Many authors write for money, fame or to share ideas and convictions. For me, however, the real payoff is to see the joy that reading about their parents and grandparents brings to peoples lives. Today was such a day as the Fed Ex delivery van pulled into our driveway and delivered a box containing two copies of the book I had recently finished compiling on my father-in-law's life.
My wife helped me open the well-packaged box and we tore into the wrapping to reveal two wonderfully printed, hardcopy books containing the stories her father had written down almost two decades ago about his childhood, work life, marriages and retirement.
He had painstakingly typed the manuscript on pages that were folded in the middle and stapled. Now, thanks to Blurb.com and the software they provide free, BookSmart®, that manuscript had been converted into a trade-sized (9” x 6”) hardcopy book. Photographs provided from both daughters as well as his surviving wife illustrated the book while poems he had written and the eulogy delivered at his funeral some 12 years ago were included.
He had painstakingly typed the manuscript on pages that were folded in the middle and stapled. Now, thanks to Blurb.com and the software they provide free, BookSmart®, that manuscript had been converted into a trade-sized (9” x 6”) hardcopy book. Photographs provided from both daughters as well as his surviving wife illustrated the book while poems he had written and the eulogy delivered at his funeral some 12 years ago were included.
Tears were shed as my wife read the book and recalled the wonderful times she shared with her mother and father! Later, she took a copy to her sister and, again, tears of joy flowed freely as the book brought back wonderful memories. Seeing their joy was payment in full!