Interview with Rick Hoover
Published 2013-10-04.
What is your ebook reading device?
I published my first ebook without access to any ebook device except my PC.
What is the story behind your book?
My wife had a desire to publish a daily Christian devotional and began writing a manuscript with one for every day of the year. A friend pointed her toward an established commercial publisher. They offered various packages costing over $1000.00 to print a small handful of copies for her. I thought there had to be a better way and began to research POD and ebook publishers. Smashwords had such a good presentation (no hype) that I quickly decided to try it out for myself. I drew on past columns and blog essays to assemble content for this experiment. Starting from scratch with no knowledge about the file requirements except what I was reading from Mark's guides, I uploaded and published my book 48 hours after I began working on it. This learning curve was MUCH easier than I expected. To date I've published three titles, including the ebook edition of Melanie's daily devotional.
Why are you an Independent Author?
I didn't want to have to bet money I didn't have, up front, on what is realistically always going to be a long shot.
What is your approach to cover design?
I don't have formal training in graphic arts but I have played around with cameras and computer graphics for years. I've handled layout and art for newsletters and church bulletins. I had no hesitation tackling a cover image for my ebook. The one thing I kept in mind was making use of a big, readable font for the title since I knew the catalog listings would initially only show a postage stamp size image.
What is your marketing approach?
Initial emails to friends, of course, to notify them of the novelty. I've also written about my adventure on my blog and posted a link there to direct readers back to the Smashwords catalog page. But clearly further effort will be called for. Melanie will be taking her print editions to her speaking engagements and we'll include bookmarks that have links to the ebooks at Smashwords.
What media influenced you growing up?
My father was a printer for many years in a large church publishing organization. I became interested in various small toy printing devices. I created small flyers and newsletters to hand out at school. That fit in with my interest in writing stories and printing them out. I also wrote movie scripts for our home movie camera, with the premieres projected on the wall of a neighbor's house. I did "radio broadcasts" using a reel to reel tape recorder. So I guess I've had a sort of across the board, start to finish exposure to using media from an early age. I eventually got a BA in Writing and have worked in radio and television. I've been involved with book and magazine writing and ghostwriting.
What was the first book you read?
Something I picked up at a bookmobile in my neighborhood. It was about a lamp post and a mailbox taking a walk down the street. I also recall an entertaining book about a boys summer camp called "Camping Like Crazy" by T. Morris Longstreth.
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Latest books by This Author
Learn What This Means
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Disciples and crowds that heard Jesus personally were continually missing the point of things Jesus said. He said plainly why he had come. But no one knew what to expect next from him. We assume that One who could create the universe with a simple command did not mumble. Has God been unfair to us? Has He really spoken clearly to us? Rick reviews obstacles that frustrate our understanding.
First Season First Harvest
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A candid examination of issues starting from scratch with unbelievers and discipling them. Every new Christian was witnessed to by a Christian who had been formed in these lessons. This revised edition contains additional material included in the print version.
Sixty
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Nearly 100 pithy devotionals with Bible verses that you can read in a minute or less! Even if you start your day in a hurry, you'll have something to think about all day long!
Matthew Mark Luke John
by Rick Hoover
You have wanted to read through the Bible but it's so big and long! Rick Hoover joins you on your trip through the four Gospels and the book of Acts - the five Torah 2.0 narrative books that begin the New Testament. Rick points out and shares the details he has noticed in the stories of Jesus and the early Church.
Seek Shelter: Stories to Soothe Your Spirit During Natural Disasters
by Daphne Tarango, Veronica Berry, Carl Colbert, Rose P. Evelyn-Hall, Sarah Farnsworth, Melanie Hoover, Rick Hoover, Karen Campbell Prough, Luis Tarango, awhitt, Kim Wilbanks, & Amberlyn Dwinnell (editor)
Seek Shelter is a collection of inspirational stories by authors who have uncovered the good in the rubble of natural disasters. Hurricanes. Blizzards. Wildfires. Tornadoes. How do you cope in the wake of natural devastation? How can you recover? Will life ever be the same? Can any good ever come from something so bad? From the most violent side of nature can sprout rest, comfort, and peace.
BCP Rite II Annotated Liturgy
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This is an annotated version of the Rite II worship liturgy from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer used by the Episcopal Church in America. This was handed out to confirmation class students I taught during my ministry as a parish deacon in central Florida.
222 Prayers
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Quick, short prayers to start the conversation with the Lord. A collection of seeds for your prayer garden!
Kingdom Parables
by Rick Hoover
Mark 4:30 He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?" Jesus used over 30 parables to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven. His images and symbols were colorful and memorable. Just as often, the disciples were puzzled by them. Deacon Rick takes a slow, new look to try to understand the mysteries in the Kingdom Parables.
Thirteen Commandments
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An examination of the Ten Commandments Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai, the two commands Jesus said summed them up, and the additional "new commandment" that Jesus delivered to his disciples at the Last Supper. Are they meant to define boundaries of behavior? Or are they better understood as the best orientation toward greater fulfillment in life?
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