Featuring:
Gavin Goodfellow, the Lure of Burnt Swamp
Candy Abbott's long-awaited spiritual fantasy for 8 to 80 is now available. Get your copy today from www.GavinGoodfellow.com or your favorite bookstore (ISBN 978-1-886068-03-2, paperback $14.95). Limited Edition hardbacks (signed and numbered) are available from the author. Don't miss the snazzy "official" site www.GavinGoodfellow.com with color illustrations of the characters, map of Burnt Swamp, sample chapter, fan club goodies, and more!
Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp is not your usual fantasy. Firmly ensconced in a contemporary setting, the Eastern Shore story unfolds around the misadventures of a 12-year-old boy who must come to terms with his spiritual calling in order to save the town's inhabitants from evil forces. The first of a trilogy, Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp is receiving accolades from around the region.
"Just when I thought the best fantasy-mystery-adventure books had already been written, I found Gavin Goodfellow. NOW you have the best! Not only is the story deliciously strange and can’t-put-it-down intriguing, but Gavin and the challenges he bumps into are as real as you are. And at the center of it all, there’s God—like you’ve never experienced God before. So follow Gavin into Burnt Swamp and be prepared for the journey of your life!"
--Nancy Rue, award-winning author of youth and adult fiction
Self-Publishing: A Viable Option
Unless you are a major name or public figure, it’s hard to land a traditional publishing contract. If you are among the fortunate, you can expect to be published in two to three years. With Fruitbearer, as a self-published author, you can have a quality book within six months; while responsible for the initial outlay, you keep more of the profits. This is especially important if you have a speaking ministry, outreach, or congregation eagerly awaiting your project.
Fruitbearer Publishing, L.L.C. started small but now has a team of editors and associates who freelance for well-known houses. Fruitbearer has earned a respected name in the industry, and self-publishing has gained credibility over the years. But there are some dangers. Authors who approach self-publishing without a commitment to excellence are vulnerable to paying big bucks for shoddy a product. Therefore, Fruitbearer encourages its clients to . . .
Be Willing to:
- Learn. Attend writer’s conferences and study resources that will strengthen your knowledge of the craft.
- Find mentors or writing coaches.
- Participate in a critique group.
- Part with your ego; heed editors’ advice. Professionals rewrite; amateurs cling to their words.
- Count the cost. Publishing is a investment of both time and resources.
- Develop a marketing plan; evenn traditional publishers provide only an initial PR thrust; then you’re on your own.
- Pray always, about everything—for God’s wisdom and guidance at every stage.
Does your manuscript have to be spiritual to be a Fruitbearer publication? No. But it must build up the reader and contain a meaningful message that does not conflict with the Scriptures.
Attention Writers on the Delmarva Peninsula
If you live within driving distance of Georgetown, DE, we have an active critique group you may find helpful. Delmarva Christian Writers' Fellowship is a friendly group, with no membership fee, so doin't be shy--we would give you a warm welcome the third Saturday of any month (except August) from 9 AM to Noon at the Georgetown Presbyterian Church, 203 North Bedford St.,Georgetown, DE 19947. Visit www.DelmarvaWriters.com for details.
How Fruitbearer Publishing Began
The inspiration for Fruitbearer Publishing company came four years after self-publishing the book by the same name, Fruitbearer: What Can I Do For You, Lord? In my journal entry of May 13, 1998, I felt the Holy Spirit saying,
"Writing and printing your book are just the beginning of the blessings, daughter. They are seeds, each planted in fertile soil and beginning to produce good fruit. The fruit comes not only from those who read Fruitbearer, but the book itself contains seeds for other publications you will be initiating. These will be planted in fields you have never even imagined."
Questions poured out of me about the shape and purpose of the publishing company, and the Lord answered them all, one by one, including some much-needed advice:
"Relax, dear one. This is not a breakneck speed project. It is a life work. The work is important, true, but there is yet time. The vision is still new to you. Don't rush the details. Rather, let Me guide you daily in the direction you are to take. Capture and save the ideas, but do not attempt to develop any of them yet. In time you will see which concepts are from Me and which ones are diversions that would hinder the work I am calling you to do.
"You are to bring all ideas, suggestions and offers of help to Drew for his reaction before committing to anything that will become a part of the foundation of Fruitbearer Publishing. He is your earthly partner, and I am your heavenly partner. It is a three-way partnership, with all three parts having equal roles and authority. At every phase, all three elements must be in total harmony."
When it came time to develop the Mission Statement and Business Plan for Fruitbearer Publishing, Candy's Creations was already in place as a sole proprietorship. Thus, Fruitbearer Publishing became a branch of Candy's Creations. In 2008, with publishing becoming the primary aspect, we changed from a sole proprietorship to an L.L.C. Ever since the publishing company began in 1998, Drew and I enjoyed the adventure of following where the Spirit leads—and pacing ourselves accordingly.
