Book Ideas

   I talk to many people who ask, "where do you get your ideas for books?"
   The answer is fairly simple, from two sources: ideas come out of my heritage and also out of my curiosity.  There could be some other areas from which I have drawn ideas, but those are the starting point thus far for my books (which I have written including Advent Journeys, Spring; Connecting with God, and A Christian Passover in the Jewish Tradition.
     My most recent book began with a family tradition: Advent.  When my children were young, in order to teach them the faith (in a rather Jewish way) I came up with weekly themes, daily scripture readings and connected activities (soon to be listed at our website) which would be fun and hold interest from day to day.  Such as on Shepherds week we read Luke 2 and send Christmas cards announcing the birth of Jesus ... just as the angels announced Christ's birth long ago.
   My family followed this tradition (changing as my daughters grew older) for more than twenty-five years.  I put this tradition in writing as pamphlets for others, but when I decided to put it in book form, it did not seem to be interesting enough.   So I asked myself, what would make it interesting enough: And Advent Journeys was born.
   With this idea I could have written the standard Biblical exegesis book and described the Bible passages in my own words, related how the birth of Jesus tied into Old Testament prophecy, or told about theology or tradition ... but my curiosity led me another way.  I thought "I wonder what the trip was like from Nazareth to Bethlehem."  Simple question, or so I thought!
   There are three or four roads from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  People most often describe the road from Nazareth trough Jezreel Valley down the Jordan River and up the wadi of the Good Samaritan to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  Many travelers took that road, especially Pharisees who wanted to avoid contact with the Samaritans.  But this road is longer and more difficult than the other two.
   An easier route is south through Megeddo Pass to the via maris then up the Beit Horon pass to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  This route is much easier than the road through the Jordan Valley, also avoids contact with the Samaritans, and is almost never in consideration as the road Joseph and Mary traveled.  This road is also longer than the third option:
   I feel Joseph and Mary traveled almost due south, between the two other routes on the shortest route possible.  I found this route on the internet listed today as Israel route 60, in one place listed as the Joseph and Mary Highway.  I feel this route is most likely because as an adult Jesus still traveled this road on the way home (as evidenced in John 4).  So I followed this highway.
   The first problem of the route today is that it journeys through the West Bank, an area which is described as risky.  The second problem is some parts of route 60 are worse than risky and have been bulldozed in order to contain violent areas.  In spite of difficulties my curiosity told me to travel the route and see what the road was like.
   Fortunately I was able to travel the route without getting shot at or putting my life in danger through the internet. Google Maps, Facebook pages, Wikipedia information and other sources were consulted, along with books and 19th century journals (when the land was safer) to learn about the route.  And it was interesting.  Thus came into being week 2 of my latest book Advent Journeys.

   OY! no matter how much you try to get it right ... a totally correct manuscript is only an illusion or a pipe dream.  An error free book is an impossibility.  But it is a goal worth attempting.
   In it's first creation Advent Journeys was submitted as a book.  But when the proof arrived, there were several problems.  The cover was too busy, the font was too small, and of course there were a few things forgotten.  We took the option to re-submit.
   And the book was better.  With the increase of font each section extended a partial extra page.  At first I worried about too much blank space.  Then I decided to insert photographs.  And I think the photographs add to the final project.  The pictures taken in Israel add to each section giving more substance through the image.  And a picture is worth a thousand words... so they say.
   I resubmitted the book, which was much better.  The book is now available for purchase:  http://www.amazon.com/Advent-Journeys-David-Levine-Simon/dp/1516841735/
   In it's second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh creation the book became electronic.  And yes, there were multiple submissions because no matter how many times I submitted the manuscript I always found an error.  First there were the pictures I added.  Two of the pictures displayed a big red error message.  I took them out and re-inserted them.  Results were the same.  Big red error messages.  Then I re-created them.  It did not help.
   I contacted Kindle, and they told me what to do, and it worked.  The picture size was too big.  When I formatted the picture according to instructions, the file worked.
   But in the suggestion, Kindle also told me how to get a couple other images to look better.  With the broken images corrected, I went in to improve the existing images (maps).  It worked.
   The good thing about pictures is they contain no spelling or grammar errors.  I long ago gave up on those.  I thank the proof-readers of the book.  There were at least four of them.  One of them says the book is perfect.  But I know it is not.  Even books distributed by big name publishing houses with highly paid proof readers contain spelling, grammar and formatting errors.  I took an extra look, and the kindle preview looked good.
   I thought everything was fine, and submitted the book.  Two days later I proudly looked inside on the Kindle display page: OY! Horrors!  In setting up the table of contents (linked) I wrote Advent One, Advent Two, Advent Three, Advent 4, Advent 5.  It was right there glaring at me.  I said Oh no!  And then I think I heard it laugh.  "gotch ya!"
   I put up the "final" document, but then again I saw some things out of place.  I worked to improve the book.  And with only a few quirks, it did look better.  One more attempt.  The book is up.  http://www.amazon.com/Advent-Journeys-David-Simon-ebook/dp/B0178KO7FS/
   Please, take a look at the book.  Let me know what you see.  Self-published, I can still correct it.  But I hope all I hear is how much you enjoyed the book.  You can order the print format now ... but you might wait until Saturday for the Kindle version: a surprise is coming!

