1.
What inspired you to write this book?
This
book is the fruit produced from many years of experiences. Along my journey
through every valley and my climb to reach every mountaintop, I gained strength
and wisdom. That strength and wisdom was all sprouted from my spirituality
which is the seed within me. I was taught early on to plant my seed, my spirit,
in the word of God. I am eternally grateful for that lesson. For it is the word
of God that gives me the principles, strength, and wisdom to overcome and to
thrive. A tree does not produce fruit for itself. Therefore, I seek to share
all I have gained with as many people as possible.
2.
What exactly is it about and who is it written for?
Grounded
and Rooted is about the life-changing nutrients and concepts found within the
word of God. The various concepts and themes in the Bible are useful and
necessary for people at all stages of life and spirituality. For those curious
about Christianity, this book provides a guide to key concepts in the Bible.
For those new to Christianity, Grounded and Rooted provides practical stories
and principles that can be applied to help them build their spiritual
foundation. For those who are seasoned in the faith, this book provides
refreshing and affirming messages to strengthen their spiritual foundation. For
those that are broken, this book is a reminder that healing is possible. A
broken tree with strong roots can still survive. This book provides a biblical guide
for the path from brokenness to better to blessed. This book was written for
all people.
3.
What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
When
people finish the book, I want them to be confident in their spiritual
foundation. This book is also a resource which points to the true source of
continuous nourishment, growth, and development – the word of God. My hope is
that through Grounded and Rooted, people will discover the power and purpose of
anchoring their life to the word of God.
4.
How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
The
evolution of my book’s title is an interesting story. I actually started
writing portions of this book decades ago. When I began writing it, the title
of the book was “Walking the Path of Spiritual Growth.” I was early in my
spiritual journey; and I had a vision of the path of spiritual growth. The
initial vision I had was a beautiful tree-lined path, sprinkled with rose
petals; with people along the path cheering you on as you progressed on your
spiritual journey. However, through the years of walking this path, I realized
that the vision I initially had was not the reality of what I was experiencing.
I realized that, as Jesus forewarned us in John 16:33, “in this life, you will
have tribulations.” My spiritual journey has not been a smooth path. There are
hills and valleys. There are thorns and thickets. It is not always full of
sunshine. There are storms that pop up, sometimes without warning. There are no
rose petals sprinkled along the path. The path can be cluttered with rocks, and
blockages that I have to navigate. The people that are present are not always
cheering me on; some may mock me, others may try their best to push me off the
path. The only way I have been able to progress on this spiritual journey was
to go beyond reading the Bible without understanding. I had to truly be
grounded and rooted in the word of God. I had to know, believe, and hold on to
what the word of God said about me and my destiny. I had to ensure I was
walking the path with Jesus, and not attempting to navigate this difficult, and
often confusing, journey alone.
I have
always been interested in growth and development. I research and study various
growth patterns and principles. The growth and transformation a seed undergoes
to reach its full potential is inspiring; and it also translates to our own
growth and transformation. When assessing our growth, is important to determine
the soil in which we are planted. What is feeding your spirit? What nutrients
are you gaining? We must be aware and intentional of where we are planted. If
we are grounded and rooted in the word of God, we will have all the nutrients
we need to stand strong and prevail. The storm may rise. There may be periods
of drought. But we can rest assured that we are firmly planted in the
nutrient-rich word of God. We therefore have access to all we need. The title
“Grounded and Rooted – firmly planted in the nutrient-rich word of God” is a
characteristic that I have finally grown to possess. I can now say that I have
this characteristic. I am grounded and rooted. I am firmly planted in the
nutrient-rich word of God. This allows me to combat many defeating situations,
thoughts, and behaviors. When the winds of change and difficulty seek to blow
me off of my path, I can stand firm and say “I am grounded and rooted. I will
not be blown away.” When the heat of trials cause me to feel exhausted and
worn, I can say “I am firmly planted in the nutrient-rich word of God.” Since
my hope is in God, I can declare as it is referenced in Isaiah 40, that my
strength will be renewed. I will mount up with wings as an eagle. I will run
and not grow weary. I will walk and will not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
For
the cover design, I sought to create a design that aligned with the purpose and
message of the book. The image of the tree planted in the Bible directly speaks
to the fruitfulness of the word of God. The roots growing into the pages
signifies the depth of study necessary to truly be grounded and rooted. It is
not about gaining a surface level respect for the Bible, but it is about truly
sinking and growing roots into it so that the word of God has an impact on your
life. The roots being in the Bible means that the Bible is the source of all
the nutrients the tree is obtaining to create its growth and development. This
picture depicts that important relationship and context of the Bible as the
source of our growth and development.
