Hope for the Best, Rejoice in the Blessings
/Here we are at the end of 2020, and I have to say that I’m glad to see it disappear in the rearview mirror. That being said, despite its many trials and tribulations, for Inspira, 2020 held some notable high points worth celebrating!
Plenty of Publications
Not unsurprisingly, the Covid slowdowns and lockdowns allowed many of our authors the opportunity to write (or finish) their book manuscripts and bring them to publication. I want to especially shout out a “Most Inspira-tional” award to first-time author Doug Burleigh, who completed the first draft of his 80,000+-word manuscript in a record-breaking six weeks during the first wave of lockdowns! (His book, Jesus Changes Everything, has been accepted by Morgan James Publishing in New York and will be released in September 2021. Congratulations!)
Inspira’s “Books Published List” for 2020 included:
Leave It All – Chelsea Greenwood
Addicted to Certainty – Howard Mackert
Prophetic Musings – Carol BoRich
Becoming His Bride – Karen Lunde Wiley
Pro Leadership – Andrew Wyatt (published by Morgan James Publishing)
Becoming Dads Participant & Facilitator Guides – Marvin Charles
Trading Gods – Brian Causey (published by Morgan James Publishing)
We Are Serve the Children – Doug Collier/ Serve the Children
The Living Life God’s Way Men’s Discipleship Series – Lou Turner, 13 books
21-Day Prayer Guide for Schools – Bridgebuilders/ Hal & Cheryl Sacks
Election 2020 Prayer Guide – BridgeBuilders/ Hal & Cheryl Sacks
Profile Magazine – Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Kid Fit for Fun – Erin Crain
We want to applaud and congratulate all these fine authors and organizations. It was a joy to help them develop their books and resources, and then to cheer them on as they published and launched their books into the world. And, we have many more exciting books in development, so our 2021 list is promising to be even longer than this one!
New Publishing Connection
In 2020, we were honored to see several of our authors accepted for publication by Morgan James Publishing in New York, and were delighted to see several slated for 2021. MJP publishes an average of 195 front list titles each year, with a backlist of over 2,700. With dozens of awards and New York Times bestsellers under its belt, Morgan James’ vision is to publish titles that educate, encourage, inspire, and entertain with relevant titles available everywhere books are sold. This is a mission that aligns perfectly with Inspira’s, and we look forward to what 2021 may hold in this arena!
A Growing and Flexible Team
As our list of authors and publications has grown, so has the commitment of our team. Because we already enjoyed a remote, flexible working paradigm at the beginning of 2020, we didn’t miss a beat when lockdowns were instituted. Most already worked from home, and we were grateful to have already established a rhythm and flow with our writers, editors, and designers. Those on our team with families learned to work around children being schooled at home online, but grace and creativity ruled and we were amazed to see how they rolled with it! (Special shout outs to Managing Editor Heather Sipes, and Graphic Designer Brianna Showalter, who wore their professional hats well while also navigating the homeschooling challenge.)
We also welcomed a new team member this year: Krista Ostrander joined us as our Project and Operations Manager. To a team full of creatives, she adds order to our growing company!
Looking Ahead
Despite so much uncertainty in the news and in the world, I am looking ahead to 2021 with anticipation … with an attitude of “Hope for the Best, Rejoice in the Blessings.” Every single day has a blessing in it, if we choose to receive it with gratitude. And, every single tomorrow holds hope, if we choose to look for it.
The challenge of lockdowns created opportunities for us and our authors to write, research, edit, and—wow—to actually read some books ourselves! The Inspira team pivoted quickly into flexible working arrangements because we were already working remotely and fluidly. In fact, Inspira, as a company, thrived in 2020 like never before. For this blessing, we are grateful!
That’s why I can confidently say I’m excited about what 2021 holds for us and for our authors, both new and established. Every cloud has a silver lining, every down has an up, every challenge has a work-around, and every storm can produce a rainbow.
We wish for you, too, the twin gifts of hope and gratitude for 2021. May it be a year of victories and blessings—big or small—in all your ventures, whether writing, publishing, or anything else!
With anticipation,
