Publishing and the Power of Endorsements

The holidays passed in an incredibly hectic blur. I am thrilled that they are behind me. On a positive note, all the food, goodies and gatherings at my home were successful, and my latest bottling of White Cranberry Pinot Grigio received rave reviews from 90% of the recipients and imbibers! The next wine adventure will be a pomegranate zinfandel!

So what has been happening since the holidays other than work, snow and cold?

Part of the process the agent and author go through in “shopping” a book to publishers is putting together a terrific submission package. The more persuasive information you put into that package, the more likely you are to find a publisher willing to buy. Including endorsements from other authors, experts, and celebrities can often be the “tipping” point in that decision.

I have already received one fabulous endorsement from Dr. John L. Turner, a neurosurgeon and author, who read the entire manuscript because it was “so interesting.”

Needless to say, I was thrilled. As a result, I have spent the last several weeks on a mission to garner more endorsements. I’ve been spending all my time pulling together appropriate information, formatting said information into electronic packets, researching the people I wanted to receive the packages, writing personalized letters, then physically printing, packaging, addressing, and shipping those packages to the intended recipients.

Fifty-four of those packages have been sent to a wide variety of medical specialists, cancer center heads, hospice experts, influential religious leaders, government officials in the area of health, and news persons and celebrities who have supported related causes for personal reasons.

Now the hard part is not stopping to check my post office box morning and night!

The endorsement package process was time-consuming and costly; but worth every minute and every penny if the effort results in having a few really high-profile endorsements to throw into the mix! I’m posting Dr. Turner’s endorsement below and welcome all comments. And if you just happen to think of anyone who might be a good person to endorse the book, feel free to let me know!

Healing does not always equate to curing. Healing may be spiritual and emotional. There is a way to provide such healing and when done anonymously, the act has great power. M. E. (Betsy) McMillan’s great book, Postcard Rx: Giving Comfort when the Diagnosis is Terminal, will teach you how a simple postcard a day - mailed to a friend, family member or total stranger suffering from a terminal illness – can, with messages of hope and encouragement, ease their transition in a most significant and meaningful way. When one is ill and becomes a patient, the secret in caring for the patient, is caring about the patient. Betsy’s stories are fascinating and describe her twenty-plus years of caring and compassion for those in need. I highly recommend this book.

John L. Turner, M.D.
Author of Medicine, Miracles and Manifestations: A Doctor’s Journey Through the Worlds of Divine Intervention, Near-Death Experiences, and Universal Energy