Faith, Writing, and Every Bird Along the Way: An Update on Trish's Publishing Adventure

Trish is hard at work on her upcoming book, a journey she’s tackling, as author Anne Lamott would say, “bird by bird.” Lamott’s words trace back to her brother’s childhood struggle with a massive school project on birds. Overwhelmed, he found encouragement from their father, who offered simple but wise advice: “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” That’s precisely Trish’s approach to her own story — a step-by-step, story-by-story process with plenty of faith and perseverance along the way.

Under her publisher’s guidance, Trish is crafting more than just the notorious kidnapping story that’s captured the curiosity of many. “The publisher encouraged me to have a strong idea of the theme beyond ‘It’s a story about a kidnapping,’” Trish shared. After taking some time to fully embrace that advice, she’s now writing with a bigger message in mind. The book is intended to share with readers what it means to live out God’s will, even when that takes you places you never planned to go. For Trish, that meant facing the threat of kidnapping, but for others, it could mean any number of challenges. 

Trish estimates that she’s about a third of the way through the writing process, and there’s plenty to do beyond just putting words on the page. “Getting published isn’t the goal post,” she explains. “We want people to read the book, which means marketing and selling it.” To reach as many readers as possible, Trish is building an email list, a vital way to keep people in the loop with direct updates — especially since social media can be unreliable for communications. Signing up for this separate email list will give readers early access to updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and even the chance to help select the book’s cover!

Trish is also communicating on social media, and you can follow her author page on Facebook and her Instagram account. 

In today’s world, many books find their audience through podcasts, and Trish is ready to dive into that realm as a guest. Though she’s not a big podcast listener herself, she’s compiling a list of shows that would be a great fit for her story. “It’s not uncommon to find podcasts focused on bravery and boldness, though the Christian aspect of my story might not fit all of them,” she said. “But it’s not just about book sales; it’s about spreading the message.” If you know of any podcasts that might align with her story or have connections to suggest, she would love to hear from you!

On the advice of her publisher, Trish has written a 21-day devotional on the topic of embracing God's plan for your life. The devotional is available as a free download, and when you sign up to receive the devotional you will also be added to Trish's mailing list. 

The mailing list will give you a heads-up about her podcast appearances, progress updates, and specific ways to pray for her as the launch approaches. In the future, there will be the opportunity to join her launch team, which would give you early access to the book, so that you can help spread the word during those critical first few weeks after the book release. 

To receive the devotional and/or sign up for the mailing list, go to Trish's website, www.TrishSowers.com and scroll down to the button for requesting the devotional. Then fill out the form on the next page, and you'll be on the mailing list! You will receive an email with the devotional that you can download if you wish to do so. 

And as for the timeline? She hopes to launch the book within a year. There are still plenty of “birds” left to tackle, but with God’s guidance and your encouragement, she’s confident she’ll get there, bird by bird.

 - posted by Christi