William and the Confidence Course
Five-year-old William is excited to camp out with Papaw in his woods behind his house. The next morning, Papaw shows him something he built just for William. But William takes one look at the wobbly steps and too-high bridge and just knows he doesn't have the confidence to tackle this course. Will he give up before even trying, or will he remember that God is the source of his courage?
Illustrations are expensive, so instead of doing a kickstarter (like most picture book authors do), I'm collecting pre-orders through paypal. I'll still do all the same things I'd do if I were going through kickstarter, but paypal has a few advantages:
-I can begin the illustrations immediately. Kickstarter only releases the total to the author if the entire amount is raised. Paypal sends each donation immediately, meaning the book can be in progress during the pre-order stage. -Paypal fees are MUCH lower! I don't need as many pre-orders. (3% instead of 10% fee!). The button says "donate," but really you are pledging to buy the book. This is not a donation where you give out of the kindness of your heart but rather a pre-order where you will receive this book! |
Pre-order levels:
Level 1 is $25. When the book is completed, you will receive a signed paperback/ebook and a bookmark.
Level 2 is $50. When the book is completed, you will receive a signed paperback/ebook and a bookmark. A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the missionary kid of your choice.*
Level 3 is $100. When the book is completed, you will receive two signed paperbacks/ebooks and two bookmarks. A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the missionary kid of your choice.* A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the local library of your choice.*
Level 2 is $50. When the book is completed, you will receive a signed paperback/ebook and a bookmark. A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the missionary kid of your choice.*
Level 3 is $100. When the book is completed, you will receive two signed paperbacks/ebooks and two bookmarks. A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the missionary kid of your choice.* A signed paperback/ebook will be donated to the local library of your choice.*
*The paperback will be about 40 pages long. I must approve of the missionary. They will receive the ebook immediately and the paperback when they come to the US for furlough (if they want a physical copy). The library you choose may be a public, school, church, or university library so long as they accept donations.
Why write this book?
The purpose of this book is two-fold. When the real William was just learning to read, I struggled to find books that were clean and moral. I wrote a bit about this on my blog here. William was a voracious reader, and there just weren't enough books in our library system to keep him engaged! This book is well below his reading level now, but I want to continue to provide new readers with wholesome books that build them up.
In the early spring of 2022, my dad was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer that had spread to his liver. I wanted to do something for him that showed my love and appreciation for everything he has done, and since I'm an author, I thought what better way to do that than to write a book! The characters in "Confidence Course" are based on my son and my dad. They really did have lots of camp outs, and my dad really did build William a confidence course. The bridge depicted in the story is just one part of the whole course. My dad has taught William how to ride a four wheeler, build a fire, and drive a stick shift. They've built a log cabin and worked on several cars together. This book is just a sliver of all the memories they've made.
In the early spring of 2022, my dad was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer that had spread to his liver. I wanted to do something for him that showed my love and appreciation for everything he has done, and since I'm an author, I thought what better way to do that than to write a book! The characters in "Confidence Course" are based on my son and my dad. They really did have lots of camp outs, and my dad really did build William a confidence course. The bridge depicted in the story is just one part of the whole course. My dad has taught William how to ride a four wheeler, build a fire, and drive a stick shift. They've built a log cabin and worked on several cars together. This book is just a sliver of all the memories they've made.