Surrender Story: Surrender it to God by Annette O’Hare

Surrender It To God

“I hate promoting myself and my work.”

This is a common mantra among writers, especially myself. After all, no one wants to tell a complete stranger or even a close friend, “Hey, you should buy my book. It’s really great!”

What is it about self-promotion that makes us want to run and hide in the closet? Maybe because it makes you feel like the greasy haired man with the pencil thin mustache, hawking fake Rolex watches in a back alley. Or does it remind you of the time you were picked last for kickball? Or even worse…remember when you received a “C” on a project you thought you deserved an “A” on?

None of these scenarios make us feel like God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.

Unfortunately, as writers, self-promotion is something we have to do. Why, because, books don’t sell themselves. Unless, that is, your name happens to be Francine Rivers or Ted Dekker. So it’s up to us to get the word out. But how do we go about promoting ourselves and our books without feeling…dirty?

Surrender it to God…

There it is, easy peasy, one and done, right? Well, not in my experience over the past few weeks of promoting my first novel. I can attest that the phrase, “let go and let God” isn’t nearly as easy as it sounds. But God in His mercy put a verse on my heart and now I know why.

The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

I felt God saying, “I got this.”

Does this mean everything will be easy from here on? Will the words I write be loved and cherished by everyone who reads them? Will I receive piles of fan mail and only five star reviews? I seriously doubt it.

Marketing and self-promotion are scary! There is something I have learned through this totally amazing tribulation called publishing. I’m going to make mistakes. I’m going to get my feelings hurt. And I’ll probably want to quit. But I fully trust that the One who called me will be there to catch me when I fall.

Annette O’Hare – Bio

Growing up in Houston, Texas in the 1970’s, Annette loved the stories about ghosts haunting the Spaghetti Warehouse and the mysterious “blue light” cemetery. But it was “Devil’s Island,” the magical woods across from home where her imagination blossomed. She created fantastic scenarios to act out with her brother and the neighborhood kids where worlds were conquered and dragons were slain. Annette is still making up stories, and is looking forward to the release of her first historical romance with Pelican Book Group. Her love for the history and heritage of her home state of Texas shines through in her writing and she’s made it the backdrop for her book series. Annette is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers and her local chapter, ACFW-Writers on the Storm. She lives north of Houston with her husband, Dan of 30 years. Dan and Annette are the proud parents of two Texas A&M graduates, one exceedingly imaginative high schooler, and two rambunctious, loveable rescue dogs.

Northern Light

Civil War has robbed Margaret Logan of all she holds dear, including her beloved New Orleans home and her fiancé. When her family moves to the desolate Bolivar Peninsula to manage a lighthouse that is no longer there, all her hopes for a normal future are dashed. Her world is rocked once again when a wounded Yankee soldier washes ashore needing her help. Despite her contempt for the North, Margaret falls in love with Thomas Murphy. As their love blooms, Margaret’s sister is overcome with neurosis, and her mind slowly slips away. Bitterness, psychosis and depression yield a decision fueled by contempt. Will one fatal choice cause Margaret to lose the man she loves and condemn Thomas to death?

Annette O’Hare – Links

 Website:                    www.annetteohare.com

FB Author Page:      www.facebook.com/annetteohareauthor

Twitter Page:             www.twitter.com/AnnetteOHare

Pinterest Page:         www.pinterest.com/annetteohare

Amazon Page:          http://goo.gl/SZ2y2g

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