Lisa: What’s your hope for what Unlikely Glimpses of Grace does for your readers?
Lisa: And this book will help them connect with God, with your message of hope. Does Unlikely Glimpses of Grace also play a role in developing your career as a writer?
Lisa: So, it sounds like a step on your journey as a writer–your first foray into book writing and publishing. Can you share how this book evolved, and specifically about writing a book from videos?
Lisa: So, that’s an exciting way to write a book or ebook–record short videos, transcribe them, edit them and…voila! Perhaps some of our blog readers are thinking that they love to talk and not so much to write. Maybe they wonder how they can create videos like that and write a book that way. How do you create the videos?
Patrick: It’s simple. I use my iPhone, a stand, and an external mic. I don’t write a script. I think about a subject and sometimes jot down a note or two. I turn on the camera with a remote switch and start talking. Being technologically challenged, I try to avoid editing! Occasionally, I only need one take, but most of the time I need three. I try to limit the videos to ninety seconds. It’s hard to sustain people’s interest for longer spans of time.
Lisa: That’s terrific. So you don’t even need someone to hold the camera. You allow the videos to be somewhat spontaneous–not scripted–I’m sure that’s why they turn out so natural and energizing. How did you turn the videos into an ebook? What were all the steps from transcribing/editing all the way to finished product on amazon?
Patrick: Through a service called O Desk I found a transcriber who did wonderful work for a very reasonable rate. A colleague recommended an editor who lives in Canada. At that point I was stymied. I was working with a limited budget and knew nothing about the journey for manuscript to book. A friend in California then referred me to a woman who works with writers to get their work published. It turned out that she only lives thirty minutes from my home!
Lisa: How did you decide to make it an e-book? Do you plan to make it s print book too?
Patrick: It’s available in both print and ebook formats. The bound version is for those who are not comfortable with devices such as Kindle. The ebook, however, has a bit more utility. Each devotion is linked to the corresponding video.
Lisa: What’s your plan for getting this ebook and book out into the world?
Lisa: What response have you gotten to the ebook so far?