job. But what I wanted to highlight in this update is actually that this is the first time the class has been a family activity. Previously, there was a large age span within the class, but no family brought their children. This year, we have a number of folks bringing their teenaged sons. This class has been a particular encouragement for a variety of reasons, but seeing families learn together is exciting. We know from our own experience how learning together can also bind hearts together.

Well, that is all I can think of for now. I don’t know where exactly Si expected to be in this process, but I think he’s done pretty well for not having any experience, working a full time day job, and having a busy family with almost four children under the age of seven. What is most exciting is hearing reports of folks beginning to see the world for what it is, make distinctions, and seek to live Christianly in the world. That is what makes it all worth it.