We held a book launch party for Mrs. Oswald Chambers on Sunday, October 22.
Friends arranged for a lovely British tea, a poster announcing the party and flowers on the table–the same way Biddy liked to decorate.
I woke a cloche hat and a plain suit–which would have passed muster 90 years ago when Biddy launched My Utmost for His Highest
.
In my case, however, I’d just returned from 13 days evacuation from the Santa Rosa fires.
I felt as exhausted as I looked in the photos!
What is a book launch party?
It’s a celebration of an accomplishment–the writing and publication of a book.
In this case, some forty friends gathered to talk about Mrs. Oswald Chambers.
My husband “manned” the table and I sold copies of both Mrs. Oswald Chambers and my other October release: Utmost Ongoing: Reflections on the Legacy of Oswald Chambers.
I joyfully autographed books for my friends.
We gave away copies of My Utmost for His Highest–in either the classic or updated version.
I also included a handout about resiliency.
My community needed that handout.
You can read Bible verses about resiliency here.
Biddy Chambers and resiliency
What’s a book launch without the author reading from the book?
While my guests sipped their tea–out of china tea cups–and nibbled on cakes, cucumber sandwiches and fruit, I read aloud from the opening chapter.
Baker Books has kindly offered the initial chapters, if you’d like to get a taste for Mrs. OC.
You can find the link under resources on this page.
Why resiliency?
6900 homes burned to the ground in my community during October, 2017.
A fair number belonged to my friends. (27 families from our church lost their homes).
When I thought about what I wanted to say, I came back to what my friends needed to hear.
Biddy Chambers understood about the need to stand firm in your faith when everything around you falls apart.
She experienced devastation when a fire destroyed all her life work during the London Blitz.
Biddy’s life demonstrated resiliency many times. (See next Friday’s post for more details)
Biddy Chambers and the writing of My Utmost for His Highest
Writers generally have only one talk at a book launch but because of the timing of my party (right after second service, but needing to go longer for people from other churches), I gave two talks.
The first, of course, was about resiliency.
Five writers attended my second talk. Since some heard the first talk as well, I altered my topic to include the writing of My Utmost for His Highest.
Two of those writers wrote devotionals and I knew they’d enjoy hearing the clever way Biddy inserted her emotions into five key readings in the devotional.
The most significant one, of course, is for November 15, the day Oswald Chambers died.
I’ve written a blog post about it here: Why Did God Let Oswald Chambers Die So Young?
Thank yous to the guests
A book launch party traditionally celebrates a book, and mine did so.
But so many people cheered me on or helped me in the course of writing Mrs. Oswald Chambers, I wanted to thank them as well.
It takes a lot of people to keep a writer going.
This party was a celebration for them as well!
Tweetables
Celebrating Mrs. Oswald Chambers at a book launch party. Click to Tweet
High tea, cucumbers sandwiches and Mrs. Oswald Chambers at her launch party. Click to Tweet
Your book launch is memorable in so many ways. Persevering through the difficulties is a testament to yours and others faith. Congratulations on the book. I can’t wait to read it.