I met Joellla at Third Place Books. She’s been writing books for over twenty years, and now she’s retired. Mainly, she’s written very expensive books; nicely bound for artists, musicians, and business people. She pulled out of her bag a beautiful book she had done for an artist with colored templates. It was a beautiful book. Joella went to get herself a cup of coffee. I looked further at this book and knew this took years to do. I don’t have this kind of time because my plan, my choice, and my passion are writing the heart of your stories in a simple fifty-page book, so it’s easily read by you and by other people.

Joella sat down with her cup of coffee, and we talked. She told me what it was like writing her books of famous individuals and business people. I pulled out my books that are simple, thin and easily read. She liked them. She liked the idea and asked me how much I charged. I said: “Well, for right now, it’s ninety-nine dollars for the special or three hundred and fifty dollars if I see somebody one-on-one.” Joella was bug-eyed and astounded when she heard those prices. “You must put 10 to 20 hours into each book, and I said: “Yes, I do. What’s important to me is writing the stories, the thoughts, and the poems in such a way for people to want to read them.” She agreed that people need to get drawn into books. She loved my concept. She liked my idea. We spent the rest of the time talking about the logistics of life and our ephemera – our stuff that our children may or may not want to keep.

For instance, when her first child, her son was born, her father felt it was vital her son receive a set of Children Classics, so that was his present to the new born. They weren’t bound the best but still in all; this is what her father wanted to give her son. He passed away the next year. When her son grew up, he didn’t want these books. Still in all, Joella wanted her son to know the story behind this item, so she wrote a story and then gave the books away.

My question to her the next time we meet is: “Why not turn that story into a book, so it’s a lovely keepsake of her Dad.?”

When you turn stories into thin, inviting and intoxicating books, the lack of cumbersomeness invites the reader.
 

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A thin Book