It’s hard to believe, but my novella, Heaven Shining Through, is a year old. It officially went to press a year ago today and formally released by Xulon Press through Amazon (amazon.com/dp/1545624569) March 28, 2018.
That was the beginning of this year-long journey that has changed my life. It was formally launched after getting the books in hand April 29, 2018 (follow the joy at https://www.facebook.com/joe.siccardi/videos/10211711964459086/) at The Mill Café, Dover-Foxcroft, ME. I also presented a copy of the book to the Thompson Free Library, Dove-Foxcroft, and the Interlaken (NY) Public Library Board, and held a book signing and presentation at Edith B. Ford Library, Ovid, NY, Waterloo (NY) Library, Mynderse Library (Seneca Falls, NY) and Elizabeth Garnsey Delavan Library (Lodi, NY). I also made presentation to small groups in Maine and upstate New York {and am open to meeting with individual reading groups and organizations. If anyone is interested, just let me know.}. I still would like to make some presentations to the libraries in Paterson and Totowa, NJ, and my alma mater, Dominican College of Blauvelt (NY). You can also order a copy of Heaven Shining Through by contacting me by e-mail at wisdomfromafather@gmail.com and I would be happy to send you a signed copy.
I certainly haven’t gotten financially rich on the project — although that wasn’t the primary reason to publish anyway — but I have received personal satisfaction knowing the little novella touched many people. I’ve heard that comment over and over during the past year.
It has been received well with solid 4-5 star ratings by reviewers. Just a sample —
Another — which affirmed my intent and gave me a direction for the future — was
Heaven Shining Through is a story within a story. The underlining theme is the restoration of a relationship between Sam and her mother. It is told through the prism of a flashback of Sam’s life — her early home experiences, her wilder side, meeting the love of her life, Chad, her growth as a wife and mother through sorrow and blessings, and the presence of God in an ordinary life.
I tried to keep it real with appropriate language and activities {which did turn off some reviewers, especially Christian reviewers}. I purposely stayed away from being “preachy” but rather told a story that showed the presence of God in everyday, sometimes messy lives. My hope was and is readers will be able to see that.
A lot of the activity takes place in the greater Paterson, NJ, area, which is where I called home as a youth. Some of the backdrops will be familiar to fellow Patersonians who grew up in the mid 60s and why I think there is a potential audience base there.
Also late last year, I published a second book, Wisdom From a Father … One Dad’s Thoughts on Life (amazon.com/Wisdom-Father-dads-thoughts-life/dp/1727315316/). Yes, if that title sounds familiar, it is the title of this blog. The book is an update of some of the early posts here, offering my views on life … and sharing it with you. There are joys. There are tribulations. There are reflections. There is every day life. In each essay I tried to convey a recognition of a greater Power who colors my perspective.
However the big news {talk about burying the lead} is I am actively reworking Heaven Shining Through, expanding it from a novella into a novel — something a number of reviewers had requested. Yes, I said actively.
I think I’m about 80% through the project. I have some decisions to make on how to best complete it, how to flesh out the characters, and, most of all, how and where to end it.
That’s where you potentially come in. I would like to form a pre-launch team of no more than five individuals to beta read the book, offer suggestions and comments, keep me accountable and true to my Christian beliefs. I will create a private Facebook group for the team and schedule just a few online “meetings” to discuss the book and its progress. Hopefully the team would also join a formal launch team as I get closer to publishing.
If you’re interested, let me know. The best way is by e-mail, wisdomfromafather@gmail.com. I do hope to start the pre-launch no later than April 15, so let me know what you bring to the table and why you might be interested.
I can’t wait. I hope you can be part of the team!
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Your presence is a present to the world.
The Light 