New Book Release

   Advent Journeys, our new book is out!
   This book will take you places you have never been before!
   Through this book you will join Zechariah (husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist) as he serves in the Temple; you will join Joseph and Mary as they travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem; you will spend seven nights with the Shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem; and you will travel with the Magi from their observatory to Bethlehem.  And there is more: for interfaith families (and others who are interested) we share the journal of a Maccabee.
   Are you interested?  Take a look at the listing on CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5669825
    Also on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Advent-Journeys-David-Levine-Simon/dp/1516841735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445982747&sr=1-1
   The book will be coming soon on Kindle.
   This is a great idea for a Christmas gift ... or even better, a Thanksgiving gift so people can join the Journey each day of Advent.

A Dyslexic Author

The fact that I can proof my own book (sɘɘ yɘsterday’s blog - I am awaiting a proof copy of my new book Advent Journeys) is an amazing thing, for I am dyslɘxic and ɘxcept for early intervɘntion just rɘading (not to mention writing) would bɘ with great difficulty  I “was” backwards so my reading “saw” incorrect.  What I “was” “saw” always a great problem.  

OOPS! did it again.  I always had problems when a word appeared with those three letters: “asw” and read the word I “was” incorrectly 100% of the time.  And sometimes what I “was” could not be detected correctly by context.  This “saw” always a problem.

I “bah” problems with other words also, and sometimes with the letters “d” and “b”. How do you know which way they are pointing when your eyes won’t tell you.  I like the word “ɘyɘ” because there is no way to see it backwards.

I knɘw I “bah” qrodlɘms dɘcausɘ by thirb gradɘ I spent more tiɘm in the princiqal’s officɘ than in the classroom.  By fourth grade my parents “bah” mɘ in a spɘcial school.  I learned to typɘ in the spɘcial school (thɘy colored the kɘys by where my fingers should hit) in ordɘr to sloooowwww down my rɘading to hɘlq me see lettɘrs in thɘir proqɘr order.  I attɘnded the spɘcial school for tow yɘars, and it hɘlqed immɘnsely.  I began to see words properly, and slowly began to rɘad. What I “saw” “was” corrɘct.

By sixth gradɘ I “was” enrolled in rɘgular classes.  But was vɘry bɘhind in English.  I learned the diffɘrence betwɘen nouns and vɘrbs.  I coulb genɘrally idɘntify advɘrbs and pronouns.  But to this day I do not know which participlɘs are hanging and which arɘ sitting or standing.

Which rɘally doɘs not matter, bɘcause I have friɘnds with grɘat patiencɘ who proof-rɘad most of what I right in ordɘr to hɘlp me gɘt words writɘ.  The main point of all this is, when I was young people laughed at me, so I learned to laugh at myself, and have fun.  I have tried to includɘ this fun in my latest book: Advɘnt Journeys.

A New Book: almost done!

A finished project is always a good feeling, and my latest book is almost done.  Today it has been uploaded for proofing … and if successful, I hope will be available the first week of November.

What is it you ask?  The title of the book is Advent Journeys.  The book is what the title indicates, it is an advent reader which will take you on journeys.  The book is a collection of journals from Zachariah (father of John the Baptist), Joseph (husband of Mary and father of Jesus), a shepherd, a magi, and a Maccabee.  The reader will travel with these individuals as they intersect with the Christmas story.

Each journal is short (for easy reading, 400 words) and seven days long, which gives each week a theme. Week 1 we will visit the Temple as Zechariah serves and is told by the Angel his wife will have a son.  At the start of week two Joseph receives a tax notice, and we will walk with Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Week three will be spent watching sheep outside Bethlehem.  During week four we will cover a huge distance from Mount Alvand, Iran to Bethlehem.   With added scripture and thought provoking questions I hope the reading will add a fuller dimension and more joy to the Christmas.  During the fifth week we will travel with Joseph and Mary to Egypt.  The readings during the fifth week will help the reader look forward to the new year.  A sixth week of eight days is added to the book for interfaith families, or for those who desire to know more about how Chanukah was viewed in the time of Jesus.

Why did I write a book?  For several reasons: First: Advent has a lot of meaning for our family.  We read scripture and books, planned activities, ate special foods, and went on trips to enhance the meaning of Christmas.  Second: After going to Israel I wondered what the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem was like, so I followed Israel Route 60 on Google Earth, and then visited the places on facebook and other sites, and discovered a road rich in Bible history.  I was hooked, and followed others in the Christmas story.  Third: as I shared what I had written with Scribblers (a Mooresville writing group), they liked it so much, I put it in a book.

The book will be out in early November (I hope), and I hope you will order a copy and join the people in the Christmas story as they journey on that first Christmas.