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Fascinating story # 5 Merlyn Swan

I have interviewed Merlyn Swan before for Blow Your Own Trumpet. In that interview, she mentioned her forthcoming book, God Made Visible.

Prior to the launch of the book on 31st of July 2005, she sent me an email which narrated an encounter with the first person who bought her book. I found this tale fascinating for these reasons:

1. As a fellow author, the comments she received is 'a dream come true' email that every writer would like to receive.

2. As a publisher, the comments she received were an amazing tool for marketing her book - an unsolicited response and in Merlyn's own words, "What better mascot could any author or publisher want than this beautiful endorsement?"

The book and it's launch were such a great success that by 31st of July 2005, Merlyn had already sold 1/3 of her first print run!!

Here's her fascinating story.

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"God Made Visible" Diary of a Seeker

... When I launched my previous book "Today's Believer" in 2001 I had no idea or desire to extend it to another book. Yet one day I found myself at my computer and the fingers were tapping out the keys and the book was born, just a year ago. However the contents of the book stretch out over half a century and comes to you in the form of a diary. So it is anthropologically experiential. One of the experiences not in the book was when I was passing a church, and it doesn't seem that long ago, I approached it and over the massive doors these words were very boldly inscribed - THE GATES OF HEAVEN. Below that was a small cardboard sign which read "please use the other entrance" and because I was so used to following instructions at the time I did just that and used the other entrance. I think I have ever since moved over to the other entrance which in a way freed me from all the stuffiness and dogmatism of what was supposed to be heaven.

You see ever since we were children we were made to believe that God was the great secret hidden away in the churches, the temples the mosque, the synagogues and was only available to us through these powerful clerics and leaders who threatened us with the fires of hell if we were really naughty and didn't obey their instructions. So there was a great deal of fear around.

It was rather like these two young boys. They were very, very naughty. They were brothers aged nine and eleven. They were so unmanageable that in sheer desperation their mother went to the local priest and pleaded with him to help her bring the boys to their senses. The priest was a huge burly football type guy and he told the mother he would put them right, but she was to send them to him one at a time.

So the mother sent the nine year old first. This young lad arrived at the priest's house and was led into his office room and he sat on this huge chair in front of a massive oak table. On the other side sat this frightening looking serious faced priest. They stared at each other for a good five minutes and then the priest bellowed out to the boy, WHERE IS GOD? The young lad looked under the chair, and under the table and behind the desk and the curtain and shrugged his shoulders and continued to stare at the priest silently.

Then the priest left his chair and came up to the boy and shouted once more WHERE IS GOD? The boy was so scared he remained silent and visually shrank into the chair. Then the priest went right up to him and placed his finger against his face and yelled out I ASK YOU - WHERE IS GOD?

By this time the boy was absolutely terrified; he got off his chair and fled out of the room as fast as his little legs could take him. He didn't stop nor look back till he reached his house and he ran up the stairs to his brother's bedroom pushed open the door and said to his brother who was lying on the bed

WE ARE IN BIGGGGGGG TROUBLE. And his brother said- why are we in bigggggggg trouble. The boy then said - they think we are responsible, what shall we do?

So you see where is God, it is such a difficult question isn't it? But I am going to give you the answer it will be an open secret from now on, but you will have to read my book for that.

However all is not that far away, for I have another wonderful example a great little story of the visibility of God and that is not in my book? Soon after the publication The Study Society in London wanted copies of the book so there I was seated on the floor of the post office packing the books into a box prior to posting them. Out of no where this lady came up to me and said

"Where can I buy one of these books?"

I said "I am the author and these books are going to London."

She then very intently said

"Can you sell me one of them? and I said-" these are going to London" . Then she said

"How much is it?" and I replied $25 and continued with my packing. She meanwhile opens her purse and I hear her saying I have only $15 but I can get some money from the counter. A minute or so later she returns and places $25 by my side and says

"There. Can you please give me a book? My need is greater than theirs."

I was bewildered and we had a very brief conversation and then I gave her a copy and said

"You are the first person in the whole world to buy my book I hope it augurs well for you as for me. I then ask her

"Who are you"? she gives me her email address and I give her mine in case you wish to talk I said and I walk out of that post office absolutely on cloud nine.

About 2 weeks later I saw this email from this lady. And all authors love to know what their readers think about their books and when I saw this email my heart missed a beat as I knew this judgement was going to mean a great deal to me coming from such an unsolicited and unknown source. and the first to read my book. Was it make or break? I will quote a small part of the letter

"I think your journey has been a truly amazing one and gives me hope that my journey will be o.k. And really that's all I needed right now was some hope. So I feel privileged to have read your book first. I can see no reason why it will not go on to be a best seller, send a copy to Oprah, Anybody who can read and possesses some level of open-mindedness should appreciate all your concepts and your life 's experience. Thank you for allowing me to purchase the first copy

And she signs off with these words

"I guess this email is God made visible electronically. Thank you once again from a fellow seeker."

And here I need to add that every one of us without a doubt is a seeker the only difference is what is being sought; it could be a new car or a house or someone to love or a search for peace or good health or enlightenment.

I do want to thank this great lady who really not only as she said restored her own faith and hope in life but made me feel that all of this work I have put into this book and all of this has been worth just this beautiful experience, and for all you characters right here in this room this is God made visible.

I think the lady is in the audience and would you please do me the honour if you are here to come up and stand with me for a moment? What better mascot could any author or publisher want than this beautiful endorsement of Michelle's renewed hope in life?

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