Day Three: Along Came Cheryl
Lots of time passed after our initial meeting, and we met and missed deadlines we'd placed on ourselves. But we were making good progress, and we were both excited to see how the finished product would take shape. I'd begun to look into self-publishing and all that it entails. I soon figured out that it would take more money than I had to print and market this thing well, and since it was supposed to MAKE money for the Memorial Fund, this was discouraging, to say the least. I also realized that we needed an editor, preferably someone who knew the book world and could speak some wisdom into our project.
Through my best networking friend in the world, Masi, we'd gotten a name and were told in no uncertain terms that she was good, she was busy, and she was very unlikely to take us. SWEET!
So a blind call was made and a voicemail message was left.
Within 30 minutes the phone call was returned. Cheryl Lewis, a very talented writer and editor with a long list of clients, called back to say that she was not, in fact, taking any new clients... except that she heard the name "Candi Pearson Shelton" and decided to call back. She attended the church I was part of when I lived in Atlanta and knew me from my leading worship. After she and Masi spoke briefly, Cheryl and I planned a chat.
After listening to the story of my brother and hearing our plans for the book, she was in. She and her husband spoke about it privately and decided that they wanted to do their part in furthering God's story through Ricky.
In case you are wondering, these are the kinds of things that happened CONSTANTLY throughout the course of this book's completion. Things that no person could adequately orchestrate. Things that cause me to stand slack-jawed in amazement.
This was also the juncture where it became clear that all the interviews Shannon worked on wouldn't be making it into the book. A sad day for me, having to make a phone call to one of my best friends to say that her work wouldn't be included. But, just like Shannon's character had proven time and time again, she was disappointed but ultimately a champion of the biggest, most God-glorifying story possible. I love her for many things, but this display of her heart is probably the best example of what I love most about her.
Cheryl helped to start the shaping process for what was then the framework of the book. She carried it a few more steps on the journey. I was and am so grateful to her for the way she connected to this story, deeply and earnestly. She felt the power of what God had done and it excited her as much as it did me to be able to share it with other people.
God, thank you for friends, old and new, who walked alongside us during the hardest as well as the most rewarding times on this road. I'm still amazed by the ways you use people, ordinary messed up us, to reflect Your love and Your heart in the most profound ways. I pray I am such a friend. Amen.
Until tomorrow,
- C