5.
What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than
run!?
My
advice would be as follows: Do not run; instead you should pour. Maya Angelou
once said “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
When you carry the weight of the untold story that needs to be heard, you will
not be able to run. It will be too heavy. Therefore, I would say release the weight
of your untold story by pouring it all out. Continue to pour and the weight
will subside. Continue to pour and you will see others refreshed. Your story is
meant to feed more than just you. Extend the impact of your experiences and the
lessons you learned. Pour, refill, and pour some more.
6.
What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book
publishing industry is heading?
The
world remains, and I believe will always remain, hungry for adventure, wisdom,
and inspiration. Books have the power to quench this hunger.
As the
pace of people’s lives continue to accelerate, the demand for newer
technologies and avenues (such as audio books) to deliver the adventure,
wisdom, and inspiration that is sought will continue to rise. I believe the
publishing industry will continue to thrive as it leverages advancements in these
capabilities.
There
are many authors now taking advantage of self-publishing as another avenue to
tell their stories and spread knowledge. The increased options in delivering
the stories and messages that authors have to give will create an increase in
supply and options for readers to explore. This is quite exciting!
7.
Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy
when writing this book?
In
terms of the content of the book, all of my experiences came in handy. I truly
believe that every experience has a purpose. I make an intentional point not to
waste any challenge or any victory. Through this book, I was able categorize
and summarize many experiences of my life. This is the reason that I am fully
resolved in the messaging within the pages of this book. I lived it. Therefore,
I know that it is true; and I know that it works.
In
terms of the writing process, my doctoral journey was very helpful in writing
this book. I gained a great deal through my doctoral journey. My experience and
understanding of qualities such as perseverance, determination, and humility
was amplified. I also gained a routine of research, validation, and the
consideration and incorporation of comprehensive perspectives. All of these
things contributed mightily to my writing process for this book.
8.
How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your
writing similar to?
As far
back as I can remember I have always been called an inspirational and
motivational writer. Yet my writing includes an aspect of practicality that
facilitates growth. It is one thing to be inspired to grow. But it is another
thing to be given the practical steps that lead to comprehensive understanding
and growth. Therefore I do not settle for providing inspiration without the
practicality needed for application. I learn from the writings of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Maya Angelou, and Brené Brown.
9.
What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?
There
are two major challenges I had to overcome in writing this book. The first was
the challenge of self-doubt. I could, and likely will, write an entire book
about overcoming self-doubt. The process of discovering and embracing your
value is one of the most critical and most rewarding process you can undergo. Through
writing, you are releasing your thoughts onto paper. That is a power action.
But the next step of releasing your writing into the world takes a different
level of courage and conquering. I am grateful for the experience of overcoming
this obstacle. My hope is that more writers who are currently succumbing to the
paralyzing fear of this obstacle will push through the anxiety and fear to
experience the joy of liberation and releasing.
The
second challenge I had to overcome was the challenge of distractions. My
favorite definition of focus is selective attention. There are many people,
places, and things that are vying for your attention. The ability to
strategically select that which you pay the currency of your attention to is a
game-changing skill to attain. I had to develop the discipline to designate
time to strategically select my writing as the area that I was going to apply
my attention, energy, and effort. This was a skill and discipline that has
resulted in great rewards. This book is one of those rewards.
10. If people can buy or read one book
this week or month, why should it be yours?
People should read Grounded and Rooted because of its
impact. After reading Grounded and Rooted, the reader will not be the same. The
reader will be stronger, more confident, and wiser. This book will create an
appetite for the word of God that will result in deeper and purposeful study of
the Bible. That result is life-changing.
Dr. Endya
Perry is a prolific author and dynamic speaker called to lead people to the
wisdom, strength, and healing power of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. She is fully dedicated to this calling. She earned her bachelor's
degree from NC State University in Accounting, her MBA with a concentration in
Business Law from Campbell University; and her Doctorate specializing in
Organizational Leadership from Northcentral University. Her background is rich
in finance, business analysis, digital tools, and leadership. She is a
proven leader and transformational life coach with a strong passion for
inspiring and transforming people and teams. She gives God ALL the praise and
glory for all these things. Her mission each day is to look for and take advantage
of opportunities to inspire and be inspired to make positive change. For more
info, please see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-endya-perry-40a82668/
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter
@theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and
raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and
Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer
and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com
as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as
the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two
jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time,
self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors
and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine
Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren
Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy,
Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for
Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers
Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod
Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY
Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington
Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.
For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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